Be A Good Wheel

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Concussion, Recovery, and the Athlete Mind with Dr. Anthony Alessi Jul 02, 2024

Show notes

Amber speaks about concussion in athletes with Anthony Alessi, MD and board-certified neurologist who specializes in neurology, neuromuscular diseases, EMG, and sports neurology. Dr. Alessi is a Clinical Professor of Neurology and Orthopedic Surgery and the Director of the NeuroSport program at the University of Connecticut, and neurologist for the New York Yankees and Connecticut State Boxing Commission. In this conversation, they discuss Dr. Alessi’s background in neurology and how he became the neurological consultant to the NFL Players Association, among other professional sports organizations. Dr. Alessi discusses the current science of concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), the challenges of working with athletes, the psychological impact of concussions, and the role of rehabilitation in recovery. Dr. Alessi debunks the myth that complete rest and avoiding screens is the best approach to concussion recovery, and shares what actually affects recovery time, including the role of exercise. He divulges insights about identifying concussions in race scenarios and emphasizes the need for awareness and action in protecting the brain health of athletes. He talks through symptoms and the steps for seeking treatment, including when to seek emergency care, what to look for in a specialist, and how to recognize if you need a different healthcare professional. He shares recommendations on how athletes, coaches, and parents can work with medical professionals and can exercise caution regarding unproven treatments and promises. Dr. Alessi highlights the plasticity of the brain and its ability to recover from injury with individualized treatment, including key considerations for treating athletes and guiding gradual return to activity. This conversation offers an in-depth look at the research, physiology, and real-world treatment of concussion in athletes, with actionable takeaways for anyone who works with athletes or regularly engages in sports or endurance activities. Dr. Alessi has offered to answer follow-up questions from listeners; send your questions for Dr. Alessi to amber@beagoodwheel.com. While this information comes from a medically trained professional specializing and actively working in the areas of neurology and sports medicine, this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Summary of key points from this episode, with printable PDF here: https://beagoodwheel.com/dr-anthony-alessi
Healthy Rounds - Dr. Alessi’s radio show discussing health topics with medical experts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/healthy-rounds/id429232986
Death of Natasha Richardson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natasha_Richardson
Study by D Thomas et al - active injury management (i.e. incorporating light exercise or cognitive engagement) compared to complete rest post-concussion: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36252936/
SCAT6 Sport Concussion Assessment Tool - intended for use by medical professionals and is mentioned in the episode as part of our discussion about generalized protocols: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/57/11/622.full.pdf
CRT6 Concussion Recognition Tool - a similarly generalized tool intended for use by individuals without a professional healthcare background; as Dr. Alessi discusses, such a tool may not be needed if it’s clear an athlete needs to be professionally assessed (i.e. if they fell at high speed): https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/57/11/692.full.pdf
ImPACT Tests - cognitive tests that include baseline and post-injury testing; as Dr. Alessi discusses, this only tests for one dimension of many potential symptoms of concussion and is not itself diagnostic: https://impactconcussion.com/
Early study by Dr. Ann McKee, PhD and Warren Distinguished Professor of Neurology and Pathology at Boston University School of Medicine - Tau protein in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19535999/ (discussion about CTE is included in extended version available to Ko-Fi subscribers)

Send your follow-up questions for Dr. Alessi to amber@beagoodwheel.com

Advocacy, Awareness, and Amplifying Others with Kathryn Bertine Jun 18, 2024

Show notes

Content Warning: This episode contains references to suicide and depression, with specific discussions of depression and suicidal thoughts from 12:46 to 50:15. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. Text or call 988 in the U.S. or check https://findahelpline.com to find help where you are.

Amber speaks with Kathryn Bertine, author, athlete, activist, founder, and documentary filmmaker. Kathryn raced bikes professionally for five years and is a three-time Caribbean Champion and six-time national champion for St. Kitts and Nevis. She was featured on the cover of Bicycling Magazine and profiled in Outside Magazine for her impact within the cycling world. She crowd-funded and made the award-winning documentary HALF THE ROAD: The passion, pitfalls and power of women’s professional cycling, founded a non-profit that provides housing for women athletes struggling with the gender pay gap, has authored four non-fiction books, and is working on her fifth. In this conversation, they discuss why Kathryn celebrates her “brainiversary,” her experience with situational depression, and why the death of Robin Williams motivated her to seek help. Kathryn shares about her journey of advocating for women’s inclusion in the Tour de France and the importance of gathering like-minded individuals and amplifying the voices of others to effect change. She describes how she balances celebrating progress with continuing to push for more, how she responds to resistance, and why she is still advocating for equity in professional cycling.

