The Bounce Forward Podcast

In today’s episode I sit down with husband, dad, rider and strong man, David Curtis. David is featured in my favorite Leadville short documentary, Chase The Storm chronicling CrossFit Legend, Rich Fronning as he and David raced for Mayhem Madness. The man, David Curtis just keeps digging deeper and getting faster at the highest, hardest mountain bike race in North America.

But David Curtis is far more than a rider and racer. He’s a committed father, a dedicated husband, a fearless leader and a deep thinker. In today’s conversation we explore parenting, faith, leadership, being a person of color in the ultra marathon world, training for long endurance events in harsh winter climates, motivation and how we can consistently keep our bodies moving for the long haul. 

This one is raw and real.  David is determined to keep showing up each day for the people and pursuits that most matter to him. I’m confident that you’ll all find David to be thoughtful, authentic, reflective and committed to leaving this world a better place. Talk about a good human, David Curtis is just that.

WNbL, 

Chase The Storm: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chase+the+storm

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Michael’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠

Show’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠

Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠

This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

In today’s episode I have the pleasure of sitting down with Brianne Kwasny. Brianne is a former collegiate soccer player and current endurance athlete. After winning her age group at the Breck Epic in 2023, she competed in the pro division at the Breck in 2024, holding her own, and racing her race. 

In this conversation we’ll explore how Brianne balances her demanding professional work life while staying consistent in her training, why sleep is her superpower, the mindset she embraces when the going gets tough, and how loss has inspired her to be the best version of herself on and off the bike. 

You’re going to find Brianne to be humble, thoughtful, articulate and highly intelligent. I’m confident that Brianne’s approach to life, training and work will be both inspiring and uplifting. 

WNbL, 

Brianne’s Instagram:⁠  https://www.instagram.com/bkwasny

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Michael’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠⁠

Show’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠⁠

Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: ⁠https://beaudacious.com/coaching/⁠

This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

In today’s episode I sit down with Bikes Change Lives co-founder, CJ Wiggins. We’ll to learn about the Bikes Change Lives mission and how they advocate for using bikes as a vehicle to navigate mental health challenges. We’ll also dive deep into CJ’s horrific bike accident just six weeks before the 2024 Leadville 100 and his audacious comeback to complete the biggest, baddest, highest and hardest mountain bike race in North America for the third straight year. 

In true Bounce Forward fashion, we’ll go old-school with a real bounce back story. This one is for any young athletes out there looking for inspiration, athletes in transition—thinking about moving from one sport to another, parents on the lookout for stories and to inspire your teens, or anyone that just enjoys a good old comeback story. 

I’m sure you’ll all find CJ to be likable, thoughtful, relatable and inspiring. He’s a young man that’s on a mission to make a difference, to lift people up and to be an example of how to endure hard things. 

WNbL, 

CJ’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cjwiggins7/

Bikes Change Lives IG: https://www.instagram.com/bikeschangelives_/

Bikes Change Lives website: https://bikeschangelives.com/

Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠

Michael’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠

Show’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠

Michael's Mindset and Mental Endurance Coaching: https://beaudacious.com/coaching/

This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

I’m excited to bring you this long form conversation with friend of the show, friend of the family and Bounce Forward fan favorite, Roger Thompson. The ironman himself is back to share his experience with the highest, hardest mountain bike race in North America, the Leadville 100. 

In this episode, Roger and I will take a deep dive, sharing our Leadville stories. Whether you’re thinking about doing Leadville, or some other big, long endurance event like Leadville, or you feel like reliving Leadville through the perspective of someone else’s saddle, or you just feel like listing to the wise words and soothing voice of endurance athlete, coach, teacher, husband, father and friend, Roger Thompson, we hope you’ll enjoy the listen. 

You can also journey through my Leadville story through my freshest piece on the Be Audacious blog. 

