WEBVTT - Switching Gears (with Allyson Felix and Vanessa Williams) 0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:03.680 You and Me Both is a production of I Heart Radio. 0:00:06.040 --> 0:00:08.959 I'm Hillary Clinton and this is You and Me Both. 0:00:09.840 --> 0:00:12.119 You know, when you're well known for doing one thing, 0:00:12.400 --> 0:00:15.720 it's not always easy to put yourself out there and 0:00:16.040 --> 0:00:20.120 try something else. Stay in your lane, people tell you, 0:00:20.200 --> 0:00:24.360 and yeah, look, I've heard that more than a few times. 0:00:24.400 --> 0:00:27.560 Certainly when I was first lady working on healthcare, or 0:00:28.240 --> 0:00:31.280 when I decided to run for the Senate myself. No 0:00:31.400 --> 0:00:34.839 first lady had ever done that before. Even writing a 0:00:35.320 --> 0:00:39.360 political thriller with my friend Louise Penny, or becoming a 0:00:39.360 --> 0:00:44.440 podcast host. All of those things ruffled some feathers of 0:00:44.479 --> 0:00:49.000 those who didn't think I was in the right lane. Well, 0:00:49.080 --> 0:00:53.360 today I'm talking with two incredible women who did switch 0:00:53.440 --> 0:00:59.280 gears and change lanes in their lives and careers. Later 0:00:59.360 --> 0:01:04.280 we'll hear actor, singer, author, advocate and former Miss America 0:01:04.520 --> 0:01:09.080 Vanessa Williams. But to start and rite in time for 0:01:09.120 --> 0:01:13.560 the Winter Olympics, I'm talking to track and field superstar 0:01:13.760 --> 0:01:18.880 Alison Felix. Last summer in Tokyo, Allison competed in her 0:01:19.080 --> 0:01:23.360 fifth Olympic Games, where she won two medals, making her 0:01:23.520 --> 0:01:29.039 the most decorated American track and field athlete in Olympic 0:01:29.400 --> 0:01:35.560 history with nineteen medals total. She's also the most decorated 0:01:35.720 --> 0:01:43.319 athlete regardless of gender in World Athletics championship history. Wow. 0:01:43.880 --> 0:01:47.320 Allison announced that those Olympics were her last, but at 0:01:47.360 --> 0:01:51.800 age thirty five, she is not slowing down. In addition 0:01:51.920 --> 0:01:57.160 to her incredible athletic achievements, Allison also started Safe, a 0:01:57.280 --> 0:02:01.320 woman's lifestyle sneaker company, and she wore the shoes when 0:02:01.320 --> 0:02:05.760 she competed last summer. She's also switched gears to become 0:02:05.880 --> 0:02:10.720 a vocal advocate for black maternal health and for women athletes. 0:02:10.840 --> 0:02:15.040 After experiencing trauma with the birth of her daughter, Cammy, 0:02:15.280 --> 0:02:18.920 who's now three. I was so delighted to have the 0:02:19.000 --> 0:02:24.200 chance to speak with her for this podcast. Hi, Hi, 0:02:24.320 --> 0:02:28.640 how are you? Oh? I'm great, And I gotta start 0:02:28.639 --> 0:02:31.880 by saying, how is that adorable daughter of yours? He 0:02:32.080 --> 0:02:36.040 is doing well. She is thriving, happy three year old, 0:02:36.200 --> 0:02:39.160 running all over the place, keeping me super busy. Um 0:02:39.440 --> 0:02:43.200 and yeah, life with her, it's going great. You know, 0:02:43.280 --> 0:02:46.400 you've done so many amazing things. I want to go 0:02:46.560 --> 0:02:50.800 back though, to the early days, because I read recently 0:02:51.040 --> 0:02:55.280 that you didn't actually start running track until you were 0:02:55.280 --> 0:02:58.760 in ninth grade, which you know it's really young, but 0:02:58.919 --> 0:03:02.079 still you know, a little bit later than some. And 0:03:02.520 --> 0:03:05.400 how did you get into it? What motivated you to 0:03:06.360 --> 0:03:08.920 actually get out there and start to run? What kind 0:03:08.919 --> 0:03:11.359 of kid were you? Well? I was a really active 0:03:11.440 --> 0:03:14.280 kid in like my neighborhood and my community, and my 0:03:14.360 --> 0:03:16.720 parents did an awesome job of keeping us really busy. 0:03:17.120 --> 0:03:19.640 But it wasn't until high school that I actually found track. 