Hurdle

Not all that long ago, CrossFit’s “Fittest Woman On Earth” wasn’t working out at all. In 2011, she was enrolled in the nursing program at Queensland University of Technology, and felt as though she was in a total rut. “I had gained weight, I didn’t feel like I was doing what I wanted to do.” In episode 52, I sit down with Tia-Clair Toomey for a refreshingly honest conversation about her rise to the top of one of the most fascinating sports there is (I might be a little biased). The Australian-born Reebok athlete tells me about the #hurdlemoment that had her depressed, and how getting into CrossFit helped her get through it. We talk diet, a typical day of training, and get real vulnerable about managing expectations and going after life’s biggest challenges. Plus: her trip to the Olympics, how to handle being a beginner, and just wait until you hear how much this woman can deadlift. SOCIAL @tiaclair1 @reebok @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate OFFERS Athletic Greens | Head to athleticgreens.com/hurdle to get 20 free travel packs ($79 value) with your first purchase, no code necessary.

We all have 24 hours in a day (including Beyoncé). It’s normal to wonder how you can make the most of them. Ever since embracing life as a freelance journalist and solopreneur at the beginning of 2017, I’ve homed in on certain strategies to squeeze out every ounce of productivity from the moment I wake up in the morning until my head hits the pillow at night. In today’s #hurdlemoment, I share my seven strategies to being more productive. Grab a pen and paper (or get your fingers ready) for a few notes, these will help you maximize your time and make room for the things that matter. SOCIAL @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate

Happy Marathon Monday! If you’ve never heard of running legend Kathrine Switzer, then you’re in for a treat. Not only because she has a stellar 2:51:37 marathon PR (for comparison, I ran my first HALF marathon in 2:43:33). In 1967, the Syracuse University student became the first woman to ever run the Boston Marathon as a registered entrant. In her #hurdlemoment—now a photo seen around the world—race officials tried to tackle her to get her to drop out, not wanting a woman in their race. When she crossed the finish line that day, she made history. In episode 51, we talk about the chaos of the 1967 Boston Marathon and how she even got a bib to begin with, how she felt when women were finally admitted into the race in 1972, and what it was like to run the same course 50 years later in 2017. Plus: SO. MUCH. INSPO. Trust me, this is one you don’t want to miss. SOCIAL @kathrineswitzer @261fearless @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate  OFFERS Athletic Greens | Head to athleticgreens.com/hurdle to get 20 free travel packs ($79 value) with your first purchase, no code necessary.

Today, I’m a certified run coach and seven-time marathoner. But not too long ago, I could barely run a mile without wanting to pass out. In today’s #hurdlemoment, I share my tried-and-true tips on how to start running—and stay running. I totally understand why you might feel intimidated. Picking up any new hobby can definitely feel overwhelming. The good news? With the right attitude, you too will be crushing morning miles in no time. SOCIAL @emilyabbate @hurdlepodcast

Listening to Joe Holder talk is fascinating. Not necessarily because of the vocabulary that he uses—which is admittedly impressive—but because he’s so darn knowledgeable about his craft. A health and wellness consultant based in New York City who regularly works with major brands like Nike, Whoop, and Smart Water, the New Jersey-born trainer is constantly studying to better his performance—both in and out of the gym. In episode 50 (!!), the former college football player tells me about how breaking his leg during his senior year at the University of Pennsylvania became the trying #hurdlemoment that shaped his personal health philosophy called the Ocho System. He also discusses the pressure he feels working regularly with A-listers, the way emotions impact our food choices, and why 2019 is the year of “strategic laziness.” SOCIAL @ochosytem @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate OFFERS Athletic Greens | Head to athleticgreens.com/hurdle to get 20 free travel packs ($79 value) with your first purchase, no code necessary.

