Hurdle with Emily Abbate

Hurdle is where real stories meet next-level ambition. Host, veteran journalist and coach Emily Abbate, interviews the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, peeling back the curtain on their journeys through vulnerable, deep conversation. Learn the secrets to their success, including the grit, glory, and crucial mindset lessons that help her level-up. Each conversation, a powerful reminder that we get to overcome, and embrace each hurdle to live happier, healthier, more motivated lives. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

  1. 2 days ago

    The Mindset of an American Record Holder: Sinclaire Johnson On Building Self-Belief, Mastering The Mile & Trusting Your Gut

    American record holder in the mile and Hoka professional athlete Sinclaire Johnson joins the show to discuss navigating the intense highs, setbacks, and transitions of elite middle-distance running. Sinclaire gets real about rebounding from a misdiagnosed sacral stress reaction, the emotional aftermath of placing fourth at the 2024 Olympic Trials with a personal best, and taking a leap of faith to sign with HOKA. She also breaks down how working with a sports psychologist redefined her inner dialogue from chasing perfection to pursuing excellence, her lap-by-lap tactical mindset during the mile, and her life away from competition—including first-dance choreography and wedding planning with her fiancé and coach, Craig. IN THIS EPISODE Navigating Injury & Recovery: Managing the frustration of a misdiagnosed sacral stress reaction and rebuilding base fitness during an off-year. The 2024 Trials Perspective: Processing the heartbreak of missing the team by one spot while still celebrating a two-second PR. Coaching & Life Dynamics: What it looks like to be coached by her fiancé, Craig, and how their partnership reignited her joy for training. The Move to Hoka: Stepping into a major sponsorship shift, collaborating directly on shoe prototypes in Portland, and feeling valued as an athlete. Excellence Over Perfection: Shifting self-talk, overcoming imposter syndrome on global start lines, and leaning into unfiltered vulnerability on YouTube. The Anatomy of a Fast Mile: A detailed look inside her race strategy, from staying relaxed through 800m to the physical blur of the final 200m. Life Off the Oval: Wedding preparations, practicing dance lifts, and staying true to her everyday self. QUOTABLE MOMENTS "We’re not striving for perfection, because no one’s perfect. Instead, we’re striving for excellence. How can I be excellent today? How can I be excellent tomorrow?" "There’s nothing that makes you feel more alive than feeling like you’re going to die on the track." "Your gut, your intuition, will never lead you astray. If you trust yourself and listen to that inner voice, you’re on the right path." "I am an ultracompetitive person on the line, but at the end of the day, we put the guard down and celebrate each other. That camaraderie is what makes middle-distance running so special." SOCIAL@sinclairejohnson@hurdlepodcast@emilyabbate@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.  Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  2. 18 Aug

    At What Cost: Jess Sims on Setting Boundaries, Injury Lessons & Embracing Imperfection

    Peloton favorite, ESPN host, and sideline reporter Jess Sims sits down for an intimate, vulnerable conversation about what it truly means to slow down, listen to your gut, and navigate life’s biggest transitions. Jess opens up about expanding her broadcast career onto national stages like First Take and College GameDay, how she actively quiets her inner "Gremlin," and why she now filters every new opportunity through the question: “At what cost?” She also shares how she navigated the profound grief of losing her father, what a multi-year injury journey taught her about self-worth and starting over, and the power of embracing neutral self-talk over toxic positivity. IN THIS EPISODE Slowing Down & Setting Boundaries: Why Jess is moving away from the "it'll slow down after this project" mentality and how she creates restorative space at her upstate home. Expanding Her Role at ESPN: Entering her fifth year, making the leap into guest-hosting First Take, and the distinct mindset shift required for live national television debates. Taming the "Inner Gremlin": Recognizing negative self-talk, separating automatic emotional reactions from intentional responses, and leading with gut instinct. Aligning Decisions with Your Mission: Rooting choices in core values (health, community, purpose) and learning how Jess's background in education and team sports shaped her lifelong mission to uplift others. Navigating Difficult Conversations: Why clarity gives you what you need (even if it’s not what you want) and the courage required to live outside the gray area. Grief, Loss, and Honor: Experiencing the loss of her father, reframing the non-linear nature of grief, and creating space for raw emotion in fitness classes and community spaces. Reframing Injury as Information: Overcoming a torn meniscus, finding joy in being a beginner again, and keeping identity separate from physical output. Her Current Training Stack: Transitioning away from marathon training, working with a personal trainer, and balancing discipline with real-life fun. Neutrality Over Toxic Positivity: How Jess looks in the mirror today, embracing imperfection, and giving herself grace on the days when "positive" feels out of reach. QUOTABLE MOMENTS "Becoming is better than being ... there's something about learning that excites me."   "Clarity gives you what you need, even if it doesn't give you what you want." "I'm me. I'm never going to be anyone else. Might as well hype myself up in the best way that I can. And if I can't push myself to positive, just keep it to neutral." SOCIAL@jesssims@emilyabbate@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.  Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. 14 Aug