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:22.120 And you're absolutely right as a as a runner and 0:03:22.280 --> 0:03:25.600 for an Olympian, that is a later start. And I 0:03:25.720 --> 0:03:27.760 kind of just stumbled into it, you know. I was 0:03:27.760 --> 0:03:29.520 going to high school and so I was brand new 0:03:29.560 --> 0:03:34.040 school and I didn't know anybody, and my family encouraged 0:03:34.080 --> 0:03:35.760 me to go out for the track team. Um My 0:03:35.800 --> 0:03:37.920 brother was at a different school and he was running 0:03:37.960 --> 0:03:41.000 track and he was doing really well, and so they thought, 0:03:41.080 --> 0:03:44.240 you know, might have some potential there. And so I 0:03:44.520 --> 0:03:47.440 went out to meet friends and I did. I met 0:03:47.480 --> 0:03:50.160 my best girlfriends that you know are still that to 0:03:50.240 --> 0:03:52.960 this day. But I also found the sport and I 0:03:53.000 --> 0:03:55.440 fell in love with it and I am like this, 0:03:55.440 --> 0:03:57.800 this was my thing. You know, the thrill of competition 0:03:57.960 --> 0:04:00.720 and you know, just having a sensible longing and it 0:04:00.760 --> 0:04:03.840 taught me so many lessons and so I'm so grateful 0:04:03.880 --> 0:04:06.960 that I did find it. You know, that word belonging 0:04:07.160 --> 0:04:10.200 is one that I've been thinking a lot about. Everybody 0:04:10.560 --> 0:04:16.280 has to have some place or people or passion that 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:20.840 they feel gives them that sense of belonging well. And 0:04:20.880 --> 0:04:24.880 then two thousand three, Track and Field News named you 0:04:25.560 --> 0:04:29.760 the high school Athlete of the Year. Yeah, what did 0:04:29.800 --> 0:04:32.400 that feel like? You know, it was kind of surreal 0:04:32.600 --> 0:04:34.880 because it was like I had just started running, you know, 0:04:35.000 --> 0:04:39.120 a couple of years prior, and here things are happening quickly. 0:04:39.240 --> 0:04:40.919 And I felt like it was a kind of a 0:04:40.920 --> 0:04:45.400 turning point at that time because that's when I heard like, oh, 0:04:45.480 --> 0:04:48.680 you know, the Olympics are the next year, and I 0:04:48.800 --> 0:04:50.800 was like, is that a possibility for me? You know, 0:04:50.960 --> 0:04:53.360 like it's I didn't realize that, you know, you could 0:04:53.400 --> 0:04:55.680 go to the Olympics, you could make a career, you know, 0:04:55.720 --> 0:04:57.400 out of being a runner. And so it was kind 0:04:57.440 --> 0:05:00.159 of like a whole new world was open for me. 0:05:01.000 --> 0:05:03.880 And who did you turn to for advice? So here 0:05:03.920 --> 0:05:06.800 you are, Uh, You're getting named high school athlete of 0:05:06.839 --> 0:05:08.719 the Year, and somebody says well, you know, the Olympics 0:05:08.720 --> 0:05:10.960 are next year. How did you think that through? That's 0:05:11.000 --> 0:05:13.640 such a big decision for a teenager, it is. It 0:05:13.760 --> 0:05:17.559 was huge, and I'm so grateful because my parents, although 0:05:17.600 --> 0:05:20.240 they didn't know anything about the sport um, they were 0:05:20.240 --> 0:05:22.320 really committed to me and they were present. And I 0:05:22.320 --> 0:05:25.600 always tell you know, parents who are involved with their 0:05:25.680 --> 0:05:27.760 kids in sports, you know, the best way you can 0:05:27.760 --> 0:05:29.960 support them is to show up. You know, you don't 0:05:30.000 --> 0:05:32.760 have to be this super hard on your kids to 0:05:33.120 --> 0:05:35.840 specialize and do all these things. But my parents, you know, 0:05:35.880 --> 0:05:37.880 no matter if it was a really small meat or 0:05:37.920 --> 0:05:40.120 a big one, they were there. So when it came 0:05:40.160 --> 0:05:43.200 time to make a lot of decisions or think about 0:05:43.320 --> 0:05:46.719 the future, they were the typical parents that really thought 0:05:46.760 --> 0:05:49.520 things through, and we talked to people we knew, and 0:05:49.600 --> 0:05:52.159 we tried to understand what was going on. But I 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:54.960 think the biggest thing was that I had