Strong Girl Talk

Strong Girl Publishing

Whether you’re a strong girl yourself or are raising one, this show is for you. Strong Girl Talk exists at the intersection of research and culture for women and girls in sport. Let’s go! Author & Strong Girl Publishing founder Molly Hurford and Dr. Sasha Gollish, Executive Director of Yellow Running Shoes, have teamed up to bring you Strong Girl Talk, a show that covers the latest in sports science with a focus on women and girls, as well as trending topics around gender equity in sports. And every episode kicks off with our wrap-up of top headlines in women’s sport that have us cheering! stronggirl.substack.com

  1. FEB 6

    ⛷️ It’s the Winter Olympics Breakdown Episode!

    Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly talk all about the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina … well Molly asks Sasha about the Winter Olympics since she’s the resident sports-nerd and Molly was curious to know more. Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow: New to the Winter Olympic Games? Feeling overwhelmed by all the sports, events, and rule quirks? Don’t worry, Sasha’s got you. Consider this your cheat sheet for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano, starting today! In this jam-packed episode, we break down: 🏔️ The 8 official sports - Biathlon, Bobsleigh (including Skeleton), Curling, Ice Hockey, Luge Skating (Figure Skating, Short and Long Track Speed Skating), Skiing (Alpine, Freestyle, Snowboard, Cross-Country, Nordic Combined, and Ski Jumping), and Ski Mountaineering (plus how we group them to make it easier: Sliding Sports, Ice Sports, Skiing, etc.) 🥇 The 116 medal events—including 8 new events with a focus on gender equity like Women’s Large Hill Ski Jumping, Women’s Double Luge, Mixed Team Skeleton, and Dual Moguls 📊 The not-so-great gender equity stats:🥇 Medals: 54 men’s gold medals, 50 women’s gold medals, 12 mixed gender medals, because some sports are still men-only 👀👫 Gender Balance: Total Athletes = 2900 (100%), Male Athletes 1538 (53%), Female Athletes 1362 (47%) 🧊 What even is Ski Mountaineering?! And why Nordic Combined might finally be on its way out… Plus: Olympic hot takes, a little history (did you know Winter and Summer Olympics used to be in the same year? And that Figure Skating was a summer sport?! ), and shout-outs to the Strong Girls we’re watching this Games. 🎿 Whether you’re a casual viewer or a full-blown Olympic nerd, this episode will get you ready to cheer, cry, and argue over scoring systems with confidence. And this is just the beginning. Over the next 16 days, follow along with us on Instagram as we spotlight our favourite Strong Girls of the Games and break down each sport, one event at a time. Plus, if you’re looking for some Olympics inspiration consider these Strong Girl Publishing Books:- Sasha’s Unstoppable Mental Performance Journal to help you create a winning mindset (or order in bulk to help your team create a winning mindset)- Stevie’s Power Up to help you or the athletes in your life fuel for their best performance- Vanessa’s Finding Grace to help you or those in your life use self-compassion as a way to spur better outcomes- Molly’s Shred Girl’s Series and Running As Fast as We Can, which are great fiction books to inspire the athlete’s in our life- Micha’s Sprinting Through Setbacks, who better to learn from than an Olympian herself! Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including:Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishingSasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube Get full access to Strong Girl Society at stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 8m
  2. JAN 23

    Behind the Scenes from Our Shred Girls Book Club with She Sends Kate Courtney!

