In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Bruce Smith, former ultramarathon runner and ironman athlete and now elite ultramarathon stand up paddle boarder out of Northeast England. Bruce is coming off of a massive year winning the inaugural Eliminator race in the U.K. and completing 48 laps including 2 super laps in the 2025 Last Paddler Standing. We cover so much in this episode from a career ending ankle injury that led him to paddling, training based on what life brings rather than a structured format, the Eliminator race, Last Paddler Standing 2023 and 2025, Nathan Benderson Park versus Lake June in Winter, amazing crew support from his “harem” of women, sleep deprivation strategies, hallucinations, the Northern SUP Race Club, the N1SCO one design race series, and the book he’s been writing that comes out in May. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Bruce himself on this 46th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast…

Bruce’s book recommendations:

Feet in the Clouds, by Richard Askwith: https://a.co/d/0dOVhCf6

A Life Without Limits, by Chrissie Wellington: https://a.co/d/0hW8B5U1

Social contact:

-IG: @bruce_ironsmith

Hello to all the paddlers out there. First of all, thank you so much for listening to the show! I’ve had so much outpouring support lately and it really means more than you know. Today’s show isn’t really a show or even an episode, but more of a public service announcement. I wanted to let all the paddlers out there know that I just launched a website for the show which you can find at www.dabblinginpaddleism.com. On the website you can find archives for all episodes, links to both apple and Spotify podcasts, a “coming soon” section that highlights already recorded episodes that are coming down the pike, and a contact us section where you can reach out to me for guest and topic suggestions. The section that I’m most excited about, however, is the “book club” tab. Here you can find all of the books that guests have recommended over the lifetime of the show. So instead of trying to remember a past recommendation or having to search for it within an episode or the show notes now you have an epic curated reading list that everyone can access any time. Each of these tiles in the book club section have direct links to access, if available publicly for free, or direct links to purchase. Of note, at the moment I am not an affiliate for any sites or companies, so these links to purchase or access are really only intended to be for your convenience only. I may or may not end up doing this in the future, but at the end of the day I wanted to make it as easy as possible for all of you out there to find these great reads to continue to drive inspiration and curiosity out there in the paddling world. And if there’s anything else you’d like to see from this site, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via instagram at dabbling_in_paddleism, [email protected], or the new contact us section on the dabblinginpaddleism.com website. Thanks again for listening and until next time I hope you’re dabbling in paddleism.

-Chris

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Scott Baste, mountain biker and ultramarathon stand up paddle boarder out of Atlanta, Georgia, now hailing from Western North Carolina. One of Scott’s many paddling career highlights thus far is completing the Everglades Challenge 4 years in a row on SUP and is the only person to complete that race more than 2 times on SUP. This is certainly impressive as he describes in the show that the Everglades Challenge has been the hardest thing he’s ever done. We cover so much in this episode from his early elite mountain biking days, owning a paddle shop and the importance of buying local, the Trans-North Georgia and Tour Divide bike packing adventures, cross training, the mental game in ultra races, the Alabama 650, MR340, losing a fin in the Everglades Challenge, unstructured training programs, high stakes in the WA360, the Yukon 1000, and Suwannee 230. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Scott himself on this 45th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast…

Scott’s book recommendations:

Rod Price’s books - as a reminder if you want one of Rod’s books, email him at [email protected] and he’ll get you set up with a 2-for-1 offer.

