Jamie Anderson defies gravity and stereotypes in her latest push to make an Olympic team. Jamie is a 3-time Olympic snowboarder and 3-time Olympic medalist. She has two golds and a silver. She grew up in South Lake Tahoe and is one of eight children. She started snowboarding at the age of nine after being introduced to the sport by her two older sisters. Jamie competed in her first X Games at the age of 13. At 35, she has the most the most X Games hardware of any woman in history and the second-most winter medals of any athlete. She's a 5-time ESPY female action sports award winner. Jamie acknowledges she was pretty untouchable for years. "There were years that I was like winning with my eyes shut and there wasn't a lot of competition," says Jamie. She took a three year break to have two daughters with her fiancée, fellow pro snowboarder Tyler Nicholson. Five months after the birth of their second daughter, Jamie became the 2025 Big Air National Champion. And she's breaking new ground as a working mom in her sport. Jamie says, "Just having the opportunity to go for a fourth Olympics with my family, my two little ones, and my partner feels like very special." On this Dying to Ask: The Road to Milan- Cortina: How Jamie is blazing new trails in her sport as a working mom The biggest change she's seen in more than 20 years of competing in how snowboarders prepare for the Olympics And the pure joy she's experiencing taking her family on this Olympic journey

Imagine all your dreams coming true at the age of 18. It's a real possibility for snowboarder Hanna Percy. The athlete from Truckee, California, is the youngest member of the U.S. female snowboard cross team. Typically, elite snowboarders earn a place on the U.S. Development Team before moving to the Pro Team and then onto an Olympic Team. Hanna's results were so good that she skipped the development level and went straight to the pro team. Now, at 18, she has a shot at representing Team USA at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Hanna says, "We have six girls competing for three spots right now." Hanna's parents were pro snowboarders in the 1990s. Their daughter's talent and need for speed showed up early.  Her mother, Kim Percy, remembers "she was probably 10 when she passed me on the hill. It's like her board is a connection to her feet." Hanna left Northern California when she was 16 and enrolled at the prestigious Gould Academy, where her snowboarding results soared. The small co-ed academy in Western Maine is a favorite for winter sports athletes with Olympic ambitions. The move paid off. The environment allowed her to finish high school while launching her pro career. In person, Hanna is incredibly likable and friendly. But on the snow she's known for a grit and fierce need to win that's propelling her career at record speed. "I just like, kind of have to win," Hanna admits. But there a playful side too.  And, it's evident in every start gate where she Macarenas to loosen up and lessen the stress! On this Dying to Ask - The Road to Milan-Cortina: How to fuel your own competitive spirit How an 18 year old rose so quickly in snowboard cross and who taught this Gen Zer to Macarena?  How Hanna stays grounded when life and it's possibilities seem endless right now And my favorite attribute: grit. Where Hanna's comes from and the mentor who taught her how to dig in

It takes a village to raise an Olympic hopeful. And sometimes, that village has to change ZIP codes. Brooklyn DePriest is a snowboarder for Team USA, hoping to make his Olympic debut at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games. He competes in slopestyle. Brooklyn grew up in Northern California in a Sacramento-area suburb called Rocklin. The DePriests spent their winter weekends in Tahoe. Brooklyn's snowboarding talent quickly became apparent as competitions would result in him standing on podiums. By the time he was 12, his parents were advised that their son had the potential to go pro and maybe even go to the Olympics. The catch? He'd need to move for more specialized coaching. The problem? The entire DePriest family loved their home and neighborhood in Rocklin. "There were probably about 10 families involved in the neighborhood," Brooklyn DePreist said. We would ride to school on our bikes and skateboards every single day. We all played the same sport, so we were on the same sports teams." Neither of Brooklyn's parents came from a winter sports background. "The coaches are telling us, like, he has real talent, but we're like, does he? I don't know," Courtney DePriest, Brooklyn's mom, said. The DePriests made the tough decision to relocate to Vail, Colorado, where both their sons could attend a good school while Brooklyn pursued his Olympic goals. Seven years later, Brooklyn DePriest is a contender to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics. This is one of the most candid conversations I've ever had with an athlete's parents about the sacrifice entire families make to follow Olympic dreams. On this Dying to Ask: The Road to Milan-Cortina: How the DePriests made the call to go all-in on Brooklyn's snowboarding future when he was only 12 The pressure young athletes feel to perform when their parents sacrifice so much How Olympic hopefuls handle the mental health challenges of injuries Learn tricks to calm your brain while your body is healing And did they or didn't they? The DePriests reveal whether they purchased Olympic tickets before knowing whether or not their kid has made the team     Other places to listen CLICK HERE to listen on iTunesCLICK HERE to listen on StitcherCLICK HERE to listen on Spotify See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel  