    At Strong Girl Publishing, we recently shared a virtual Shred Girls book club featuring book 3 in the series, Jen’s Bumpy Ride, and two-time World Champion racer Kate Courtney of She Sends joined readers and author Molly Hurford on a Zoom session to talk all about the book and what winning really means to her—and to the Shred Girls! In Shred Girls: Jen’s Bumpy Ride, there’s bikepacking, gravel racing, and more importantly, Jen has a major decision to make: Should she stick with the Shred Girls, or join the local cycling team that promises to make her faster, and help her to become a pro cyclist? Kate shared her experience finding her first team and teammates, how she decided to start the She Sends Foundation and race under her own team banner last year, and how she sets big goals and smaller race-specific ones. Our virtual book club was a total blast, and we wanted to share a few of our favorite moments with all of our listeners. If you get anything from this, consider making a donation to She Sends here. They are doing awesome work and supporting so many cool, grassroots initiatives to get more girls on bikes! Before you dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow: . We also chat about Vanessa Coulbeck’s recently released book, The Mirror Diaries: Finding Grace, and the accompanying workbook. And while you’re on Strong Girl Publishing Shopping don’t forget to order a copy of Unstoppable - so you too can be unstoppable in 2026 - and Stevie Lyn’s Power Up. Plus if you missed the book club with Kate Courtney, but you still want to feel like you were part of it, grab a copy of Jen’s Bumpy Ride. Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including: Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube Get full access to Strong Girl Society at stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

    35 min
  3. JAN 9

    Hello, 2026! What’s Your Word of the Year?

    Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly welcome you to 2026 and share with you their ‘words’ of the year. We’re also celebrating the first book in our Mirror Diaries series by self-compassion and body image researcher Vanessa Coulbeck coming out in just a couple of days. Preorder for book one, Finding Grace, and the accompanying workbook, Beyond the Mirror is here. We also had Vanessa on Strong Girl Talk explaining why self-compassion isn’t just a nice idea, it actually provides you a performance edge. Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow: . In this episode, Sasha and Molly are debriefing post-holidays with some honest ups and downs, then digging into the Word of the Year concept. Molly talked about Strong Girl Publishing’s GIRLS TO THE FRONT 2026 mantra, but shared in this episode how her personal word is going to be FUN. Meanwhile, Sasha debated using Unstoppable (you know, like her amazing journal!) but ultimately settled on COURAGE. What’s your word? Finally, as we said, it’s just days away from the release of Vanessa Coulbeck’s The Mirror Diaries. And while you’re on Strong Girl Publishing shopping, don’t forget to order a copy of Unstoppable - so you too can be unstoppable in 2026 - and Stevie Lyn Smiths’s Power Up. Plus if you missed the book club with Kate Courtney this week but you still want to feel like you were part of it when we release the episode next week, order Molly’s Shred Girls book, Jen’s Bumpy Ride. Plus, if you want to hear Sasha gush over Molly and all her work with Strong Girl Publishing, head over to the Athletics Ontario Podcast hosted by Strong Girl Publishing Fan, John Shep. In this interview Sasha shares with John how meaningful working with Molly is, more about how you can be Unstoppable in 2026, plus, she admits she’s willing to be second on the podium in the Molly fan club! Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including: Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube Get full access to Strong Girl Society at stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

    34 min
  4. 12/22/2025

    The Holiday Episode! Surviving the Season, Thriving in the New Year

    Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly talk all things holidays. Whether you’re excited or a little bit stressed, we bring you some holiday cheer. Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow: This week we talk about the holidays, what we like, what we love, and how we manage the stressful moments. We also talk about goal setting; don’t forget our practical tips for goal setting. Whether you are a resolution person or not, it’s a good time to think about what matters to you, and also who matters to you. No matter how you holiday, in this episode we remind you to practice some self-compassion and self-gratitude. A few weeks ago we chatted with Vanessa Coulbeck about self-compassion as an edge. So as you go about your gift giving and receiving we hope you have us in your ears while you’re shopping, exercising, or lounging whatever way you holiday. Now if you need a few last minute gifts …. we recommend an IOU for one or two (or all) of the Strong Girl Publishing books; so print out a photo and it will arrive early in the new year. We recommend:- Vanessa Coulbeck’s The Mirror Diaries and workbook and her ‘‘ swag- Sasha’s Unstoppable Mental Performance Journal- Molly’s Shred Girls Series, and Sasha’s favourite Running As Fast as You Can- Stevie Smith’s Power Up- Marley Blonskey’s Rag Tag Bicycle Friends pre-order, plus check out her episode on Molly’s other podcast, The Consummate Athlete Podcast Let us know what you want to us to talk about in 2026 - guests, sport science topics, sports updates - we’re here for you and what you want to hear more of. Until early 2026 … We wish you all a very Happy holidays! Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including: Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube Get full access to Strong Girl Society at stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

