Those of you following the Iditarod Trail Invitational may have noticed a couple of riders heading back to Anchorage, RJ Sauer being one of them.

On the heels of just publishing a podcast with RJ, he messaged me to let me know that his heart just wasn’t in it. I thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to connect with RJ, while it is all fresh, to talk about what happened and why.

Just showing up to an event like this is an endeavour in and of itself, but when so much time and energy is spent on preparation and logistics, not finishing an event can be devastating. In RJ’s case, he was able to find peace in his decision and in the episode, he shares his mindset.

RJ first rode the 1000 mile ITI back in 2001 as a 26 year old Film Maker producing the film, Thin White Line. It was his first bikepacking race and the catalyst for many adventures to come. You can read more about his adventures over at rjsauer.com or on his Instagram page, where he more or less journals his life.

There are lots of great takeaways in the one. Scratching is always a possibility and sometimes it can’t be avoided. Listen in as RJ shares some wisdom that we can all learn from.

Enjoy this conversation.

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