The Bounce Forward Podcast

Emma Thompson is a former collegiate and standout swimmer from the Pacific Northwest. For the latest episode of the podcast, I sit down with Emma on the eve of her 22nd birthday to learn about her life after swim—the transition from being a full-time athlete to a full-time working professional. This episode is for parents, young athletes and coaches working with teenage and twenty-something athletes. Emma's story and candor serves as inspiration and a cautionary tale. ET is the epitome of the remake—the embodiment of what it looks like to let go of one part of our identity, to pursue a new path, intentionally and thoughtfully making sure that our actions are in alignment with our priorities.Spirited, feisty, wise beyond her years and full of heart, Emma Thompson has been a source of inspiration for my young swimmer and I'm confident that in this conversation she will provide much needed perspective (perhaps a desperately needed perspective shift) of how we can best support young athletes as they chase their watery (performance) dreams, while fostering a strong sense of identity and self outside of the pool, track, playing field, or court. WNbL, Emma's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emthompsonn/#Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠

We've brought back Mike McCormack, founder of one of the most celebrated (and kickass) mountain bike stage races in North America. The Breck Epic remains true to its roots, filled big, long backcountry rides at high elevation in Breckenridge, Colorado. In our last episode with Mike, we riffed on his diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to welcome all riders, regardless of age, race, creed, ethnicity or gender. In this conversation, we dive into what makes the Breck Epic the iconic race that it's become. Tipping off on Sunday, August 10th, 2025, the Breck will be celebrating its 17th year and it just keeps getting bigger and better—while keeping the rider numbers and thus the rider experience, stable. In this fireside chat, we explore Mike's concerted effort to promote women's cycling through the Breck Epic Women's Tour (they hosted 60 women in the pro field in 2024), along with his ecosystem approach to event organizing including 3-nights of sustainable fireworks (yep, fireworks at the Breck in '25), the Women's Cycling Summit and year two of Breck Bike Week. Quintessential Mike McCormack, his style is very much his own and he shows up raw, real, and willing to bare all. Affable, eccentric and honest, listening to Mike Mac flow on all things event organizing and bike racing is a trip worth taking.WNbL, Breck Epic Website : https://breckepic.com/Breck Epic Instagram: @breckepic Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠

For the second episode of Season 3, we're bringing back a Bounce Forward fan favorite, Haley Smith. If you haven't listened to Episode 1 of Season 3, with Haley, we'd highly encourage you to do so as it sets the table for this most recent conversation. In the days following her return from South Africa, Haley and I sat down to unpack her eight stages of racing on the Western Cape, for the legendary Absa Cape Epic. In this conversation we explore Haley's take on resilience, how she navigated the struggle bus early on, lessons she learned about herself and her racing parter and why the teammate component of the Cape Epic makes for a truly special and eye opening experience. Filled with Haley insights and wisdom, we dive beyond the watts, exploring how she overcomes self-doubt, mantras, mental cues, the power of believing in potential, and why it's easier to suffer in a pair. WNbL, Cover art photo by Trek BikesHaley's Website: https://www.haleyhuntersmith.com/Haley's IG: https://www.instagram.com/haleyhuntersmithWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠

Haley Smith is one of the biggest names in the world of North American off road cycling and a Bounce Forward original. In today's conversation, on International Women's Day, we take a deep dive with one of our favorite International Women—Canadian off road racer, Haley Smith. On the eve of her trip to South Africa to race the notorious Cape Epic Stage Race, we explore the immense health challenges that Haley navigated in 2024 and how she mentally prepared to return to racing after a year of adversity. We'll also discuss topics such as courage and confidence in endurance racing, how she's diversifying her race calendar, and why Haley isn't shying away from pursuing performance goals in her post oxygen-less Haley season.. Haley shares a shift in perspective and how for the first time, she's learning the value of rest in life and training. Honest, transparent, thoughtful, Haley always inspires and impresses with her wisdom and witty sense of humor. From feeling like she was suffocating on the bike (and on the couch), to navigating the uncertainty of whether she'd ever race again, Haley takes us into the heart of her struggles and how she's endured and come out the other side, stronger—mentally and physically—despite, and perhaps because of the hardship. Raw, real and honest, Haley shares how she's feeling freer, lighter and more grounded than ever. This one's a real treat and true to the Bounce Forward mission of how we rise from illness, loss and setback. WNbL, Haley's Website: https://www.haleyhuntersmith.com/Haley's IG: https://www.instagram.com/haleyhuntersmithWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠

In this episode of Roll On, Cole Paton, we'll dive into Cole's 2024 season—exploring the highs and lows of the Lifetime Grand Prix, Marathon Nationals and Marathon Worlds. This conversation also explores Cole's relationship with fellow racer and Olympian Savilia Blunk, lessons learned from ‘going for it' with friend Bradyn Lange at Chequamegon, and the insight that inspired the rest of his season after taking a more conservative approach (holding back) at Sea Otter.  We'll revisit Cole's frustrating end to the season in Bentonville, why he dug so deep when sick at The Rad and what's motivating Cole most going into 2025.  Raw, real and vulnerable, Cole shows up for Roll On as he does for race day—holding nothing back and giving listeners a look inside the mind and heart of one of the top off-road cyclists in North America.  On a side-note, we had this episode scheduled for publication on November 20, but tragedy struck my family the evening before. There's a multitude of reasons I chose to team up with Cole for this partnership, and all I can say, is that he's been showing up for me and my family in a bigger way than he'll ever know. Sincere, authentic and true—that's the Cole I know. The straw the stirs the drink—he's a straight up animator on race day.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, Cole Paton is the real deal—and he's so much more than a bike racer. He's a friend, partner, son, uncle, brother and down to earth, humble and full of grace dude, who just so happens to be one of the fastest men on two wheels.  We hope you enjoy the listen!  Cole's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colepaton/ Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠

These are hard ones to write and even more challenging ones to record. My dad was such a big believer in this show and in this work. On the eve of the publication date for our next episode of Roll On, Cole Paton, we tragically and unexpectedly lost my father. In the wake of this huge loss, we've had to pump the brakes on the show. We've got some big names and episodes in the pipeline, but the podcast has been on hold. This is my attempt to jump back in the saddle and bounce forward, much like the 'Dear Momma' episode I recorded last fall after suddenly losing my mom, this one is a tribute to my dad. It's raw, it's real and it's vulnerable. In this recording I share a letter I wrote my dad, since there was no opportunity to say 'goodbye' along with the obituary I crafted for him. My dad was the embodiment of what it looks like to Be Audacious and to live the BA Way. He was our Eddie Aikau, a waterman that would always go and would always encourage others to 'Go for it." If more people lived like my dad, our world would be far less messed up and far more authentic and true. He was all about what is just, right and verdant. He was unafraid, unapologetic, unabashed, always showing up for those he loved, a fighter (metaphorically and physically, truly a fighter, a street fighter and boxer who wouldn't hesitate to haul off and cold cock someone who deserved it). He was never one to get caught up worrying about what others thought of him. He stayed true to the end. And he was a man that was dealt far more than most, a stoic, resilient and courageous fighter and lover. To walk his path, you had to develop fortitude, resilience and mental endurance, so my work, as a mental endurance coach is literally a tip of the hat to my dad and all that we've been dealt. I'm proud of this obituary I wrote for my pop's. Hope you enjoy Stephen Michael Leach's obituary And here's one with some additional pictures https://everloved.com/life-of/stephen-leach/obituary/ I know this one won't be for everyone, so feel free to take a pass, as my dad would say, if you've got a problem with it, "All the way up with a red-hot-poker'. But for those who knew him, those who loved him, for me, for Kamiah and Amanda, for our family and friends, and for anyone of you wanting to live the BA Way, wanting to throw off the shackles of societal norms, this story of a street fighting man, may just give you a lift and inspiration. Website:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠⁠

Cole Tininenko is a sales guru from Allied Cycle Works. He's also a lifelong athlete who loves to go fast on two wheels.   In this conversation we learn about Cole's introduction to two wheeled adventures and his love for his hometown, Bentonville, Arkansas. We'll also explore Cole's newest adventure—fatherhood and how he's navigating being a parent and a husband, with a full-time job that he loves and a deep desire for pedaling fast on one of Allied's latest treasures.  A stoic at heart, we'll discuss how Cole and his wife are moving forward after a tornado ripped through Bentonville and how this experience along with the birth of their child and the complications that followed have provided perspective and a profound shift from a bike centric drive to a family first philosophy.  Cole's candor, thoughtfulness and self awareness are reminders that being a Joe doesn't mean we should be living any less intentionally than a pro.  WNbL,  Allied Cycle Works: https://alliedcycleworks.com/ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

We're couldn't be more excited to announce a new partnership here at the Bounce Forward and Be Audacious. We're teaming up with one of the fastest (and baddest) men on two wheels, Cole Paton. The Bounce Forward as you know it isn't going anywhere, we'll still do long form, in depth conversations with athletes and performers, but we're going to add another layer with our new show within the show Roll On, Cole Paton.    In this first episode of Roll On, Cole Paton, we take a deep dive into Cole's time in Bentonville for the final event of the 2024 Life Time Grand Prix—Big Sugar. We explore the mental challenges Cole had to hurdle, unable to race the final weekend of his season. In true Roll On and Bounce Forward fashion, Cole shares how he worked through being too sick to compete in the last big throw down of 2024 and how he's embracing the beginning of his off-season.  With the show title, Roll On, we're giving a nod to Cole's path as one of the top off-road endurance cyclists in North America, staying true to what it looks like to ‘Bounce Forward,' while representing where we grew up, the Evergreen State, and the Columbia River watershed, ‘Roll On Columbia roll on,' if you know, you know.  With Roll On, we're going to bring you stories from inside the game, inside the mind and inside the season of Cole Paton. We're going to consistently connect with Cole, checking in, unpacking things after the highs and lows of big events, like Leadville, any and all Life Time Grand Prix races and Marathon Worlds and Nationals, just to name a few.  These conversations will be raw, real and vulnerable—and as a result, we believe, really powerful, adding value and telling some damn good stories.   We'll also utilize this show as an opportunity for Cole to share any big announcements, or just riff, talk story and share what's on his mind. Our goal here is to share Cole's experiences afield with the world—with you, the listener.    If you don't know Cole, you're about to, and I can tell you with 100% certainty, he's the real deal.  We plan to bring some fresh perspective and strong energy—while keeping it light and loose. We're really passionate about this canvas we're painting, this connection we're building and this thing we're creating.  We hope you'll join us on this journey.  Cole's Instagram: @colepaton Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠

Lauren De Crescenzo is a cycling icon, gravel racing protagonist, winner of the biggest off-road races on the continent, and TBI (traumatic brain injury) survivor, advocate and champion.  In this conversation, on the first official day of her off-season, we explore how LDC became a paragon of off-road endurance cycling, her propensity to shake things up by taking flyers early and often, and how she became a poster child for grit and tenacity. Lauren shares stories from Unbound (triumph and flats), winning The Rad Dirt Fest for the 3rd time, and how she found gravel.  We'll also discuss her decorated collegiate career, her near fatal crash and traumatic brain injury (the before and after), her Master's degree of Public Health in Epidemiology and her time working at the Centers for Disease Control. We'll wrap up this deep dive exploring her latest adventure as a privateer and her advocacy work for the TBI community and the Craig Hospital.  Lauren's candor, courage, compassion and witty sense of humor are on full display throughout this conversation—as is her high intelligence and charismatic nature. She's got the best laugh in the game and races with her heart. The Queen of the comeback, or better put, the epitome of the bounce forward, LDC's maturity, wisdom and perspective will offer aspiring athletes a glimpse into the mind of one of the baddest and fastest women on two wheels.  WNbL,  Lauren's Instagram: @laurenissima LDC Merch: https://e9aece-3.myshopify.com/collections/all Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

In today's episode I sit down for a conversation with Devon Dabney from DR Performance. Devon wears a lot of hats, working for Wahoo Fitness, leading DR Fitness with her partner Robert, all while pushing the limits as a strong, bold and fearless racer, leaning into triathlons of all distances.  From Kona to 70.3, the indoor training studio to the community and team that DR Performance is building, from navigating injury to breaking long standing swim records at LSU, we'll dive into the deep end with Devon.  I walked away from my conversation with Devon, inspired by her grit, grace, tenacity, dedication and unwavering drive to not only become the best version of herself, but to foster a team that provides a positive space for her athletes to do the same.  Whether you're  parent of a young swimmer, navigating your own swim dreams, thinking of jumping into a bold and daring endeavor, or just want to see what you can absorb from a highly successful athlete and coach, I'm confident that you'll find something worthwhile in today's listen.  WNbL,  DR Performance: https://www.instagram.com/devonandrobert_tri/ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

