What does it look like to balance Olympic competition, motherhood, and the unexpected realities of parenting? In this episode, I sit down with Olympic gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor to talk about raising two children with disabilities, leaning on support, and how motherhood changed the way she thinks about success, identity, and resilience.

We also talk about representation in sport, using ASL as a family, and the mental health side of chasing big goals. It is an honest conversation about what it takes to keep showing up as both an elite athlete and a mom.

In this episode, we cover:

• What it felt like to finally win Olympic gold after years of coming close

• Why the right village matters in motherhood and elite sport

• Parenting two children with disabilities and using ASL as a family

• How representation can help other families feel less alone

• What sport taught her about parenting through uncertainty

• How motherhood changed her identity, perspective, and relationship to winning

• The realities of being a Black athlete in winter sports

• Why access and inclusion in sports still matter

• What she hopes her children take away from watching her story

• How she prepares for the post-Olympics emotional crash and protects her mental health

To connect with Elana Meyers Taylor follow her on Instagram @⁠elanameyerstaylor⁠, ⁠check out all her resources at ⁠⁠https://www.elanameyersusa.com⁠. 

⁠Purchase the shirt Dr. Mona is wearing here.⁠

00:00 Intro: Elana Meyers Taylor on Gold, Motherhood, and Perspective

02:58 The Gold Medal Moment After a Fifth Olympics

07:50 Why Success in Motherhood Takes a Village

10:43 Building the Right Support System as a Mom and Athlete

14:13 Raising Deaf Children, Disability Advocacy, and Representation

18:09 How Sports Prepared Her for Medical Parenting

20:49 How Motherhood Changed Her Identity as an Athlete

24:38 Breaking Barriers in Winter Sports as a Black Olympian

29:17 What She Hopes Her Children Learn from Her Story

31:02 Finding Joy in Ordinary Mom Life After Olympic Gold

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00;00;00;06 – 00;00;17;26

Elana Meyers Taylor

You know, it’s funny is that moment still hasn’t really set it. Like I still have to pinch myself. And so I have to, like, actually go look at the gold medal to know that it’s real and to actually have it, it still doesn’t feel like it actually happened. Yeah. That’s the thing is like, to really be, like at your best as a mother, it takes a village.

 

00;00;17;26 – 00;00;39;03

Elana Meyers Taylor

It takes a village for all of us. Whether you’re an Olympic athlete or whether you’re a doctor, or whether any or whether even you’re a single stay at home mom, like even stay at home moms, like, I lasted three weeks as a stay at home mom. I was like, I’m going back to bobsled this year.

 

00;00;39;06 – 00;01;06;27

Dr. Mona

Welcome back to the PedsDocTalk Podcast. I’m your host, doctor Mona, pediatrician, mom of two and someone who loves conversations that remind us what strength and perspective really look like in real life. And who better than a world class Olympian? Have you ever watched someone achieve something incredible and thought, how do they do it all? How does someone compete at the highest level in the world, stand on an Olympic podium and also show up as a parent, including a parent raising two children with disabilities?

 

00;01;06;29 – 00;01;36;26

Dr. Mona

How does someone carry the weight of history, representation, advocacy and motherhood and still push a bobsled down an Olympic track fast enough to win gold? Today’s guest is someone many of you watched Make History this winter at the Milan Winter Olympics. She is a gold medal Olympic champion in Monobob, a six time Olympic medalist and the most decorated black Winter Olympian in history, a title she actually earned even before these most recent games.

 

00;01;36;28 – 00;02;00;05

Dr. Mona

She’s also a mental health advocate, a mom of two children with disabilities, and a disability advocate helping shift how the world understands inclusion and representation. And I have to say this part because I’m 40 and she’s 41. Hello fellow elder millennial kicking butt. She is Elana meyers Taylor and she’s here on the show today. I am just so honored she joined me after she won.

 

00;02;00;05 – 00;02;29;22

Dr. Mona

I honestly just took a shot. I emailed her, sent a DM, and here we are making this happen when she’s literally being driven to another event which honestly feels very on brand for someone living this kind of life post Olympic win. In this conversation, we talk about that gold medal moment, the people behind her success, motherhood while competing at the highest level, and how raising her two incredible boys has shaped the way she sees the world and how she is as an athlete.

 

00;02;29;25 – 00;02;57;24

Dr. Mona

This is a conversation about perspective, advocacy, resilience and the beautiful reality that sometimes the strongest people are the ones leading with the biggest hearts. I see you, Elana. Remember, if you love this episode, share it on social media. Tag PedsDocTalk the PedsDocTalk podcast and Elana meyers Taylor. Let’s get into this incredible conversation.

 

00;02;57;26 – 00;03;08;05

Dr. Mona

So, Elana, I’m so happy you’re with me today. Do you know why I have this pillow in front of me right now? Like you’re probably wondering, like the stuff you’re going to just record with pillows. I bought your show.

 

00;03;08;06 – 00;03;13;26

Elana Meyers Taylor

Yay! Oh, it looks so good. I actually have to read, so it’s okay.

 

00;03;13;26 – 00;03;30;10

Dr. Mona

I’m going to move it for any of our people watching. So I had to buy some 

 elana meyers Taylor merch. And so it says bobsled and ASL, which is super cool. So I’m going to link it because I got it and I was like, it has to come before we have our conversation. So thank you so much for joining me.

 

00;03;30;12 – 00;03;38;17

Dr. Mona

You are joining me in between a lot of exciting things happening, media getting going around. So thank you for taking the time to come on the show today.

 

00;03;38;19 – 00;03;41;02

Elana Meyers Taylor

Of course. Yeah. Thanks for having me.