Olympic skier AJ Hurt is the ultimate "bring your kid to work" success story. Her dad is on the ski patrol at Palisades Tahoe resort and AJ grew up hanging out with her dad on the mountain. AJ competed for Palisades Tahoe before making it onto the U.S. Ski Team as a teenager. "I was 16 when I raced my first World Cup. No one knows what they're doing at 16!" says AJ. But AJ figured it out quickly. She's an eight year member of the U.S. Ski Team, a three-time U.S. Alpine champ, and competed in the 2022 Beijing Olympics. She's as dedicated to her studies as she is her efforts on the snow. AJ studied engineering at Dartmouth. And, she's an accomplished musician as well. Fellow U.S. ski team members rely on her piano skills for impromptu singalongs on the road during the ski season. We caught up with AJ during off-season training in Tahoe to talk about how to maintain life perspective while competing at such a high level. On this Dying to Ask, The Road to Milan- Cortina: What AJ does in the summer to get ready for an Olympic year The role music plays in relaxing her brain And we'll enjoy an impromptu concert in an history Olympic Valley, CA chapel from AJ

"Head first" isn't a choice for Kendall Wesenberg. It's a job requirement. The skeleton slider has also turned it into her life mantra. And her grit to push through life and it's challenges is becoming legendary. The 2018 Olympian is working toward qualifying for her second Olympic Team. But she's already put in a gold medal worthy effort just trying to qualify for the 2026 Winter Games. Kendall grew up in Modesto, California, playing a variety of sports. She graduated from CU-Boulder and in 2010 watched the sport of skeleton for the first time during the Vancouver Olympics. She thought, "I wonder if I could do that?" She attended a sliding athletes combine and discovered she had an irrational need for speed and the innate talent to get good at one of the most niche Olympic sport. Skeleton athletes slide head first on their stomachs down the same icy track the bobsleds go down. Athletes use their shoulder sand knees to steer. Kendall explains, "There are anywhere from 12 to 20-something curves that you try and cover in about a minute, usually less." She's gone as fast at 86 miles per hour on a track. And, she competed in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. But she failed to make the 2022 Olympic Team. It turns out she had an undiagnosed spinal injury that had gone untreated for three years. It explained the immense pain she'd experienced training and competing. "The things that hold your spine in place snapped off of my back. And when it didn't get diagnosed, my vertebrae just slid out of my spinal column. So it was like fully pinching my nerves. I couldn't feel my legs," says Kendall. Her surgeon recommended a spinal fusion, a surgery with a very long recovery. Kendall jokes, "The playbook's pretty thin on a return to sport post spine fusion." But her doctor didn't close the door on a return to the sport she loved. Kendall spent three months in a back brace, seven months barely walking and couldn't start serious physical therapy until 10 months post surgery. 600 days later she returned to the ice describing her return to a track as "awesome." A year later, she's earned a spot on the U.S. World Cup Skeleton Team and she's actively trying to qualify for that second Olympic Team. On this Dying to Ask: The Road to Milan- Cortina: Advice for anyone trying to heal from a major injury How Kendall stays positive despite spending years healing her body Kendall's wife did some sliding...into her DMs. How being married has added balance to her athletic life  

