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Erin Sprague’s story is about transforming personal adventure into collective impact. In this episode, Rebecca and Erin explore what it means to lead with purpose in the outdoor industry, the lessons learned from endurance challenges, and the importance of showing up for the causes and communities you care about—even when the path isn’t clear. Together, they discuss how small moments of awe, resilience in leadership, and a deep connection to wild places can shape a meaningful life.
In this episode, Rebecca and Erin discuss:
Transformative Insights:
Vulnerable Moments:
Practical Wisdom:
Personal Growth:
Helpful Links:
Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Rebecca’s Private Idaho—where adventure, community, and purpose come together in the wild. Join us in Sun Valley for a ride that’s about more than the miles: it’s about showing up for yourself, your community, and the planet. Registration is open at rebeccasprivateidaho.com.
Support What’s the Rusch
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or post your favorite insight on social media. Your support helps us keep bringing you these honest, inspiring conversations.
Get Connected:
Website
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Blood Road
Become a Partner:
Interested in aligning your brand with authentic conversations about performance, purpose, and growth? Contact [email protected] for sponsorship opportunities and our media kit.
Brad Stulberg’s journey is about redefining excellence for everyone, not just elite performers. In this episode, Rebecca and Brad dig into what it means to pursue sustainable success, why community and vulnerability matter, and how anyone can practice excellence in daily life. Drawing from his new book, The Way of Excellence, Brad shares science-backed insights and personal stories that illuminate how excellence is a daily practice rooted in groundedness, resilience, and authentic connection. Together, they explore the value of showing up fully, the courage it takes to thrive in a chaotic world, and how the pursuit of excellence can be accessible and meaningful for all.
Show notes:
In this episode, Rebecca and Brad discuss:
Transformative Insights:
Vulnerable Moments:
Practical Wisdom:
Personal Growth:
Helpful Links:
Support What’s the Rusch
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or post your favorite insight on social media. Your support helps us keep bringing you these honest, inspiring conversations!
Subscribe and Follow
Rate, Review, and Share
Get Connected:
Website
Substack
Blood Road
Become a Partner:
Want to reach an engaged audience of leaders, athletes, creatives, and purpose-driven individuals? What’s the Rusch is where your brand can align with authentic conversations about performance, purpose, and personal growth. For sponsorship and media kit info, contact [email protected].
Boone Speed’s story is one of stripping away the noise to find what’s real. In this episode, Rebecca explores Boone’s evolution from pioneering American sport climber to creative force in photography and design. Together, they reflect on how movement, art, and community can help us shed what no longer serves us and discover a deeper sense of belonging, wherever we land.
Show notes:
In this episode, Rebecca and Boone discuss:
Transformative Insights:
Vulnerable Moments:
Practical Wisdom:
Personal Growth:
Helpful Links:
Support What’s the Rusch
If this episode moved you, please share it with someone, leave a review, send it to a training partner, or post your favorite takeaway on social media. All of these help us continue to bring you these inspiring conversations!
Subscribe and Follow
Rate, Review, and Share
Get Connected:
Website
Substack
Blood Road
Become a Partner:
Interested in reaching an engaged audience of leaders, athletes, creatives, and purpose-driven individuals? What’s the Rusch is the place to align your brand with authentic conversations about performance, purpose, and personal growth. For sponsorship inquiries and media kit information, please contact [email protected].
Cynthia Carson’s journey is about discovering who you are beyond the results. In this episode, Rebecca and Cynthia dig into the realities of ultra-endurance cycling, the challenge of separating identity from outcome, and the courage it takes to show up as your full self, on and off the bike. The conversation is especially meaningful as Rebecca and Cynthia recently met at the finish line of the Atlas Mountain Race, where Cynthia took the women’s win. Together, they explore how adventure, storytelling, and community can help us find presence in the hardest moments and redefine what it means to succeed.
Show notes:
In this episode, Rebecca and Cynthia discuss:
Transformative Insights:
Vulnerable Moments:
Practical Wisdom:
Personal Growth:
Helpful Links:
Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Rebecca’s Private Idaho—an event that’s all about showing up as your full self, finding community in the wild, and discovering what you’re capable of beyond the finish line. Whether you’re chasing a personal best or just want to ride with purpose, RPI is where adventure and connection meet. Join us in Sun Valley for an unforgettable experience on and off the bike. Registration is open now at rebeccasprivateidaho.com.
Support What’s the Rusch
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or post your favorite insight on social media. Your support helps us keep bringing you these honest, inspiring conversations.
Subscribe and Follow
Rate, Review, and Share
Become a Partner:
Interested in aligning your brand with authentic conversations about performance, purpose, and growth? Contact [email protected] for sponsorship opportunities and our media kit.
Connect with Rebecca:
Website
Substack
Blood Road
Rebecca Rusch welcomes Dr. Bryce Appelbaum, a visionary in neuro-optometry and founder of MyVision First, Vision Performance Training, and ScreenFit. This episode unpacks how the way we see, literally and figuratively, shapes our sense of safety, healing, and performance. Dr. B’s journey began with his own childhood vision struggles, fueling a mission to help others retrain their visual brains after injury, overload, or simply the demands of modern life. Together, Rebecca and Dr. B explore the intersection of vision, resilience, and the courage to reimagine what’s possible when we address the root causes that limit our potential.
In This Episode, Rebecca and Dr. B Explore:
Transformative Insights
Vulnerable Moments
Practical Wisdom
Personal Growth
Helpful Links
Sponsor
Get $200 off ScreenFit™ using code RUSCH
Take 10% off selected MyVisionFirst shop products using code RUSCH
Connect with Rebecca:
Website
Substack
Blood Road
This is Part 2 of Rebecca’s conversation with Jay Petervary, recorded just days after his 13th attempt at the Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI) in Alaska. If you haven’t listened to Part 1: Ride Forward: The Art of Endurance, go back and catch the pregame episode for the full story and context. In this follow-up, Jay is fresh off the trail, still in Alaska, reflecting on what it means to show up for a race with big goals only to have the weather and trail conditions force a different outcome. He shares honestly about the decision to stop short of the 1,000-mile finish, the mental and physical toll of pushing against nature, and the humility required to accept when the trail has other plans. Jay and Rebecca explore the tension between relentless drive and deep listening, the wisdom that comes from decades of endurance, and how letting go can sometimes be the bravest move of all.
Key Topics:
Memorable Moments:
Reflection Questions:
Resources & Links:
Connect with Rebecca:
Website
Substack
Blood Road
In this episode of What’s the Rusch, Rebecca Rusch welcomes ultra-endurance cycling legend Jay Petervary for a conversation that moves far beyond finish lines and records. Jay, known for pioneering bikepacking, setting iconic records on the Tour Divide and Iditarod Trail Invitational, and founding events like Fat Pursuit, opens up about the deeper motivations that drive his journey. Together, Rebecca and Jay explore the art of embracing uncertainty, the quiet power of simplicity, and the importance of community in endurance sports. Jay’s story is a testament to resilience, mentorship, and the freedom found in letting go of perfection.
Show Notes:
In this episode, Rebecca and Jay explore:
Transformative Insights:
Vulnerable Moments:
Practical Wisdom:
Personal Growth:
Helpful Links:
Sponsor:
Support What’s the Rusch
Love the show? Share it, review it, or text it to a friend who needs it.
Connect with Rebecca:
Website
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Blood Road
In the final episode of our birthday series, Rebecca Rusch explores how timeless wisdom and cutting-edge science come together to help us grow, heal, and perform at our best. Through conversations with world-class thinkers, athletes, and teachers, this episode dives into the practices, mindsets, and research that bridge the old and the new—reminding us that the most powerful tools for transformation are often found where tradition and innovation meet.
Featured Guests & Clips:
Andy Walshe
Andy shares stories from the world of elite performance, describing how uncertainty, mindset, and ancient selection rituals are used alongside modern data to push athletes beyond their limits. He reflects on the importance of learning, shifting expectations, and the untapped frontier of the mind.
Florence Williams
Florence discusses her research into awe, resilience, and the healing power of nature. She explains how ancient practices of noticing beauty and connecting to the natural world are now being validated by science—and why we need both the data and the reminders to seek out what our ancestors knew intuitively.
