Spend a few minutes with Julie von Gruenigen and you'll hear it right away, she loves riding her bike. On the surface ultra-cycling can feel like it has one recipe for success: sleep little, push past your limits and measure yourself by the podium. But of course, if you dig a little deeper, there's so much more to it.

In just a few years, Julie has gone from triathlon to the front of races like Badlands, Traka Adventure, and most recently winning the women's race at the Alps Divide. But she doesn't measure success or meaning from her ranking. 

In this episode, she shares how she feels like a "spectator" when she's found herself at the front of races, what she's learned about balancing ambition with self-care and while listening to yourself and centering the experience around joy may be the most important skill in bike pack racing.

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