This week, we're sharing an episode from Olympic medalist and cross-country skiing legend Jessie Diggins, which originally aired in 2025. Jessie opens up about her journey to the top of her sport, what it’s like to embrace the intense pressure of elite competition, and how she pushes herself to her physical breaking point — sharing vivid details of the "blurry vision" and sheer grit required to win.

She also gets candid about her mental health journey, specifically her experience with an eating disorder and a relapse in 2024, discussing what support looks like in her daily life today. When we had this conversation — there was just under a year left until the Winter Olympics, and Jessie reflected on training in Italy, her recent World Cup wins, and her decision to retire at the end of 2026.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The Physical Breaking Point: Jessie describes the sensation of pushing her body to its absolute limits during a race, including the "blurry vision" that often accompanies her hardest efforts.

• Mental Health & Recovery: A vulnerable discussion on her history with an eating disorder, navigating a relapse in 2024, and the importance of a strong support system.

• The Final Stretch: Jessie shares her mindset heading into her final Olympic run in Milan-Cortina and why she has decided to retire after the 2026 season.

• Legacy & Integrity: Reflecting on being awarded the Holmenkollen Medal, Jessie explains why racing with integrity and being a role model outside of the sport is as important to her as her results on the snow.

• Training Philosophy: How she and her team plan "super peaks" every four years for the Olympics and the unexpected benefits of "toe yoga."

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

"I’ve realized that I don’t have to be a perfect person to be a good role model. I just have to be an honest one."

"The 'pain cave' is a place I know well, but I’ve learned that you can’t live there. You have to have a home to come back to that is full of joy and balance."

"Winning is amazing, but it’s the feeling of crossing the line knowing you gave every single thing you had—that’s the part that stays with you."

"I want the next generation of skiers to see that you can be the best in the world and still be a human being who struggles and asks for help."

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This week, I'm reflecting on the empowering act of setting boundaries and challenging the common perception of boundaries as "walls," — reframing them instead as "bridges" that guide others on how to successfully navigate a relationship with us. Also: I answer a question about my regular nail care routine.

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In this episode, Aisha McAdams—photographer, filmmaker, and former competitive runner—shares her journey of navigating the transition from elite athlete to creative visionary. She dives into the making of her documentary Learning to Fly, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, and the founding of Rhoam Creative Studio to elevate women in the creative industry.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The Pivot to Creative Arts: Aisha discusses the shift from being the subject of the lens as an athlete to capturing the stories of others through photography and film.

• "Learning to Fly": A behind-the-scenes look at the inspiration and production of her documentary, which explores the human spirit and the pursuit of greatness.

• Empowering Women in Media: The mission behind Rhoam Creative Studio and the importance of increasing female representation in male-dominated creative spaces.

• The Athlete’s Mindset in Art: How the discipline, resilience, and focus learned through years of competitive running fuel her creative process today.

• Redefining Success: Aisha reflects on finding fulfillment outside of race results and learning to embrace the "uncomfortable middle" of career transitions.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

• "I realized that the same tenacity I had on the track was exactly what I needed to survive the uncertainty of a creative career."

• "With Learning to Fly, I wanted to show that the finish line isn't the only part of the story worth telling."

• "Starting Rhoam wasn't just about taking pictures; it was about taking up space in an industry where women's voices are often sidelined."

• "You have to be willing to be a beginner again. The transition from athlete to artist is essentially learning a new way to breathe."

• "Photography allows me to stay connected to the sport I love, but from a perspective that celebrates the vulnerability behind the performance."

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In this episode, Emily's talking about how she navigated a recent unexpected hurdle and the looming pressure of Valentine’s Day. She shares a personal story about a new neighbor (read: a vocal infant) triggered a spiral of "catastrophizing," leading to a powerful reminder on the importance of shifting from a victim mindset to one of control. Also: Answering a listener's question about tackling the "hurdle" of being single during a holiday focused on romantic success.

