Episode 125: Why do some athletes choke on the world's biggest stage?

Hillary is back from her recent travels, Corrine shares some upcoming race decisions, and then they dive into the topic of the day: Why some athletes are “clutch” on the world’s biggest stages, while others “choke”—and what the rest of us can learn from those moments.Corrine and Hillary explore the science of performance under pressure—from Olympic heartbreak to gold-medal breakthroughs.They break down the neuroscience of choking, why overthinking sabotages performance, and the psychological tools athletes can use to re-set mid-race. They also highlight Olympic champion Alysa Liu’s joy-first approach to sport and what endurance athletes can learn from it.You'll hear:What “choking” actually means in sports psychologyWhy pressure can disrupt automatic skillsThe neuroscience behind overthinking during competitionThe role of embarrassment and identity in athletic performanceWhy “just treat it like another race” rarely worksPractical tools to re-set your brain mid-raceSelf-determination theory: autonomy, competence, and communityWhy joy and intrinsic motivation can unlock peak performanceFrom the pointy end of performance to mid-pack athletes, If you’ve ever panicked under pressure or struggled with self-doubt, you'll understand.This episode is sponsored by:rabbit: If you're looking to treat yourself after the holidays or upgrade your winter running kit, head to www.runinrabbit.com and use code TSMARCH in March for 10% off.ProBio: Use code Trail20 for 20%-off orders (30%-off + free shipping w/ subscriptions) at probionutrition.comInjinji: use code trailsociety15 to get 15% off at https://www.injinji.com/@[email protected]

What does it take to become a Paralympian in a sport you just learned?This week, Corrine sits down with Team USA Paralympian Dani Aravich — a Nordic skier and biathlete (that's skiing and shooting) heading into her third Paralympic Games right now. How did she go from DI runner to professional sports executive to discovering the Paralympic movement and jumping headfirst into a brand new sport?Dani learned how to cross-country ski as an adult — and now she's in Milan competing at the Paralympics.But, she says, Paralympic storytelling also needs to move away from inspiration narratives and recognize these athletes as elite athletes. That's partially why she's a co-founder of Culxtured, an athlete-led media collective aiming to elevate Paralympic stories and coverage beyond the Games.Watch the Paralympics and Dani compete on Peacock & NBC in the U.S., CBC in Canada, and see the full list of global broadcasters here.@[email protected]: use code trailsociety15 to get 15% off at https://www.injinji.com/

Corrine and Keely recap Winter Olympics highlights and the latest Western States Golden Ticket qualifiers before diving into the research on injuries in female athletes.They explore whether women are actually more injury-prone, what role hormones and the menstrual cycle may play, and how factors like training load, strength work, and energy availability influence injury risk and recovery.They cover:Olympic highlights and women’s sport momentumWestern States Golden Ticket updatesAre female athletes more injury-prone?How hormones affect injury riskMenstrual cycle research (what we know and what we don’t)Managing and returning from injuryIt's a practical and science-informed discussion for female athletes navigating injury, training stress, and long-term performance.This episode is brought to you by:rabbit: If you're looking to treat yourself after the holidays or upgrade your winter running kit, head to www.runinrabbit.com and use code TSMARCH in March for 10% off.ProBio: Use code Trail20 for 20%-off orders (30%-off + free shipping w/ subscriptions) at probionutrition.comInjinji: use code trailsociety15 to get 15% off at https://www.injinji.com/@[email protected]

What does it mean to say trail running is for everyone — when not everyone feels safe at the start line?In this deeply honest and urgent conversation, Corrine sits down with trail runner and immigration attorney Carolina Rubio-MacWright to talk about what’s happening right now in immigrant communities — and why our sport cannot pretend it’s separate from the political reality of the world we live in.Carolina shares what it's like carrying her residency card on runs, fielding messages from athletes asking whether it’s safe to race, and helping race directors develop emergency plans for potential ICE raids.She speaks candidly about what meaningful action actually looks like — from buddy systems and mutual aid to card-writing campaigns for detained families.This episode is not abstract. It’s about real runners. Real families. Real fear. And real responsibility.As Carolina reminds us, silence benefits the status quo. Action builds community.@[email protected]

