On episode 16 of Crosshairs Radio we check in with Dr. Kristin Keim, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology and a masters in sports psychology. Dr. Keim works with athletes in all disciplines including many top-level cyclists and cyclocross racers. 

I've followed Dr. Keim on Twitter for quite some time and knew she worked with several of the best cyclocross racers in the country. When Gabby Durrin announced her retirement in a December 15 blog post (www.team-awesome.cc/neon-velo/closing-a-chapter-and-starting-a-new) it was this passage that caught my attention: "I had spent some months leading up to the season working with a really great sports psychologist in Kristin Keim. She really helped me to express myself and just let go of some tough feelings I had been holding onto. It had been an emotional few months. I realised through working with Kristin that I had been dealing with depression."

Knowing that psychology is a huge part of cycling, not to mention all of sport, I've always had it on my list to invite a sports psychologist on the show. Kristin's added focus on depression and helping athletes transition out of sport is what compelled me to seek her out specifically for a chat. Especially following Gabby's retirement announcement.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode. Some of the discussion may seem like it is focused on professional athletes, but there is something in here for everyone. We even talk a bit about the biggest issues facing masters racers. Kristin has a bunch of tips you can use to help your performance and a bunch more food for thought. 

After you're done listening, or even while you listen, you can learn more about Dr. Keim's practice at www.keimperformanceconsulting.com.

On Episode 15 of Crosshairs Radio we talk to Adam Myerson. Cyclocross racer, road racer, business owner, husband, dad ... Adam wears a lot of hats. In his last season as a professional racer, we caught up with Adam from team camp in Athens, Georgia, as his athletes prepare for U.S. Nationals.

We have a great conversation about how he got into cycling, his time spent on the European cyclocross commission and his thoughts on the state of U.S. cyclocross. We also spend some time analyzing some of your favorite European cyclocross stars' technique. It's a fun conversation with a lot of food for thought.

If you like the show, check out our music podcast Kids Don't Follow. You can find out more on Twitter at @KDFpodcast and at kidsdontfollow.libsyn.com.

Follow Crosshairs Radio on Twitter at @crosshairsradio. And also check out our cyclocross skills and technique book Skills Drills and Bellyaches: A Cyclocross Primer at www.cyclocrossbook.com.

For episode 14 of Crosshairs Radio we talk to SDG Muscle Monster's Amanda Nauman. You may know Amanda from the column she writes for In The Crosshairs, Panda's POV, and now you get to hear her whole story. From growing up as a competitive swimmer, to discovering bike racing, and catapulting to the top of sport in fairly short time period.

Amanda has some great stories and her bike racing career so far is a fun one to follow. Thanks for tuning in and for your continued support of Crosshairs Radio.

Thanks for listening. Please follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @cxhairs and check out all of the cyclocross and cycling products and gifts we have available at www.crosshairscycling.com/shop. Also take a look at our cyclocross book, Skills Drills and Bellyaches: A Cyclocross Primer, available at www.cyclocrossbook.com.

For episode 13 of Crosshairs Radio we have a post-Thanksgiving holiday roundtable with three of my friends and teammates: Taylor Jones (@jtaylorjones), Elliott Caldwell (@ef_caldwell) and Kevin Hays (CXShark).

Taylor and Elliott are my co-hosts on the Kids Don't Follow podcast where we talk music. But they also ride and race bikes. As does Kevin, the CX Shark. So we all gathered in my basement to run down everything that's anything in the world of cyclocross.

There's no real itinerary so we get a bit off track here and there. But it's all good. From Boonen and friends, to Koksijde, with stops at single-speed cyclocross world championships, and Flying Squirrel baseball games somewhere in between, we leave no leaf unturned.

We then end the show with our picks for an album you should be listening to right now. Or at least, after you finish the podcast.

Elle Anderson (Strava/SRAM) joins us for a great conversation on episode 12 of Crosshairs Radio. Elle grew up with dreams of being a downhill skier, but after spending her childhood years chasing that dream, she gave it up and eventually found the bike. First just for fun and later as a way to fulfill her competitive drive. Elle quickly rose through the ranks of American Cyclocross, with a string of UCI wins, finishing on the podium at Nationals and getting a ride on a Belgian team last season. 

A hard, frustrating season left her a bit burnt out at the end of last season. But after a healthy break from the bike she is ready to rock for the remainder of this season and really excited about her new one-woman team and a chance to race again in Europe, this time on her own terms.

Thanks for listening. Please follow us on Twitter at @cxhairs and check out all of the cyclocross and cycling products and gifts we have available at www.crosshairscycling.com/shop. Also take a look at our cyclocross book, Skills Drills and Bellyaches: A Cyclocross Primer, available at www.cyclocrossbook.com.

For Episode 11 we talk to Jake Wells and Dan Timmerman of the NOTUBES Elite Cyclocross Team. The conversation touches on both riders cycling careers from starting on MTBs and eventually finding their way to cyclocross.

