1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: The second I think something negative, I change it to 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: a positive. But then also I practice something that I 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 1: call my ims and it literally just I'm beautiful, I'm smart, 4 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: I'm powerful, I'm a champion. And some of those things 5 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: are things that I may not even believe yet, but 6 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:21,759 Speaker 1: I'm going to keep saying it until I believe it. 7 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 2: Hey, Hurdler's Emily a body Here. 8 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 3: You are listening to episode ninety five of Hurdle, a 9 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 3: wellness focused podcast where I sit down with inspiring individuals 10 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:47,879 Speaker 3: to talk about everything from their big wines to how 11 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 3: they've gotten through some of life's toughest moments. On the show, 12 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 3: you can expect vulnerability, motivation, and candid discussions with everyone 13 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 3: from top athletes to aspiring entrepreneurs on what it it 14 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 3: really takes to follow your passions. 15 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 2: My mission is simple. 16 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 3: To inspire you to be your best self, move with intention, 17 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 3: and have some fun along the way. Today, I am 18 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 3: so elated to bring you my conversation with the four 19 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 3: hundred meter diva herself, Natasha Hastings. This woman's a powerhouse. 20 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 3: She is an all star track athlete. She's also a 21 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:26,479 Speaker 3: new mom and I was actually able to sit down 22 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 3: not just with her, but also little baby Liam at 23 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 3: the under Armor Human Performance Summit back in January. To 24 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 3: say Liam is a well behaved baby would be the biggest. 25 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 2: Understatement of the century. 26 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 3: He was perfect during our entire interview, but you might 27 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 3: hear him chime in once or twice, which I wouldn't 28 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 3: have it any other way. In today's episode, Natasha tells 29 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 3: me about her background and we have this really special 30 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 3: dialogue surrounding self worth and mindfulness. Natasha talks to me 31 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 3: about some of the difficult moments in her career where 32 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 3: she realized that there was a negative die dialogue that 33 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 3: she needed to shift so that she could really realize 34 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 3: her full potential and potential she's got. Natasha's a two 35 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 3: time Olympian. She's also a two time Olympic medalist, and 36 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 3: in our conversation, she talks to me about her goal 37 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 3: of getting back to the Olympic stage this year. She 38 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 3: just has an amazing attitude. It's so empowering and there 39 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 3: are so many takeaways from this episode. 40 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 2: That I know that you all are going to love. 41 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 3: Now, before I get into today's episode, a quick shout 42 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 3: out to my sponsor at Daily Harvest. I have been 43 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 3: waking up craving the Daily Harvest Mint Cacao shake, and 44 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 3: it's part of my morning routine that I really look 45 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,239 Speaker 3: forward to. 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Athleticgreens makes me feel energized and ready to 65 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 3: get a jumpstart on whatever is on in my morning 66 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 3: to do list, and trust me, lately it feels like 67 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 3: it never ends now real talk. I have always been 68 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 3: super hesitant on supplements just because I feel like there's 69 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 3: so much unknown. But what's great about Athleticgreens is that 70 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 3: they are NSF certified an accolade, which is super hard 71 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 3: to get and essentially means that there's nothing in there 72 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 3: beyond what the label said. 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One last thing here before we get into it. 83 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 3: Thanks so much to Help magazine for featuring Hurdle and 84 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 3: your March issue. A follower just send it to me 85 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 3: on Instagram and I totally geeked out. Fun fact, the 86 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,600 Speaker 3: podcast's first ever mentioned was actually also in Help back 87 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:47,280 Speaker 3: in April twenty eighteen, and it is surreal to think 88 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 3: about how much has changed since I bought that magazine 89 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 3: in the middle of Grand Central and I was on 90 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 3: my way to teach a spin class and ah, I 91 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 3: just feel super grateful. 92 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 2: So I'd love it if you listen to Hurdle on 93 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 2: the regular. 94 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 3: If you like the podcast, do me a huge favor 95 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 3: and show your support by heading on into the iTunes 96 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 3: store and reading and reviewing the show. 97 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 2: Also, while you're. 98 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 3: At it, click the share button and send the podcast 99 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 3: episode today to a friend who you feel could use 100 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 3: just a little bit extra motivation. 101 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 2: All of this growth it's because of you. 102 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 3: It's because of your enthusiasm, and I am so thankful 103 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 3: for every bit of it. At Hurdle podcast, at Emily 104 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 3: a Body on Instagram and Twitter, And as always, if 105 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 3: you have a Hurdle moment of your own to share 106 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 3: you just want to say hi, you can always reach 107 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 3: me over email. It's Emily at hurdle dot us. And 108 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 3: with that, let's get to hurdling. 109 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 2: Today. 110 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 3: I'm sitting down with Natasha Hastings. Good morning, good morning. 111 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 3: How are you today? 112 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: Good? 113 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 3: I'm excellent. I feel like we need to tell the 114 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 3: people at home about my extra special guest on the podcast. 115 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 2: Liam. Probably not gonna say. 116 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: Much, I gonna say anything. Good morning. 117 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 2: Oh, we've got a deep breath coming from baby Liam. 118 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 2: How old is Liam? Now? 119 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:09,600 Speaker 1: He's five months? 120 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 2: Five months? Yeah, he is a stud. 121 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 1: Thank you. 122 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 3: I saw him yesterday wearing the cutest little under armor polo. 123 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 3: Now we are in a cable knit sweater. I also 124 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 3: don't know if I've ever seen such a well bad baby. 125 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 2: He's just staring at me right now. Good morning. Not 126 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 2: going to say good morning, No, not today. It's cool. 127 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 3: For those of you that don't know Natasha, she's a 128 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 3: gold medalist both the two thousand and eight twenty sixteen 129 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 3: Olympics the four by four hundred meter relay. Were you 130 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 3: always in to running fast? 131 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 1: Yeah? So I feel like I've been running for my 132 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 1: entire life. I've been running as long as I can remember. 133 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: Both of my parents ran track. They actually came to 134 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: the States on athletic scholarships, so it was just always around. 135 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: I remember my father was a coach at their alma mata, 136 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 1: and I used to go to practice with him and 137 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: try to raise the guys. And I was like five 138 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: or six, so yeah, I've been running in circles for 139 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: a very long time. 140 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 2: For a very long time. 141 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 3: I mean five or six is a pretty young age 142 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 3: to really kick it off. Yeah, so you were running, 143 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 3: I mean through elementary school, and then once you got 144 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 3: to junior high it was like, I'm going to join 145 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 3: the track team. 146 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: So I actually joined the track team when I was nine, 147 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: so it was like fourth or fifth grade. And the 148 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: way that happened, my mom used to take me to 149 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: attract meet in New York called the Kogate Women's Games. 