Latest / Zone2Speak Podcast / Embracing Adventure: Juliet Elliott on the Thrills of Cycling
Transcript
- 0:00Music.
- 0:11Hi, everyone. Before we jump into today's episode, I have got some amazing deals
- 0:16just for our Zone to Speak listeners.
- 0:19You can get 35% off free skincare for skin that sweats, 10% off Psych Plus,
- 0:26the best e-pomp in the market, 10% off cold age vitamins and supplements,
- 0:3225% off Genki Wellness Nutrition package, and 15% off OMRI supplements,
- 0:39all by using the code ZONETOSPEAK and the links in the episode description.
- 0:44These are my favorite brands, and I'm excited to share these exclusive discounts with you.
- 0:49So check them out, and let's help you reach your health and performance goals.
- 0:54All right, let's dive into the episode now.
- 0:59Welcome to ZONETOSPEAK. Today, we are joined by none other than Juliette Elliott,
- 1:05a hugely influential figure in the cycling world, a YouTuber,
- 1:10content creator, and all-around two-wheeled adventurer.
- 1:13Juliette has captured the hearts of the cyclists everywhere with her passion
- 1:17for all things biking, whether it's on a fixie bike, gravel grinding,
- 1:22hitting the trails on her mountain bike, or bikepacking around the globe.
- 1:26With a background as a pro snowboarder, Juliette brings a unique perspective
- 1:31to the sport, blending performance, creativity, and community.
- 1:36In this episode, we dive into Juliette's journey from the snow to the saddle,
- 1:41her rise as a leading voice in the cycling community, and how she uses her platform
- 1:46to inspire, educate, and entertain riders of all levels.
- 1:50We also chat about her recent accident in the Canaries and how her recovery
- 1:57is going and what's next.
- 1:58Get ready for an inspiring and fun conversation with one of the most dynamic
- 2:02personalities in the cycling scene. Juliette, welcome to Zone to Speak.
- 2:07Thanks, Julia. So happy you are here. So you have such a diverse career from
- 2:12professional snowboarding to cycling, plus all the amazing creations that you do online.
- 2:17Can you tell us a little bit about your journey in the extreme sports,
- 2:21how it began and what led you into cycling? Okay, sure.
- 2:26Well, the cycling came about because
- 2:29I was living in London and I had previously been a pro snowboarder.
- 2:34So I spent a lot of time in the mountains and then I joined a band and we toured quite a bit.
- 2:39After all that was over, I settled in London and I guess I felt like I was missing something.
- 2:48Well, something active or creative, I don't know.
- 2:51But I wasn't, I was just conscious of the fact that there was a bit of a gap in my life.
- 2:55Anyway I started commuting by bike and that
- 2:58did not fill that void it was just a mode
- 3:01of transport I wasn't particularly inspired by it at all but
- 3:05when I got into riding fixed gear bikes that's
- 3:08when I was like oh this is fun
- 3:11this is something I you know I just immediately loved
- 3:14it it was so fun and playful such a different way of
- 3:17you know almost like skateboarding you know
- 3:20the city's kind of like your playground and you have to spot lines
- 3:23and look ahead and you feel more it's such
- 3:26a cliche but you feel more at one with the bike you have to anticipate things
- 3:29and I just really really loved it so that's what sparked
- 3:32off the whole love of ever cycling fixie it is
- 3:35fun I have done a few times but when you
- 3:38race for me felt like it was an FTP
- 3:41test I was just dying yes
- 3:45well that's great racing for you yeah but I
- 3:48mean when I first started riding fixie bikes I
- 3:51wasn't crit racing I mean I smoked and drank a
- 3:54lot and was wow yeah I
- 3:58was not interested in health and fitness that's only something
- 4:01that's really happened as I've got older I suppose all the sports that I've
- 4:04done they were not for being fit or healthy they were purely for fun it's only
- 4:09now that I train and I take care of what I eat and stuff so yeah when I first
- 4:14started riding fixie bikes we were just goofing around and learning tricks and
- 4:17hanging out and drinking.
- 4:19I mean, that was a big part of it. We'd all meet up after work and,
- 4:22you know, have a few beers and play on our bikes. It was just really, really fun.
- 4:27But yeah, absolutely nothing to do with health and fitness.
- 4:32Oh, but that sounds fun. And, you know, that was what, 20 years something ago?
- 4:39I think it was like 2007.
- 4:42Oh, okay. Okay. Well, yeah, about 20. I'm about. yeah getting there oh my god.
- 4:51And and how did the ultra how did
- 4:54it evolve that you got interested into ultras oh okay
- 4:58well I guess I'm just I'm just
- 5:02really into cycling so obviously I follow all aspects of it and I do like looking
- 5:06at social media I'm watching people's YouTube videos and reading blogs and websites
- 5:12and stuff so I'm just aware of what's happening in the cycling industry And when Red Hook Crit,
- 5:19the biggest fixed-gear crit series, finished...
- 5:23Like when I was in London and I was looking to fill a gap I
- 5:27needed something new so the fit skill racing was kind
- 5:30of dead in the water people weren't doing that anymore but people
- 5:33were gravitating towards gravel biking and so
- 5:36like loads of other people I did the same and it
- 5:39felt like there was a similar sort of community you know
- 5:42like serious racing but fun parties
- 5:45nice people so I just
- 5:48that felt like a good fit for me so I started
- 5:51doing more gravel riding and that led
- 5:54into more bike packing and then I saw
- 5:58people doing ultras and I thought well that's a cool way of combining
- 6:01the two so I got the challenge of racing
- 6:04with the logistics of bike packing and
- 6:08you know my love of exploring it all sort of seemed to make sense that that
- 6:12would be something I would like so I just thought there's only one way to find
- 6:15out so I entered I entered one and of course I I loved it so yeah yeah it's
- 6:22addicting and yeah and you know you said something and it's.
- 6:26It just resonates because it's I think that's the coolest thing about the bike
- 6:29because you can do so many different things with it you know like mountain biking, graveling,
- 6:35fixie and then road I mean it's endless you know and with the mountain bike
- 6:40there are so many different disciplines and And so many things you can do or
- 6:43just ride, just for fun. That's what I also love about cycling.
- 6:47So tell us, I know you had a big setback with your accident when you were doing
- 6:55this stage race, right, in the Canary.
- 6:57Can you tell us what happened on your accident and how has your recovery been progressing so far?
- 7:04Okay, sure. Well, I was in the Canaries for an event called Gravel Grounds,
- 7:08which is not a race, but a supported event where they give you a stage each day.
- 7:14Essentially, you ride to a different camp spot and they take care of you and
- 7:18stuff. So it's like a challenge, but it's not actually racing.
- 7:22I mean, everyone races it. You know what these things are like.
- 7:24Officially, it's not a race. But anyway, I was out there and it was in La Palma
- 7:29and the first day, oh, it's just so annoying.
- 7:33The very first day there's this huge climb all
- 7:36the way up to the very very very top to the top of
- 7:40the volcano so we climb and
- 7:42climb and climb we climb for hours and I mean really hours
- 7:46and I got to the top I saw this amazing view and then it was time to descend
- 7:50and I thought yes this is the bit I really enjoy I mean climbing yeah okay I
- 7:55could take it on even it's a means to an end obviously there are aspects of
- 7:58it I like otherwise I wouldn't ride my bike up mountains but But the descending is the bit I like.
- 8:03And I was on a mountain bike, so I was just ready to shred, I suppose.
- 8:08So I grabbed some snacks from the aid station and then a set-off.
- 8:12And I passed a few girls on their gravel bikes.
- 8:15And I was going a fair bit quicker than them, thinking, this is great.
- 8:20I'm on the right bike for this. I'm on a mountain bike. I can go faster. Yeah.
- 8:25But just something, it was just bad luck. Just something went wrong. I lost traction.
- 8:31Obviously, I'm replaying it in my mind and I'm like, did I have too much pressure in my tires?
- 8:37Is it because I've not ridden my hardtail much before? It was a new bike.
