Believe Training Journal (10th Anniversary Revised Edition)

Lauren Fleshman found running at age 13 as an adventurous, scrappy tomboy looking for a place to belong. A top high school recruit out of California, Lauren went on to win five NCAA titles and 15 All-American honors to earn a spot in the Stanford University Hall of Fame. In her 12 years as a pro she won USA championships and international competitions, represented Team USA many times, and finished as high as 7th in the world amid many years of injuries and setbacks.

Lauren’s debut book, Good for a Girl: a Woman Running in a Man’s World, was an instant New York Times Best Seller and won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year in 2023. She does public speaking, hosts Wilder Running and Writing Retreats, and her work is being utilized by schools and teams around the world. She lives in Oregon with her two kids, Jude and Zadie, and is partnered with filmmaker Eva Moss.

Róisín McGettigan-Dumas grew up running the beaches, trails, and roads of Wicklow, Ireland. She left home for a chance to compete in track and XC at Providence College, where she was an All-American x4. Ro competed in the steeplechase at the 2008 Olympics and was retroactively awarded the bronze medal in the 1500m from the 2009 European Indoor Championships.

While she is retired from competitive running, Ro remains invested in sport as a licensed mental health counselor working with athletes, as the co-founder of the Dare to Believe Olympic education program, and as president of the Irish Olympians Association. She enjoys coaching at her kids’ schools, daily runs with her dog, dance class, and juggling family life with husband Myles and children Hope, Ava, and Ruari in Providence, Rhode Island.