Mind Over Mountain

iHeartPodcasts

From the bestselling author of Wild and co-host of the beloved Dear Sugars podcast, Cheryl Strayed returns with a new kind of journey.

In Mind Over Mountain with Cheryl Strayed, Cheryl sits down with athletes and adventurers from the most high-adrenaline corners of the world (climbers, surfers, ultramarathoners and more) to discuss the inner landscapes that inspired these extraordinary feats, and give advice to listeners on how they too can face seemingly insurmountable moments in their own lives.

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34 episodes
weekly
Avg 54 min
English

Episodes 34

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S1 · E33
Thursday · 56 min
Skiing Blind at 70 MPH: Paralympian Danelle Umstead on Trust and Courage
Four-time Paralympian Danelle Umstead lost her sight, her mother, and nearly her will to live before discovering an unexpected freedom on the ski slopes. We discuss finding joy in the face of adversity, learning to trust herself and others, and how skiing transformed her life in ways she never imagined. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter about embracing personal growth and the fear of falling back into old habits. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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November 5 · 45 min
Seven Summits, One Impossible Loss: Mountaineer Nicole LoBiondo
Mountaineer and author Nicole LoBiondo joins me to talk about climbing the highest peaks on every continent while navigating the grief of losing her mother to ALS. From surviving an avalanche on Mount Everest to discovering who she was beyond being a caregiver, Nicole shares what the mountains taught her about resilience, surrender, and learning to live with loss. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter about letting go of a relationship that never quite was. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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October 29 · 56 min
From Olympic Heartbreak to Surviving Breast Cancer with Donna Fraser
Four-time Olympic sprinter Donna Fraser knows that winning and succeeding aren't always the same thing. She joins me to reflect on the heartbreak of narrowly missing an Olympic medal, the resilience that carried her through a breast cancer diagnosis, and the power of believing in yourself when life doesn't go according to plan. We explore what it means to redefine success, find strength in adversity, and turn our hardest experiences into opportunities to help others. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter about how to support a friend facing a serious illness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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October 22 · 1 hr 32 min
You May Also Like: High Level Conversations: Okema T. Moore and Nicole "Sassy" Harrison
On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby are joined by two of their Sigma Gamma Rho sorors: award-winning director Okema T. Moore, a three-time American Black Film Festival winner, and producer Nicole "Sassy" Harrison, who went from offering to fetch Okema's coffee to a full IMDb page and VFX credits in a single year. They get into Love Zuri, the festival favorite that brought them together, and What Kim Saw, a vertical thriller made for Juicy Shorts, a new Black woman-owned streaming platform. Okema explains why she refused to use AI to create an AI character, why Black women need sponsors and not just mentors, and how she walked away from a six-figure Wall Street job at 36 to chase this dream. She also opens up about living fully out loud, including calling off her wedding two months out: "I said I don't 'cause I knew I didn't." Plus, Terrika gets ready for her last-ever Connecticut Sun broadcast, and Okema gives Sheryl her flowers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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October 15 · 59 min
The Long Walk Forward: Libby DeLana on Change, Clarity, and What Comes Next
In 2011, my friend Libby DeLana decided to take a morning walk every single day, no matter what. She’s been walking ever since—by now, farther than the circumference of the Earth. We talk about what all those miles have taught her about finding calm and clarity, putting one foot in front of the other, and having the courage to plunge into whatever comes next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S1 · E29
October 8 · 44 min
The Mountain Is My Teacher: Everest Record-Holder Lhakpa Sherpa on Resilience
Mount Everest record-holder Lhakpa Sherpa has spent her life climbing—mountains, barriers, and her way through extraordinary hardship. We talk about becoming the first Nepali woman to summit Everest and return safely, what the mountain has taught her about resilience, and why she has returned eleven times—more than any other woman in the world. Lhakpa also reflects on the difficult chapters of her life captured in Lucy Walker’s documentary Mountain Queen, and the strength it took to build a new life for herself and her daughters. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter about finding the courage to take a leap when fear tells you to stay where you are. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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#29
October 1 · 57 min
High Diver Molly Carlson on Being Scared and Doing It Anyway
High diver Molly Carlson knows what it means to be afraid and do it anyway. We talk about her journey from perfectionism and an eating disorder to finding joy in her sport again, how she learned to trust herself at the edge of a 27-meter platform, and why falling short of her Olympic dream ultimately helped her find a better path. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter about what it really means to love yourself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S1 · E27
September 24 · 53 min
A Monument to Paralympian Angela Madsen: Row of Life Director Soraya Simi
After watching the profoundly moving documentary Row of Life, I knew I wanted to talk with its director, Soraya Simi. The film follows Paralympian and 14-time Guinness World Record holder Angela Madsen as she attempts a solo row from Los Angeles to Hawaii—and the devastating loss that transforms her journey into something much larger. Soraya and I talk about Angela’s extraordinary appetite for life, the love story between Angela and her partner Deb, and what it means to tell an athlete’s story when there is no traditional triumphant ending. We explore why films like Row of Life matter: because the stories we preserve shape our understanding of courage, disability, athleticism, love, grief, and what it means to live a big life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S1 · E26
September 17 · 59 min
The Courage to Start Over with Olympic Swimming Champion Natalie Coughlin
This week I talk with 12-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin about the mental strength behind her extraordinary swimming career, the failures that ultimately shaped her success, and what it means to keep beginning again. Natalie shares how visualization helped her become a champion, why missing her first Olympic team became a gift, and how she learned to embrace new chapters after swimming. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter from a woman wondering how to start over and find a fulfilling second career. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S1 · E25