Keely’s back from her Step 1 Medical Licensing Exam and honeymoon chaos, and we’re diving straight into one of the most important conversations for female athletes right now: stress.Stress from training. Stress from life. Stress from the world. Stress from big exams and big dreams.It's a perfect transition into the brand new 2025 Female Athlete Triad Coalition consensus update and what those changes means for athletes, coaches, and doctors.We break down:What cortisol actually is (and why it’s not always the villain)Energy deficiency vs. REDs vs. the Female Athlete TriadWhy BMI isn’t an accurate measure of athlete healthNew hormonal markers that do matterWhy adolescent runners are especially vulnerableAnd why life stress absolutely counts when it comes to health and performanceAnd then Keely and Corrine address the “Lindsey Vonn controversy,” highlighting the clear double standard in how injured athletes are judged. When men compete through injury, it’s called grit. When women do, it’s labeled reckless or irresponsible.This episode is brought to you by:rabbit: If you're looking to treat yourself after the holidays or upgrade your winter running kit, head to www.runinrabbit.com and use code FEBTRAIL in February for 10% off.ProBio: Use code Trail20 for 20%-off orders (30%-off + free shipping w/ subscriptions) at probionutrition.com@[email protected]

After years at the top of the trail and ultra running worlds—Hardrock 100 champion, Nolan’s 14 FKT holder, and consistent podium finisher—Sabrina Stanley's life changed overnight when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2025. What followed were multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, medical menopause, and ongoing immunotherapy.In this conversation with host and friend Corrine Malcolm, Sabrina shares what it's like to navigate cancer while still training as a professional athlete, why ultra running prepared her for treatment, and how redefining success has helped her return to racing at the Arc of Attrition 100—one of the harshest winter ultras in the world.She opens up about:Returning to ultra running after cancerHer OnlyFans sponsorship, and having autonomy over your body and career as a female athleteHow ultra running helped in her cancer journeyWhat it means to race before you feel “ready”Whether you’re an athlete, a cancer survivor, or someone navigating massive life change, let's redefine what success and strength look like.This episode is brought to you by rabbit. If you're looking to treat yourself after the holidays or upgrade your winter running kit, head to www.runinrabbit.com and use code FEBTRAIL in February for 10% off.@[email protected]

Training stress isn’t just about mileage, vert, or workouts — it’s about everything else competing for your energy, too.In this episode of Trail Society, Corrine Malcolm and co-host Hillary Allen share both the science and their experiences with mental fatigue, allostatic load, and burnout. From road marathon training and international travel to work stress, technology overload, and emotional strain, they unpack why athletes often feel exhausted even when training volume drops.Training stress doesn’t exist in isolation. If you’ve ever wondered why you feel flat during a taper, overwhelmed by metrics, or stuck in a cycle of doing “more,” this episode gives you permission to zoom out and reset.This episode is brought to you by rabbit. If you're looking to treat yourself after the holidays or upgrade your winter running kit, head to www.runinrabbit.com and use code FEBTRAIL in February for 10% off.Additional support provided by ProBio: Use code Trail20 for 20%-off orders (30%-off + free shipping w/ subscriptions) at probionutrition.com@[email protected]

