Dr. Caitlin Massone: Overcoming Eating Disorders Through Endurance Sports, Neuroscience & Nature – Author of Running from Perfection.
- xtinecruzat
- Apr 1
- 3 min read
Dr. Caitlin Massone, ultra-runner, mountaineer, neurologist, and first-time author, sharing the story of her 14-year battle with eating disorders, and how she recovered in an unconventional way through finding endurance sports and nature.
Her book, "Running from Perfection," comes out this spring (April 26th 2025).
Part memoir, part neuroscience, her story delves into the neurobiology of eating disorders, how our brains form habits and addictions, and how nature and exercise can help us heal from mental health disorders such as eating disorders, anxiety, and depression.
Since regaining her health, Caitlin has run numerous marathons and ultramarathons, including a 50 mile race on the Mountains-to-Sea trail, and recently completed the Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier (93 miles in three days). She has also embraced mountaineering, summiting Mount Rainier and Mount Baker, and is planning to climb Denali in 2026.
Her story is about perseverance, overcoming mental health obstacles, and finding passion in sports that have transformed her from a 100-pound girl with anorexia to a strong, 150-pound athlete who is ready to take on new challenges!
⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions about eating disorders, mental health challenges, and recovery. Please listen with care, and reach out for support if needed.
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Show notes
Who is Caitlin
Being based in New Jersey
Working as a practicing neurologist
Working 7 days on and 7 days off
Developing new interests, in running, hiking, backpacking and mountaineering
Writing about her long term eating disorder and how she found ultra endurance sports
What a neurologist does
How her working schedule came about
Her path from medical school, to residency, and completing her fellowship
Her early years growing up in New Jersey
Loving soccer (football) from 5 years old and playing varsity
Losing her love of sports and nature at 16
Nature and nurture in the formation of eating disorders
Being abandoned by her father
Little Miss Perfect….
Dealing with pressure
Type A personality and how they turned against her
What people don’t know about eating disorders
Starting to binge eat
Balancing it out with exercise
Taking a job in Colorado
Being exposure to nature at it’s best
Quitting cold turkey
Doing short hikes and runs outdoors
Getting to the top of her first 14,000 ft
Seeking professional help and working with a therapist
Keeping her eating behaviours very private
Good or bad habits…
Habit formation in the brain and the role that exercise plays
Exercise junkie
Not being preoccupied with food
Having a better outlook on it
The battle going on inside your brain
Primitive urges and self talk
Mantras - Powerful and perseverance
Running her first half marathon while in medical school
Her running journey being slow and gradual
Starting running ultra marathons in 2020
Race strategy and getting use to time on feet and breaking it down into small chunks of time
Spacing out nutrition throughout the race
Fuelling and attitude to food during races
Working with a running coach for the past 2 years
Trying to keep things easy
Getting into mountaineering
Planning to climb Mt Denali
The use of oral contraceptive pills past the age of 35
Building the mental resilience
Getting her tattoo done
Social media…. Not being hugely active
Women in Mountaineering
New book goes live April 26th 2025
Final words of advice
Finding someone to listen
The power of talking and opening up to people
Social Media
Book: Running from Perfection: My Journey from Eating Disorders to Endurance Sports--And the Neuroscience Behind It
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