150 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: It's a meat still going on. I think they just 151 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: had their fiftieth anniversary. But my club coach basically discovered 152 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 1: me there and I joined the team. It was probably 153 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: like a November or December, and he coached me straight 154 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: through high school. So I officially joined a. 155 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 3: Team when I was nine, nine going on ten, And 156 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 3: I mean when you're nine, your view what being part 157 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 3: of a team is so much different than say, when 158 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 3: you're you know, in your teens and beyond that, Yeah, 159 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 3: the competition aspect is the same. Obviously you're moving fast, 160 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 3: you're working for something. When you're nine, it's like it's 161 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 3: fun of games, right, Yeah. 162 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was definitely. I feel like I've been getting 163 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: that question a lot this weekend about like when did 164 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: I realize I was fast and this and that. When 165 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: I was nine, it was just that like, I was fast, 166 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: I was winning, I was having fun. When I got 167 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: to high school it became a little bit more serious, 168 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: and then when I got to college, it got way 169 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: more serious, and then it got really serious. 170 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 2: And that's really serious. 171 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 3: And we're traveling the world for the Olympics, So talk 172 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 3: to me about what it was like growing up with 173 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 3: sports being such an integrated part of your every day, 174 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 3: being on the track team, also balancing school. 175 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 2: Were you into school? 176 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 3: So? 177 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: Oddly enough, track was the thing that taught me discipline 178 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 1: and got me on the straight and narrow. Before track, 179 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: I was sort of an average student. And my mom 180 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 1: when I joined the team and she realized like, okay, 181 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,439 Speaker 1: you enjoy this, and it was like, okay, then you 182 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 1: need to make sure that your grades are up and 183 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 1: so it was a thing where I actually took my 184 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: competitive edge from the track into the classroom. So joining 185 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 1: the track team is actually what made me become a 186 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 1: straight A student. Up until then, I was just kind 187 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: of like just doing enough to get by student. I 188 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: remember even I was kind of a I was a 189 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: Catholic schoolgirl brat. 190 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 2: Oh what's that even mean? 191 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 1: And I was just I was. I was active, and 192 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: my track coaches were they were like disciplinarians, and it 193 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 1: was so I do remember very vividly that like track 194 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:53,199 Speaker 1: was the thing that kind of like I gained some focus. 195 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 3: What is life like outside of track for you then, 196 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 3: because obviously that's given you like that discipline and you're 197 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 3: focused in school and you getting these a's, But are 198 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 3: you having much of a social life growing up? 199 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 2: Are you enjoying yourself? What's that like? 200 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 1: I mean, I had friends, and most of my friends 201 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: were from the track team, but I wasn't really getting 202 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: into what the average fifteen and sixteen year old was doing. 203 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: I can't say that, like not that I didn't go 204 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 1: to the movies or I didn't go to the mall, 205 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 1: but it wasn't Track was definitely my focus. I mean 206 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: I remember my senior prom. Everyone was going to the 207 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: after party and I went home because I had City 208 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: Champs the next day. Don't feel sorry for me. I 209 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: don't feel like I missed out on anything. Yeah, because 210 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: while I wasn't doing some of those things, by the 211 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 1: time I graduated high school, I'd already been to Italy 212 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: for World Juniors. 213 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 2: Totally different experience. 214 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, And did you know that you wanted to go 215 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 3: to USC or how did that connect came out? So? 216 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: I USC South Carolina. Let's be clear, the original USC 217 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:02,560 Speaker 1: established eighteen oh one. And my college coach, he hates 218 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 1: to hear this sometimes because I played hard to get 219 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: and he had to recruit me like every other school did. 220 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 1: But I think I knew I wanted to go to 221 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 1: South Carolina as early as my freshman or sophomore year 222 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: of high school. A lot because of my event being 223 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 1: a quarter miler, South Carolina was just like a quarter 224 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: mileer powerhouse, and a lot of great quarter milers went 225 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:28,319 Speaker 1: to South Carolina. So yeah, I knew pretty early on 226 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: that I wanted to go to Carolina. 227 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 3: So what's your quarter mile pr? Forty nine eighty four 228 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 3: forty nine eighty four and how long in your career 229 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 3: did it take for you to get to that point? 230 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:44,319 Speaker 1: So I actually ran that my junior year of college, 231 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: so I was twenty one, twenty two, twenty one, and 232 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: then I've equaled it a few times throughout my career. 233 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 3: Equaled it, like right on the money. 234 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: Equal It isn't that kind of crazy thing. It's insane. 235 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: I'm like, can I just can I eighty three something? 236 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: But can I do some exact same thing? 237 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 2: All right? 238 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 3: So then talk to me a little bit about what 239 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 3: life's like in college with all the I mean, being 240 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 3: a college athlete is a hurdle within itself. 241 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: I actually had a lot of fun income. Yeah, but 242 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 1: it's the thing that I tell people, like especially when 243 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: I talk to young girls, that I think I had 244 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: a lot of fun because I was also in the 245 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 1: honors college at South Carolina. But I got great grades 246 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: in school as well. So I you know, you hear 247 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: them talk about time management and almost shove it down 248 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: your throat, you know, your senior year of high school, 249 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:39,560 Speaker 1: freshman year, I made sure that my work was done. 250 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:42,719 Speaker 1: I trained hard, and then I was able to have 251 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 1: a blast after that. And then just knowing that I 252 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 1: had done my work, I was able to have even 253 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: more fun. So I was at all the parties. I 254 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 1: was that girl. 255 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 2: But you never felt like any of that kind of 256 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 2: got in the way. 257 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:59,079 Speaker 1: No, because, like I said, it was after Like I mean, 258 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 1: I remember coming back from track meets and we got 259 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: back early enough that we could go to the party. Yeah, 260 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: So I mean it was after the track meet. It 261 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 1: was you know, but yeah, I just made sure that 262 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: my work was done. Training was you know. I mean, 263 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: there was no way around training, and I was able 264 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 1: to maximize that social life in college. 