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In this episode of Hurdle, Emily sits down with Erika Gabrielli, the Vice President of Global Marketing at HOKA. Erika shares the story of HOKA’s meteoric rise from a niche ultra-running brand to a $2 billion global powerhouse. She delves into the importance of brand authenticity, the power of listening to the community, and why "maximalism" in footwear is about more than just aesthetics—it's about performance and comfort.

Erika also opens up about her professional journey, offering tactical advice for those looking to break into the sports industry, the importance of trusting your intuition, and how she balances the demands of a high-profile executive role with being a mother.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The Evolution of "Maximalism": Erika traces HOKA's journey from being "counter-culture" in a minimalist era to leading the industry with its focus on solving the problem of running downhills faster.
• Scaling with Soul: How the brand reached its $2 billion revenue milestone while maintaining core values like curiosity and inclusivity.
• Marketing via Experience: Why Erika believes experiential marketing is the most powerful tool for building emotional connections and lasting memories with consumers.
• Co-Creation over Control: Shifting the marketing narrative from "talking at people" to "world-building" alongside the running community.
• Career "Harmony": Erika's perspective on rejecting the myth of work-life balance in favor of finding a daily "harmony" that allows for both professional leadership and motherhood.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

On Marketing & Community

• "It’s not about controlling the narrative ... it’s much more about embracing that idea of co-creation. It’s a shift from talking at people to being in a space where we’re doing more world-building."
• "In terms of greatest brand building, it comes from an experience because it evokes a memory ... that memory evokes emotion, and that’s what always is going to bring people back to a brand."
• "The work is never done. We can talk about ourselves all day long, but if it's not directly drawn to that consumer insight and how we're solving problems for them, it's not going to pass the bar."

On Leadership & Intuition

• "The paranoid survive. You're always looking around corners to where there's opportunity but also where there's risk. Part of that to me is also tied to trusting your intuition."
• "It's not always the loudest voice in the room, it's not always the most senior voice in the room that is sharing the right paths or the right ideas."
• "The only person that's truly going to bet on you is you. Have the inner confidence to know that. You won't know until you try, and sometimes you won't know until you fail and you try again."

On Life "Harmony"

• "I stopped looking for balance a few years ago. I think it's unrealistic. I switched my language into finding harmony. Harmony is about the acknowledgment that I’m not going to be perfect at all the roles I have to play, and that’s okay."

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Hoka Cielo X1 3.0

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Talking about the power of a reset, and answering a listener question about how to handle "no" and think of it as redirection.

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What happens when your body, the very thing you've spent nearly two decades teaching others to harmonize with, begins to fail you in a way you never saw coming?

This week on the show, I'm sitting down with meditation teacher, and author Megan Monahan. Megan first appeared on Hurdle back in 2019, and today she returns to share a profoundly personal update. In late 2024, Megan faced a life-altering health hurdle: a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Megan takes us inside the raw moments of her diagnosis—from the sudden loss of vision in her right eye to an eight-hour wait in an UCLA emergency room. We discuss the power of the "meditation muscles" she built over 16 years and how they allowed her to meet this challenge with resilience instead of a victim mindset.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The sudden symptoms and 36-hour journey to an MS diagnosis.

• How a decade of spiritual practice reframed a "devastating" diagnosis into a "resurgence of purpose".

• The 4-7-8 breathwork framework and somatic shaking for navigating high-stress moments.

• Unmasking personality traits that are actually trauma responses.

• What it truly means to be authentic and "come home to yourself".

• Lessons learned from spiritual giants like Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyer.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

"You get to choose how a life-changing moment changes you. We all have the ability to author our story in whatever way we want."

"There is a part of you that can't be diagnosed with MS, that can't be broken up with, that can't be broke, that can't be relocated. That is who you are."

"We mistake the need to enjoy the experience or the process with finding value in it."

"You are not your thoughts. You don't have to believe every thought you have."

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How are you looking at the small wins in your day-to-day, and are you even noticing them at all? Plus: Answering a listener Q about being gentle with yourself in different seasons of life.

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#389! Lexi Rodriguez knows a thing or two about the importance of trusting your gut. After famously committing to the University of Nebraska as an eighth-grader, she went on to become an integral part of their legendary volleyball program. Now a professional player for LOVB Nebraska, she’s navigating a new era of the sport while staying true to the qualities that make her a standout leader.