    34 min
  5. 12/12/2025

    Project Unlaced is Changing Lives for Young Women Athletes

    Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly interview Mia Lerner, founder of Project Unlaced, an initiative dedicated to educating young athletes about Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) and eating disorders in sports. Keep scrolling to learn more and to check out our new author gift guide from Stevie Lyn Smith, RD + author of Power Up! Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow: . Mia shares her own story of struggling with REDs and anorexia as a young athlete—and how those experiences sparked a movement to make sure other girls don’t feel alone. We talk about what support should look like, how to talk to coaches and parents about these issues, and why performance isn’t the only measure of athlete health. Whether you’re a young athlete, a coach, or a parent, this conversation is packed with insight, heart, and the reminder that you don’t have to wait until it gets “bad” to ask for help or to offer it. Come for the inspiration, stay for the truth bombs. Mia and her work through Project Unlaced do all the little things to make things easier for those who need it most. Thanks Mia! Follow Mia on Instagram: @Mia_Lerner_ @Project_Unlaced We also wanted to share this article from the Sport Information Resource Centre, Preventing Eating Disorders among Young Athletes, which landed in Sasha’s inbox the day of the interview. And Stevie Smith’s book, Power Up, is out! Order her book here and listen to our SGT episode with Stevie! (She was also on Mia’s podcast last week!) Speaking of Stevie, it’s time for her gift guide! What’s on her list? * Oofos recovery slides — am a new convert! * Stasher reusable silicone bags — bigger ones to put all my snacks in when I travel/am on the go! * Thinksport SPF 50 —sweat and water resistant, always on my face after having surgery for skin cancer * Briotech Skin Spray — post-workout spray to help prevent zits! * My nonprofit of choice: Friends of the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter * And of course, Power Up: A Young Woman’s Guide to Winning with Sports Nutrition! Sasha’s mental performance journal, Unstoppable, is also available now. Don’t forget to listen to our episode all about the journal. Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including: Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube Get full access to Strong Girl Society at stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