 

00;03;41;05 – 00;04;08;26

Dr. Mona

So you completed you competed in your fifth Olympic Games. And across your career, you’ve now earned six Olympic medals, one gold, three silver, two bronze. But this past February brought that moment that people around the world were celebrating with you. On February 16th, you won an Olympic gold and monobob by 400th of a second. You’re the most decorated black Winter Olympian in history, which, by the way, you didn’t even need these Olympics to claim that you got that after Beijing in 2022.

 

00;04;09;00 – 00;04;32;29

Dr. Mona

If I’m correct, and you’re also a mom of two children with disabilities, and as a pediatrician, I know that this entire road is not linear. There’s so much strength and determination in that journey, too. And I have to say, you’re 41. I’m 40. So part of me was watching this race thinking, wow, how is your back feeling after pushing a bobsled down an Olympic track?

 

00;04;33;01 – 00;04;52;07

Dr. Mona

But surely if you watched that finish for everyone listening, that joy was contagious. I remember seeing that moment and honestly feeling like I want something to. And that’s just the power of the Olympics. It’s been a few weeks since that race. How are you feeling now that a little time has passed since that incredible win of yours?

 

00;04;52;09 – 00;05;17;25

Elana Meyers Taylor

You know, it’s funny. Is that moment still hasn’t really set in. Like, I still have to pinch myself and still have to, like, actually go look at the gold medal to know that it’s real and to actually have it. It still doesn’t feel like it actually happened, but I think it was because of how much went into it, how improbable it seemed at the time, because we had a really difficult season, and it just didn’t seem like the pieces were lining up, and it just seemed like it was just an uphill battle the entire time.

 

00;05;17;25 – 00;05;36;17

Elana Meyers Taylor

But so to actually have done it, it still doesn’t feel real. But I’m still like enjoying life and loving it and and, you know, taking time into that only thank the people that mean the most to me and that really helped towards this, but also enjoy and celebrate and do all the things. So it’s been a whirlwind, but it’s been a lot of fun.

 

00;05;36;19 – 00;05;38;25

Dr. Mona

Is it heavy? The gold medal.

 

00;05;38;28 – 00;05;45;26

Elana Meyers Taylor

Yeah, it’s a 0.40 wait, wait a second. Oh, 1.4oz.

 

00;05;45;28 – 00;05;48;17

Dr. Mona

I’m like I’m like gold. Yeah. Wow.

 

00;05;48;17 – 00;05;58;28

Elana Meyers Taylor

Well, like, I was sure was Gabby. I was like, oh wait, where is it? Yeah, it’s right up you that. Oh yeah. So it’s.

 

00;05;59;00 – 00;06;03;14

Dr. Mona

You know, do you know where it’s going to go? Do you know where it’s going to go in your house.

 

00;06;03;16 – 00;06;08;09

Elana Meyers Taylor

Oh probably. Just like I don’t even know if I’ll keep it at the house. I’ll probably go in and safe with my other medals.

 

00;06;08;16 – 00;06;09;14

Dr. Mona

Exactly.

 

00;06;09;17 – 00;06;23;27

Elana Meyers Taylor

Right now we’re going to, we’re going to have it with us over a little bit longer. So I’m going to carry it with me a little bit and oh wait. And I have to keep it with me to remind myself that’s actually real. Like this is gold. It’s not silver, a bronze and all medals are great. Don’t get me wrong.

 

00;06;23;27 – 00;06;26;06

Elana Meyers Taylor

Yes. Was something special, so.

 

00;06;26;08 – 00;06;43;00

Dr. Mona

Well, yeah. I mean, I was going to say the same thing. I mean, you your career has been impressive despite the gold. Like, obviously the gold is like that icing on the cake, I get it. I mean, it’s the best in that event at the Olympics, but I love that you obviously were so decorated and so accomplished even before this gold.

 

00;06;43;00 – 00;07;05;06

Dr. Mona

So I mean, I appreciate that sentiment, but listen, it is pretty awesome. Like from the outside looking in go ahead and celebrate. But I can totally relate to that surreal feeling. You’re like, wait, am I in a dream still? Like, what’s what’s going on when you realize when you realize you had one. But you know, just for hundredth of a second, I know I saw that moment, but what went through your mind in that exact moment?

 

00;07;05;12 – 00;07;25;10

Elana Meyers Taylor

It was just so much joy and so much disbelief and so much I like just feeling like I just couldn’t believe it happened. Like it was incredible. And and to have that moment and share it with not only my nanny, who was my teammate as well, but also my kids. Like, it just felt like just the perfect moment.

 

00;07;25;10 – 00;07;40;06

Elana Meyers Taylor

And like there have been so many times earlier, my career was so close to a gold medal and you wonder why is it not happening? Why is it not happening? Like I lost out of a gold by a 10th of a second and then seven hundredths of a second. So to now finally have the clock in my favor.

 

00;07;40;06 – 00;07;49;21

Elana Meyers Taylor

Like it was just like, oh, this is incredible. And you just can’t even put into words what that moment was like when you cross the finish line and actually see that it happened.

 

00;07;49;23 – 00;08;16;01

Dr. Mona

And you said beautifully about your, your nanny team. I mean, I’m a mother as well. Like I’ve mentioned, I’m also a business owner, I’m a pediatrician, and I’m also very vocal about the team that supports me and my family. So that was that moment that actually really made me most emotional. And I think a lot of moms felt the same way, is that not only seeing a mother win, but also a mother who’s celebrating with the team that makes her and helps her win.

