Adventure Audio

In this episode, we discuss training tips, staying race or event ready (or close to it), the world’s hardest cycling climbs and much more.

Ash Routen is a freelance writer based in the UK, specialising in expeditions, exploration and adventure travel. His work has been featured in outlets such as National Geographic UK, The Guardian and Outside.

In episode 152 we discuss what goes into founding and directing an event (specifically Pete’s passion project, the Crowsnest Pass 100, www.crowsnestpass100.com) and we cover some listener feedback.

Alex Hutchinson is a National Magazine Award-winning journalist whose work appears in Outside, The Globe and Mail, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and other publications. He was a two-time finalist in the 1,500 meters at the Canadian Olympic Trials, and represented Canada internationally in track, cross-country, road racing, and mountain running competitions. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Cambridge, and has worked as a researcher for the U.S. National Security Agency. He lives in Toronto, Canada. Alex joins us on the podcast to discuss his groundbreaking book Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance, as well as a host of other topics.

Alex Hutchinson is a National Magazine Award-winning journalist whose work appears in Outside, The Globe and Mail, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and other publications. He was a two-time finalist in the 1,500 meters at the Canadian Olympic Trials, and represented Canada internationally in track, cross-country, road racing, and mountain running competitions. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Cambridge, and has worked as a researcher for the U.S. National Security Agency. He lives in Toronto, Canada. Alex joins us on the podcast to discuss his groundbreaking book Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance, as well as a host of other topics.

Kyle Brittain is a weather forecaster and storm chaser from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We have a fascinating conversation with Kyle about weather and our interactions with it in the outdoors. In addition to Kyle’s career and passion for weather, he’s also an accomplished outdoor adventurer, mountaineer and former fire fighter.

Christian Stenner is involved in the ongoing exploration of the longest and deepest caves in Canada and the United States. He has been recognized as a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and as a Fellow International of the Explorers Club. He also serves in search and rescue, as the Alberta coordinator for the Alberta/BC Cave Rescue Service. In addition to all this, Christian is also an accomplished ultra-runner.

Laval recently cycled across (and to the highest point of Cuba). We discuss how he got hooked on this type of travel, and how much he’s learned by visiting many places across the globe traditionally considered ‘unsafe’ by many (at least outside of resorts). We also discuss upcoming projects and welcome a few new partners of the podcast.

A portion of this conversation was originally published on the Everesting Podcast in summer 2022, when Laval was a guest on that show (after completing 10,000 meters of elevation in one ride on British Columbia’s Mount Revelstoke). Another part of this episode was unpublished, and the whole conversation was before Laval joined Adventure Audio as cohost. It’s a deep-dive in riding (really) long distances.

Nathalie Long is the course designer and race director of Expedition Canada, an adventure racing company based in British Columbia, Canada. Nathalie give us some background and insight into the huge amount of work that goes into the production of an adventure race. We also discuss some of Nathalie’s own amazing accomplishments as an adventure racer and ultra runner.

Jim Capra is the head coach at Tyler Hamilton Training, and a regular contributor to the podcast. Jim joins us to talk about rest periods in your training, 2023 goals and much more.

Carter Nieuwesteeg is a professional bike racer and co-founder/event director of the Anything Goes Event Series from Fernie, British Columbia. Carter joins us on the show to tell us about his start in bike racing, goals for 2023 and growing his event series.

We cover some news in cycling, including Jack Thompson’s ‘Sherpa Week’ and Steve Bauer joining Israel Start-Up Nation as directeur sportif. Lastly, we mull over some big ideas for 2023 goals.

Rob Britton is a Canadian multi-discipline professional cyclist. Now ‘retired’ from pro road racing, Rob has been crushing some of the biggest and hardest gravel and mountain bike races on the calendar. We chat about Rob’s career, his start in cycling, his love of bikepacking, gravel, chasing FKT’s and his support of the counselling charity WIRTH.

Every time we go out the door in search of adventure, we accept varying degrees of risk. We discuss trying to keep it in perspective and mitigate it, while knowing that sometimes you can just be in the wrong place at the wrong time. We also chat about Tyler’s MS Global Bike Tour, now in it’s 19th year.

We discuss what a fun time it is to be a cycling fan, and then we dive into some cycling slang. What’s the difference between blowing up and bonking? Is it okay to call a 100 kilometre ride a century? We have the answers.

After a second attempt at climbing 20,000 meters in one week, Pete is starting to accept that this challenge (as currently constructed) might just be out of his grasp. We put into some context just how hard this is, and discuss a possible third attempt.

Colby Lange is a professional track and road cyclist from the United States. Colby tells us about his tradition from a very bright future as a ski racer to cycling, and bravely shares his battle with depression and mental health. Colby is wise beyond his years and we hope you enjoy this inspiring conversation.

Sharing some thoughts on the hugely successful Tour de France Femme, and the new National Cycling League.