Whoever said quitters never win never met Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu. Liu quit figure skating after the 2022 Winter Olympics. At age 16, she was burned out and wanted to be a normal teenager.  "I was done a year before I quit. I knew I wanted to be done way before I actually announced my retirement," Liu said. For two years, Liu embraced life as a teenager, making up for lost time she'd spent on the ice. She got a driver's license, drove her four siblings to school, stayed up late and hung out with friends. She traveled for fun instead of competitions and even hiked in the Himalayas. She enrolled at UCLA and even took up skiing, a sport she'd never had time to try as an elite figure skater. She loved the feel of the cold air on her face when she was skiing. It reminded her of skating and two years after retiring, Alysa went to a local rink with a friend. Alysa started skating for fun, and it wasn't long before she got the itch to skate more seriously. She called a former coach, Phillip DiGuglielmo, and asked him what he thought about her coming out of retirement. At first, he wasn't a fan. "I said, 'Please don't. I really did.'  I said, 'Please don't. Respect your legacy,'" DiGuglielmo said. "We had a Zoom call for two hours. The story is I had a lot of glasses of wine over those two hours. And she talked me into a comeback." The two started training together, and seven months later, Liu won a world title in a sport she left as a child but returned to as an adult. On this Dying to Ask, The Road to Milan-Cortina: The power of taking a break Re-thinking how we look at the role age plays in sports like figure skating A frank look at what young teen athletes give up to be the best in their sport and the impact that can have long-term on mental health And why Alysa's coach thinks she could pull off a two-year gap in training and emerge stronger than ever   Other places to listen CLICK HERE to listen on iTunesCLICK HERE to listen on StitcherCLICK HERE to listen on Spotify See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel      

Bryce Bennett has a new title, and it's his favorite one yet: dad. The two-time Olympic skier is going for his third Olympic Team. Bryce is 33 and has spent nearly half his life on the U.S. Ski Team. Bryce and his wife, Kelley, welcomed their first child, a daughter, this spring. "You have this thing that is totally dependent on you," Bennett said. "You're in total love with it. And you will do anything to give it as many opportunities as you can." One of those opportunities will be a front row seat to her dad trying to make his third Olympic Team after 14 years of competing with the U.S. Ski Team around the world. "Kelley is going to come over, and we're going to rent an apartment and spend a lot of time in Europe this winter. The little baby is going to come over, and we're just going to live life and figure it out," Bennett said. Bryce grew up in Tahoe City, CA, and skied at Palisades Tahoe as a kid. He was a teenager when he made the U.S. Ski Team. In the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, he finished 17th (Super G-Men) and 19th (Downhill - Men). In the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, he finished 16th (Downhill - Men) and 17th (Super Combined - Men). His goal for 2026?  "My ideal year this year would be have an insane season, which is doable. Win the Olympics, take your trophies, and put them deep in the basement. And then go on and live your life," Bennett said. Bryce is known for a few things off the snow. One, he has a lot of hobbies, including fishing. You'll see as many "big ole fish" pictures on his Instagram feed as you do ski runs. The second is his incredible sense of humor. And that's why I picked Bryce to lead off our launch of Dying to Ask: The Road to Milan-Cortina. Get ready to laugh out loud as Bryce describes what it's like to be a pro skier when you're 6 feet 7 inches tall. Find out why being a parent as a winter Olympic athlete is like being a unicorn on the U.S. Olympic Team. And get some perspective on why being in tunnel vision with a goal is pointless. On this Dying to Ask: The Road to Milan-Cortina: How rare it is to be a parent on the U.S. Olympic Team The edge Olympians say parenthood gives them How Bryce stays motivated after spending nearly half his life on the U.S. Ski Team The value of having hobbies outside your day job     Other places to listen CLICK HERE to listen on iTunesCLICK HERE to listen on StitcherCLICK HERE to listen on Spotify See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel  