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Mentioned in this episode:

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/
Homestretch Foundation: https://homestretchfoundation.org
Kathryn’s Books and Film: https://www.kathrynbertine.com/books-and-film

Purpose, Mindfulness, and Sending It On Your Own Path with Haley Hunter Smith Jun 04, 2024

Show notes

Amber speaks with Haley Hunter Smith, a National Champion and Olympic mountain biker turned pro gravel racer. In this conversation, they discuss how mountain biking saved Haley’s life, providing purpose, presence, and solace as she navigated recovery from a life-threatening eating disorder as a teenager. Haley shares her struggles with existential anxiety and the role sport has played in helping her manage those challenges. As a graduate student studying psychology, she brings an evidence-based approach to her mental game and shares the significance of mindfulness, flow, and agency, highlighting the power of an internal focus and task-oriented mindset in managing pressure. This broad-ranging conversation covers the impact of judgement and emotion on decision-making in sport, the experience of pain and fear, the process of self-acceptance and identity transformation, the importance of a support system, the intersection of mindset and community, the fluency of purpose, and the need for cultural change in sports.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Haley’s website: https://www.haleyhuntersmith.com/
Haley on Instagram: @haleyhuntersmith
Haley’s sponsors:
- Trek https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/
- MAAP https://maap.cc/
- The Feed https://thefeed.com/
- COROS https://us.coros.com/

Heartbreak, Determination, and Living Out Loud with Lea Davison May 21, 2024

Show notes

Amber speaks with Lea Davison, a two-time Olympian in mountain biking. In this conversation, they discuss how Lea got into mountain biking and the idea and importance of competitive collaboration: how she and her American teammates worked together as a team to secure Olympic spots, in the individual sport of mountain biking. Davison shares the essential role that fun has played in her success, how she responded to the heartbreak of not being selected for the Tokyo Olympics, and how she has created space for girls and women in cycling through Little Bellas, the non-profit organization she founded with her sister. Lea also opens up about her journey to publicly coming out, why she felt like she had to choose between her Olympic dreams and being gay, and what made the difference for her to finally “live out loud.” She talks about the ongoing challenges faced by women and the LGBTQ+ community in sports and how she’s picking up the mic to literally and metaphorically use her voice to make things better for other athletes.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Lea’s website: https://www.leadavison.com/
Lea on Instagram: @leaeatsalot
Lea’s Ted Talk on Competitive Collaboration: How to Win When You Don’t
Lea’s Moth Style Talk at Middlebury: Purpose and Place: Voices of Middlebury
Little Bellas
Athlete Ally
Emily Capodilupo Head of Data Analytics at Whoop at TEDxBoston
Lea’s Sponsors:

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Belonging, Empathy, and the Surprising Ease of Building Community with Marley Blonsky May 07, 2024

Show notes

Amber speaks with co-founder of All Bodies On Bikes, Marley Blonsky–a fat adventure cyclist, consultant, and advocate working to make the bike industry more inclusive. In this conversation, they discuss the importance of advocating for size inclusion, building bike infrastructure and community, and what makes a community different from a group. Marley offers guidance on how to navigate difficult conversations, the importance of understanding intent versus impact in communication, and why she leads with humility and curiosity. She shares tips on how you can take action to create change, why something as simple as t-shirt sizes can make a real difference, and about her upcoming projects: Wheels of Welcome and a new line of size-inclusive bike clothing with Shredly.

Tune in to learn surprising tools for communication, how to advocate for change, and just how easy it can be to build the community and belonging you’ve been missing.