265 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I feel like something that's interesting about being 266 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:26,080 Speaker 3: a college athlete and definitely something you'll be able to 267 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 3: speak to is at this point in your life, a 268 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 3: lot of women are coming into their own you know, 269 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 3: you're learning about like your wants and your needs and 270 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 3: gaining an appreciation for your body. Right at this time, 271 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,440 Speaker 3: like what is your self image? 272 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 1: Like I think my self image was pretty it was 273 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: good at that point. So I studied exercise science in college. 274 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: It was a way for me to sort of study 275 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 1: what I love obviously, training and learning about the body 276 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: and this and that. But it was also at the 277 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: same time in college and we're hearing a lot of 278 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: this converse. Now, there were conversations on the team about 279 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: our weight and you know, the things that we were eating. 280 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:12,319 Speaker 1: And I think having the exercise science background and understanding 281 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:16,080 Speaker 1: how the female's body, the female body should function and 282 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: we shouldn't be less than a certain body fat percentage 283 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: and that sort of thing, it helped because I did 284 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: see teammates kind of do some extreme things to lose 285 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 1: weight or be fit. Fit was the word that our 286 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 1: coaches would use sometimes, but I always had my studies 287 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 1: to fall back on. That was kind of like, you're crazy, 288 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: like you want me to lose ten pounds where how 289 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 1: So I think I was able to manage that and 290 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: kind of put it in perspective. Interestingly enough, though, when 291 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 1: I left college and became a pro, and it was 292 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 1: obviously a lot more pressure at that point, things kind 293 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 1: of changed a little bit, But through college I was 294 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: able to manage it fairly well. 295 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 3: So let's talk about then the transition to pro because 296 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 3: obviously you're excelling at this crazy level in college. You 297 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 3: are amazing. What would you say was one of your 298 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 3: biggest accomplishments while you were in your college years? 299 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: Uh, definitely setting the collegiate records. I did the collegiate 300 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: record in the four hundred in indoors and outdoors. So 301 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: and then of course I won nationals as well, so 302 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: those two things. 303 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 2: Would top the least. 304 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, all right, so we win nationals and we're set 305 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 3: up for like we're set up. You're doing it at 306 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 3: this point? Where does life take you then? From when 307 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 3: you're graduating USA? 308 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: So I actually turned professional after my junior year of college. 309 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: So I actually I did graduate, but I went back 310 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: to graduate after the two thousand and eight Actually I 311 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: went back after the two thousand and nine World Championships. Yeah, 312 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 1: I started my professional career after my junior year. The 313 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: Olympic season in two thousand and eight was my first 314 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: professional season. 315 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 3: When you realize that you're going to the Olympics, describe 316 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 3: that feeling to me. 317 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: It's actually bittersweet. Why is that? Because So I made 318 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: it in the relay, I placed sixth at the trials, 319 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: top three goes in the individual four hundred and in track, 320 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 1: everyone wants to make the individual. So it was cool. 321 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: I was twenty two and I made my first Olympic team. 322 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: How many twenty two year olds are on the Olympic team? 323 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: How many people period are on the Olympic team. But 324 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: then there was also that disappointment of not making it 325 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 1: in the individual. 326 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 3: Great perspective twenty two going to the Olympics, you know, 327 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 3: all of the women that you're running with. Are you 328 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 3: excited about the people that you're running with? Are you nervous? 329 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 3: Does it make you? 330 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 2: I don't know. 331 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: I feel like definitely nervous, And especially at that point, 332 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 1: I didn't have a grasp on Number One. That transitioned 333 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: from collegiate to pro was one that I just was 334 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: not prepared for in any sense, and I would say 335 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:07,119 Speaker 1: more mentally physically my physical abilities. Definitely I was ready 336 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 1: to be there. But it's a whole nother ballgame competing 337 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: professionally than it is collegiately, and there's no there's no manual. 338 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:20,439 Speaker 1: You just kind of have to figure it out. So 339 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:24,680 Speaker 1: that took some years actually to come into my own 340 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:28,400 Speaker 1: and it took some years before you know, I started, 341 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 1: I would say successfully making the transition. I had some 342 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 1: tough growing years my first few years as a pro 343 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:41,919 Speaker 1: making that transition, and you know, understanding the differences in 344 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: competing as a pro versus a collegiate. 345 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:46,960 Speaker 2: Talk to me a little bit about that mental side. 346 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 1: So a lot of it was in how I was 347 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,439 Speaker 1: speaking to myself, and you know, I was I was 348 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: doing the work. I was always a hard worker, but 349 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 1: I was sort of beating myself before the gun even 350 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 1: went off. Like it was a lot of negative thoughts 351 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 1: and you know how painful the four hundred is, and man, 352 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,440 Speaker 1: it's gonna hurt, and I'm gonna die coming home. Just 353 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 1: just terrible thoughts. And then also the pressure of having 354 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 1: left college, you know, collegiate record holder. I was like 355 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: number two or three in the world, and so there's 356 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 1: this expectation of now being a great quarter miler and 357 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 1: I wasn't living up to that. So there was like 358 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:28,959 Speaker 1: all of these things, all of this pressure on my shoulders. 359 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 1: It took getting some help from a sports psychologist for 360 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:36,440 Speaker 1: me to really kind of, I could guess, get a grasp. 