that support system, 0:05:55.000 --> 0:05:57.359 and I had them in my corner, you know, and 0:05:57.400 --> 0:05:59.720 I could lean on them. And so you tried out 0:05:59.760 --> 0:06:03.600 for the Olympics, you made the American team and mettled 0:06:04.000 --> 0:06:08.080 in the two thousand for Olympics. Obviously, I'm talking to 0:06:08.080 --> 0:06:11.760 you now when you are the most highly decorated metal 0:06:12.360 --> 0:06:15.919 Olympic athlete and track and field ever. But what was 0:06:15.960 --> 0:06:19.760 that first time like going to the Olympics. Oh my gosh, 0:06:19.800 --> 0:06:22.839 everything was so new and exciting. I remember walking and 0:06:22.960 --> 0:06:27.200 opening ceremonies, and I was meeting people that had idolized, 0:06:27.200 --> 0:06:30.280 you know, growing up, and it just felt like a dream, 0:06:30.400 --> 0:06:33.880 you know, and a bit overwhelming. But at the same time, 0:06:33.960 --> 0:06:36.320 I think it lit a fire for me. It was like, Wow, 0:06:36.320 --> 0:06:38.840 this is what the Olympics are about, and if I 0:06:38.880 --> 0:06:41.159 really want to get to the next level and be 0:06:41.279 --> 0:06:43.880 successful on the stage, it's going to require a lot 0:06:43.880 --> 0:06:50.159 of dedication, a lot of sacrifice. We're taking a quick break. 0:06:50.360 --> 0:07:04.440 Stay with us. You've also suffered setbacks in your career. 0:07:04.680 --> 0:07:08.080 You know, in you you tore your hamstring. You couldn't 0:07:08.080 --> 0:07:10.440 compete for I think it was like nine or ten months, 0:07:10.520 --> 0:07:14.880 right and then right before the Summer Olympics you sprained 0:07:14.920 --> 0:07:17.560 your ankle. But you still competed and you still want 0:07:17.600 --> 0:07:21.280 two gold medals. By the way, what's it like for 0:07:21.400 --> 0:07:25.720 a world class athlete to have an injury? What's it 0:07:25.800 --> 0:07:28.480 feel like for you when you do something like tear 0:07:28.520 --> 0:07:31.040 your hamstring? Yeah, it's really challenging, And I think the 0:07:31.080 --> 0:07:34.080 hardest part is that you know what your body is 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:36.560 capable of doing. You know, this is a lifestyle, and 0:07:36.640 --> 0:07:39.400 you train day in and day out for hours and hours, 0:07:39.520 --> 0:07:43.040 and so when it feels like your body betrays you 0:07:43.600 --> 0:07:45.560 and you try to do something that you used to 0:07:45.600 --> 0:07:48.880 do and not give a second thought, it's really challenging, 0:07:48.960 --> 0:07:50.840 you know, and then it takes you back to kind 0:07:50.840 --> 0:07:53.239 of square one. You have to do all the tedious things. 0:07:53.320 --> 0:07:56.760 You have to step away from the competition, and it's 0:07:56.800 --> 0:07:59.640 when no one is kind of seeing what's going into it, 0:07:59.680 --> 0:08:01.800 and no on is really cheering you on except your 0:08:01.840 --> 0:08:04.680 your inner circle. So it really requires you to do 0:08:04.720 --> 0:08:06.560 all the things and to take all the steps, and 0:08:06.600 --> 0:08:12.040 so it's really challenging, especially at inopportune times. Before the Games, 0:08:12.080 --> 0:08:14.480 I was trying to do something that very few people 0:08:14.520 --> 0:08:17.200 have done and running the two hundred, running the four hundred, 0:08:17.240 --> 0:08:19.840 and I felt like training was going amazing, and so 0:08:19.960 --> 0:08:23.800 to have that setback right before it was time to 0:08:23.800 --> 0:08:26.080 to get out there, it was it was really tough. 0:08:26.160 --> 0:08:28.960 But I think, you know, you challenge yourself in new ways. 0:08:29.320 --> 0:08:31.280 You know, it's about how can you pick up the 0:08:31.320 --> 0:08:34.360 pieces when adversity hits and and what are you gonna 0:08:34.400 --> 0:08:36.960 do with it? And sometimes I think it's more meaningful 0:08:37.080 --> 0:08:40.839 to show people when it's not perfect and when it's 0:08:40.880 --> 0:08:44.240 not pretty, you know how to get it done. Well. 0:08:44.760 --> 0:08:48.760 You have done that, and you did it especially for 0:08:48.840 --> 0:08:55.160 which I am incredibly grateful. Around your pregnancy, and first 0:08:55.200 --> 0:08:58.280 of all, you had a really traumatic birth experience in 0:08:58.320 --> 0:09:02.679 twenty nineteen when your daughter Cammy was born. You know, 0:09:02.760 --> 0:09:08.199 I've been an advocate for maternal mortality, decreases, you better 0:09:08.280 --> 0:09:11.840 birthing experiences, all of that, But it was a terrifying 0:09:11.960 --> 0:09:14.920 time for you, wasn't it. Yeah. I first have to 0:09:14.960 --> 0:09:16.920 just say thank you for all the work that you've 0:09:16.920 --> 0:09:20.960 done on those areas. It's so important. It was terrifying 0:09:21.200 --> 0:09:23.440 for me, you know, being an athlete, I think I 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:26.440 really took my health for granted. You know, I've always 0:09:26.520 --> 0:09:29.400 been healthy and I've always known how to take care 0:09:29.400 --> 0:09:32.200 of my body, and so when I became pregnant, I 0:09:32.240 --> 0:09:35.160 didn't really give it too much thought. You know, I 0:09:35.520 --> 0:09:38.880 kept training, I felt strong, I felt good, And it 0:09:38.920 --> 0:09:41.720 was at thirty two weeks just going to a routine 0:09:42.040 --> 0:09:45.559 doctor's appointment. Right away, it became very concerning I was 0:09:45.600 --> 0:09:48.240 sent to the hospital for further monitoring, and it was 0:09:48.280 --> 0:09:51.240 there that I was diagnosed with a severe case of preclampsia. 0:09:51.480 --> 0:09:55.000 And never, in my wildest dreams what I think that 0:09:55.200 --> 0:09:58.560 I would be at risk for a complicated pregnancy, or 0:09:58.600 --> 0:10:00.680 that my life would be at risk or my child. 0:10:00.800 --> 0:10:03.960 You know, I just didn't even comprehend that, and so 0:10:04.480 --> 0:10:07.240 things started to spiral out of control and it got 0:10:07.280 --> 0:10:10.080 really scary, and um, you know, as at risk of 0:10:10.120 --> 0:10:12.480 having a stroke or losing my vision and all of 0:10:12.520 --> 0:10:15.160 these things that it just didn't even make sense. I 0:10:15.200 --> 0:10:17.319 had the birth plan of you know, I'm going to 0:10:17.400 --> 0:10:22.880 have a natural, beautiful birth experience, and uh, nothing went 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:25.960 that way. I had an emergency C section, and you know, 0:10:26.000 --> 0:10:27.840 I was in the hospital for quite a bit, and 0:10:28.040 --> 0:10:29.920 my daughter spent a month in the nick. You and 0:10:30.320 --> 0:10:32.440 it was just a really heavy time for us to 0:10:32.480 --> 0:10:36.800 go through. You know, I'm so sorry that that you 0:10:36.840 --> 0:10:41.120 had to go through that, and I'm incredibly thankful that 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:44.200 you came out healthy, your daughter came out healthy through 0:10:44.280 --> 0:10:49.040 all of that trauma. But also during your pregnancy, you 0:10:49.440 --> 0:10:51.839 tried not to let people know you were pregnant. I mean, 0:10:51.840 --> 0:10:55.600 here you are an elite athlete, You're training, You're you're 0:10:55.600 --> 0:10:59.559 still working hard every day. Um, what did that feel 0:10:59.559 --> 0:11:03.640 like that you had to in effect hide your pregnancy. 0:11:04.120 --> 0:11:07.480 It was the worst experience. I mean, you know, before 0:11:07.559 --> 0:11:11.720 all of that traumatic birth experience happened. Yeah, I was 0:11:11.840 --> 0:11:14.600 hiding my pregnancy. I was going through, you know, this 0:11:14.679 --> 0:11:19.120 fight with Nike about maternal protections and contracts, and it 0:11:19.200 --> 0:11:22.600 was just such a scary time because in sports, and 0:11:22.600 --> 0:11:25.320 specifically track and field, there had been this culture of 0:11:25.360 --> 0:11:29.480 silence around pregnancy and friends of mine, colleagues, they would 0:11:29.760 --> 0:11:32.640 be pregnant and their contracts would either be paused or 0:11:33.080 --> 0:11:36.040 they would be trying to secure a new contract and 0:11:36.120 --> 0:11:37.880 you know, hide their pregnancy. And so that was kind 0:11:37.880 --> 0:11:40.160 of my situation. I didn't have the offer on the table. 