- 8:41And normally when I'm riding mountain bikes, I'm riding, you know,
- 8:45more like a trail enduro bike. And maybe I should have taken more time to get used to that bike.
- 8:49Obviously, all these things go through your head. But anyway,
- 8:51the long and short of it is that I lost traction and I hit the ground very, very hard.
- 8:55Got an open fracture on my elbow, injured my ulnar nerve and got airlifted.
- 9:03And then I spent 12 days in hospital in La Palma where they operated.
- 9:08And now I'm back home. It's been five weeks, five weeks, I think, since the operation.
- 9:14And I would not say the recovery is going great, unfortunately.
- 9:19I'm having to see a bunch of different people. So I'm finally starting to get
- 9:24together this nice kind of whole group of people who are helping me and who
- 9:30know each other and are able to sort of work together.
- 9:33So a consultant, elbow specialist at physios and getting a nerve conduction
- 9:39test to find out what's going on with my nerve damage.
- 9:43And then aside from that, I am back on the turbo, but it's just,
- 9:47it's just not on linear process.
- 9:50I was literally just writing a caption for a reel before I
- 9:52spoke to you and it was a montage of
- 9:56all the training I did last week where I felt so positive and really productive
- 10:01so I'm like okay I did this this day this that day and I filmed the whole thing
- 10:04and I made this little reel this week I've just done nothing I was just everything
- 10:09felt so shit and I'm like I don't want to do it I don't want to do it I.
- 10:16So, yeah, it's very up and down at the moment whilst I, yeah,
- 10:21try and, I don't know, I think it's because although I'm turbo training and
- 10:24I like turbo training, I need to be outside.
- 10:27So that coupled with the fact, you know, I'm missing, I think this is going
- 10:33to sound so bleak, but I'm missing a bit of hope at the moment.
- 10:36So it's making me feel a bit down and then I'm not getting outdoors and then
- 10:41I'm quite grumpy at home. So it affects your relationship. so yeah it's been
- 10:45pretty tough basically.
- 10:47I'm sorry I mean you had big plans as well I mean I'm sure you can get this
- 10:56in your schedule you know next year but it's just a setback and I,
- 11:01understand the recovery road it's not linear and it's not easy you might have
- 11:06good days and then you have bad days but I don't know what to say just using
- 11:10it as my therapy session Viviana.
- 11:19Later on me it's all good it's all good i'm here for you you know i just i just
- 11:24feel so bummed that this happened because we had a conversation about what a
- 11:28month ago and you were so excited because you were going to nepal and then you
- 11:30had the mountain bike grangosh butchering then i can I can never pronounce that word.
- 11:36But I don't know. Grand Gatchay.
- 11:40And you're also so well known for the descents, but accidents happen, you know?
- 11:46Accidents happen and you can try to analyze and think over and over.
- 11:51We'll never know why that happened. So I think now you have to just focus on
- 11:55the recovery. And it's easier said than done, I know.
- 11:58So curiosity, you said you were airlifted. what
- 12:03happened to your bike was it airlifted with you no the organizers came and got
- 12:08it so because it was an organized event there were some other women there and
- 12:12they helped me they called the organizers waited with me looked after me which
- 12:16was just oh gosh could not have been,
- 12:21better it would have been so much worse if these lovely women hadn't been there
- 12:24to help me um so the organizers came down and were with me as well but unfortunately
- 12:29realized that the ambulance couldn't get down there so that's why they phoned
- 12:32for the helicopter and they took the bike and the bike just doesn't it doesn't
- 12:36even have a scratch only it can you believe.
- 12:42You know I had yeah I had an accident about five years ago and I wasn't even
- 12:51thinking about my bike but I remember this guy stopped and he was patting me
- 12:55you know like on my head and giving me water And then he said, your bike is okay.
- 13:01I wasn't even thinking about the bike, but I was like, okay, thank you.
- 13:06That was sweet so just going back to ultra what has been your favorite event
- 13:13so far and why okay um a couple of favorites all for different reasons so of
- 13:20course my favorite is the one i did with you juliana even though we dns.
