This week, Kelly and Sara don't just watch sports; they do sports.

Kelly was at the massive 7,000-person Chicago Triathlon and Supertri pro event over the weekend — her first race postpartum — and she has a mini-rant about how we talk about women's health and sports. And, Sara tries to identify with the mountain bikers at the world championships, but fails.

Then, it's all about the two big championship events this week: First, UTMB week, and then a chat with U.S. national champion Hannah Otto ahead of the two-week-long Mountain Bike World Championships.

• UTMB: Confused by the acronyms and qualification process? Kelly and Sara break it down. And who could win the 108-mile circumnavigation of Mont Blanc, with 32,000ft of elevation.
• Then, Hannah Otto breaks down the acronyms in mountain biking and the different race formats — she's done them all. Plus, she'll be tackling the marathon mountain bike world championship race with its own 15,000ft of elevation!

Plus, a listener voicemail about her powerlifting coach’s take on the idea of a women’s decathlon. (Spoiler: Is it sexism?)

Resources:

• How to watch the mountain bike world championships
• Watch UTMB Live
• Hannah's White Rim FKT movie

Have thoughts about today's show or your own Feisty pick of the week? Send a voice memo to [email protected]

Highlights:

• 02:52 - Navigating postpartum racing and a mini-rant
• 19:04 - The ins-and-outs of UTMB and qualifying
• 29:10 - Female participation in trail running
• 40:09 - The many multiple mountain biking disciplines
• 55:10 - Exploring the FKT phenomenon in mountain biking

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This week on The Feist it's all about the women's Rugby World Cup — and we're joined by Canadian silver medalist and rugby sevens team captain, Liv Apps, who breaks down everything you need to know about rugby in the Olympics v. rugby in the World Cup.

Apps gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how rugby players prepare for the six-week World Cup and how the tournament is already breaking attendance records in England (and hype is building!). And, yes, Ilona Maher is playing.

Kelly O'Mara and Sara Gross also dive back into the weeds to check in on how sex testing in track & field is going. (Spoiler: not great.) And we get a nuanced and insightful voicemail from a former pro runner with a fresh perspective on the convoluted process.

Also in this episode:

• Another course record shattered at the Leadville 100 (this time running!)
• Sara goes courtside to the first-ever regular season WNBA game in Canada
• And our Feisty Picks of the Week: Tara Dower, who just claimed the overall FKT on the Vermont Long Trail, and Brittney Griner's impressive athleticism, because — as people keep telling us — "women are amazing."

Episode resources and links:

• Feisty's how to mountain bike: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
• World Athletics FAQ on the new SRY gene testing process
• Survey of elite and national female athletes on transgender participation
• The Rugby World Cup schedule & how to watch
• And listen to last year's Ironwomen episode with Tara Dower: https://livefeisty.com/podcasts/feistytriathlon/ironwomen-conquering-the-appalachian-trail-with-tara-dower-and-rascal/

Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews

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The theme for this week's episode: Is it sexism? Or, is it just plain stupid?

To that question, Kelly and Sara get in the weeds on women’s decathlon with Lauren Kuntz, who is organizing the 2nd ever Women's Decathlon World Championships — taking place this weekend and airing on the All-Women’s Sports Network (AWSN).

Lauren talks to us about the historical exclusion of women from the decathlon (the all-around competition for track and field), building more opportunities for women to compete, and her goal of a gradual transition to adding a women's decathlon into the Olympics. 

But first, Kelly and Sarah kick things off with a recap of the week in women's sports. The highlight? The Leadville Trail 100 MTB, where Kate Courtney—just eight weeks post-surgery—smashed the course record.

Which leads to a spirited debate over the much-coveted ultra-racing belt buckles and the question: Should there be a different belt buckle standard for women?

They then dive into one of the more unexpected headlines of the week—green dildos being thrown at recent WNBA games—and what it says about how women’s sports are received and represented. Sexist or just plain stupid?

Also on today's episode:

• Our first voicemail from a listener (i.e. Kelly’s Mom), who sets her daughter straight
• Sports on tap this weekend: Do you know about the World Games?
• And our Feisty picks of the week: Tennis phenom Victoria Mboko and 11-year old Molly Ehlers, who recently completed the 2,700-mile self-supported tour Divide bike race with her father. 

Have thoughts about today's show or your own Feisty pick of the week? Send a voice memo to [email protected]

Highlights:

• 00:43 - What We Watched: Kate Courtney's record-breaking performance at Leadville 100
• 04:31 - The Belt Buckle Debate: Only 9 women earned buckles in Leadville...
• 12:16 - Understanding the dildos being thrown at WNBA games
• 19:31 - A Listener Voicemail: Kelly's mom weighs in
• 23:24 - In the Weeds with Kelly & Sara: Why the Olympics don't have a Women's Decathlon?
• 30:03 - Advocating for a gradual Olympic transition to decathlon
• 31:28 - Building opportunities for women in decathlon
• 38:23 - Highlighting Top Female Decathletes
• 42:42 - Sexist or stupid?
• 51:32 - The World Games and other women's sports to watch this upcoming week
• 56:29 - Feisty Picks of the Week

Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews

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In today's episode, Sara and Kelly break down a packed week of women’s sports: iconic victories, historic performances, and—of course—a fair amount of controversy.

• They kick things off with a recap of the CrossFit Games, celebrating Tia-Clair Toomey’s incredible eighth title and examining the broadcast coverage for this year's event.
• Next, we head to the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, where we hear from legendary photographer Dominique Powers about the crowds and vibes on the ground (and what goes into getting those poster-worthy photos). Attracting all those crowds? Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who made history as the first French cyclist (man or woman) to win the race since 1989.
• And last, they go through the wild weekend at U.S. Track & Field National Championships and the criticism from past Olympic champs of Team USA's performance at the World Aquatic Championships. Did Michael Phelps not hear about the stomach flu that swept through the team? Thank goodness for Katie Ledecky and the medley relay team's world record on the last day.

The biggest news of the week, though: World Athletics’ decision to reinstate sex testing for female athletes. Why did they go back down this path?

Drawing on the history of sex testing in sports, scientific criticisms of how sex is established, and the voices of today’s athletes, Kelly & Sara go deep into the weeds to break down how we got back here — after the IOC got rid of sex testing in the 1990s — and why requiring athletes to verify their female-ness is just not going to be good for anyone.

• 03:06 – Tia-Clair Toomey: The CrossFit GOAT
• 12:56 – Tour de France Femmes highlights from the ground with Dominque Powers and the debate around weight in cycling
• 30:23 – Swimming World Championships drama and the stomach flu
• 35:50 – US Track & Field Nationals highlights — including Sha'Carri Richardson's airport arrest
• 38:16 – Celebrating Emily Infeld’s first national title
• 41:20 – Why the heck did World Athletics reinstate sex testing after 30 years without it? The history, science, and problems
• 01:06:20 – Feisty Picks of the Week

💬 Have thoughts about today's show or your own Feisty pick of the week? Send a voice memo to [email protected]

Resources:

"World Athletics’ mandatory genetic test for women athletes is misguided. I should know – I discovered the relevant gene in 1990"

"The Humiliating Practice of Sex-Testing Female Athletes"

Special thanks to Dominique Powers for your coverage and commentary from the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift

This week, Sara and Kelly dig into the CrossFit Games — crowning "the fittest woman on Earth" this weekend, Aug. 1-3 — and the challenges CrossFit has been dealing with.

Plus, CrossFit Games podium finisher and entrepreneur, Arielle Loewen, joins The Feist to give us the inside scoop on:

• Her path to becoming a top CrossFit competitor
• A detailed look at her training and mindset
• The state of CrossFit after a tragic death at last year's Games
• Why she is favored for 2nd place (behind 7x winner, Tia-Clair Toomey)

But, as always, Sara and Kelly first share their favorite women's sports highlights and picks from the week, including a breakdown of the thrilling Euro Final between Spain and England, the chaotic stages and intense sprints at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, a U.S. Track & Field National Championships preview, and a look ahead to the much-anticipated showdown between Katie Ledecky and Summer McIntosh in the 800m free.

Highlights:

• 00:30 Kelly's WNBA Game Experience and Fan Reactions
• 03:45 Euros Soccer Recap
• 07:44 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Highlights
• 12:19 Ledecky and McIntosh go head to head
• 15:07 U.S. National Track and Field Championships
• 18:20 CrossFit Games Preview with Arielle Loewen
• 31:18 Balancing Career and Family
• 31:58 CrossFit Games 2023 v. 2024
• 37:24 Games Competitors and Predictions
• 38:15 CrossFit's Safety and Reputation Issues
• 42:42 The Evolution of CrossFit and Functional Fitness
• 50:39 Arielle's Training Regimen
• 54:25 Arielle's Entrepreneurial Ventures: Pretty Strong for a Mom
• 58:16 Body Image and Social Media
• 1:00:53 Closing Thoughts and Picks of the Week, including a 12-year-old swimmer at the world championships

Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews

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 This week it's all about previewing the biggest women's race of the year: The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Kate Veronneau,  director of women's strategy at Zwift, joins us to give a peak behind the curtain into what goes into the massive event, the kind of growth they've seen at TDFF, and who she thinks could win.

But first, it's our women's sports highlights from the week, including drama from the Euros soccer championship, gossip from the WNBA All-Star Weekend, and a deep dive into the doping sanction that was handed out to the marathon world record holder (and why it hurts more than just a couple of athletes).

From what women's sports we watched to what we want to watch, it's just another week of your favorite sports with your Feistiest friends!

