This week on the podcast, I'm speaking with James Folsom, ultra-endurance cyclist, and bikepacker. I've been wanting to connect with James for some time now. I had the pleasure or riding with him during the 2021 AR700. We sat and enjoyed some snacks at a gas station in Coleman, before rolling on to find a place to sleep in some random field. We didn't have a lot of time to chat to get to know one another, so here we are.Once we got into the conversation, I was fascinated with James' life story and how he worked his way up from homelessness to becoming a Telecommunications Analyst. Later, his path changed again to better align with his desire to make a career out of life behind bars.James currently holds the 24 World Time Trial Fixed Gear record having traveled 416mi (665.6km) in 22h 21min. We chat about training, nutrition, and a time in his life when he faced adversity in the form of a cancer diagnosis.I really appreciated the way James faced all of the challenges in his life and hope you are inspired by this as much as I am.========Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

This week I chat with Rob Biron, aka Salty Beard Bikepacking @saltybeardbikepacking about his new route on Vancouver Island, Caves and Coves TT. Caves and Coves offers a new format for riders in that there are a ton of options on how and when you participate in the event, making it more accessible to more people’s timelines. Rob wanted to show off Vancouver Island in a unique way treating riders to some of the Island’s hidden gems.We chat about the route, the land struggles that exist on Vancouver Island, the challenges of balancing day-to-day life with that being a content creator, and of course, facial hair management. Please enjoy, Rob Biron.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

Thought I would just sit and go in cold with a few things that have been on my mind. I share a couple of voice intros, talk a bit about eating during long distance events and chat a little about mental health in regard to the stories that we tell ourselves.Life has been pretty intense for me, but it has been an opportunity to process and to continue to work on myself so that I can show up better day to day. The one thing that I have been trying to do more of is self care. Getting out on the bike more and continuing to read and learn. It’s shoulder season here in the Columbia Valley so I had to build up TiMBR and take her on a couple of rides. It wasn’t a busy winter for me in terms or cycling, but I gave myself grace and just let it be what it was to be. Now that the gravel has emerged, my thoughts are of the trail and sleeping in tents. I hope you enjoy this little supplemental podcast. I will be bringing you more conversations in the near future, so stay tuned.KTRSDSave 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.

This week I’m speaking with Stefan Barth, Coach at SBU Coaching and Author of Ultracycling & Bikepacking.Stefan is an entrepreneur who started his coaching business after being dissatisfied with his path. His coaching business is unique as he takes a whole-body approach to training his athletes. As a Medical Fitness Coach, he can pay particular attention to athletes’ physical imbalances and problem areas and quickly relieve acute tension and pain symptoms via personal training and acupressure. As an author, Stefan wanted to write a scientifically based book about the physiology of ultra-distance cycling. Dissatisfied with the response he received from publishers, he created his own company to self-publish his book. It’s a wealth of information, sharing insights from athletes like our very own, Meaghan Hackinen. Stefan also gathered insights from athletes such as Christoph Strasser, Lael Wilcox, James M. Hayden, Jenny Tough and many more.Stefan has started a Kick Starter Campaign in order to get the book translated into English. Please chip in and help Stefan. He has already raised over $6,000 but has a ways to go. You can find the link to the campaign in the show notes.This was a great chat that I’m sure you’ll enjoy. We touch on a lot of topics from nutrition to physiology to motivation. There are a ton of takeaways in here, so enjoy.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

The last couple of days have been hard. Last evening I decided I’d put on Ride the Divide and escape into that world for a bit. It was very cool to see places that I had been, long desolate roads and the rider’s struggles as they navigated the trail. Despite being separated by a big screen and that over a decade has passed since the film was released, there is familiarity and timelessness to it. Like comfort food for the eyes, watching it stimulated my parasympathetic nervous system and my body became calm.I fell asleep shortly after I posted an inspirational quote from Matthew Lee on my social feed and indicated that I was on a low part of the emotional rollercoaster at that moment. When I awoke at 3:30 in the morning on the verge of emotionally falling apart, I looked at my phone and found that people had reached out to see if I was okay. It helped immensely and I was inspired to get up and record this short solo podcast to share, ask for help and to thank everyone for their support.The podcast has been a meaningful venture for me and to be able to connect with all of you, even if it’s only a one way interaction sometimes, is therapeutic. Thanks for being there… Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

This week, I bring you a conversation with Jerry Kopack. Jerry reached out to me a few weeks ago requesting to connect on the podcast. He wanted to share his personal adventure and how the simple act of riding a bike, provided him with invaluable insight.This is from the bio he sent me.After 10 soulless years in corporate America, Jerry founded a hospice and learned first hand how precious our time really is. Following a series of his own crippling losses and armed with those lessons learned from working with people at the end of life, he set off on what was supposed to be a 2-month bike tour, that turned into nearly 2 years. Along the way, Jerry started to say, "bikes always win" because of the freedom they give people and the places they take you. With an optimistic curiosity, he found my way through Madagascar, India, Nepal, China, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, and Israel. Jerry soon realized that this time was a gift. That every day is a gift. Lessons learned from running a hospice became lessons lived. And with that, a continual question propelled him: “Am I using my time well?” Jerry’s book “The World Spins By” is an account of his escape from corporate America and the road to discovering himself. In this episode, we take deep dive into his stories and the lessons learned along the way and I’m certain you’ll enjoy listening to this conversation.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