0:11:40.280 --> 0:11:43.160 I knew what had happened in the past, and so 0:11:43.200 --> 0:11:46.040 I was literally training four o'clock in the morning while 0:11:46.040 --> 0:11:50.439 it was still dark. And it just breaks my heart. Yeah, 0:11:50.640 --> 0:11:53.480 this time that should have been so happy and beautiful 0:11:53.720 --> 0:11:57.960 was really lonely and isolating. And I look back on 0:11:58.000 --> 0:12:01.360 it and it does bring me sadness to to know 0:12:01.480 --> 0:12:05.800 that that was the situation. I mean, what an horrible, 0:12:06.040 --> 0:12:11.960 outdated unfair caricature of pregnant women. I mean, it just 0:12:12.559 --> 0:12:15.959 drives me crazy hearing about it, you know, these years later. 0:12:16.559 --> 0:12:19.360 But you've said that before all this happened, that you know, 0:12:19.480 --> 0:12:22.840 you avoided speaking out on issues that mattered you. Know, 0:12:22.920 --> 0:12:26.400 you were an athlete. Your your accomplishments, your metals, your records, 0:12:26.400 --> 0:12:29.600 they all spoke for you. And I totally get that. 0:12:30.280 --> 0:12:34.719 And you also were really conscious of how you were perceived, 0:12:34.800 --> 0:12:38.439 particularly in the world that gives you contracts, that supports you, 0:12:38.559 --> 0:12:43.280 that you know, does what the whole athletic industrial complex does. 0:12:43.920 --> 0:12:48.360 But after your pregnancy you started speaking out and your 0:12:48.480 --> 0:12:51.040 letter to The New York Times, I read that, and 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:54.760 oh man, I thought that was so brave, so important, 0:12:55.440 --> 0:12:59.240 so needed. In it, you talked about women athletes losing 0:12:59.320 --> 0:13:02.920 money and contracts during pregnancy, and you also then spoke 0:13:02.960 --> 0:13:07.680 out and even testified before Congress about the maternal health 0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:12.720 disparities that impact Black women disproportionately. So can you talk 0:13:12.760 --> 0:13:15.719 a little bit about how you decided to really use 0:13:15.840 --> 0:13:19.640 your powerful voice to speak on things that you had 0:13:19.760 --> 0:13:23.280 personal experience, but that you could then draw a larger 0:13:23.840 --> 0:13:27.000 audience for. Yeah, it was such a journey to get 0:13:27.040 --> 0:13:29.679 to that point. I mean absolutely what you said is 0:13:30.120 --> 0:13:32.720 it's true. I was the athlete that was hyper focused 0:13:32.760 --> 0:13:35.480 on performance. You know, I felt like my job is 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:39.199 to get medals, to break records, and I was such 0:13:39.240 --> 0:13:41.160 a people pleaser, you know. I didn't want to rock 0:13:41.200 --> 0:13:43.360 the boat and I just wanted to stay in my 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:46.559 lane and do what I did. And that worked for 0:13:46.600 --> 0:13:48.760 a long time. And then I started to go through 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:52.080 these real life experiences and I started to really see 0:13:52.520 --> 0:13:55.640 kind of what was happening behind the curtain and understand 0:13:56.000 --> 0:13:58.000 that I was in a position that I had a 0:13:58.000 --> 0:14:01.120 platform and I could speak out. And I think the 0:14:01.160 --> 0:14:03.640 thing that really kind of shifted me to get to 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:06.920 that point was having my daughter. You know, I started 0:14:06.960 --> 0:14:10.000 to think about, you know, the world that she is 0:14:10.000 --> 0:14:13.160 going to grow up in, and here, you know, I 0:14:13.200 --> 0:14:15.200 don't want her to have these same battles, you know, 0:14:15.360 --> 0:14:18.040 that have been happening for so long. And I got 0:14:18.080 --> 0:14:21.640 to a place where it was like, even if nothing happens, 0:14:21.680 --> 0:14:24.080 you know, I just deeply believe that this is the 0:14:24.160 --> 0:14:26.200 right thing to do and I have to speak out 0:14:26.280 --> 0:14:28.760 on it, and you know, I want to make her proud. 