Feisty Women's Performance

So often, women’s sports history is forgotten, lost, or, at best, diminished. It’s especially true for African American female athletes in sport. Many are familiar with Jackie Robinson as the first black man to play Major League Baseball, but few know of the accomplishments of female tennis and golf legend, Althea Gibson.  Author, Ashley Brown, shines a light on Gibson’s history with her biography, “Serving Herself: The Life and Times of Althea Gibson.”Brown is Assistant Professor and the Allan H. Selig Chair in the History of Sport and Society at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is an expert on sport history, women's history, and African American history. Why Althea Gibson?As Brown highlights, Gibson was a woman of many firsts. In her unprecedented athletic career, she was the first African American to win titles at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.She went on, amazingly, to become the first African American to compete in the Ladies Profressional Golf Association. She had a success music career, and high political ambitions. She even graced the covers of Sports Illustrated and time. Always an advocate for causes she believed in, Althea Gibson didn’t do anything half-heartedly, even in a time in society were there was little support for people of color. In fact, for as much fame as she had on the court, she also faced increased challenges as a woman of color in the late 50s and 60s.Lessons from this legend bubble up in this enlightening conversation, including themes of:Resilience and PerseveranceNot Letting Passion Go ColdContinuous Pursuit of ExcellenceHelping and Supporting Others in their JourneysBeing an Advocate for Causes You Believe InFighting for Social Justice ReformAlthea Gibson was a woman who refused to be forgotten and thanks to Ashley Brown’s comprehensive biography, she won’t be. Purchase Serving Yourself: The Life and Times of Althea GibsonSign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter: https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-40/Keep up to date on all women's sports:https://feisty.co/newsletters/the-feist/Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Support our Partners:Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

This episode first aired on the Women's Performance Podcast on April 4, 2022. Sara talks to Emily Kraus and Megan Roche. Emily is the FASTR program coordinator, MD, a clinical assistant professor at Stanford children's orthopedic and sports medicine center, a seven-time marathoner, and a two-time Boston finisher. Megan is the FASTR lead researcher, an MD, a Ph.D. candidate in epidemiology, AND a five-time national trail running champion.So what is FASTR? It is a program designed to conduct research and provide information for female athletes. Sara talks to Emily and Megan about the moments they first realized there was a gender gap in sports science research, and how they are working to close that gap. Further, they discuss how women have certain advantages built into their physiology to help them perform, and what Emily and Megan would do if they could conduct ANY research on female performance broadly.Follow the FASTR program on Instagram @stanfordfastrFASTR WebsiteFollow Emily @emilykrausmd_sportscienceFollow Megan @meg_runs_happySign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter: https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-40/Keep up to date on all women's sports:https://feisty.co/newsletters/the-feist/Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Support our Partners:Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

No doubt, there is an emotional aspect to fueling and eating.Each of us comes strapped with experiences from our past, cultural and religious expectations, and emotional biases that may affect our relationship with food.As athletes, we also inherently understand that fueling and nutrition are vital to our success. Eating for the demands of our training can, in a word, be scary.Enter Elizabeth Inpyn.Coach Elizabeth has an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from UCSB, an MS in Applied Exercise Science, and an MA in Education in Health Sciences, as well as a Masters in multicultural education and curriculum development. She is a certified sports nutritionist from the ISSN (International Society of Sports Nutrition) and holds a plant-based nutrition certification from the T Collin Campbell Institute. In addition to her academic accolades, Elizabeth is also an accomplished athlete - an NCAA Division 1 distance swimmer and water polo player. After college, she transitioned to triathlon where she sat atop many a podium in the Olympic and 70.3 distances. As a nutritionist, Elizabeth has worked with all types of athletes in multiple sports, ages, genders, and backgrounds. She knows intimately the delicate balance of working with people on improving their relationship with food. Today, she and Sara unpack:The surprising (and not surprising) reasons people seek out a nutritionistThe changes people want to make in their diet - and it’s not always about weight lossHow she provides emotional support to athletesTheir own biases about food and different culturesTheir personal stories and complicated relationships with food as high-level athletesRecommended supplements for active, performance-minded womenAthletes are often overburdened and overwhelmed with the amount of conflicting information and may need someone to help sift through the noise.This is where Feisty Media, Elizabeth Inpyn, and the Fueled course meet.Elizabeth provided much of the content on the nutrition modules and you can learn more at fueledcourse.com to empower yourself and help create a proper nutrition plan that meets the demands of your training.You can also reach out to Elizabeth at FuelIn.com or @inpynSign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter: https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-40/Keep up to date on all women's sports:https://feisty.co/newsletters/the-feist/Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Support our Partners:Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

