Professional mountain biker Payson McElveen sits down with some of the biggest names in sports and adventure to get an inside look at what sets them apart. With no script, the casual conversations are as diverse as the guests, with topics ranging from harrowing tales of survival, to debates on current events, to everyday tips and tricks and everything in between. As Payson travels the world for his two-wheeled day job, listen in as he rubs shoulders with and learns from some of the most inspiring athletes, entrepreneurs, academics, and others as they chase and inspire greatness.
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Sarah Sturm, professional gravel racer
Sarah Sturm returns to catch up with Payson about how her life and career have changed since her first time on the show in 2020. She talks about learning to say no to things, why she doesn't like going back to races she's already done, and the imposter syndrome she still feels on the start line no matter how many wins and professional successes she achieves. They discuss how she chooses her race schedule, the hypocrisy of being an adventure advocate on Instagram, and why she's feeling pretty relaxed about getting older. They also talk about their Enneagram personality types, the sensitivity of teenage boys, and conducting social media from the toilet. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Chad Cheeney, co-founder of Durango Devo
Chad Cheeney is the co-founder of Durango Devo, a non-profit mountain bike program for kids in Durango, Colorado. Since the program began in 2006, Chad has coached thousands of young riders, including Sepp Kuss, Christopher Blevins, Sarah Sturm, and Howard Grotts. But beyond those who have gone on to become world title holding pros, many more have achieved the program’s central objective: becoming life long riders. Chad talks to Payson about why he wanted to start a development program out of college and why he prioritizes fun and exploration over structured training. They also talk about their shared memories of Durango Sweet Elite, a U25 team that was created for graduates of Fort Lewis College and alumni of Durango Devo. In 2013 when Chad was Team Manager, the roster included Payson, Sepp Kuss, Sarah Sturm, and Stephan Davoust. They discuss some of Chad’s unconventional coaching methods that cultivated memorable moments between the races, and how his emphasis on community and team building has carried over into the training practices of some of Durango’s most successful pros. They also talk about how his coaching has changed since he became a father, and the moment he learned that Sepp Kuss had won a stage at the Tour de France.Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Vali Höll, women's downhill World Cup Champion
At just 19 years of age, Vali Höll is no stranger to the World Cup podium. In 2018, she won every Junior World Cup race and went on to win the overall title two years in a row, occasionally beating the fastest Elite times. Her 2020 season was cut short by injury and further complicated by the pandemic and studying for her final year of high school. She tells Payson about the rehab process at the Red Bull High Performance Centre in her native Austria and her rocky start to elite racing during the 2021 season. After a string of disappointing finishes, she made a mental reset, refocused on positivity, and dominated the final World Cup in Snowshoe, West Virginia, eventually winning the overall title.She talks about the pressure that followed her from her success as a junior to her first elite season, and how she finally managed to overcome these expectations in time to dominate at Snowshoe. They also talk about the initiative she took early in her junior career to find and negotiate contracts with sponsors, and the importance of female mentorship in her career.Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Annijke Wade, mountain biker, on her recent spinal cord injury
Annijke Wade is a mountain biker who was finishing her third season of racing when a crash on a familiar trail left her permanently paralyzed from the waist down. Now, almost three months later, she talks to Payson about coming to terms with her life-altering injury. Shortly before the crash, Annijke became a certified mountain bike coach and founded BIPOC AF, an organization that seeks to make the cycling community more inclusive and accessible to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. In spite of her sudden change in circumstances, Annijke says that she found acceptance almost immediately. She attributes this mindset to her late grandfather and to her practice of non-attachment, a philosophy related to Buddhism. She joins Payson from Craig Hospital in Denver, a leading institute for spinal cord injuries, where she has been living for two months. She talks about the rigorous program there, why she calls it the “Hogwarts of spinal cord injuries,” and why she can’t wait to get back on a mountain bike. She also talks about how the accident has affected her relationship with her partner, and some of the changes she’ll have to adapt to when she leaves the hospital. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Chris Burkard interviews Payson about his Iceland crossing record
Today on the show, photographer and Iceland expert Chris Burkard turns the tables on Payson to interview him about his record-setting self-supported 257 mile ride from the northernmost tip of Iceland to the southernmost tip in just under 20 hours. They talk about his gear and nutrition choices and how the ride stacks up against some of the other challenges he's done in recent years. They also talk to Evan, one of the photographers documenting the effort, and Nichole, Payson's girlfriend. Both had their own unique roles and vantage points from the media van and share their experiences. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Dispatches from Iceland: Westfjords final day and trip recap
Payson, Lael, Nichole, Rue, and Chris sit down for one last Iceland recap. After eight days and 680 miles of touring the Westfjords, they talk about the most memorable moments from the trip, their favorite gear, the gear they wish they'd brought, and how they hope people might approach the route in the future. Payson and Lael also give a sneak peek of the competitive efforts they'll be undertaking in Iceland later this month. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Dispatches from Iceland: Westfjords Day 7
Payson, Chris, Nichole, and Lael talk about day seven of their bikepacking tour of the Westfjords of Iceland. With perfect weather, stunning coastal views and varied terrain, they're calling it the Queen's Stage of the route. They share their highlights and preview their final day. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Dispatches from Iceland: Westfjords Day 6
Payson, Lael, Rue, Nichole, and Chris discuss their sixth day of riding, which featured--as usual--a roller-coaster of weather and lots of eating. Evan the photographer returns for a second cameo to talk about his favorite moment of the day in the media van. Threinn the videographer (and former MMA fighter) makes his first podcast appearance to set the record straight on the pronunciation of his name, and to share a few highlights from the trip. And finally, Birna, the team "mom," makes her first appearance on the pod to reveal just how out of place the group looks in their cycling gear in the Westfjords. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Dispatches from Iceland: Westfjords Day 5
Payson, Lael, Nichole, Chris, and Rue review their fifth day touring the Westfjords of Iceland. After the previous day's tailwind, today featured 90+ miles of headwind, side wind, cold, and rain. They talk about the creeping onset of fatigue halfway through their trip, the day's animal sightings, and the brutality of the environment that dictates its beauty and its harshness. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Dispatches from Iceland: Westfjords Day 4
Payson, Lael, Rue, Nichole, and Chris discuss a very different day on the bike: 40 miles of tailwind. They talk about the impromptu piano concert they witnessed, Lael devises a nontraditional stage race for the route, and Evan the photographer makes a cameo appearance to share what goes on behind the scenes of the group's Instagram photos.Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Dispatches from Iceland: Westfjords Day 3
After a grueling 140 mile day of rain and headwinds, the group sits down to discuss Nichole's biggest day on the bike ever, Payson's favorite encounter with a local family, Rue's observations from the van, and Chris and Lael's misadventures with wind, mud, and horse poop. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Dispatches from Iceland: Westfjords Day 2
Payson, Lael, Rue, Chris, and Nichole recap their second day of riding, including conversations with locals, the evening's hot spring, and Nichole's first peloton experience. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Dispatches from Iceland: Westfjords Day 1
Payson, Nichole, Lael, Rue, and Chris recap their first day of riding, which encompassed 90 miles and included a glacier, an arctic fox, a feast of blueberries, headwind, tailwind, and a hot spring at the end. They share their highlights of the day and preview day 2.Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
Dispatches from Iceland: Pre-ride conversation
Payson, Nichole Baker, Chris Burkard, Lael Wilcox, and Rue Kaladyte join us from their hostel in Ísafjörður for their first nightly dispatch from Iceland. They discuss their bikepacking route, first impressions of the Island, and highlights of the day, and preview their ride. Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc
BEST OF: Chris Burkard in Iceland
In preparation for our upcoming daily series following Payson’s bikepacking trip of Iceland with Chris Burkard, Nichole Baker, Rue Kaladite, and Lael Wilcox, we’re replaying some of our favorite moments from Payson’s previous conversations with Chris about the country. He’s been to Iceland 47 times and traversed it in just about every way possible by plane, car, and bike. This episode features stories from three interviews with Chris, one from 2019 where he talks about his love of being immersed in a location and why cycling is the best way to achieve this, one from early 2020 after his completion of a record setting 850 mile ride around the perimeter of the country which he did without stopping, and one from a 2021 interview with in which Chris is joined by Rebecca Rusch and Gus Morton to discuss their fat biking winter expedition across the island.Instagram: @withpacepodcastYouTube: Payson McElveenEmail: howdy@withpace.cc