361 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: That took a while, and it wasn't until after not 362 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 1: making the twenty twelve team that I actually was like, Okay, 363 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 1: maybe I need some help in this area. 364 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,880 Speaker 3: Do you remember any specific takeaways from the like your 365 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 3: first interactions with someone to talk about how you were 366 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 3: feeling in that inner dialogue that maybe now you share 367 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 3: with others, especially I mean, you talk to young women 368 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 3: all the time. 369 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:03,439 Speaker 1: So I'll say it started with a conversation that I 370 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 1: had with my mom after the twenty twelve trials. She 371 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 1: basically said, you know, I look at you out there 372 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: on the track, and it's like I can see you know, 373 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: your mom can see things that no one else can see. 374 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 1: She said it flat out, like I can see that 375 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:20,680 Speaker 1: you don't even believe that you belong where you are, 376 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:23,439 Speaker 1: and I want you to know that you do. She 377 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 1: happened to be sitting next to a gentleman at the 378 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: trials who turned out to be a sports psychologist, and 379 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: he offered to work with me. 380 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 3: Wow, I just got chills, Like that's like such a 381 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 3: fake moment. 382 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 1: And so he and I started working together shortly after 383 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: the twenty twelve trials, and it started simply with that, 384 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: you know, what are your thoughts when you're standing on 385 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:46,439 Speaker 1: the line. And I told him like, these are the 386 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,879 Speaker 1: things that I'm thinking about, and he was like floored, 387 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: like every single thing out of my mouth was negative, 388 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,639 Speaker 1: and so it was literally just taking those negative thoughts 389 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: and changing them into positive thoughts. You know, sometimes I 390 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:03,960 Speaker 1: always say this quote and by now I should know 391 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: who said the quote, but I don't know, be careful 392 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,200 Speaker 1: how you speak to yourself because you might be listening. 393 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,959 Speaker 1: If I took anything away from that relationship, with that 394 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:16,479 Speaker 1: working relationship with my sports psych it was that that, like, 395 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:20,680 Speaker 1: you have to speak positive things over yourself and over 396 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 1: your life. 397 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:23,679 Speaker 3: It's true because every single day, like we are the 398 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 3: person that talks to ourselves the most during any given day. 399 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 3: Which it sounds silly because they're just thoughts, but those 400 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 3: thoughts determine how powerful everything that you do with everyone 401 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:36,360 Speaker 3: around you. Talk to me about twenty twelve, Yeah. 402 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 1: Twenty twelve was definitely a year of shift from everything. 403 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,360 Speaker 1: Twenty twelve was the year that I moved to Texas. 404 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 1: So actually the day after Christmas twenty eleven, I left 405 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: South Carolina and moved to Texas. And I made the 406 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 1: move as sort of an all or nothing move. I 407 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 1: was after college actually went to Florida for a year. 408 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:04,959 Speaker 1: I left Florida, went to California for a year, then 409 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 1: I went back to South Carolina to finish my degree. 410 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:10,360 Speaker 1: I ended up staying there for a couple of years. Obviously, 411 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: none of those coaching situations worked, and so Texas came 412 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: about and it was like, Okay, if I move here, 413 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: this has to work. If not, I'm done. Done with track. 414 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,159 Speaker 1: That is. The twenty twelve trials were that summer, of course, 415 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 1: and I placed seventh, so I was just one spot 416 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 1: out of even making the relay. And so this time around, 417 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 1: you know, it wasn't I didn't make the team altogether. 418 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 1: You know, it wasn't oh, I didn't make the individual, 419 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: but I'm on the relay. I wasn't even on the 420 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:47,239 Speaker 1: relay this time. So this was like rock bottom. So 421 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 1: I remember walking not speaking to anyone. I was livid, 422 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: and I literally walked from the stadium back to my hotel, 423 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 1: probably a couple miles away, and I took probably close 424 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: to a week to kind of process things, and like 425 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 1: I had it made up in my mind that I 426 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: think I'm done with track. I think I'm going to 427 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 1: go back to school. Between my coaches and my family, 428 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:15,199 Speaker 1: they all kind of slowly won by one were like, 429 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: you know, I think you should rethink this. You're still young, 430 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:21,080 Speaker 1: you have some left in the tank. And then that 431 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 1: was when I had that conversation with my mom and 432 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: started working with the sports psych So it was a 433 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:32,159 Speaker 1: year of disappointment, a year of hitting rock bottom. But 434 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:36,239 Speaker 1: I think it was also a year that kind of 435 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 1: forced me to, I guess, get to know myself and 436 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: readjust some things that I believe the changes definitely enhanced 437 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 1: my performance, but it also enhanced my personal life because 438 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: it opened my eyes to how I was viewing myself 439 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 1: and the things that I was even believing I was 440 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 1: worthy of. 441 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 3: So during this time when you're struggling with your relationship, 442 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 3: both with yourself and also with the sport of running, 443 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:14,119 Speaker 3: do you lean into running or do you kind of 444 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 3: find other things as an outlet to help you cope 445 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 3: with all of these feelings and these emotions that you're 446 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:20,640 Speaker 3: struggling with. 447 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: I think at that point I started leaning somewhat into 448 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 1: other things, other things being my friends, being more intentional about, 449 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: you know, having meaningful relationships. I mean, I think for 450 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 1: as long as I can remember, I surround myself with 451 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 1: like minded or like goal people. Spending time with people 452 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:44,920 Speaker 1: that were headed in a positive direction in their life 453 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 1: or working on positive things. I think was definitely important. 454 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:53,199 Speaker 1: Because I talk about sport being in a place of 455 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 1: outlet for me, but there is also a fine line 456 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 1: of sport is actually work too, So sometimes I actually 457 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 1: need an outlet from it as well. So I think 458 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,439 Speaker 1: that's where a lot of the four hundred meter diva 459 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 1: thing comes into play. And like me doing my hair 460 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 1: and makeup, particularly for my competitions, I call it a 461 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: positive distraction. It's something that I do leading up to 462 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't just wear makeup to compete, but 463 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 1: in those moments, it's a you know, a few minutes 464 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: away from this big thing that I'm getting ready to do, 465 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: gives me something to do with my hands and just 466 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 1: kind of something that makes me feel good. 467 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:37,200 Speaker 2: Talk to me about the four hundred meter diva thing. 468 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: So that kind of started with my freshman year of 469 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: high school of college. Sorry. We were going to pen relays, 470 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: and being from New York, I've run pen relays all 471 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: through high school. And then so my coach asked me 472 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: to do an interview. You know, there's media going into 473 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:04,959 Speaker 1: certain me. So the journalist asked me what made me 474 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 1: choose South Carolina, and so I talked about the history 475 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 1: of Corner Milers, and then I also said, and you know, 476 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 1: the girls they're really pretty, and I mean, I guess, 477 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: for lack of a better word, they're just divas. So 478 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: when we went to Philly for pen relays. The headline 479 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: of the story was the Gamecock Divas return to pen Relays. 480 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,920 Speaker 1: He our coach, Coach Fried took it and ran with it, 481 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: like he had outfits made up with Gamecock divas on them. 482 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 1: And they may still to this day call themselves the 483 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 1: Gamecock Divas, all right, And so from there, four hundredmin 484 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 1: a diva came out of that. 485 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 2: I love it. 486 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:41,880 Speaker 3: And it seems like, I mean, you like to embody 487 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 3: it now. It's also helps amp you up for what 488 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:46,639 Speaker 3: you're about to take on. Yeah, would you say it? 489 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 2: Would you agree? 490 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: For sure? I mean, and while it amps me up, 491 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: I also I tell people, because you know, I went 492 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: through the well you're not if you would spend less 493 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 1: time focusing on hair and makeup and you would perform better. 494 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:04,199 Speaker 1: And I was like, oh, well, if fifteen minutes is 495 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 1: the reason why you know I had a bad race 496 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:11,919 Speaker 1: versus all the hours that I've put in, then you 497 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:14,919 Speaker 1: know I have a lot bigger issue than that. Also, 498 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: I just feel like if I were working at nine 499 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 1: to five, you know, there's a part to play. There 500 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 1: is a dress code for you know, going to work 501 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 1: every day. My job requires me to be on TV. 502 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 1: So if I want to look good, what is wrong 503 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 1: with me dressing the part and looking appropriate? And it's 504 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:34,679 Speaker 1: it's you know, it's really your damned if you do, 505 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: damned if you don't, because I look at you know 506 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:41,680 Speaker 1: how Gabby Douglass was treated in the Olympics, and it 507 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:47,440 Speaker 1: was like there she was focused on her craft and 508 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:49,679 Speaker 1: focused on going there and winning these medals. And she 509 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 1: went there and performed amazingly, and people were talking more 510 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:56,719 Speaker 1: about her hair than about her performance. So it's one 511 00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:00,040 Speaker 1: of those things that people just want to talk and 512 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: you know, at the end of the day, you just 513 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: have to do what makes you happy and screw the haters. 514 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 2: Screw the haters. 515 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 3: Talk to me a little bit more about the challenges 516 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 3: that go hand in hand with being pro. I mean, 517 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 3: you dealt with an over came twenty twelve, but then 518 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 3: as you're getting back into the swing of things, are 519 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:20,119 Speaker 3: you feeling more pressure than ever to perform after having 520 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 3: a difficult year. 521 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 1: At that point, I had gotten to a point where 522 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 1: I was like, well, everyone's counting me out anyway, So 523 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 1: it was like, there's no way I can get any 524 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 1: worse as well, you know, So it was just like, 525 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:38,520 Speaker 1: just focus on you. But then there's also I think 526 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:42,159 Speaker 1: a level of emotional maturity too, where I have to 527 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: focus on the things that I have control over. You 528 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 1: know what I don't have control over. It just is 529 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 1: I was about twenty six twenty seven, so at that 530 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:55,680 Speaker 1: point i'd kind of brush that off. But I think 531 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: as I worked through my self worth and the way 532 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 1: that I viewed myself in the way that I talked 533 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:05,919 Speaker 1: to myself, it became more important how I feel about 534 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:09,159 Speaker 1: myself and not so much what the expectation of the 535 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 1: world is. 536 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 3: Taking a break from today's episode to give a shout out. 537 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 2: To Daily Harvest. 538 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 3: One of the things I am personally working on is 539 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:25,640 Speaker 3: spending less money on takeout and in the process being 540 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 3: cleaner with my diet, and that is where Daily Harvest 541 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:33,720 Speaker 3: comes in. They deliver thoughtfully sourced, chef crafted food right 542 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 3: to my apartment, and bonus for someone that feels like 543 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:39,239 Speaker 3: there just aren't enough hours in the day, everything that 544 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 3: they deliver can be made in five minutes or less. 545 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 2: Yesterday it was blistering cold. 546 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 3: Outside and I so enjoyed heating up the cauliflower and 547 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 3: leak soup. 548 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,200 Speaker 2: It tasted so delicious. 549 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 3: I've paired it with a slice of Dave's Killer Bread 550 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 3: and it was the perfect. 551 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 2: Meal to warm me right up. 552 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 3: Head on over to Dailyharvest dot com and enter the 553 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 3: promo code Hurdle two five to get twenty five dollars 554 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 3: off your first box. Again, that's promo code hurdle two 555 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 3: five for twenty five dollars off your first box at 556 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 3: Dailyharvest dot com. Again, that's Dailyharvest dot com. What are 557 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:24,280 Speaker 3: some examples of the types of things you start to 558 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 3: say to yourself versus where you came from with such 559 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 3: such a negative space, How is that dialogue changing for 560 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 3: you at this point? 561 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:36,640 Speaker 1: So it's first like the second I think something negative, 562 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 1: I'd change it to positive. But then also I practice 563 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: something that I call my ims, and it literally just 564 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 1: I'm beautiful, I'm smart, I'm powerful, I'm a champion. And 565 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 1: some of those things are things that I may not 566 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:55,640 Speaker 1: even believe yet, but I'm gonna keep saying it until 567 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 1: I believe it. There are times that I've had them 568 00:29:57,880 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 1: written on my mirror. I'd say them in the mo 569 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 1: morning when I wake up, I say them sometimes that 570 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:05,760 Speaker 1: if I'm having trouble falling asleep, I say them until 571 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 1: I fall asleep. I may even do it while I'm 572 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 1: getting a massage. It's just I guess it's a form 573 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 1: of meditation, affirming myself, you know, training myself to think 574 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 1: and speak positively over myself. 575 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:22,560 Speaker 3: So we're in a more positive state of mind and 576 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 3: things are starting to go well because we're gearing up 577 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 3: for twenty sixteen. Talk to me about the road to 578 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,800 Speaker 3: twenty sixteen, because the conversation points must be working a 579 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:32,719 Speaker 3: little bit. Yeah. 580 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 1: So, I mean from twelve to sixteen was like a 581 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 1: slow grind back. I won't say to the top, but 582 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:43,440 Speaker 1: to perform me well, I guess to the top. 583 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 2: I was gonna say, come on, don't give yourself a 584 00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 2: little bit about it. 585 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:49,840 Speaker 1: Yes, it was just a slow, steady grind of improvement 586 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: over the years. I went from twenty twelve not making 587 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 1: the team. Twenty thirteen I was national champ, went to 588 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 1: the World Champs. In my scout. Fifteen was another World 589 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: championship year, not so great. I placed second at Nationals, 590 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 1: but I didn't make the finals at World Champs. Sixteen 591 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 1: was like, okay, we're back here at the trials. I'm 592 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 1: thirty years old again. People are counting me out because 593 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:16,680 Speaker 1: I'm now thirty years old. 594 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:18,720 Speaker 2: Isn't that insane? 