After watching some recent Olympians go from novice athletes to record breakers and medal winners in only a handful of years, people around the world were left wondering, How did they do that?! and Wait—could I do this?
To demystify the journey into endurance sports (no matter if the goal is to become a pro athlete, adventurer, coach, or recreational enthusiast) we’re sharing the stories of four athletes and coaches who showcase just a few of the many paths you can take into sport from where you are now—regardless of whether you’re just getting started or looking to try a new discipline.
Included in these stories are two individuals who have been in endurance sports for decades: one of our hosts, Rob Pickels, and Fast Talk Labs contributor Dr. Jeff Sankoff (The TriDoc). They talk about their entry to sport years ago and how it compares to entry paths today. They also share how the winding roads of their personal lives and careers have brought an opportunity to reframe their goals with competition, and what a career in endurance sports can look like that isn’t just competing or coaching.
But what about athletes who haven’t been so ingrained in the endurance sports world? We talk to friend of the show, Dan Cooke, an adventure endurance athlete who is both an outdoor recreation entrepreneur and venture capital attorney on his experience, his perspective on accessibility issues, and how he incorporates endurances sports into his everyday life—from competitions to off-grid trips with friends.
Lastly, we hear from an athlete who is new to the Colorado cycling community, Annie Yeager. She left her career as a jockey after surviving a broken back and neck (among countless other concussions and injuries), and only learned how to ride a bike in her late 20s. Now Annie has redirected her competitive nature from a focus on the podium to regular bikepacking trips and dropping athletes far beyond her years in group rides all over the world.
In the true nature of an eager and avid athlete, the interviews for this episode were recorded all around the globe—from guests dropping by our studio in Boulder, Colorado, or calling in from across North America between training sessions and business calls to hopping on a Zoom interview between dives in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and, finally, recording voice memos under the night sky at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
You’ll also get wise recommendations from longtime experts and current pros alike, including Dr. Andy Pruitt, Lennard Zinn, Dirk Friel, Jack Burke, and Taylor Warren.
So, take these stories along for your run or ride, and let’s make you fast—for a lifetime.
