The BrainStoke Podcast

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Ashlie Hogge is one of Utah’s top high school mountain bike racers and we argue one of the coolest student-athlete minds we’ve met. We were stoked to get her in studio to talk about her back-to-back Varsity girls wins at the last Region 2 events at Soldier Hollow and Mantua.

Riding and racing bikes is part of the Hogge family DNA. The Hogge’s have a tradition of putting in “work” on the bike that builds significant confidence in Ashlie’s ability to embrace the suffer. She understands the importance of time in the pain-cave creating mental strength that comes into play at pivotal points in racing when it gets hard. “I remember the work I’ve done and know that I’ve experienced this suffer before and was able to get through it”.

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Matthew Lefthand has learned to master the “pivot”. As a mental health therapist, husband, Father of two and 19,000+ mile Uber cyclist YTD (5,000+ more miles than most pro cyclists have ridden this year) he has shown that embracing change is a key ingredient to facing struggle and finding stoke.

Whether education, profession, faith or endurance running Matthew credits his ability to “pivot” as a positive coping tool that has created mental strength  in his life. 

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We were stoked to be guests on the Hyperthreads podcast. Behind Hyperthreads athletic apparel company is an entrepreneur, Spencer Storey who through his own story of struggle and stoke has built a dynamic company that is helping build and shape the community of cycling in Utah and surrounding states through custom athletic apparel including cycling kits. 
Spencer, Kevin Day and the rest of the team at Hyperthreads are perfect for BrainStoke to collaborate with as we collectively promote building mental health strength in the communities we serve starting with stylin’ “fit & drip” to get outside and take in those all-important “S’s”.

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We have been gone for a little bit. But, back in the saddle Tom and Preston are raring to go in this one. From Tour de France demons to magical eagles, BrainStoke is back and ready to give out the D.O.S.E.

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Preston Page has been legally blind for almost his whole life. Now at 17 years old he has five percent of his vision left. Does that stop him, nah he just gets it done. Preston is an all around athlete and rides mountain bikes in Utah's NICA mountain biking league. He is also one of the funniest kids we've ever met. He touches on his love for the bike, the struggles he's dealt with in school, community, and mental fortitude. You don't want to miss this one. 

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John Howard is an identical twin. He credits the motive of his 25+ year career as a mental health therapist to being raised with a brother who was largely like living with a second version of himself. Kindness, compassion and genuine concerns for someone that was literally born with him…6 minutes his junior gave him the capability a therapist needs to love, lift and sit with others in their toughest moments.
John and his wife Shelly, along with Karson and Marlene Kinikini co-founded Aspire-A Network of Mental Health Companies, Utah’s largest private employer of mental health clinicians. 

John’s insight on self-love, coping and  parenting is a DOSE of struggle & stoke everyone needs. 
 

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“Family, faith, cycling and 80’s music are all part of the Eck DNA. Kirk and TJ Eck are a father-son,
coach-athlete cycling duo from Smithfield (near Logan) with huge hearts and wake-with-the-sun work ethic.

Kirk Eck is known state-wide in the cycling community with 6 LOTOJA wins. The sport has been his preferred form of stress-coping as an adult and when his wife passed away cycling took on new meaning. He became a cycling coach within the Utah high school league (NICA Utah) which allowed his passion for cycling to continue and to spend time with his family. 

We were all ears hearing Kirk’s cycling wisdom but it was TJ’s unyielding positivity and “sunshine in the soul” attitude that captured our attention. TJ’s description of the emotions of losing his Mother was like nothing we had heard before from a teenager and when he thanked his elementary school teacher who helped him get through that tough year of losing his Mom, we barely keep it together. 

“Attempting to make sense of my aching heart, 
If I could just be everything, and everyone to you, this life would just be so easy”- INXS

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Tucked into the hills of 'Creek Valley' (Apple Valley, Colorado City, Centennial Park, Cane Beds and Hildale) for 10+ years, local resident's had not had local healthcare. On December 18th, 2019 the Creek Valley Health Clinic opened. 

As the clinic provided healthcare to locals they recognized many children didn't have hobbies that were productive, safe and fun. There seemed to be a widespread inability to positively cope with the stresses of life and the cultural history of the community. 

Insert Richard Bennett, a life-long cyclist who was familiar with the Utah High School Cycling league and its positive impact on his own children and family. He approached his clinic co-workers, Nathan Barlow, PA-C and Benjamin Williams, DO about starting a local mountain bike team in Creek Valley to give kids and families a way to productively cope, have fun and build confidence in themselves. 

These 3 men became the Coach's of a newly created Creek Valley composite MTB team and they joined the Utah high school cycling league (NICA Utah) in 2022. Since then, miracle after miracle have occurred in the community. Through this effort, hope and healing have created change and positive coping for youth and residents of Creek Valley. 

Grab a box of tissues and hold onto your heart. These coaches are STOKE-disciples life we have never met.

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With good vibes and gratitude being the motto, no one incapsulates positivity and stoke like TJ Eisenhart. From being the under-23 national champion and riding on Team BMC TJ has seen it all and has the stories to back it up. His art focuses on influencing for good and putting his soul in to each of his pieces. With an extremely humble "Make Lemonade" attitude and Imaginary Collective making waves in cycling, it's no wonder TJ's mantra is The Universe Wants Me To Win.

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From Davis County to National Champion, Kevin Day knows a thing or two about what it takes to win. Kevin is an extremely decorated cyclist and talented family-man. BrainStoke sits down with him to talk about his childhood and developing his stoke for bikes as well as his mental strategies and tricks he uses in his own racing. He touches on his bouts with disappointment and depression and how the struggle and stoke of cycling has shaped his life.