    5-MINUTE FRIDAY: Returning to Seawheeze & Dreaming Bigger

    In this episode of 5-Minute Friday, Emily reflects on a major full-circle moment after returning to Vancouver for the lululemon SeaWheeze race weekend. Eight years ago, standing at a lululemon Vision & Goals session in that very same city, she put a terrifyingly big goal out into the universe: to make Hurdle her full-time job. Fast forward to today, and that vision has grown bigger than she could have ever imagined. Emily shares why it's crucial to give yourself permission to "think big," allow room for best-case scenarios, and celebrate every step of the journey. Plus, she answers a listener question about transitioning back into a regular routine post-marathon training and shares her go-to quick post-workout hacks. WEEKLY THOUGHT PROMPT: "What is one big goal you want to put out into the universe right now, and how can you take the first step toward going after it?" MENTIONED & RELATED LINKS: Read Emily's Marathon Prep Playbook (Part 1) on Substack SOCIAL@emilyabbate@hurdlepodcast@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  4. 7 Aug

    5-MINUTE FRIDAY: 5 Pre-Flight Habits for Stress-Free Travel

    This week, Emily's diving into into her personal pre-travel routine and non-negotiables that make traveling—and returning home—a seamless, stress-free experience. Ahead of her trip to Vancouver to run the lululemon Seawheeze Half Marathon, Emily shares the essential prep steps she takes to protect her peace, maintain productivity, and stay organized. Plus, she answers a listener question about budget-friendly solo travel, offering practical tips on where to go and how to make the most of your time. Weekly Prompt What is one non-negotiable you MUST do before you travel, and what is one non-negotiable you always bring with you? SOCIAL@emilyabbate@hurdlepodcast@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  5. 4 Aug

    It's Not Black & White: Amanda Vestri on Trusting Her Training, Embracing Discipline & the Power of Rest

    This week, I'm sitting down with professional runner Amanda Vestri, and she opens up about the mental grit required to perform at the highest level, the tricky balance between self-criticism and self-appraisal, and how she’s learning to celebrate her wins while staying hungry for future gains. We talk her impressive 2:24 PR at the Boston Marathon—only her second time tackling the 26.2-mile distance—and why even bettering your best can be a disappointment sometimes.  IN THIS EPISODE Reframing Self-Criticism: How Amanda navigates her internal dialogue after big performances and learns to appreciate her progress rather than immediately reaching for the next goal. The Long-Term View: Why prioritizing physiological health, consistent fueling, and mandatory rest days takes precedence over quick, short-term fixes. The Power of Community: How having supportive teammates like Jess McClain keeps her grounded, keeps training in perspective, and reminds her that individual success never diminishes the win for others. Finding the Fun in the Grind: What it takes to enjoy 25-mile long runs in the Florida humidity and why surrounding yourself with family makes all the difference. Social Media & Public Visibility: Navigating the vulnerability of putting yourself online, balancing authenticity with performance, and staying present amidst future goal-setting. QUOTABLE MOMENTS "Don't put yourself in these black-and-white categories. Just get up, it's another day, and try again." "Every workout is not going to be a home run and doesn't need to be a home run... those workouts that are really tough that you have trouble getting through, those are the ones that help you for the marathon." "I'm going to run the best when I'm the happiest, so that's just kind of what I'm going to do." "If you learn from [an injury], it's not a waste." SOCIAL@a_vestri@emilyabbate@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.  Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. 31 Jul