 

00;08;16;01 – 00;08;36;22

Dr. Mona

Like, I don’t think people realize that we are incredible, but we can do even more with the team around us. So I felt that deeply because my nanny right now is not just the kid’s nanny, she’s my nanny like she is my team. So even though the world sees the athlete crossing the finish line, there are so many people behind that moment and I love in all of your interviews already you’ve talked about that.

 

00;08;36;24 – 00;08;45;25

Dr. Mona

Who are the people that made this gold possible with you, and what do you wish more people understood about the team behind success? Whether it’s an athlete or as a mom?

 

00;08;45;28 – 00;09;04;08

Elana Meyers Taylor

I mean, that’s the thing is, my nanny this time, Macey, was actually my bobsled teammate. So she’s done everything this season from not only watch the kids, but also help me prepare equipment, also brainstorm different ideas to help me prepare for races and even talk to the sports of things. So she’s done everything. She’s gone above and beyond.

 

00;09;04;11 – 00;09;26;00

Elana Meyers Taylor

But even before her, we had other nannies, whether it was Malia, my nanny previous year, or Talia or Tiffany or all these other nannies. Like it’s crazy how much of a village you really need behind you in order to accomplish anything. Great. And it’s been the nannies. It’s been my husbands and my family’s. But my friends, like even my friends, will pitch in and watch the kids for a second.

 

00;09;26;00 – 00;09;47;09

Elana Meyers Taylor

Allow me to have a meal that’s not standing over a sink. Yeah, those kind of things, you know what I mean? And that’s the thing is, like, to really be, like, at your best as a mother, it takes a village. It takes a village for all of us. Whether you’re an Olympic athlete or whether you’re a doctor, or whether any or whether even you’re a single stay at home mom, like, yeah, you can stay at home moms.

 

00;09;47;09 – 00;10;08;06

Elana Meyers Taylor

Like, I lasted three weeks as a stay at home mom was like, I’m going back to bobsled this year. Bobsledding is easier than being a stay at home mom. I grew up like it’s so. Motherhood is so hard. Parenthood is so hard. And like the the more of a village you have around you. And it is, I will definitely say it’s a privilege to be able to have a nanny.

 

00;10;08;11 – 00;10;28;28

Elana Meyers Taylor

But the more village you have around you, the better it is for everybody, the more you’re going to be able to accomplish not only as a mother, but as a wife, as a bobsledder, as anybody like it really does take a village to raise kids. And I think somewhere along the line, we’ve gotten away from that. Like we saw it like it was a single person or a two person kind of thing.

 

00;10;28;28 – 00;10;32;08

Elana Meyers Taylor

But it’s not raising kids takes everybody.

 

00;10;32;08 – 00;10;43;13

Dr. Mona

Yeah. Now let’s take a quick break to hear from our sponsors who support helps us keep bringing you this show.

 

00;10;43;15 – 00;10;59;05

Dr. Mona

And I mean, obviously, the work ethic you have to put into your sport, you know, what would be that personality of that village for you? Like, I know we talk about the village, right? I also agree in the village, and I’ve also had people in my village that probably didn’t need to be in my village meeting. What is that?

 

00;10;59;05 – 00;11;07;09

Dr. Mona

What is that person for you like, how do they support you? Not only for the things that they do, but like how they emotionally support you? Like, what type of person is that?

 

00;11;07;11 – 00;11;32;09

Elana Meyers Taylor

Yeah, I think you bring up a really good point is the difference between this games and previous games is we’ve been really intentional about creating the right village. So it’s one thing to say, like you have a lot of people around you and a lot of people helping, but it’s so important to have that mentality of people who really believe in what you’re doing, really believe in, your dreams just as much as you and also are really invested in your children and really want what’s best for your children as well.

 

00;11;32;09 – 00;11;50;27

Elana Meyers Taylor

And realize that the kids are part of my dream and they’re part of everything I do. So I’m not going to be able to be successful if I do, if I know my kids aren’t taken care of like I need my kids to be well taken care of, I need to know that they’re fed and that they’re happy in order to go out there on the ice and do what I do.

 

00;11;50;27 – 00;12;07;05

Elana Meyers Taylor

So I need people in my corner that believe that, and that’s been the biggest difference this games versus other games and so intentional about not making sure we just have some random person helping is that those people really believe in me as much as I do, or sometimes even more than I believe myself.

 

00;12;07;08 – 00;12;25;09

Dr. Mona

And do you feel like, we’ll get I want to get into your family a little bit. In a bit, in a moment. But do you feel like it was also important? Obviously, finding people who knew how to raise your kids because of their background disabilities, the fact that they would need to communicate with them, like finding that right person, was probably really hard as well.

 

00;12;25;11 – 00;12;44;11

Elana Meyers Taylor

Oh, without a doubt. And also finding people that are willing to learn. Finding people. Yes. And that, you know, they may be new to the disability space because, as you know, like it is extremely hard for parents of kids with disabilities to find any caretaker. Like a lot of people aren’t up for the challenges. You know, my oldest, Nico is almost.

 

00;12;44;19 – 00;13;09;06

Elana Meyers Taylor

He’s 60 pounds, so even being able to lift him up, he doesn’t walk really well. So even being able to lift him up, move them around, change diapers and stuff, it’s a lot. So finding people who can understand that, appreciate that and know how to work with them is pretty difficult. But also finding people that are willing to take on the take on the learning opportunity, I’ll put it like that, is the learning opportunity needed to understand how you need to communicate them.

 

00;13;09;08 – 00;13;27;08

Elana Meyers Taylor

And like even every single day they have had, it’s been so willing to be able to go above and beyond to try and learn American Sign Language and try and learn different ways to communicate and just try to figure it out, which I’ve been very blessed to be able to have that opportunity. And it’s been really cool to see their growth also as people and their growth.

 

00;13;27;10 – 00;13;32;25

Elana Meyers Taylor

Also to understand like what disability is and how to interact with different individuals.

 

00;13;32;27 – 00;13;52;20

Dr. Mona

I love that advice and that’s how I feel as a pediatrician too, because I’m also always learning right when I’m seeing my patients in my office, I practice medicine, and part of practicing medicine is learning through my family. So whether it’s a family, you know, whose child has a disability or if it’s a child who is neurodiverse, like every child is so unique even within that space.

 

00;13;52;20 – 00;14;13;04

Dr. Mona

So it’s like always about being open and humble and understanding about that. And I think like, like to your point, not only about the nannies, but family members and doctors like, hey, this is a new patient, this is a new person in your life. How are we going to best support this child in their needs? And I already mentioned there’s so many moments of your win that has resonated with myself in my community.

 

00;14;13;10 – 00;14;28;10

Dr. Mona

The hugging of your nanny was one of them. And then the other obviously, is how open you’ve been about your family. You know, you have two boys, you mentioned Niko’s. Your older Noah and I saw in an interview you were chatting on how your toddler had no pants on when you won because, you know, hello toddler life.

 

00;14;28;10 – 00;14;47;22

Dr. Mona

Like I have a toddler as well and I just love that relate ability. Elana, like your mom and you’re a freaking gold medalist and Olympian. So you know, both of your children are deaf and your older son has down syndrome, correct? And so raising kids is never easy. And I know there can be added layers when you’re raising children with disabilities.

 

00;14;47;22 – 00;15;11;27

Dr. Mona

And I think I know that you know that. But sometimes people who aren’t in that situation can’t really understand. And I also loved the moment after you won where you used ASL to communicate, communicate with your kids and your husband doing the same. It just was a beautiful reflection of your family and the inclusiveness to the world that we’re growing up in and of like it was, it was awesome.

 

00;15;11;27 – 00;15;29;13

Dr. Mona

Like it was really awesome to see that that you had that moment, but you also had that moment being who you are with the children, with your children, with your family. And so how has this Olympic win shaped your experience as a mom and a disability advocate, and has it been extra special because of the advocate and mother?

 

00;15;29;13 – 00;15;34;01

Dr. Mona

You are like like f. Yeah, like we did this together.

 

00;15;34;04 – 00;15;59;05

Elana Meyers Taylor

Yeah. It’s been really special because of that, because we’ve been able to show the world like American Sign Language and how we communicate as a family and all these different things that have been able to talk about, like what our lives is like as, people with the disability community. So it’s been really, really cool and it’s been really awesome to have other parents reach out to me and tell me how much the win meant to them, and how much it meant to have that representation and to see it.

 

00;15;59;07 – 00;16;23;20

Elana Meyers Taylor

And that’s the biggest thing is like, the crazy thing is, as a parent, I don’t know any different. Like, yeah, it was my first I only know raising disabled children. And so that’s been our lives the entire time. So I don’t I don’t have a comparison to know whether it’s harder or more difficult or anything like that. But what I can say, like we’ve been blessed to be a part of these different communities, the, the Down’s syndrome, the deaf community and all this kind of stuff.

 

00;16;23;20 – 00;16;48;01

Elana Meyers Taylor

And they’ve been so welcoming and so open to us. And it’s just been an incredible journey. Like there’s been plenty of challenges. There’s been plenty of times where I’m talking to my other friends and they can’t relate to what it’s like to have their son in the ICU or the picky or these different types of things, or they can’t relate to what it’s like to have to administer daily medications or make all these appointments with the specialist immunologists and all these different types of things, so they can’t relate on that level.

 

00;16;48;05 – 00;17;03;12

Elana Meyers Taylor

But at the end of the day, like even that moment where I’m signing to my son’s at the bottom, like I was really just trying to calm it down, like, and to explain to them what’s going on. It’s it was a natural parenting moment, same as anybody else would have. Like you just trying to explain, hey, this is what’s going on.

 

00;17;03;12 – 00;17;21;09

Elana Meyers Taylor

Mommy won a race. I’m crying for good reason. It’s okay. And then by the same thing, like, my son was freaking out that he couldn’t get on to the podium. And so my husband just tried to explain to him, it’s like, it’s okay, she’s coming. You’ll be all right. Like just called out. So it’s been really cool, like the whole experience.

 

00;17;21;09 – 00;17;40;08

Elana Meyers Taylor

It’s just allowed me to share what it means to be a part of this community. And also, I hope that it starts to like. Because the biggest thing is when you’re a parent going through it and you get these different diagnosis, it’s like you don’t know what’s next, you don’t know what’s coming for you. And even even though you see my story, you still don’t really know what’s coming for you.

 

00;17;40;08 – 00;17;56;12

Elana Meyers Taylor

But hopefully it makes it a little less scary. I think that’s the biggest thing is whenever parents get a diagnosis, the first thing is you worry and you fear. It’s like, what is this going to mean for my kid? Or what are they going to be able to do? And hopefully they just by seeing my story, it’s like, you know, you’ll figure out how to communicate with your child.

 

00;17;56;12 – 00;18;09;08

Elana Meyers Taylor

It’s like, no, your kid with Down’s syndrome, you know, their abilities may vary, but you know, you’ll still be able to do some different things in your life. You’ll still be able to live a life, and you could still go after your dreams. It just might look different.

