The Feist

• A week of acronyms: The rise of UTMB's ultrarunning — and the historic mountain bike world champs

  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 championshipsWatch UTMB LiveHannah's White Rim FKT movieHave thoughts about today's show or your own Feisty pick of the week? Send a voice memo to [email protected]:02:52 - Navigating postpartum racing and a mini-rant19:04 - The ins-and-outs of UTMB and qualifying29:10 - Female participation in trail running40:09 - The many multiple mountain biking disciplines55:10 - Exploring the FKT phenomenon in mountain bikingSubscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews Hettas:  Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/ Previnex: Use code THEFEISTPOD for 15% off your first order at https://www.previnex.com/

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• It's time for Rugby World Cup hype!

  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 CanadaAnd 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 3World Athletics FAQ on the new SRY gene testing processSurvey of elite and national female athletes on transgender participationThe Rugby World Cup schedule & how to watchAnd 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 Hettas:  Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/ Previnex: Use code THEFEISTPOD for 15% off your first order at https://www.previnex.com/

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• Is it sexism or just stupid? Women still can't do the decathlon — and other concerns

  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 straightSports 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]:00:43 - What We Watched: Kate Courtney's record-breaking performance at Leadville 10004:31 - The Belt Buckle Debate: Only 9 women earned buckles in Leadville...12:16 - Understanding the dildos being thrown at WNBA games19:31 - A Listener Voicemail: Kelly's mom weighs in23:24 - 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 decathlon31:28 - Building opportunities for women in decathlon38:23 - Highlighting Top Female Decathletes42:42 - Sexist or stupid? 51:32 - The World Games and other women's sports to watch this upcoming week56:29 - Feisty Picks of the WeekSubscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews Hettas:  Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/ Previnex: Use code THEFEISTPOD for 15% off your first order at https://www.previnex.com/

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• Why the h*** are we bringing back sex testing in sports?!

  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 GOAT12:56 – Tour de France Femmes highlights from the ground with Dominque Powers and the debate around weight in cycling30:23 – Swimming World Championships drama and the stomach flu35:50 – US Track & Field Nationals highlights — including Sha'Carri Richardson's airport arrest38:16 – Celebrating Emily Infeld’s first national title41:20 – Why the heck did World Athletics reinstate sex testing after 30 years without it? The history, science, and problems01:06:20 – 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]:"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

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• Arielle Loewen takes us inside the CrossFit Games

  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 competitorA detailed look at her training and mindsetThe state of CrossFit after a tragic death at last year's GamesWhy 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 Reactions03:45 Euros Soccer Recap07:44 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Highlights12:19 Ledecky and McIntosh go head to head15:07 U.S. National Track and Field Championships18:20 CrossFit Games Preview with Arielle Loewen31:18 Balancing Career and Family31:58 CrossFit Games 2023 v. 202437:24 Games Competitors and Predictions38:15 CrossFit's Safety and Reputation Issues42:42 The Evolution of CrossFit and Functional Fitness50:39 Arielle's Training Regimen54:25 Arielle's Entrepreneurial Ventures: Pretty Strong for a Mom58:16 Body Image and Social Media1:00:53 Closing Thoughts and Picks of the Week, including a 12-year-old swimmer at the world championshipsSubscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews Hettas:  Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/ Previnex: Use code THEFEISTPOD for 15% off your first order at https://www.previnex.com/

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