The GU Energy Labs Pinnacle Podcast

Sunny Stroeer used to be a hard-charging strategy consultant, armed with an MBA from Harvard,  but turned her back on material possessions and career shortly after turning 30 in order to live in an Astrovan so she could run and climb full-time instead.    She's done big-wall climbs, multi-day paddling trips, 100 milers, and everything in between.  Her specialty is the high altitude endurance realm; she holds speed records on Aconcagua and on the Annapurna Circuit. She is a true renaissance person. In this episode, Yuri and Fatty talk with Sunny about her own transformation from couch potato to endurance icon, how Sunny is now paying that transformation forward with AWExpeditions  and the Summit Scholarship (https://www.awexpeditions.org/).

What happens when you combine one of the most historic mountain bike races with one of the hottest new gravel races? You get the LeadBoat Challenge! In this special edition episode of the Pinnacle Podcast, hosts Yuri Hauswald and Elden “Fatty” Nelson sit down with gravel-legend Alison Tetrick and SBT GRVL founder Mark Satkiewicz to talk about why a handful of cyclists have decide to take on both the Leadville 100 MTB and the SBT GRVL back-to-back.

Roxanne Vogel, the Nutrition & Performance Research Manager at GU Energy Labs, had a crazy dream: go from her home in California to the summit of Mt Everest and then back home to California — in just two weeks. Yuri and Fatty talk with Roxy about how she trained for and executed this incredible "lightning ascent" of Everest. It's an amazing story you will NOT want to miss!

(Earlier upload of this issue had audio issues; listen to this version instead.) One question every pro athlete has to consider is, "What am I going to do when I retire?" Naturally, a lot of them want to stay in the sport they love, but the way Tyler's gone about it is incredibly inspiring: he's invented the "Farm to Fork Fondo" series — a socially-conscious athlete's bucket-list ride if there's every been one. 

In our first ever podcast collab, we teamed up with Sarah Bowen Shea from the Another Mother Runner team for a LIVE conversation with GU Crew runner Katie Arnold.  Last year, Katie won the prestigious Leadville Trail 100 Run, and she just released a memoir titled Running Home. We talk about her running career, life, and how the motion of running helped her get out of “that worry brain” after her father's death from cancer and during the early years of motherhood. She also talks about taping into the “flow state” and tells us what it means to “JRA.”

YiOu Wang is a professional trail and ultra runner. She's a 2-time winner of the Lake Sonoma 50 mile, the 2017 Trail 50Km National Champion and a 2-time Marathon Olympic Trials Qualifier. Yuri and Fatty kick off season 3 of The GU Energy Labs Pinnacle Podcast by chattng with YiOu about running while traveling (YiOu didn't spend more than 10 days in one place in 2018), recommendations for traveling from a person who's been practically everywhere, learning from experience, and how to use a tree to stop yourself. Don't miss this awesome episode!

Jay Petervary is about as "ultra" as an ultra-racer can be. A ten-time Ultra Iditirod champ, Tour Divide record holder, and half of the only team to ever do the Dirty Kanza XL on a tandem, the big question usually circling around Jay is "what's next?" Well, this past August, winning the Silk Road Mountain Race -- a thousand-mile, 85000 feet of climbing, unsupported bikepacking race in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan -- was what's left.  Yuri and Fatty get Jay's story, from training to preparing to racing this next-level endurance marvel. You don't want to miss it.

It's a special mom-specific episode of the GU Energy Labs Pinnacle Podcast, and well...neither Yuri nor Fatty are exactly qualified to do this particular show. But you know who is? Sarah Bowen Shea of AnotherMotherRunner.com fame. She and three-time Ironman champ Mirinda Carfrae talk about what it's like to juggle being an athlete and a mother at the same time. Mirinda talks about the tradeoffs (say goodbye to recovery time, say hello to renewed focus and purpose, asking for help, and juggling schedules), as well as her game plan for the World Championships. For anyone who is — or knows — a mother who's also a determined athlete, this is a can't miss episode of the Pinnacle.

Imagine this scenario: You load up your car with everything you need to race both the Leadville 100 MTB race and to run the Leadville 100 running race, which occurs exactly one week after the MTB race. But you're still recovering from an injury so don't really expect to do the run.  But you find yourself feeling good after your top-20 finish in the mountain bike race, so decide to do the run. Which you not only complete, but win. By close to two hours over second place. And within ten minutes of an all-time record. That's Rob Krar, and that's what we're talking about in this episode of the GU Energy Labs Pinnacle Podcast.

