Hurdle with Emily Abbate

From chasing an Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier for over a decade to standing atop the podium as the 2026 HYROX Elite 15 World Champion in just seven months, Alyssa McElheny’s athletic trajectory is nothing short of extraordinary. But behind the rapid ascent lies years of disciplined foundation, relentless perspective, and an infectious commitment to finding pure joy in the process. In thi...

Peak fall running weather has arrived in New York City, and as race season kicks into high gear, Emily is diving into what it means to be grounded by community and how to show up for yourself when big goals feel daunting. Ahead of marathon weekend, she shares her two biggest pieces of advice for first-time marathoners: recognizing that the starting line already proves who you've become, and giving...

Olympic silver medalist, indoor world championship medalist, and 2,000-meter world record holder Jess Hull sits down IRL in Australia to talk through the mindset, patience, and grit behind her historic career. Jess opens up about leaving home at 18 to run for the University of Oregon, the evolution of being coached by her father, and how walking away hungry from the Tokyo Games laid the foundation...

Emily's back in the studio after 35 days away! In this episode, Emily reflects on the immense joy of returning home to simple daily routines and the practical ways she resets when a busy schedule starts to feel overwhelming. She also answers a listener question about what makes long-term travel hard and how to preserve your sanity when your regular life is on pause. SOCIAL @emilyabbate @hurdlepodc...

Five-time Olympic medalist, NBC track & field analyst, entrepreneur, and author Sanya Richards-Ross sits down to talk about elite performance, mental conditioning, and redefining life after track. From moving to the U.S. from Jamaica as a kid to holding the 400m American record for 19 years, Sanya shares what it truly takes to dial in the mental side of competition, navigate crushing defeat, a...

Emily reflects on wrapping up her travels in Australia, leaning into spontaneous "yes" moments, and answering a listener question about her reading routines. She shares what she’s looking forward to most about returning home to New York City (from her own bed to familiar local spots), the gratitude she’s carrying back with her, and how leaning into open-mindedness led to unexpecte...

What does it truly take to disrupt traditional sports and build an organization that puts female athletes first? In this episode, host Emily Abbate sits down with Kayla Green, Acting President of Athlos, fresh off the heels of the groundbreaking Athlos London meet. Kayla pulls back the curtain on the decision-making process behind Athlos, from navigating the difficult late-August cancellation of t...

Back in Australia! In this 5-Minute Friday, I’m checking in from Bondi Beach to clear up my recent travel whirlwind, AKA why I bounced between Sydney and LA, and preview the upcoming live show with Coach Bennett for the Nike After Dark Tour. Plus, we dive into the psychology of staying consistent on the road. After receiving a bunch of DMs about signing up for a local gym pass right after th...

Sixteen marathons in, and Emily Abbate is still learning what it truly means to hurdle life's surprises. Coming to you live from Melbourne, Emily breaks down the complete journey of running the Sydney Marathon—from the 16-week training cycle and a brutal bout of food poisoning 48 hours before the gun, to conquering the hilliest World Major course and taking on the mindset of "steady is it."...

Fresh off a long-haul flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, Emily reflects on how a chaotic travel day—complete with overweight carry-ons, sprinting through terminals, and a nail-biting luggage scare—served as an unexpected reminder to lead with kindness. When travel (or life) gets stressful and out of your control, leaning into empathy, taking a deep breath, and remembering that "energy...

This week, two-time Olympic medalist, four-time Diamond League champion, and Emmy Award–winning analyst Dawn Harper-Nelson joins the show. From standing atop the podium in Beijing and London to navigating devastating falls, major career transitions, and the vulnerable leap into motherhood, Dawn’s journey is a masterclass in true resilience. In this conversation, Dawn breaks down what i...

Live from the dreamy landscape that is Fiji, Emily reflects on the art of intentional recovery fresh off 26.2 miles in Sydney. It is easy to step up as an "energy dealer" for everyone else, but you cannot pour from an empty cup. This week is all about prioritizing your own rest, recalibrating after major milestones, and taking real ownership of your self-care. Later in the episode, Emily answers a...