 

00;18;09;11 – 00;18;27;27

Dr. Mona

I love that and I think people get so stuck in the in that moment. And I don’t blame anyone like I, I’ve been in that room. I, my son was born with a stroke and seizures. And I remember at that moment I didn’t know what that future would hold. You know, I was that it’s hard not to think about all the what ifs and also grieve what could have been.

 

00;18;27;27 – 00;18;43;00

Dr. Mona

Right. And I think that’s a very healthy emotion. But to your point, part of living life and part of doing what you do and the mindset that I think I’m curious, I’m actually so curious where you got that mindset from of like, hey, here’s what, here’s the cards I’ve been dealt. I’m going to make the most of this.

 

00;18;43;00 – 00;18;55;08

Dr. Mona

Like, is that something you were raised with, or is that something you learn by becoming an athlete of like, here’s where I am, I can feel the feelings, but we got work to do now. Like whether it’s as a mom or whether it’s as an Olympian. Where do you think that came from for you?

 

00;18;55;10 – 00;19;14;14

Elana Meyers Taylor

It’s definitely something I was raised with. But also sport has sport has magnified that tremendously. And that’s why I encourage anybody to get into sport. And to get your kids in the sport and not like I never when I encourage people to get in the sport because you’re going to be an Olympian. Yes, that’s the goal. But the odds of actually doing that are very low.

 

00;19;14;14 – 00;19;33;24

Elana Meyers Taylor

But there’s so much other stuff that sport teaches me. And it’s funny, is like when we were in the Nike with my first son, like, that’s the biggest thing is I remember thinking it’s like sport has prepared me so well for this moment. Like, I don’t know what’s going on. Same in sport. Like there’s so many things outside your control and you just have to deal with it because that’s the job, just have to deal with it.

 

00;19;33;24 – 00;19;57;29

Elana Meyers Taylor

And so sitting in the NICU, I really felt like, you know, people are throwing medical terms and media jargon on the list and stuff. So I didn’t feel prepared on that side. I was like, I need a medical degree to understand it. But at the same time, I felt prepared because I was used to dealing with chaotic situations, and I was used to the feeling of feeling out of control and not having control of a situation that you desperately wanted to control, like winning a gold medal.

 

00;19;58;01 – 00;20;14;28

Elana Meyers Taylor

You were going into Olympics. You want to be able to control every aspect of it, but at some point you have to tell yourself, it’s like, look, I can’t control the weather, I can’t control when I go off in the start order. I can’t control what my competitors do. Like there’s so much outside of winning a gold medal you can’t control.

 

00;20;14;28 – 00;20;40;06

Elana Meyers Taylor

And it’s the same with parenting, especially with medical parenting is there’s so much that at the end of the day, you can’t control no matter how much you want to. And so having that, experience in sport, I really feel like gave me a leg up. It’s like when we’re dealing with these situations, with my sons in particular, it’s like, hey, we’re just going to make the best of the situation, and we’re going to do whatever we can to get where we want to go.

 

00;20;40;08 – 00;20;48;28

Dr. Mona

Now let’s take a quick break to hear from our sponsors who support helps us keep bringing you this show.

 

00;20;49;00 – 00;21;02;22

Dr. Mona

I love that, and I love that you’re obviously balancing competing at the highest level while raising your children and giving that perspective of, you know, how being an athlete has translated into being a mom. How has motherhood translated into your the athlete you are today?

 

00;21;02;27 – 00;21;21;21

Elana Meyers Taylor

Oh, perspective. Perspective. Like, my worst day on the ice is still pales in comparison to my worst day as a parent. Like I have a bad race. I still get to come home and hug my kids. I still get to snuggles and everything like that. Like so at the end of the day, it’s a race and at the end of the day, I used to beat myself up.

 

00;21;21;21 – 00;21;37;06

Elana Meyers Taylor

It’s like, oh, if I lost the races, the worst thing that could ever happen to anybody if I won a race is the best thing that could ever happen to Avery. But now you know that’s not true. It’s like even, you know, winning a gold medal. What do I do? I come back and make sure the kids are sleeping because it was late at night or whatever.

 

00;21;37;06 – 00;21;57;23

Elana Meyers Taylor

Make sure they’re in their beds, make sure they’ve got their juice and everything like that. And changing their diapers and doing all that stuff. So like, you just know that even though, like, even this Olympics, like I wanted a gold medal. But in previous times of my career, I felt like I needed it to feel complete. But now, as an athlete, like I didn’t need another medal to feel complete.

 

00;21;57;23 – 00;22;08;02

Elana Meyers Taylor

Like I have so much more identity who I am as a mother, a sister, a wife, and all these different types of things versus who I just am as an athlete. So that perspective has changed everything.

 

00;22;08;04 – 00;22;26;02

Dr. Mona

And like competing in so many Olympic Games is a level in a level of longevity that very few athletes reach right to be in multiple Olympic Games, let alone one. How has your mindset as an athlete changed from your first Olympics to now? And do you feel because I’m 40, so I’m asking because you’re my age?

 

00;22;26;04 – 00;22;36;10

Dr. Mona

Do you feel that age has been a part of this? Like you’ve had to train differently, whether physically or mentally? Your body, your mind when you approached, your events.

 

00;22;36;12 – 00;22;54;09

Elana Meyers Taylor

Everything has changed since my first Olympics to this Olympics. The biggest difference is, like, I am pretty stubborn. And I really had to learn that it is different. Like, you just can’t take for granted anymore that you’re you’re not some 20 year old kid like 20 year old kid. Something happens, you go take a nap and you wake up and you’re fine.