0:14:28.840 --> 0:14:31.680 And I also thinking about the other women you know, 0:14:31.800 --> 0:14:34.360 so many women came before me who didn't have the 0:14:34.360 --> 0:14:37.280 opportunity to speak out, and a lot of these situations 0:14:37.320 --> 0:14:39.600 there's in d a s and that's why it's happened 0:14:39.600 --> 0:14:42.800 for so long. And here I had the opportunity to really, 0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:45.520 you know, come forward and say this is what's happening. 0:14:45.920 --> 0:14:48.320 And so um, yeah, it took a long time, but 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:50.760 grateful that I got to a place where I could 0:14:50.760 --> 0:14:54.120 get outside of my comfort zone and speak up. Well, 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:58.120 thank goodness you did. And I totally get what happens 0:14:58.160 --> 0:14:59.680 to you when you have a child and in my 0:14:59.760 --> 0:15:02.360 case now three grandchildren, and you really do think about 0:15:02.400 --> 0:15:04.400 the world you want them to grow up in and 0:15:04.440 --> 0:15:09.359 what they'll inherit. And it seems almost you know, preordained 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:11.840 in some way that you know, you and Serena Williams 0:15:11.840 --> 0:15:16.920 would both have had these really traumatic birth experiences because 0:15:16.960 --> 0:15:20.800 so many black women have had similar experiences. Some did 0:15:20.840 --> 0:15:24.880 not survive, some did not see their baby survive. And 0:15:24.920 --> 0:15:27.640 I was really pleased to see Vice President Harris take 0:15:27.680 --> 0:15:30.120 this on as an issue, and you know, members of 0:15:30.160 --> 0:15:33.560 Congress past start passing laws you testified on behalf of 0:15:33.920 --> 0:15:37.320 you know, better attention, better resources. This should not be 0:15:37.800 --> 0:15:40.760 and thank you for being the advocate that you are. 0:15:41.480 --> 0:15:44.560 And part of what you did to keep going further 0:15:44.680 --> 0:15:48.080 than you'd ever gone before was to found your own 0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:53.280 women's shoe company as as very explicitly an alternative to 0:15:53.360 --> 0:15:57.480 the male oriented sneaker companies that drive the sports world. 0:15:57.880 --> 0:16:00.320 So tell me about that. You know, where'd you find name? 0:16:00.680 --> 0:16:02.400 You know, why do you think we need our own 0:16:02.400 --> 0:16:07.200 shoe company? Yeah? So it actually happened very organically. You know, 0:16:07.280 --> 0:16:11.240 I was looking for a footwear sponsor. I had Athleta 0:16:11.360 --> 0:16:15.280 as a apparel sponsor, and I was very empowered by 0:16:15.280 --> 0:16:17.480 the way they did business, you know, their female lead, 0:16:18.000 --> 0:16:20.160 their mission, you know everything. And I was like, wow, 0:16:20.200 --> 0:16:22.480 if I could find this in footwear, that would be amazing. 0:16:23.040 --> 0:16:27.160 And started to search and I realized that here's another 0:16:27.240 --> 0:16:31.200 area where women are an afterthought and shoes aren't made 0:16:31.200 --> 0:16:34.760 for women. Um. And so I was talking with my 0:16:34.840 --> 0:16:37.880 brother and I was basically venting to him about like, wow, 0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:40.480 I've been to four Olympics and I don't have shoes 0:16:40.520 --> 0:16:43.160 to wear in the Olympics, Like this is so frustrating. 