Stressed out? Try drinking a glass of water. Dehydration can mimic the symptoms of anxiety. Being properly hydrated is good for your energy, fitness and skin. It's just as important for your stress levels. A recent article in Women's Health broke down a study on the effects of being under-hydrated on anxiety and future health. Abigail Cuffey is the executive editor of Women's Health. "The researchers ultimately found that those who were drinking lower levels of fluids, lower levels of water — they had a bigger reaction to stress, and they put them through various stress tests. And those who were less hydrated had a bigger reaction, had a more powerful reaction to stress," Cuffey said. We've always known proper hydration is key for good energy, fitness and skin. Now we know it can impact mood. Think of your water bottle as another tool, like meditation, to control stress. "Now, is it going to magically take away all of your problems? I wish it could remove all the stress. But it really can help, and these really simple, easy things that we do also just make us feel like we're in control," Cuffey said. On this Dying to Ask: The link between being properly hydrated and stress levels Why dehydration mimics anxiety A simple way to know if you're drinking enough water How dehydration impacts your future health How much water should we drink daily?

Audiobooks are booming in popularity and they are a fun way to boost mental health. A calm voice can actually lower your stress hormones just like meditation does. Publishers Weekly reports the audiobook industry grew 13% in revenue last year, marking more than a decade of double-digit growth. Americans are listening more than ever while while commuting, working out, or just winding down at night. Lonely? An audiobook can be surprisingly comforting. There's something about having a voice in your ear, telling you a story, that is intimate. That sense of connection is can really impact your mood. Need to improve focus? Stop scrolling and start listening. Give your busy brain a break. On this Dying to Ask: 5 ways listening to audiobooks is good for your mental health 5 places to get audiobooks, including one that is 100% free

Stressed out? A recent Gallup poll shows one in two Americans is stressed out every day. The poll found it's affecting how much and how well we sleep. And women are slightly more stressed than men. Dealing with that level of negative emotion is exhausting. But it doesn't have to be. You can lessen stress in just minutes with a few resets to your routine and lifestyle. On the Dying to Ask: 3 simple stress resets for when life gets overwhelming The science behind why they work And a blueprint on how to fit them into your day when you're turning into a stress ball

What would you do if your whole life changed in one moment? Robert Paylor can actually answer that question because it happened to him. He's defying odds and inspiring people across the country. His new book is called Paralyzed to Powerful. It's equal parts memoir and motivation and tells the story of what happened after he suffered a catastrophic injury in a televised college rugby match in 2017. Robert Paylor was a rugby star at Jesuit High School who went on to play for Cal Berkeley. His injury happened during an illegal play during the 2017 National Championships. It left Robert a quadriplegic. Paylor says, "On day one, I was told I'd be lucky if I could feed myself, so what I'm doing today is just sort of miraculous. And I'm taking everything I can get." Paylor went through years of grueling rehabilitation and credits his athlete's mindset, faith and support from family and friends for all that happened next. Paylor graduated with a business degree at Cal, became a motivational speaker, got married and is expecting his first child. Life looks a lot different eight years later. "I can walk 500 yards in my walker now. I've had about 80% return in my upper body and it continues to progress here 8 years out," says Paylor. Get ready for a mindset masterclass. On this Dying to Ask: The impact of mindset in any physical recovery The question Robert asks himself to push through hard days How to find purpose in life's darkest challenges And a reality check on who really benefits when you forgive someone

Want an instant pick me up? The simple phrase "tell me something good" can dramatically change your day. What happens when someone tells you something great doing on in their life? Unless you're the jealous type, it probably makes you feel good too. You get a little hit of dopamine just by hearing another person's excitement. But why is that? The answer is something scientists call emotional contagion. It's the idea that moods spread, for better or worse. Contagions typically aren't good. But, in this case, catching someone else's joy can actually lift your mood. If you've ever been dragged down by a "Debbie Downer," you know how powerful negative energy can be. The flip side is true too: get around someone who's celebrating, grateful, or just genuinely happy, and you'll likely feel lighter yourself. It's a concept called freudenfreude and you can read more about it at this article I reference in the episode. That's the power of asking the simple phrase: "Tell me something good." On this Dying to Ask: Why sharing good news is so powerful Three ways it impacts your connection with others And what happened when I asked some of my KCRA colleagues at the station to tell me something good    

