With Pace

Hillary Allen was one of the top-ranking trail runners in the world in 2017 when a 150-foot fall off a mountain in Norway during a race nearly ended her life. She broke 14 bones, including both feet, both arms, her back, and five ribs. Despite being told she would never compete again, she slowly eased back into running and eventually went back to conquer the race that nearly took her life. These days, she’s racing at an even higher level than she was before her accident, and just won her first 100-mile race, the Ultra-trail Cape Town in South Africa. In addition to running, Hillary is a sponsored cyclist, author, and former college science professor. In this interview, she talks about the long road to recovery that involved multiple setbacks (including more broken bones) and a focus on mental resilience. She discusses why she decided to write a book about her experience, and what it’s like reliving such a traumatic moment in her life nearly five years later. She talks about her favored discipline, Skyrunning, which features rough terrain and extreme elevation gain, and explains why, even though her goals are bigger than ever, she prefers not to think about her trajectory as a comeback story. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

In this week’s episode, we’re closing out our series on Australia and New Zealand and kicking off a new series about what athletes are up to this off season. During their trip to the Southern Hemisphere this winter, Payson and Nichole traveled to the South Island of New Zealand to do a four-day bikepacking trip, linking the historic Paparoa and Old Ghost Road trails. The goal was to slow things down after a busy racing season and discover some of the best landscapes that New Zealand has to offer. On their journey, they came across locals and fellow travelers and recorded mini-conversations with them that are woven throughout the episode, including a trail builder, the owner of a hotel in the tiny town of Charleston, and a pair of hikers who they met in a hut on the Old Ghost Road.In addition to reflecting on the route and their planning process, Payson and Nichole talk about how a random encounter in Tasmania dictated their choice of trails, the car accident that got things off to a terrifying start, national opossum poisoning, giant snails, the history of the area, and some memorable ferry rides. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

Payson and Nichole met Steve Bein earlier this week at a hotel in rural New Zealand while on a bikepacking trip. Steve is a Philosophy professor in Ohio who decided to use his sabbatical to cycle the 1,800 miles across New Zealand. Before starting the trip, the farthest he'd ever ridden was about 30 miles. Naturally, Payson wanted to sit down and record a conversation to learn more about what drew Steve to the land down under, how he's adapting to the harsh conditions and physical demands of such a long journey, and the personal encounters he's had along the way. They discuss why he decided to ride his bike instead of hiring a van as he'd originally planned, the painful warm-up ride in Tasmania that made him uncertain about whether he could finish, and the cultural differences he's noticed between the US and New Zealand. Steve's blog: https://www.philosofiction.com/stevebeinfictionInstagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

Payson answers listener questions about his 32 hour, 360 mile traverse across Tasmania earlier this month. He talks about gear, wildlife, why he's drawn to island crossings, and much more.Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

Emma Flukes is an adventure cyclist and bikepacker from Tasmania who was instrumental in developing the 360 mile route across the island that Payson undertook earlier this month. With her guidance, he ended up with a ride full of techy singletrack, gravel roads, river crossings, and lots of wildlife. In this episode (recorded shortly before Payson’s crossing), they talk about the specifics of the route, gear choices, and a few uniquely Tasmanian considerations. They also talk about Emma’s riding history. Born and bred on the island, she has explored just about every inch of her home state by bike, no matter how rugged. They talk about why she feels compelled to do such grueling rides, how her work as a scientist complements (or doesn’t complement) her cycling adventures, and why she prefers solo weekend trips over races. She also discusses her own bikepacking event, Tassie Gift. Dubbed “a scenic trip to Hell,” it’s 1,115 miles with 114,829 feet of climbing. According to Emma, it could be a lot harder. She explains why she tries to keep the event small and unsanctioned, and the mindset that determines whether participants finish all 1,000-plus miles or drop out on the first day.Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

Less than a day after riding 360 miles from coast to coast across Tasmania in 32 hours, Payson sits down with the crew that made the ride (and the upcoming film about it) possible. They include three seasoned filmmakers, two Tasmanian locals with an intimate knowledge of the trails, an award-winning photographer, and an experienced adventure cyclist and logistical wizard. Each talks about their highlights, lowlights, and most memorable moments of the effort, including overdosing on coffee, playing with lizards, hitching a ride with a local farmer, and the challenges of staying awake for 32 hours. Then they turn the tables and ask Payson a few things, from the nitty gritty details of bike set-up to managing bodily functions on such a long and rural adventure.Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

Veronica Ewers didn’t start riding a bike seriously until a few years ago when she joined a local cycling club. In 2019, she participated in her first race, and just over two years later, she came in 3rd at Nationals while still technically a Cat 2. Veronica’s rapid rise through the ranks of professional cycling has led her to the very top: a contract with the WorldTour team EF and a top 10 finish at the inaugural Tour de France Femmes. Earlier this month, she renewed her contract through 2025.Payson sits down with Veronica to talk about how her life has changed in such a short space of time. Not long ago, she was working 7-4 at Seattle Children’s Hospital fighting denied insurance claims. The work was mentally and emotionally draining, and her discovery of cycling and the cycling community gave her a necessary respite. She talks about her early athletic experience as a soccer player, runner, and weightlifter, how WorldTour cycling has actually made her more flexible than she used to be, and what it was like racing her idols at Road Nationals. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

In our final Grand Prix recap of the season, Payson sits down with the winners of Big Sugar Gravel, Paige Onweller and Russell Finsterwald. Paige was the dark horse of the women's race, having picked up cycling only last year. Despite her newness to the sport and a rocky season, she finished six minutes ahead of second place. She tells Payson about her college running career, balancing racing with her full-time job as an ER physician assistant, and the mid-season knee surgery that dashed her high hopes for this year's Grand Prix. Russell has been a heavy-hitter in the US off-road scene for years, but had a disappointing run at the inaugural gravel series. He talks to Payson about his motivation to win Big Sugar, and the calculation that went into his victory. We also hear some of the highlights from our favorite stories from the Grand Prix. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

This weekend, 18 of the world's best freeride mountain bikers will compete at Red Bull Rampage, the legendary event held in the Utah desert. Each rider has four days to build the perfect line to showcase their skills and send it on the big day. In this episode, we hear from the riders taking on the event this year, from first-timers to 20-year Rampage veterans. We also hear from the behind-the-scenes people who make the event possible, including diggers, photographers, and the mechanic who makes sure four-time winner Brandon Semenuk's bike is up to the task. Payson also sits down for longer chats with two Rampage riders, Dylan Stark and Tyler McCaul.Click here for the Path of Logic annual auction.Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc

Sarah Sturm returns to the show to talk about the inaugural UCI Gravel Worlds which took place in Italy last weekend. The event sparked controversy when it was announced, with fears that the UCI would tarnish the spirit of gravel. This, along with the fact that it wasn’t being held in the US where the discipline took root, and the fact that the women’s course was significantly shorter than the men’s, prompted many top racers to skip the race altogether. Sarah explains why she chose to go despite having similar reservations. From buying her own USA kit to riding in an all-female peloton, she gives a rundown of the good, the bad, and the ugly of this first attempt at a gravel world championship. In the end, she came away with more optimism for the future of the UCI’s involvement than she expected. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc