
Hurdle
Join veteran journalist and wellness coach Emily Abbate, on Hurdle — a wellness-focused podcast where she talks to inspirational people about everything from their highest highs and toughest moments to essential tips on how to live a healthier, happier, more motivated life. We all go through our fair share of hurdles. Emily's goal through these discussions is to empower you to better navigate yours and move with intention so that you can stride toward your own big potential and of course — have some fun along the way. Tell us: What's your #hurdlemoment?
Latest episodes

Feb 10, 2025 • 1h 1min
242. How To Love Better: On Finding Grace, Healing & Motivation In Your Relationships With Diego 'Yung Pueblo' Perez
With Valentine's Day on the horizon, the podcast this week is shifting to talk about love. Self-love, loving others, and all type of relationships. Love is the foundation that shapes our perspective, and regardless of your marital status — love can impact all aspects of your health and wellbeing.Chatting on this today withThe New York Timesbestselling author Diego Perez, known to his 4+ million followers by the name Yung Pueblo. Diego shares with me the lessons he's learned within his marriage, highlights the red and green flags of dating, and his takeaways from writing his new book — out next month,How to Love Better.IN THIS EPISODE(7:50) Diego Perez talks about the importance of not postponing your own happiness because you’re waiting for a partner(13:15) How to grow together within a relationship, while pursuing different paths for personal growth(17:44) How to train and develop happiness(18:30) Diego Perez talks about how to fight against the victim mindset(20:14) How to set yourself up for tiny victories to achieve momentum(24:12) When to apologize versus when to address a lack of communication within a relationship(24:52) What's an emotional temperature check?(34:50) How to navigate change and growth of the individual within the relationship(42:30) How to figure out when friendships are working for you versus hurting youSOCIAL@yung_pueblo@emilyabbate@hurdlepodcastOFFERSReceipts | Join me on Receipts, a new app that helps you earn gift cards simply by working outLMNT | Head todrinklmnt.com/hurdle to get a free sample pack with any purchaseJOIN: The Daily Hurdle IG ChannelSIGN UP: Weekly Hurdle NewsletterASK ME A QUESTION: Leave me a voice message, or email hello@hurdle.us, to ask me a question!

Feb 7, 2025 • 8min
5-MINUTE FRIDAY: The Best Email You Could Ever Send
I did something earlier this week that made me really proud. Plus: Asking a favor of all of you, and answering a listener question about how to spend time on your own when it feels mega uncomfortable.
SOCIAL
@emilyabbate
@hurdlepodcast
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Feb 3, 2025 • 43min
341. How To Get Stronger: CrossFit Champion Laura Horvath On Learning New Skills, Navigating Self-Talk & Fueling For Success
Imagine being referred to as "The Fittest Woman On Earth" — that's Laura Horvath's reality. The 2023 champion of the CrossFit Games joins Hurdle this week for a conversation about strength, body image, and nutrition. She covers how she trains to embrace the different phases of her cycle, what has changed (or rather, what hasn't) since she came out on top, and why her early days of climbing lent themselves to excelling within sport when her brother introduced her to it in 2016.
IN THIS EPISODE
(6:00) Why Laura loved climbing
(7:00) The perks to being strong for Laura in her everyday life
(8:15) How climbing lended itself to a transition into CrossFit
(9:50) Laura Horvath's thoughts on the intimidation factor that comes with lifting heavy weights
(12:55) Laura Horvath reflects on her beginning days with the sport, and how taking on too much too soon contributed to injury
(14:50) How Laura Horvath prioritizes her sleep, and why she likes wearing the Oura Ring
(15:07) The recovery tools Laura Horvath uses most often
(18:00) Laura Horvath talks about her cycle and how pays attention to it and her period to train to her advantage
(19:08) What does balance look like for Laura Horvath
(27:00) How Laura Horvath looks as food as fuel
(27:43) Laura Horvath talks about her relationship with food and how it's evolved since she was climbing, when the assumption that was less better
(33:40) How Laura Horvath feels about her social media presence
(36:30) What changed in Laura Horvath's life after winning the CrossFit Games
(39:19) How Laura Horvath feels about the pressure to perform in sport
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Red Bull Zero
SOCIAL
@laurahorvaht
@emilyabbate
@hurdlepodcast
OFFERS
OPEN | Join me for Open’s Nervous System Reset and get 30 days of free breathwork and meditation: https://go.o-p-e-n.com/EMILYABBATE30
LMNT | Head to drinklmnt.com/hurdle to get a free sample pack with any purchase!
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ASK ME A QUESTION: Leave me a voice message, or email hello@hurdle.us, to ask me a question!

