Trail Society

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 psychology
Why pressure can disrupt automatic skills
The neuroscience behind overthinking during competition
The role of embarrassment and identity in athletic performance
Why “just treat it like another race” rarely works
Practical tools to re-set your brain mid-race
Self-determination theory: autonomy, competence, and community
Why joy and intrinsic motivation can unlock peak performance

From 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.com
Injinji: use code trailsociety15 to get 15% off at https://www.injinji.com/
@feisty_media
@trail.society

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.
@feisty_media
@trail.society
Injinji: 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 momentum
Western States Golden Ticket updates
Are female athletes more injury-prone?
How hormones affect injury risk
Menstrual cycle research (what we know and what we don’t)
Managing and returning from injury

It'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.com
Injinji: use code trailsociety15 to get 15% off at https://www.injinji.com/
@feisty_media
@trail.society

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.
@feisty_media
@trail.society

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 Triad
Why BMI isn’t an accurate measure of athlete health
New hormonal markers that do matter
Why adolescent runners are especially vulnerable
And why life stress absolutely counts when it comes to health and performance

And 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
@feisty_media
@trail.society