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Join KCRA TV morning news anchor Deirdre Fitzpatrick for a podcast that asks her favorite question: how did you do that? Her guests wrote the book, launched the product, won the race, influenced social media or figured out a must-try life hack. Master your mindset while learning how to live bigger and better.
Episodes
Thursday Oct 28, 2021
Thursday Oct 28, 2021
Are the kids all right?
The answer is yes and no as kids have returned to in-person learning after virtual learning in the pandemic.
Cindy Muchnick and Jenn Curtis are college advisers and the authors of "The Parent Compass."
Both say they're seeing some concerning trends in high schools.
Some kids quickly adjusted to in-person school. But many others are struggling to make social connections and get their education back on track.
Body clocks are out of whack after 18 months of pandemic life.
"Kids and parents are saying, 'You know, the kids were vampires during COVID and now they're trying to just reset that clock.' It's almost like they forgot the energy that it does take to interact and go to school and be face to face. But that energy is sort of what's normal, that's what kids should be doing, and they used to have the stamina and it seems like that's gone way down," Muchnick says.
On this Dying to Ask:
- A reality check on how in-person school is going for teenagers.
- The social disconnect many of them feel after a year on screens.
- The impact sleep deprivation is again having on mood, anxiety and happiness for families.
Thursday Oct 21, 2021
Thursday Oct 21, 2021
"You are an Ironman."
One of sports' most iconic phrases will be heard thousands of times at the inaugural Ironman California in Sacramento.
Legendary race announcer Mike Reilly coined that signature phrase 30 years ago.
That simple declaration is what finishers crave hearing after what's known as the toughest one-day race on the planet.
The Ironman Triathlon is 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling and a full marathon. Athletes have 17 hours to finish the 140.6-mile race.
It's Mike's job to welcome them to the finish line.
You could say it's his calling. He is equal parts cheerleader, hype man and finish line friend. He has the unique ability to make the last finisher feel like they won the race.
"I say their name and the you (part of the phrase) comes out and you see them straighten up, no matter how much they're hurting," he said. "They look up almost to the sky because they know it's coming and it's that exclamation point on who they are, what they did."
On this Dying to Ask:
- What Mike has learned about life and human nature in 30 years of announcing Ironman
- How Mike practices the names of thousands of athletes
- Why so many people are drawn to events like Ironman coming out of the pandemic
Thursday Oct 14, 2021
Thursday Oct 14, 2021
How does a middle-aged mom go viral on TikTok?
Accidentally.
Duh.
The more interesting question is: What does she do with that viral opportunity?
If you're Erin Azar, you keep on posting and keep on going viral.
Erin Azar, aka Mrs. Space Cadet on TikTok, has more than 670,000 followers on the video-sharing site. She started posting videos two years ago after she started running following the birth of her third child.
The raw, candid and very funny videos found an audience overnight. Her first video got 1 million views.
And that's how "Mrs. Space Cadet" became a "thing."
She's appeared in The New York Times and on the "Today" show. She has a Cameo account and even runs webinars to inspire runners and content creators.
Two years later, Azar is the exact opposite of what most people think of as a running influencer.
Her pictures are perfectly imperfect. She's equal parts self-deprecating and inspirational. And she's making money with her alter ego.
In fact, she recently left her marketing job to do Mrs. Space Cadet full-time.
On this Dying to Ask:
- What happens when a middle-aged person goes viral on TikTok
- What you consider before going "all in" and capitalizing on a viral moment
- What it's like to have that much attention when you're used to a normal life
- How to care less about what people think of you online and in real life
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has four gymnastics moves named after her.
She's the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) despite what she went through in Tokyo. And to many, she's the greatest because of what she did in Tokyo.
Simone Biles' greatest legacy may be the fact that she went public with her mental health challenges brought on by the pressure of the Olympics and the public attention of the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal.
Biles let people everywhere know that it's OK to not be OK.
In doing so, she started a global conversation on mental health and anxiety that clearly needed to be had after the world has shared in a brutal pandemic experience.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates four in 10 adults this year are dealing with anxiety or a full-blown depressive disorder.
And that's just the people who've reached out for help. The reality is likely much higher given the stress of pandemic life.
Biles proved sometimes you have to step back in order to step back in. And, say it with me, that's OK.
This fall, Biles and many of her teammates and gymnastics friends are touring the country with the "Gold Over America Tour." She's proving you can move forward, despite any challenges you face.
She and her Tokyo teammate Jordan Chiles are my guests in this week's episode.
On this Dying to Ask:
- How to keep going when the whole world knows your business
- How to live forward when the world wants to look back
- And what it's like to be on a tour bus with Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
It's like someone took their finger off pause and finally pressed play on life.
That's how I've been describing how things feel in the fall of 2021.
The thing is it feels like they pressed play on a scratched CD that starts, stops and skips just when the song hits the verse you know by heart.
Kids are back in school in person. But, it still feels weird.
Most adults are back in person at offices, at least a little. But, it still feels weird.
Running races, sports, and festivals are back. But, say it with me, it still feels weird.
Life isn't exactly how we expected it to be post-vaccine. Vaccines were supposed to get us back to "normal."
That hasn't exactly happened. The delta surge created a whole new set of worries and a feeling for a lot of people that this COVID-19 era won't end.
