Feisty Women's Performance

Lisa Bentley never thought she was an athlete...that is UNTIL she won her first Ironman. That's right, her first . Lisa Bentley has been an Ironman Champion 11 times over. And, she has done this all with Cystic Fibrosis - a genetic lung disease that results in severe damage to the lungs and limited lung capacity. This week, Sara talks to Lisa about what performance means to her. One thing is obvio...

Many of us have heard of Kathrine Switzer, but how many of us have heard of Bobbi Gibb? For the second episode of our limited Title IX series, Sara Gross interviews the very first runner of the 1966 Boston Marathon. Bobbi snuck her way into the running crowd by jumping out of the bushes next to the start line wearing a bathing suit and men's board shorts. And she ran FAST! Sara asks Bobbi about he...

For many of us, the feelings of self-doubt, lack of self-compassion, and negative body image are far too familiar. As active, performance-minded women, our social media feeds are filled with women who seem quite literally to be "doing it all". This week, Sara welcomes Cindi Miller to discuss all things self-acceptance. Cindi Miller is a therapist and ex-volleyball coach and division 1 athlete. Cin...

TODAY IS THE DAY! We are overwhelmed with excitement to share the first episode of our limited Title IX series. This week, Haley Chura - co-host of Ironwomen - interviews the renowned Wendy Mink. Wendy is a professor of politics, women's and gender studies, as well as the daughter of the very first woman of color in congress - Patsy Mink. Patsy was the co-author of the Title IX legislation and pav...

Feisty Media Presents: IX Voices for Title IX Powered by InsideTracker . Listen to this trailer, where Sara and Selene tell us what to expect for this exclusive series. To be released on June 16th, just days before the 50th anniversary of Title IX,  the series will investigate the ways in which Title IX did and did not represent a cultural shift for women in sport. The nine-episode series wil...

As athletes, we are sure many of you have heard phrases like, "push through the pain" or "if it doesn't hurt it's not working". But are these really words to live by? This week, Sara welcomes Liz Koch onto the show. Liz is a physiotherapist dedicated to helping athletes reach maximum efficiency with their movement. However, Liz is not just a physio, she is also a division 1 soccer player, white wa...

Okay. Take a deep slow breath into your abdomen... Bring your awareness to yourself and to your own breath... This is how Annika Naidoo tells us to begin using breathing techniques to work towards mindfulness. Annika is a master yoga instructor, health coach and mentor, and this week she shares with Sara the tools she uses for self-mastery. Struggling with obsessive training tendencies, an eating...

Imagine this...you are 14 years old and you start to feel exhausted, nauseous and dizzy, all of the time. The doctors can't figure out why. Finally, a naturopath tells you that your stomach is filled with alcohol. Turns out - an overproduction of yeast in your system has been making you drunk and hungover for an entire year. This is the experience that prompted Jennifer Schmidt, to become a health...

Why can't we talk openly about our leaking pee and poo? As we know, it is incredibly challenging to find trustworthy information for active women, especially in relation to "taboo" topics. Refreshingly, Melissa Dessaulles says "f*** that" and talks about all things pelvic health. Melissa, aka the pelvic expert, is a physical therapist that focuses on the female pelvic region, especially for perina...

Did you think we could cover it all in just one season? I don't know about you, but we have full lifetimes of B.S. to cut through. Welcome to season two of the Feisty Women's Performance Podcast. We are so happy to start this season off with a bang, and that bang is Molly Hurford! Molly is a long-time journalist and outdoor extraordinaire, coaching running, cycling and yoga. She is the author of m...

Each week on the Women's Performance Podcast, we discuss the four pillars of performance, which are physiology, nutrition, mental health, and culture, while recognizing that ultimately, we can't separate one from the other. Today, we take this multidisciplinary approach with activist, entrepreneur, Mom, and cyclist, Monica Garrison. As Founder and Executive Director of Black Girls Do Bike, Monica...

Every woman deserves performance. We have observed that there is A LOT of B.S. information out there for women coming from the fitness and health industries, which gets even worse as we age. Because of this, we saw the need to bring trusted information to women so we can feel and perform our best.  The launch of the Women's Performance Podcast features host, Sara Gross, with three change-make...

