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 Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show. 

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 <a href="https://www.instagram.com/emilyabbate">@emilyabbate</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hurdlepodcast">@hurdlepodcast</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/iheartwomenssports/?hl=en">@iheartwomenssports</a>
JOIN:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbaSpMJZ0k0nuExh/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> SIGN UP:&nbsp;<a href="https://emilyabbate.substack.com/subscribe?">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> ASK ME A QUESTION:&nbsp;Email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:hello@hurdle.us">hello@hurdle.us</a> to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.&nbsp;

Hurdle is where real stories meet next-level ambition. Host, veteran journalist and coach Emily Abbate, interviews the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, peeling back the curtain on their journeys through vulnerable, deep conversation. Learn the secrets to their success, including the grit, glory, and crucial mindset lessons that help her level-up. Each conversation, a powerful reminder that we get to overcome, and embrace each hurdle to live happier, healthier, more motivated lives. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Hurdle is where real stories meet next-level ambition. Host, veteran journalist and coach Emily Abbate, interviews the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, peeling back the curtain on their journeys through vulnerable, deep conversation. Learn the secrets to their success, including the grit, glory, and crucial mindset lessons that help her level-up. Each conversation, a powerful reminder that we get to overcome, and embrace each hurdle to live happier, healthier, more motivated lives. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Hurdle with Emily Abbate

Hurdle is where real stories meet next-level ambition. Host, veteran journalist and coach Emily Abbate, interviews the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, peeling back the curtain on their journeys through vulnerable, deep conversation. Learn the secrets to their success, including the grit, glory, and crucial mindset lessons that help her level-up. Each conversation, a powerful reminder that we get to overcome, and embrace each hurdle to live healthier, happier, more motivated lives. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Hurdle is where real stories meet next-level ambition. Host, veteran journalist and coach Emily Abbate, interviews the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, peeling back the curtain on their journeys through vulnerable, deep conversation. Learn the secrets to their success, including the grit, glory, and crucial mindset lessons that help her level-up. Each conversation, a powerful reminder that we get to overcome, and embrace each hurdle to live healthier, happier, more motivated lives. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

5-MINUTE FRIDAY: The Importance Of Finding Your Own Rhythm 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d6861fea-da28-4854-9355-b452005c92a2/transcript

In this week's rewind episode, Emily sits down with four-time Olympian Katie Ledecky, the most decorated American female Olympian in history. Ledecky brings us back to her roots, talking about her first-ever goals in swimming and how she originally fell in love with the sport at age six.

The swimming legend shares her perspective on the grueling work required to maintain excellence over a two-decade career, regularly logging 20+ hours a week in the water and another 6 to 7 hours in the gym. Katie opens up about how she handles pre-race nerves, her mental strategies for befriending pain in the final meters of a race, and how she breaks down monumental goals into small, doable pieces.

Plus: The deep impact of her family, what it’s like to drop into a random local pool for lap swim, and what true lifestyle balance looks like for her outside of training. She also touches on what it means to be a powerful role model and how that mission became even more meaningful when she partnered with Athleta’s Power of She collective.

IN THIS EPISODE


How does Katie Ledecky befriend pain? She recalls a defining 1500-meter race from the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships where she hit a wall of pain at the 900-meter mark but pushed through to pick up her split times.


Katie talks about how she feels about what she’s achieved in her 22-year career in sport. Having far surpassed her childhood dreams, she shares how she continues to set bigger goals while maintaining her passion.


What is Katie Ledecky’s "why" in swimming? She discusses balancing her personal drive to find the best version of herself with a deep joy for inspiring the next generation of athletes.


How Katie Ledecky fuels to train and perform. She walks through her daily nutrition schedule, navigating early morning practices, and structuring a balance of protein and carbs.


How much sleep does Katie Ledecky get and what she does when she doesn’t get as much as she’d like. Katie discusses aiming for 8 to 9 hours a night and the sacred role of her daily midday nap.


What it was like for Katie to follow in her brother’s footsteps in the pool. She reflects on looking up to her older brother, Michael, and following him into the sport.


What Katie Ledecky’s relationship is with goal setting and how that has evolved since she started swimming. She explains her childhood habit of writing down "want times" to gamify her progress.


What are Katie Ledecky’s current goals? She focuses on the upcoming World Aquatic Championships in Singapore and building consistency in her training block.