In today's episode I sit down with husband, dad, rider and strong man, David Curtis. David is featured in my favorite Leadville short documentary, Chase The Storm chronicling CrossFit Legend, Rich Fronning as he and David raced for Mayhem Madness. The man, David Curtis just keeps digging deeper and getting faster at the highest, hardest mountain bike race in North America. But David Curtis is far more than a rider and racer. He's a committed father, a dedicated husband, a fearless leader and a deep thinker. In today's conversation we explore parenting, faith, leadership, being a person of color in the ultra marathon world, training for long endurance events in harsh winter climates, motivation and how we can consistently keep our bodies moving for the long haul.  This one is raw and real.  David is determined to keep showing up each day for the people and pursuits that most matter to him. I'm confident that you'll all find David to be thoughtful, authentic, reflective and committed to leaving this world a better place. Talk about a good human, David Curtis is just that. WNbL,  Chase The Storm: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chase+the+storm Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

In today's episode I have the pleasure of sitting down with Brianne Kwasny. Brianne is a former collegiate soccer player and current endurance athlete. After winning her age group at the Breck Epic in 2023, she competed in the pro division at the Breck in 2024, holding her own, and racing her race.  In this conversation we'll explore how Brianne balances her demanding professional work life while staying consistent in her training, why sleep is her superpower, the mindset she embraces when the going gets tough, and how loss has inspired her to be the best version of herself on and off the bike.  You're going to find Brianne to be humble, thoughtful, articulate and highly intelligent. I'm confident that Brianne's approach to life, training and work will be both inspiring and uplifting.  WNbL,  Brianne's Instagram:⁠  https://www.instagram.com/bkwasny Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

In today's episode I sit down with Bikes Change Lives co-founder, CJ Wiggins. We'll to learn about the Bikes Change Lives mission and how they advocate for using bikes as a vehicle to navigate mental health challenges. We'll also dive deep into CJ's horrific bike accident just six weeks before the 2024 Leadville 100 and his audacious comeback to complete the biggest, baddest, highest and hardest mountain bike race in North America for the third straight year.  In true Bounce Forward fashion, we'll go old-school with a real bounce back story. This one is for any young athletes out there looking for inspiration, athletes in transition—thinking about moving from one sport to another, parents on the lookout for stories and to inspire your teens, or anyone that just enjoys a good old comeback story.  I'm sure you'll all find CJ to be likable, thoughtful, relatable and inspiring. He's a young man that's on a mission to make a difference, to lift people up and to be an example of how to endure hard things.  WNbL,  CJ's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cjwiggins7/ Bikes Change Lives IG: https://www.instagram.com/bikeschangelives_/ Bikes Change Lives website: https://bikeschangelives.com/ Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: https://beaudacious.com/coaching/ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

I'm excited to bring you this long form conversation with friend of the show, friend of the family and Bounce Forward fan favorite, Roger Thompson. The ironman himself is back to share his experience with the highest, hardest mountain bike race in North America, the Leadville 100.  In this episode, Roger and I will take a deep dive, sharing our Leadville stories. Whether you're thinking about doing Leadville, or some other big, long endurance event like Leadville, or you feel like reliving Leadville through the perspective of someone else's saddle, or you just feel like listing to the wise words and soothing voice of endurance athlete, coach, teacher, husband, father and friend, Roger Thompson, we hope you'll enjoy the listen.  You can also journey through my Leadville story through my freshest piece on the Be Audacious blog.  Roger's Instagram: ⁠roger_thompson Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

Cole Paton is a professional off-road racer and one of the fastest men on two wheels—hailing from Cashmere, Washington. He's a heavy hitter in the Life Time Grand Prix Series and recently went big at the Leadville 100. You're going to find that Cole is far more than a bike racer—yes, he's a fighter and tenacious competitor but he's also a humble, high character, real and thoughtful individual, putting a lot of good energy into the world. In this conversation we'll dive deep into his process and mindset.  Cole's mental game is on full display during this conversation as we explore how he's become such a strong and resilient athlete on and off the bike. We'll talk about how Cole paced his race at Leadville, stepping up on the podium with a third place finish at the biggest, baddest mountain bike race in North America, using power as his governor as he metered out his effort.  We'll also dive into pre-race breakfasts and some of the routines and rituals that ground Cole during training and on race day. I'm confident that he'll become a Bounce Forward Podcast fan favorite—as Cole is a lovable human who radiates kindness and goodness.  Lastly, we'll explore what happiness looks like to Cole and how he goes about fostering joy in life, on the bike and in his most important relationship.  Hold onto your seats folks, we've got a good one coming your way.  WNbL,  Cole's Instagram: @colepaton Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

Anna Yamauchi is a professional off-road bike racer and competitor in the Life Time Grand Prix Series. But Anna is so much more than a bike racer and athlete. Humble grace, quiet confidence and easy speed are what comes to mind after spending ninety+ minutes in conversation with this exceptional young human—who just so happens to be really strong and good on the bike.  In this episode we explore a wide range of topics from relationships to mindset, routines to flexibility, training to mental health. We'll also discuss how Anna's finding the warrior within, her headspace following a frustrating Unbound, her grit and determination in the face of health challenges, and her meteoric rise and breakout in the most competitive field of off-road cycling North America has to offer.  Full of grace, grit and courage, Anna Yamauchi is a standout athlete and special human; she's thoughtful, resilient, intelligent and witty.  Fresh off a trip from Paris, we'll talk about her journey to observe the 2024 Olympics and the steps she's taking to bounce forward stronger than ever.   Present, grounded and fully here—Anna's likability, authenticity and big heartedness are on full display. Anna is someone showing up, rising above her challenges and circumstances and she's sure to inspire. I'm really excited to bring you this conversation today.  WNbL, mwl Anna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yamaggucci/ Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

