Today is Thanksgiving, a day to express thanks and share gratitude with others. I share what I am grateful for at this time, and tell my Thanksgiving story from two years ago in 2023. I was deeply affected by what took place at that time with my dad. It is a valuable moment in my life I will forever remember. The holiday season is a great time to enjoy with our friends and family, and is also an opportunity to reflect and express what's inside our hearts. Do not miss the opportunity to do so!

Tessa Greep is a soon to be graduate from the Lees-McRae Cycling Team, and we discuss her experience of breaking her ankle during Hurricane Helene. Tessa's injury put her on a path she did not want, but it helped her learn valuable lessons ahead of her final year of college. We discuss the development of her mentality of doing hard things, asserting herself, and how she smiles when she does the best she's capable of. Tessa has a unique outlook and mentality, so we discuss how her mindset helps her as well as helping others believe in themselves. We finish up by talking about the value of being in a healthy relationship and how it helps her do what she loves to do.

Liam Flanagan is back on the show to discuss life and progress in his pursuit of becoming a professional cyclist at the highest level. Liam races for Team Skyline, a UCI Continental Team based in the US, but he races most of the season in Europe. He shares what life is like based in Girona, Spain, and the progress he's seen by training and living there for three seasons. We devote a lot of discussion about what it takes to build confidence, and how to have a wider view of progress to maintain a steady confidence level.

We also go deep into the experience of Tulsa Tough, and what makes it special enough to be deemed the Super Bowl of Crits. He was part of the Cadence team at Tulsa, and he shares their philosophy on competing as well as connecting with fans.

We end the show by discussing the difficulty of maintaining romantic relationships, and how important it is to have someone you are doing this for, be it a significant other, parents, family, or close friends. We both share relationship experiences we have been through, and how essential they are to have a more fulfilling experience as an athlete. This is a long discussion, but hopefully you will be entertained!

Josh Foley is back to share how different life is now that he’s pursuing his dream to be a professional cyclist. He shares the changes he has made since graduating college, and the insight he’s learned through his training and racing experiences at the Elite level. Josh explains how he’s been able to increase his average speed while lowering power output, and the kind of wattage numbers it takes to race up climbs with World Tour riders. He just completed Pro Road Nationals with Team Winston Salem, and will be racing Tour de Beauce as well. We also discuss his process of journaling and how it has helped him reflect and grow as an athlete. We covered a lot of ground in a short time, enjoy!

This episode is with a good friend and collaborator, Dr. Marco Meucci of COSMED. Marco was formally an Associate Professor in the Public Health and Exercise Science Department at Appalachian State University, where he also served as the Director of their wellness and human performance lab. He now is the Academics Manager for COSMED, an Italian company that “designs, manufactures, and sells worldwide diagnostic medical devices to assess Lung function, Metabolic, and Body Composition.” Marco shares his story and progression as an athlete, student, professor, and leader in academia. We discuss how he made decisions leading to where he is today and how he uses the sparks to create forks in life, then takes the most exciting one. We believe you are going to love the energy and insight this enthusiastic Italian brings to the show. Enjoy!

Coach Kaysee Armstrong is back on the podcast, and now as the Women's Assistant Coach at Lees-McRae College. I have had the distinct privilege of working alongside Kaysee for the past year, and we discuss her transition from being a professional cyclist to collegiate coach to soon a mom. She shares a lot of thoughts and stories about how her belief system has helped her grow as a person, and how playing it safe within your comfort zone does not lead to growth. We dive deep into the mental and emotional side of our identities as people, and how the coach-athlete relationship requires trust and communication. I am hopeful you will appreciate this discussion and it will help you grow as a person as well. Enjoy, and if you like what you hear, please share it with a friend!

Ian is back for his third time on the podcast to discuss his experience healing from Lyme Disease, Bell's Palsy, and what his plans are moving forward after graduation. Ian and I have always found it easy to talk about a wide variety of subjects. In this longer episode we openly discuss our ideas and behaviors we believe have and are helping us to not only do what we enjoy, but do it better than we did before. Ian has always had a strong interest in biology and wellness, and he always comes up with interesting scientific research. He has plans to work in the Optometry field in order to help others live healthier lives, and I have no doubt he will one day accomplish this goal. We hope you enjoy the discussion!

First podcast in 2025 is a reflection of why I started this podcast show back in June of 2019. Recent life events have reminded me the value of how our life stories can impact the lives of other people. Story telling is a powerful form of communication, and I am a firm believer our testimony can change lives.

Our lives in Western North Carolina were turned upside down by Hurricane Helene. In this episode Ian McDonald and I share stories of what it was like to live through. This is Ian's second visit to the podcast, his first being #92 with Lanier Ash earlier this year. When the hurricane hit the High Country, Ian was on campus at Lees-McRae College and I was on top of Beech Mountain, about a 1500’ elevation difference. We share what it felt and looked like, and the aftermath of destruction it left behind. Our conversation scratches the surface of stories shared about our Helene experience. We will be coping and dealing with its effects for years to come. Hope you enjoy!

A lot of life has happened in 2024 and in the past few months with Hurricane Helene hitting home. A short episode to lay the groundwork for some upcoming episodes about the hurricane and other significant moments in life. Time to get back in whack!