Highlights:

• 0:00 - Welcome and What We Watched
• 13:00 - "Pay Us What You Owe Us"
• 21:57 - WNBA Insights and Gossip
• 25:02 - The Doping Downfall of Marathon World Record Holder, Ruth Chepngetich
• 34:43 - The Impact of Doping on Athletic Careers
• 43:20 - Kate Veronneau previews the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
• 01:11:10 - Our Feisty Picks of the Week, including American Ninja Warrior

Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews

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This week on The Feist, Sara Gross and Kelly O’Mara dive into a jam-packed episode — starting with the major moments they watched in women’s sports from the past week:

• The historic all-women’s boxing card at Madison Square Garden (which made Sara cry)
• And why they couldn't find replay video of a controversy at the Giro d'Italia Women

Then, it's all about what women's sports to watch this upcoming week:

• Euros! Who are we rooting for now that Wales is out?
• The WNBA All-Star game and how voting went a little sideways this year + a quick primer on the economics of WNBA and how, yes, they are profitable
• And the NFL Flag Championships open up a debate about whether we're pro or con flag football

Before Sara & Kelly make their picks of the week, they dive deep into the explosion of new women’s sports leagues: multiple soccer leagues, two off-season basketball leagues, three volleyball leagues, rugby, softball, hockey, baseball. Is more always better? What does it mean to be a “professional” athlete? How do we build real, lasting fan bases? And what can we do to help women’s sports thrive? (PS. Always buy the merch.)

Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews

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On this episode of the Feist, Sara Gross and Kelly O’Mara settle into a few new popular segments: The women's sports they watched, the women's sports you definitely want to watch, and their female athlete picks of the week.

First, they catch you up on all their favorite women's sports from the week:

• World records on the track: Can seeing your training partner do something make it seem possible?
• Attendance records at the Euros tournament: If Europe's always cared more about soccer than the U.S., why did it take so long for them to back women's soccer?
• And the surprisingly long history of the women's Giro d'Italia

Then, they look ahead to the can't miss event of the weekend: The first all-women's boxing card at Madison Square Garden. And Sara promises she's going to get into boxing just for this.

But before they both make their picks of the week, a special segment: In the Weeds with Kelly and Sara — where they go deep (deep!) on the new unequal qualification system for the Ironman World Championships.

Plus, it wouldn't be a Feisty podcast if we didn't mix some tough questions in with our sports and how we got here.

It's all packed in to another episode of The Feist!

Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews

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What happens when you mix scorching temps, dirt trails, wild river crossings, and a 100-mile adventure in the mountains?

In this run-focused episode, Kelly and Sara "run" head first into the world of ultramarathons, with on-the-ground in-the-dirt coverage from the legendary Western States Endurance Run.

They're basically ultrarunners now — risking heat and fatigue to answer important questions like: Why is Western States so famous? What is the deal with the wild lottery system where it takes athletes 10 years to earn a spot on the start line? How do researchers study these runners in the middle of racing? And does Western States live up to the hype?

This includes interviews with:

• Ultra insider and Western States broadcast commentator, Corinne Malcolm, who breaks down the race’s history, grueling lottery system, and the spirit that makes Western States more than just a race.
• This year's oldest female runner, Diane Grim—also a first-time 100-mile-racer.
• Western States Medical Research Directors Dr. Megan Roche and Dr. Emily Kraus, who share the findings that come out of research conducted during the event: carbs, hydration, and GI distress.
• And the race winner, Abby Hall, in the moments after her surprising (but not surprising) win.

But first, on the other end of the running spectrum, let's talk about Faith Kipyegon’s attempt to become the first woman to run a sub-4-minute mile — and whether, even in failure, she succeeded?

Today is all about running: the people, the science, the breadth and depth of what it means to go the distance.

Welcome to The Feist — your favorite sports, with your feistiest friends.

Hosted by Sara Gross and Kelly O’Mara, Feisty's newest podcast is here to celebrate the unstoppable rise of women’s sports. Every week they'll cover what you need to know in women's sports: from running to basketball to everything in between. The Feist will bring you the untold stories of female athletes, interviews with those athletes and behind-the-scenes experts, and the feisty analysis you need to be a fan.

This is the women's sports podcast that covers the sports that don't always get covered from voices that don't always get heard.

In a special live launch episode, they kick off with a panel on what's next and where women's sports go from here. Joining us for the live event are:

• Scott Lake – Newly minted co-owner of the Toronto Tempo, Canada’s first WNBA team, co-founder of Shopify, and an investor in girls' and women's sports.
• Hilary Stellingwerff – Two-time Canadian Olympian, multi-time national champion in the 1500m, and now head track & cross-country coach at the University of Victoria.
• Krista Thompson – Former national team field hockey player and award-winning coach with 20+ years of experience at the provincial, regional, national and international level.

Together, they dive into:

• The massive economic upside of investing in women’s sports
• Why female role models and maternity support matter more than ever
• The coaching and performance knowledge gaps rooted in outdated research
• The lessons they wish they’d known earlier
• And what’s exciting them most about the future

Whether you're a seasoned fan or want to know more, The Feist is your front-row seat to this women's sports revolution. Because women’s sports aren’t just having a moment—they’re building a movement. And they need fans like you.

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