RED-S, LEA, The Female Athlete Triad, Overtraining, Overreaching, Underfueling…These words and acronyms are pervasive in endurance sports circles but, quite frankly, still cause much confusion and debate. Often, they are mistakenly used interchangeably when the definitions and symptoms do differ significantly.Today’s guest, Dr. Alex Coates, demystifies each of these concepts and explains them in a way that all active people can understand in order to remain healthy and active throughout their lives.Dr. Coates is a postdoctoral fellow at McMaster University where she studies systems-level integrative exercise physiology. As a former elite triathlete at the national level, Alex trained and raced on multiple world championship teams and saw first-hand the repercussions of what would eventually become her areas of primary focus - overtraining, underfueling, and insufficient recovery from training.In fact, she and her sister, Kyla, actually were one of the first to document the existence and definition of RED-S, or Relative Energy Deficiency Syndrome, which presents in both men and women.In this episode, she and Sara discuss:The differences in the terms Female Athlete Triad, RED-S, and Low Energy AvailabilityWhy the Female Athlete Triad needed an update to include RED-SThe multiple hormonal symptoms of RED-S and the personal impact it had on Alex’s sister, KylaThe nuances of LEA and RED-SThe differences between overtraining and overreaching and the ability to recover (or not)The impact of underfueling on recovery on all types of performanceAn outline of The FUELED course modules, including the body’s various energy systemsFemale Athlete Development from Puberty to AdulthoodDr. Coate’s work hopefully connects the dots for any athlete suffering from extreme fatigue, thermal regulation issues, performance plateaus, and other hormonal imbalances that may be brought on by extreme training.Alex is also the lead Exercise Physiologist on the Feisty FUELED course that is launching in April. To learn more visit fueledcourse.comSign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter: https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-40/Keep up to date on all women's sports:https://feisty.co/newsletters/the-feist/Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Support our Partners:Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

When social media posts, conversations, and even shouting from the podiums about inequality in the outdoor industry is no longer an option, you take action and develop the change that you want to see. That is how Gina Lucrezi started Trail Sisters, an online community for female-identifying trail runners and hikers, that she started in 2016.As a professional runner who also worked in the outdoor industry, Lucrezi saw firsthand the lack of representation and resources for women on the trails. As she writes, “The path to expanding women’s representation and opportunity in the outdoors is not only accomplished by participation on the trails, but also by women speaking up for what they want and deserve.”Enter Trail Sisters. What started as an online journal has turned into a multi-faceted business complete with education resources, articles, gear reviews, merchandise, retreats, local trail sisters groups, races, and even an official “Trail-Sisters Approved” designation for races. Today, you'll hear:The birth of Trail Sisters as an online journalHow it went from side hustle to full-time jobs for her and her husbandWhy building and engaging a community is good for businessDetails on the many initiatives of Trail Sisters and the various ways they make moneyWhat it means to be a Trail Sisters certified eventAdvice for passion-driven entrepreneurs “If you want to make an impact,” she says, “you’ve got to serve a purpose that’s larger than the financial aspect. Create things that help the community.” That community will support you.And, that’s what being a trail sister is all about.Trail Sisters Website: https://trailsisters.netTrail Sisters Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trail_sisters/Sign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter: https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-40/Keep up to date on all women's sports:https://feisty.co/newsletters/the-feist/Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Support our Partners:Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Being the first to accomplish a historical feat usually comes with fanfare and recognition. Not so for today’s guest, Diane Maiese. Almost 25 years after the fact, Diane learned that she was the first, and as of yet, the only black female to win an NCAA National Championship in Diving and be named four-time All-American. She is also the first black female to coach diving at the division one level and the first to become a FINA-certified judge from the USA. Today, she and Sara discuss:Her unique upbringing as a person of color, adopted into an Italian-Catholic family living in a Jewish neighborhoodHer unconventional discovery and recruitment into the sport of divingThe moment she was told she wouldn’t go anywhere in the sportBody image, eating disorders, and the challenging stigma of “being on display” as a diverHer Diving Into Diversity initiatives throughout the USWhile it’s an honor to be acknowledged for her accomplishments, Diane admits it isn’t necessarily a celebration. What it has done is fuel her desire to change the landscape of the sport she loves and provide accessibility to diving for everyone so that she is no longer the “first” and “only.”Diverva.orgCompete Sports DiversitySign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter: https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-40/Keep up to date on all women's sports:https://feisty.co/newsletters/the-feist/Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Support our Partners:Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Lauren Fleshman has many titles - from being one of the most decorated American distance runners ever, to recently releasing her book, Good for a Girl - a New York Times best-seller. But all of this accomplishment doesn't come without difficulty. This week, Lauren gets real with us and shares her experience of disordered eating, motherhood, and mental health. Discussing the stereotypes placed upon female athletes, Lauren explains why an "ideal race weight" doesn't exist. Further, her and Sara share their experiences of depression, and what it means to find yourself again through movement. Finally, Lauren highlights the importance of confidence for performance and how she’s helping the next generation of women and girls excel. Follow Lauren on Instagram @fleshmanflyer Purchase her book at https://www.laurenfleshman.com/Sign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter: https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-40/Keep up to date on all women's sports:https://feisty.co/newsletters/the-feist/Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Support our Partners:Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

