Choose the Hard Way

Benji Naesen is a Belgian YouTuber who makes videos about gaming, cycling and his personal fitness journey. He's also the co-host of the Lanterne Rouge cycling podcast, one of the most popular pro cycling podcasts in the world. Benji went from streaming and creating content about the video game Pro Cycling Manager to working as an analyst for Jumbo-Visma, the best cycling team in the world. Andrew...

On the day that "Suspect II: Vanished in the Snow" rose to top of the iTunes and Amazon podcast charts, co-creator Ashley Fantz was rolled into an operating room at Stanford for open-heart surgery. Ashley reported, hosted and co-wrote the show that explores the facts behind the case of a child who was abducted and murdered in 1984. Before her work with Campside Media, Ashley's award-winning invest...

As one of the most important professional channels, LinkedIn is increasingly critical - and tricky - to navigate. Justin Nassiri founded Executive Presence , a company that helps executives find the right way to show up for an authentic audience through consistent and relevant messaging. In this episode, Justin talks with Andrew Vontz about why he chooses transparency and vulnerability as a leader...

Natalie Coughlin is one of the most successful swimmers in the history of the sport: a three-time Olympian, twelve-time Olympic medalist, and three-time Olympic gold medalist. She's also a mom, an entrepreneur and the co-founder of Gaderian Wines. In this episode, Natalie and Andrew Vontz discuss winemaking, competition, making music, rucking, lifting and jiu-jitsu. Plus how creativity and focus i...

Alexey Vermeulen decided to leave the highest level of professional cycling in Europe to compete in gravel, road and mountain bike races back in the United States. In 2022 he won one of the biggest gravel races in America, the Belgian Waffle Ride San Diego as well as the Iceman Cometh mountain bike race and took part in the Lifetime Grand Prix series. Avery Stumm is a videographer, photographer an...

For serial entrepreneur and Fitt CEO, Anthony Vennare, community is the super power driving winning businesses in health, wellness & fitness. Anthony and his brother and business partner Joe have started and successfully exited multiple businesses in these spaces. Together they're the founders of Fitt Insider and Fitt Capital and have built a platform at the center of these industries. The Fitt In...

How does resilience transfer across disciplines? Andrew Vontz and co-host Blake Kasemeier sat down with Hector Beltran to talk about fine-tuning the balance of creativity and progress in any practice. Hector, co-founder of Academy Jiu-Jitsu in Downey, California, is a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a mixed martial artist and a Bronze medalist in the Master division at the 2022 IBJJF No-Gi Worl...

Travis Macy has graced podiums at some of the world's most grueling trail runs, adventure races and mountain biking competitions. As a speaker, podcast host , and author , he shares stories of what endurance sports have taught him about human resilience both on and off the trail. His forthcoming memoir A Mile at a Time is about his relationship with his father, Mark Macy, who was diagnosed with ea...

Andrew Vontz of Choose the Hard Way and Spencer Martin of Beyond the Peloton talk with Patrick Broe about high performance, team dynamics and race strategy inside the professional peloton. This episode is part of the Choose the Hard Way Life Cycles series that explores how bikes shape people and the world. To learn more about Lanterne Rouge , check out the show notes at ChoosetheHardWay.com. Beyon...

After navigating depression and bipolar 2, Alex Palmer sought more purpose and meaning in life. He founded a mental health awareness project in the cycling world called Blackdog , and now hosts Blackdogcast , a cycling-powered mental health awareness podcast. He shares his insights into environmental stress in the pro cycling world, searching for a job that works with you, and how too much of anyt...

Whether innovating healthcare systems, challenging personal habits, or competing in an uphill cycling race in freezing weather, Chris Waugh often returns to the core principle of a "beginner's mind." How would we approach this if it was our first experience? Chris is a powerhouse in the world of health care innovation. Human-centered design informed years at IDEO, One Medical Group, and now at Sut...

How do exercise, conversation, and memory change our brains? Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Scott Frey has spent over 30 years researching the way our brain's adaptability impacts human performance. He is an award-winning scientist, endurance athlete, lecturer and entrepreneur - and not long before he began his research, he was a high school dropout financially supporting his single mother, who had...