How does Katie Ledecky reframe negative self-talk? She shares her approach to managing off-days in practice by finding small technical elements to adjust and relying on the positive energy of her teammates.


Katie talks about the most difficult hurdle of her professional career—navigating the uncertainty, isolation, and training adjustments brought on by the 2020 Olympic postponement.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS


"Nerves are a good thing. It means you care about what you're about to do... Knowing that you're prepared for the biggest stage and you're ready—that’s one of the best feelings in the world."


"Even if you hit that point in that race, you can push past it and maybe even go faster. It's always interesting to learn those things, and I'm still learning at this age. That's what keeps it fun for me."


"I'm always just trying to push myself and trying to be the best version of myself that I can be... If we can encourage each other to pursue those passions, pursue those big goals, beautiful things happen." 


"I can't be at 100% every single day. But if I'm at 80%, I've got to give 100% of my 80%. I just try to be as consistent as I can be on a day-to-day basis." 


"Keep it moving. If you keep moving forward, you're going to make progress, you're going to have a good day."

SOCIAL
@katieledecky
@womenshealthmag
@emilyabbate
@iheartwomenssports

JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us 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.

 

In this week's rewind episode, Emily sits down with four-time Olympian Katie Ledecky, the most decorated American female Olympian in history. Ledecky brings us back to her roots, talking about her first-ever goals in swimming and how she originally fell in love with the sport at age six.
The swimming legend shares her perspective on the grueling work required to maintain excellence over a two-decade career, regularly logging 20+ hours a week in the water and another 6 to 7 hours in the gym. Katie opens up about how she handles pre-race nerves, her mental strategies for befriending pain in the final meters of a race, and how she breaks down monumental goals into small, doable pieces.
Plus: The deep impact of her family, what it&rsquo;s like to drop into a random local pool for lap swim, and what true lifestyle balance looks like for her outside of training. She also touches on what it means to be a powerful role model and how that mission became even more meaningful when she partnered with Athleta&rsquo;s Power of She collective.
IN THIS EPISODE
<ul data-path-to-node="5">
<li>
How does Katie Ledecky befriend pain? She recalls a defining 1500-meter race from the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships where she hit a wall of pain at the 900-meter mark but pushed through to pick up her split times.
</li>
<li>
Katie talks about how she feels about what she&rsquo;s achieved in her 22-year career in sport. Having far surpassed her childhood dreams, she shares how she continues to set bigger goals while maintaining her passion.
</li>
<li>
What is Katie Ledecky&rsquo;s "why" in swimming? She discusses balancing her personal drive to find the best version of herself with a deep joy for inspiring the next generation of athletes.
</li>
<li>
How Katie Ledecky fuels to train and perform. She walks through her daily nutrition schedule, navigating early morning practices, and structuring a balance of protein and carbs.
</li>
<li>
How much sleep does Katie Ledecky get and what she does when she doesn&rsquo;t get as much as she&rsquo;d like. Katie discusses aiming for 8 to 9 hours a night and the sacred role of her daily midday nap.
</li>
<li>
What it was like for Katie to follow in her brother&rsquo;s footsteps in the pool. She reflects on looking up to her older brother, Michael, and following him into the sport.
</li>
<li>
What Katie Ledecky&rsquo;s relationship is with goal setting and how that has evolved since she started swimming. She explains her childhood habit of writing down "want times" to gamify her progress.
</li>
<li>
What are Katie Ledecky&rsquo;s current goals? She focuses on the upcoming World Aquatic Championships in Singapore and building consistency in her training block.
</li>
<li>
How does Katie Ledecky reframe negative self-talk? She shares her approach to managing off-days in practice by finding small technical elements to adjust and relying on the positive energy of her teammates.
</li>
<li>
Katie talks about the most difficult hurdle of her professional career&mdash;navigating the uncertainty, isolation, and training adjustments brought on by the 2020 Olympic postponement.
</li>
</ul>
QUOTABLE MOMENTS
<ul data-path-to-node="7">
<li>
"Nerves are a good thing. It means you care about what you're about to do... Knowing that you're prepared for the biggest stage and you're ready&mdash;that&rsquo;s one of the best feelings in the world."
</li>
<li>
"Even if you hit that point in that race, you can push past it and maybe even go faster. It's always interesting to learn those things, and I'm still learning at this age. That's what keeps it fun for me."
</li>
<li>
"I'm always just trying to push myself and trying to be the best version of myself that I can be... If we can encourage each other to pursue those passions, pursue those big goals, beautiful things happen."&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
"I can't be at 100% every single day. But if I'm at 80%, I've got to give 100% of my 80%. I just try to be as consistent as I can be on a day-to-day basis."&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
"Keep it moving. If you keep moving forward, you're going to make progress, you're going to have a good day."
</li>
</ul>
SOCIAL <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katieledecky/">@katieledecky</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/womenshealthmag/">@womenshealthmag</a> <a href="http://instagram.com/emilyabbate">@emilyabbate</a> <a href="http://instagram.com/iheartwomenssports">@iheartwomenssports</a>
JOIN:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbaSpMJZ0k0nuExh/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>
SIGN UP:&nbsp;⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://emilyabbate.substack.com/subscribe?">Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>
ASK ME A QUESTION:&nbsp;Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.&nbsp;
Listen to&nbsp;Hurdle with Emily Abbate&nbsp;on the&nbsp;<a href="https://news.iheart.com/apps/">iHeartRadio app</a>, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
&nbsp;