In today’s episode, Lexi opens up about making life-altering decisions at just 14 years old and the validation she felt from her support system during that whirlwind process. We discuss the "superpower" of quiet leadership and how she learned to lead through authentic connection rather than just being the most vocal person in the room. She also gets real about the mental transition from college to the pros, including the initial moments of doubt and the learning curve of playing against world-class veterans.

Lexi also shares her experience navigating the NIL era—managing what often feels like a second job—and why she prioritizes authenticity over constant content production. Plus, we dive into her empowerment app, SheSports, and her wellness non-negotiables, from a slow morning routine to the power of a long exhale to reset her nervous system mid-match.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The Big Decision: What it was like committing to a major university at 14 and the intuition that guided her.
• Quiet Leadership: How to be an effective leader through connection and authenticity rather than volume.
• The Pro Transition: Navigating the jump from college to professional volleyball and overcoming moments of self-doubt.
• NIL Realities: Balancing a professional athletic career with the demands of personal branding and social media.
• SheSports: The inspiration behind her app and the importance of fostering connections between generations of female athletes.
• Wellness & Performance: Her morning routine, journaling practice, and mid-match breathing techniques for mental clarity.
• Life Lessons: The best advice she’s received and how she defines her "why" today.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

"At the end of the day, belief is just so strong. And when you believe in yourself, I feel like you can accomplish more than you ever thought you could.”

“I’m not the most vocal person, but I feel like I have a really big strength of connecting with people. It took me a while to realize that and use that as my leadership superpower."

"You’re going to have to get comfortable with something that isn’t really real to you... but staying true to yourself as much as you can is going to have a big impact."

"I’ve earned the right to be here, and I’ve earned the right to be confident. When you put it in perspective of all the work you’ve put in—how many reps you’ve actually done—it puts your mind at ease."

"I want to produce something that’s authentic and that really showcases my personality, me, and my story. It’s hard to just produce content every day when it doesn’t feel natural."

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We all have them: "Monster" tasks on our to-do lists that we avoid for weeks or even months. For 5MF this week, I'm sharing a personal story about how I tackled mine by doing something I used to consider weak: Asking for help.

Aside from talking about "body doubling"—simply having another person in the room to keep you focused and anchored while you work, I also answer a listener question on dynamic versus static stretching. 

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Listen to this episode, and upgrade your quality of life in 2026. In this week's podcast, Emily dives deep into a concept she calls Energy ROI—Return on Investment. As we navigate the start of a new year, it’s common to feel pressured to do more, but Emily challenges us to look at our calendars and ask: "What is the cost of this entry versus the payoff?"

Emily breaks down her "Four Quadrants of Effort" to help you identify where you are gaining momentum and where you are leaking energy. She also shares tactical tools like "Firing the Drain" and the "Power of the Floor" to help you move from decision fatigue into a state of strategic underperformance. By the end of this episode, you won't just have a to-do list; you'll have a "to-don't" list and a clear path to making this year one of actual growth, not just grinding.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The Four Quadrants of Effort: A breakdown of the Sweet Spot (Low Effort/High Joy), The Investment (High Effort/High Joy), The Drain (High Effort/Low Joy), and The Ghost (Low Effort/Low Joy).
• The Health Halo Trap: Why we often mistake suffering for progress and how to identify "healthy" habits that are actually costing you more than they give back.
• Four Pointed Questions: Emily offers an audit for your performance wellness versus your actual wellness.
• The Power of the Floor: Defining the bare minimum you do on your hardest days to ensure you never fail or "end up in the red."
• The 70% Rule: Why giving 70% effort to mundane tasks allows you to save 100% for the things that truly matter.
• Eliminating Decision Fatigue: How establishing a consistent routine and planning ahead can preserve your finite energy for the big hurdles.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• The Pivot Year by Brianna Wiest
• Gabby Thomas on Hurdle

SOCIAL
@emilyabbate
@iheartwomenssports

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