We're sharing a special episode today from our new Feisty Media family to help you deal with and take away some action items for the collective trauma many of us are going through right now, whether it's new for you or simply heightened.Along with being a sports psychologist & therapist in her own right, the Feisty Women's Performance podcast host Dr. Erin Ayala also lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota — which has been at the center of the news over the last month since it became the target of the largest immigration enforcement action to date in the U.S. Thousands of federal agents have patrolled the streets and detained residents, and, over this past weekend, shot and killed a second bystander — leading to hundreds of thousands of people protesting in Minneapolis and around the country.In this tense environment, how do we show up as athletes, as members of our community, as our best and healthiest selves?Erin has brought together a group of experts and invites you to join them — Dr. Tess Kilwein, Dr. Quincy Guinadi, and Christine Bright — as they discuss how these experiences shape mental health and performance, and how you can respond to stress and trauma whether you're going through it right now with the news or you're dealing with your personal challenges.Key Takeaways: • What is collective trauma? Learn how collective trauma impacts communities and individuals, and why this understanding is crucial for athletes and coaches.• Recognize that intentional rest in times of stress can be essential for long-term sustainability.• Know that movement and sport can be powerful tools in community healing.• Get tips on how to navigate the complexities of wanting to help without feeling performative or overwhelmed, and how to effectively engage in difficult conversations without shame or guilt.Don't be perfect. Be brave.Guest Introductions: • Dr. Tess Kilwein: A board-certified clinical, health, and sport psychologist with expertise in mental performance and athlete wellness.• Dr. Quincy Guinadi: A postdoctoral resident specializing in identity, mental health, and the experiences of marginalized communities.• Christine Bright: Lead consultant at the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport, focusing on trauma-informed coaching and community support.Resources Mentioned:• Center for Healing and Justice through Sport• Nothing Heals like Sport Playbook• "What Happened to You" by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah• Beyond Ally by Dr. Maysa Akbar• Find ways to help at standwithminnesota.com• The Feisty Women's Performance podcast

What does endurance look like when perfection is no longer the goal?In this deeply personal episode, host Corrine Malcolm sits down with professional runner and mountain athlete Olivia Amber for a conversation about movement, identity, health, and choosing paths that don’t always make sense on paper but that feel right in the body.Olivia grew up in a small Nordic ski community in northern Wisconsin, racing at a high level before stepping away from elite skiing after college. What followed was a series of pivots: a career outside sport, a rediscovery of running as a form of exploration, and eventually a return to the mountains — this time on her own terms.At the center of this episode is Olivia’s recent completion of Norman’s 13, a roughly 105-mile, 40,000-foot link-up of California’s Sierra Nevada 14ers. Olivia became the first woman to establish a known time on the route, claiming the FKT in the process, but this achievement can’t be separated from the years that came before it: shaped by chronic pain, a stage IV endometriosis diagnosis, major surgery, and learning to listen to a body that no longer responded to “push through it.”This is a conversation about redefining success, navigating health within high-performance sport, and allowing dreams to evolve when the old version no longer fits.In this episode, we talk about:Growing up in a Nordic ski community and how family shapes athletic identityWalking away from elite skiing — and why it wasn’t a failureFinding running as freedom, not replacementLiving and training with stage IV endometriosisFertility decisions, surgery, and long-term health realitiesWhat makes Norman’s 13 such a unique mountain challengeChoosing a harder line because it felt safer — and truerThe role of community in big, lonely objectivesLetting go of outcomes and committing to the processThis episode is brought to you by rabbit. If you're looking to treat yourself after the holidays or upgrade your winter running kit, head to www.runinrabbit.com and use code TRAILSOCIETYJAN in January for 10% off.@[email protected]

What does it really look like to pursue excellence over a decade — through injury, uncertainty, quiet rebuilds, and breakthrough moments that seem sudden only from the outside?In this episode of Trail Society, host Corrine Malcolm sits down with one of her closest friends and most compelling athletes in the sport: Abby Hall. Fresh off her 2025 Western States 100 victory, Abby reflects on the long road that led there — and why the “messy middle” matters just as much as the podium.This conversation is less about one race and more about a philosophy: making it "cool to care," showing up honestly, and staying in it when things don’t go to plan.Together, Corrine and Abby dig into the rhythms of professional running beyond the highlight reels — from late-day training runs and household logistics to mindset shifts, team alignment, and the vulnerability of saying “I want to win.”Whether you’re chasing podiums, consistency, or just a deeper connection to why you run, this episode offers a powerful reminder: there’s no one right way to do this — but there is value in doing it fully.It’s a thoughtful, funny, deeply human conversation about longevity, grit, and what it means to grow alongside a sport that’s also growing up.Support our partners:This episode is brought to you by rabbit. If you're looking to treat yourself after the holidays or upgrade your winter running kit, head to www.runinrabbit.com and use code TRAILSOCIETYJAN in January for 10% off.Trail Society is newly a part of the Feisty Media podcast network. Learn more about Feisty, a women's sports and health media and education company, at feisty.co@[email protected]