It's a rare athlete who dismisses yoga out of hand. Most athletes — whether we ride, run, kayak, climb, hike, or anything else — understand that it would be niceto learn yoga, as a way to improve our core strength and flexibility. Most of us leave it at that, though; we'd do yoga if we had more time. With time at a premium for most of us, though, we deprioritize yoga as one of hundreds of things we'll "maybe try during the off-season." In this episode of the GU Energy Labs Pinnacle Podcast, pro athlete and GU community honcho Yuri Hauswald — along with friends and fellow yogis Pam Maldonado (Yuri's yoga instructor for seventeen years) and Nick Gould (a pro cyclist and yoga instructor) — make a strong case for why every athlete needs to find the time to bring yoga into their routine, no matter what their primary endeavor. Whether you're already a yoga practitioner, are interested (but too busy), or even if you're skeptical of yoga, you need to give this episode of the Pinnacle a listen.

It's a special Dirty Kanza XL — 350 miles! — deep-dive worshipfest recap episode, with Yuri Hauswald, fresh off his second-place Dirty Kanza XL finish, as well as the 7x world champion, 4x Leadville Champion, and only person in the world who can claim to have won the 100mile, 200 mile, AND 350 mile versions of the Dirty Kanza XL: The Queen of Pain herself, Rebecca Rusch. Do not miss this fantastic hour of incredible advice, insights, stories, humor, and spirituality from these two amazing GU athletes. 

Roxanne Vogel is GU's resident nutritionist / mountaineer, and in this episode of the GU Energy Labs Pinnacle Podcast, she's got tons of incredibly practical advice for athletes who want to perform at their peak. We talk about what it means to say “eating is training,” what to eat right before a big effort, coping with cramps, branched-chain amino acids, caffeine, speed-ascending ultra-high altitude volcanoes…and even her favorite flavor of GU.

Athletes and Experts Talk About How to Find Time for Love in Season 2 Episode 2 of the Pinnacle Podcast Is it a coincidence that the latest episode of the GU Energy Labs Pinnacle Podcast — hosted by Elden “Fatty” Nelson and Yuri Hauswald — is about relationships and is coming out the same week as Valentines Day? We'll let you decide. The fact is, we don't have a lot of advice on whether you should buy diamonds or flowers (or new running flats) for your partner for this holiday, but we do know that committed athletes have to work extra-hard to make their relationships work. This episode of the Pinnacle is loaded with great advice from athletes and experts who manage to find the time to train, race, and make time for their loved ones.

It's 2018! A new year means new goals. Whether you've committed to try something new or to bring your training to the next level, it's a great time to gather up the inspiration and information you need to take your dream of transformation and make it real. The first two conversations in this episode are with Chelsea Sodaro and Geoff Kabush, two extraordinary athletes who know all about what it means to take on new goals. Then hosts Yuri and Fatty talk with Adam Pulford of Carmichael Training Systems about focusing on the importance of understanding the “why” behind your goals. Adam also shares the critical (and very pragmatic) guidance of “action before emotion” — guidance that has already affected both Pinnacle hosts' training.

Erin Huck is a Pan-Am Games champion, a National Champion, and otherwise is at the top of her pro mountain biking game. Which is — obviously — plenty awesome all by itself. But she does all this while still holding down a career as a project manager at a medical device company. Her approach to training, recovering, fueling and managing her busy schedule is a fantastic template for any athlete who — like Erin — wants to get the most out of life, on their own terms.

A decade ago, Lael Wilcox just used her bike to get around town. Then she had an idea: if she could ride her bike for a few miles, why couldn't she ride it across the country? An unusual mental leap to make, perhaps, but Lael has proved it out. She's been traveling and racing around the world by bicycle since then, riding from Anchorage to Banff, Alberta...just to get to the start of the Tour Divide race. Where she set a new women's record. Lael is also the outright winner (both men's and women's divisions) of the 2016 Trans Am race, which she won in incredibly dramatic fashion.  Yuri and Fatty talk about these races and the way Lael gives to the cycling community — by mentoring schoolgirls and with a cycling scholarship to a woman cyclist — in this incredibly inspiring episode of The GU Energy Pinnacle Podcast. 

In 2005, several thousand acres in Draper, UT were planned for residential development. Today, that  area is instead home to 60 miles of beautifully-executed public singletrack for hikers, equestrians, and — above all — mountain bikers. And the trail network is still growing, with at least 40 more miles of trail to come over the next few years. And not only is the city of Draper OK with this use of the area, it's actively planning, paying for, and staffing what has become known as Corner Canyon Park, an example of what happens when athletes have a vision and get involved with the city...and then stay involved and work toward that vision for more than a decade. If you've ever wondered whether you can make a difference, Yuri and Fatty's conversation with Jamie Pogue and Jeff Stenquist (cyclists, trail volunteers, and members of the city council) will inspire you in a big way. This is a can't-miss episode of how passion and dedication converted a house developer's bankruptcy into the crown jewel of a Utah town.

Bruckner Chase is a true renaissance man. A professional endurance waterman and ocean advocate, he also trains athletes with spinal injuries as prone paddlers in swimmers in the open water. He set a no-wetsuit record swim in Alaska and historic swims between islands in American Samoa. He's the only American to finish the event three times, and the first to earn a spot on the winners' podium. And at 50 years old, he's an inspiration to anyone who sees middle age as an opportunity to accelerate, not slow down. If you're looking for a treasure trove of inspiration and inspiration, Bruckner's chat with Yuri and Fatty is a must-listen.

