Bib & Tiara: Episodes
A podcast about running, Disney, mindset, and doing hard things imperfectly—one honest story at a time.
Start anywhere. Every episode is a reminder that you belong here.
Episode 19: Springtime Suprise + Meet the Coach: Who Could Use a Run Coach?
It's finally time for my favorite race weekend--Springtime Surprise! Whether you are racing or just love some fun magical miles, this one is for you. I'll be sharing a few quick runDisney race weekend tips to get you ready and excited for the weekend!
Then, I'm join by coach Jill Bartholomew for a conversation I've been really excited to share. We talk about what got her into coaching, what a coach can do for you, and what kind of runner or athletes most benefit from the support of a coach.
Whether you're gearing up for your race or just curious about coaching, I think you'll get a lot out of this one.
Episode 18: Is Springtime Suprise the BEST or the WORST runDisney weekend?
In this episode I discuss the upcoming Springtime Surprise race weekend, and explain why I personally love it (and why so many people don't seem to!).
I'll give you a preview of what to expect at this race weekend, a few helpful tips, and discuss what to expect in the upcoming months on the show.
If you are heading to Springtime Surprise, you don't want to miss this one!
Episode 17: Being the Guide—and Needing One Too
Ever feel like an expert in one area of your life...and a total beginner in another?
In this episode, I explore what it's like to live in both spaces at once--and why both roles matter more than we think.
I share a quick pre-trip look at my upcoming Walt Disney World vacation (when I'm playing expert guide for my brother's family), an update on my triathlon training and race planning, and answer a listener question about using the event guide and planning a runDisney race morning.
If you've every found yourself switching between being the guide and needing one, this conversation is for you.
Episode 16: You Don’t Have to Do it Their Way
While going through the always daunting process of runDisney registration for Marathon Weekend, I realized something about myself. I do want to be a part of things, and I also need to do things my own way and have space for myself within them.
In this episode, I talk about how that idea shows up in training, racing (including which races you even sign up for), and in finding joy and peace in community--without losing yourself in the process.
If you have ever felt torn between going along wth the crowd or doing things your own way--this one's for you.
Episode 15: Dopey Dilemmas-On Being Proud of Yourself
In this week's episode I talk about how two moments from the weekend--a swim lesson and a bike ride-- left me feeling surprisingly proud of myself. Not because they looked impressive, but because they were hard, new, and meaningful to me. I'll talk about how those things have lead to the way I'm heading into Marathon Weekend registration day this week.
It got me thinking about how our "why" for training can change over time. For a long time my run goals were about big milestones--podiums, BQs, pushing performance. I'm incredibly proud of that version of myself. But right now the things that make me proud look a little different.
Triathlon training has brought back the excitement of being a beginner again. Small improvements feel huge. Learning new skills is fun. And maybe most importantly, I love that my kids get to see me still trying new things, still learning, still growing.
In this episode I talk about:
-Finding pride in progress
-How our relationship with sports evolves over time
-Marathon Weekend registration and choosing races that align with what matters to you
-Why sometimes the most meaningful accomplishments are the ones no one else sees
Because maybe the goal isn't to keep proving ourselves forever, maybe it's just to keep finding new ways to be proud of ourselves.
Episode 14: Remembering the Why
After a busy few months (Marathon Weekend, Disneyland, then Princess...), my legs are still a little sore and my race calendar is finally quiet for a few weeks. With my next race not until Springtime Surprise in six weeks, it feels like the perfect moment to pause on reflect on something that matters more than any race, medal, or finish line: the why.
In this episode, I'm talking about why I run--the love of movement, feeling more alive, the challenge of learning and growing, and the connection and community that I have found in the running community that means so much to me.
I'm also sharing about my why for starting the Bib & Tiara Podcast in the first place; not to prove anything, go viral, or chase numbers, but to build a space where runners can feel seen, heard, and connected.
When the race calendar gets quiet, it's a good time to ask ourselves the question that matters most.:
What is your why right now?