0:16:43.800 --> 0:16:45.440 And he looked at me and he was like, well, 0:16:45.560 --> 0:16:48.160 what if we did this ourselves? And I was like, 0:16:48.720 --> 0:16:52.880 that sounds so big, But the more I sat with it, 0:16:52.920 --> 0:16:55.560 I was like, Wow, instead of asking for change, here's 0:16:55.560 --> 0:16:58.440 an opportunity to be that change. And so we found 0:16:58.440 --> 0:17:01.640 in Sage, which is a lifestyle brand for women, and 0:17:01.680 --> 0:17:04.600 our first product is a lifestyle sneaker. And one of 0:17:04.600 --> 0:17:07.600 my proudest moments was being able to compete in the 0:17:07.640 --> 0:17:11.560 Olympics wearing my own brand, you know, shoes made by 0:17:11.600 --> 0:17:16.240 my company, and it was incredible. Um. The name comes 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:19.080 from the French word seschet to move back and forth, 0:17:19.119 --> 0:17:21.320 but we use it in the context of the wave. 0:17:21.480 --> 0:17:24.399 It's a the safe wave is found in enclosed bodies 0:17:24.440 --> 0:17:28.679 of water and atmospheric pressure pushes that water to one side, 0:17:28.960 --> 0:17:32.280 and it's the safe wave that restores balance. And so 0:17:32.320 --> 0:17:35.600 we're looking to bring balance into the marketplace. You know, 0:17:35.880 --> 0:17:40.280 these are shoes designed and engineered by women for women. 0:17:40.680 --> 0:17:43.960 The female foot is actually has differences than a man's foot, 0:17:44.359 --> 0:17:47.080 and so we think that, you know, we should be 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:50.000 a priority. So that's what we're doing. And we exist 0:17:50.080 --> 0:17:52.160 to see women and too no women and so that 0:17:52.359 --> 0:17:54.600 women will never feel how I felt when I was 0:17:54.640 --> 0:17:57.359 training at four o'clock in the morning, So that nobody 0:17:57.400 --> 0:18:00.399 would know that I was pregnant. Sou just really cited 0:18:00.440 --> 0:18:04.400 about it and looking forward to serving women. Oh I 0:18:04.440 --> 0:18:06.919 love that story and I love the name Sage. That 0:18:07.040 --> 0:18:09.919 really has a great feel to it. And now that 0:18:09.960 --> 0:18:13.080 you told us all what it means, thank you. Well. 0:18:13.240 --> 0:18:17.320 Once again, you broke several Olympic records this past summer 0:18:17.400 --> 0:18:24.000 in Tokyo, becoming the most decorated female trek and field 0:18:24.080 --> 0:18:27.359 athlete in Olympic history, all the way back to the Greeks, 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:31.560 which didn't even allow women. It's just so extraordinary. How 0:18:31.560 --> 0:18:35.680 did this Olympic competition feel for you? There? You were 0:18:35.920 --> 0:18:39.439 wearing your own safe shoes, a mom, competing at the 0:18:39.520 --> 0:18:44.439 highest levels possible. What was that like compared to past 0:18:44.600 --> 0:18:47.560 games you were in? Yeah, oh my gosh, it felt 0:18:47.680 --> 0:18:51.040 so good. And it was much bigger than the race. 0:18:51.320 --> 0:18:54.800 You know, I went and I felt like I was 0:18:54.840 --> 0:18:57.960 a representation for women and for mothers and for anyone 0:18:58.000 --> 0:18:59.960 who was told that, you know, their best days were 0:19:00.000 --> 0:19:03.720 behind them. And that just gave me an added motivation. 0:19:03.880 --> 0:19:07.920 You know. I usually I am so stress about every 0:19:07.920 --> 0:19:11.560 little thing and every performance competition thing, and this time 0:19:12.080 --> 0:19:14.439 it was so free because I had heard from so 0:19:14.520 --> 0:19:17.680 many women, connected with so many people who just told 0:19:17.720 --> 0:19:20.600 me to get out there and enjoy myself and that 0:19:20.640 --> 0:19:22.720 they were proud of me. And it was like a 0:19:22.760 --> 0:19:24.840 weight was lifted off of my shoulders. And so I 0:19:24.840 --> 0:19:27.480 think it's the first time I felt so fulfilled, you know, 0:19:27.560 --> 0:19:30.439 I crossed the line. It was like, wow, I was 0:19:30.480 --> 0:19:33.000 told that this couldn't be done. And how many of 0:19:33.119 --> 0:19:36.160 us are told that, you know, like we we all 0:19:36.359 --> 0:19:38.480 we all can relate to that. And so it was 0:19:38.520 --> 0:19:40.959 so special to you know, to cross that line and 0:19:41.320 --> 0:19:44.359 in the shoes, and to know that my daughter was 0:19:44.400 --> 0:19:47.600 watching and that she has been on this journey and 0:19:47.640 --> 0:19:50.280 I can't