    5-MINUTE FRIDAY: If You're Not Joy Spotting, You Should Be

    Checking in four weeks out from the Sydney Marathon and reflecting on a foundational mental practice: joy spotting. After an off-feeling weekend interaction, Emily shares how she made a conscious choice to respond instead of react—focusing on present-moment joys like fresh journals, good coffee, homemade shakshuka, and time at the track. Plus, she answers a listener question from Anna about how to overcome intimidation and launch a podcast of your own. In This Episode: Sydney Marathon Countdown: Emily reflects on her training build as she gets ready to travel to Australia for the big race. The Power of "Joy Spotting": How to consciously steer your focus toward micro-moments of joy when stress or negative interactions try to take over. Responding vs. Reacting: Recognizing that your body can't always distinguish between physical and emotional stress, and why choosing how you respond is a superpower. Listener Q&A: Emily breaks down how she launched Hurdle in 2018, her go-to gear recommendations for beginners, and why consistency is the most important factor in starting your own show. Weekly Prompt: What is one thing on your joy list that you can do this weekend? SOCIAL@emilyabbate@hurdlepodcast@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  7. 28 Jul

    Small Island, Big Dreams: Julien Alfred On Channeling Grief Into Greatness, Stepping Away to Reset & Embracing Her Race-Day Alter Ego

    This week on Hurdle, Emily sits down with Olympic and Indoor World Champion Julien Alfred. The track and field star opens up about navigating the mental ups and downs of elite competition, moving away from home at age 14 to pursue her dreams, and learning how to protect her inner peace amid massive international success and public attention. Julien shares how she overcomes self-doubt, handles the pressure of representing Saint Lucia on the global stage, and why giving herself grace has been key to her growth both on and off the track. IN THIS EPISODE Navigating Mental Rough Patches: Julien reflects on starting the season in a difficult mental space, questioning her abilities, and how stepping back helped her reset and realign. Overcoming Loss & Finding Drive: How losing her father at a young age shaped her resilience and continues to inspire her athletic journey today. Handling High Pressure: What it’s like to carry the expectations of an entire country while learning to focus on her own personal growth and goals first. Protecting Inner Peace: Why Julien steps away from social media and media noise to surround herself with a strong support system that values her for who she is, not just what she accomplishes on the track. The Move at Age 14: The immense sacrifice of leaving Saint Lucia as a teenager for Jamaica to train, and how that leap of faith prepared her for college and professional success. Game Face vs. Real Life: The contrast between Julien’s calm, peaceful personality off the track and her focused, "all business" alter ego on race day. QUOTABLE MOMENTS "I am just such a resilient person, a strong person, that if I'm down for a short time, I know I'm going to find my way to get back to the top." "It's okay to give yourself grace. It's okay to mess up sometimes. That's part of being human."  "Small island, big things—you can just do whatever you put your mind to, no matter where you're from."  "On the track, I'm a different person. It's all business... There's nothing to smile about until I cross that line first." SOCIAL@julien.alfred@emilyabbate@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.  Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Hurdle is where real stories meet next-level ambition. Host, veteran journalist and coach Emily Abbate, interviews the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, peeling back the curtain on their journeys through vulnerable, deep conversation. Learn the secrets to their success, including the grit, glory, and crucial mindset lessons that help her level-up. Each conversation, a powerful reminder that we get to overcome, and embrace each hurdle to live happier, healthier, more motivated lives. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

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