Episode 13: Both Can Be True—Princess Half Marathon Weekend
In this reflective episode about the Princess Half Marathon Weekend we talk about contradictions. In ourselves.
This weekend held a lot for me.
Joy and Sadness.
Grief and Gratitude.
Anxiety and Perspective.
Annoyance and Appreciation.
I went into the weekend with a chatty quad and a heavy heart. I left with quiet muscles, three race medals, and a big reminder that we are complicated. Life is complicated. You can feel it all, all at once.
You can care about performance and still protect your peace. You can feel reflective and playful. Soft and strong.
Both can be true.
Episode 12: Princess Half Marathon Weekend Vibe Check—We All Belong Here
It’s Princess Half Marathon Week, and we’re talking about prioritizing love of the sport and support for each other over comparison and competition.
Princess weekend has always carried a different energy. With a field that’s roughly 80% women, it’s a unique space in sport—one that can feel empowering… or overwhelming.
Inspired by the recent women’s figure skating competition at the Olympics, I reflect on what it looks like to compete with joy, security, and generosity—and what happens when we stop trying to prove and start focusing on the love of the process.
If you want to approach racing (especially at Disney) as a space for connection and celebration—even when your own performance isn’t what you hoped—this one’s for you!
Episode 11: The Three Princesses of Race Weekend Planning
You got in. You hit register, your heart raced, your credit card survived… and suddenly the emotions hit.
In this episode, I’m talking about the post-registration rollercoaster — why the upset and disappointment posts hit me so hard (and why I see myself in them). We chat about gratitude, perspective, and how quickly “I just want to get in” turns into “this weekend has to be PERFECT.”
Then we shift into some happy real-life updates (hello sunshine and outdoor runs 🙌) before diving into the real topic: planning your runDisney race weekend without turning it into a stress factory.
Because here’s the truth: every race weekend is a balancing act between race goals, park fun, and real-life logistics.
We break down the three race weekend “princess” archetypes:
👑 The Serious and Elite Princess
👑 The Park Warrior Princess
👑 The Balanced Beauty Princess
Which one are you? And how do you plan a weekend that actually matches your goals and your life?
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to make race weekend perfect, this episode is your permission slip to choose your priorities and enjoy the weekend you worked so hard to get to.
Episode 10: No Mo’ FOMO, Tackling runDisney Registration
Registration day for runDisney races can feel like an Olympic sport. The waiting room, the queue, the sell-outs-it's exciting, stressful, and sometimes heartbreaking when you don't get the race you hoped for.
In this episode, we're talking about how registration day works, why it can trigger so much anxiety and FOMO, and how to shift your mindset when things don't go the way you planned. While we can't control the queue, we CAN control how we respond to it.
This episode is about trading FOMO for gratitude, focusing on the experiences you ARE having instead of the ones you're not, and remembering that your running journey is bigger than any single race weekend.
If registration day makes your heart race more than race day, this one's for you.
Episode 9: What Does Strength Look Like Now? Lessons from the Olympics
For decades, the Olympics taught us one version of strength: push trough pain, sacrifice the body, and win at all costs.
In this bonus episode of Bib & Tiara, I look at three iconic Olympic moments that show how that definition has evolved--from Kerri Strug's unforgettable vault at the 1996 Atlanta Games, to Lindsey Vonn's relentless, risk-embracing career, to Simone Biles's decision to step back at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021) to protect her health.
The stories aren't about medals. They're about how we define courage, toughness, and self-worth.
Episode 8: Disneyland Half Weekend: When things Fall Apart, the People Hold it Together
This Disneyland weekend had its fair share of stress, uncertainty, and exhaustion--but it also delivered an unexpected lesson in connection. In this episode, I share my experiences in Disneyland for the last race weekend there (for the time being) along with my almost-teenaged son. I also reflect on how the presence of supportive people can turn difficult moments into meaningful ones, and why who you're with matters mroe than how perfectly things go.
