Off Course

Ben Hoffman is an American long course triathlete with many half Ironman and full distance wins under his belt and has been one of the more consistent performers in the Ironman for over a decade. Ben has been at the professional level of the sport for 15 years and has worked his way to being a contender for the win whenever he toes the line. He's been on the podium in Kona and was 4th last year and is hunting for that world championship win. 

Ben talks with me about what drives him as an athlete and as a person. He talks some tactics and a good bit about what's going on in his mind during training and racing. He also shares some of what its like to be a professional triathlete and a new dad. 

We hope you enjoy this episode of Off Course with Ben Hoffman, a great athlete and a great guy. 

In 2016, at the Rio Olympics, Mara Abbott was caught by a group of 3 less than 200m to the finish line. She took home a 4th place and in her heart she knew she gave everything she had. Little did she know this was the race that would define her racing career. Not having won the Giro Rosa twice or the National Championships, but instead having just missed out on a medal in her career's finale. 

Mara takes some time to talk about how that feel, to have people view a race you view as a disappointment as a triumph. She lets us in on here thoughts during and after that race and the ongoing process of dealing with retirement.  

In the time of COVID parents are being asked to do many things that we haven't done before. Home schooling and home coaching are now two more things on our already full plates. This week Kevin Dessart, former head of coaching for USA Cycling and the current Head Coach of University of Colorado Women's Hockey, gives some insight on what makes a great coach and what the ideal parent role is for their developing athlete.

We take that a step further as we talk about the new role for parents amid COVID, Home Coaching. How do balance being a parent, but also helping kids get their sports work done while in lockdown? He has great insight. We also talk to Sara Vaughn about how she and her husband Brent are dealing with this topic. 

From kids teaching parents to tip on keeping it fun, this is a great listen for all coaches, athletes and parents. 

This week we catch up with World Champion ITU and Xterra triathlete Flora Duffy at her home in South Africa. We talk about how the sport of triathlon has changed for her through the years and how she came to love the sport again and become a multi time wold champion. 

We talk about the struggles of expectations and how she has learned to deal with them and accept them. We talk about the mindset that Flora has when she races and trains and how it can be very different than her typical persona. 

Flora has become a mentor and a role model in the sport of triathlon and has found ways to give back to her sport and to her home country of Bermuda. Join us as we work through her amazing career, the up and downs and the pressures and the triumphs.

Kiel Reijnen joins to talk about his career as a cyclist. How it began with wins in some of the biggest American races and has morphed into that of a domestique and road captain for Trek-Segafredo. We talk about the move to the Pro Tour and what it requires. 

Kiel talks about what he would like to see cycling media focus their attention on more. From the team aspect of racing, the little shown early parts of races and to the intense rivalries that exist between riders and teams. 

We look back at Kiel's time in Boulder, his intense rivalry with good friend Alex Howes and how they settled it once and for all. Finally, Kiel talks about his decision to move back to where he grew up and his latest project to help young cyclists on the island. 

Sara Vaughn is one of my inspirations as a coach, a parent and as an athlete. She's a role model to so many athletes on how to continue to follow their dreams while being a great parent, a working professional and a partner. 

Sara talks about the journey to the World's team in 2017 and how she and her husband Brent made it all work. From late night runs, to real estate showings in her running gear, Sara has bucked the trends of professional running for a decade and is hoping to continue to do so after baby #4. 

We also talk about the struggles for female runners looking to start a family or continue running with one. Sara talks about what's changing in the running world for women and what she still grapples with as a professional. 

Maxx Chance, Heather Fischer and Eric Brunner from University of Colorado join us on the podcast to talk about their collegiate cycling experience. They tell us why they think its a crucial part of developing interest, participation and talent in the United States. 

We also talk to Neal Henderson from Apex Coaching and Wahoo Fitness, 2016 Olympian Mara Abbott and our friend Robin Carpenter from Rally Cycling to share their thoughts as well. From the introduction of cycling to athletes from other sports to the inclusive environment of club cycling, they share why it is so important to the sport in the US. 

Load up your hotel room with teammates or hunker down in a friends aunt's basement, and give a listen. Then go spread the word and let's keep getting people into cycling and developing world beating talent. 

Robin Carpenter of Rally Cycling joins us on the podcast to talk all about the artistry that is getting into the breakaway in Europe. Robin has proven himself to be quite proficient at this over the past two years and earning himself several podium finishes as well as an epic foray off the front at Fleche Wallone. 

He lets us in on the wheelings and dealings that go on in the break and how he navigates the situation to go for a classification leader's jersey or the win. 

He also tells us all about how he got into baking and the secrets to a great loaf of sourdough and how some of these upstart baker-cyclists are ruffling his feathers. 

Join me and Robin for a close look at the art of the perfect sourdough loaf and how those techniques cross over in the professional peloton. Let's go get Off Course with Robin Carpenter. 

Sharing stories of faceplants, McD's post race stops, costumes and start line dance parties, Sarah Sturm and Emily Schaldach take us into the details of their singlespeed cyclocross battles from 2019. In the process, they shed some light on what drives them to race and how they deal with the nerves of racing and balancing the results and the fun. 

Both Emily and Sarah honed their cycling craft in Durango, CO amidst the beautiful trails and amazing athletes found there. They talk about collegiate cycling, singlespeed racing and the dichotomy of racing big races to win, while in the midst of a gigantic party. 

They also share who their role models and mentors have been in the sport and reassure us that its ok to be serious about your sport, but not take your racing too seriously. 

Give a listen to two women who exemplify what cyclocross is in the States and are bad ass role models for every aspiring or veteran racer. 

We spend time talking with Cameron about life as a swimmer growing up in Boulder. How family holds a critical part of his life then and now. We talk about his professional racing career and the hair and beard that came along with. 

I truly enjoy getting Cam's take on life and racing and am sure you will too. 

My guest today, Emerson Oronte of the Rally Cycling team, won the 2014 U.S. Amateur National Championship Road Race and the 2015 San Dimas Stage Race. He’s been racing at an elite level since 2011. But our conversation isn’t so much about the bike. In this episode, the conversation begins with a discussion of the work he did to prepare for the 2020 season. We then talk about the cultural differences that American athletes face when training and competing in Europe. We also discuss the pandemic and the way that Emerson is reframing this time, choosing to focus on his gratitude for being able to be outside and for broadening his horizons and developing new skills and hobbies. Let’s get Off Course.

Welcome home everyone. Whether you were launching into a new venture—say, a year of bike racing overseas like our guest today—or maybe just getting the kids off to school in the morning, we’re all trying to figure out what the plan is now. Back at home amid the COVID-19 chaos. We thought it would be fun to check in with friend of the pod, Noah Granigan, a member of the Hincapie-Leomo team, about what it was like to get to Spain just before the pandemic hit there with full force, his reaction to hearing the U.S. president announce that coming back to the U.S. wasn’t an option, and how he and his teammates made their trek back home—or at least to a place near home where they could safely quarantine themselves.

Let’s get Off Course!

This week on Off Course we’re joined by Australian pro roadie Joe Lewis, formerly with Holowesko-Citadel, and now a Clif Bar sponsored cyclist and Boulder Junior Cycling coach. Joe and I work together closely and share stories about the great development program that is Boulder Junior Cycling. 

We then shift gears and discuss cutthroat group rides. He’ll also tell tales of life as a teenager racing in Europe, far from his family, at a time when global communication was not what it is today. One anecdote: Joe would often sit outside by the ping pong table to access the internet where he was staying, just so he could contact his family back home. 

Today, Joe has his own coaching business, called First Wheel coaching. Throughout the episode he shares his insights on the topic, particularly about how communication is a vital part of being a great coach.

Let’s get Off Course.

Welcome to Off Course! Today on the show is one of my good friends, and the first pro I ever coached, Brady Kappius. He’s here to get off course and talk about his career in racing, and how that led to his career in carbon fiber repair and bicycle technology. Today, Brady is the President of Kappius Components.

On the racing side, Brady gives some cyclocross advice about finding the right line and handling the bike. As someone who also spent plenty of time racing on the road—he is a former teammate of Alex Howes and Taylor Phinney, among others—Brady talks about why he loves road racing tactics.

As we’re learning on this show, retirement is a complex story wherein athletes must redefine goals and values as individuals who love competition, training, and sport.
Brady’s relationship with the bike continues to evolve. We hope this episode helps you ask the question: How has your story on the bike changed over time?

This week we bring on the one and only Noah Granigan. Noah, like our friend Maxx Chance, is famous in Boulder, but this year is looking to take the “Noah Show” on the road to Europe with the Hincapie-Leomo team. 

Noah comes from a family of cyclists, and has been on the bike his entire life. His grandfather, Joe Saling, is a member of the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame and a great supporter of his grandson’s passion for road racing. Noah talks about that support, and his path through the age-ranks of cycling in the U.S. and abroad. We continue the conversation about what makes European racing different, how the Belgian roads are made to bite any rider who isn’t focused, and about old men groping your calves. 

We also get off road. Gravel has been exploding in popularity in the States, and Noah tells us about his Dirty Kanza experience. He was ninth place last year in his first real gravel experience, and we discuss the craziness of the race as well as the things he learned the hard way while in the trenches of this 10-hour event. 

Look out for #theBelgianCrack and let’s get off course! 

Lance Haidet is the current under-23 U.S. national road champion and a former U23 cyclocross national champion. He just wrapped up his first season in the elite ’cross ranks with the Donnelly-Aevolo team. In this episode, Lance recounts stories from the season, including his choice to pass on the world championships.

As someone with a young, rebellious persona—a true California boy—you may be surprised to learn how organized and disciplined Lance is. Consider the demanding course-load he carries as an engineering student at Cal Poly, then add in the daily training demands of racing at an elite level, and you’ll understand the necessity for his maturity.   

Lance is racing domestically this season with the Legion of Los Angeles team, holding firm to his dedication to his education. 

Let’s get Off Course with Lance Haidet.

Today, my guest is Meredith Miller. She may say she's "retired" from racing, but she absolutely has not retired from the sport. She is now the Rapha Cycling Club Chapter Coordinator in Boulder. She also works with USA Cycling as a coach and mentor in cyclocross. As a competitive athlete, she was the U.S. national road champion as well as co-owner and rider for the Noosa cyclocross team. We talk about the sexism that still exists in cycling and many other professional sports. As a former elite athlete and competitive team owner, Meredith knows a lot about funding cycling, which we discuss in-depth here. We’ll have a full episode on this in the future, and Meredith will join us for that conversation as well. We’re both big advocates for the USA Cycling Mud Fund and the work they’ve done to foster growth in the sport here in the U.S. To read more about the fund, or to contribute, visit: https://www.usacycling.org/foundation/mudfund.

We also discuss the 2020 racing calendar and the question of whether cyclocross should be included in the Olympic Games. Because so many cyclocross athletes also compete in other cycling disciplines, the decision regarding the sport's inclusion in the Olympics will affect the sport and the people who love it.

Finally, as someone who travels a lot professionally, Meredith kindly shares some relationship advice that has been helpful to her and her partner.

Part of the reason I created this podcast is to share the strong camaraderie and friendship that we enjoy as cyclists, swimmers, and runners, with you! This episode is a great glimpse into my relationship with Chris Case. Chris is the co-founder of Fast Labs and the co-host of Fast Talk with Trevor Connor. Chris is the former managing editor of VeloNews and the co-author of “The Haywire Heart,” on heart arrhythmias in endurance athletes. He spent a good part of his early professional career as a neuroscientist, from dissecting monkey brains to working with patients with schizophrenia.

Whether you're in the throes of training for a multi-stage bike race, or you’re just riding along the local trail with your kids on a Saturday, it’s important to keep cycling fun. Chris and I laugh about the charades of our youth, and we share personal insights into how we integrate our love of sport into a balanced and fulfilled life.

Today on the podcast is the one and only, Maxx Chance. Maxx is a former collegiate national cyclocross champion. He now races on the road with the Wildlife Generation Pro Cycling team on the road and for Blue Stages Racing for Cyclocross. In this episode, Maxx describes what cyclocross in Europe is like: the courses, the fans, the race registration, the men’s competition, everything is different, making the sport challenging in new ways. 

Reach out! You can email me at offcourse@fastlabs.com. Or on social media, find us at @reafastlabs. Grant is at @gholicky on instagram, and @grantholicky on twitter. Screenshot and share that you’re listening to the pod!

Welcome to Off Course! Grant Holicky, the coach of American U23 national champion and cyclocross worlds competitor Eric Brunner, came back from Dübendorf, Switzerland last week and immediately recorded this special behind-the-scenes episode to give us a taste of what the excitement was all about. Make sure to check our social media channels to see the photos and videos that Grant describes in this episode. We’re at @realfastlabs on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Grant offers behind-the-scenes details on the course, course conditions, cliffhanger finishes, and some of the dominating performances. He gets into the details on which countries stood out and performed the strongest. Of course, he also sampled the local cuisine… curious how good Swiss beer is? Does Grant like or love stinky cheese? You’ll have to listen to see what Grant has to say!