Built on Consistency: Katie Ledecky on Reframing Hard Days, Swimming Into the Record Books & Inspiring the Next Generation

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ee2f020d-50f6-4b8b-9f8a-b44e017d6017/transcript

As she prepares for the Brooklyn Half, Emily's looking back at her first 13.1-mile race in 2008 and the massive health transformation that led her there.

Today, Emily discusses the beauty of progress and the reality of "readiness." She's sharing her perspective on why being a beginner is a prerequisite for greatness and how she maintains her fitness routine today—not for a specific time goal, but to feel like her most capable self. Plus, she answers a listener question from a new business owner about how to design a productive schedule and find motivation when you are your own boss.

SOCIAL
@emilyabbate
@hurdlepodcast
@iheartwomenssports

JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show. 

As she prepares for the Brooklyn Half, Emily's looking back at her first 13.1-mile race in 2008 and the massive health transformation that led her there.
Today, Emily discusses the beauty of progress and the reality of "readiness." She's sharing her perspective on why being a beginner is a prerequisite for greatness and how she maintains her fitness routine today&mdash;not for a specific time goal, but to feel like her most capable self. Plus, she answers a listener question from a new business owner about how to design a productive schedule and find motivation when you are your own boss.
SOCIAL <a href="https://www.instagram.com/emilyabbate">@emilyabbate</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hurdlepodcast">@hurdlepodcast</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/iheartwomenssports/?hl=en">@iheartwomenssports</a>
JOIN:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbaSpMJZ0k0nuExh/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> SIGN UP:&nbsp;<a href="https://emilyabbate.substack.com/subscribe?">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> ASK ME A QUESTION:&nbsp;Email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:hello@hurdle.us">hello@hurdle.us</a> to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.&nbsp;

5-MINUTE FRIDAY: Being A Beginner Is A Prerequisite For Greatness

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/bfb1e524-271a-44cb-8ab6-b44a018b6fa7/transcript

Amanda Lucci is the Director of Special Projects at Women's Health, where she has spent the last decade evolving the brand’s digital presence and spearheading their expansive coverage of women’s sports. From the sidelines of the WNBA to the mixed zones of the Paris Olympic Games, Amanda is on a mission to tell the stories of the women transforming the future of the industry—both on the court and behind the scenes.

In this episode, Amanda opens up about her career pivot from entertainment journalism to becoming a powerhouse in sports media. She shares the raw reality of navigating a male-dominated press room and the importance of having women’s voices in those spaces to tell more nuanced, relatable stories. We also dive into her personal journey through a grueling multi-year fertility battle, how it reshaped her perspective on success, and how she balances the high-octane world of sports reporting with her newest role: being a mom.

MENTIONED
The Huddle
Game Changers

IN THIS EPISODE


The Evolution of Women’s Sports: How Women's Health transitioned from standard fitness tips to deep-dive reporting on elite athletes and industry game-changers.


Navigating the Press Room: Amanda describes the Olympic mixed zone and why female journalists are essential for asking the questions that actually resonate with athletes.


