Carrie chats with Latoya Shauntay Snell, the founder of the Running Fat Chef blog! They talk about her different Chicago Marathon experiences and being daring enough to try it again, getting past hurdles in life, asking for help and leaning into community a bit more, how she got into the sport, her cooking, that feeling of belonging, unraveling that term of being an athlete, and so much more!
Recorded October 24, 2023
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Latoya Shauntay Snell
Noted by The Root as one of the most influential African Americans ages 25 to 45, Latoya Shauntay Snell is a sponsored endurance athlete, body politics advocate and motivational speaker. She is known for her comprehensive food and fitness blog Running Fat Chef,™ detailing her fitness endeavors from the perspective of a Black, queer, and chronically ill plus-size long distance runner, multi-sport endurance athlete and adventurer navigating spaces that oftentimes aren’t inclusive to marginalized people. Featured on multiple platforms such as 3rd Hour Today, Good Morning America, Huffington Post, The Cut and Elle, Snell is quickly making a name for herself by changing the narrative of ideal body types and fitness stereotypes with firm conversations about boundary setting in the fitness and wellness space.
Snell wrote as a contributing writer for several notable platforms such as Runner’s World, Huffington Post. The Root and Gear Junkie, some of which garnered tens of thousands of views within hours. She’s been featured in global mainstream advertisements, commercials and modeled for several athleisure brands such as HOKA, TREK Bikes, Eloquii and Gymshark. As a well-versed content creator, she’s connected with over 50 brands for short- and long-term projects, including Tampax and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Within a five-year span, she participated in over 200 running and obstacle course events. Snell completed 20+ marathons, 5 ultra-races and 30+ half marathons within this period – including the Javelina Jundred 100K. Her culinary background at Star Career Academy of New York and several years in the human services field offers her a unique approach to conversations about food, mental health and fitness. As a plus size woman in the fitness, wellness and food industry, Latoya seeks to bridge the gap through daily journaling via social media, transparent blurbs on her blog Running Fat Chef, conversations about intersectionality in sports and working with not for profits to change the language for future generations in sports and beyond.
This HOKA Global Athlete Ambassador hosts the Running Fat Chef ™ podcast where she interviews athletes of different backgrounds about their lives in sport and digs into their identity beyond their respective disciplines. She is also the co-host of The Long Run with Martinus and Latoya podcast under the 300 Pounds and Running Podcast Network. This program discusses the highs, lows and the grit of being two plus sized runners in the “back of the pack.”
When she’s not running races, traveling or chasing adventure, she spends her time with her high school sweetheart turned husband, William, Sr. – life partner for over 20 years, her snarky son William, Jr. and their newly adopted cat Mrs. Sheba Clawsington. You can catch her binge-watching documentaries, experimenting with a new recipe and indulging in a collection of non-fiction books.
Show Notes:
Running Fat Chef
Latoya Shauntay Snell on Instagram
Running Fat Chef on Instagram
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