Sonya Looney is a world-champion cyclist. She's a speaker. She's a scientist with a Master's in Electrical Engineering. She's an entrepreneur. And she's a healthy and successful plant-based professional athlete. In this episode of The GU Energy Pinnacle Podcast, Yuri Hauswald and Elden talk with Sonya about why five-year plans aren't as important as continuous personal growth, what it's like to give a TED talk, why her favorite race last year was one she had no experience in, how her (almost) vegan lifestyle works with her training and racing, and a lot more. It's an inspiring and informative episode of The Pinnacle; don't miss it!

Dave Wiens sits down with Yuri and Fatty to talk about his family, why he races, trail advocacy, and his favorite memories from the Leadville Trail 100 -- including an extraordinary talk-through of what he considers his most intense racing of the Leadville 100 MTB race.  The Leadville 100 MTB race is months away, but race confirmations have just come out now, which means that those of you who got in for 2017 will want to listen to this inspiring six-time race winner tell his tale. And for those of you who didn't get in...well, this will get you charged up for either the qualifying series or whatever other races you plan to do.

Want to feel hopeful about the future? This is the episode for you. Yuri and Fatty talk with two high school kids (Keegan and Hugo) who have been riding and racing with NorCal and NICA, along with their coaches and leaders. How riding and racing have influenced them and those around them is going to really inspire you. This is a can't-miss episode of The Pinnacle!

When Jeff and JoAnn's son Pablo was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer, they took to the blogosphere to keep loved ones up-to-date on Pablo's progress. Their “happily ever after” didn't come: Pablo passed away six days after his sixth birthday.  From this tragedy, The Pablove Foundation was born. In this episode of the Pinnacle, Yuri and Fatty talk with Jeff Castelaz, the co-founder of Pablove, about riding through grief, finding good in tragedy, and how the seven-day "Pablove Across America" ride has been changing lives with its fundraising dollars.   

Mirinda “Rinny” Carfrae — an Ironman World Champion and professional triathlete — talks with Yuri and Fatty before and during race day, how she recovers after a big race like the Kona Ironman World Championship, races she'd like to try someday (a marathon, the Leadville 100), how to stay focused when a race isn't going your way, and much more. This is a can't-miss episode of The Pinnacle, loaded with information and inspiration any athlete will want to hear.

Carol Dellinger is the self-described "Warrior Marathon Runner," a seven-year breast cancer survivor and advocate for early detection. In this episode of the GU Pinnacle Podcast, Carol talks with Yuri and Fatty about her cancer journey, running at your own pace, and how she finds meaning in the amazing number of marathons she's completed.

Tim Tollefson is fast. Like, REALLY fast. He's been a college steeplechaser, a road marathoner, an Olympic Trials qualifier in the marathon...and most recently, he's an ultra-trail runner. In addition to being the 2014 U.S. 50k Trail Champion, he just podiumed in the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc — the world's most prestigious trail century. In this episode, Tim tells Yuri and Fatty the whole story. If you love big stories about big races, this is a Pinnacle Podcast you will NOT want to miss.

Magda Boulet has done a lot of inspiring things. Like, an insane number of insipiring things. She's represented in the Olympics — where she endured tragedy and came back stronger. She's won the Western States 100. She's been the NA Ultra Runner of the Year.  And most recently, she's clobbered the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc (UTMB), the toughest, most prestigious 100-mile trail race of them all.  When she's not destroying the field on the trail, Magda leads Innovation & Product Development at GU Energy Labs.  Magda is an incredibly smart and inspiring athlete. You're gonna love this episode of the GU Energy Pinnacle Podcast.  

Kim Chambers an inspiring woman taking on amazing challenges — and swimming mind-boggling distances. In this interview, Yuri and Fatty talk with Kim about her latest quest: to be the first woman to swim from Sacramento to San Francisco. It's a can't miss two-interview podcast, with Kim sharing her insights both before and after the attempt. Don't miss this one.

It's been a busy year for Rebecca Rusch (aka "The Queen of Pain"): racing in Italy, riding and making a documentary in Viet Nam, as well as putting on her own signature cycling event. And — most recently — she and her husband Greg did a multi-stage mountain bike race in Iceland. Learn why place sometimes matters more than placing in this terrific conversation we have with an inspiring athlete. 

Rob Krar is a top pro endurance runner who found himself injured in 2016. Rather than going full couch-potato, he got on his bike and signed up for his first race on wheels: the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race -- a race he has run (and won) the running version of before. Yuri Hauswald and Elden "Fatty" Nelson talk with Rob before and after the race to get his story...and lessons learned. It's a can't-miss first episode of the GU Pinnacle Podcast.