With Pace

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Lachlan Morton on the Tour Divide Sep 17, 2023

Show notes

Last week, Lachlan Morton finished the 2,670-mile Tour Divide in just 12 days, 12 hours, and 21 minutes, more than a day faster than the officially recognized record. He also did it in the midst of the Life Time Grand Prix, between Leadville and Chequamegon.
This weekend, Payson caught up with Lachlan in Wisconsin just hours after completing Chequamegon to talk about his experience. From being ready to throw in the towel to marveling at the breathtaking beauty around him, Lachlan discusses the moments that stand out the most from his 12 days on the trail. He talks about facing his greatest fear, a crucial rendezvous with a hair dryer, and a very creative--and dare we say ingenious--use of a sock.
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YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Brendan Johnston, off-road cyclist Sep 10, 2023

Show notes

This week, Payson is joined by one of the Australian riders in this year’s Grand Prix, Brendan Johnston. Brendan dominated the marathon mountain biking scene in Australia for several years, winning the national title no fewer than four times and winning 19 consecutive races between 2015 and 2017. He’s also dabbled in road racing, finishing third at the 2022 National Championships in a stacked field. After juggling cycling alongside a full-time career, Brendan decided to focus on riding this year and moved across the world to compete in the Grand Prix.
In this conversation, he talks to Payson about becoming disillusioned with World Cup XC early on, finding a niche within the domestic Australian scene, and deciding to take a break from a stable career down under to try his hand at American gravel. He talks about the difficult transition, how a frustrating ride at Unbound led him to double down a little too hard on training, and the turning point he had last month that changed the course of his season.

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YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Zach Calton, off-road cyclist Sep 03, 2023

Show notes

This week, Payson catches up with one of the fastest racers in this year's Grand Prix, Zach Calton. So far this season, Zach has placed 6th at Leadville and 9th at Unbound, and is currently sitting 8th overall in the Grand Prix standings. He also happens to have a full-time job off the bike.
In this conversation, Zach talks to Payson about what is shaping up to be a breakout season, why he still isn’t sure that making cycling a full-time gig is the goal, and his job at Specialized. He also talks about how he went from the U23 XCO circuit to finding himself without a team in 2020, and the top gravel pro who’s been coaching him for the last two years.
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Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Maude Farrell, off-road cyclist Aug 27, 2023

Show notes

Payson caught up with fellow Grand Prix racer Maude Farrell at Leadville a couple of weeks ago to talk about how her season is going, why she went to Leadville even though she chose to skip racing it, and how she juggles professional racing with a full-time career at the electric vehicle company Rivian. They discuss the challenges of trying to have it all—professionally, athletically, and personally—and do a deep dive into the state of the electric vehicle industry and why there’s no silver bullet when it comes to making transportation more sustainable.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Leadville recap, with Betsy Welch, Ellen Campbell, and power file analysis Aug 20, 2023

Show notes

There was one story that dominated Leadville this year. Keegan Swenson smashed the course record by more than 15 minutes and finished nearly 25 minutes ahead of second place. On the women's side, Sofia Gómez Villafañe won a tight battle among the top five, followed closely by Ruth Winder.
In our recap, Payson chats with Velo reporter Betsy Welch about how good both the men’s and women’s fields have gotten this year, and where Keegan’s dominance leaves the rest of the racers.
For a first-hand perspective on the women’s race, we hear from Ellen Campbell, who came to Leadville this year hoping to top her 7th place result last year. She talks about the dynamics of the women’s race, how they used Tobin Ortenblad’s blistering lead-out to their advantage, and why pee breaks can make or break the race in the women’s field.
Lastly, Payson breaks down Keegan’s power numbers to see just what it took to achieve such a stunning result.
Check out Payson's new film "Crossing Tasmania" here: https://youtu.be/eqI-hKkUoKw

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Lael Wilcox on the Tour Divide, the Triple Crown, and riding around the world Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

The queen of ultra-endurance cycling returns to the show to talk about her punishing experience at this year’s Tour Divide, her upcoming stab at the Colorado Trail race, and her plan to race around the world, which she devised while riding several thousand miles to the start of the Tour Divide.
After setting countless course records on bikepacking routes around the world, Lael is focusing all her energy on racing this year. Following her grueling experience on the Tour Divide that saw her coughing up blood, vomiting for weeks, and struggling to breathe, she’s preparing to complete the Triple Crown, which consists of the Tour Divide, the Colorado Trail race, and the Arizona Trail race. Lael tells Payson about working with a coach this year for the first time, her potential route for racing around the world next year, and why she and her wife Rugile Kaladyte, a visual journalist, haven’t been producing as many media projects about her riding lately. Payson also chats with Rue about what it was like following Lael’s Tour Divide race from afar, and how she plans to spend the rest of the season.
Our full episode with Rue from 2021 can be found here: #127 Rugile Kaladyte, photojournalist and videographer