- 13:27Yeah so when we went to race around rwanda and we had an absolute hilarious
- 13:34time lots of Oh my gosh, so much fun.
- 13:37You were in a lot of pain with your knee, which is less good for you.
- 13:41Despite all these setbacks and the fact we didn't even finish, it was just hilarious.
- 13:48A roller coaster of funny, weird moments and strange places that we slept and
- 13:55the food. It was so, so fun.
- 13:57So that's got to be my number one. But apart from that, I've had a really fun
- 14:01time doing Istra Land last year.
- 14:05So that's kind of short when it comes to ultras. I think it was about 450 kilometers,
- 14:10something like that. Yeah, yeah.
- 14:14Slovenia, Italy, Croatia.
- 14:18Yeah, that's it. Right. Yeah. So that one was really fun because it was hot
- 14:23and sunny and beautiful and kind of short. So I originally wanted to do that
- 14:28in one go without stopping.
- 14:31I didn't manage that but I still managed to do it
- 14:33pretty quick which I was pleased about so I think we set off at
- 14:36about 10 o'clock on Friday morning and I finished in the afternoon on Saturday
- 14:41so that felt pretty good considering I slept I'm still sort of undecided about
- 14:46where the balance is in you know how much to sleep and how how like are you
- 14:52quicker if you sleep more because you're more recovered?
- 14:55Or is it better to stop less? I don't know. So anyway, I'm still kind of figuring
- 15:00these kind of things out.
- 15:03Well, I was so excited.
- 15:06Dot watching you, Anistra, race. You were doing so well.
- 15:10I remember I was like, oh, my God, oh, my God, she's top, you know,
- 15:13she's second, she's third, she's top five. It's amazing. Oh, she's top five.
- 15:19No, you did really well. I'm super proud. And Rwanda, yeah, we had so,
- 15:23so much fun. It's also, I think, my top. Yeah.
- 15:26And, I mean, I just love racing with you. Like there's, even when we are in
- 15:32tough situations and hard times, we deal really well together and always with positivity.
- 15:38And I think if either of us are feeling grumpy, I think we never discussed this,
- 15:42but I think the cold word is I'm going to put my headset on my headphones and that's it.
- 15:49And then we're back and yeah, but on this leap, you know, as I've been talking
- 15:54to people now with the podcast, I've been getting mixed reviews.
- 15:58Like Justine Slebeka's, it's, you know, huge ultra cyclist.
- 16:03And he usually doesn't sleep much, but he said once, I don't remember what happened,
- 16:09but he was, oh, his battery, he forgot to charge his battery.
- 16:12So he had to stop to charge the battery. So he had a sleep and he performed so much better.
- 16:18So he was thinking, well, maybe I should sleep more because he did perform better.
- 16:23And then I was talking to Uba the other day, and he also
- 16:26thinks that sleep is not something that you can train but I
- 16:29think it's really finding what works for you yeah also
- 16:33the other thing it depends on what your goal is
- 16:36I suppose so I mean a big thing for me even more so now with the after the accident
- 16:41is that I want to stay safe you know I've got kids at home stuff so I I that's
- 16:48a priority above where I finish on the podium or in what whatever you know.
- 16:54So I definitely wouldn't go super sleep deprived for that reason,
- 16:59whether it affects my position or not.
- 17:01Yeah, I don't know. I thought also about like when I was in Brazil,
- 17:05I thought, okay, I'm going to try to do two days without sleeping.
- 17:09But when I got to CP1, it was around 270 kilometers.
- 17:12I could continue, but I thought, I think I'm just going to crash and die at some point, you know?
- 17:21Yeah, so I decided to sleep. I did sleep just two or three hours,
- 17:25and it was good just to keep going.
- 17:27But I don't know. I don't know if I can go. I think after two days,
- 17:30I'll probably just sleep another 20 hours, and we'll defeat the purpose of not sleeping.
- 17:35We didn't wake up, did we? Do you remember? Right? Yeah.
- 17:41We didn't hear both of our alarms. Woke up, nobody was there.
- 17:49So fun. And you are going back, right, now in 2025? Hello, we're in kindergarten.
- 17:54Sorry. Oh, damn it. Okay. No, you can swear. Yeah. No, no, no.
- 17:59Yeah, it's the beginning of February and I'm not even back on a bike. Oh, yeah.
- 18:04Again, I'm pulling out of that. I mean, I've got quite a few plans for next
- 18:08year, but the first one is not until, well, your birthday.
- 18:12But in terms of racing, it will be Gravel Birds in Portugal. Woo.
- 18:17Yeah. Reunited.
- 18:21I can't wait. and that should be beautiful too which also on this leap another
- 18:26point is I also want to see things yeah exactly you know yeah oh yeah I'm sorry
- 18:32yeah so February you're still recovering so hopefully strong enough to start
- 18:36getting outside as the weather gets better,
- 18:40and how do you usually prepare for these ultra cycling events both in terms
- 18:44of training and mindset?
- 18:47Well, obviously, the more you do them, the easier it gets. So I was really stressed
- 18:52before about the equipment side of things.
- 18:56But now, I mean, you have a list, right? You have a list and you know what works and what doesn't.
- 19:01And obviously you have to adapt it depending on the climate or,
- 19:05you know, that sort of thing.
- 19:07But I feel like I've kind of got that dialed. I know what stuff works.
- 19:11So I'm less fearful of making an enormous mistake with that.
- 19:16But in terms of training, well, long rides are the best thing,
- 19:22obviously, aren't they?
- 19:22But that can be a bit tricky because of
- 19:26my home life and stuff so I do do quite a lot of turbo training and
- 19:29to try and get me better at riding hills my coach often sets me
- 19:32kind of extended periods in zone three just
- 19:36and sort of leg strength stuff to try and build up climbing
- 19:39stamina and stuff but the nice thing
- 19:42about training for an ultra is the best thing you can do is just go and
- 19:44ride your bike for hours so that's really cool and
- 19:48then another way of preparing of course would be just to go on a
- 19:52long bikepacking trip and do loads and loads
- 19:55of miles and camp out and all that sort of thing so it's quite
- 19:58a nice thing to train for in terms of
- 20:01mindset I suppose you
- 20:04pick up techniques as you go along so I don't prepare in advance
- 20:07with my mindset it's more that whilst I'm racing
- 20:10I have little phrases or
- 20:13things that I can turn to so just things
- 20:16like I can't think of the exact phrase but I'm thinking
- 20:19of when I was at migration gravel race and there's this this
- 20:22horrible horrible washboard you just have to think to yourself it will not last
- 20:27forever it will not last forever around the corner there's something else because
- 20:32there always is like you're not going to literally be on washboard for 20 hours
- 20:36there's just no way so you learn to kind of.
- 20:43Yeah, deal with that, knowing that you've just got to get through this one section
- 20:47and then the next section will be different.
- 20:49There's always lots of ups and downs. So once you're kind of okay with that, you're all right.
- 20:54Then the other thing I do to prepare is I always download some podcasts and some audio books.
- 21:00And I like writing with those open ear headphones so that I can still hear what's
- 21:05going on and kind of keep myself entertained and stuff. So I have quite a specific,
- 21:10weird taste in audio books when I'm racing.
- 21:15It has to be something that's quite, I don't normally read books like this,
- 21:19but when I'm doing a race, it has to be almost a bit like a kind of novel that
- 21:23you would read on the beach, you know, like quite easy reading,
- 21:26quite sort of almost generic.
- 21:29I don't know, just something that doesn't take too much thought or concentration
- 21:32because you're also trying to navigate yourself and stuff.
- 21:37Yeah, yeah. Yeah, something that you don't have to pay attention 100% and focus.
- 21:42Yeah, it makes sense. Yeah.
- 21:44And I was going to ask next, and you touch on it a little bit on your family life.
- 21:51How is a typical day for you? Like, how do you balance everything?
- 21:55Because you are a huge YouTuber, content creator, you are a lot on the road,
- 22:02you know, bikepacking, doing events.
- 22:05And obviously, you have a family. how do you balance it all?
- 22:09Oh, so difficult because also you're just trying to keep everyone happy and yourself happy.
- 22:16And being a mom that does this sort of thing comes with a lot of guilt.
- 22:19I'm sure you've felt that as well.
- 22:21And you have to try and rationalize that and realize that you shouldn't feel
- 22:26guilty, but then obviously there's a limit.
- 22:29So my home life is.
- 22:32Slightly different to some families because we only have
- 22:35my daughter half of the time so we
- 22:38have my partner's kids the whole time and my daughter
- 22:42half the time so I do tend to try and do my trips when
- 22:45my daughter's not with us because at least it's fewer
- 22:48people for my partner to look after and
- 22:51also with me only seeing her half the time I don't want
- 22:54to go traveling and miss my week with her
- 22:57I want to be with her you know that's the most important thing so
- 23:01that's how I do most of the
- 23:04traveling I try and do it when she's not with us while
- 23:07still trying not to just abandon everyone the
- 23:10entire time in terms of home life and training oh
- 23:14god it's just so hard to fit everything in that's why I do so much turbo
- 23:17training and whilst I've been injured I
- 23:20am so amazed at how much extra time I've got like
- 23:23cycling is so time consuming but on
- 23:26a typical day I might get up at seven get
- 23:29I say I don't get four kids ready because we have
- 23:32a teenager he has he doesn't want me to get him ready
- 23:35three kids ready for school drive them to school get back here for like 9 30
- 23:44because the school run is so long and then I'll go straight on my turbo or straight
- 23:49in the gym because if I don't do that thing first, then that thing's probably not going to get done.
- 23:55The only exception would be if I have some other important deadline for a client
- 24:00I'm working with and I need to be at my computer.
- 24:03So then I'll try and get that done, try and get the training done,
- 24:06then get a bit of work done. And then 2.30, I have to go back on the school
- 24:09run and pick everyone up again.
- 24:11And then after that, it's all the kind of school run, gymnastics,
- 24:16after school clubs and stuff like that and I try not to do anything work-wise
- 24:21once I've picked the kids up but as a result I might then be on the turbo at
- 24:279 30 in the evening if I hadn't managed to do it earlier,
- 24:30so you know the other day I was in the on the turbo everyone was in bed apart from our teenager.
- 24:43You just got to get it done how you can haven't you I mean the other thing is
- 24:47your advice because what I used to do in the past I would be like I haven't
- 24:52got time to do that workout so I just wouldn't do it and you're like well just
- 24:57doing something is better than not doing anything,
- 25:00so I have been doing that and that really helps with the whole family situation
- 25:05just do something Do what you can.
- 25:07Yeah, and I think psychologically too. When I don't have time,
- 25:12even if it's 15 minutes, just doing squats and lunges, I just mentally feel better.
- 25:17Because if I don't do anything, then I just feel so crappy.
- 25:22Yeah and yeah and i'm doing a lot of
- 25:25tour ball too because life is so busy and i'm tired
- 25:27of feeling guilty for missing workouts because
- 25:30i don't have the time you know to get outside because you have
- 25:33to get ready and then get the bike ready check the tires go
- 25:36outside and come back so i
- 25:40just told michael to during the week i just want to do the tour ball because
- 25:43i just don't want to be stressed of finding the time
- 25:46to go out exactly I
- 25:49mean with me as well like I can kind of gauge
- 25:52what's going on with the kids and then like for
- 25:55instance yesterday when I picked them all up from school and then I came back
- 25:58home people just not interested in hanging out with me that day some days they're
- 26:02all like mommy mommy mommy let's make cookies let's do this yesterday they're
- 26:06like we just want to watch tv mom so anyway they put on the tv and I'm like
- 26:10being around I'm thinking, I should make some time for my kids.
- 26:12And they were so not bothered that I was like, right, I'm going to go on the turbo.
- 26:17Good. Yeah. Sometimes, you know, you can play by ear and do something with them
- 26:23there and not feel guilty because they are into something else.
- 26:26But it doesn't work like that every time.
- 26:30And I know you're still recovering. And besides gravel birds in May,
- 26:36and we're traveling together in March. Yay.
- 26:40Anything else for the rest of the year or you don't want to think that
- 26:43far ahead well i made a
- 26:45list of things i was doing before i crashed so
- 26:49i do have a thing a few things penciled in
- 26:52oh yeah i see so i haven't
- 26:56entered the tracker which you haven't entered have you you
- 26:59still i have not okay i'll
- 27:02be i'm still thinking about it but i'll be our cheerleader oh great
- 27:05okay well I'm only doing 100 this time doing that with
- 27:08our good friend Anto and then the other
- 27:11things that I've got penciled in are mainly bike
- 27:15packing oh and so I
- 27:19put I have put question marks on a lot of these one of them is bright midnight
- 27:23you know Justina's oh yes yes yes that's in Norway so I'm quite tempted by bright
- 27:30midnight because obviously you'll be riding at night but it's still light,
- 27:36so that would be really cool and I love I think that one is amazing yeah yeah
- 27:42so I mean I think it'd be really difficult because of you know the climate and
- 27:46everything but I would like to be able to see like how long I can ride at night
- 27:50when it's not getting dark is it different how's it feel what's it like doing
- 27:53that I don't know I'm just curious.
- 27:56Then there's a new ground stage race in South Africa from the guys that launched Cape Epic.
- 28:06So that's called Gravel Burn. And I might try and do that. That's not till October.
- 28:13Then the other things that I've got penciled in, bikepacking with my good friend,
- 28:16Laura. We always do a trip. So that's got to go in there.
- 28:20Bikepacking Westfjords in Iceland. Bikepacking in Turkey.
- 28:25Yeah and then the other one
- 28:28is the slovenia west loop which is
- 28:31meant to be a cool bike packing loop in slovenia i've always wanted
- 28:34to go there and yeah that's it
- 28:37cool cool yeah the
- 28:40bright midnight is on top of my list but it's
- 28:44difficult because i have my daughter here in july
- 28:47so it's a month that it's i i want to really
- 28:50spend time with her but yeah i thought the same because
- 28:53it's daylight pretty much 24 hours
- 28:57it must be i mean of course
- 29:00norway it's super safe but it just there's a safety aspect of for me you know
- 29:04because being the dark i'm always a little bit scared so yeah and and it and
- 29:09the point you brought up on because you have daylight maybe you feel more awake
- 29:13and yeah you feel good so yeah keep me updated i want to hear more about that,
- 29:19it's a tricky one with the the kids isn't it because the other one that i'm
- 29:23interested in is silk road but that's in august i can't go away in august it's the school holidays.
- 29:30Yeah yeah it's tough can't do it all but little by little we'll get we'll cross
- 29:36them off the list exactly and how do you stay motivated inspired and keep pushing
- 29:44boundaries cycling in life,
- 29:47Well, I think I'm just inspired by the people I see around me.
- 29:51Like I know there's a lot of negativity about social media and stuff, but for me, it's great.
- 29:56You know, like I'm sitting on my turbo trainer upstairs and I've just installed
- 30:01this huge TV because I knew that I spent so much time on this.
- 30:06And so I watch other women's, I normally watch women.
- 30:10I watch other women cyclists' YouTube channels and I see the events that they're
- 30:15doing and I get inspired by it.
- 30:17And it makes me try harder on the turbo when I'm maybe feeling a bit like I can't be bothered.
- 30:21So it's the other people that are around me that are doing cool things.
- 30:25And then also I do quite like looking at books and stuff. So I've got quite
- 30:28a lot of books on epic bike rides and bikepacking routes.
- 30:32And my dad's super into maps. So I'll mention to him that I want to go to Slovenia
- 30:38and he's posted me a map with a little list of points and stuff like that.
- 30:42So I suppose I get that from him. Oh, how cute.
- 30:45Yeah, but I just, there's so many, there's loads of people doing cool stuff
- 30:50in the world, aren't there?
- 30:51And I really enjoy consuming all that kind of media and, you know, written stuff as well.
- 30:59And it gives me ideas for my trips.
- 31:03Yeah, I agree. I think social media, if used properly, it's an amazing tool.
- 31:08I also get inspired. Sometimes I don't feel like doing anything.
- 31:11And then I open Instagram and I see a story, you know, you or someone else,
- 31:16you know, running or being outside on the bike or on the tour ball.
- 31:19And I'm like, okay, let me shake it off the laziness and do something.
- 31:23And yeah, yeah. So that's good.
- 31:26So I have just some fun rapid fire questions.
- 31:32Favorite post-ride snack? or a meal? This is quite a hard one. It changes.
- 31:40Something really quick. Normally, it depends what it got in the fridge.
- 31:46So I'm really into kaffir.
- 31:48You know that? What is that?
- 31:52Kaffir or something like that. Kaffir. Yeah. Kaffir. Yeah. Yeah. It's like the yogurt.
- 31:57Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I quite like having kefir with like berries and oats and things
- 32:04like that that's a really good one but then my other one that I would have would
- 32:08be sourdough toast with marmite on it and then cheese on top,
- 32:14we just don't compare you there rather than uh rather than anything particularly nutritious,
- 32:20but yeah normally I just have normally I don't get back from a ride absolutely
- 32:24starving because I eat on the ride so I don't have to just do like a big fridge
- 32:29raid and stuff my face so I'm okay,
- 32:32I'll just have a little snack and then I'll have dinner,
- 32:36And after a ride, what do you do first? Eat, shower or wash the bike? Eat.
- 32:45Yes. Dream cycling destination? Oh, there are so many I want to go to.
- 32:52I actually have a list open on my, on my, so I'm going to go through because
- 32:58I'm trying, I'm trying to like nail down what I want to do next year.
- 33:02Because like we were saying, I have a limited amount of time.
- 33:05So I have to kind of, I have to be really picky.
- 33:09So on my list, loads of these I've been to before, but I want to go again.
- 33:11So Cornwall, Scotland, Ireland, Slovenia, Nepal, Norway, Iceland,
- 33:17Sweden, Switzerland, Tuscany, Squamish, because seven measure from there,
- 33:22Corsica and California.
- 33:28Yeah, I have some of those places on my list. Yeah, I'd also like to go to maybe
- 33:32Vietnam or somewhere like that. I don't know. No, there's a plane.
- 33:36Hawaii? Yeah, I would love. We should plan a bikepacking in Vietnam,
- 33:41Laos, those places, you know, like the beach, sunshine.
- 33:46Yeah. Okay. Road bike, gravel bike, or mountain bike.
- 33:51You could only choose one. Gravel, for sure. Because it's just the most versatile, isn't it?
- 33:57Yeah, yeah. But then it would depend on your area.
- 34:01True. Yeah. Yeah, so that would be situation-dependent.
- 34:08And what's one thing you always carry on a ride?
- 34:14One. Food? Water. Water. Water. Yeah.
- 34:22And who would be your dream cycling partner for a day? For a day? Oh, you, of course.
- 34:33I was going to say you can't say Sam but likewise,
- 34:39anytime Sam and I get to go for a ride together it's such a treat because it
- 34:42doesn't happen so often so I'm hoping that he's going to come and ride Stone
- 34:46Circle you know the gravel event,
- 34:49so hopefully it will be me and Sam and you, maybe Miguel Anto and all our friends
- 34:54together it should be fun,
- 34:56yeah you'll be awesome McLeary I think also is going so
- 34:59it will be fun all right well
- 35:02so nice to chat with you thanks for making the time
- 35:05and i'm wishing you a speedy and
- 35:08full recovery so we can do all those
- 35:11dream plans next year and yeah no brilliant well nice talking to you as always
- 35:17and yeah have a good weekend thank you and that's all for today's episode i
- 35:24want to thank the listeners for tuning in your support means everything if you enjoyed this episode,
- 35:30please consider following, leaving a review, and sharing it with your friends.
- 35:35Music.