If you’ve ever felt a little anxious as summer winds down and routines ramp up, you’re not alone. You might have a case of the September Scaries. My morning show partner, Teo Torres, is my co-host on this episode, where we talk about this end-of-summer phenomenon. Think of it as the seasonal cousin of the Sunday Scaries. The September Scaries are not an official diagnosis. But psychologists say they're the real deal, and re-framing your view of September can help. On this Dying to Ask: Teo and I will break down what the September Scaries are and what it isn't And we'll offer you a five-step plan to give it a try Disclaimer: We also get off topic A LOT because, well, we're us.  Other places to listen CLICK HERE to listen on iTunesCLICK HERE to listen on StitcherCLICK HERE to listen on Spotify See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel 

Have you been walking wrong all your life? According to TikTok, the answer is probably. If you’ve scrolled through TikTok or Instagram lately, chances are you’ve seen videos about the Japanese walking trend. Some posts call it a weight-loss miracle. Others say it’s the secret to why people in Japan live longer, healthier lives. What's real and what's really just hype? The Japanese walking trend is a combo of basic habits a lot of Japanese people share. It involves mindfulness, breathing patters and purposeful movement. People in Japan have been living that way for hundreds of years. But TikTok has now discovered what a lot of people are calling the ultimate health hack. Bottom line, giving the trend a try isn't going to hurt you. In fact, it will probably make you feel more calm, energized and happy. The best part? You can try it anywhere. You don't need a gym or fancy equipment. You can even try it while pacing your living room! On this Dying to Ask: What the Japanese walking tend is and isn't A 5 step plan to try it out And why it makes a lot of sense that Japan leads the way in living long and happy

Denise Austin is one of the original fitness influencers. And she's as passionate about getting America moving as she was in the early 1980s. Denise got her TV start as the first fitness correspondent on the Today Show. She was a natural and quickly became a household name. That led to a daily 30 minute exercise show that aired for more than 20 years. She went on to sell more than 25 million exercise VHS tapes and DVDs. She authored 12 best selling books. More than 40 years later, Denise is still sharing workouts on social media and YouTube. And, her daughter Katie is a popular fitness influencer for Gen Z and millennials. How'd she stay passionate about her job for more than four decades? "You go to meet the people, you feel the love . You think, yeah, this is why I'm doing it. They tell you their stories, and how much better they feel," says Denise. In this episode, Denise shares how she maintains her positivity no matter what obstacle life throws her way. We're going beyond fitness and getting advice on growing a business, growing a family and growing older with her community.   On this Dying to Ask: Find out how Denise cold-called her way into becoming the first fitness reporter on the Today Show How she turned that opportunity into a 40 year empire How she keeps up her famous energy Why she still believes 30 minutes a day is the key to aging well And how her daughter Katie is following in her footsteps as a Gen Z and Millennial fitness influencer

You are what you eat. And if you're stressed or depressed, you might be able to blame your lunch. Dr. Candice Seti is the author of Shatter the Yoyo. She's a food psychologist. She studies the brain-body food link. "It's the idea of nutritional psychiatry and the idea of connecting how food makes us feel. And there are certain foods that make us feel better than others," says Dr. Seti. Omega 3 rich foods like salmon are great for brain health. Fruits, veggies and seeds? All good. But other foods can be a torpedo to your mental health. No surprise, it's anything sugary or processed. Dr. Seti says, "People don't always make the connection that when your brain is healthy your body tends to be healthy, and when you're lacking these things we're more likely to be depressed." Understanding the why might be exactly what you need to make better choices. And shifting your behavior can really help in stressful times. On this Dying to Ask: Foods to boost your mood Foods most likely to bum you out or increase anxiety How your food choices impact your mental health Ways to make the mind-body connection between what you eat and how you feel And a deep dive into the field of food psychology