Scott's YouTube channel: SUP with Scott

https://www.youtube.com/@SUPwithScott

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Anne-Marie Reichman Totah out of the Netherlands, currently hailing from Hawaii. Anne-Marie is a former elite professional windsurfer, now stand up paddle boarder and founded the SUP 11 Cities Tour. We cover so much in this episode from elite competitive windsurfing, long distance ice skating, starting stand up paddle boarding in 2008 only to launch a major ultra race less than 2 years later, the storied history that inspired the SUP 11 Cities Tour, training for ultra distance by milking cows without a chair, board selection and race strategy, the stage race versus the non-stop tour, challenges with extreme weather, glamping in sleeping boats, race-provided nutrition support, crew support, SUP 11 Green leaving the course better than they found it, and the Hawaiian Outrigger Voyaging Society. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Anne-Marie herself on this 44th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast…

Anne-Marie’s book recommendations:

Let’s SUP, by Janneke Smits and Marleen Backx: https://a.co/d/0e63FqjH

Race contact:

Socials:

@totahannemarie

@sup11citytour

@reikimaui

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Mike Carson, ultramarathon runner and stand up paddle boarder out of Michigan, currently hailing from Alabama. In the past year Mike completed the Vol State 300 mile journey run, made it to the super lap in Last Paddler Standing, and won the Across the Years Last Man Standing running backyard ultra. We cover so much in this episode from ultramarathon running versus paddling, the adaptability of the human body, focusing on process & procedure over finishing place, the Vol State Journey Run & what it feels like to run 300 miles in one sitting… spoiler alert it sounds miserable, deja vu hallucinations, board selection for Last Paddler Standing, Nathan Benderson Park versus Lake June in Winter, what it feels like to meet your heroes, having Laurie Sanders as crew and as a spirit animal, sleep deprivation strategies, and Across the Years Last Man Standing. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Mike himself on this 43rd episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast…

Mike’s book recommendations:

The Ultramarathon man, by Dean Karnazes: https://a.co/d/04dElC14

Socials:

https://bio.site/mcarson

Mike’s mini-documentary on the 2023 Last Paddler Standing race: https://supboardermag.com/2024/11/21/experience-the-last-paddler-standing-with-mike-carson-cruel-punishment-self-torture/

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Rod Price, legendary ultramarathon paddler originally from South Carolina and now hailing just outside Orlando, Florida. Rod is a highly decorated ultramarathon paddler and is just coming off his 11th start and 11th win in the Everglades Challenge, but that doesn’t even scratch the surface of all his paddling accomplishments. We cover so much in this episode from overcoming obstacles like broken paddles, getting lost in the Everglades during the Everglades Challenge, hallucinating the same things as your partner, going upside down in the Yukon River Quest from falling asleep, paddling 1200 miles in the Ultimate Florida Challenge and 40 mile portages, adventure racing, the Race to Alaska and being reported missing to the Coast Guard, the story of developing the Suwannee 230, 46 years of ultramarathon paddling evolution, and the books he has authored. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Rod himself on this 42nd episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast…

Rod’s Books:

Racing to the Yukon

Racing Around Florida

Have Paddle Will Travel

Chasing History on the Mississippi River

Rod’s book recommendations:

River of Doubt, by Candice Millard: https://a.co/d/05R4Qijg

Endurance, by Alfred Lansing: https://a.co/d/0bBSGyS0

Rod’s Website & Contact Info:

rodpriceadventure.com

[email protected] - email Rod for a 2-for-1 discount on any of his books

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Jeff Kay out of California, ultramarathon paddler and co-founder/race director of the California River Quest. We cover so much in this episode from getting into paddling by invitation, the transition from short paddle races to ultramarathons, the history of the California 100 and his journey in founding the California River Quest, race safety precautions as well as hazards of the Sacramento River, challenges of starting and maintaining a paddling race, ground support, what sets the CRQ apart from other ultras, and his take on the 2023 Guinness Book of World Records dragon boat record setting attempt in the 2023 MR340. As a disclaimer, I moved this episode up from a previously recorded episode to coincide with the upcoming California River Quest in just a couple months. This will be made clear when Jeff talks about his book recommendations late in the episode. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Jeff himself on this 41st episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast…

Jeff’s book recommendations:

- [ ] Intro to Ultra Endurance Paddle Racing, by Carter Johnson: https://www.californiariverquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Intro-to-Ultra-Distance-Paddle-Racing-by-Carter-Johnson.pdf

- [ ] Racing to the Yukon, by Rod Price: If you’d like a 2-for-1 deal, email Rod Price at [email protected].