Brothers Cullen and Griffin Easter are professional bike racers and the founders of Opicure Foundation, a non profit focused on addressing opioid-related addiction and deaths.

We welcome Jim Capra, head coach at Tyler Hamilton Training, back on the podcast to discuss training while travelling, running and the ‘20,000 meters in a week challenge’.

Episode two discussing the 2022 Tour de France, including Hugo Houle’s historic stage win for Canadian cycling, and the beautiful rivalry between Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar.

We hope you’ve been enjoying the 2022 Tour de France as much as we have. This episode is a chat on the racing we’ve seen through stage 13, and our favourite riders of this year’s tour (so far).

Cory Wallace is a 4 time World Solo 24 hour mountain bike champion and ultra endurance professional cyclist from Jasper, Alberta, Canada. We get to hear about some of Cory’s epic 24 race battles, as well as many other adventures (including an FKT attempt up Mount Kilimanjaro).

Sacha Hockenhull is a lifelong outdoor enthusiast, growing up racing on skis and snowboards in Alberta’s Bow Valley, he’s also an avid climber, trail runner and cyclist. Sacha is the event director and co-founder of the Crowsnest Pass 100 mountain bike and gravel races, taking place in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta on August 6th and 7th.

Cole Kessler is a professional cyclist from California, currently splitting his time between LA and Girona, Spain. Cole tell us about his quick transition from recreational mountain biker to professional road cyclist, joining the Israel - Premier Tech team, getting mentored by Chris Froome and much more.

Just how hard is climbing 20,000 metres in 1 week? As it turns out, it’s really hard. We discuss just how difficult this is (and how much time it takes), and contextualize Jack Ultra Cyclist’s incredible effort of keeping up that pace, for an entire year.

We’re rejoined by our friend Steve O’Shaughnessy, bikepack racer and host of the popular My Back 40 Podcast. Steve is taking on one of our ‘bucket list’ rides next month, riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route as part of the Tour Divide bikepacking race, from Banff, Alberta to the Mexico border. Steve joins us to talk about his race prep, gear, plans and his bike. We’re excited to have Steve back on later this summer for ‘part 2’, to hear all about this adventure of a lifetime.

Ryan Van Duzer is a cyclist, runner, adventurer and host of the popular Ryan Van Duzer YouTube channel. Ryan joins us from his home in Boulder, Colorado to tell us about his leap of faith into a career and life of adventure, building his YouTube channel, and his passions for the outdoors and inspiring others.

We discuss the challenge of attempting to climb 20,000 metres (over 65,000 feet) in one week, and we share some of the best lessons we’ve learned as middle aged athletes.

Jack Thompson is an ultra endurance cyclist, better known as Jack Ultra Cyclist (www.jackultracyclist.com). We originally hosted Jack back on episode 53, in which we delve further into Jack’s journey into ultra cycling. In this episode, we’re focused on Jack’s current incredible project: to cycle 1,000,000 metres of elevation gain in one year, and to raise 1,000,000 euros for mental health charities at the same time. As part of his plan to gain that insane amount of vertical, Jack is doing one full Everesting, every week, all year. We’ve also both accepted a challenge to join in Jack’s fundraising efforts, by attempting to climb 20,000 metres each in one week.

Over the last several months, we’ve had a few questions about gravel bikes. Mostly variations of the same basic question; what is different about gravel bikes anyway, and do I need one/should I want one? We have our friend Jim Capra back on the podcast to discuss grave bikes and the nuances of their design compared to road and cyclocross bikes. Jim is a lifelong cyclist and the head coach at Tyler Hamilton Training (https://www.tylerhamiltontraining.com)

Tyler tell us about attending the Cyclocross World’s in Arkansas, and then we discuss our new event idea for this August, 3 Days of Gravel.

Adam Roberge is a multi-discipline professional cyclist from Quebec, Canada. At just 24 years old, Adam has been a 4 time national champion and exploded onto the gravel racing scene in 2021 with an overall win at Big Surgar Gravel and becoming the Belgian Waffle Ride Triple Crown of Gravel Champion. We discuss Adam’s incredible 2021 season, and what’s ahead for 2022 with his new team, Juke Box Cycling.

Our third and final instalment looking back on 2021. Conversions with Nick Martin, Ben Swift and Jay Jones (Boomerang Loop), Alison Tetrick, Leo Rodgers, Laura King, Tyler Munroe, Peter Coombe, Guy Townsend and Jessica Cerra.

The best of our 2021 conversations with Dirk Friel, Jeremiah Bishop and Tyler Pearce (The Vegan Cyclist), Alex Howes, Andy van Bergen, Laval St. Germain, Leah Goldstein, John Croom and Reese Ruland.

In several parts, we’re bringing you the best and most inspirational parts of our conversations from 2021. Part one includes highlights from Ryan Atkins, Fergus Liam, Steve Pucci, Larissa Connors, TJ Eisenhart, Selene Yeager, Brendan Leonard, Mark Synnott and Ronan Mc Laughlin.