 

00;22;54;12 – 00;23;17;10

Elana Meyers Taylor

Like 41 year old like you just have. You have to take the perspective of the long game. And that’s exactly what we did this season. Like I had a horrendous season, on the same track we had a race earlier that year. I finished 19. So I wasn’t even in the medal picture for most people. So the biggest thing is like, you have to take the long game and you’re not going to go out there and win every single race.

 

00;23;17;10 – 00;23;31;17

Elana Meyers Taylor

As a 41 year old, you’re not going to go out there and win every single heat and every day. You’re not going to wake up feeling like a million bucks. But what we did is we scripted it out. My husband and I, we scripted it out to make sure we were ready to go for the Olympics. And it’s hard, though.

 

00;23;31;17 – 00;23;48;23

Elana Meyers Taylor

It’s a hard pill to swallow as an athlete, to know that you’re not going to be prepared every single race. And whether it’s not just me physically, but also taking care of the kids and they travel with me all throughout the season, or I’m going to have rough nights with them, or I’m not going to be able to get everything that I need to eat during that time period.

 

00;23;48;23 – 00;24;05;15

Elana Meyers Taylor

So sometimes you’re making meals for toddlers doing all this different stuff. So sometimes things are just going to be a little chaotic and you just have to be okay with that. Knowing that the long game is those Olympic Games, versus, you know, when you’re 25, you I’m trying to win every race, every single second, every, every single day.

 

00;24;05;15 – 00;24;22;16

Elana Meyers Taylor

You want to win at cards or those type of things. So I really had to not only change how I train physically, but also that mental aspect. And to reassure myself that it’s okay. We’re going for the long game. We’re playing the long game here. We’re working towards a greater goal, and it’s not going to result in, you know, winning every single race.

 

00;24;22;20 – 00;24;37;13

Dr. Mona

And Elena Meyers Taylor, thank you so much for being here. We have a few more questions and then I’m going to let you go on your way. And for anyone tuning in and not watching us, she is in a car driving around town and on this podcast because she’s just so awesome. And so thank you. Okay, I’m driving this drive.

 

00;24;37;14 – 00;25;01;26

Dr. Mona

Yeah. No. Yes. She’s a passenger. I’m sorry. She’s a passenger. Yes. Let’s let’s be clear, I want to. Yeah, she’s a passenger. She’s not driving. But. So you are the most decorated black winter Olympian like. Amazing. It carries so much meaning again, beyond the medals for a lot of people, including myself. The earliest exposure to bobsled and black athletes in winter sports actually came from one of my favorite movies, which is called Cool Runnings, which is still a very stellar movie.

 

00;25;01;28 – 00;25;15;22

Dr. Mona

But what you’ve done is obviously real and historic. I mean, this, this is incredible for me. And did you experience barriers that you feel existed due to your skin color in this sport, and what does that representation mean to you personally now?

 

00;25;15;27 – 00;25;26;00

Elana Meyers Taylor

Oh, without a doubt. I mean, when I started this sport in 2007, it was crazy because I would meet people who were on the team who had actually never met a black person before. Wow. Or not even.

 

00;25;26;00 – 00;25;28;02

Dr. Mona

In the sport, just like in general, the sport.

 

00;25;28;02 – 00;25;45;10

Elana Meyers Taylor

Just had never met a black person before. And so even early days, you know, people want to come up to you, feel your hair and do all this stuff, like they treat you like, you know, they’ve never met somebody. And so there’s been I’ve been pretty vocal about there’s been people within the sport who don’t want to see people of color achieve.

 

00;25;45;10 – 00;26;05;00

Elana Meyers Taylor

And, you know, there’s been some very racist tropes of whether it’s black people or whether it’s Asians. A lot of, aged stereotypes get thrown around there. But I think the biggest thing is I’ve tried to show throughout my entire career, it’s like, it shouldn’t matter where you come from or what you look like. Like there’s a place for you in winter sport and Who runnings is a great movie.

 

00;26;05;00 – 00;26;26;28

Elana Meyers Taylor

I love it, and I really appreciated that for allowing people of color to like, get interested in the sport and things like that. But I think we as a sport, like we’ve come a long way to show that you can come from anywhere and you can look like anything, any racial background and whatnot and succeed. But we need to continue to do things to make winter sport accessible to everyone.

 

00;26;27;01 – 00;26;41;00

Elana Meyers Taylor

Not just people who live in, you know, Park City, Utah, and their parents own, yes, you know, a winery or something like that. So we need to make sure winter sports stays accessible. And I think we’re we’re getting there, but we should not there yet.

 

00;26;41;05 – 00;26;59;21

Dr. Mona

You know, there’s exactly what you said. There’s a lot of misconception that, you know, winter sports can be more pricey as it is, like, you know, going skiing, it can be a very expensive process. Giving an example. But I saw some videos of like you training in Texas and you obviously didn’t have snow there. You would just push like you would push on ground, right, for your training.

 

00;26;59;24 – 00;27;00;04

Elana Meyers Taylor

Yeah.

 

00;27;00;04 – 00;27;00;27

Dr. Mona

So I mean, I.

 

00;27;00;27 – 00;27;18;19

Elana Meyers Taylor

Skilton, like some of the more accessible sports is because you usually get into it after college or. Yeah, after high school or something like that. And yeah, you can train anywhere in the world because during the summers we don’t have any, we don’t have any like tracks in the southern hemisphere. So and so we just do dryland training.

 

00;27;18;19 – 00;27;39;26

Elana Meyers Taylor

We just do running and lifting. And actually this summer, we’ll have tryouts throughout the country. I think there’s one in Beaumont, Texas, not too far from where I am. We’ll have tryouts throughout the summer, actually trying to recruit athletes. So you go and do 30 meter sprint and do some different physical tests, and then we bring you up to Lake Placid and you actually try to push a sled, and we see how you fare.