We also spend some time talking about finding the balance between life and racing. Dan Timmerman has taken a couple hiatuses from racing, the second time to go off into the woods with his wife, build a yurt to live in, and teach primitive skills. Not to be outdone, Wells was racing as a pro while also holding down a career as a carpenter.

Truly two blue collar racers with great stories. 

For those of you who like a classic cyclocross debate, we don't talk about cantis vs. discs, but we do spend some time talking about tubeless technology and how it compares to tubulars.

Finally, it's the holiday season. If you are looking for gift ideas for your cyclocross friends, how about heading over to www.cyclocrossbook.com and picking up a copy of Skills Drills and Bellyaches: A Cyclocross Primer. Or check out our SpurCycle bells and line of shirts at www.crosshairscycling.com/shop.

Thanks for listening. Give us a review at iTunes and follow on twitter at @cxhairs and @crosshairs radio. And on Instagram at @cxhairs.

For Episode 10 of Crosshairs Radio we welcome Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com's Stephen Hyde, who is coming off a breakthrough weekend at the Derby City Cup in Louisville, Kentucky. Stephen not only won his first UCI C1 race but he also beat Jeremy Powers in a two-man battle both days of the weekend.

Stephen Hyde joined us from Pensacola, Florida, the place he grew up and started his life on the bike by putting in thousands of hours on a BMX bike. He has an interesting journey from BMX street and flatland competition to professional cyclocross racer. We touch on most of it in this hour long episode.

The story about how Stephen won a spot on the J.A.M. Fund team is one not to miss. As well as his breakdown of how he won the Louisville weekend. Hyde is a smart racer who analyzes not only his strengths and weaknesses but those of his opponents, too. He gives some great insight into the tactical game behind winning at cyclocrossm and maybe even life.

Thanks for tuning in. You can support the show by rating and reviewing at iTunes. You can also start buying your holiday gifts at www.crosshairscycling.com/shop. Also visit www.svenness.com for your SVENNESS shirts and socks, and www.cyclocrossbook.com to get your copy of Skills Drills and Bellyaches: A Cyclocross Primer.

Ben Frederick is a professional bike racer whose name outside of the Mid-Atlantic region may not be one you know. But you may soon. At the time we recorded this podcast he was ranked 15th in the ProCX standings, finished fourth at Charm City, third and fifth at DCCX and has moved up to 150th in the UCI world rankings.

Ben had dreams of being a pro road racer and now is refocusing those dreams to cyclocross. He has started his own team, Beyond CX, and has a great story.

This is a long episode. But I think you'll like it. We cover a lot of ground and for anybody with dreams of glory in professional cyclocross, I think it's a really nice look into what it looks like on the way up. Ben has fought through some substantial setbacks but continues to strive for the top tier of cyclocross. By the time we're done talking, you'll no longer ask the question: Who is Ben Frederick.

For more information about Ben and his team, check out www.beyondcx.rocks. Follow Ben at @benjamfred and @beyondcxrocks.

Follow me @cxhairs on Twitter and Instagram.

Have a question or comment? Send them to [email protected].

Thanks for listening.

For Episode 8 of Crosshairs Radio I sit down in the cxhairs.com studio with Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team rider Dan Chabanov for a conversation about racing bikes, the good, bad, and ugly of U.S. cyclocross, and the realities of being pro in the domestic ranks.

Our chat took place after a long day of racing at the Saturday edition of the UCI C2 DCCX event. Dan raced, I wore both promoter and announcer hat and we were both a bit punchy by the time we sat down in my basement for a talk. Despite the exhaustion, we had a lively conversation that was truly that ... just a conversation. About bike racing.

After listening, go follow Dan on twitter and Instagram if you don't already. He's @danchabanov on both. Also check out the cyclocross column he does for The Athletic at www.theathleticcommunity.com.

Please subscribe to Crosshairs Radio on iTunes, if that's how you consume podcasts. Also, rate and review on iTunes, even if it's not the way you consume podcasts. 

You can follow me at  @cxhairs on Instagram and Twitter. And support the show by checking out our goods at www.crosshairscycling.com/shop.

Thanks for listening.

For episode seven we talk to Dan Seaton who lives in Brussels, Belgium, and works as a solar physicist during the week. On the weekend, however, he is one of the most knowledgable cyclocross journalists out there. Dan's work can be seen online at www.velonews.com and also in Velo magazine.

Our conversation is wide-ranging. From an in-depth look at the young guns and van Aert's fast start to the season, to Sven's resurgent, the enigma that is Sun Web and the rest of the men's field. We also talk about the women's field who will emerge on top and it's growing acceptance in Belgian culture. In addition, we touch on how America sees Belgian cyclocross and if that adoration is valid and so much more. It's a really fun conversation I think you're going to enjoy.

To clarify the timeline, we recorded the podcast on the Thursday before the Valkenburg World Cup. So when we are talking about "Sunday's race" it's Ronse and not Valkenburg.

Thanks for listening. Please check out www.cxhairs.com and also the store at www.crosshairscycling.com/shop. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @CXHairs and please rate and review on iTunes.