Olympic and World Champion sprinter Twanisha "TeeTee" Terry joins the show to talk about navigating the mental and physical hurdles of forced rest. Sidelined by a lower back injury during what was supposed to be a dominant year, TeeTee opens up about shifting from “Phenomenal 2026” to “Patient 2026,” working through the frustration of moving recovery timelines, and finding...

Live from Sydney, Australia, Emily checks in ahead of running her 16th marathon. She reflects on navigating the 24-hour travel journey, dealing with an accidental five-hour jet-lag nap, and why experience doesn't eliminate race-week nerves—it just gives you the tools to respond instead of react when plans go sideways. Then, she dives into a listener question about how to find and vet a credi...

American record holder in the mile and Hoka professional athlete Sinclaire Johnson joins the show to discuss navigating the intense highs, setbacks, and transitions of elite middle-distance running. Sinclaire gets real about rebounding from a misdiagnosed sacral stress reaction, the emotional aftermath of placing fourth at the 2024 Olympic Trials with a personal best, and taking a leap of faith to...

We’re back! In this 5-Minute Friday, Emily gets real about navigating the messy, anxious, and exciting headspace that comes right before leaving for a month-long trip to Australia and running the Sydney Marathon. Between late-night concerts, marathon taper phantom pains, and a packed travel schedule, one big question keeps coming up: How do you keep showing up consistently? Emily breaks down...

Peloton favorite, ESPN host, and sideline reporter Jess Sims sits down for an intimate, vulnerable conversation about what it truly means to slow down, listen to your gut, and navigate life’s biggest transitions. Jess opens up about expanding her broadcast career onto national stages like First Take and College GameDay , how she actively quiets her inner "Gremlin," and why she now filters ev...

In this episode of 5-Minute Friday , Emily reflects on a major full-circle moment after returning to Vancouver for the lululemon SeaWheeze race weekend. Eight years ago, standing at a lululemon Vision & Goals session in that very same city, she put a terrifyingly big goal out into the universe: to make Hurdle her full-time job. Fast forward to today, and that vision has grown bigger than she c...

This week on Hurdle , Emily sits down with Olympian, lululemon ambassador, and Meridia founder Colleen Quigley for a candid, post-USATF Championships catch-up in New York City. Ten years after making her first Olympic team, Colleen reflects on the physical and mental shifts that have reshaped her career. After finally getting clarity on a decade-long foot injury, Colleen shares how embracing that...

This week, Emily's diving into into her personal pre-travel routine and non-negotiables that make traveling—and returning home—a seamless, stress-free experience. Ahead of her trip to Vancouver to run the lululemon Seawheeze Half Marathon, Emily shares the essential prep steps she takes to protect her peace, maintain productivity, and stay organized. Plus, she answers a listener questi...

This week, I'm sitting down with professional runner  Amanda Vestri, and she opens up about the mental grit required to perform at the highest level, the tricky balance between self-criticism and self-appraisal, and how she’s learning to celebrate her wins while staying hungry for future gains. We talk her impressive 2:24 PR at the Boston Marathon—only her second time tackling the...

Checking in four weeks out from the Sydney Marathon and reflecting on a foundational mental practice: joy spotting . After an off-feeling weekend interaction, Emily shares how she made a conscious choice to respond instead of react—focusing on present-moment joys like fresh journals, good coffee, homemade shakshuka, and time at the track. Plus, she answers a listener question from Anna about...

This week on Hurdle , Emily sits down with Olympic and Indoor World Champion Julien Alfred . The track and field star opens up about navigating the mental ups and downs of elite competition, moving away from home at age 14 to pursue her dreams, and learning how to protect her inner peace amid massive international success and public attention. Julien shares how she overcomes self-doubt, handles th...

When NYC air quality made outdoor running impossible, I faced a choice: split up my 19-mile long run, or take on the "unhinged" challenge of tackling it all on a treadmill. In this 5-Minute Friday, I’m talking about the mental gymnastics of long-distance running, why we need to collect "evidence" of our past resilience to get through hard moments, and how I'm balancing running four days a we...

This week, Emily sits down live at Rivian HQ in New York City with long-time friend of the show, Peloton instructor, and HOKA Global Brand Ambassador Becs Gentry. In front of a live audience, Becs opens up about stepping away from the road-racing spotlight and returning to her trail-running roots as she prepares for two of the biggest, high-altitude, high-heat races of her life. She shares how tur...