Roger's Instagram: ⁠roger_thompson

Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠

Michael’s Instagram: ⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠

Show’s Instagram: ⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠

This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

Cole Paton is a professional off-road racer and one of the fastest men on two wheels—hailing from Cashmere, Washington. He’s a heavy hitter in the Life Time Grand Prix Series and recently went big at the Leadville 100.

You’re going to find that Cole is far more than a bike racer—yes, he’s a fighter and tenacious competitor but he’s also a humble, high character, real and thoughtful individual, putting a lot of good energy into the world. In this conversation we’ll dive deep into his process and mindset. 

Cole’s mental game is on full display during this conversation as we explore how he’s become such a strong and resilient athlete on and off the bike. We’ll talk about how Cole paced his race at Leadville, stepping up on the podium with a third place finish at the biggest, baddest mountain bike race in North America, using power as his governor as he metered out his effort. 

We’ll also dive into pre-race breakfasts and some of the routines and rituals that ground Cole during training and on race day. I’m confident that he’ll become a Bounce Forward Podcast fan favorite—as Cole is a lovable human who radiates kindness and goodness. 

Lastly, we’ll explore what happiness looks like to Cole and how he goes about fostering joy in life, on the bike and in his most important relationship. 

Hold onto your seats folks, we’ve got a good one coming your way. 

WNbL, 

Cole’s Instagram: @colepaton

Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠

Michael’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠

Show’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠

This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

Anna Yamauchi is a professional off-road bike racer and competitor in the Life Time Grand Prix Series. But Anna is so much more than a bike racer and athlete. Humble grace, quiet confidence and easy speed are what comes to mind after spending ninety+ minutes in conversation with this exceptional young human—who just so happens to be really strong and good on the bike. 

In this episode we explore a wide range of topics from relationships to mindset, routines to flexibility, training to mental health. We’ll also discuss how Anna's finding the warrior within, her headspace following a frustrating Unbound, her grit and determination in the face of health challenges, and her meteoric rise and breakout in the most competitive field of off-road cycling North America has to offer. 

Full of grace, grit and courage, Anna Yamauchi is a standout athlete and special human; she’s thoughtful, resilient, intelligent and witty.  Fresh off a trip from Paris, we’ll talk about her journey to observe the 2024 Olympics and the steps she’s taking to bounce forward stronger than ever.  

Present, grounded and fully here—Anna’s likability, authenticity and big heartedness are on full display. Anna is someone showing up, rising above her challenges and circumstances and she's sure to inspire. I’m really excited to bring you this conversation today. 

WNbL, mwl

Anna’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yamaggucci/

Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠

Michael’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠

Show’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠

This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

Taylor Lideen is a a professional off-road bike racer with an extensive resume of strong two-wheeled results. But he’s far more than a rider. This is hands down one of my favorite and most meaningful conversations to date. 

In this episode of The Bounce Forward Podcast, Taylor and I will explore his struggles with anxiety and depression, while also diving into his mission to be a mental health advocate. From wins and podiums ultra endurance races like 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo and Unbound XL, to Marathon National Championships, True Grit and Rule of Three, to spending weeks at a time in bed when in the midst of a mental health episode, we’ll discuss how Taylor is shifting his mindset, courageously and passionately bouncing forward day after day. 

Taylor Lideen is not only a testament to a resilient and tenacious human that is living the BA Way (the Be Audacious Way), but he’s the personification of what it looks like to bounce forward—not one time from an injury, but every day, while navigating depression and anxiety. 

In this episode, Taylor and I share our stories and struggles with depression, getting raw, real and vulnerable, in hopes of truly connecting, while destigmatizing depression and mental health challenges.

The guards are down, the masks are off, and we both share some dark times and deep stories from the depths of despair. Anyone who has or knows a family member or close friend who has experienced depression, anxiety or mental health challenges will relate to the waves we ride in this episode, and I’m pretty sure that you’ll find Taylor’s story to be a lifeline, buoying us up when the waves are crashing down. 