Need a pick-me-up? Skip the coffee and try a movement bite. Jessica Schatz is a celebrity trainer and biomechanics and ProACTIVE Aging expert. She's trained professional athletes, Broadway stars and Hollywood actors for decades. Those athletes and performers need to maintain energy to perform. Jessica says the key to maintaining energy and aging well isn't destroying yourself in a two-hour gym workout. It's a lot easier than that. It's incorporating five-minute exercise breaks frequently into your day. Even 30 seconds of jumping jacks, pushups or squats can go a long way. Jessica calls them movement bites. "They increase your blood flow. They increase your heart rate. And they start to release these proteins, these Myokines, and they also release a protein called BDNF, Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor. It's like fertilizer for your brain," Schatz said. It's good news for anyone not crazy about chasing the elusive runner's high. Creating a positive neurfeedback loop doesn't have to leave you exhausted. It just needs to be consistent. "You're literally teaching yourself to foster a relationship with movement that's positive," Schatz said. Follow Jessica: Facebook: @thecoreexpert Instagram: @TheCoreExpert YouTube: @TheCoreExpert On this Dying to Ask: A deep dive into the science of hope molecules 5 movement bites you can do sitting in your car or at your desk How to plan your own "pick-me-ups" to improve mood and energy And what it's like to be a celebrity trainer to stars like Ashley Olsen and NBA players Other places to listen CLICK HERE to listen on iTunesCLICK HERE to listen on StitcherCLICK HERE to listen on Spotify See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

A summer bucket list is like a personal manifesto of fun in the sun.  It's a list of ideas, big and small, of things you'd like to do or accomplish over the summer.  The goal is to collect your thoughts in one place so you can seize the day when you find free time.   Writing down your list improves the likelihood you'll actually follow through on those activities and not just scroll Instagram! And it's a great way to spend time with your family and friends while ditching your screens.   On this Dying to Ask:  A three step plan to starting your summer bucket list How to make it a summer tradition with your kids And how to create one as an adult that focuses on fun and productivity Where to find pre-done bucket lists for families with little kids

Stop the summer brain drain by getting your kids hooked on reading this summer. This is part two of the 10th annual KCRA summer beach reads series. Last week, we took a look at the best summer beach reads for adults with Tina Ferguson, owner of "Face in a Book" bookstore. This week, we're focusing on books for kids of all ages. Tina says the key to getting a kid to put a screen down is to offer a book that's more compelling than any video. And there are lots to choose from. Have a reluctant reader? Tina says it's helpful to let your child drive the book bus. Let them pick out what interests them. Graphic novels continue to be a huge trend for kids who aren't naturally drawn to reading. Her favorite this year is a book called "The Cartoonists Club." "I chose this one because graphic novels are great for reluctant readers. A lot of parents might think graphical novels aren't what they would choose for their child. But graphic novels actually have great vocabulary," Tina says.  Titles mentioned: "The Secret Letters," Margaret Peterson Haddox "Rebellion 1776," by Laurie Halse Anderson "The Cartoonists Club," by Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud "El Nino," by Pam Munoz Ryan "A Wolf Called Fire," by Rosanne Parry "Sharks Unhooked," by Patricia Newman Other places to listen CLICK HERE to listen on iTunesCLICK HERE to listen on StitcherCLICK HERE to listen on Spotify See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

It's time for our annual "Summer Beach Reads" episode on Dying to Ask. The 2025 summer titles will not disappoint. Tina Ferguson, owner of Face in a Book bookstore, is back as our guide to all things literary. Tina and I have been doing a beach reads segment or podcast episode for 10 years now. And her pics this summer are a delightful blend of non-fiction and fiction. But our episode starts with a reality check on what the publishing industry looks like these days. Are people reading as much as they were during COVID-19 after they finished Netflix? Are romance sales as steamy as they were last year? Is Mark Twain about to follow in Hamilton's steps and be the next great musical thanks to a hot new offering from Ron Chernow? Don't miss this episode and please be sure to share it with your bookish friends and book clubs! Titles mentioned: "Headshot" "Glorious Exploits" "River of Lies" "We Solve Murders" "Mark Twain" "Tartufo"     Other places to listen CLICK HERE to listen on iTunesCLICK HERE to listen on StitcherCLICK HERE to listen on Spotify