A lot of people describe a never-ending sense of overwhelm and anxiety.
The result is a lot of us feel stuck.
It's hard to make plans. It sometimes feels fruitless to make goals. And, for some people, the ongoing stress of living through a pandemic makes it tough to feel joy.
In this season of the "Dying to Ask" podcast, we're looking at ways to hit the restart on life, no matter what curveballs coronavirus throws us.
In this solo episode, Fitz sets up what to expect in Season 8 and explains why getting back to "life" is tricky.
Tuesday Aug 03, 2021
Tuesday Aug 03, 2021
You could call the 2020 Tokyo Olympics the ultimate date for Robyn Stevens and Nick Christie.
They are one of a handful of real-life couples competing at the Tokyo Olympics.
But, it almost didn't happen.
Both Robyn and Nick won their respective USA Olympic Race Walking Trials in June. Robyn made the Olympic Team instantly.
But Nick found himself ranked 51st in the world with only the top 50 getting invited to the Olympics.
One agonizing week later, Nick got the call that changed his life.
On this Dying to Ask:
- What had to happen for Nick to get his Olympic spot
- What it's like to head to the Olympics with the person you love the most
- And what Robyn and Nick have learned about the Olympics and themselves during the unusual lead-up to their Olympic dream
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
"We never saw it coming."
That's what Roxanne Mefford said about her son Bryce Mefford making his first Olympic team.
Roxanne Mefford has been the head coach at Glen Oaks Swim Club for 35 years. She's coached thousands of kids. Only one has made it to an Olympics and it's her son.
But Roxanne and her family won't be in Tokyo to cheer Bryce on in the backstroke. No fans are allowed at the 2020 Olympics. It will be hard for this mom who has never missed a big meet in her son's long swimming career.
That's why her Glen Oaks Swim Club family is making sure Team Mefford feels supported during the Olympics. Members are planning viewing parties and have given the club an Olympic makeover.
On this Dying To Ask:
- What it's like to be an 2020 Olympic parent
- Why Bryce making the team was such a shocker to his family
- Roxanne's advice for parents who have Olympic dreams for their kids
- How she's supporting her son when he's in Tokyo
Monday Jul 26, 2021
Monday Jul 26, 2021
If I asked you to name one Olympic or national team doctor, you could probably only name one and it's Larry Nassar.
You know his name because of the sex abuse scandal that was revealed shortly after the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Larry Nassar is the former face of the medical staff at USA Gymnastics who was accused of rampant sexual abuse masked as medical treatment.
Hundreds of athletes came forward, including one of the stars of the Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles.
He will spend the rest of his life in prison.
The scandal revealed the inner workings of a program that emphasized winning above all, including the physical and mental health of athletes.
It forced a massive cultural change in coaching and in how medical services are handled for athletes.
Dr. Marcia Faustin is part of that change. She is one of two USA Gymnastics Women's team doctors who will tend to athletes in Tokyo and beyond.
On this Dying to Ask:
- How Dr. Faustin's background prepared her for this unique and high-profile role
- What the 2020 Tokyo Gymnastics Team needs from her and her co-doctor, Dr. Ellen Carey
- Why being bored is a sign of a good day at work at the Olympics
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
"Get a new phone now."
That was the advice from the Tokyo Olympic Committee for Olympic coaches like Mike Sayers.
Sayers is responsible for Team USA's cyclists at the 2020 Olympics. It's the third time he's held the Olympic coaching gig.
But, it's the first time an Olympic organizer suggested a major tech upgrade to handle the six tracking apps needed to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols at the games.
Mike is a former professional racer and World Tour rider. In his more than 30-year career, he's worked as a team director and Olympic coach.
In Tokyo, he'll oversee road, track, BMX and mountain bikers.
On this Dying to Ask:
- The silver linings Mike found in life at home vs. on the road during the pandemic
- What he says is his No. 1 job as a coach at the Olympics
- How Olympic athletes and coaches will be restricted during their time in Tokyo
- Learn a great hack for staying in shape in a hotel
Monday Jul 19, 2021
Monday Jul 19, 2021
Over the last 20 years, I've covered the last 10 Olympics alongside my partner, Mike "Domi" Domalaog.
Then came the pandemic and the end to one of the greatest streaks in TV news. Domi and I aren't going to be in Tokyo during the games.
Instead, we'll be tracking Northern California athletes from home. And, that got us thinking: How can we bring our Olympic passion to our viewers in NorCal in a whole new way?
Answer: The 21-Day Challenge.
I'm teaming up with 2008 Olympic gold medalist Gabe Gardner to inspire Northern Californians during the Tokyo Summer Olympics to adopt a renewed focus on physical health and personal growth.
The challenge will feature workouts, nutrition tips and health hacks from athletes competing in Tokyo, as well as Olympic and Paralympics alums.
The challenge starts July 19 and continues until the Closing Ceremony on Aug. 8.
Viewers will be invited to share their personal challenges on our various social media platforms.
On this Dying to Ask:
- Gabe's thoughts on how COVID-19 protocols will impact the Tokyo Olympic experience for athletes
- How we came up with the 21-Day Challenge
- Why even Olympic gold medalists like Gabe struggle with motivation
- Why we all need a physical and mental reboot coming out of the pandemic
- How easy it is to take part in the challenge and what Gabe will do if you finish it