When you imagine a high-performance athlete, what qualities do they possess? Determination perhaps? Grit? Tenacity? According to today's guest, self-compassion is actually the key to success.This week Sara chats with Sports Psychologist Dr. Erin Ayala. Beginning as a professor of Sports Psychology, Erin now takes on clients in all realms of sport - from triathletes to golfers, to rock climbers.Erin shares some key takeaways from the athletes she's worked with, highlighting the importance of self-compassion and a growth mindset. Erin and Sara discuss how levels of arousal can alter our ability to perform as we move from rational to emotional thinking and even gives some insight into Feisty Media's latest project!Follow Erin on Instagram @erineayalaSign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter: https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-40/Keep up to date on all women's sports:https://feisty.co/newsletters/the-feist/Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Support our Partners:Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

What does equity mean in sport? Yes, it's women being included, but it's also resources for racing moms, supporting the inclusion of Black folks in historically white sports, having size-inclusive athletic gear, and SO much more. Feisty Media welcomes a panel of women with intersectional identities to celebrate International Women's Day and discuss why equal opportunity is no longer enough. Hosted by Selene Yeager and Sara Gross, guests Khadijah Diggs, Marley Blonsky, and Alison Tetrick share the inequity they've faced in their athletic spaces, and what equity would truly look like for them individually. Follow Marley on Instagram @marleyblonsky Follow Khadijah on Instagram @khadijahtriathleteFollow Ali on Instagram @amtetrick

Alison Mariella Désir is an activist, runner, organizer, and author of the new book, Running While Black. After hearing her speak at the Feisty Women’s Performance Summit in 2022 (before the book was published) we wanted to catch up with Alison, hear how her book has been received, and learn more about her many cultural insights and observations about the Black experience in the running space.Alison shares how the past year has gone, post book launch, and the specific parts of the book that received pushback and critique. Further, she shares the ways the white culture influences how she presents herself in the world - and how she has worked to heal this. Finally, Alison gets honest about her postpartum depression - as well as the new program she’s designed to combine therapy and movement.@alisonmdesirhttps://alisonmdesir.com/ Founder of  @HarlemRun, @Run4AllWomen, Running Industry Diversity CoalitionAuthor of Running While Black, purchase hereNutritionist mentioned: @black.nutritionistJoin us on March 7th at 4pm PST for our International Women's Day Panel Discussion www.womensperformance.com/iwdSign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter: https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-40/Keep up to date on all women's sports:https://feisty.co/newsletters/the-feist/Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Support our Partners:Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/