- [ ] Other books by Rod Price: Racing Around Florida, Have Paddle Will Travel, and Chasing History on the Mississippi River

Socials:

-IG: @j.j.kay

-FB: facebook.com/jjkay

California River Quest Website: https://www.californiariverquest.com/

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Jeff Kay out of California, ultramarathon paddler and co-founder/race director of the California River Quest. We cover so much in this episode from getting into paddling by invitation, the transition from short paddle races to ultramarathons, the history of the California 100 and his journey in founding the California River Quest, race safety precautions as well as hazards of the Sacramento River, challenges of starting and maintaining a paddling race, ground support, what sets the CRQ apart from other ultras, and his take on the 2023 Guinness Book of World Records dragon boat record setting attempt in the 2023 MR340. As a disclaimer, I moved this episode up from a previously recorded episode to coincide with the upcoming California River Quest in just a couple months. This will be made clear when Jeff talks about his book recommendations late in the episode. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Jeff himself on this 41st episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast…

Jeff’s book recommendations:

- [ ] Intro to Ultra Endurance Paddle Racing, by Carter Johnson: https://www.californiariverquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Intro-to-Ultra-Distance-Paddle-Racing-by-Carter-Johnson.pdf

- [ ] Racing to the Yukon, by Rod Price: If you’d like a 2-for-1 deal, email Rod Price at [email protected].

- [ ] Other books by Rod Price: Racing Around Florida, Have Paddle Will Travel, and Chasing History on the Mississippi River

Socials:

-IG: @j.j.kay

-FB: facebook.com/jjkay

California River Quest Website: https://www.californiariverquest.com/

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with John Astbury & Rich Winstanley, two paddlers out of the U.K. that battled significant adversity in the 2024 Yukon 1000 but refused to give up. We cover so much in this episode from the sprinting world of paddling, the Devizes to Westminster, the importance of trusting a partner, training for Lake Laberge around the Isle of Wight, paddling 800+ miles with broken hands, Yukon Gold, hallucinating pig masked bank robbers and penguins ice skating, the importance of reading water in the Yukon, and the impossible goal of fully emptying the tank. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from John & Rich themselves on this 40th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast…

Jon’s book recommendations:

Kings on the Yukon, by Adam Weymouth: https://a.co/d/0bU3jFXH

Rich’s book recommendations:

Canoeing the Congo, by Phil Harwood: https://a.co/d/0cVmth6p

Socials:

Jon - @astbury.jon

Rich - @richwinstanley1

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Lillian Nelson and Izzy Nicolier, 25 year old canoeists, dog mushers, and adventurers hailing from Alaska. Both have just finished the Alabama 650 in 2025 and the Yukon 1000 in ’24 with plenty of endurance adventuring as well. We cover so much in this episode from the Yukon 1000 race, source to sea on the Yukon, the Great Alabama 650, revisiting an air quotes hallucination story from a previous episode that actually proved to be true, 6 day portages, how dog mushing in the Yukon translates to race performance in the 1000, going upside-down just out of Dawson City, SOS fails, duct taping fire ants, the Boo Bash versus Mobile Bay, and their upcoming business venture guiding folks on the water and over snow. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Lil & Izzy themselves on this 39th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast…

Lil’s Book Recommendations:

-Brothers on the Bashkaus, A Siberian Paddling Adventure, by Eugene Buchanan: https://a.co/d/01eqKof8

-Amazon Woman, by Darcy Gaechter: https://a.co/d/0iZNd70M

Izzy’s Book Recommendations:

-Alone, by Gerard d’Aboville: https://a.co/d/0h0eTKeF

How to keep up with Lil & Izzy:

-FB: Lead Dawgs Expeditions

-IG: @lead.dawg.exp

How to reach out to Lil & Izzy with specific questions about their expeditions: