Running from steeple to steeple in the Irish countryside, over fences and through streams might seem like a task far removed from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. And yet 2 events, run on 2 or 4 legs, remind us that utility is at the core of the Olympics, and that manufacturing once-natural challenges may seem a little forced, but that finding our force is why we compete in the first place.

We speak to women straight off of their 3000 meter Steeplechase heats to discover what attracts them to this event. Doug Payne of Team USA’s Eventing squad tells us why equestrian sports, especially the cross country discipline, are as beautiful as they are complex.

Listen to The Podium daily during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games for new insight into the stories you know and the ones you’ll be happy to discover.