Heather Vinge Hanson is a MN trail runner, and in 2025 Heather ran several marathon or longer distances, including her first 50K race. She does all that, while dealing with a multitude of chronic conditions and syndromes. Everything from gastro-intestinal disorders, to Ehlers Danlos to Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia , and that is after battling an eating disorder for many years. This is someone who has been in the fire, and she is not just surviving, but flourishing through it. It no surprise that TerraLoco, the great footwear and sporting store in Rochester, MN, began sponsoring her as an athlete last year. In this conversation, we go through her history of discovering and dealing with her many chronic conditions, her love of trail running and her current achievements and futuregoals. And stayed tuned after the episode for another edition of Running Out Loud, where I feature another Joe Hardin piece called The Miles Provide. So, strap in and lace up for a nice long run today, and don’t forget your ‘power object’, be it guitar or vest, but let’s get going, it’s time to hit the trail.

Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/chronic.runner.mn/

Heather on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@chronic.runner.mn

Info on Ehlers Danlos Hypermobile syndrome: https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/heds/

TerraLoco (Heather's sponsor): https://runterraloco.com/

Info on "Fire - Every Step Counts" the film: https://www.thepicklejuiceproject.com/

Heather's coach (Fly Free Run) website: https://flyfreerunandwellness.issacertifiedtrainer.com/

Joe Hardin's "The Miles Provide" on Substack: https://substack.com/inbox/post/195253072

Joe Hardin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trail_tortoise_running/

Joey's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Run_Joey_Run

Running Behind on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/running.behind_pod

Joey's Strava Profile: https://www.strava.com/athletes/111237895

Artwork by Ed Linder