Jan 31, 2025 • 10min
5-MINUTE FRIDAY: Reminder — Your Joy Is Entirely Within Your Control
I've spoken about my one-new-thing-a-week experiment here before, but this week I'm reflecting on just how fortunate we are to take the reigns on our own joy. Plus: Answering a listener question on how to establish a nighttime routine — and what mine consists of.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Journey to the Heart book
Happy Medium Art Cafe
SOCIAL
@emilyabbate
@hurdlepodcast
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ASK ME A QUESTION: Leave me a voice message, or email hello@hurdle.us, to ask me a question!

Jan 27, 2025 • 50min
340. How To Fuel For Improved Performance: Chef Dan Churchill Talks Protein Needs, Perks Of A Plant-Forward Diet & Smoothie Hacks
Replay! Bringing back this popular episode to the top of the feed today, welcoming my friend Dan Churchill back on the podcast. We first aired this in early 2024 to coincide with the exciting launch of his book Eat Like a Legend: Delicious, Super Easy Recipes to Perform at Your Peak. He’s giving us all the inside knowledge and know-how on how to fuel your body for optimal performance, whatever that may look like for you. We dive into hydration, micro and macronutrients, the importance of plant diversity in your diet, as well as protein sources and smoothie hacks. Dan hits home on the importance of taking care of and fueling yourself first and why it’s worth putting in the work for longevity of your life.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Grab Dan’s book ‘Eat Like a Legend: Delicious, Super Easy Recipes to Perform at Your Peak’
IN THIS EPISODE
Dan’s journey to food and performance nutrition education (3:42)
How ‘Eat Like a Legend’ came to be (8:50)
Performing at your peak according to Dan (14:00)
Top 3 things things to focus on when looking to optimize performance (17:01)
Tactical steps toward cutting out refined sugars (22:50)
Dan’s ideal smoothie ingredients and hack for smoothie prep that will last you all week (31:15)
What it means to have a diversity of plants in your diet (36:58)
The importance of hydration and electrolytes when looking to perform at our peak (40:22)
The biggest challenge of cooking at home at why practice is key (47:30)
SOCIAL
@dan_churchill
@emilyabbate
@hurdlepodcast
OFFERS
LMNT | Head to DrinkLMNT.com/Hurdle to get a free sample pack, and click HERE to nominate a family in LA to recieve a pack, too.
AG1 | Head to drinkag1.com/hurdle to get 5 free travel packs and a year’s supply of vitamin D3 + k2 drops
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ASK ME A QUESTION: Leave me a voice message, ask me a question, and it could be featured in an upcoming episode!

Jan 24, 2025 • 8min
5-MINUTE FRIDAY: Routine Is The Gift That Keeps On Giving
There will always be things that are out of your control. But, this week I'm chatting about the benefits of finding a routine that works for you — and how it can pay off holistically for the rest of your schedule and day. Plus: Answering a listener question about my go-to running sneaker.
SOCIAL
@emilyabbate
@hurdlepodcast
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ASK ME A QUESTION: Leave me a voice message, or email hello@hurdle.us, to ask me a question!

Jan 20, 2025 • 60min
339. Leading With Purpose: Strava's Chief Business Officer Zipporah Allen On Intentionality, Owning Her Mornings & Picking Up Running Later In Life
Zipporah Allen has a big job. Overseeing business and new ventures at Strava, she loves the opportunity to stay curious and travel the world inspiring folks to live their best active lives. For episode 339, we talk abut the how: How she got here, how she finds the time to move despite her busy schedule, and how Strava's working to empower their consumer to live their best active lives. Plus: Best-practice business and leadership advice, how she feels about picking up running in her 40s, and the importance of owning your "no."
IN THIS EPISODE
(3:37) Zip shares what her most recent Strava activity was
(6:00) Zip talks about her work experience before becoming the Chief Business Officer at Strava, specifically time in restaurants at Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and McDonald’s
(8:26) Emily and Zip swap their go-to Taco Bell orders
(9:47) Why learning is so important to Zip in business, and how she firmly believes you can learn from anyone regardless of title
(10:08) Zip talks about moving internationally for work
(12:32) What happens when you’re on a board of directors for a company, what that looks like for Zip, and what she hopes to get out of being an independent board member at a few different private companies
(14:30) Zip shares what it was like for her to start running when she joined the team at Strava in order to better understand the product — and she’s now a two-time marathon
(20:57) What Strava is doing specifically to cater to female-identifying customers, including safety features
(23:00) What self-care looks like for someone who is constantly traveling
(25:48) How to become a morning person
(30:22) Zip gets the invite to join Pastry Run Club in New York
(35:10) Why Zip thinks it’s important never to be the smartest person in the room, often telling her team: “I reserve the right to get smarter and take in new information and change my mind.”
(36:06) What Zip’s role as a mom has taught her about being a leader
(38:00) Why it’s important to respond instead of react
(42:05) Why it’s important to create the conditions as a leader to empower your employees to bring their full expertise to the table
(55:55) What Zip sees when she looks in the mirror.
SOCIAL
@itszipallen
@emilyabbate
@hurdlepodcast
OFFERS
OPEN | Join me for Open’s Nervous System Reset and get 30 days of free breathwork and meditation: https://go.o-p-e-n.com/EMILYABBATE30
LMNT | Head to drinklmnt.com/hurdle to get a free sample pack with any purchase!
JOIN: THE *Secret* FACEBOOK GROUP
SIGN UP: Weekly Hurdle Newsletter
ASK ME A QUESTION: Leave me a voice message, or email hello@hurdle.us, to ask me a question!