Chris Cowart has applied the expertise in user-centered design he developed during 14 years at IDEO to innovate across the disciplines of product, partnerships, venture capital and business. His career spans Venture Capital with Montage Ventures, revolutionizing food systems with Treasure8, and designing many "first of their categories" including TiVo and Handspring at IDEO. Now as the Managing Di...

For Mary Lemmer, improv was initially a means to recalibrate and reconnect to her life. Now, the fundamental response of "yes and" has become a guiding principle that changes the way she moves through the world. As the founder of Improve, she has led workshops for tens of thousands of people around the world - to individuals, companies, Fortune 500s, universities, and nonprofits - and she even gav...

American professional cyclist Scott McGill seemingly came out of nowhere to win not only two stages, but also the points jersey at the Volta a Portugal this summer. On this special collaboration episode with Andrew Vontz and Beyond the Peloton host Spencer Martin, Scott talks about the framework that has enabled him to produce breakthrough performances around the world. Currently riding for Wildli...

Ian Dille has always been someone who questioned the status quo. He's a freelance journalist and former pro cyclist who thinks social media can actually broaden our worldview - if used correctly. His long-form writing appears in outlets like Outside magazine and Texas Monthly, and his stories have been reproduced by This American Life and featured on Longreads . Perhaps even more impressive, he we...

Dr. Kevin Sprouse keeps high-performance athletes at the top of the podium with training and recovery - but often, it's on the bus rides, in the hotel, and on the road where he learns the most about how people thrive in life. Trained and certified in both Sports and Emergency Medicine, Dr. Sprouse now serves as the Head of Medicine for EF Education-EasyPost Cycling. In his private practice, Podium...

This week, we are digging deep on the relationship between humans, plants, animals and profit with Bart Elmore, who explains the necessity of a fundamental respect for nature. Bart is an associate professor of environmental history and core faculty member of the Sustainability Institute at the Ohio State University. He's also an award-winning writer who investigates the impact of big business on o...

Can human movement be used to repair the damage technology has created? Jason McCarthy thinks it can do much more than that; it can be the glue that holds our communities together. Jason served as a Green Beret and is the founder and CEO of GoRuck. After running 1,000 events a year and managing 500 GORUCK Clubs all over the world, now he's launched Sandlot Technology with the goal of democratizing...

Whether river surfing on the Snake River or capturing base jumping off of Half Dome, Lyndsey Dyer is committed to her overall mission of inspiring people to get outside. Lynsey is a legendary big mountain skier, filmmaker, photographer, activist and mom. In this episode, Lynsey invites us to explore the power of fun and the alchemy of community when we're in pursuit of going big. She's the founder...

In 2022, the women's Tour de France is back. What most people don't know is that there was also a women's Tour de France from 1984-1989. Uphill Climb is a documentary film that tells the story of that race and the legendary cyclists who competed in it. If you enjoy this episode, please give it a five-star rating on Spotify or Apple podcasts , subscribe and share it with a friend. My guests are the...

Casey Glass is a strength and conditioning coach who works with special operators in the United States military including special operators preparing to screen for Tier One units, the most elite military units in the world.  We talk about training and stress management techniques from the world of special operations that anyone can use to improve mental and physical performance in work, in life an...

Danny Way, Rob Dyrdek, Paul Rodriguez, Laird Hamilton, Gabby Reece, Jeff Emig, Ai Sugiyama and Michellie Jones are some of the world-class pro athletes that human performance coach Alex Laws has worked with in her practice during the past 25 years. Her athletes have won World Championships, Olympic Medals, X-Games gold medals, Ironman Championships, victories at Wimbledon and the French Open and h...

Pro cycling World Champions, National Champions and World Record holders like Stephen Hyde, Ashton Lambie and past Hard Way guest Rebecca Rusch are among the legendary winners of the Unbound Gravel 100. Held annually in Emporia, Kansas it's one of the most prestigious and competitive gravel bike races in the world In 2022, multi-time cycling road race World Champion Peter Sagan, who has won 17 sta...

Saul Martinez is a former Army Infantryman, a Purple Heart recipient and the Chief Program Officer for Warriors & Quiet Waters , a nonprofit that empowers post-9/11 combat veterans to find peace, meaning and purpose through outdoor experiences and community. A George W. Bush Institute Veteran Leadership scholar and a subject of President George W. Bush in "Portraits of Courage," Saul is a fine art...