wait to really, you know, tell her what 0:19:50.320 --> 0:19:52.760 it has been like and that she has also been 0:19:52.760 --> 0:19:56.840 that motivation to keep going. Oh my gosh. Well you 0:19:56.960 --> 0:20:00.880 also decided, uh and announced that this would be your 0:20:01.160 --> 0:20:04.640 last time competing at the Olympics. Was that a tough 0:20:04.680 --> 0:20:08.159 decision to make? Where you conflicted about it? It was 0:20:08.240 --> 0:20:11.160 mixed emotions, you know, I knew it was probably time, 0:20:11.320 --> 0:20:13.920 you know, on the Olympic stage. I I had such 0:20:13.920 --> 0:20:17.760 a beautiful journey, you know, five Olympic Games, and but 0:20:17.960 --> 0:20:19.879 I wasn't sure how it was going to feel I 0:20:20.400 --> 0:20:22.720 felt like I had no regrets. You know, I remember 0:20:22.840 --> 0:20:25.600 stepping on the track for that last race and just 0:20:25.640 --> 0:20:29.240 feeling a lot of joy. Ah. That is uh, you know, 0:20:29.320 --> 0:20:32.880 beautifully said. And I don't think you will ever slow down. 0:20:32.920 --> 0:20:36.760 I think you'll just change direction and take on new challenges. 0:20:37.480 --> 0:20:41.440 Thinking about developing any new hobbies or taking up something else. 0:20:41.560 --> 0:20:43.120 I don't know, are you. You know? The one thing 0:20:43.160 --> 0:20:46.080 I'm really looking forward to doing that I haven't been 0:20:46.160 --> 0:20:48.720 able to do is skiing. It's like the one thing 0:20:49.200 --> 0:20:51.480 every time we go out for the holidays, you know, 0:20:51.480 --> 0:20:53.120 I'm always the one at the bottom of the hill 0:20:53.200 --> 0:20:56.439 waiting for everybody. So I think that's one little hobby 0:20:56.480 --> 0:20:58.719 that I hope to take up. It's a great sport 0:20:59.600 --> 0:21:02.080 by no means a great or even a mediocre skier, 0:21:02.200 --> 0:21:05.960 but I loved and you know, I hope you will 0:21:06.400 --> 0:21:08.520 take it up and enjoy that. One of those small 0:21:08.560 --> 0:21:11.040 things that's kind of been on my list that it's like, oh, 0:21:11.080 --> 0:21:14.080 now I can actually do that. Of course, knowing you, 0:21:14.160 --> 0:21:16.639 I'll probably see you in the Winter Olympics in eight years. 0:21:16.720 --> 0:21:18.720 I mean, I'm not going to cut it out. I 0:21:18.760 --> 0:21:23.080 think we're safe there. Well, Allison, I cannot tell you 0:21:23.160 --> 0:21:26.800 how much I have enjoyed watching you as a great 0:21:27.040 --> 0:21:30.800 fan and admirer. Watching you in the Olympics and to 0:21:31.000 --> 0:21:33.720 see you become a mom and stand up for other 0:21:33.800 --> 0:21:36.479 mothers and stand up for yourself and stand up for 0:21:36.520 --> 0:21:41.600 what's right has been absolutely a joy. And uh, I 0:21:41.640 --> 0:21:45.080 just wish you the very best whatever direction you decide 0:21:45.119 --> 0:21:48.080 to go, I pill downhill wherever you end down. Well, 0:21:48.119 --> 0:21:50.520 thank you so much. It's been so nice to talk 0:21:50.560 --> 0:21:53.320 with you, and I just appreciate everything that you've done 0:21:53.320 --> 0:21:55.800 in the inspiration that you've been to me and to 0:21:55.960 --> 0:22:03.680 my daughter as well. To keep track of Alison Felix's 0:22:03.760 --> 0:22:09.879 next moves, you can follow her on Twitter. Now. Maybe 0:22:09.920 --> 0:22:14.080 you know Vanessa Williams as the chart topping singer of 0:22:14.200 --> 0:22:17.960 hits like Save the Best for Last, or maybe for 0:22:18.000 --> 0:22:23.000 her Emmy nominated role on the hit TV show Ugly Betty, 0:22:23.119 --> 0:22:26.280 or for one of her many starring roles on Broadway. 0:22:26.640 --> 0:22:30.440 I mean, seriously, Vanessa has been nominated for or one 0:22:30.760 --> 0:22:34.560 nearly every award there is, and she's worked in every 0:22:34.640 --> 0:22:38.080 facet of the entertainment industry, in addition to having her 0:22:38.119 --> 0:22:43.760 own fashion line and becoming a best selling author. And advocate. 0:22:44.600 --> 0:22:48.000 I'm fortunate to know Vanessa not just as a fan, 0:22:48.200 --> 0:22:51.040