Hurdle with Emily Abbate

I chatted all about injury in #hurdlemoment a few weeks back, but in today's episode I'm bringing in reinforcements. Meet Blake Dircksen: a physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments in Midtown Manhattan. We're focusing on how to navigate pain as a runner, and the best way to handle the most common injuries. Spoiler alert: You can often run through it, he says. We also rap on the benefits of cross-training and when is the RIGHT time to seek help when you're feeling like something's off.  SOCIAL @blake.dirck @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE WOLACO | Had the best time at last week's run co-hosted by WOLACO women.  New to the brand? Check out their Walker Crop (but really, I have it in three colors). And if you're an NYC local, click to be kept in the loop on WOLACO Wednesday, their weekly free workout series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These days, Betina Gozo makes a living with a side of sweat as a Nike Master Trainer. But not all that long ago, the Philippines-born bombshell was playing bass in a rock band. In episode 72, we talk about the workout class that changed her life entirely (and ultimately, her career path), and how she went from hardly being able to do exercises with 5-pound dumbbells to crushing barbell-friendly workouts on the Nike Training Club app. We also talk about one of the hardest parts of adulting — balancing a career and your personal life, and the tough decisions she made after spending some time cell phone free on a work trip. SOCIAL @betinagozo @dancewithmweyne @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate OFFERS Athletic Greens | Head to athleticgreens.com/hurdle to get 20 free travel packs ($79 value) with your first purchase, no code necessary. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Trellis Health  |  LIVE Podcast with Aya Kanai, Hearst Chief Fashion Director; September 17, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. {Free tickets here} Dance with Mweyne  |  Donate and learn more about Betina’s foundation here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all have bad runs. How you handle them mid-stride can make all the difference between quitting and sticking it out. In today’s #hurdlemoment — the first of a series this September dedicated to the slew of your running Qs — I talk about three strategies I use to stick out a tough go. Three. Simple. Tricks. SOCIAL @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE | WOLACO You've been asking for a run meet-up, and here we go! I'm teaming up with NYC-based activewear brand WOLACO to host a ladies-only run at 6:30 p.m. September 5 in collaboration with my friends at Charley St. The run kicks off and ends at 6:30 p.m. at Charley St. (41 Kenmare), where we’ll indulge in some great grub post-sweat. RSVP at this link, and share with a friend! Also, check out WOLACO.com and @wolacowomen on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I feel pretty lucky that I’ve found my way into a career that I feel truly passionate about. David Thomas Tao feels the same way. But the journey the Harvard grad took to get to his current position at BarBend wasn’t exactly simple. In episode 71, the veteran journalist tells me about the #hurdlemoment he went through in Las Vegas that made him question his entire career. We chat about the importance of listening to your gut, slowing down, and trusting other people to do the things that they’re good at. We also geek out about strength training and talk about the value of sweatworking. SOCIAL @davidthomastao @barbend @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate OFFERS Athletic Greens | Head to athleticgreens.com/hurdle to get 20 free travel packs ($79 value) with your first purchase, no code necessary. UPCOMING WOLACO Run | You've been asking for a run meet-up, and here we go! I'm teaming up with NYC-based activewear brand WOLACO to host a run on the evening of September 5 in collaboration with my friends at Charley St. We’ll meet at Charley St. (41 Kenmare) at 6:30 p.m., go for a 5K run, and return there afterward! RSVP at this link, and share with a friend! Also, check out  WOLACO.com and @wolacowomen on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m not trying to be negative. Rather, this week’s #hurdlemoment is all about identifying common reasons that we lack follow-through. When was the last time you had a goal that you let slip through your fingers? Could you have done something differently to impact the outcome? Well, there's good news: Failures happen to teach us something. Just like we have the opportunity to succeed and be better for it, same goes for failure. Chin up, Hurdlers; there’s a whole lot of winning to be done. SOCIAL @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE WOLACO | WOLACO You've been asking for a run meet-up, and here we go! I'm teaming up with NYC-based activewear brand WOLACO to host a ladies-only run at 6:30 p.m. September 5 in collaboration with my friends at Charley St. The run kicks off at WOLACO HQ (73 Warren Street in Tribeca)  and ends at Charley St. on Kenmare, where we’ll indulge in some great grub. RSVP at this link, and share with a friend! Also, check out WOLACO.com and @wolacowomen on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hurdle has been getting pretty personal lately and this week’s episode with Dr. Jen Esquer is no exception. Over the past few years, everything has changed for the physical therapist known as @docjenfit to her 545K+ followers on social media. She