Hurdle with Emily Abbate 381: For The Love The Grind: Sara Hall Talks Longevity, Choosing Love Over Fear & Running Her Own Race
On this week's episode of Hurdle, Emily sits down with professional runner Sara Hall. Sara is an athlete whose longevity, incredible range, and commitment to the sport are truly inspiring. She's also the only American athlete in history to win USATF National Titles in both the mile and the marathon.
Recorded in New York City on the weekend of the TCS New York City Marathon, this conversation highlights the depth of her incredible career. In it, Sara opens about her journey, the perseverance required for success, and the mental fortitude it takes to navigate the inevitable challenges—whether that’s a tough injury cycle, the complexities of competition, or even online critics.
IN THIS EPISODE
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The Power of Perseverance: We dive into the grit required for a long and successful professional running career.
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Love Over Fear: Sara opens up about the decision to adopt four children from Ethiopia and how that was rooted in choosing love over fear. The adoption included four girls, ages 5 to 15, all at once.
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The Emotional Tax of Sport: Sara discusses how to navigate the mental fortitude required to deal with challenges like injury cycles, competition complexities, and online criticism.
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Doping & Disappointment: Sara shares how she copes with the deep emotional tax of competing against athletes who were later disqualified for doping.
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Learning from Failure: She reveals how her biggest failure—coming in last at a US Championships—was actually a profound turning point in her life, helping her understand God's unconditional love.
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The Meaning of the Grind: Sara talks about what the "grind" means to her specifically at this chapter in her life, and her upcoming book, For the Love of the Grind.
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Rebounding: Sara shares her advice for moving on from big disappointments, including "slamming a bunch of coffee" and setting a new goal.
QUOTABLE MOMENTS
On Resilience and Perseverance
- "I want to be good period, not just good for my age."
- "What you speak over yourself is powerful."
On Motherhood and Family
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"We just chose love over fear... it was just like closing your eyes and jumping off a cliff and just choosing faith."
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"The word 'Berchi' [Amharic for 'Be Strong']... I was like, I want them to be like keep their Ethiopian toughness."
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"When you're happier, you run better."
On Identity and Self-Worth
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"You have to really have a love for the process, and an excitement to just continue to believe in what you're doing that holds you through all of it."
SOCIAL
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