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Women of the Grand Prix, part 3: Alexis Skarda, Bella Hyser, and Anna Yamauchi Aug 06, 2023

Show notes

Alexis Skarda - 6:24
Alexis has been climbing pro podiums for close to a decade. The multi-time collegiate national champ has won Marathon Nationals, the Whiskey 50, the Brek Epic, and holds the White Rim FKT. She’s in her second year racing the Grand Prix, and catches up with Payson to talk about coming back after a punishing experience at Unbound, what it’s like being teammates with Keegan Swenson and Tobin Ortenblad, and her secret musical side hustle. Stick around after the interview to hear one of her tracks.
Bella Hyser - 36:55
At 19, Bella is the youngest rider in the women’s field, but she discovered her talent for racing long distances three years ago. When the XC race circuit shut down during the pandemic, Bella started riding as far and as often as she could, and hasn’t stopped since. She tells Payson about how excited she was to get into the Grand Prix after her second try, how she and her coach have ramped up her training for the series, and how a phone call during Unbound kept her from pulling out of the race.
Anna Yamauchi - 1:00:31
Anna only started racing two years ago, but she’s already shown an aptitude for the sport, winning the Rock Cobbler earlier this year and placing second at BWR Arizona. She talks to Payson about how her difficult start in the Grand Prix has been a blessing in disguise, how her mentor Katerina Nash pushed her to stay in cycling, and why she’s jumping into the Andorra World Cup after Leadville.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Women of the Grand Prix, part 2: Caroline Tory, Becca Fahringer, Caroline Mani, and Sarah Max Jul 30, 2023

Show notes

This week, we’re bringing you the next installment of our series on the women racing in this year’s Life Time Grand Prix.
Caroline Tory [3:56]
Caroline Tory was an accomplished skier and runner when she was introduced to gravel in 2021. She’s performed consistently well in the Grand Prix this season, standing seventh overall in the points. Outside cycling, she lives in the literary world, working as the Managing Director of the Aspen Words writers program at the Aspen Institute.
Becca Fahringer [28:51]
Becca came to gravel racing via cyclocross and has been sinking her teeth into the Grand Prix after more than a year of concussion recovery. She talks about altitude tents, why she cringes when she calls herself a gravel racer, and going back to school to work in the renewable energy sector.
Caroline Mani [55:49]
Caroline Mani has been a high-level cyclocross racer for most of her career and medaled at the World Championships in 2016. Even though she’s contemplating retirement, she decided to leap into gravel. She talks about why she isn’t sure it was a wise decision, and the mentorship programs that are keeping her passionate about cycling.
Sarah Max [1:22:45]
At 48, Sarah Max is the oldest rider in the Grand Prix. She also happens to be sitting in fourth place in the points. Her full-time career as the managing editor at Morgan Stanley Research has her commuting from Times Square to Emporia, Kansas, Beaver, Utah, and, in a few weeks, Leadville. She tells Payson about how she got into gravel while writing an article about Unbound, and how she manages a seemingly impossible schedule.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Ellen Campbell, professional off-road cyclist Jul 23, 2023

Show notes

Ellen Campbell has been riding bikes since she was a kid growing up in Durango, Colorado. She raced in college and on the national circuit, but it was only last year that she decided to step into professional gravel full-time. Joining Sarah Sturm’s privateer program, she competed in the Grand Prix in 2022 with the goal of finishing every race. This year, she’s racing in the Grand Prix again, but her perspective and goals are shifting. In this interview, Ellen tells Payson about why she made up her mind to go professional during a stressful weekend helping her partner, Howard Grotts, and Sarah at Leadville. They also talk about enneagrams, why her mindset on racing has changed this season, and what she thinks people got wrong about this year’s Unbound debate.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

Crusher in the Tushar recap, with Betsy Welch, Nathan Spratt, and power file analysis Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

The third round of the Life Time Grand Prix is an Infamous gravel race in Southwest Utah with over 10,000 feet of climbing over a punchy 69-mile course. This year’s race was defined by a distinct lack of drama, but it was still historic. Keegan Swenson became the first (and only) rider in the event’s history to finish in under four hours, while Sofía Gómez Villafañe smashed the women’s record by more than six minutes. Payson and Velo reporter Betsy Welch talk about these wins as well as some of the other noteworthy finishes. From Matt Beers to Paige Onweller, there were many riders who staked their claim on the leaderboard last week with breakout performances.
One of the riders with an attention-grabbing race was Nathan Spratt, an Indiana native who started racing gravel in 2022 after years of racing on the road. He now lives in Utah and fits training alongside his engineering career. He joins Payson to talk about his sixth-place finish at Crusher, how he came to the Grand Prix, and what it's like to live, train, and work with his twin brother, Marc.
Payson also breaks down the power files of some of the athletes, including Matt Beers and Haley Smith.

Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen

Email: howdy@withpace.cc

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