THE REAL COST OF CHASING GOLD

Elana Meyers Taylor has competed in four Winter Olympic Games. She’s won five Olympic medals. She’s the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympic history. And she’s still chasing gold. But what makes Elana extraordinary isn’t just what she’s done on the ice, it’s how she’s doing it. In this conversation, Abby, Julie, and Billie Jean sit down with the bobsled legend to talk about switching sports after a failed Olympic softball dream, driving one of the most physically brutal events in the Games, and what it really feels like to pull G-forces that can wreck your spine. They also dive into something bigger: motherhood on tour. Elana travels the world with her two young sons, both deaf, one with Down syndrome, learning ASL as a family while navigating a sport that still doesn’t financially support mothers the way it should. She opens up about sponsorships, childcare costs, why she may walk away with debt instead of a paycheck, and how she’s helping change what’s possible for parents in Olympic sport. This is a conversation about resilience, representation, and attacking the track of your life head on, even when the odds, and the infrastructure, aren’t built for you. Party People, buckle up. *Correction: In this episode, we misstated details about the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament. The semifinals are Chelsea Gray vs. Kelsey Plum and Aliyah Boston vs. Allisha Gray. The semis and finals are all being held February 14, 2026, in Miami.* Follow @welcometothepartyshow on: YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow Instagram — @welcometothepartyshow TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow Email — partypeoplequestions@gmail.com Keep the Party Going: -Save: The Katie Meyer Story | E60 -The US Curling team beats Italy to advance: https://youtu.be/9R1riGWFR-0?si=k8_dtggBxlM-jeqF -Kendall Coyne Schofield's son gets puck mid-game: https://youtu.be/9bQIbSBB_9A?si=HEWSaR6cqQFQFk6R -Olympic schedule: https://www.nbcolympics.com/schedule -Follow Elana Meyers Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/elanameyerstaylor/ Thank you to our sponsors: -Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC -Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ at onepeloton.com https://www.onepeloton.com/ 00:00:00 – Welcome00:05:05 – The record Elana's quietly chasing00:11:15 – What 5 G’s really feel like00:14:30 – “My back is trashed”, the physical toll00:21:45 – Four months in Europe with two little kids00:28:00 – The cost of childcare, travel, and chasing gold00:31:40 – Why she could walk away in debt00:39:00 – “Attack the track” — the mindset shift00:42:30 – What she wants her boys to see00:45:00 – What this Olympic run really means