In this episode, I’m joined by my friend and athlete Rachel Popelka better known on Instagram as The Trailside Doc. Rachel is a remote physical therapist, an expedition adventure racer, and an ultra runner who’s carved out a life full of bold choices, resilience, and inspired adventure.

We talk about her unconventional path into endurance sports, from starting with a 5K to finishing multi-day expedition races, and how she built a career helping athletes stay strong and recover smarter. Rachel shares candidly about her own health struggles, lessons from navigating chronic pain, and the power of positive affirmations, community, and connection with nature.

We also dive into the unique PT model she’s pioneering working remotely with athletes to blend rehab, strength, and performance training into their everyday programming. I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is to have her integrated on an athlete’s “team,” collaborating with coaches and bringing PT into TrainingPeaks just like a workout.

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A big thanks to our sponsors:

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The show is produced and edited by Palm Tree Pod Co

skimo gold, endurance and life coaching with brief testimonials