Taylor Lideen is a a professional off-road bike racer with an extensive resume of strong two-wheeled results. But he's far more than a rider. This is hands down one of my favorite and most meaningful conversations to date.  In this episode of The Bounce Forward Podcast, Taylor and I will explore his struggles with anxiety and depression, while also diving into his mission to be a mental health advocate. From wins and podiums ultra endurance races like 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo and Unbound XL, to Marathon National Championships, True Grit and Rule of Three, to spending weeks at a time in bed when in the midst of a mental health episode, we'll discuss how Taylor is shifting his mindset, courageously and passionately bouncing forward day after day.  Taylor Lideen is not only a testament to a resilient and tenacious human that is living the BA Way (the Be Audacious Way), but he's the personification of what it looks like to bounce forward—not one time from an injury, but every day, while navigating depression and anxiety.  In this episode, Taylor and I share our stories and struggles with depression, getting raw, real and vulnerable, in hopes of truly connecting, while destigmatizing depression and mental health challenges. The guards are down, the masks are off, and we both share some dark times and deep stories from the depths of despair. Anyone who has or knows a family member or close friend who has experienced depression, anxiety or mental health challenges will relate to the waves we ride in this episode, and I'm pretty sure that you'll find Taylor's story to be a lifeline, buoying us up when the waves are crashing down.  Taylor's website: https://www.taylorlideen.com/ Taylor's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tlideen/ Taylor's Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoTCH2oEGUk Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

We're back with another episode from the dynamic Dylan Johnson. He's a fan favorite and three time guest of the show. On this 24th episode of The Bounce Forward Podcast, we take a deep dive with one of our favorite endurance athletes.  In today's episode we'll also explore Dylan's big breakthrough this season and how he's celebrating his current fitness. He also gives me solid advice as I navigate some heavy training fatigue and shares how he bounced forward from illness in the weeks leading up to Unbound—where he took a top ten in the most stacked field of riders we've ever seen at a gravel event.  We also explore Dylan's mindset coming into the season, what adjustments he's made to his training and how his big results at Mid South and Unbound have boosted the confidence of a rider that's already racing with a lot of self-efficacy.  As a mental endurance coach, every time we connect, I'm impressed with the mindset of this athlete and coach. I always walk away from a conversation with Dylan feeling inspired and uplifted—something I'm sure you feel after giving this conversation a listen. I'm confident that this one will add value, make you think and most likely, make you fall in love with our favorite rider in the LifeTime Grand Prix.  To listen to previous episodes with Dylan, look for episodes 10 and 11.  Dylan's coaching page https://www.dylanjohnsontraining.com/ Dylan's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dylanjawnson/ Dylan's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@DylanJohnsonCycling Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

When we're really pushing things in training and honoring the Holy Trinity, it's truly a threading of the needle as we try and balance the desire to build fitness with our body's need for rest and recovery. When we're building stamina for a big event, overtraining and overuse injuries are a reality that all endurance athletes must acknowledge.  In this short, monologue style free-flow of an episode, I share some updates and progress on the Leadville 100 training, which is only six months from today. How we navigate big training blocks, niggles and fatigue will ultimately determine if we're able to keep the wheels of consistency churning or if we need to pump the brakes and hit the pause button.  Learning to train intuitively is an art that requires listening to our body while having the wisdom to pivot, remaining adaptable versus feeling the ned to always stick to the plan—that's the name of the game when we're threading the training needle.  Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

Roger Thompson is a husband, father, teacher and coach. He's also an Ironman athlete with a deep history and storied career in the sport. His race resume includes 20 lifetime Ironmans, National Age Group Champion and 8x Kona World Championship qualifier.  This conversation explores the power of sport and importance of keeping our body moving, but we go much deeper than endurance sports in this episode. Diving deep into loss, injury and setbacks—I feel like Roger takes us on a master class of how to live and live well.  This conversation is itself a toolkit for parenting, aging gracefully and training for the long haul. From time-management to growth mindset, we explore a wide range of topics that include the importance of effective and regular communication in our relationships, how to foster a fruitful marriage and how to accept the challenges of taking care of our aging parents. Roger also shares how we as parents can better monitor the use of smartphones while reducing the harmful impacts of social media.  I greatly admire Roger's consciousness, mindset and self-awareness. He's a deep thinker and he's a highly intelligent and articulate human who tackles some of the most daunting and overwhelming aspects of life, giving us a roadmap for living a meaningful life. Truly a peaceful warrior, I'm proud to bring you Roger Thompson, and I'm confident that this one will add value and make you think differently about how we lead, learn and love.  Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠ Website: ⁠beaudacious.com⁠ Michael's Instagram: ⁠@michaelleachba⁠ Show's Instagram: ⁠@thebounceforward⁠ This episode was powered by ⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

Jesse and Chase Smith are husband and wife and also the owners of The Bicycle Station. With three locations in Indiana, these new parents and YouTube profiteers are movers and shakers in the bike world. From humble beginnings to a powerhouse couple, these two have navigated injury, illness and a pregnancy, all while purchasing a bike shop and opening the doors to two new stores.  In this episode, Chase shares stories from her unexpectedly challenging pregnancy and how she's bouncing forward, getting back on the bike and competing at this year's Mid South, parenting, serving on the board for Brown County Mountain Biking and holding it down at the shop. Jesse talks about what fuels him to be a content producing machine, capable wrench and ambitious player in the bike industry, all while continuing to pursue his passion as a pointy end of the pack racer on the mountain and gravel bike.  From the beginning, everything with this couple has been fast and furious and in this conversation with Michael, Jesse and Chase talk Leadville, training with a toddler, building a YouTube bike channel empire and the growth of their thriving business, The Bicycle Station.  This episode was powered by The Bicycle Station Leadville 100 Fundraiser: firstdescents.org/fundraiser/ Website: beaudacious.com Michael's Instagram: @michaelleachba Show's Instagram: @thebounceforward

Kai Luan is a 27-year-old paracyclist from Chicago, Illinois. Within a year of his osteosarcoma diagnosis in the middle of his junior year of high school, Kai underwent a below-knee amputation following multiple rounds of chemotherapy.  Kai's story and bounce forward is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the epitome of resiliency in action. An athlete at heart, Kai returned to competing in martial arts following his amputation, until he discovered his love for the bike. Once Kai found the bike, he audaciously began chasing dreams on two wheels. Kai placed 1st in his C4 category and 4th overall at the 2023 USA Cycling eSports Paracycling Nationals. He's an avid road and gravel racer, pushing the limits as an athlete and now race promoter.  When not working as an attorney, Kai can be seen chasing his two wheeled dreams while working to inspire others to embrace new challenges, shedding light on and increasing visibility for adaptive sports and athletes.  In today's conversation, Michael and Kai talk Unbound, LA 2028 Paralympics, Kai's work as a race promoter and his ambitious 2024 race calendar. Kai and Michael dive deep into what it was like working through a dramatic and life altering challenge as a teenage athlete. Humble, hungry, articulate and thoughtful, Kai is sure to become a Bounce Forward fan favorite. You can listen our episode with Dylan Johnson on Unbound 2023 here. Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser Website: beaudacious.com Michael's Instagram: @michaelleachba Show Instagram: @thebounceforward

