The Other 3 Years | The Olympian Journey Podcast

In this raw and vulnerable episode, Kristi checks in with us now that the Olympic Games have concluded. She reflects on her own performance and how she is processing a disappointing outcome. She also shows her resilience - although she may not know what the future holds, she doesn’t stay knocked down for long. In her final episode, she signs off with hope.

Don’t miss this inspiring and heartfelt episode. 

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While Kristi’s away at the Olympics, we kick off this episode with a conversation between producer Christine O’Donnell and world rowing commentator Colleen Saville about Kristi’s races in Paris.

Then we dive into her interview with Rudy Winkler, American track and field athlete who competes in the hammer throw and weight throw. Rudy is the current American Record Holder in the hammer toss with a distance of 82.71m. He has finished in the top 8 at his last 4 World Championship and Olympic finals, and is a 3x Olympian who is on Team USA in Paris with Kristi right now.

Rudy shares with Kristi how this niche sport was perfect for a self-described “big kid,” what makes this sport a 98% mental game, and how avoiding superstition and embracing anxiety has helped him achieve his goals. Plus, Rudy gives us a hint of how you can tell if he’s happy with his throw or not. They also speak candidly on their complicating feelings about dedicating so much of their lives to sport, and how they find balance (or not) with other priorities.

Follow Rudy’s Olympic journey on Instagram

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It’s go time! Kristi answers some of our burning pre-Olympics questions as she heads to Paris for the Summer 2024 Games where she is competing in the women’s double sculls.

Some questions get deep (has being on Team USA made her more of a patriot?), some…not so much (is she going to try a chocolate chip cookie croissant?). She tells about how visualization and meditation help her get ready for her races, would she do it all over again if she knew what she knows now, and the most important question: has she gotten any sweet swag yet?

Follow Kristi and Team USA Rowing in Paris:

Links for Schedules and News:

USRowing.org | @USRowing

WorldRowing.com | @WorldRowingOfficial

Row2K | @Row2K

Watch and Stream the Games

On NBC

On Peacock

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In our last episode before the Olympics begin, Kristi talks to Team USA Field Hockey player Ally Hammel. Ally tells us about the fascinating ways field hockey is always evolving, the differences and similarities between its sister sport on the ice, and how it transforms from high school to collegiate and international levels. Having competed everywhere from India to Chile, Ally shares what it sounds like in a stadium when you’re playing a team in their home country. 

We also hear how her team’s culture of balance and joy has created space for success, the importance of having a plan, and why she tries to learn something new every day - on and off the pitch. 

Plus: Kristi’s counting down to Paris with gelato and trivia in Italy.

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This week Kristi chats with two of her old friends, Ben Weatherwax and Michael Fairley, lightweight Harvard Rowing and Saratoga alumni who just won their race at IRAs. 

The guys take us back to the beginning of their rowing careers (in fourth grade!) to high school rowing (including winning Nationals) and through their unconventional roads to Harvard. 

We hear about how they helped turn their less-than-stellar program to into one of the top programs in the nation, and learned the lesson that more hard work and dedication is usually the answer.  After racking up one too many 2nd place finishes, they made a pledge of “no more silver medals” - and it worked. But watch out for the buoys.

Plus: Kristi is rocking Comfort Plus seats and gelato as she trains in Italy, but her traveling library is weighing her down. Will she and Sophia be able to assemble their fan? Stay tuned. Only two weeks to the Olympics!

Check out more about Ben & Michael on IG.

Keep up with Kristi's Podcast - The Other 3 Years

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Get ready to get pumped up! In this week’s energetic episode, host Kristi Wagner chats with Mary Whipple, the former Team USA coxswain for the Women’s 8, 2x Olympian with two gold and one silver medal, 5x world champion, and current coach and commentator. Mary tells Kristi about how she came to love coxing after first being disappointed at not being selected as a rower, how not buying into limitations gave her an edge over her competitors and why she started The 9th Seat, which provides resources, training and community for coxswains. Then Mary counts down her top four favorite races, and gives Kristi some solid coaching and a pep talk as she prepares to head to the Olympics.

Plus, Kristi’s riding the “gravy train” all the way to Paris (21 days and counting!)

Learn about Mary and The 9th Seat here.

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This week we have the impressive Olivia Reeves, a Team USA Olympic Weightlifter in the Paris 2024 Games, gold medal winner at the 2024 IWF Championships and 2023 Pan Am Championships, and US women’s record holder. Since Olympic Weightlifting is a new topic for us on the podcast, Olivia explains how the sport works and what a training routine and competition look like.

She also tells us about how growing up in her family’s CrossFit gym led her to a passion for weightlifting, and her journey to find a routine and mindset that work for her - regardless of what everyone else is doing. She also weighs in on the controversial practice of weight cutting, what it feels like to be going to her first Olympics, and her meticulous competition day rituals.

Plus: Kristi's just here for the BBQ.

🏅 You can follow Olivia’s Olympic Journey on her instagram

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Happy Father’s Day! As promised, Kristi sits down with one of her biggest champions: her self-proclaimed “Rowing Dad,” Steve Wagner. The father-daughter duo talk about Steve’s unique ability to help Kristi through difficult and disappointing events, his best and worst memories of her rowing career (so far), how he supported her in making the leap to full-time athlete, and what it feels like to watch your child qualify for the Olympics. A month out from the games (!!!) Steve shares what he's most looking forward to in Paris (parents get a special hat, right?).

Plus, Kristi’s training has officially entered the “Countdown to the Olympics” phase!

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You’re in for quadruple the fun this week as host Kristi Wagner interviews the Team USA women’s 4x rowers: Lauren O’Connor, Teal Cohen, Grace Joyce and Emily Delleman. The ladies share with us how they prepped for their Olympic qualifying race (which they won), how it feels for all four of them to be going to their first Olympics, and the importance of celebrating the little wins along with the big ones. They also sing the virtues of sports psychology and spill on an Olympian tradition: team tattoos.

You won’t want to miss this hilarious and inspiring conversation with the women’s Quad Rowers!

Plus, Kristi updates us on her own Olympics prep - from her tent.

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Meet the unstoppable Molly Reckford, Kristi’s fellow Team USA rower (and successful financial analyst) about her unconventional journey to becoming a two-time Olympian in the women’s lightweight doubles competition. She talks about her struggle to be taken seriously and given a chance as a rower, and how she overcame those hurdles with determination and seizing opportunities. We also hear about how she quit rowing for finance but got drawn back in, and after only 18 months back in the boat she was on her way to the Olympics. Don’t miss hearing about how Molly’s hard work and tenacity (and a little bit of luck) helped her achieve her dreams.

Also, Kristi updates us on her Olympics prep plan: train hard, eat hard and sleep hard. 

Follow Molly’s Olympic journey on her Instagram

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