The Uphill Goat - A High Performance Podcast

Follow Adam @adamleeburns Most runners dream of breaking barriers — but Adam Burns did something almost unimaginable in less than two years. After only a year and a half of running experience, he became the fastest person to run across Utah—covering over 415 miles in just 9 days while battling extreme fatigue, injuries, and brutal conditions. His story isn’t just about endurance; it’s about transf...

What keeps someone riding for life while others quit after a few months? In this episode, I sit down with cyclist and content creator Nic to talk about the mindset behind enjoying cycling, building an authentic community, and learning to “ride your ride.” We discuss: How Nic got into cycling through his dad Why the cycling community is unlike any other sport Building a social media following witho...

Most companies kill their best growth channels by scaling too fast. Nadia Ruiz reveals the counterintuitive timing strategy behind her record-breaking marathon runs and how the lessons she learned during the Everest Marathon can transform your own approach to success — whether you're chasing a fitness goal, a career milestone, or personal resilience. Follow her here: Instagram In this gripping...

Follow Hannah at: https://www.instagram.com/hannahgshell/ Most gravel racers hit tough conditions — Hannah Shell reveals how she triumphed through relentless mud, soaring water crossings, and brutal weather at Unbound. Her gritty race story, captured during her sixth attempt, exposes what it really takes to push through adversity and finish strong, even when everything’s against you. If you’re a c...

Dirty Dan is an ultra-endurance cyclist, bikepacker, and adventurer who has completed a Triple Everest, raced the Tour Divide multiple times, ridden across Africa, and recently set a fastest-known-time riding from Canada to Mexico. In this conversation we explore the mindset behind pushing limits, embracing curiosity, dealing with suffering, and finding joy in difficult challenges. Some of my favo...

What does it take to push through pain, chase a big goal, and still be satisfied when you achieve it? In this episode, I sit down with Chad Ames to unpack his quest to break the 60-minute barrier on American Fork Canyon before leaving Utah. We dive into the physical challenge of the effort, the mental battle of suffering, and what it feels like to finally achieve a goal you've been chasing for...

In this episode of The Uphill Goat, I sit down with professional cyclist, coach, and sports psychology expert Charlotte Backus to talk about the mental side of performance, elite cycling culture, burnout, nutrition, identity, and what actually helps athletes improve long-term. Charlotte shares her experience racing at a high level, the realities of chasing performance, and the lessons endurance sp...

Most athletes rely on motivation—and that’s exactly why they burn out. In this episode, I sit down with Erika Coleman to break down “even achieving,” a powerful approach to staying consistent, avoiding burnout, and performing at a high level for years—not just weeks. We dive into why motivation isn’t enough, how to shift your mindset around training and performance, and what actually separates lon...

What does it actually take to push the edge of your potential? Last year, I trained more than I ever have, raced at the highest level I’ve reached so far, and went sub-7 at Leadville. But the biggest lessons I learned had nothing to do with watts, training plans, or gear. In this episode, I break down 5 key lessons from a year of chasing high performance — from why durability matters more than pea...

In this episode, I interview Joe Goettl. Joe started his endurance career as a runner in college over 10 years ago and, since then, has been racing road bikes, gravel bikes, and mountain bikes. He's battled chronic pain since he was 20 and has gone through an impressive journey working through his pain and finding success on the bike. Joe continually repeated, "Don't let good be the enemy of perfe...

Breanne Nalder-Harward is a registered Breanne Nalder Harward, MS, RDN, earned a BS in Biology and Sociology from Westminster College and went on to receive a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Sports Dietetics from the University of Utah. She is licensed as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and is the nutrition coach at PLAN7 Endurance Coaching and a dietician at Nirvana Medical. S...

In this episode, Art breaks down how to effectively strength train year-round and the correct way to approach it. As a cyclist, knowing how to incorporate strength training can be challenging, but Art shares his insights and techniques. If you’re interested in training with Art, you can sign up here: [https://linktr.ee/wukarfit](https://linktr.ee/wukarfit?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAab01ZNvGqf59CXG7...

Super great to sit down with local legend and KOM hunter Truman Glasgow. Truman and I have been friends/race competitors for almost 10 years, and it has been super fun to watch him take cycling to the next level with good results on the big stage! In this conversation, we do a deep dive into his three most recent races and talk about the rest of the season. Truman is a great racer and an even bett...

Michaela Thompson is an incredible athlete and human being. With her 3rd place finish at Leadville a few weeks ago, she put herself on the map and is going to start marking her territory. And at only 22 years old, the cycling world better watch out, because she's got an exciting career ahead. In our conversation, we talk about Michaela's background in cycling and racing, her early success...

Welcome everybody to the Uphill Goat! A high-performance podcast to help you be your best! Today's guest is Jess Clapier, a Utah road racer who has won East Canyon Cat 1 Road Race, Mirror Lake Cat 1 Road Race, shared the podium with Olympian Howard Grotts at the Iron Horse Stage Race, and much more. Jump into today's episode to hear all about his journey! Go give Jess a follow on Strava an...

The Uphill Goat is back! I had this conversation with Danny back in January, and I'm super excited for all of you to be able to enjoy it now. Danny is a professional marathon mountain bike racer, racing the UCI marathon World Cup circuit in Europe along with other big one-day races. In this episode, we dive into his journey of racing from a teenager at the National Championships with Keegan Sw...

A few weeks ago a friend told me the Spry gang was going to ride the White Rim and he wanted to do it as fast as he could. It sounded intriguing and so I went with him. My stretch goal was 6 hours, but I would be stoked to be anywhere under sub 6:30. Top 10 is 6:26, so that was something I thought could potentially be in the cards if everything went perfectly.

In this episode we talk about Keegan Swenson, and potential reasons to his constant and consistent victories this year. We talk about Alabama football and Coach Sabin's ability to recognize swings in sport, any how that can be applied to racing and being on the edge of change rather than late to it.

How my season came together for a 6th place finish at collegiate mtb Nationals.

In this episode I dive into where I'm at with my racing and training, and the importance of trusting the process and being patient with yourself as you're waiting for good results.

Have you found the starts of your XC races to be wild and crazy. It's because people haven't settled in yet. Listen to this episode to find out what I call the 5 minute rule.

In this episode we introduce Spencer Stevenson the new co-host of the Uphill Goat. We also talk about the best way to train with only 30 minutes a day and what that looks like long term.

This is a good time in the season to take a break to reset, refocus, and increase your motivation for upcoming races. What is your place?

As I've been reflecting on some recent races the purpose of training and racing has come to mind, and I haven't been having enough fun lately. So don't get too serious, and keep it fun.

The Transformation Process of Changing Athletes for the Better.