Episode 7: Staying Steady when Everything Shifts
This episode was inspired by a long, cold, chaotic weekend — the kind that disrupts plans, routines, expectations, and your nervous system.
I’m sharing reflections on how to cope when things don’t go as planned, why preparedness is really about flexibility (not control), and how learning to pivot can bring more peace than trying to force outcomes.
If you’ve felt frustrated, disappointed, or thrown off lately, this one’s for you-a reminder that staying steady doesn’t mean staying rigid. Sometimes it just means staying kind to yourself while you find your footing again.
Episode 6: Being Prepared, and Letting Go
Dumbo weekend is almost here--and this episode is all about being prepared without being rigid or stressed.
In this episode, I walk through how Disneyland races actually work, what makes Dumbo weekend its own kind of challenge, and why preparation isn't about controlling every outcome--it's about giving yourself options when things change.
We talk about the pivots you might need to make around weather, travel, race day nerves, or how your body feels, and the importance of accepting what you can't control while staying grounded in what you can.
Whether you're heading into Dumbo, another race weekend, or just a big moment in life, this episode is a reminder that flexibility is a strength--and that sometimes the win is showing up with kindness toward yourself.
Episode 5: The In-Between
What do you do when one race weekend in over....and the next one is coming fast-but you're not sure what mode you’re supposed to be in yet?
In this episode, I talk about that awkward in-between space--physically, mentally, and emotionally. The quiet season after the finish line and before the next starting line, where structure loosens and feelings sneak in.
I also reflect on heading to Disneyland with my almost-teen, and how parenting in this season mirrors running in transition--letting go of what was, adjusting to what's changing, and learning to sit with uncertainty instead of rushing through it.
This one is slower, more personal, and about honoring the in-between--because sometimes that's where the real growth happens.
Episode 4: Redefining the Finish Line
Marathon Weekend didn't unfold the way I imagined--and that's exactly why this episode exists.
In this recap, I walk through the highs, the hard moments, and the decisions I made alone the way, and share the biggest lesson I took with me.
This episode is for anyone who's ever had a race go sideways, faced a DNS or a DNF, or wondered whether they're "still a runner" when things didn't go the way they hoped.
It's about finding the joy in the journey and redefining success, and remembering that your worth as a runner—and as a person—isn’t measured by a finish time or a finish line.
Episode 3: Marathon Weekend without the Pressure
Marathon Weekend can feel like a lot—multiple races, early mornings, big expectations, crowds, and the pressure to push through no matter what.
In this episode, I walk through what Marathon Weekend actually looks like—both logistically and emotionally—and where unnecessary stress tends to creep in.
We talk about how to simplify the weekend, focus on what really matters, and give yourself permission to adjust your plans in real time—without guilt, shame, or pressure to perform.
If you want Marathon Weekend to feel meaningful, sustainable, and actually enjoyable, this episode is your reminder that you’re allowed to do it your way.
Episode 2: Start, Don’t Stress
It's check-in pass Monday, and suddenly everyone is spiraling about corrals, bib numbers, and whether they “belong” at the start line.
In this episode, we talk about what runDisney check-in passes actually mean—and what they don’t. We unpack why comparison sneaks in so fast, and why none of this defines your race, your worth, or your right to be at the start line.
More importantly, we zoom out and talk about starting—in running, racing, and honestly, in life. You don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin. You don’t start because you’re ready. You get ready because you started.
If you’re feeling nervous, behind, or second-guessing yourself, this episode is your reminder to breathe, trust where you are, and keep showing up.
Episode 1: Why Run, Walk, Run is Enough
In this first episode of Bib and Tiara, I share why run-walk-run is not a backup plan, a failure, or "less than" but a smart, sustainable way to train.
We talk about letting go of ego, balancing real life with training, and being honest about what it actually takes to show up and finish (or not)—especially in runDisney events.
If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit the “runner” mold, this episode is your permission slip. You belong here.