September 10 · 1 hr 2 min
The Same Dream, a Different Path with Paralympic Swimming Champion Christie Raleigh Crossley
Paralympic champion Christie Raleigh Crossley spent decades chasing an Olympic dream, even as accidents, motherhood, brain surgery, and disability repeatedly changed the path beneath her. Christie joins us to talk about learning to adapt, letting go of the life she thought she’d have, and finally reaching the podium in Paris. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter from a mother struggling to accept that parenthood looks different than she imagined. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S1 · E24
September 3 · 57 min
The Thing That Scares You Most: WWE Pro Wrestler AJ Mendez on Finding Your Superpower
Wrestling icon, writer, and mental health advocate AJ Mendez joins me to talk about what happens when we stop hiding the parts of ourselves we’ve been taught to fear. AJ reflects on becoming the trailblazing AJ Lee, walking away at the height of her career, and returning to wrestling a decade later as a healthier, more whole version of herself. We talk about vulnerability, finding power in the things that make us different, and why sometimes the thing that scares us most is exactly where we need to go. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter about heartbreak, emotional intensity, and learning to build the love and security we seek within ourselves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S1 · E23
August 27 · 50 min
Don’t Let the Injury Decide: Professional CrossFit Athlete Rebecka Vitesson on Starting Over
Professional CrossFit athlete Rebecka Vitesson joins me to talk about what it means to come back; not just from injury, but from the fear that the thing you love might be over. Rebecka shares how repeated setbacks taught her to be gentler with herself, celebrate small victories, and measure success by the effort she gives rather than the outcome she earns. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter about finding the discipline to begin, and why sometimes the way forward is to make the first step a little easier. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S1 · E22
August 20 · 48 min
How Do I Want to Show Up? with AVP Beach Volleyball Player Kelly Cheng
Two-time Olympian and AVP beach volleyball player Kelly Cheng joins Cheryl to talk about what it means to keep showing up—with joy, ferocity, and an open heart. We talk about weathering pressure, trusting the people beside us, and learning to quiet the voice that says we aren't enough. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter about making peace with the bodies we're given. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S1 · E21
August 13 · 53 min
Forty-Three Days Alone at Sea: Kelsey Pfendler on Letting Go of Control
After becoming the first American woman to row solo across the mid-Pacific—and the fastest person ever to do it—Kelsey Pfendler joins us to discuss resilience, healing through adventure, and what the wilderness can teach us about ourselves. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter about how to choose a path when every dream feels possible. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S1 · E20
August 6 · 50 min
Building the World You Wish Existed | The Sports Bra's Jenny Nguyen
I sit down with Jenny Nguyen, founder of The Sports Bra, to talk about what happens when frustration becomes purpose. Jenny shares how one ordinary night watching women's basketball sparked an extraordinary idea, why she finally decided to stop waiting for someone else to build the world she wanted to live in, and how trusting a dream that had never been done before transformed not only her own life, but an entire movement. Together we explore the courage it takes to go first, the people who help carry us up the mountain, and why the smallest acts of belief can create ripple effects far beyond what we ever imagined. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter from a young woman struggling to forgive her parents after their divorce, and reflect on what it means to love imperfect people while making room for grace. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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#1
July 30 · 42 min
Reissue: I'm Not Lifting Weights; I'm Lifting People with Tamara Walcott
We sit down with world-record powerlifter Tamara Walcott to talk about strength in every sense of the word. Tamara shares her journey from being picked last to lifting record-breaking weight, the difference between motivation and dedication, and how she replaced shame with pride. Plus, they offer advice to a mom struggling with guilt around taking time for herself—and why saving your own life sometimes starts with one rep. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 23 · 56 min
Reissue: Be So Good They Can't Ignore You: Sarah Spain on Persistence
Sarah Spain joins us for a conversation about nonlinear careers, unexpected pivots, and trusting that the path will reveal itself to you. From comedy to ESPN, Sarah reflects on saying yes before she felt ready and what happened next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 16 · 59 min
Reissue: Blair Braverman on Letting Go and Staying Alive
Iditarod musher and bestselling author Blair Braverman joins Cheryl for a conversation about risk, resilience, and the deep bond between humans and animals. She shares what it’s like to navigate blizzards, isolation, and uncertainty all while being guided by her dogs. Together, they explore fear, leadership, and how trust is built not through control, but through genuine connection. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S1 · E19
July 9 · 49 min
From WNBA Pioneer to Lifelong Inspiration: Kym Hampton
Kym Hampton was there at the beginning of the Women's National Basketball Association, helping to pave the way for generations of athletes to come. But this conversation isn't just about basketball—it's about how we continue evolving throughout our lives. Kym and I talk about resilience, reinvention, and the quiet power of choosing kindness, even when the path ahead isn't clear. We also answer a Dear Sugar letter from a listener wondering how to handle a complicated work relationship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S1 · E19
July 2 · 1 hr 5 min
The Audacity of Vulnerability with Abby Wambach
Soccer icon Abby Wambach joins Cheryl Strayed to explore the inner life behind extraordinary achievement. Abby reflects on the relentless drive that fueled her legendary career, the complicated relationship between success and self-worth, and the emotional journey of redefining identity after elite sports. Together, they discuss grief, sobriety, partnership, and what it means to live with both humility and audacity. The episode ultimately asks a powerful question: how do we measure a meaningful life once the medals are won? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript

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