exited a full-time job at a Santa Monica rehab facility to pursue private clients, work on online programming, and travel the world doing public speaking. Then, late last year Jen was blindsided by infidelity, which moved her to make the difficult decision to walk away from a long term relationship that wasn't serving her anymore. In episode 70, she tells me about how this #hurdlemoment turned her world upside-down, and how she took ownership of the situation rather than playing the victim. We get real honest about how post-breakup strategies helped her cope with heartache, and she sheds some light on how stress can manifest itself as physical pain. She also offers up some essential advice that will help you move better, including a simple exercise that you can perform in less than 5 minutes a day. SOCIAL @docjenfit @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate OFFERS Athletic Greens | Head to athleticgreens.com/hurdle to get 20 free travel packs ($79 value) with your first purchase, no code necessary. UPCOMING | WOLACO RUN You've been asking for a run meet-up, and here we go! I'm teaming up with NYC-based activewear brand WOLACO to host a run on the evening of September 5 in collaboration with my friends at Charley St. More information to come, soon! In the meantime, RSVP at this link, and share with a friend! Also, check out  WOLACO.com and @wolacowomen on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was walking down the street the other day with Nike master trainer Kirsty Godso when we got on the topic of negative self-talk. Kirsty told me she's been having some tough conversations with herself about her body, and to be honest — I've been feeling the same way. Fact: Everyone is different, and negative self-talk doesn't discriminate. In today's episode, I sit down with Kirsty to have a super vulnerable, honest conversation about how to shift the voices inside our head from not-the-best to positive. We talk about the importance of having an "internal code of conduct," and offer up best-practice tips to being a happier, healthier you. SOCIAL @kirstygodso @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE WOLACO | WOLACO You've been asking for a run meet-up, and here we go! I'm teaming up with NYC-based activewear brand WOLACO to host a run on the evening of September 5 in collaboration with my friends at Charley St. More information to come, soon! In the meantime, RSVP at this link, and share with a friend! Also, check out  WOLACO.com and @wolacowomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Autumn Calabrese is a powerhouse. As a personal trainer who found fame crafting workouts and nutrition programming for Beachbody, Autumn once thought she’d grow up to be a dancer. When injury got her down and a college dance master dissuaded her from pursuing her dancing dreams — she made lemonade out of lemons and pivoted to a new passion: Fitness.  In episode 69, the mega-trainer tells me all about her journey including the bumps, bruises, and hurdles that have made her who she is today. We talk about the most rewarding (and scary!) parts of being a trainer to millions around the globe, and she gives me the lowdown on what it was like filming E!’s Revenge Body. SOCIAL @autumncalabrese @beachbody @revengebody @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate OFFERS Athletic Greens | Head to athleticgreens.com/hurdle to get 20 free travel packs ($79 value) with your first purchase, no code necessary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are so many people, things, experiences and obligations that flux with our energy on the regular. If you’re not careful, you could be giving too much of yourself to something (or someone!) that doesn’t deserve it — and sometimes, unknowingly. In today’s episode, I squad up with Nike master trainer Kirsty Godso to chat about empowerment, offer up some best-practice tips for protecting your energy (and your sanity), and we (no surprise here) love on some Drake lyrics for the ultimate advice. SOCIAL @hurdlepodcast @kirstygodso @emilyabbate MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE WOLACO | WOLACO wants to give your ladies the protection they deserve with a sweet deal on their Walker Crop Top. Available in four different colorways (I’m a huge fan of the Bowery Slate myself), this is perfect for Spin, yoga, or HIIT classes. Use the code “Hurdle40” at checkout to snag yours today, and check them out at WOLACO.com and at @wolacowomen on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jillian Michaels is a household name in the fitness industry, and she welcomed me into her home in Malibu with open arms. Surreal? A little bit. We all watched her for years on The Biggest Loser, and in today’s episode Jillian and I talk about what life was like long before making it to prime time on NBC. She tells me about being overweight as a pre-teen, weighing about 175 pounds at age 12, and how taking up karate saved her life and helped her to develop essential confidence. We talk about the rollercoaster of emotions that came with coming out and her big goal of being the best mom she can be to her two kids. She fills me in on the fun projects that she’s working on now and offers up some really excellent career advice that you’ve just gotta hear.  SOCIAL  @jillianmichaels @hurdlepodcast @emilyabbate My Fitness by Jillian Michaels app OFFERS Athletic Greens | Head to athleticgreens.com/hurdle to get 20 free travel packs ($79 value) with your first purchase, no code necessary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.