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Mentioned in this episode:

All Bodies On Bikes: https://www.allbodiesonbikes.com/
Marley Blonsky Consulting: https://marleyblonsky.com/work-with-me
Wheels of Welcome: https://marleyblonsky.com/wheels-of-welcome/about
SHREDLY x Marley Blonsky: https://shredly.com/pages/shredly-x-marley-blonsky-collaboration
Shimano Film All Bodies On Bikes: https://bike.shimano.com/en-US/information/news/all-bodies-on-bikes-.html
Radical Adventure Riders: https://radicaladventureriders.com/
Black Girls Do Bike: https://www.blackgirlsdobike.org/
Ride for Racial Justice: https://www.rideforracialjustice.org/

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Camaraderie, Resilience, and Taking the Path Less Traveled with Stephen Hyde Apr 23, 2024

Show notes

Amber speaks with three-time National Cyclocross Champion, Stephen Hyde, a cycling maverick who defied conventional paths to find his place as a champion in the sport. From BMX and mountain biking to professional road cycling and cyclocross, Hyde's story is one of resilience, mentorship, and community. He shares how mentoring and being mentored shaped his evolution as an athlete, the secret to effective communication, why trust is essential to achieving big goals, the key lessons he now applies as a coach, why and how he prioritizes mental health in training, and more.

Tune in for invaluable guidance on navigating the highs and lows of athletic pursuits, integrating mentorship and community into your craft, and embracing life beyond the sport.

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Mentioned in this episode:

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Cultivating Fun, Thriving through Community, and Living with Loss with Katerina Nash Apr 09, 2024

Show notes

Amber speaks with cyclocross icon, mountain bike champion, and five-time Olympian Katerina Nash. In this conversation, they discuss how sport helped her navigate life-altering loss, what has kept her inspired and humble over a nearly 30-year career in professional sport, and her historic role with cycling’s international governing body. She shares about the crucial role community has played in both her personal and professional resilience, how she manages self doubt, how to redefine success through evolving goals, her advice asking for support, and how she turns personal adversity into a force for good. Tune in for an empowering conversation that celebrates resilience, community, and the transformative power of sport!

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Mentioned in this episode:
Clif Family Foundation: https://cliffamilyfoundation.org/
Katerina’s sponsors: Specialized, Clif Bar, Velocio, Fox, Shimano, Maxxis Tires, Stans NoTubes, Enduro Bearings, Race Face, Easton, Garmin Cycling, Oakley, Crankbrothers

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Mastery, Identity, and Turning Off to Turn On with Eliot Jackson Mar 26, 2024

Show notes

Amber speaks with Downhill Mountain Biking legend, entrepreneur, and Red Bull TV analyst, Eliot Jackson. In this conversation, they discuss how a risk-averse person can transform into a world-class downhill mountain biking pro, why chasing podiums isn't always the ultimate goal, the surprising parallels between downhill racing and broadcasting, the nuanced relationship between goals, results, and true success, why hard work alone doesn't guarantee victory in sports, the importance of finding the right process tailored to your individual journey, why pursuit of mastery can permeate every aspect of life, valuable perspectives on risk-taking, identity, and the profound significance of “turning off to turn on,” and the transformative power of embracing vulnerability in the pursuit of excellence. Whether you're an amateur athlete seeking inspiration or a seasoned pro craving fresh insights, this episode offers a wealth of wisdom to fuel your journey toward greatness.

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Mentioned in this episode:

- The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin https://www.joshwaitzkin.com/the-art-of-learning

- Grow Cycling Foundation https://growcyclingfoundation.org/

- Inglewood Pump Track https://www.inglewoodpumptrack.org/

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Motivation, pressure, and the weight of Olympic medals with Summer Sanders Schlopy Mar 12, 2024

Show notes

Amber speaks with NCAA, US, World, Olympic Champion, television host, and mother of two, Summer Sanders Schlopy. In this conversation, they discuss Summer’s Olympic experience, her formula for performing under pressure, why she felt relief when she won Gold, the key to parenting kids in sport (according to Summer and her husband, former World Cup and Olympic alpine ski racer Eric Schlopy), what drives meaningful motivation, the secret to effective feedback, how Summer approaches fitness with age, the cornerstone of good leadership, how the transformation of sports media impacts athletes, Summer’s love for the Buffalo Bills, and much more.

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How We Got Here Feb 27, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Be a Good Wheel! We're glad you're here. In our inaugural episode, we’ll provide an introduction to the ideas and motivation behind the show. Meet your host, Amber Pierce, who shares how her non-traditional background led her from research on the open ocean to racing bicycles, and ultimately to the studio microphone. Learn more about what you can expect from future episodes and what we hope for the future of the show.

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