Rose Grant is a friend of the show and one of our favorite examples of a human that knows how to bounce forward strong. Rose is a 5x Mountain Bike Marathon National Champion and two-time Leadville 100 winner. A mom, wife, cycling coach, horse-trainer and adventurer, Rose is an inspiration and force of nature.   In today's conversation, Michael and Rose explore her next chapter and what the first year of retirement from professional racing has looked like for one of the most dominant endurance athletes of the last decade. From her work as a Leadville ambassador, to training up athletes on how to tackle the most daunting one day mountain bike race in North America. In our second conversation with Rose, we'll also dive into her work as a coach and horse trainer and what her current life looks like in NW Montana.   Articulate, thoughtful and full of wisdom, Rose never disappoints. For those looking for uplift and inspiration, look no further, because Rose always delivers in abundance.  https://support.firstdescents.org/fundraiser/5198318 https://beaudacious.com/ https://www.instagram.com/michaelleachba/

We decided to sneak in one final episode before we say goodbye to 2023. In this final episode of Season One, we explore the up and down nature of being an athlete. Regardless of our best intention or our commitment to following a plan or to stay healthy, injury, illness and setback are a natural part of the athlete journey and learning to ride the waves that come with being a life-long athlete, becomes an art and practice.  While none of us welcome injury or illness, any athlete training for the long haul, with years of training under their belt knows that these challenges represent an inescapable reality. In this short episode we explore how we can think about these setbacks when they come, while shedding light on the importance of language, the problem with labels and how we can seek the support we need during these vulnerable times.  Instagram: @thebounceforwardpodcast Website: https://beaudacious.com/podcast/

In this final episode of Season One, we briefly recap our first season, explore what's to come in season two and dive into some storytelling and coaching. When things don't go as planned or we're in the midst of an injury, how do we cope and manage the many emotions and feelings of letdown? Even though most setbacks are temporary,  these challenging circumstances often represent loss for the individual. Learning to navigate injury, illness and setback is a far steeper task than preparing for the biggest, baddest, hardest endurance race around. Unlike preparing for a race, there's no template or cookie cutter training plan to guide us. How we navigate the trials and tribulations that are inherent to working our way through injury or illness can become the foundation for developing fortitude and cultivating perseverance in the face of what may represent the most difficult endurance feat of them all.  Instagram: @thebounceforwardpodcast Website: https://beaudacious.com/podcast/

Sarah Kaufmann is a highly sought after cycling coach and owner of K Cycling Coaching. Sarah is a former professional mountain bike racer, with a fifteen year racing career in XC and CX. Sarah has been coaching for over a decade and in this episode we discuss her journey from athlete to coach, the evolution of her coaching, the reason she still builds in interval sessions to her weekly training and why she stuck with it as an endurance athlete after a mediocre beginning as a high schooler.  This one's for any of you with young athletes or for budding athletes not having the success that you feel reflects your training. Persistence, resilience and sticktoitiveness is the name of the game with this episode of the podcast. Sarah is an inspiring testament to how keeping our body in movement not only strengthens our mental and physical selves, but by staying the course and keeping faith alive—simply staying in the game and doing the work—we give ourselves a shot at hitting our stride and achieving things physically and professionally that would have seemed a pipe dream to our teenage selves.  To learn more about the show or dive into previous episodes drop by https://beaudacious.com/podcast/ Instagram: @thebounceforward

My mom loved this new cover art, so it's a keeper. Writing my 'Dear Momma' essay was hard, recording it/this was a big and vulnerable lift. This episode will have a different feel and won't be for everyone. I didn't intend for it to be this long, but this one's from the heart—straight flow and no cuts or edits (I couldn't listen back on this one). I start this episode with an update on where we've been and what's been going on since we published our last episode and then I dive into a tribute/essay to my dear mom, who we suddenly and unexpectedly lost earlier this month.  My mom was such a big fan of this show, such a champion of and believer in all of these Be Audacious endeavors. I miss my mom like crazy and this episode is both a tribute to her and my attempt to get back in the saddle, to bounce forward with resilience and fortitude, while staying on mission, striving to produce content that adds value, uplifts, inspires and elevates our listeners and readers—content that would make her proud. My mom was a force of nature, a champion of our wild world, an advocate of the underdog, a brilliant author (of 10+ books), a bold wildlife conservationist and activist, a pet rescuer and the best mom, grandma, wife and editor you could ever ask for.  You can learn more about my audacious mom at https://www.aprilchristofferson.com/ This is one of my favorite articles on my mom from the University of Utah's School of Biological Sciences https://www.biology.utah.edu/alumni/april-christofferson/  Be good, do good, but stay feisty and fiery. Express your gratitude and love for your nearest and dearest, early and often and keep fighting the good fight. WNbL, mwl

Mike McCormack is a legend in the world of mountain bike race promoting, a profession that requires both endurance and perseverance. He's an endurance mountain bike race founder, promoter, organizer and entrepreneur. But Mike is far more than an event organizer. He's a deep thinker with a tremendous sense of humor and a fiery passion to get it right—on behalf of the riders and community he serves. He's the founder and lead organizer of one of North America's toughest, most celebrated and daunting stage races, the Breck Epic.  In this episode we discuss all things Breck, diving deep into the UCI's recent ruling on transgender women and the Breck Epic's philosophy regarding inclusivity—creating a safe space for all riders. We'll discuss the art of leading with compassion and kindness, judgment and how he put on a world class six-day backcountry stage race—at elevation—that has become a pilgrimage for mountain bikers from across the globe. We'll also explore the most generous race deferral policy on the planet. 

Alexandera Houchin is an ultra-endurance mountain bike racer and proud citizen of the Fond du Lac Band of the Lake Superior Ojibwe people. She is fresh off setting a new fastest time record for a female single speed rider on the daunting Tour Divide. In this episode we talk about a range of topics including our government's abhorrent track record on Native American rights, body image, ceremony in racing, sense of place and what it's like living in two worlds—the ultra endurance cycling community and as a member of the Fond du Lac Band in Cloquet, Minnesota. We'll also talk the Colorado and Arizona Trail races while diving into the mental side of what it's like racing for days at a time.

