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 26.2-mile distance—and why even bettering your best can be a disappointment sometimes. 

IN THIS EPISODE

• Reframing Self-Criticism: How Amanda navigates her internal dialogue after big performances and learns to appreciate her progress rather than immediately reaching for the next goal.

• The Long-Term View: Why prioritizing physiological health, consistent fueling, and mandatory rest days takes precedence over quick, short-term fixes.

• The Power of Community: How having supportive teammates like Jess McClain keeps her grounded, keeps training in perspective, and reminds her that individual success never diminishes the win for others.

• Finding the Fun in the Grind: What it takes to enjoy 25-mile long runs in the Florida humidity and why surrounding yourself with family makes all the difference.

• Social Media & Public Visibility: Navigating the vulnerability of putting yourself online, balancing authenticity with performance, and staying present amidst future goal-setting.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

"Don't put yourself in these black-and-white categories. Just get up, it's another day, and try again."

"Every workout is not going to be a home run and doesn't need to be a home run... those workouts that are really tough that you have trouble getting through, those are the ones that help you for the marathon."

"I'm going to run the best when I'm the happiest, so that's just kind of what I'm going to do."

"If you learn from [an injury], it's not a waste."

SOCIAL
@a_vestri
@emilyabbate
@iheartwomenssports

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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.