Drumroll please! … It’s the season finale! For this very special episode, we have Holley Samuel on the podcast to teach us how to fuel our bodies for peak performance. But wait, there’s more! Holley is a registered dietician, certified personal trainer, and takes an extremely holistic approach to wellness. She delves into her path to female entrepreneurship, and also - the importance of a well-bak...

This week, Sara talks to professional trainer, figure and bikini competitor Josefine Holmberg about all things bodybuilding like a woman. Josefine is an all-around athlete who competed in CrossFit, Olympic Lifting, and Figure before finding her love for Bikini competitions. Josefine shares how she uses the advice of Dr. Stacy Sims to optimize her performance, and the performances of the women she...

Okay, Feisty friends, if you are looking for some inspiration and motivation - this is the episode for you. This week, 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...

This week on the show, Sara shares Selene Yeager’s Keynote Speech from last weekend’s Feisty Women’s Performance Summit. Selene is a professional journalist, health and fitness writer, personal trainer, professional mountain bike racer, and an all-American IRONMAN triathlete. Selene discusses her journey to where she is today - as host of Feisty Menpoause’s Hit Play Not Pause podcast. She underlin...

This week on the show, Sara welcomes obstacle racer, Amelia Boone, to discuss Amelia’s experience as a high-performance female athlete. Boone is one of the most decorated obstacle course racers ever, four-time obstacle course World Champion, three-time winner of the World's Toughest Mudder, Spartan Race Champion, Ultrarunner, AND full-time lawyer for Apple inc. Amelia tells us about her start in o...

Sara welcomes Ultra-endurance bike rider and racer, Lael Wilcox, to discuss her unconventional success in ultra racing and the joy of making people (ok, mostly men) think, "How is this even possible?!" In 2016, she won the Trans Am Bike Race outright, making her the first female to do so. The Trans Am is the premier self-supported road race across the United States, traversing over 4200 miles. She...

Sara welcomes Dr. Carla DiGirolamo, a double board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and reproductive endocrinologist who has experience with the unique physical and mental challenges that women face through every stage of life's journey. In addition to specializing in all aspects of fertility care, Dr. DiGirolamo is also a NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner, Crossfit Level 1 Trainer/Crossfit...

Each week on the Women's Performance Podcast, we discuss the four pillars of performance, which are physiology, nutrition, mental health, and culture, while recognizing that ultimately, we can't separate one from the other. Today, we take this multidisciplinary approach with activist, entrepreneur, Mom, and cyclist, Monica Garrison. As Founder and Executive Director of Black Girls Do Bike, Monica...

Sports nutrition is entering a new era of sex hormone-specific needs. Athletes who menstruate have specific fueling needs during and around training as it relates to hormone levels.  Today, Sara takes a deep dive on the topic of performance nutrition with Kristen Arnold, MS, RDN, CSSD. They discuss: Common pitfalls of fueling Sorting through the diet trends like Intermittent Fasting and Paleo...

Kristi Mohn is a born advocate. As one of the founders of Unbound Gravel , she has long been an outspoken champion for women and non-binary cyclists and, in today's episode, she and Sara dive deep into this pillar of culture and creating equal representation. You'll also hear Kristi's: Advice for anyone who’s interested in advocacy work, or how we can be effective advocates for ourselves and other...

Taylor Treacy is a former collegiate and professional volleyball player. In this powerful keynote address from the 2021 Women’s Performance Summit, Taylor addresses the topic of diet culture and the many ways that weight stigma and fat-phobia are destructive physically, mentally, and emotionally.  She discusses: The genesis of diet culture and “the why” behind keeping women small and submissi...

Every woman deserves performance. We have observed that there is A LOT of B.S. information out there for women coming from the fitness and health industries, which gets even worse as we age. Because of this, we saw the need to bring trusted information to women so we can feel and perform our best.  The launch of the Women's Performance Podcast features host, Sara Gross, with three change-make...

We live in a world where sport was made for men. Whether we're competing at the highest level or running a local 5k, we often feel like something is missing when it comes to getting the best from our bodies. That's because most of the research, product development, and cultural norms in sport are centered around men. Getting the information you need to reach your goals shouldn't be so hard, and th...