Jan 17, 2025 • 7min
5-MINUTE FRIDAY: Don't Let Your Fear Of Failure Prevent You From Trying
Failing is scary. Heck, no one works hard for something not to go as they'd hoped. However, failure is integral in leveling up in every aspect of life, and the people that you're admiring and following right now? Trust me, they've failed, too. Talking about how to get over the fear today, and answering a listener question about goal setting best-practices.
SOCIAL
@emilyabbate
@hurdlepodcast
OFFERS
ASICS | Go to Asics.com and use code HURDLE10 for $10 off your purchase of $100 or more
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ASK ME A QUESTION: Leave me a voice message, or email hello@hurdle.us, to ask me a question!

Jan 13, 2025 • 1h 7min
338. Tips For a Fresh Start In the New Year: Embracing 2025, Using Affirmations To Your Advantage & the Perks Of Quitting With Yasmine Cheyenne
There’s a lot of pressure to start over at the beginning of a new year. Days after “Quitter’s Day,” I’m sitting down with self-care expert and the newest addition to the Start Today family, Yasmine Cheyenne. We’re talking about everything from how to meet yourself with grace during moments of transition and embracing the good in your routine to how to “break the matrix” and how to answer the question “what’s best for me?” Without shame or guilt.
IN THIS EPISODE
(3:50) What is “Start Today” and Yasmine’s role in the app
(11:05) How to choose “doing the work” and choosing yourself every day
(14:45) A helpful breathwork meditation to get more grounded and present
(17:50) Why presence is the most important thing and how to become ~more~ present in your day-to-day
(20:00) How your friends can help you with your self-reflection process
(32:15) Where to begin with goal setting
(36:15) Why is it important to know what your values are before you set goals
(44:50) How can you move forward from friendships and relationships that are no longer serving you
(1:05:09) Why we’ve got to get away from the societal idea that weddings, babies, and engagements are the only events worth celebrating
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEStart Today
Best Self Co. Journal
SOCIAL
@yasminecheyenne
@emilyabbate
@hurdlepodcast
OFFERS
ASICS | Go to Asics.com and use code HURDLE10 for $10 off your purchase of $100 or more
LMNT | Head to drinklmnt.com/hurdle to get a free sample pack with any purchase (including the chocolate LMNT for the colder months!)
JOIN: THE *Secret* FACEBOOK GROUP
SIGN UP: Weekly Hurdle Newsletter
ASK ME A QUESTION: Leave me a voice message, or email hello@hurdle.us, to ask me a question!

Jan 10, 2025 • 8min
5-MINUTE FRIDAY: Please Don't Squash Your Feelings
Things are tough right now. My heart goes out to so many of those in the Hurdle community and beyond impacted by the Los Angeles fires. In today's episode, I'm talking about why it's important not to breeze past trauma — and the importance of feeling your feelings. Plus: Answering a listener question about how to go after your goals when you lose sight of your why.
SOCIAL
@emilyabbate
@hurdlepodcast
OFFERS
ASICS | Go to Asics.com and use code HURDLE10 for $10 off your purchase of $100 or more
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
FUTURE Training, 65% Off Your First Month
JOIN: THE *Secret* FACEBOOK GROUP
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ASK ME A QUESTION: Leave me a voice message, or email hello@hurdle.us, to ask me a question!
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