    57 min
  6. 11/28/2025

    How Gratitude Can Make You Stronger

    Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Sasha and Molly dive into gratitude, kindness and when things go toxic (yeah, you know that feeling when you’ve eaten too many sweet things and you want to barf, but it’s brought on by that fake-feeling gratitude and kindness). Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow: . It’s that time of year—the season of gratitude, giving, and maybe… gritting your teeth while pretending to be nice? 😅 We dig into the difference between being nice and being kind—and why clear is kind while nice can be toxic. From leadership lessons to life off the field, we explore how gratitude and kindness can actually be powerful tools for connection, direction, and growth—when they’re real. We also: ✨ Chat about self-compassion as part of kindness and gratitude. A nod to Vanessa Coulbeck’s first YA novel, Finding Grace, and Beyond The Mirror workbook. ✨Break down the RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) leadership matrix (yes, we’re nerds and proud) ✨ Talk about what it means to lead with clarity and compassion ✨ Call out toxic kindness and forced gratitude (because not everything needs a silver lining) Whether you’re feeling full of thanks or just trying to survive the holiday season with your values intact, this one’s for you. 💛 Listen in and reflect with us on what it really means to lead, live, and show up with heart—without faking the smiles. Sasha Gollish’s Gift Guide Grab a copy (or 10) of Sasha’s Unstoppable journal here, check out Power Up and her other Strong Girl Publishing faves here, shop ASICS here, and grab the Coffee Ride mug here (plus some Pluck Tea)! Join the Shred Girls Book Club Featuring KATE COURTNEY This December, read along and then join author Molly Hurford and special guests including two-time World Champion racer Kate Courtney of She Sends for a Zoom session in late December to talk all about the book and what winning really means to you—and to the Shred Girls! Learn more and sign up here Time to Tell Your Own Story! If you’re an athlete who’s had an idea for a novel or memoir, or has wanted to get better at visualizing that finish line or journaling to hone your athletic identity, or if you’re an elite athlete who really needs to work on their captions & interview responses, Carolyne Whelan of Forward Motion Writing and I have a webinar and a course for you!! Own Your Story Webinar 12/30: Whether you’re planning to write your memoir or you just need some clarity in your sporting life, being able to look back and ahead in story form is a gamechanger. Hosted by Molly Hurford of Strong Girl Publishing and Carolyne Whelan of Forward Motion Writing, we will give you the tools to understand narrative arc, find your story, and get writing.Storytelling for Athletes 8 week course starting 1/15: Everyone has a story and if you’re ready to tell yours, this writing course is for you. Tailored to athletes, this 8-week course won’t just teach you how to develop a narrative arc for your memoir or novel, it will help you gain clarity in your athletic life. Whether you want to get published or supercharge your journaling, we’ll help you cross the finish line.(code EARLYBIRD gets you $100 off before 12/3!)Make this the year you finally out pen to paper and tell your story!! Love one of our books? Take 5 Seconds + Leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Review! We’ve also made it easier to find our books on Amazon right here, so if you have read one of our books and loved it, take a few seconds and click the link, go to the book you loved, and quickly let us know what you thought! It makes a HUGE difference towards building our author’s sales. Follow along! Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including: Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube Get full access to Strong Girl Society at stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

    39 min
  7. 11/14/2025

    Marley Blonsky wants you to join the Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club

    Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Molly’s interview Marley Blonsky, a leading voice at the intersection of body size inclusion, cycling, and environmental advocacy… and author of the upcoming book, The Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club. They talk about what it means to be included in cycling, how rides can be more truly inclusive, the why behind the book, and some truly practical tips for cyclists in bigger bodies. You’ll laugh, cry and learn in this episode! It’s also a big week for Strong Girl Publishing Authors. Sasha’s mental performance journal, Unstoppable, is less than a week away from being available in the wild; by the time our next episode is out the journal will be out. Don’t forget to listen to our episode all about the journal. And Stevie Smith’s book, Power Up, is out now! Order her book here and listen to our SGT episode with Stevie! Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow: . Marley Blonsky began her career in the field of Environmental Sustainability, working in corporate responsibility and zero waste programs—laying the foundation for a lifelong commitment to systems change and equity. Marley later turned her attention to the cycling world, discovering the transformative power of bikes not only as a sustainable mode of transportation but as a joyful tool for community and self-empowerment. As the Co-Founder and Executive Director of All Bodies on Bikes, Marley leads a nationwide movement dedicated to creating inclusive, welcoming spaces for people of all sizes and abilities to experience the joy of cycling. Her work has been featured on The TODAY Show, in the Washington Post, and numerous cycling and outdoor publications. She was named a Bicycling Magazine’s 2023 Rider of the Year and honored as a 2024 Outsider of the Year by Outside Magazine, recognizing her leadership in reshaping who gets to be seen, celebrated, and supported on bikes. Marley continues to ride, speak, and advocate around the country, helping to create a cycling culture rooted in body liberation, joy, and radical inclusivity. And her children’s book The Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club: A Story About Riding Your Own Way is coming this spring! In the book, readers meet a group of kids who don’t all look like “typical cyclists”—and that’s exactly the point. Through a heartwarming and fun-filled story, the book explores how everyone, no matter their size, shape, background, or style, can find joy and belonging on a bike. The story celebrates the power of community and the freedom of riding—whether it’s racing, adventuring, popping wheelies, or just riding to visit a friend… or to get ice cream. At its core, The Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club reminds kids that they don’t have to fit a mold to be part of the cycling world. Get the preorder of her book, the limited edition KEEP GOING art print, and tons of Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club clothing options here. You can shop Shredly here, or snag her fave sunscreen here. And of course, donate to All Bodies on Bikes here—and remember, a percentage of all sales of her book + merch also get donated to All Bodies on Bikes! Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including: Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube Get full access to Strong Girl Society at stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