Teddi Dean
Teddi, a former pro skateboarder turned mindfulness teacher, explores how meditation and Buddhist philosophy help us build a relationship with our minds and bodies. He shares practical wisdom on sitting with discomfort, tuning into our emotions, and using heart-centered practices to transform daily life.
Michael Gervais
Michael, high-performance psychologist and host of Finding Mastery, reflects on the path from high performance to true mastery. He discusses how ancient insights and modern psychology both point us toward self-knowledge, purpose, and connection as the foundation for a meaningful life.
Key Themes:
Join the Conversation:
How do you blend ancient wisdom and modern science in your own life? What practices or research have helped you grow? Share your thoughts with Rebecca on social or by leaving a review.
Thank you for being part of this journey and for celebrating a year of meaningful conversations with us. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to What’s the Rusch wherever you listen to podcasts.
Click the links below to listen to the full episodes mentioned in today's podcast:
Connect with Rebecca:
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Blood Road
In this second episode of our special birthday series, Rebecca Rusch explores the theme of redefining success and identity. Over the past year, What’s the Rusch has become a space for honest conversations about what it means to grow, change, and find purpose beyond the finish line. This episode features stories from athletes and leaders who have reimagined what achievement looks like, let go of old expectations, and found new meaning in their journeys.
Featured Guests & Clips:
Caroline Buchanan
Caroline opens up about building her identity both on and off the bike, navigating reinvention, and learning to define success on her own terms. She shares how she’s found purpose beyond podiums by mentoring others and embracing new challenges.
Kate Courtney
Kate reflects on what it means to define success beyond the podium. She shares how she’s learned to measure achievement by effort and growth, not just results, and how her work with the She Sends Foundation is helping to expand opportunities and redefine what winning looks like for herself and the next generation.
Allen Lim
Allen shares how growing up as part of an immigrant family in Los Angeles shaped his sense of identity and belonging. He reflects on how the bicycle, the Olympic movement, and the power of community helped him redefine what success means—not just as winning, but as connection, dignity, and inspiring others.
Alexandera Houchin
Alexandera talks about how her identity has evolved and so has her sense of responsibility. She shares how her early drive to right past injustices and give voice to her family story has shifted toward embracing her own presence and authenticity, and creating space for others to do the same.
Key Themes:
Join the Conversation:
How has your definition of success changed? What does identity mean to you? Share your thoughts with Rebecca on social or by leaving a review.
· Thank you for being part of this journey and for celebrating a year of meaningful conversations with us. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to What’s the Rusch wherever you listen to podcasts.
Connect with Rebecca:
Website
Substack
Blood Road
Episode Summary:
To celebrate one year of What’s the Rusch, Rebecca Rusch brings together some of the most honest and courageous moments from the past year. This special episode is all about embracing vulnerability, slowing down, letting go, and sharing the real stories behind the highlight reels. Rebecca introduces and reflects on powerful clips from four guests who have opened up about their struggles, growth, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Featured Guests & Clips:
Stacy Sims
Stacy shares her experience of moving to New Zealand, facing postpartum depression, and reaching a breaking point that led to a suicide attempt. She talks about the importance of support systems, rebuilding, and the need to reach out for help—even when you feel you have to be stoic.
Jess Kimura
Jess opens up about the loss of her partner, the overwhelming grief that followed, and how she found herself again through surfing and allowing herself to be vulnerable. She discusses the pressure to appear tough in her sport and the relief of finally letting herself be seen.
Rush Sturges
Rush recounts a harrowing experience in Nepal, surviving a massive earthquake while on a river expedition. He describes the trauma and PTSD that followed, the physical symptoms he endured, and the long journey of healing through therapy, mindfulness, and learning to listen to his nervous system.
Chris Burkard
Chris reflects on a transformative darkness retreat and the power of being vulnerable with others. He shares how opening up to a stranger after the retreat changed his perspective, and how he’s learning to bring more honesty and connection into his everyday life—not just during extreme adventures.
Key Themes:
Connect with Rebecca:
Website
Substack
Blood Road
Brain Storm Podcast
Join the Conversation:
What does vulnerability mean to you? How have you learned to let go or ask for help? Share your thoughts with Rebecca on social or by leaving a review.
Thank you for being part of this journey and for celebrating a year of meaningful conversations with us. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to What’s the Rusch wherever you listen to podcasts.
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