In this episode of Hurdle, host Emily Abbate sits down with two-time Olympian and 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden for a conversation about redefining limits. Fresh off completing the legendary Marathon des Sables (MDS)—a grueling, self-supported 167-mile stage race across the Sahara Desert—Des takes listeners directly inside her tent.

She shares the realities of surviving on grit, managing endless blisters, and navigating the longest run of her life: a staggering 62-mile day. Des breaks down the exact mindset it takes to avoid "negotiation mode" when the going gets tough and explains how her recent transition into the ultra-trail world has altered her relationship with the sport. Plus, she gives us a behind-the-scenes look at running the Boston Marathon as a "commoner" alongside her husband, Ryan, and her recent trip to the London Marathon.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• The Reality of MDS: Why Des swapped the roads of Michigan for the Sahara, how she managed self-supported gear, and what it’s really like to share a rudimentary tent with seven other runners.

• Silencing the Inner Negotiator: Des outlines her mental strategy for pushing through low moments and why reaching a state of self-pity only slows down forward momentum.

• The Blister Protocol: A look at managing the inevitable physical toll of a multi-day desert race and choosing to stay positive through the discomfort.

• Boston as a one of us: What it felt like to start further back in the corrals, weave through massive crowds, and burn extra matches to finish right before her husband, Ryan.

• The Next Chapter: Des chats about her strategic pivot to media and storytelling with her podcast Nobody Asked Us, her upcoming plans for the Chicago Marathon, and her sights set on the Havlina 100.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

• "The guardrails are off. Let's see where this goes."

• "This is literally what you signed up for... make the decisions to make the right choices because that's really what the event for me is all about."

• "As soon as we start to feel sorry for ourselves, it's like, you're just not going to be productive. So, take the little wins."

• "No one's going to fight for you as much as you... if you're not believing in yourself even more than everyone else, you've got to really think about what you're doing."

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In this episode of 5-MINUTE FRIDAY, Emily checks in from a very warm Paris after a whirlwind trip to Stockholm and Copenhagen. She dives deep into her experience spectating her first-ever HYROX World Championships, as a guest of Red Bull, sharing her top takeaways on the booming fitness phenomenon, the unique dynamics of competing in doubles, and why running endurance might just be your secret weapon to crushing a HYROX event. Plus, Emily answers a listener question about maintaining healthy routines and supplement games while constantly traveling for work.

Highlights & Takeaways:

• The HYROX Breakdown: A run-down of the 8km format and its functional fitness stations, including the ski erg, sled push/pull, rowing, sandbag lunges, farmers carry, and wall balls.

• Doubles Strategy: Why competing with a partner might be the way to go, and how you can strategically split up stations based on your individual strengths.

• The Endurance Advantage: Why an aerobic running base is a massive asset in HYROX, and how it differs from a pure strength-focused training approach.

• Q&A—Routine on the Road: Emily’s top tips for maintaining your workout schedule, journaling habits, and supplement routine (from creatine to AG1) while traveling.

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Welcome to Season 21 of Hurdle! To kick off this brand-new chapter, host Emily's going solo to share the deeply personal evolution of her relationship with running, her career, and herself. From being cut from the JV volleyball team in high school to weighing 200+ pounds as a college freshman, Emily opens up about the pivotal moment that changed everything and the simple decision that started it all: learning to keep showing up for herself, one step at a time.

Whether you are a seasoned marathoner, balancing the demands of a freelance career, or looking for the inspiration to conquer your own current hurdles, this episode serves as a powerful reminder that you belong exactly as you are.

Key Takeaways & Highlights

• The Turning Point: Emily revisits her freshman year at the University of Connecticut, stepping on a dusty scale under her bunk bed, and the counter-intuitive sprint that sparked her health journey.

• The "Half-Mile" Summer: The hilarious and humbling realization that the "mile" she thought she was running every day at summer camp was actually just a half-mile—and why being bad at something is the first step to getting good.

• The Career Hustle: A winding look through Emily’s nearly 20-year journalism career—from associate editor at The Stir to fitness editor roles at Rodale and Self, and finally, the leap of faith into full-time freelancing and starting Hurdle.

• Understanding Opportunity Cost: How a casual glass of wine and a conversation on a New York rooftop redefined the sacrifices required to achieve big athletic and personal goals.

• Looking Ahead to Sydney: Emily gives an update on her current training block for the upcoming Sydney Marathon on August 30th, balancing high-mileage goals with a busy travel schedule.

Memorable Quotes

"I am talking about what happens to your mind, and your confidence, and your life when you decide to keep showing up for yourself, one step at a time."

"You belong exactly as you are."

Links & Resources

• Follow Hurdle: @hurdlepodcast

• Follow Emily: @emilyabbate

• Subscribe to the Newsletter: The Weekly Hurdle on Substack

• Email the Show: hello@hurdle.us

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and don't forget to share it with a friend who might need a little extra inspiration to conquer their own hurdles this week!

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ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.

Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.