    40 min
  8. 10/31/2025

    How to be Unstoppable

    Welcome to Strong Girl Talk, where we dive into the latest in sports science, performance, and well-being—all with a focus on women and girls in sport. This week Molly interviews Sasha about her upcoming youth mental performance journal, Unstoppable. Before we get into it, we have SO MANY pre-orders open now on Strong Girl Publishing! Don’t miss out! In order of publication… * Power Up: A Young Woman’s Guide to Winning with Sports Nutrition by Stevie Lyn Smith, RD, with Molly Hurford (out 11/11) * The Unstoppable Journal: For Every Practice, Game, and Goal That Matters to You from Dr. Sasha Gollish (out 11/20) * The Mirror Diaries: Finding Grace by Vanessa Coulbeck (out 1/13) * Beyond the Mirror Workbook by Vanessa Coulbeck (out 1/13) * The Ragtag Best Friends Bicycle Club by Marley Blonsky, illustrated by Pip Claffey (out 4/12) We’re also super excited to announce our new Shred Girls Book Club, a virtual book club launching later in November with a VERY special guest joining us to talk about Jen’s Bumpy Ride and what goal-setting and success looks like to different people at different times in their lives. OK, on to the podcast where we are talking all about Sasha’s Unstoppable journal! Before we dive in, do us a huge favor and make sure you give the podcast 5 stars and click follow: . In this interview with Molly, Sasha shares the journey behind the project—from her starting her Advanced Coaching Diploma in 2013 to launching Unstoppable through Strong Girl Publishing. Sasha knows that this first Yellow Running Shoes project is the first of many with Molly and the Strong Girl Publishing team. So why did Sasha put this journal together for your kids? Here’s what she noticed as an athlete, as a coach, as a researcher: ➡️ The rise in mental health and well-being challenges in youth (we won’t overwhelm you with more media and research!) ➡️ The disappearing link between sport skills and life skills (Linda Flanagan, we love your book, Take Back the Game) ➡️ The growing demands on coaches, parents, and caregivers (We see you!) When we feel unstoppable, when kids feel like they are unstoppable, we are confident, focused and resilient. We love this poem that’s in the book: You are unstoppable.Not because you do not have failures and doubts.But because you continue on despite them. And when we give kids tools to discover their inner selves, they get to uncover dreams they didn’t even know they could dare to dream. Whether you’re a coach trying to support your team’s mental game, a parent navigating big emotions, or an athlete who wants to feel stronger and more grounded—Unstoppable is here to help. 🎧 Tune in to hear how this resource came to life, why it matters now more than ever, and how we can all help kids feel more unstoppable in sport—and in life. 📘 Learn more or grab a copy: stronggirlpublishing.com/unstoppable. Want to connect with Sasha to speak to your group? Head over to: https://stronggirlpublishing.com/authors/sasha-gollish/ Remember you can follow Molly and Sasha on Social Media including: Molly - @mollyjhurford @stronggirlpublishing Sasha - @SGollishRuns @Yellow_Running_Shoes Listen, Subscribe, Rate + Review on Substack | Spotify | iTunes | YouTube Get full access to Strong Girl Society at stronggirl.substack.com/subscribe

    37 min

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About

Whether you’re a strong girl yourself or are raising one, this show is for you. Strong Girl Talk exists at the intersection of research and culture for women and girls in sport. Let’s go! Author & Strong Girl Publishing founder Molly Hurford and Dr. Sasha Gollish, Executive Director of Yellow Running Shoes, have teamed up to bring you Strong Girl Talk, a show that covers the latest in sports science with a focus on women and girls, as well as trending topics around gender equity in sports. And every episode kicks off with our wrap-up of top headlines in women’s sport that have us cheering! stronggirl.substack.com