 

00;27;39;26 – 00;27;58;26

Elana Meyers Taylor

So we are always looking for talent. Bobsleigh and skeleton tend to be more of accessible sports. Skiing from what I’ve learned, is crazy expensive in the US, and that’s still a problem that we’ll have to figure out. Because comparatively, like if you go to some of the hills in Europe in different places and it’s a lot more affordable.

 

00;27;58;29 – 00;28;19;20

Elana Meyers Taylor

Actually, I think there’s an article came out that is actually cheaper to like, fly to a mountain in Europe and base lift passes and actually go to when the ski mountains in Vail, which is insane. Like it should not be that kind of discrepancy. But, you know, like I said, there’s a lot of work still yet to be done in winter sport to make it more accessible.

 

00;28;19;23 – 00;28;43;13

Dr. Mona

No, I agree with that. And, you know, going back to your representation, conversation, like seeing you reach this level and then obviously like athletes like Alicia Lou, like in, in ice skating, being an, you know, Asian American, the, the daughter of, dad who had IVF, they use a surrogate to grow his family. I mean, again, all these unique stories is why I love the Olympics, because obviously, people are succeeding.

 

00;28;43;13 – 00;29;02;11

Dr. Mona

But behind the person winning is a story of what they had to get to, what they had to go through to get there. And I love when you shared your story, hearing like you talk about representation, seeing like an all Asian podium in like various winter sports, like I’m like as an Indian American woman, we don’t see a lot of ourselves in Olympic sport.

 

00;29;02;11 – 00;29;16;26

Dr. Mona

Right? And I’m like, we can do it like we can do it. You know, we just have to train and we can find what is what, what we’re passionate about. So I love when we can get that representation. You’re doing that so beautifully. So I know you and your husband have been traveling a lot lately. Your entire family.

 

00;29;17;01 – 00;29;38;13

Dr. Mona

You’ve been on the go bouncing from hotels to flights. And honestly, shout out to Delta. This is not a sponsored thing, but for taking care of our Queen here. Like you always post. Like thanks Delta. And I’m like, thank you for getting her safely to where we need her to be. And so, you know, your children are growing up watching their mom train, compete, travel, be a role model like to myself, to so many people out there.

 

00;29;38;15 – 00;29;55;19

Dr. Mona

And so beyond your family, you’ve also become this role model to so many children who are watching your journey and against so many women who are watching your journey. So when your kids look back at your career one day, what do you hope they take from watching your journey or children in general? What take away from your story?

 

00;29;55;21 – 00;30;13;06

Elana Meyers Taylor

The biggest thing as I want to share with my story in particular, is because it’s not been all sunshine and roses like it has been a story of me falling down and getting back up and continuing to fight. And that’s just what I wanted to show my kids I wanted to show. More important than winning was that you can continue to fight through obstacles.

 

00;30;13;08 – 00;30;29;12

Elana Meyers Taylor

There’s going to be so many obstacles in their path that I’m not ever going to understand, because I’m a hearing person and I don’t have down syndrome, so I’m never going to understand some of the challenges they’re going to encounter. But I just wanted them to see their mom fight for something. And because they’re going to have to fight.

 

00;30;29;12 – 00;30;48;14

Elana Meyers Taylor

And that’s the thing is, like all kids, regardless of where you come from, are disabled or not disabled, like there’s going to be obstacles. So you’re going to have to face there’s going to be things you have to fight through. And I just want to encourage people to go out there and fight for their dreams and fight for what they want to do with their lives and fight for their accomplishments.

 

00;30;48;21 – 00;31;01;24

Dr. Mona

And, you know, many people are probably have asked you, you know, are there more Olympics in your future? And although I would love to know that, more importantly, I want to know what is bringing you joy right now and what are you most excited to do?

 

00;31;01;26 – 00;31;19;26

Elana Meyers Taylor

Yeah. It’s funny. I am really, really excited, to do a school drop off. Like I was supposed to register the kids and get all the paperwork, figure it out while I was at the games, we got super behind, and now I finally caught up and now it’s spring break. But I’m really excited to go back to do normal things with them.

 

00;31;19;26 – 00;31;40;02

Elana Meyers Taylor

You know, like getting them into school. And then I’m starting to figure out what their passions look like and what their lives look like and things like that, and then having friends, like, we are fortunate. Now there’s a couple of women on the bobsled team that travel with their kids, so they were able to have a little bit of friends and stuff like that, but I’m really excited for them to, like, start developing their own paths and to see what it looks like.

 

00;31;40;02 – 00;32;01;22

Elana Meyers Taylor

Like, I think this week we might go try some tee ball, see what that’s like, and and try some different things. So I’m really excited for like this next part of my life to like focus on the motherhood side of things and focus on the parenting. And it’s something that I haven’t been able to do. And it’s something like, you know, sometimes it could be mundane and sometimes it could be pretty difficult hustling kids around.

 

00;32;01;24 – 00;32;12;01

Elana Meyers Taylor

But when you don’t get to do it for so long, when you’re so focused on this one goal, winning a gold medal, like it’s those little things that makes a world of difference and so little things that are bringing me joy.

 

00;32;12;05 – 00;32;28;02

Dr. Mona

I love the way you added that. And that goes back to what you had said that motherhood had taught you about perspective. Right? Like when you’re on, you know, when you’re racing, like you just put back into perspective, like, what is it all for? And then now you’re going back to that amazing role that you carry and the different identities that make you Alana.

