With Pace

Cole Paton returns to the show after a transformative year in his career. When this conversation was recorded earlier this week, he was sitting in second place in the Life Time Grand Prix and had just won the Marathon Mountain Bike National Championship the week before. In this conversation, Cole tells Payson about the motivation and sense of community he's gained from becoming a privateer this season, and the mixed emotions of being in second place behind a nearly unbeatable opponent in the Grand Prix. He opens up about his struggle to enjoy his national championship win due to the frustrating and chaotic circumstances of the race, and the pros and cons of a life on the road. He also talks about how he and his partner, World Cup racer and 8x National Champ Savilia Blunk, have navigated their conflicting race schedules after spending years going to all the same events, and his idyllic childhood in central Washington. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

In our latest recap of the Life Time Grand Prix series, we’re covering Chequamegon, the punchy, 40 mile mountain bike race in Northern Wisconsin. This year’s event saw new riders at the front of the pack and drama in the sprint finishes. Payson talks to Velo reporter Betsy Welch to break down the men’s race and Alexy Vermeulen’s win. They discuss the 14-man sprint to the finish, the relief of a 40-mile race in the middle of a season dominated by 100+ mile events, and look at the current rider standings. They also look back at Gravel Nationals and look ahead to Gravel Worlds.Ellen Campbell joins the show to provide a first-person account of the women’s race. She talks about the crowded course, the contentious jockeying for position, and the riders who stood out. Payson also digs into some of the riders' power files to provide some data analysis, and we hear from listeners who competed in the race. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

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. Get 30% off Off Piste Provisions from Amazon with code 30ADVENTURE here.Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

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. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

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. Use code: PAYSON20 to get 20% off SaltStick products at https://aletenutrition.com/pages/saltstickInstagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

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: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

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-hKkUoKwInstagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

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 videographerInstagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

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 - 36:55At 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 - 1:00:31Anna 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: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

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: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc