Olympic Cross-Country Skier Julia Kern on Falling Short and Moving Forward

Olympic Cross-Country Skier Julia Kern on Falling Short and Moving Forward

Olympic cross-country skier Julia Kern joins us for a candid conversation about resilience, recovery, and the courage to keep dreaming. Fresh off the Milan-Cortina Olympics, Julia reflects on the highs of making an Olympic final, the heartbreak of falling short of a medal, and the years-long battle with chronic pain that nearly made her walk away from the sport. We'll explore the parallels between athletic setbacks, heartbreak, healing, and the importance of finding joy in the journey. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Headfirst into Fear with Olympian Skeleton Racer Mystique Ro

This week we're joined by Olympian skeleton racer Mystique Ro for a conversation about fear, control, and learning to trust yourself at 80 miles per hour. Mystique opens up about the mental discipline behind skeleton racing, navigating the sport as a Black athlete from a working-class background, and the unlikely journey that took her from track and field to the Olympic stage and we'll answer a Dear Sugar letter from a bride-to-be. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

What Strong Women Know with Heptathlete Louise Hazel

On this episode we're joined by Olympian heptathlete Louise Hazel for a personal conversation about strength, grief, endurance, and what our bodies are truly capable of. Louise reflects on her journey from a sports-obsessed kid in rural England to competing at the 2012 London Olympics and what led her to opening her own gym, SLAY, in Los Angeles. We talk about loss and grief, navigating miscarriage, and how movement became her way through heartbreak. Our advice this week focuses on body image, women’s health culture, resilience, and why learning what your body can do matters far more than what it looks like. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Polo, Pressure, and Paving the Way with Shariah Harris

This week we talk to trailblazing polo player Shariah Harris to discuss resilience, identity, and the unexpected journey that led her from a chance encounter with horses in Philadelphia to making history as the first Black woman to compete at the highest level of the U.S. Women’s Polo Championship. Shariah reflects on growing up through the Work to Ride program, navigating predominantly white spaces in elite sports, and balancing the demands of being both a professional athlete and an operating room nurse. Together, we explore the lessons horses can teach us about patience, courage, and trust — and what it means to pave the way for the next generation while staying grounded in your love for the sport. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Overcoming Hurdles with Olympic Heptathlete Chari Hawkins

Olympic heptathlete Chari Hawkins opens up about what it really feels like to keep going when everything falls apart. What begins as a reflection on Chari’s career unfolds into something much more vulnerable—her struggles with identity, the quiet devastation of missing the Olympic team, and a moment where she wasn’t sure she wanted to keep going at all. Together, we explore fear, failure, and the small, brave decisions that shape a life. Our Dear Sugar letter this week touches on what it means to start before you feel ready, reminding us that courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s learning how to live alongside it. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.