595 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:22,760 Speaker 1: Yeah? But and it's even more insane because it's a 596 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:27,360 Speaker 1: conversation that has had about women but not for men. 597 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 1: And you know, we start getting that question about retirement 598 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,480 Speaker 1: and I'm like, but my counterparts over there is thirty five, 599 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 1: and you're not asking him when he's retiring. Twenty sixteen 600 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,920 Speaker 1: was another like it was just a challenging year in 601 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 1: the sense that I went into the year thinking it 602 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: was it was my year of redemption in the sense of, 603 00:31:47,840 --> 00:31:50,200 Speaker 1: you know, obviously not having made it in twenty twelve, 604 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 1: twenty fifteen was an okay year, and then about a 605 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:57,080 Speaker 1: month before the trials, I get a tweak in my hamstring, 606 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: so then it becomes okay, let's maintain and not make 607 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 1: this injury any worse. And then it was literally like 608 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 1: I get to the trials and it's like round by round. 609 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:14,240 Speaker 1: The first round, I could still feel my hamstring and 610 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 1: I'm like, man, I'm unsure. But you know, at this point, 611 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:21,200 Speaker 1: I'm working with my therapist and we're still working on, 612 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:24,080 Speaker 1: you know, the positive affirmations, focusing on the things that 613 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:28,320 Speaker 1: I have control over. It was a literal round by round, 614 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 1: and I get to the final and I just decide 615 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:34,000 Speaker 1: there's no point in taking anything home. I gotta leave 616 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:37,440 Speaker 1: it all here. So I don't remember anything about the race. 617 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 1: I just remember. 618 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 2: Hitting I'm really getting him now, all right. 619 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 1: I just remember hitting the ground after the race, because 620 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:50,320 Speaker 1: I had literally run until the wheels fell off, Like 621 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 1: I ran to the point where my legs were like 622 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:56,920 Speaker 1: I have nothing left, and I literally fell to the ground. 623 00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 4: I wish this was ideo podcast. I know, Hi, I 624 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 4: can't wait till you speak real words. You were my 625 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:08,920 Speaker 4: youngest guests ever. Oh my god, he's. 626 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 2: Like a namord. 627 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:15,280 Speaker 1: I remember I was working with I told Bolden at 628 00:33:15,280 --> 00:33:17,360 Speaker 1: the time, and he said to me after the race, 629 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 1: he said, why did you dive for the finish line? 630 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:21,800 Speaker 1: You were on the team and I said, I did 631 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 1: not dive for anything like that was literally my legs 632 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 1: that were like we have nothing left were done and 633 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 1: I fell to the ground and everyone else knew I 634 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:34,840 Speaker 1: made the team. And I remember laying there on the 635 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 1: ground waiting looking up at the scoreboard, waiting for my 636 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,560 Speaker 1: name to pop up because I literally blacked out. I 637 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:44,640 Speaker 1: didn't know what happened in the race where I was nothing. 638 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 1: So when the three popped up next to my name, 639 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 1: it was like I think I remember yelling like because 640 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:55,800 Speaker 1: it was just like all of this pent up emotion 641 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:58,720 Speaker 1: that finally it was like I'd been through all of 642 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: this to get here to this moment and finally, and 643 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:07,320 Speaker 1: but there's there's that feeling, but then there's also the 644 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 1: feeling of it's not over, like I still had to 645 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:14,520 Speaker 1: go to Rio. All of these exciting emotions, but also 646 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:17,080 Speaker 1: knowing that the road was still long. 647 00:34:17,239 --> 00:34:20,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's interesting because it's like it's you work so 648 00:34:20,239 --> 00:34:24,240 Speaker 3: hard to get to this moment where you are going 649 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:27,160 Speaker 3: to the Olympics, and for that to kind of be 650 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 3: like your first thought like did you feel like you 651 00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:34,440 Speaker 3: took enough time to celebrate even the accomplishment, which was 652 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:37,800 Speaker 3: getting back into getting back to where you had wanted 653 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 3: to be. 654 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 1: No, and we never do. Even after winning the Olympics, 655 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 1: it's like onto the next So it does become like, 656 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:46,560 Speaker 1: you know, you have your media tour and you're doing 657 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 1: all of this stuff, but then you've got coach, like, 658 00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 1: all right, training starts in six weeks. There's no time 659 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:55,360 Speaker 1: to kind of take. 660 00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:57,759 Speaker 3: It in when you reflect on that period or like 661 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:00,919 Speaker 3: other similar occasions in your life where like really big 662 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:04,920 Speaker 3: exciting things happen. Do you find a theme in that 663 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:07,880 Speaker 3: that you don't take the time to celebrate, like this thing. 664 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:11,920 Speaker 1: Absolutely all the time. And actually, I don't know if 665 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:14,960 Speaker 1: I can bring this up or how much you've shared. 666 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:18,560 Speaker 1: But when we did the panel yesterday with Teddy and 667 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:21,839 Speaker 1: I was listening to him and I was like, you know, 668 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 1: he's this the winningest judo fighter, but he's like, man, 669 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:28,799 Speaker 1: I just want one more gold medal. I just want 670 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:31,279 Speaker 1: one more And I heard it in his voice where 671 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:34,000 Speaker 1: it's like and it's not a bad thing, but it's 672 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:36,799 Speaker 1: a thing where you know, we always say if I 673 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 1: just get this one thing, when I just achieved this 674 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 1: one thing, when I just do this thing, then I'll 675 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:43,960 Speaker 1: be happy no, cause you're going to get there and 676 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:45,319 Speaker 1: then it's going to be like, Okay, I did it, 677 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:48,880 Speaker 1: Now on to the next. And it's this thing that 678 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:52,799 Speaker 1: as athletes, I think especially, we kind of we fall 679 00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:55,800 Speaker 1: into that where it's like Okay, yeah, I need to 680 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:57,399 Speaker 1: get this medal, I need to get on this team. 681 00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:59,160 Speaker 1: But as soon as you do that, then it's like okay, 682 00:35:59,160 --> 00:36:01,520 Speaker 1: now that I have that have to go on to doing. 683 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:06,600 Speaker 3: This what feels like the most critical aspect of your training. 684 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:09,120 Speaker 3: Is it the physical? Is it the mental? Like where 685 00:36:09,120 --> 00:36:10,440 Speaker 3: are you at during this cycle? 