A Personal Hurdle: The mental and physical toll of three rounds of IUI and four rounds of IVF, and how her passion for women's sports acted as a lifeline during that time.


The Power of "No": Why her 2026 "word of the year" is focused on being selective with her energy and projects to show up fully for her family.


New Ventures: The launch of The Huddle podcast and the excitement of moving from behind the camera to in front of the microphone.


Predictions for the Future: Why Amanda believes sports like flag football and volleyball are on the cusp of a massive cultural explosion.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

"If you're a sports fan, then you'll love women's sports. It is for you."

"I want people to read our coverage and watch the game through a new lens... knowing who the people are and what makes them tick makes me so much more locked in."

"I had to face the reality that at any point, this could go wrong. The entire experience is totally out of your control... but I realized I have such a full life that I will be okay, and I will be happy."

"If you worry about something that hasn't happened, then it does happen, you just worried twice. You should live now, and we'll deal with it later."

"I don’t look in the mirror every day and say, 'You go girl'... but ultimately, I am so proud of what I have overcome and the way I've grown personally and professionally."

SOCIAL
@alucci
@womenshealthmag
@emilyabbate
@iheartwomenssports

JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us 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.

Amanda Lucci is the Director of Special Projects at Women's Health, where she has spent the last decade evolving the brand&rsquo;s digital presence and spearheading their expansive coverage of women&rsquo;s sports. From the sidelines of the WNBA to the mixed zones of the Paris Olympic Games, Amanda is on a mission to tell the stories of the women transforming the future of the industry&mdash;both on the court and behind the scenes.
In this episode, Amanda opens up about her career pivot from entertainment journalism to becoming a powerhouse in sports media. She shares the raw reality of navigating a male-dominated press room and the importance of having women&rsquo;s voices in those spaces to tell more nuanced, relatable stories. We also dive into her personal journey through a grueling multi-year fertility battle, how it reshaped her perspective on success, and how she balances the high-octane world of sports reporting with her newest role: being a mom.
MENTIONED <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/thehuddle/">The Huddle</a> <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a70841088/sports-game-changers/">Game Changers</a>
IN THIS EPISODE
<ul data-path-to-node="5">
<li>
The Evolution of Women&rsquo;s Sports: How Women's Health transitioned from standard fitness tips to deep-dive reporting on elite athletes and industry game-changers.
</li>
<li>
Navigating the Press Room: Amanda describes the Olympic mixed zone and why female journalists are essential for asking the questions that actually resonate with athletes.
</li>
<li>
A Personal Hurdle: The mental and physical toll of three rounds of IUI and four rounds of IVF, and how her passion for women's sports acted as a lifeline during that time.
</li>
<li>
The Power of "No": Why her 2026 "word of the year" is focused on being selective with her energy and projects to show up fully for her family.
</li>
<li>
New Ventures: The launch of <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/thehuddle/">The Huddle podcast</a> and the excitement of moving from behind the camera to in front of the microphone.
</li>
<li>
Predictions for the Future: Why Amanda believes sports like flag football and volleyball are on the cusp of a massive cultural explosion.
</li>
</ul>
QUOTABLE MOMENTS
"If you're a sports fan, then you'll love women's sports. It is for you."
"I want people to read our coverage and watch the game through a new lens... knowing who the people are and what makes them tick makes me so much more locked in."
"I had to face the reality that at any point, this could go wrong. The entire experience is totally out of your control... but I realized I have such a full life that I will be okay, and I will be happy."
"If you worry about something that hasn't happened, then it does happen, you just worried twice. You should live now, and we'll deal with it later."
"I don&rsquo;t look in the mirror every day and say, 'You go girl'... but ultimately, I am so proud of what I have overcome and the way I've grown personally and professionally."
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ASK ME A QUESTION:&nbsp;Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.&nbsp;
Listen to&nbsp;Hurdle with Emily Abbate&nbsp;on the&nbsp;<a href="https://news.iheart.com/apps/">iHeartRadio app</a>, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Future of Women’s Sports: Amanda Lucci On Breaking Into the Press Room, the Power Of Narrative & Finding Growth In "No"

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c7e7df56-0a51-4c8b-ab83-b4470147e647/transcript

5-MINUTE FRIDAY: The Importance Of Finding Your Own Rhythm

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