I would not have done my run on Thursday if it weren't for Joanie. Giving her some props, and answering a listener question about how to pick up the pace on your next 5K.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

D.C. Run on 4/26

Joan Benoit-Samuelson on Hurdle

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This week I’m sitting down with Joy Allen-Altimare, the Chief Marketing Officer at Saucony. Such an interesting time to have this conversation with everything that’s going on both for the brand as they really are in this fun-to-watch reinvigoration phase, as well as what’s going on here in the U.S. with the tariffs.

Joy talks to me about how being a swimmer growing up in Chattanooga really shaped a big part of her mindset and empowered her to think differently and progressively as a leader. We talk about what it looks like for her to lift up other women both in and out of the office, and what we can expect from Saucony as a brand as we look ahead into the rest of 2025 and 2026. Plus: She also shares her takeaways on the evolution of sports style, and why it’s important to have your own board of directors.

SOCIAL

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OFFERS

Lagoon Sleep | Head on over to LagoonSleep.com/Hurdle and use code “HURDLE” at checkout for 15% off

PILLAR | Head to PillarPerformance.shop, or for North American customers, head to TheFeed.com and use the code HURDLE for 15% off your first purchase.

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ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to ask me a question to be answered in an upcoming episode!

These work for me 99.9% of the time! Plus: Answering a listener question about how I choose the new things on my list to do every week!

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When Grayson Murphy swapped from soccer to running in college, she never anticipated that she'd find such great success. Now a two-time world champion, the Montana-based runner has hard a whirlwind rise to success in sport — but that hasn't come without many hurdles. The most recent: A diagnosis with Crohn's Disease. In this week's episode, she shares how she's coping with the news and how the illness impacts her regularly.

IN THIS EPISODE

(5:07) The importance of grace to Grayson when it comes to her day-to-day

(7:15) The symptoms that Grayson experienced that were indicative of Crohn's disease

(9:36) How Grayson felt when she first learned about Crohn's

(13:38) Grayson shares why she stopped playing soccer

(20:40) What joy looks like for Grayson today

(25:30) Grayson talks about starting her own stationary company, Wild Strides Paper Co.

(28:55) How Grayson has navigated her grief and anger over the past year

(35:53) Grayson talks about how finding early success in running was actually very difficult for her mentally

(41:41) Grayson talks about severe pre-race anxiety, and how she had some pretty difficult intrusive thoughts before competing

(48:10) Grayson talks about what she could see herself doing work-wise in the future

SOCIAL

⁠@racin__grayson

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@emilyabbate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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OFFERS

AG1 | Head to DrinkAG1.com/Hurdle to get a free vitamin D3K2 and five travel packs in your welcome kit

BOSTON EVENTS: Live show with Des Linden at Brooks Hyperion House on 4/19, plus I'll be talking recovery at 10 a.m. with Kristina Centenari at the Birkenstock store on Boylston 4/20! For RSVP links, check out @emilyabbate stories on Instagram this week!

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ASK ME A QUESTION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave me a voice message⁠⁠⁠⁠, ask me a question, and it could be featured in an upcoming episode!⁠

A story from last weekend's Cherry Blossom 10-miler. Plus: Answering a listener question on how to get rid of those pre-race jitters.

SOCIAL

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No one likes to be on the bench, unable to do the activities that they love because of an injury. This week, I'm chatting with writer, content creator, and runner Lydia Keating about injury. We swap stories about how injuries have impacted our physical and mental health in the past, and she shares how navigating a sacral stress fracture has actually bettered her current mindset. Plus: Tips for embracing recovery time (and how to spend it), and Lydia shares an unconventional take on the looming TikTok ban.

IN THIS EPISODE

(5:15) How is Lydia feeling really right now?

(11:40) Why running is such a big part of Lydia’s life right now

(12:05) What’s changed to help Lydia feel the strongest she’s ever felt as a runner

(15:24) What it was like when Lydia learned that she had a sacral stress fracture

(19:43) Lydia talks about her concern for her financial wellbeing when she got injured

(25:17) How Lydia adapted her routine during injury and what helped her heal

(30:17) How Lydia feels about the “oh you look so healthy” compliment

(39:50) Lydia and Emily talk about feeling uncomfortable in their bodies during injury

(46:20) Sleep's critical role in recovery from injury

(56:40) What’s next for Lydia?

(57:18) When Lydia new that she was in a position to go full-time with content creation

(58:25) How Lydia felt when new of the TikTok ban first came around

(1:00:42) The advice that Lydia would tell herself when she was going through injury, knowing what she knows now

SOCIAL

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OFFERS

Lagoon Sleep | Head on over to ⁠LagoonSleep.com/Hurdle⁠ and use code “HURDLE” at checkout for 15% off

LMNT | Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DrinkLMNT.com/Hurdle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get a free sample pack.

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This analogy blew my mind; a helpful reframe when it comes to some habits that may or may not be serving us longterm. Plus: Answering a listener question about affiliate linking.

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Last week, Melanie Allen was working on plans for fall 2026. As the Chief Marketing Officer at Brooks Running, she's always thinking three steps (or, at least four seasons) ahead. In this week's episode, she's talking us through how she arrived to this role, and what it’s like to own her power as a leader and make decisions without “a safety net.” Plus: The important lessons she learned from her mother, what it was like to run her first half-marathon, and how she manages to tame negative self-talk.

SOCIAL

Melanie Allen on LinkedIn

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hurdlepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

IN THIS EPISODE

(4:54) Melanie talks about her time working at Starbucks and how she was the mastermind behind the PSL marketing boom and making it a chilled offering

(7:40) Melanie talks about the decision to train for her first half-marathon because of her co-workers when her daughter was 5 years old

(18:34) Melanie talks about how it felt to take action once she transitioned into her role at Brooks, and no longer having a safety net to make important decisions

(21:55) Melanie talks about how she makes importance of having grace when making difficult decisions

(26:54) What balance looks like in practice for Melanie, plus takeaways from corporate development programming she did at P+G

(39:15) What it’s like for Melanie to own her mistakes and lead with compassion

(44:04) Melanie talks about what it was like to grow up with a deaf mother, and the lessons that relationship has taught her about tenacity

(48:15) How to move from managing at work to truly leading

(52:10) Some of the best career advice that Melanie has ever received

OFFERS

Brooks Running | Loving my new Glycerin 22, grab yourself a pair at BrooksRunning.com/

SEQUEL | Head to ⁠trysequel.com/⁠ and use HURDLE at checkout for 15% off a box of super

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ASK ME A QUESTION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave me a voice message, or email hello@hurdle.us, to ask me a question!⁠