Mornings are pretty polarizing, right? Either you love them and fully embrace the phrase “the early bird gets the worm,” or you’re more of a snooze button enthusiast. If you’re the latter, you may want to reconsider your daily kickoff, and here’s why: Research shows that morning people are more proactive, happier, and more consistent with their workout routines. In today’s episode, I’m answering the most popular question I see in my DMs: How do I become a morning person, too? Good news! This 5:32 a.m. alarm-setter has got the hacks you need to become a successful earlier riser. Oh, and FYI future morning people: you’re going to need a fresh notebook and some willpower (a stellar sweat-friendly playlist won’t hurt, either). SOCIAL @emilyabbate @hurdlepodcast

Seven years ago, Daina Trout, her husband, and her best friend launched Health-Ade with $600 in their pocket. Today, more than 120,000 bottles of the brand’s 14 flavors (with five more to launch this year) are brewed every single day and shipped to 20,000+ stores around the country. In episode 49, Trout tells me about the difficulties they experienced building the business from the ground up and the 2014 #hurdlemoment where she nearly died in a refrigerated truck accident—an experience that taught her the true value of self love and compassion. She also educates me on SCOBYs, gives me the lowdown on her “bucket theory,” and explains how teaming up with a personal trainer forever changed her life for the better. SOCIAL @dainatrout @healthade @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate OFFERS Athletic Greens | Head to athleticgreens.com/hurdle to get 20 free travel packs ($79 value) with your first purchase, no code necessary.

No one has the perfect life, but you have the opportunity (key word: “opportunity”) to get pretty darn close. In #hurdlemoment—my new bite-size series launching today—I offer easy-to-digest tips and strategies to get over the speed bumps we face on the regular. The goal of this brand new Hurdle offering? Give #hurdlers a little motivation every Wednesday, in the form of a quickie episode, complete with actionable advice, techniques, and strategies. Some of these weekly segments will be solo-casts, and others may feature guests. In the first #hurdlemoment, I’ll be sharing a bit about a list-making exercise I did last year that helped me focus in on the things I enjoy and stop doing a lot of the things I don’t. After listening, make sure to shoot me snapshots of your lists, and tag Hurdle on Instagram so we can get this conversation going. And check back every Wednesday for a new #hurdlemoment! SOCIAL @emilyabbate @hurdlepodcast

If you want to build your booty, Bec Donlan is your girl. After relocating to the U.S. from Australia six years ago, the personal trainer built a name for herself as the designer of derrieres with a splash of fun (she sells her own loop resistance bands at her website). In 2017, the self-proclaimed “cakemaker” was teaching up to five group fitness classes and 45 personal training clients a week when she hit a #hurdlemoment that sidelined her: back-to-back injuries including a broken foot and a bulging disc in her back—plus a little finger-slicing knife accident. That’s when she leaned into CBD for pain management. In episode 48, the entrepreneur talks about building her edibles brand Go Basic from the ground up, she spills what’s really inside their highly Instagrammable chocolates, and gets real about the struggle behind being on the injured list. SOCIAL@sweatwithbec@gobasic@hurdlepodcast@emilyabbate OFFERSAthletic Greens | Head to athleticgreens.com/hurdle to get 20 free travel packs ($99 value) with your first purchase, no code necessary.

Jeff Provenzano studied at New York City’s School of Visual Arts, but the last thing he wanted to do after college was get a job in graphic design. After taking a break from the books and tackling his first tandem jump with friends, he was absolutely hooked. In episode 47, we talk about the #hurdlemoment he faced post-grad, diving head first into his passions (pun intended), relocating to Arizona and buying a trailer to work at the no. 1 skydive school in the country. More than 20,000 jumps later, he’s one of the pioneers of the high-speed, high-stakes skydiving discipline of swooping and just can’t get enough. We chat about how he hooked up with Red Bull Air Force, what it’s like to train government agents, and the insane jump he did landing on a barge in the Hudson River. SOCIAL@jeffprovenzano@redbullairforce@hurdlepodcast@emilyabbate OFFERSATHLETICS GREENS | Head to athleticgreens.com/hurdle to get 20 free travel packs ($99 value) with your first purchase, no code necessary.