Off Course

Welcome home everyone. Whether you were launching into a new venture—say, a year of bike racing overseas like our guest today—or maybe just getting the kids off to school in the morning, we’re all trying to figure out what the plan is now. Back at home amid the COVID-19 chaos. We thought it would be fun to check in with friend of the pod, Noah Granigan, a member of the Hincapie-Leomo team, about what it was like to get to Spain just before the pandemic hit there with full force, his reaction to hearing the U.S. president announce that coming back to the U.S. wasn’t an option, and how he and his teammates made their trek back home—or at least to a place near home where they could safely quarantine themselves.

Let’s get Off Course!

Welcome to Off Course! Today on the show is one of my good friends, and the first pro I ever coached, Brady Kappius. He’s here to get off course and talk about his career in racing, and how that led to his career in carbon fiber repair and bicycle technology. Today, Brady is the President of Kappius Components.

On the racing side, Brady gives some cyclocross advice about finding the right line and handling the bike. As someone who also spent plenty of time racing on the road—he is a former teammate of Alex Howes and Taylor Phinney, among others—Brady talks about why he loves road racing tactics.

As we’re learning on this show, retirement is a complex story wherein athletes must redefine goals and values as individuals who love competition, training, and sport. Brady’s relationship with the bike continues to evolve. We hope this episode helps you ask the question: How has your story on the bike changed over time?

This week we bring on the one and only Noah Granigan. Noah, like our friend Maxx Chance, is famous in Boulder, but this year is looking to take the “Noah Show” on the road to Europe with the Hincapie-Leomo team.

Noah comes from a family of cyclists, and has been on the bike his entire life. His grandfather, Joe Saling, is a member of the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame and a great supporter of his grandson’s passion for road racing. Noah talks about that support, and his path through the age-ranks of cycling in the U.S. and abroad. We continue the conversation about what makes European racing different, how the Belgian roads are made to bite any rider who isn’t focused, and about old men groping your calves.

We also get off road. Gravel has been exploding in popularity in the States, and Noah tells us about his Dirty Kanza experience. He was ninth place last year in his first real gravel experience, and we discuss the craziness of the race as well as the things he learned the hard way while in the trenches of this 10-hour event.

Look out for #theBelgianCrack and let’s get off course!

Today on the podcast is the one and only, Maxx Chance. Maxx is a former collegiate national cyclocross champion. He now races on the road with the Wildlife Generation Pro Cycling team on the road and for Blue Stages Racing for Cyclocross. In this episode, Maxx describes what cyclocross in Europe is like: the courses, the fans, the race registration, the men’s competition, everything is different, making the sport challenging in new ways.

Reach out! You can email me at [email protected]. Or on social media, find us at @reafastlabs. Grant is at @gholicky on instagram, and @grantholicky on twitter. Screenshot and share that you’re listening to the pod!

In the time of COVID parents are being asked to do many things that we haven't done before. Home schooling and home coaching are now two more things on our already full plates. This week Kevin Dessart, former head of coaching for USA Cycling and the current Head Coach of University of Colorado Women's Hockey, gives some insight on what makes a great coach and what the ideal parent role is for their developing athlete.

We take that a step further as we talk about the new role for parents amid COVID, Home Coaching. How do balance being a parent, but also helping kids get their sports work done while in lockdown? He has great insight. We also talk to Sara Vaughn about how she and her husband Brent are dealing with this topic.

From kids teaching parents to tip on keeping it fun, this is a great listen for all coaches, athletes and parents.