686 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: Definitely the mental preparation was one that I was very 687 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:18,359 Speaker 1: keen on in from several aspects of you know, going 688 00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:21,160 Speaker 1: back to you know, staying on the things that I 689 00:36:21,239 --> 00:36:25,799 Speaker 1: had control over, but also being aware of where I 690 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:28,279 Speaker 1: was and what I was there to do. I was 691 00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:32,160 Speaker 1: there on a mission. I was there to win some 692 00:36:32,239 --> 00:36:36,319 Speaker 1: more medals, get on the podium, but also having the 693 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:39,799 Speaker 1: wherewithal that like I'm at the Olympics, I'm here with 694 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:45,359 Speaker 1: special friends, special training partners, my family was there, so 695 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:48,880 Speaker 1: you know, even taking the time to be intentional about 696 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:52,440 Speaker 1: having those moments was another thing that was important for 697 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:56,759 Speaker 1: me because I got to about twenty six twenty seven 698 00:36:56,880 --> 00:36:59,880 Speaker 1: years old, and I took a look at my passport 699 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:02,839 Speaker 1: and saw all these great places that I've been to, 700 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:06,040 Speaker 1: and that's the memory that I have of the places 701 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 1: that I've been to, was that simply I've been there. 702 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 1: I have the stamps in my passport, So you know, 703 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 1: I wanted to be intentional about being in Rio, being 704 00:37:15,239 --> 00:37:19,319 Speaker 1: with loved ones while also being there for one of 705 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:22,400 Speaker 1: the greatest things in my life to compete in the Olympics. 706 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:26,719 Speaker 1: So it was more and that is a comparison that 707 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:32,799 Speaker 1: I like to make between sixteen and eight was I 708 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:36,359 Speaker 1: guess that lends to my emotional maturity in terms of, 709 00:37:36,719 --> 00:37:42,960 Speaker 1: you know, what I was there for, and understanding the 710 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:47,239 Speaker 1: level of how many people go to the Olympics, you know, 711 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:50,560 Speaker 1: and just being in gratitude in that sense. 712 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:52,560 Speaker 2: I mean it worked. 713 00:37:52,920 --> 00:37:56,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, the gratitude strategy seemed to work a lot 714 00:37:56,520 --> 00:38:01,520 Speaker 3: more than less self defeatist strategy, right exactly. Gold being 715 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:04,160 Speaker 3: on the podium, I love like that. It's like an 716 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:07,359 Speaker 3: instant smile on your face. Yeah yeah, I mean it's 717 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:10,600 Speaker 3: something obviously no one will ever like. You'll never forget. 718 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 1: That, never. And it's again comparing the two experiences. In 719 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:17,200 Speaker 1: two thousand and eight, I only ran the preliminary around 720 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:18,759 Speaker 1: of the four by four, so I was not on 721 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:22,560 Speaker 1: the podium. So I'm Olympic gold medalist two thousand and eight, 722 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:27,680 Speaker 1: but the experience was a lot different. And so being 723 00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:30,560 Speaker 1: able to stand on the podium hearing the national anthem 724 00:38:30,800 --> 00:38:33,560 Speaker 1: in my honor, or in myself and my teammates honor, 725 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:36,040 Speaker 1: being able to look out in the stands and see 726 00:38:36,040 --> 00:38:38,320 Speaker 1: my mom and my grandparents and my brother and seeing 727 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:43,560 Speaker 1: how excited and proud they were of me. No, that's 728 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:47,480 Speaker 1: a moment that Yeah, I'm getting goosebumps thinking about it. 729 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:50,080 Speaker 1: Hopefully I lived out again this summer. 730 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:54,400 Speaker 2: Do you take the time to celebrate that moment? 731 00:38:55,840 --> 00:38:59,000 Speaker 1: I wish I did. I wish I did. While I 732 00:38:59,120 --> 00:39:02,640 Speaker 1: talk about, you know, having been in the moment there, 733 00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:06,600 Speaker 1: things just went into I mean, the season wasn't over. 734 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:10,279 Speaker 1: I still had meets after the Olympics, and then once 735 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:12,759 Speaker 1: the meats were over, then there was you know, this 736 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:17,000 Speaker 1: appearance and that appearance, and so no, I didn't really. 737 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:21,000 Speaker 2: Do you think you'll learn come twenty twenty, I think so. 738 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:24,399 Speaker 1: I hope so. And especially now with my son, there 739 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:27,480 Speaker 1: are moments that I especially want to have with him. 740 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:31,360 Speaker 1: I'm hoping that I'll slow down and have those moments 741 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:31,759 Speaker 1: with him. 742 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:34,600 Speaker 3: All right, let's talk about your son for a beat then, Okay, 743 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:38,480 Speaker 3: five months old. It was, as you've spoken out about, 744 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:41,000 Speaker 3: like something that you weren't really ready for just yet. 745 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:45,480 Speaker 3: How do you feel now that you have him? And 746 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:51,479 Speaker 3: do you believe that it happened for a reason this way? 747 00:39:52,239 --> 00:39:56,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was saying this morning, I was telling someone 748 00:39:56,680 --> 00:40:00,879 Speaker 1: that I went through all of these emotions like why 749 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:04,520 Speaker 1: now I really want to be a mom, but just 750 00:40:04,560 --> 00:40:07,000 Speaker 1: not right now? What does this mean for my training? 751 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:10,759 Speaker 1: I hated pregnancy. I was so tired, I had morning sickness. 752 00:40:11,239 --> 00:40:15,640 Speaker 1: But when my son came, I'm thirty three, and I 753 00:40:15,680 --> 00:40:17,160 Speaker 1: looked at him and I was like, man, why did 754 00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:20,480 Speaker 1: I wait this long to have you? And even through 755 00:40:20,680 --> 00:40:23,520 Speaker 1: like the hard days of him, like crying a lot, 756 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:27,799 Speaker 1: and I think he was a little bit collicky in 757 00:40:27,840 --> 00:40:31,879 Speaker 1: his first month. I can't wait to have another one. 758 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:39,279 Speaker 1: So yeah, it's definitely done something to me, and I 759 00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:43,359 Speaker 1: can attest to I was that girl that was like, yeah, 760 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:45,600 Speaker 1: I'm going to have kids, but my kids aren't going 761 00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:47,319 Speaker 1: to run my life. I'm not going to be that mom. 762 00:40:48,640 --> 00:40:50,600 Speaker 1: My kid's not going to watch TV. He's five months 763 00:40:50,640 --> 00:40:53,840 Speaker 1: already watching TV. It keeps you quiet, all right? Go ahead. 764 00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:56,879 Speaker 1: When women say motherhood does something to you, it really does. 765 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,400 Speaker 3: It really does. Talk to me about the hurdle of 766 00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:02,200 Speaker 3: getting back into training. I mean, obviously five months old, 767 00:41:02,239 --> 00:41:05,239 Speaker 3: it hasn't been that long, and you have a big 768 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:06,040 Speaker 3: year coming up. 769 00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:10,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's something I'm still going through. So talk 770 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:13,040 Speaker 1: about just the only way is through. 771 00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:13,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was. 772 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:17,200 Speaker 1: It was humbling. I mean, he was born a month early, 773 00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:21,520 Speaker 1: and I found myself on the delivery table like, okay, 774 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:23,239 Speaker 1: he's here a month early. That means I get to 775 00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:24,160 Speaker 1: start a month early. 776 00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:27,640 Speaker 2: Isn't that crazy? That's where your head's at at this time. 777 00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:31,320 Speaker 1: Where my head went, like and it all happened so fast. 778 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:33,320 Speaker 1: I wish we had time to talk about my birth story. 779 00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:36,239 Speaker 1: Like I almost had him on the couch. I didn't 780 00:41:36,239 --> 00:41:38,640 Speaker 1: even know I was in labor. Yeah, I was just like, 781 00:41:39,280 --> 00:41:41,200 Speaker 1: can't wait to get back on the track. My doctor 782 00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:43,840 Speaker 1: was like, you know, you were fit before your pregnancy, 783 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:46,279 Speaker 1: you were fit through your pregnancy, so I think you 784 00:41:46,320 --> 00:41:49,360 Speaker 1: can start as soon as three weeks afterwards. I was 785 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:52,880 Speaker 1: ready to go. My coaches were like, uh no, you 786 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:56,160 Speaker 1: have to heal. And then so I started out walking 787 00:41:56,280 --> 00:41:58,880 Speaker 1: and then I started jogging. And then when I finally 788 00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:01,200 Speaker 1: got back to the track with my teammates, then it 789 00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:04,759 Speaker 1: was humbling because it was like I was excited to walk, 790 00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:07,520 Speaker 1: I was excited to jog. I could feel the difference. 