Howzit friends! I'm back from a little mid-season break and this week on the podcast we take another deep dive with the dynamic Dylan Johnson. If you haven't listened to episode 10, I'd highly encourage you to do so, as you'll quickly see why Dylan has a massive following and has become a listener favorite here on the show.   In today's episode we'll talk to Dylan about how he overcame tremendous adversity at Unbound (the biggest gravel race in the world), to bounce forward strong enough to secure a 17th place overall finish in a stacked field of riders. For a show telling stories of endurance and perseverance, Dylan's ride at Unbound is a daring example of the Ernest Shackelton quote, "Through endurance we conquer." This episode is a shorter one, but we cover a lot of ground. Dylan and I talk Unbound, BWR North Carolina, Bighorn Gravel, and we'll have a preview of this Saturday's big race—the next stop in the Life Time Grand Prix series, which is sure to be a spicy one—with a strong field of heavy hitters showing up in Beaver, Utah, for the 2023 Crusher in the Tushar. We'll also talk mid-season breaks and we'll geek out just a bit on equipment, talking about my gravel racing setup on a drop bar mountain bike and why running wider tires on drop bars—despite popular belief—can make you faster. If you don't follow Dylan's YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/DylanJohnsonCycling) or podcasts, Bonk Bros (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonk-bros/id1629909849) and The Match Box (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-matchbox-a-cycling-podcast/id1629904935), I'd highly encourage you to do so as Dylan simply knows how to produce content that's entertaining and is sure to make you think. I hope you enjoy the ride with Dylan Johnson. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebounceforward/ Website: https://beaudacious.com/podcast/

Today's guest is the dynamic Dylan Johnson. Dylan is one of the all-time good guys in the cycling world who just so happens to be a multi-dimensional talent on and off the bike. He's perhaps best known as a professional bike racer competing in the biggest and baddest ultra-endurance off road bike races in North America. As a racer Dylan has an extensive resume, including a top ten at the 2018 Unbound and he was one of 35 men and 35 women selected for the inaugural Life Time Grand Prix in 2022 and was once again selected to compete in the 2023 Life Time Grand Prix. Dylan took a strong 16th overall in the 2022 Life Time Grand Prix in a stacked field of riders and after some mechanical issues in a gnarly, muddy, highly publicized Unbound 200 over the weekend, in true Dylan and bounce forward fashion, he worked his way from 76th at mile 40, to a top twenty and 17th overall at the biggest gravel race in the world in the most competitive field gravel racing has ever witnessed.  But Dylan is far more than a bike racer. Dylan is also a YouTube sensation, with over 135 thousand followers and 12 million total views on his channel where he dives into the science of cycling, coaching, tech and gear. He's also a successful and highly sought-after cycling coach, and co-host of not one, but two widely listened to podcasts (Bonk Bros and The Matchbox). In this conversation, Dylan and I talk Crusher in the Tushar, the Life Time Grand Prix and explore topics like base training, elevation acclimation, over-training and mid-season breaks. We also explore identity on and off the bike and how Dylan keeps results in perspective. Dylan is honest, real and vulnerable throughout this conversation. There's no way to listen to this one and not be rooting hard for this this thoughtful, witty and humble human. 

Today's guest is the Alaska raised, Harvard graduate and professional bike racer, Kristen Faulkner. Like so many of our guests, she has a unique and remarkable story. Kristen entered her first professional race in Europe in 2020 and her meteoric rise in the fast and furious sport of road cycling shot her into the woman's world tour in a spectacular fashion. But before she became one of the fastest women in the pro peloton, racing the biggest road races in the world, she worked in the Silicon Valley as an investment associate and venture capitalist.  In 2017, Kristen (a life-long athlete and collegiate rower) discovered the bike in New York City and immediately fell in love. One year after joining the pro peloton, she finished the Tour de Flanders with a top 10—just weeks after quitting her full-time day job. Kristen's racing highlights include strong results at the biggest road races in the world and she's certainly a rider to watch (and cheer on) at this year's Tour de France Femmes. Kristen's racing resume includes two stage wins and the Queen of the Mountain jersey at the Giro d'Italia Donne (including an opening Time Trial win to put her in the maglia rosa-the pink leaders jersey), a 2nd overall finish at the Tour de Suisse, a 3rd place overall finish at the inaugural Itzulia and more recently, an audacious ride at the Strade Bianchi where she went off the front and led the race solo until the end, taking 3rd overall that day.  But like all guests on The Bounce Forward Podcast, Kristen is much more than an athlete and bike racer. She's thoughtful, articulate and pragmatic, with a no-nonsense knack for sharing her inspiring story. In this episode we discuss her bold decision to pursue her passion—leaving her day-job to race bikes professionally overseas, her approach to training and building fitness and how she's developed her technical skills, along with her analytical and tactical method to preparing for a big stage race.  One conversation with Kristen and it's clear that this is a mentally tough, self-aware and courageous human that will continue to bounce forward with a determined, gritty and a pensive mindset. 

Today's guest is the one and only, Haley Smith. Haley is a professional mountain bike racer who hails from Canada and has represented her country on some of the biggest stages including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Haley is a regular on the UCI Women Elite Cross Country Mountain Bike World Cup circuit and in 2022, Haley explored for the first time, the gravel scene here in North America, dipping her toe in by competing in the inaugural Lifetime Grand Prix Series—where she walked away as the overall series winner, which included a staggering win at the Crusher In the Tushar, in Beaver, Utah.  But Haley Smith, while perhaps best known for her exploits on the bike, is far more than a bike racer. In today's episode, Haley and I will explore a number of different topics including her transition—not away from UCI World Cup Mountain Biking, which continues to be a major focus, but into long endurance events, including targets like the Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships in the Yukon and year two racing in the Life Time Grand Prix series. Her race calendar is bold and ambitious, balancing the explosive power needed for shorter XC racing at the highest level with some of the harshest endurance events on the planet like the Crusher in the Tushar, Leadville and Unbound.  We'll also explore topics such as sleep, social media, and why Haley believes that putting your identifying eggs in many different baskets makes you a stronger athlete and human. In this conversation we also dive into Haley's grad school endeavor, where she's pursuing her Master's in Sports Psychology and Haley sheds light on her work as a mental health advocate and openly shares her experience navigating an eating disorder as a professional athlete along with a recently diagnosed condition that will undoubtedly strike home for many.  Courageous, strong, vulnerable and articulate, Haley is transparent and honest about her successes and challenges, on and off the bike, openly sharing her story, which includes her many wins and her struggles. Haley embodies what it looks like to be audacious and bounce forward and this is a human and conversation that's sure to inspire. 

Hello and welcome to the freshest episode of The Bounce Forward Podcast. I'm your host, Michael Leach and today's guest is the multilayered, multidimensional and colorful Carter Roy, who appeared on Law and Order last night. If you haven't listened to Part One of this two-part episode, I'd highly encourage you to give it a listen.   I hope you're hooked by that opening and ready to take the deep dive, as listening to this man riff on the guitar gives me chicken skin every time. In part one we talk swimming, competition and life, and in part two, we're going to take a deep dive into the life, work and psychology of Carter Roy.  If you didn't already fall in love with Carter after Part One of our discussion, I'm confident you will after Part Two. Carter is a beautiful human, a deep thinker and a true original, he's truly one of one.  Articulate, thoughtful, wise and multi-talented. Carter's truly a modern-day renaissance man. He's an actor, artist, author, singer and song writer and he's a wildly successful podcast host, the voice of six Spotify originals.  Montana born and raised, Carter and I discuss his journey from the bright lights of New York City where he appeared on Broadway and theaters across the country, to his bold and audacious move to LA and his work on TV shows and movies. We open Part Two discussing just what happened to Paul Crik, a character Carter played and helped develop, one that turned him into an iconic YouTube sensation. We also dive into the deep end discussing Carter's art with the paintbrush and his novels with the pen.  We'll explore topics like trust, faith, flowering endeavors and the trials and tribulations that come from rejection, when really putting oneself out there. In this episode, Carter shares what he's learned from the heartache and challenges and how he's found the courage to harness an inner confidence to keep showing up. We'll discuss topics like flow state and what Carter's creative process looks like. This episode is raw, real and vulnerable—typical of our show.  I love this man and when I asked him to sing us out, he jumped on the acoustic and it's worth the wait.  I hope you enjoy the listen and as always, if you like what you hear, please share this with your friends and family and leave us a five-star review. And if you have any questions, you can contact me through my website at BeAudacious.com  WNbL, mwl 

Today's guest is the multilayered and multidimensional, Carter Roy. For a podcast showcasing freewheeling conversations diving deep into the psychology of the comeback—a show that emphasizes stories of endurance and perseverance, Carter may be the ultimate guest, as his story is the epitome of endurance and perseverance.  Carter Roy is one of one, articulate, thoughtful, wise and multi-talented. Carter's truly a modern-day renaissance man. He's an actor, artist, author, singer and song writer and he's a wildly successful podcast host, the voice of six Spotify originals.  Montana born and raised, Carter's appeared on Broadway, on the big screen, TV shows and theaters across the country, but he is perhaps best known for a role he played and helped develop, the iconic YouTube sensation, Paul Crik. More recently, Carter has taken his creative talents from the paintbrush to the pen, producing two novels, which we'll learn more about in part two.  In Part one, Michael and Carter have a lot of fun, taking a deep dive into mindset and mental performance, exploring Carter's life and psychology as a competitive high school and collegiate swimmer. Raw, real, vulnerable and uplifting, Carter's story, candor and unbridled enthusiasm for sports, art and life, is sure to inspire. 

We all face challenging circumstances such as loss, heartache and disappointment, but what if we could bounce forward from that experience to become our strongest and truest self. Today's guest, Rose Grant truly is the epitome of what it looks like to do just that. Rose has demonstrated what it looks like to bounce forward with grit, grace, determination and courage. Rose is a 5x Mountain Bike Marathon National Champion and two-time Leadville 100 winner. She didn't start her professional mountain biking career until she was nearing 30-years-old and not long after, she became a mom. Over the course of the last decade, she's been one of the most prolific, dominant and successful North American endurance athletes on two wheels.  In today's conversation, Michael and Rose explore her dominant wins at Leadville, her first Unbound and what Rose's mindset was throughout the inaugural Life Time Grand Prix series—where in her final season racing professionally, she took 4th in the overall, including a 2nd place finish at Leadville. Fresh off the announcement of her retirement from professional mountain bike racing, Rose is real, raw and vulnerable, sharing how she made the decision to retire while diving deep into stories of how she bounced back from multiple injuries (dislocated shoulder, torn ACL, broken fibula), derailing entire seasons, in order to become one of the most admired, accomplished and appreciated mountain bikers in the endurance field, all while being a dedicated mom and wife. Rose and Michael talk about her indoor training sessions as a Montana rider and what this first winter following her retirement has looked like, where Rose shares what she's going to do with this next ‘season' of her life.  Articulate, thoughtful and full of wisdom, Rose doesn't disappoint. For those looking for uplift and inspiration—this show's mission—look no further, because Rose delivers in abundance. 

In this episode we dive even deeper with Gwendalyn Gibson. Gwendalyn is a professional mountain bike racer, riding for the distinguished Trek Factory Racing Team. She's here to aspire and inspire. She's thoughtfully working to become her strongest and truest self and she's on a mission to make a difference in this world while lighting the world cup mountain bike scene on fire, and we're really going to get to know Gwendalyn Gibson in part two of her story. In part two of The Rise of Gwendalyn Gibson, she talks about the pressures of racing at the highest level of professional mountain biking, her goals for the 2023 season, and how much she's targeting the Paris 2024 Olympics. Gwendalyn gets raw, real and vulnerable with Michael in part two as they discuss anxiety and how she manages the expectations and pressures of her race calendar—including how she navigates the highs and lows of racing and her personal life. Michael and Gwendalyn talk about rituals and routines and her tool kit for managing performance anxiety. From Gwendalyn's slow mornings to her blue collared rise and how she bet on herself to get where she is right now, Michael and Gwendalyn talk about the power of purposeful passion and how to bounce forward with grit and grace. She's openly sharing her journey and story in hopes of inspiring others to get through the hard times to chase their dreams. From pre-race pancakes to her gratitude for stability in her life (after tremendous uncertainty in 2022), from Nove Mesto to Switzerland, Gwendalyn shares with Michael what she's looking forward to most in 2023 and beyond.