 

00;32;28;02 – 00;32;44;06

Dr. Mona

And I think that’s so awesome. And, you know, the last question is I, I do speaking events, and when I do speaking events, I love them like they’re fun for me. But then I get this huge dopamine crush from all the excitement. Have you had a dopamine crash yet? Or are you still good?

 

00;32;44;09 – 00;32;47;01

Elana Meyers Taylor

I have not had it yet, but I know it’s coming.

 

00;32;47;01 – 00;32;48;08

Dr. Mona

You know what I’m talking about, right?

 

00;32;48;08 – 00;32;49;21

Elana Meyers Taylor

Like every game? Yeah. Okay.

 

00;32;49;21 – 00;33;04;03

Dr. Mona

Yes. Where you’re like, you got to. You got to know it’s coming. So how do you prepare for that? Because sometimes it can lead to like a little bit of, like a kind of depressive state where you’re like, oh, shoot. What? What now? Like, do you know it’s coming? How do you psychologically prepare that? Okay. This is okay.

 

00;33;04;07 – 00;33;05;28

Dr. Mona

This is normal.

 

00;33;06;01 – 00;33;23;18

Elana Meyers Taylor

I think it’s just that it’s reminding yourself that that’s definitely coming, and especially after all the Olympics, it’s like, fortunately, now we’re at a point in time where it’s like early in my Olympics where athletes were talking about mental health and they weren’t discussing these things. And now it’s pretty open, like a lot of athletes are posting about it.

 

00;33;23;21 – 00;33;41;10

Elana Meyers Taylor

Yes. Those Olympic clues look like in those types of things. And so that helps tremendously. And so fortunately, I’ve already got like my sports psych in a lot of different mental health professionals lined up because I know it’s going to come. It’s just no matter when. And we’re already talking to what that looks like planning wise and things like that.

 

00;33;41;13 – 00;33;58;18

Elana Meyers Taylor

It’s funny, a lot of times after, during the Olympics or whatever, they’ll tell you to actually plan something for afterwards. That’s something that you have to look forward to because, you know, you don’t want to just go from this high of highs into absolutely doing nothing. So fortunately with the kids, like, I’ve got stuff to do regardless.

 

00;33;58;18 – 00;34;16;10

Elana Meyers Taylor

So there’s a only that like I’m going to stay busy regardless, but also like I’ve already got the mental health professionals in place, to make sure that when the blues do eventually hit, like when that dopamine crash comes that I’m ready and, you know, they’re on speed dial, that I’m ready to reach out to them.

 

00;34;16;10 – 00;34;38;03

Dr. Mona

Do you understand why you’re such like why I wanted you on my show so bad? Not only do you promote mental health, you are an Olympian. The most decorated black Olympian. You’re a mother, a mother of children with disabilities. You are an amazing 41 perimenopausal. Like, maybe like me. Like everything about you. It just exudes joy and exudes gratitude.

 

00;34;38;03 – 00;34;56;08

Dr. Mona

And I really want to thank you for that. I, I want everyone who’s listening to know that she’s an Olympian. She’s so busy. I’ve been, like, hounding her on my email, but she herself has also been, like, reaching out and updating me on her schedule. And listen, I’m a I’m a crier. Like, it’s very meaningful to me.

 

00;34;56;08 – 00;35;13;15

Dr. Mona

Like, I have this show that inspires a lot of moms and a lot of, women and we’re just trying to raise amazing children, and we all have different stories. And you coming on my show just has meant the world to me today. So thank you for taking this time. Being the passenger of a car while you’re driving.

 

00;35;13;18 – 00;35;24;08

Dr. Mona

I so appreciate you. I just want to thank you for all you’ve done to inspire the world without even sometimes realizing you’re doing it. Like just by talking. You are changing the world for so many people. So thank.

 

00;35;24;08 – 00;35;34;03

Elana Meyers Taylor

You, thank you and same to you. Like your podcast is amazing and thank you for sharing my story. But all the stories you share, like it’s really it’s making a difference in the world. So I appreciate it.

 

00;35;34;06 – 00;35;43;22

Dr. Mona

Enjoy. Prepare for that post. Dopamine crash. I know our kids will keep us busy with all that dopamine, but I love that you brought that up. And have a wonderful day. Thanks again for joining us today.

 

00;35;43;29 – 00;35;47;21

Elana Meyers Taylor

Thank you. Appreciate it.

 

00;35;47;24 – 00;36;07;05

Dr. Mona

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the show. What really stayed with me after this conversation is how humble she is. Here is someone who is an Olympic champion, a history making athlete, and truly a powerhouse in so many different ways. Yet she shows up with so much kindness and generosity with her time and her story.

 

00;36;07;10 – 00;36;30;17

Dr. Mona

I told her in the conversation, but I am just so grateful that I had the privilege of sitting with her, even virtually for half an hour. One thing she said that really stuck with me was how being an athlete taught her about letting go of control as a mother, and how motherhood taught her perspective as an athlete. I love that reflection because it reminds us that the roles we hold in life shape each other in ways that we often do not expect.

 

00;36;30;20 – 00;36;51;15

Dr. Mona

So if you love this conversation as much as I loved recording it, make sure you download the episode. Subscribe wherever you access podcasts, and share this on social media. Tag PedsDocTalk. Tag the PedsDocTalk podcast so I can see what resonated with you. And remember to also tag Elana meyers Taylor so she knows that we’re listening.

 

00;36;51;20 – 00;37;01;29

Dr. Mona

I cannot wait to see what you think! Thank you so much for being here, for growing with us, and for learning through the amazing experiences of amazing humans on the show.