791 00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:09,200 Speaker 1: I could feel that like I had a long way 792 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:11,280 Speaker 1: to go, But getting back out there with my training 793 00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:14,239 Speaker 1: partners was like, oh, you have a long way to go. 794 00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:19,120 Speaker 1: And then there was the day that we had repeat 795 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:22,560 Speaker 1: five hundreds and I get to about four hundred and 796 00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:25,680 Speaker 1: I start feeling this trickling feeling and I'm like, what 797 00:42:25,719 --> 00:42:28,200 Speaker 1: the heck is this push through? And then finally I 798 00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:30,400 Speaker 1: was like, no, I'm grown as hell. I'm not about 799 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:36,239 Speaker 1: to pee myself. And I was peeing myself. So there 800 00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:39,359 Speaker 1: were all of these things that like, there's so many 801 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:41,319 Speaker 1: things that moms tell you, but there are so many 802 00:42:41,400 --> 00:42:42,640 Speaker 1: things that they don't tell you. 803 00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:47,800 Speaker 3: I see a tell all books like in Your Future Man. 804 00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:51,239 Speaker 1: So I mean, it's been a humbling journey, and I 805 00:42:51,280 --> 00:42:55,160 Speaker 1: think being able to maintain a level of sense of 806 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:59,839 Speaker 1: humor about it too has been helpful because it's like, yeah, 807 00:43:00,120 --> 00:43:02,440 Speaker 1: a thirty three year old grown ass woman beeing myself 808 00:43:02,920 --> 00:43:07,239 Speaker 1: and I have no control over it, Like okay, but 809 00:43:08,040 --> 00:43:11,600 Speaker 1: it's been a slow, steady grind there, you know. Just 810 00:43:11,640 --> 00:43:14,319 Speaker 1: as recently as last week, I had a workout where 811 00:43:14,320 --> 00:43:18,000 Speaker 1: I'm like, Okay, she's in there, she's coming there there. 812 00:43:18,080 --> 00:43:20,880 Speaker 1: There was definitely, though, probably about a month and a 813 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:23,640 Speaker 1: half where I was like, oooh, I don't know what 814 00:43:23,680 --> 00:43:26,120 Speaker 1: we signed up for, Like I knew it was gonna 815 00:43:26,120 --> 00:43:26,600 Speaker 1: be hard. 816 00:43:26,760 --> 00:43:29,759 Speaker 3: But man, oh man, would you say that being a 817 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:32,960 Speaker 3: mom has the potential to make you a better athlete? 818 00:43:33,520 --> 00:43:36,200 Speaker 1: I think so. And I see it in the sense 819 00:43:36,280 --> 00:43:40,640 Speaker 1: that it's already forced me to be way more intentional 820 00:43:40,640 --> 00:43:46,879 Speaker 1: about my time. And you know, it's everything from it's 821 00:43:46,960 --> 00:43:48,600 Speaker 1: great to get up in the morning and go to 822 00:43:48,680 --> 00:43:52,400 Speaker 1: work because it's it's a space for me to be Natasha. 823 00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:55,760 Speaker 1: It's a space for me to be, you know, not mom. 824 00:43:56,880 --> 00:44:01,760 Speaker 1: But I have to be incredibly intentional about that time 825 00:44:01,960 --> 00:44:04,799 Speaker 1: in terms of getting the job done in that time, 826 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:07,399 Speaker 1: because when that time is over, I'm like, all right, guys, 827 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:08,799 Speaker 1: I gotta go. I gotta get home to my kid, 828 00:44:08,800 --> 00:44:10,640 Speaker 1: and I can't wait to get home to him. So 829 00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:16,040 Speaker 1: it's made me focus in a way that time is 830 00:44:16,080 --> 00:44:21,160 Speaker 1: definitely I mean, I live by the clock, but now 831 00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:24,360 Speaker 1: it's like, you know, now I really have to get 832 00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:26,880 Speaker 1: the job done within a certain time. And then also 833 00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:32,879 Speaker 1: the way that I focus on my training. Where once 834 00:44:32,960 --> 00:44:34,560 Speaker 1: upon a time I could just go out there and 835 00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:37,120 Speaker 1: just Okay, this is what we're doing, go do it. 836 00:44:37,239 --> 00:44:39,560 Speaker 1: That'd be that. Now it's kind of like, oh, I 837 00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:42,960 Speaker 1: got to focus on this keegel and this smaller muscle 838 00:44:43,040 --> 00:44:45,200 Speaker 1: that I didn't even know that I had that I've 839 00:44:45,239 --> 00:44:47,920 Speaker 1: now lost to strengthen because I pushed the baby out. 840 00:44:49,360 --> 00:44:54,440 Speaker 1: You know, I've found myself refocusing in those smaller areas 841 00:44:54,480 --> 00:44:56,360 Speaker 1: that once upon a time I took advantage of. 842 00:44:56,719 --> 00:44:58,320 Speaker 3: And I mean, I feel like it's got to be 843 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:02,160 Speaker 3: interesting now after having a baby. You talked about the 844 00:45:02,200 --> 00:45:05,360 Speaker 3: pressures that go hand in hand with being a professional athlete, 845 00:45:05,640 --> 00:45:10,160 Speaker 3: and I can't imagine that you can even allow them 846 00:45:10,239 --> 00:45:12,640 Speaker 3: to come into your space the same way now because 847 00:45:12,680 --> 00:45:14,640 Speaker 3: you're a different person than you were before you had 848 00:45:14,640 --> 00:45:15,000 Speaker 3: a kid. 849 00:45:15,400 --> 00:45:19,319 Speaker 1: Yeah, And you know, the it's this journey now is 850 00:45:19,360 --> 00:45:22,080 Speaker 1: an interesting one because it's a very personal one in 851 00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:26,880 Speaker 1: the sense that I want to prove to myself what 852 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:30,200 Speaker 1: I'm made of and prove to myself that, you know, 853 00:45:30,239 --> 00:45:35,080 Speaker 1: I didn't let a circumstance just end things for me. 854 00:45:35,160 --> 00:45:37,759 Speaker 1: I didn't let becoming a mom be the reason why 855 00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:41,480 Speaker 1: I'd be like, Okay, I'm done. And I as much 856 00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:44,200 Speaker 1: as it's a personal one for me, I hope that 857 00:45:45,040 --> 00:45:48,760 Speaker 1: no matter the outcome, it's an example for other moms 858 00:45:48,760 --> 00:45:51,799 Speaker 1: out there that regardless of what your walk of life is, 859 00:45:51,960 --> 00:45:55,200 Speaker 1: regardless of what your career is there's a. 860 00:45:55,120 --> 00:45:56,640 Speaker 2: Way a lot of people. 861 00:45:56,719 --> 00:45:59,960 Speaker 3: They come to your Instagram page, they see a fabulous 862 00:46:00,280 --> 00:46:04,360 Speaker 3: diva mom that is ready to, you know, take on 863 00:46:04,400 --> 00:46:07,320 Speaker 3: a big o and big year. Here when you look 864 00:46:07,440 --> 00:46:10,360 Speaker 3: in the mirror, what is it that you see looking 865 00:46:10,400 --> 00:46:10,880 Speaker 3: back at you? 866 00:46:11,440 --> 00:46:16,759 Speaker 1: I see someone that wants to be vulnerable, because when 867 00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:22,000 Speaker 1: you say all of those things about my Instagram, that 868 00:46:22,160 --> 00:46:25,600 Speaker 1: is something that I feel like. There's strength and vulnerability 869 00:46:26,120 --> 00:46:31,359 Speaker 1: and I try my best to be honest. That's why 870 00:46:31,440 --> 00:46:35,400 Speaker 1: I'm sharing that I peed myself. I haven't peed myself lately, 871 00:46:36,239 --> 00:46:38,160 Speaker 1: but you know, I want people to know that it's 872 00:46:38,200 --> 00:46:41,440 Speaker 1: not easy. And while I may put some makeup on 873 00:46:41,600 --> 00:46:46,400 Speaker 1: and I may make it look easy, there is a 874 00:46:46,440 --> 00:46:49,719 Speaker 1: struggle there is there. There are bad days. There are 875 00:46:49,880 --> 00:46:52,399 Speaker 1: days that I question myself. There are days that I'm 876 00:46:52,520 --> 00:46:56,279 Speaker 1: unsure I'm no different than any other woman, and you know, 877 00:46:56,840 --> 00:47:00,879 Speaker 1: just going after your goals and your dreams. I see 878 00:47:00,920 --> 00:47:04,840 Speaker 1: a vulnerable woman that is getting through her shit. 879 00:47:05,480 --> 00:47:07,480 Speaker 2: What excites you right now? 880 00:47:09,680 --> 00:47:11,759 Speaker 1: It excites me and scares me at the same time 881 00:47:11,760 --> 00:47:15,560 Speaker 1: as the unknown. You know, the unknown is scary. But 882 00:47:16,840 --> 00:47:21,600 Speaker 1: I'm just thinking about where my life is going and 883 00:47:21,680 --> 00:47:25,399 Speaker 1: where my son's life is going at this point and 884 00:47:25,560 --> 00:47:29,760 Speaker 1: just being able to see him grow into a respectable 885 00:47:30,400 --> 00:47:34,360 Speaker 1: young man that respects women. Yeah, the unknown, the unknown. 886 00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:37,840 Speaker 3: I also find that we can't close out this podcast 887 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:40,760 Speaker 3: without at least touching on your makeup line. 888 00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:44,719 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah four jermina Diva dot com. Thank you 889 00:47:44,760 --> 00:47:45,280 Speaker 1: for the plug. 890 00:47:45,360 --> 00:47:45,960 Speaker 2: You're welcome. 891 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:51,719 Speaker 1: Yeah. We specialize right now in Matt lipsticks and eyelashes, 892 00:47:52,040 --> 00:47:55,480 Speaker 1: but we are looking to expand, but for now, those 893 00:47:55,520 --> 00:47:58,719 Speaker 1: are our special items. We got Mink lashes that you 894 00:47:58,719 --> 00:48:01,760 Speaker 1: can wear up to twenty five times, and our Matt 895 00:48:02,280 --> 00:48:05,600 Speaker 1: lipsticks last through all your coffee and your water all day. 896 00:48:06,400 --> 00:48:09,040 Speaker 2: I love that the lipstick that your go to for 897 00:48:09,200 --> 00:48:10,440 Speaker 2: track is called war Paint. 898 00:48:10,680 --> 00:48:10,919 Speaker 1: Yep. 899 00:48:11,360 --> 00:48:12,040 Speaker 2: It's perfect. 900 00:48:12,200 --> 00:48:13,520 Speaker 1: Yep, it's per perfect. 901 00:48:14,040 --> 00:48:19,720 Speaker 3: Final question, you have an opportunity right now to offer 902 00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:24,440 Speaker 3: the Natasha in twenty twelve, who is like doubting everything, 903 00:48:25,280 --> 00:48:28,360 Speaker 3: one piece of advice going through that hurdle moment. What 904 00:48:28,800 --> 00:48:30,920 Speaker 3: is it that you tell her right now? 905 00:48:33,080 --> 00:48:36,840 Speaker 1: Be careful how you're speaking to yourself. You have to 906 00:48:36,880 --> 00:48:41,480 Speaker 1: love yourself before anyone else can love you. And that's 907 00:48:42,480 --> 00:48:46,000 Speaker 1: that's not even about track, that's just life. It's just yourself. 908 00:48:46,320 --> 00:48:48,600 Speaker 2: I love it. Thanks so much for sitting down with me. 909 00:48:48,840 --> 00:48:50,120 Speaker 1: Thank you for having me. 910 00:48:50,400 --> 00:48:52,600 Speaker 3: Please take a moment and leave a quick review by 911 00:48:52,640 --> 00:48:54,759 Speaker 3: clicking the link with the description of this episode. We 912 00:48:54,880 --> 00:48:57,160 Speaker 3: all face multiple hurdles in life. I want to hear 913 00:48:57,200 --> 00:48:59,440 Speaker 3: about yours. Reach Out to me at Emily at hurdle 914 00:48:59,480 --> 00:49:04,320 Speaker 3: dot us, connect with the podcast Instagram, Twitter at Hurdle Podcast. Natasha, 915 00:49:04,320 --> 00:49:06,160 Speaker 3: where do they find you? How do they keep up 916 00:49:06,200 --> 00:49:07,879 Speaker 3: with you? If they can even try? 917 00:49:08,640 --> 00:49:13,800 Speaker 1: Everything is Natasha Hastings Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. 918 00:49:14,000 --> 00:49:17,520 Speaker 3: There we go. That's the rundown. I am at Emily Abodi. 919 00:49:17,600 --> 00:49:20,479 Speaker 3: Another hurdle conquered. Catch you guys next time.