Taylor’s website: https://www.taylorlideen.com/

Taylor’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tlideen/

Taylor’s Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoTCH2oEGUk

Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠

Michael’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠

Show’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠

This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

We’re back with another episode from the dynamic Dylan Johnson. He’s a fan favorite and three time guest of the show. On this 24th episode of The Bounce Forward Podcast, we take a deep dive with one of our favorite endurance athletes. 

In today’s episode we'll also explore Dylan's big breakthrough this season and how he’s celebrating his current fitness. He also gives me solid advice as I navigate some heavy training fatigue and shares how he bounced forward from illness in the weeks leading up to Unbound—where he took a top ten in the most stacked field of riders we’ve ever seen at a gravel event. 

We also explore Dylan’s mindset coming into the season, what adjustments he’s made to his training and how his big results at Mid South and Unbound have boosted the confidence of a rider that’s already racing with a lot of self-efficacy. 

As a mental endurance coach, every time we connect, I’m impressed with the mindset of this athlete and coach. I always walk away from a conversation with Dylan feeling inspired and uplifted—something I’m sure you feel after giving this conversation a listen. I’m confident that this one will add value, make you think and most likely, make you fall in love with our favorite rider in the LifeTime Grand Prix. 

To listen to previous episodes with Dylan, look for episodes 10 and 11. 

Dylan’s coaching page https://www.dylanjohnsontraining.com/

Dylan’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dylanjawnson/

Dylan’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@DylanJohnsonCycling

Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠⁠

Michael’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠⁠

Show’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠⁠

This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

When we’re really pushing things in training and honoring the Holy Trinity, it’s truly a threading of the needle as we try and balance the desire to build fitness with our body’s need for rest and recovery. When we’re building stamina for a big event, overtraining and overuse injuries are a reality that all endurance athletes must acknowledge. 

In this short, monologue style free-flow of an episode, I share some updates and progress on the Leadville 100 training, which is only six months from today. How we navigate big training blocks, niggles and fatigue will ultimately determine if we’re able to keep the wheels of consistency churning or if we need to pump the brakes and hit the pause button. 

Learning to train intuitively is an art that requires listening to our body while having the wisdom to pivot, remaining adaptable versus feeling the need to always stick to the plan—that’s the name of the game when we’re threading the training needle. 

Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠beaudacious.com⁠⁠

Michael’s Instagram: ⁠⁠@michaelleachba⁠⁠

Show’s Instagram: ⁠⁠@thebounceforward⁠⁠

This episode was powered by ⁠⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠

Roger Thompson is a husband, father, teacher and coach. He’s also an Ironman athlete with a deep history and storied career in the sport. His race resume includes 20 lifetime Ironmans, National Age Group Champion and 8x Kona World Championship qualifier. 

This conversation explores the power of sport and importance of keeping our body moving, but we go much deeper than endurance sports in this episode. Diving deep into loss, injury and setbacks—I feel like Roger takes us on a master class of how to live and live well. 

This conversation is itself a toolkit for parenting, aging gracefully and training for the long haul. From time-management to growth mindset, we explore a wide range of topics that include the importance of effective and regular communication in our relationships, how to foster a fruitful marriage and how to accept the challenges of taking care of our aging parents. Roger also shares how we as parents can better monitor the use of smartphones while reducing the harmful impacts of social media. 

I greatly admire Roger’s consciousness, mindset and self-awareness. He’s a deep thinker and he’s a highly intelligent and articulate human who tackles some of the most daunting and overwhelming aspects of life, giving us a roadmap for living a meaningful life. Truly a peaceful warrior, I’m proud to bring you Roger Thompson, and I’m confident that this one will add value and make you think differently about how we lead, learn and love. 

Roger's Instagram: roger_thompson

Leadville 100 Fundraiser: ⁠firstdescents.org/fundraiser/⁠

Website: ⁠beaudacious.com⁠

Michael’s Instagram: ⁠@michaelleachba⁠

Show’s Instagram: ⁠@thebounceforward⁠

This episode was powered by ⁠⁠The Bicycle Station ⁠