Those of you following the Iditarod Trail Invitational may have noticed a couple of riders heading back to Anchorage, RJ Sauer being one of them. On the heels of just publishing a podcast with RJ, he messaged me to let me know that his heart just wasn’t in it. I thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to connect with RJ, while it is all fresh, to talk about what happened and why.Just showing up to an event like this is an endeavour in and of itself, but when so much time and energy is spent on preparation and logistics, not finishing an event can be devastating. In RJ’s case, he was able to find peace in his decision and in the episode, he shares his mindset. RJ first rode the 1000 mile ITI back in 2001 as a 26 year old Film Maker producing the film, Thin White Line. It was his first bikepacking race and the catalyst for many adventures to come. You can read more about his adventures over at rjsauer.com or on his Instagram page, where he more or less journals his life.There are lots of great takeaways in the one. Scratching is always a possibility and sometimes it can’t be avoided. Listen in as RJ shares some wisdom that we can all learn from. Enjoy this conversation.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

One of the fringe benefits of doing this podcast is having my guest’s phone numbers. I saw that RJ Sauer was getting ready for the Iditarod Trail invitational, 350-mile race across Alaska, so I reached out to him to wish him luck and to keep the rubber side down.The next day, I was thinking to myself “Is he in Alaska already?”. When I found out that he was, I figured this would be a great opportunity to talk to RJ. The last time we spoke was back on 002. RJ Sauer - Perseverance Personified.  This conversation was one for the books and one in which we covered a ton of topics. We talked a little about the Iditarod Trail Invitational but then, as my podcast goes, we took many tangents along the way. We talked about presence, groupthink, the Tour Divide, and selfishness. I asked him about his writing process. We also covered imposter syndrome, storytelling, and what’s your “why”, a hot topic for many endurance athletes and a question we often ask when we’re suffering in an event. RJ first rode the 1000 mile ITI back in 2001 as a 26 year old Film Maker producing the film, Thin White Line. It was his first bikepacking race and the catalyst for many adventures to come. You can read more about his adventures over at rjsauer.com or on his Instagram page, where he more or less journals his life. You can also track his progress in the ITI 350.It’s been too long since I last spoke with RJ. I always find our conversations a joy and a great learning experience. His humble nature and willingness to share make for a great conversation and I hope you find some takeaways as well.EnjoySave 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

This week, I chat with Jonathan Hogg. Jonathan is riding the Tour Divide in 2023 and wants to raise a million dollars for Rocky Mountain Adaptive, a charitable organization that creates and provides accessible adventures for individuals living with physical and/or neuro-divergent challenges.Jonathan discovered the Tour Divide during his recovery after breaking his leg. During that time, he also wanted to start giving back to the community somehow and hobbled into Rock Mountain Adaptive to volunteer. In this conversation, Jonathan shares a lot about himself. He talks about his struggles with depression and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He discusses the tools that he uses to combat his condition, namely how cycling is “medicine for the brain”. How doing hard things and finding purpose in ones life is vital to his mental health.I so appreciated Jonathan’s vulnerability in this conversation and I hope you find some takeaways while listening.Please visit Jonathan’s Gofundme to donate to his cause and please share this around to your family and friends so we can all help him raise money for Rocky Mountain Adaptive. And don’t forget to follow him on Instagram to stay up to date on his progress! @jonathan.hogg.127Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!

Joy, Habits, Life Obstacles, Validation, Trauma, Human Design. This chat with Ryan Draper, despite being truncated by family duties, is a doozy and one of my favourite ways to podcast. No framework, just conversational flow. We get deep fast!I know I just re-posted a podcast with Ryan, but I think the topics here are fresh and interesting. I share quite a bit about my current circumstances and how I’m navigating it. I talk about my experience with my Mindset Coach Paige Royal @paigeroyalcoaching, of Paige Royal Coaching with whom I’m learning how to let go of unhealthy emotions that have been holding me back. Ryan shares his journey through coaching and talks about his ethos. He speaks about Human Design and how he uses that to help him navigate coaching athletes with specific personalities. I hope you dig it.Save 15% at Redshift Sports when you use the code MB40Save 50% off your first month of coaching at Cycling 101 when you use the code MB40 at checkout.Save 25% at Dynamic Cyclist when you use the promo code MB40 at checkout.Visit Rollingdale CycleThanks to Ottalaus Inc. for their support.Thanks to Spandex Panda for their support.Thanks to Lakeside Bikes in Invermere for supporting me!