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Sandi Nypaver

@sandinypaver

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🏔Runner⁣
🏃🏻‍♀️Co-Founder & Running Coach @higherrunning⁣
🌱Vegan Athlete
🐖@the_kind_alternative
@topoathletic @athletebloodtestcom

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You might think hiring a coach is just about getting a better training plan, but we think it’s about a lot more than that.

It’s about helping athletes find alignment between what brings them joy, what’s best for their bodies and health, and how running fits into the rest of their lives. And that’s not sacrificing performance, it’s enhancing it.

An athlete can only push harder for so long when they should be resting, or chase goals that don’t actually bring them joy. But an athlete who loves what they’re doing, feels good in their body, and stays focused on the journey is an athlete who can perform well and keep running for years to come.

You can absolutely have a coach who provides an excellent training plan, thoughtful feedback, and high-quality information while also caring about your joy and love for the sport.

We don’t just coach you. We help running become part of a lifestyle built around happiness and health.

That’s what we do every day here at Higher Running. by @sandinypaver

On today’s episode of The Running Kind Podcast, Aimee is joined by Sandi Nypaver. Sandi is the winner of this year’s Grindstone 100K, coming in 6th place overall. She is an accomplished trail runner, coach and co-founder of Higher Running and plant based athlete. She has had success across many different distances and disciplines. In this episode, we dive into what it looks like building strength as a vegan athlete and how her passions have collided in the running space.

https://higherrunning.com/plant-based/

Follow Sandi at @sandinypaver or @the_kind_alternative on Instagram.

Listen to the episode on Apple, Spotify or the direct link below.

https://therunningkind.net/podcast

@sandinypaver | @aimskoh

📷 @banta.visuals by @sandinypaver

Your love won’t always be likable—and that’s okay.

I love people, animals, and the planet. Because of that love, I stand up for them. Love isn’t always soft, humble, or easy. Sometimes, it’s bold, passionate, and unapologetically strong.

I used to care about being likable. Now, I care more about being kind and respectful—without carrying the weight of trying to please everyone. At the end of the day, I want to like the person I am.

For me, that means standing up for equality, diversity, the earth, and animals. I believe in creating a world where inclusion, equity, and human rights aren’t up for debate—where every person, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or ability, is valued and protected. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “It all boils down to this: that all life is interrelated… Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” Those words define a large part of my purpose. When we harm one, we harm all. When we help one, we help all.

If this message doesn’t sit well with you, that’s okay—I stand by my values.

If you’re just here for running tips, feel free to follow @higherrunning instead of this account.

Thanks, @fastfoodie , for helping me shape these thoughts on our run and to my niece, Pacer (🐶 in the pic), who is a pure source of love. 🤗

#vegan #equality #diversity #protectourwinters #love by @sandinypaver

Choosing a coach is a big decision. You’re trusting someone with your goals, your time, and a large part of your life.

So instead of telling you what it’s like to work with us, we’ll let our athletes do it.

Swipe to hear from athletes coached by Rachael, Jake, Sandi, and Ray, from first half marathons to the 2:30s and years of ultras together.

Every coach on our team builds your training from scratch, looks at every run, responds to every comment, and keeps your long term goals in mind. And they care about you as a whole person, not just your splits.

Not sure who’s the right fit? Book a free intro call and we’ll help you find your coach. Link in bio.

#runningcoach #marathontraining #ultrarunning #trailrunning #onlinerunningcoach by @sandinypaver

My cup is full after this weekend at the Barnyard Backyard Ultra! 🐐

Sage tried his hand at a backyard ultra and got the GOAT award, but what made it really meaningful was where it happened: Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary @luvinarms , a place that holds a special spot in our hearts.

We don’t often get to see our two big loves, running and animals, come together like this. Being surrounded by safe, happy, loved animals all weekend felt incredibly special.

I really can’t thank Luvin Arms enough for everything they do. They’ve created a beautiful sanctuary for the animals, and for the people who love them. It’s such a good reminder that so many others want to help animals too.

Huge thanks to @letsfeelgreatsports as well. They host several races at Luvin Arms and give part of the proceeds back to the sanctuary. Such a wonderful company created by some truly beautiful humans. I can’t recommend their events enough!

Their next race is a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving. 🦃 Every year Sage and I “adopt” a few turkeys from Luvin Arms, and we got to talking about how cool it would be for people nearby to do the same. Adopt a turkey, run the Turkey Trot, then go meet your turkey after the race. What a special tradition that would be!

(Last pic is a throwback to when Sage and I volunteered at the Luvin Arms Halloween party back in 2018🎃) by @sandinypaver

We share these mountains with bears, foxes, coyotes, and mountain lions. They can’t vote. We can.

The kind choice is no on 83. Please drop your ballot at a drop box by 7pm on Nov. 3.

Full breakdown: sanjuancitizens.org/wildlife/vote-no-on-amendment-83 Link in bio. by @sandinypaver

There are lots of reasons your legs can fall apart in an ultra. Fueling, pacing, and how you trained your downhills all play a role. But not training the right amount and kind of vert is one of the most common, and it’s one you can prepare better for next time.

If you want help building a plan around your specific race, learn more about our 1:1 trail and ultra coaching at higherrunning.com. by @sandinypaver

In college, my sister (now Coach Ray) and I were known for our work ethic, in athletics and in school. We even had an article written about it in the college paper.

But the truth is, we were both pretty miserable.

We pushed ourselves too hard. We were always tired, our bodies were never fresh, and our athletic performance suffered for it.

People praising our work ethic made it worse. Our self-worth got tied to how hard we worked. No one ever stopped to tell us there was a better way.

I now know without a doubt that if I had gotten more sleep, taken better care of myself, and really led with joy, I would have been a way better athlete.

Joy isn’t the opposite of hard work. It’s part of what helps you push through a hard effort. As neuroscientist Dr. David Spindler puts it, happiness increases time to exhaustion.

High performance and joy belong together. by @sandinypaver

Nobody we coach gets a static training plan. Even if two people are going after pretty similar goal times, their plans can look really different.

We look at their past training, their schedule, how they’re feeling, and what they’re telling us. And then we keep adjusting as we go.

A good training plan is important, but it’s only part of it. Our athletes know we’re actually looking at their training. We’re reading their comments, asking how they feel, asking questions, and giving advice along the way.

We really care about the people we coach, and we want their plan to be what’s truly best for them.

If you’re looking for that kind of coaching, you can contact us at the link in our bio or learn more at higherrunning.com. by @sandinypaver

For a lot of us in the Northern Hemisphere, mountain racing season is wrapping up as the cold and snow move in. But this is a great time to look back while it’s still fresh and figure out what you want to work on for next year.

What’s the gap you want to close for next season? Tell me below. 👇 by @sandinypaver

One of the best 24 hours of my life.

These are from early September, but I told myself I’d make this reel, even if it’s just for me.

Ray, Pacer, and I hiked up over 12,000 feet and camped on a magical mountain pass that we had all to ourselves. We had a beautiful sunset and a perfectly still night of stargazing, with a few shooting stars. Thanks to Ray, we woke up in the dark to start hiking and caught the sunrise on top of San Luis Peak. We sat up there in our sleeping bags with hot coffee and we had the summit to ourselves.

It doesn’t feel that long ago that Pacer was joining us on big running adventures, but now she’s more of a “take your time” sniffing hiker. Back then I didn’t think it could get better than those Pacer runs. But slowing down, backpacking, and soaking it all in with Ray and Pacer actually felt even more special.

I made this so I’ll always have this happy memory to look back on. And while it feels like it doesn’t get better than this, I’m staying open to the idea that it might. 🩵 by @sandinypaver

Which of these mistakes can you work on correcting: pacing, workout timing, carbs, or joy? Leave a comment. 👇

Share this with a friend chasing a sub 3 (or faster) who needs to hear it. by @sandinypaver