The Middle

Megan R

Where the game gets personal. From world championships to everyday athletes, we dig into the human side of sports told by the athletes, coaches and industry insiders that lived those career-changing moments, near misses, unexpected wins, season-ending injuries and inevitable transitions.

  1. 23H AGO

    Redefining Fitness, Strength, and Body Confidence

    Fitness instructor Roz Mays is challenging everything the fitness industry gets wrong. Growing up plus-size in a cardio-obsessed sports world, Roz shares how the industry’s fixation on thinness and extreme strength leaves everyday people feeling disconnected from fitness and athletics. In this episode, she talks about discovering her own strength through pole dancing, redefining what it means to be an athlete, and why weight loss isn’t the same as success. We unpack common fitness myths, how shame impacts motivation, how new trends like GLP-1s impact the search for an easy button to health, how to build a healthier relationship with your body and how you can get into fitness even if gyms intimidate you, you’ve tried before, or life pulled you away. Roz Mays’ career began in 2011 at a pole dancing studio in Brooklyn. Over the last decade, she has gone on to teach TRX, BOSU, conditioning, and flexibility classes in 42 different states and 10 countries. She’s been featured on the Tamron Hall Show, in Talks at Google, in Self and Glamour magazine and more. She has dedicated many late nights at the gym to helping non traditional and underrepresented athletes overcome gym-timidation and making fitness accessible to everyone. Follow Roz on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and LinkedIn. Book her services at her website.  Connect with Megan on LinkedIn and Instagram. Follow The Middle on Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

    49 min
  2. 12/10/2025

    The Olympian in the Middle: Shannon Abeda

    In November 2024 alpine skier Shannon Abeda was three days away from the start of his season in hopes of qualifying for his third Olympic games. He asked his company for any support they could give. Instead, he was laid off. In this episode, Shannon opens up about his skiing journey, from discovering it as a three year-old in Alberta, Canada, to missing out on the 2014 Winter Olympic Games by 0.01 seconds, to carrying the flag for Eritrea at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, to his journey to the 2024 Olympic Games in Milan. He reflects on the toll of injuries, burnout, post-Olympic depression, and rebuilding after disappointment. You'll hear how he turned setbacks into fuel for growth, and what it takes to keep showing up when no one’s watching. This episode is an inspirational reminder that sometimes our hardest moments are the ones that shape us the most, and that the path to success is rarely a straight line. Shannon Abeda is a three-time Eritrean-Canadian Olympic alpine skier. Born in Fort McMurray, Alberta to Eritrean parents, Shannon discovered skiing when he was three years old and went on to represent Eritrea at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics after narrowly missing qualification for Sochi in 2014 by just 0.01 seconds. Off the slopes, he holds two bachelor's degrees and a master's, balancing full-time work with elite training. Shannon is passionate about mental health, creative expression through photography and videography, and creating opportunities for the next generation of underrepresented athletes. Follow Shannon on Instagram and Facebook, and watch him as he competes in his third Winter Olympic Games at Milan 2026 this February. Connect with Megan on LinkedIn and Instagram. Follow The Middle on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn.

    48 min
  3. 11/26/2025

    ENCORE: The Recruiter in the Middle: Steve Lavner

    As the U.S. pauses to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, we're bringing you an encore of our episode with executive recruiter Steve Lavner. Since his original episode aired, Verizon and Amazon announced massive layoffs, the September jobs report was published, the unemployment rate ticked up to its highest in four years, and more. Steve's insights are more relevant than ever. After more than 20 years in executive recruiting, he has seen it all, and he shares the unspoken truths of recruiting at the highest levels, the politics behind hiring decisions, and how the job market has shifted beneath our feet. He talks why “career progression” is an illusion, why the best candidates sometimes get passed over, how careers are turning into project role after project role, and what it was like going through his own sudden layoff. Steve Lavner spent over 20 years in executive search and talent acquisition. As Senior Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Edelman Smithfield, a global financial communications boutique within Edelman, he connected top talent with roles across 25+ cities worldwide. Prior to his recruiting roles, Steve performed on Broadway, playing Le Fou in Beauty and the Beast. He’s now a certified Senior Professional Career Coach and creates short, uplifting YouTube videos of kids songs in his spare time. Connect with Steve on LinkedIn, his career coaching website Steve Lavner Talent Advisory, or on his YouTube channel. Connect with Megan on LinkedIn and Instagram. Follow The Middle on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

    59 min

Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Where the game gets personal. From world championships to everyday athletes, we dig into the human side of sports told by the athletes, coaches and industry insiders that lived those career-changing moments, near misses, unexpected wins, season-ending injuries and inevitable transitions.