Hurdle with Emily Abbate

News: Hurdle is heading into a brief summer season break for the next two weeks! This week: Talking about the powerful feelings of purpose and intention that accompany the start of a new training cycle as she gears up for the Sydney Marathon. Emily reflects on the concept that we become better at the things we do repeatedly—whether that means running, writing, or even letting anxious thoughts drive our decisions. She challenges listeners to audit what they are pouring their energy into and reminds everyone that they have the power to choose the words and behaviors that define their lives. Later in the episode, Emily answers a listener question from Joan about post-marathon recovery. She offers practical, reassuring advice on handling "fitness FOMO," the importance of taking a full two weeks off from running to let the body absorb its hard work, and how to safely cross-train with low-resistance cycling. SOCIAL@emilyabbate@hurdlepodcast@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ASK ME A QUESTION: Email [email protected] to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Emily sits down with her own fertility specialist, Dr. Michelle Kappy, a board-certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist at Spring Fertility. After undergoing her own egg freezing journey under Dr. Kappy's care, Emily opens up about the intimate, often overwhelming logistics and physical realities of the procedure. Together, they pull back the curtain on the entire process—demystifying everything from medication protocols and managing your physical movement during stimulation, to understanding the biological changes to egg quality and quantity as women head into their mid-30s. Whether you are actively considering preserving your fertility, are currently in the middle of a cycle, or simply want a better grasp of reproductive health and science, this deep dive offers a comforting, text-book level understanding of the choices available to you. Dr. Kappy brings a patient-centric, empowering approach to the conversation, explaining that information-gathering is the first and most critical step to taking control of your reproductive autonomy. IN THIS EPISODE Emily's personal recovery timeline, physical side effects, and how she safely modified her strength training and running habits post-procedure. Why scaling back physical movement—and avoiding high-stress abdominal workouts—is medically critical to prevent safety risks like ovarian torsion as follicles grow. Demystifying the "35-year-old cliff" and looking honestly at how egg quality and quantity naturally shift as women age. Step-by-step breakdowns of standard stimulation medications, the daily purpose of monitoring appointments, and what actually happens during a 15-minute extraction procedure. Managing expectations around the natural "attrition rate"—from the initial follicle count visible on an ultrasound to the final number of mature, genetically viable eggs that make it to deep freeze. Navigating the intense financial and emotional burdens of the process, and the unique mental load of choosing to freeze your eggs independently. QUOTABLE MOMENTS "It's okay to just get information and just to make a consult and talk to an expert and then decide from there."  "Information gathering is one of the biggest goals that I have for patients... so they can feel armed with that empowerment."  "The ominous 'cliff' is this biological clock that unfortunately really is a thing. It is a biological change... but you don't fall into a black hole where you are no longer fertile."  "People do hang their hats on a number... but it really doesn't define someone. You could have a high number and have done everything wrong in your life, or you could have a low number and have done it all right."  "Don't let the number define you... [Egg freezing] is the only thing that you can do to protect your reproductive autonomy and to give yourself optionality."  SOCIAL@springfertility@michellekappymd@emilyabbate@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ASK ME A QUESTION: Email [email protected] to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.  Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can you even believe that it is about to be June? As I approach my 38th birthday, I'm feeling a certain way and doing a lot of reflecting. Sharing a powerful prompt from my Substack newsletter to help you do a personal inventory of your own life. Plus, answering a listener question from Shannon about running shoes, breaking down the difference between a classic neutral shoe and plated carbon-fiber options. SOCIAL@emilyabbate@hurdlepodcast@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ASK ME A QUESTION: Email [email protected] to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Samirah Moody is a professional runner for On, recednt USC graduate, and a founding member of the newly minted OAC (On Athletics Club) Sprint team. Coming off a stellar collegiate career—including a 2025 NCAA championship in the 100 meters—Samirah is stepping onto the global pro circuit with a fresh perspective, a deeply hardened sense of resilience, and a powerful inner drive. In this episode, Samirah pulls back the curtain on the intense physical and mental grind of elite training under renowned head coach John "JB" Bolton. She details the dramatic shift from the college routine to the professional world, where the job requires balancing world-class track workouts with photo shoots, media appearances, and constant networking. Samirah opens up about the devastating meniscus injury that threatened her trajectory, the grueling rehabilitation process that followed, and the exact moment she shifted her mindset from "I have to do this" to "I get to do this." Plus, she shares what it’s like to navigate a high-pressure environment as the only short sprint woman on the OAC roster, and how journaling helps her process the weight of big expectations. IN THIS EPISODE The Leap to the Pros: Samirah breaks down what it really looks like to move from a collegiate schedule to the OAC Sprint team, balancing elite physical training with the commercial obligations of a professional athlete. Finding Your "No": Why learning to set boundaries and protect her personal bandwidth has been an essential part of stepping into her own power on and off the track. Overcoming the Hurdle: A transparent look at her severe meniscus injury during her junior year, leaving the stadium in a wheelchair, and the psychological journey of rebuilding her body from ground zero. Mindset Shift: How she reframed her inner dialogue from a place of obligation to an appreciation for the opportunity to compete at the highest level. Being the Only One: What it feels like to hold down the short sprints on the OAC roster, staying even-keeled through high stakes, and the everyday power of processing pressure through a personal journal. QUOTABLE MOMENTS "If I could do all that, why not me?" "You have to believe that you’re a big dog to really line up with the best of the best." "I don’t know when something’s going to click, but I’m just going to keep chugging along because I’ve seen really, really highs and really, really lows, and I’ve been everywhere in between." "The world can put a lot of pressure on you ... but it is really about how much do you want something? I need that pressure to succeed." SOCIAL@samirahmoody_@on@emilyabbate@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ASK ME A QUESTION: Email [email protected] to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.  Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in from sunny Los Angeles! Talking about OAC's new Sprint team, and reflecting on a recent run at the Silver Lake Reservoir following my Brooklyn Half Marathon completion. Talking about my journey of embracing grace, slowing down, and practicing mindfulness during seasons of flux. Plus: Answering a listener question from Jen in Seattle regarding heart rate spikes and mastering diaphragmatic breathing while running. SOCIAL@emilyabbate@hurdlepodcast@iheartwomenssports JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ASK ME A QUESTION: Email [email protected] to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.