Gwendalyn Gibson is a professional mountain bike racer from Grand Junction, Colorado. She races for the Trek Factory Racing Team as an Elite World Cup Cross Country rider. She's a 2x National Champion at Colorado Mesa University, she won Nationals in 2016 at Mammoth, California, she took a top ten at the Under 23 World Championships in 2021, and she burst onto the world stage having a breakout year in 2022. Her meteoric rise in 2022 allowed her to take the UCI Elite World Cup Cross Country Mountain Biking race scene by storm. Gwendalyn is a young person who's had tremendous success and in this conversation with Michael she gets vulnerable and real, sharing her early mountain bike story as a NICA rider in the Southern California League, her collegiate career and how she bet on herself, funding her last year as an Under 23 rider overseas through a hardworking, all-in and blue-collared approach on and off the bike. Gwendalyn also shares what it was like to learn that her longtime racing sponsor was closing shop, and how she grounded herself following an early season injury that threatened to derail her entire season—to bounce forward in search of her new team for 2023. Gwendalyn and Michael relive her historic win at Snowshoe in 2022, her breakout rides at Nove Mesto and Mont Sainte Anne and how she felt signing with one of the most respected and dominant teams in the world—Trek Factory Racing. Gwendalyn is a fighter whose depth, thoughtfulness and spirited personality shines in Part One of this two-part conversation. Michael and Gwendalyn also dive into the art of visualization, mindset and the psychology of racing alongside the fastest women in the world. Gwendalyn is someone who really wants to inspire people and live a life that matters.

Dr. Nathan Varley is a well-known and award winning environmental entrepreneur and explorer in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. He's the co-owner and co-founder of Yellowstone Wolf Tracker and Yellowstone Reports. Dr. Varley has a long history of exploring the remote peaks and corners of Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding wilderness landscape and is nearing 100 peaks climbed in Yellowstone. He grew up in Yellowstone National Park, received his master's in Wildlife Biology at Montana State University and his PhD in Evolutionary Biology at University of Alberta. Nathan and his partner are dedicated to the vision of growing a sustainable ecotourism industry and he's worked tirelessly towards the protection of the environment, while emphasizing an economic benefit for local communities. In 2017, Defenders of Wildlife honored Dr. Varley Nathan and his wife, Linda Thurston, with the prestigious Spirit of Defenders Citizen's Advocacy Award and in 2022 he and his partner received the International Wolf Center's Speak For Wolves award As a professional guide, he specializes in the natural and cultural history of the Yellowstone National Park, wildlife observation, and wilderness travel. His defining purpose is to champion a land ethic that places the highest value on wildlife and habitat, and in so doing, forever protect the places that have provided his inspiration. Dr. Varley gets vulnerable, raw and real while sharing his story, his explorations and his perspective—reflecting on his near-death experience and rescue while climbing a remote peak in Yellowstone's wild Northeast Corner.

Connor Fields is a three-time Olympian, two-time World Champion, a Pan American Games Gold Medalist, winner of the Red Bull Revolution and he's the first American to win an Olympic BMX Gold medal. He turned pro at age of 15 and at 17-years-old, Connor became the youngest rider to ever podium a BMX World Cup. Connor is celebrated in the BMX and cycling community at-large as one of the ALL-TIME greats to ever race on two wheels. In the semi-finals at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, on the brink of battling it out for another Olympic podium, Connor went down in a terrible crash, sustaining a traumatic brain injury that would leave him fighting for his life in a Tokyo hospital. Still fresh off the announcement of his retirement from professional racing, Connor shares stories from his historic career and we dive deep into the mindset that helped him go from “choking” at the London Olympics to “clutch” in Rio and beyond, which allowed him to become one of the most dominant BXM riders in the history of the sport. We discuss how he bounced forward from his traumatic brain injury, parenting young athletes, competing at the highest level, coaching, and Connor's future as a presenter, broadcaster and entrepreneur.

Hi, I'm Michael Leach, dad, author speaker and coach. I've been talking about launching a podcast for a long time now—for many moons. The stars have aligned and I've been working around the clock, and the people I've been eager to sit down with for a conversation have jumped on board, ready and willing to make a contribution to the cause and I'm so excited to share their gold—to share their stories. We're calling this first episode, Episode 0, so consider this the official launch of The Bounce Forward Podcast. In this first episode, it's just me, sharing a smorgasbord of what this podcast is about. At its heart, my plan is to provide long-form storytelling and discussion with people who inspire me. From athletes to artists, activists to adventurers, actors to authors, the one thing every guest will have in common is a shared vulnerability and willingness to embrace the struggle as they endure and persevere. Every guest will embody stories of endurance and perseverance, and I'm confident that their stories will help us on our path to become our strongest and truest selves. Right now, we're a one man show and the learning curve has been steep. I've long wanted to launch a podcast, but the technical side of things have proven too overwhelming and intimidating—straight up daunting—to take the plunge. But I've often said, when we uncover the courage to go all-in on a project, the stars often align, and even though we're still navigating some tech issues and I'm still learning how to edit audio (and video) and we're working through the kinks of our remote recording and editing platforms (we've tried multiple platforms already), I've decided that instead of waiting until everything's perfect, I'm going to just dive in, and begin this adventure. Like I coach my daughter and athletes up on, instead of getting wrapped up in results, I'm going to focus on the process, and growing this podcast organically. So, I hope you'll be patient with me as I find my legs and gain a feel for the water as I'm very much a work in progress on every level as a podcaster, but I'm eager to show up and to bring you stories and episodes that uplift and inspire. With so much noise out there telling us how to be, how to think, how to live, how to parent, how to train, it's my hope that this podcast can help listeners redefine what success looks like (a deeply personal thing and matter of perspective), while combating the demons of self-doubt and fear that so often accompany athletic pursuits, creative endeavors, bold adventures and passion projects. This is very much a Be Audacious project in line with my books, blog, and mission; it's for those bold enough to believe we can do hard things. It's for those fighting to persevere and overcome life's challenges with courage, character, grit and grace. Ultimately, it's my hope that this podcast can help you unlock your truest, strongest and most authentic self, so together, as a community, we can all become the best versions of ourselves. I hope you ride this wave with me. It's going to be a wild ride and I can't wait to bring you our first two long-form episodes, because I think they're pretty special. With nothin' but love, Michael W. Leach