My Favorite Podcasts

  • A Way with Words – A fun radio show and podcast about language examined through family, history, and culture.
  • The Adventure Podcast – An ongoing series of long-form conversations with pioneers of exploration and discovery, filmmaker Matt Pycroft speaks to the most knowledgeable, accomplished and respected voices in the field. From mountaineers to Arctic scientists, tree climbers and polar explorers, Terra Incognita is a unique podcast that allows you to get up close with those who live extraordinary lives.
  • After Hours – Harvard professors discuss news at the crossroads of business and culture.
  • The BikeRadar Podcast – The BikeRadar Podcast is brought to you by the team here at BikeRadar, in collaboration with our colleagues from MBUK and Cycling Plus magazines. Want the latest news, tech, interviews and insight from the world of cycling? We’ve got you covered.
  • The Daily – This is how the news should sound. Twenty minutes a day, five days a week, hosted by Michael Barbaro and powered by New York Times journalism.
  • Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee – I want to empower you to become the architect of your own health. Because when you feel better, you live more. Since its launch in January 2018, my ‘Feel Better, Live More’ podcast has grown rapidly to become the Number 1 health podcast in the UK & Europe.
  • Food for Thought – On a mission to simplify wellness, Rhiannon’s Food For Thought podcast will equip you with all the evidence-based advice you need to live and breathe a healthy lifestyle. She is joined by special guests, all of whom can be considered experts in the world of wellbeing, so that together we can learn fact from fiction and empower the healthiest versions of ourselves with trusted, expert advice.
  • Food for Thought: Living Sustainably – Food for Thought™ podcast is in its 15th year!! Addressing all aspects of living healthfully and compassionately.
  • The Food Medic – The Food Medic podcast hosted by medical doctor, personal trainer, blogger, and author, Dr. Hazel Wallace. In this podcast you will hear from leading experts in their field who share evidence based advice on how we can live healthier lives and cut through the confusing information that we find online.
  • Growth Mindset Podcast – A growth mindset is the belief that you can do anything if you work for it. Your host Sam Harris finds remarkable individuals doing extraordinary things and breaks the processes down to show how anyone can achieve anything.
  • In Our Time – Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history of ideas
  • The Minimalist Podcast – Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus discuss living a meaningful life with less.
  • NPR News Now – The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.
  • Nutrition Facts with Dr. Greger – Have you ever wondered if there’s a natural way to lower your high blood pressure, guard against Alzheimer’s, lose weight, and feel better? Well as it turns out there is. Michael Greger, M.D. FACLM, founder of NutritionFacts.org, and author of the instant New York Times bestseller “How Not to Die” celebrates evidence-based nutrition to add years to our life and life to our years.
  • Outspoken Cyclist – One of the longest running and most popular bicycling podcasts in the industry.
  • The Overstory – That’s the word ecologists use to describe the canopy of a forest. There’s a riot of life above us, but usually we’re so focused on what’s right in front that we forget to look up. Season One took us from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to the wilds of Patagonia. Season Two will continue to explore the world with changemakers and storytellers who offer different perspectives of the natural world.
  • The Paceline Cycling Podcast – The Paceline Podcast is devoted to all things cycling. We discuss riding, great bikes, new equipment, pro and amateur racing, and the bike industry.
  • The Pedal Shift Project: Bicycling Touring Podcast – The Pedalshift Project is the flagship bicycle touring podcast for Pedalshift.
  • The Plant Based Podcast – The Plant Based Podcast, in association with Cobra, is about anything that can be traced back to PLANTS!
  • Plant-Powered People Podcast – Life is always easier and more exciting when you have friends to share in your journey, and the path to plant-based living is no exception! On the Plant-Powered People Podcast, you’ll hear from folks who’ve embraced plant-based living while they share their experiences overcoming obstacles in the most graceful (and sometimes not-so-graceful) ways. Join hosts Michelle Cehn (founder of World of Vegan) and Toni Okamoto (founder of Plant Based on a Budget) every other week as they tackle challenges like being the only vegan in the family, what it’s like to be plant-based while working at a non-veg restaurant job, and more!
  • Practicing Human – The podcast where everyday we are getting a little better at life.
  • Publishers Weekly PW LitCast – Conversations between Publishers Weekly editors and authors of new fiction and nonfiction books.
  • Quick Charge – the electric vehicle movement within the wider transition into green energy
  • Short Wave – New discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes, every weekday. It’s science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Join host Maddie Sofia for science on a different wavelength.
  • Simplify – Have you ever looked at your habits, your happiness, your relationships, or your work and thought, “There’s got to be a better way to do this?” We talk with authors, productivity wizards, sex geniuses, and happiness experts to help you take control of today.
  • Spectacular Vernacular – A podcast that explores language … and plays with it.
  • The Spokesmen Cycling Roundtable Podcast – The Spokesmen Cycling Roundtable Podcast has been broadcasting since 2006. In podcast terms that’s positively prehistoric. The show is an audio podcast featuring cycling media personalities, manufacturers, journalists observers, and others. We love bikes, and talk about trending topics in a roundtable format as if we were in a coffeehouse or bar. This isn’t news, it’s opinion, commentary, sarcasm, humour and, occasionally, insight.
  • The Sprocket Podcast – From basements & offices to a 1967 Airstream trailer, and to the virtual online rooms in which they currently record, The Sprocket Podcast has brought well-rounded discussions on important topics to the fray, while never taking themselves too seriously. Put another way, they serve up snark and heart in equal portions, with a core of sincerity.
  • TED Radio Hour – Exploring the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world’s greatest thinkers. Host Manoush Zomorodi inspires us to learn more about the world, our communities, and most importantly, ourselves.
  • TED Talks Daily – Every weekday, TED Talks Daily brings you the latest talks in audio. Join host and journalist Elise Hu for thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable — from Artificial Intelligence to Zoology, and everything in between — given by the world’s leading thinkers and creators. With TED Talks Daily, find some space in your day to change your perspectives, ignite your curiosity, and learn something new.
  • Up First – NPR’s Up First is the news you need to start your day. The three biggest stories of the day, with reporting and analysis from NPR News — in 10 minutes. Available weekdays by 6 a.m. ET, with hosts Rachel Martin, Noel King and Steve Inskeep. Now available on Saturdays by 8 a.m. ET, with hosts Lulu Garcia-Navarro and Scott Simon.
  • The War on Cars – The War on Cars is a new podcast about the epic, hundred years’ war between The Car and The City. We deliver news and commentary on the latest developments in the worldwide fight to undo a century’s worth of damage wrought by the automobile. We produce a new show every other week.
  • Zwift PowerUp Cycling Podcast – Get faster on Zwift.
  • Life Examined – KCRW’s Life Examined is a one-hour weekly show exploring science, philosophy, faith — and finding meaning in the modern world. The show is hosted by Jonathan Bastian. Please tune in Saturdays at 9 a.m., or find it as a podcast.
  • Zwiftcast – A podcast all about Zwift.

Book Review | To Shake the Sleeping Self

To Shake the Sleeping Self: A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest for a Life with No Regret by Jedidiah Jenkins
To Shake the Sleeping Self: A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest for a Life with No Regret by Jedidiah Jenkins

Excellent finding yourself story. Extra star because of BIKES! I do love a good bicycling adventure story. 

I listened to this book on audio and really enjoyed the reader who I believe was the author. I originally added this to my list because it was a find yourself story and discovering what you are capable of. However, I was surprised to find out that this was also a cycle touring adventure as well.

Book Review | Copenhagenize

Copenhagenize: The Definitive Guide to Global Bicycle Urbanism by Mikael Colville-Andersen
Copenhagenize: The Definitive Guide to Global Bicycle Urbanism by Mikael Colville-Andersen

This book offers an interesting and new (to US residents) look at bicycle infrastructure. The author suggest a build it and they will come philosophy to bicycle infrastructure. I whole-heartedly agree with this and 90% of what he offers in the book. My one major complaint is his stance on bikes. I feel they have a place and get more people on bikes. Anything that does that is a plus in my book.

The US has different challenges that the rest of the world, getting butts in saddles is one of the things we need to change. While the COVID-19 pandemic definitely sold bikes, it did not increase the amount of people doing everyday activities, like running errands and grocery shopping on bicycles. At least not from what I see daily. Commuting is also down, so commuting via bicycle at least for those already working from home didn’t change.

What we may have increased with the pandemic is recreational riders and not those who ride because it is the easiest way to get around which is what Mikal talks about in his book. For this to change in the US it means that we need to drastically change our infrastructure. Mikal talks about a lot of different ways to do this. If you want to see what needs to change in the US and places like it to make them more bicycle friendly, then this is a great book.

I loved this book and it only loses a star because of his stance on ebikes.

Book Review | Ride Your Way Lean: The Ultimate Plan for Burning Fat and Getting Fit on a Bike

Ride Your Way Lean: The Ultimate Plan for Burning Fat and Getting Fit on a Bike by Selene Yeager

I ordered this book as a Zip Book. My library ordered it from Amazon and shipped it directly to me. When the library opens again I will return directly to the library and it will become part of the circulating collection. Very cool option!

I’ve been wanting to read Selene’s book for some time after listening to her on the Paceline Podcast. She is also known to Bicycling Magazine readers as the Fit Chick. She breaks down losing weight while cycling in an easy to read and digestible way. I can also tell you from my experience she is absolutely correct.

I’ve lost over 30 lbs mostly riding on my bike. During the COVID pandemic, I’ve been riding indoors and you can burn a huge amount of calories riding if you stick with it. Indoor tools like Zwift make it easier to stick to riding by gamifying the whole thing.

If you are a cyclist or interested in how the low-impact exercise of biking can help you lose weight this is a great read!

Book Review | Just Ride: A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike

Just Ride
Just Ride: A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike by Grant Petersen

Excellent common-sense advice from someone who knows what they are talking about. Ever wish you could sit down with the bike shop owner for a few hours and pick their brain. This book is your chance. Great advice and makes sense to this Unracer.

Just Ride: A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike by Grant Petersen introduces us to those people who cycle not to race and not to get faster, but maybe just to get somewhere or to have fun. The recreational cyclist.

There are a lot of very expensive bikes and expensive gear. What Grant seems to set out to do in this book is to tell you that it’s not really needed to have some fun on a bike. Just because you have a bike doesn’t mean that you need to increase your FTP or find your optimal cadence. You can just ride to have fun and that can be enough.

You have way too many gears For all-around riding over a variety of surfaces and terrain, you need eight gears

Grant Petersen

I love this! Another one is to make it easier going up hills Grant suggests just standing up, you don’t have to shift down necessarily. There is nothing wrong with just getting up and letting your body weight on the pedals help propel the bike up the hill.

Look at the land as something to pass through, not to conquer

Grant Petersen

“Your bike will go where your eyes look”. Great advice. Another one he mentions you can turn with your hips, turn your hips in the direction you want to go and you don’t need to turn the handlebars. I’ve tried it and it works.

No matter how much you like it, bike riding shouldn’t be your only exercise. Ride your bike half of the time, then work the muscles that bike riding doesn’t

Grant Petersen

I highlight the quote above because I am guilty of this. I do add in yoga but really only so I can ride more without such stiff hips.

Just ride is a great book that reminds us that riding a bike doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive, or hard….just ride.

How the Race was Lost | Crit City Race

I have a few goals for fitness that are monthly:

  • 1 Race
  • 1 Alp Du Zwift Climb
  • 170 miles
Crit City

Today was race day. It was my first race in Crit City. I did the Bell Lap. It was fairly flat but had short hills up to 9% incline, that you had to power up when you are already pushing as hard as you can. A very difficult route!

Overview

I entered division D, which is 1-2.4 w/kg. My average according to Zwift Power was 2.2. So pretty good, but it only got me 28th.

Zwift Results
Really good average power for me

I think I pushed pretty hard, at least for me. I ended up increasing my FTP to 171, not necessarily what I wanted to do because now I have to keep up with that during workouts!

6th place out of 9 Zwifter on Zwift Power.

In the Zwift Power results, you can see a few sandbaggers or folks that should probably be in a division C race. If we take out those who had power over 2.4, I would have finished second!

Sandbagging describes someone who underperforms (usually deliberately) in an event. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandbagging_(racing)

All in all, I’m pretty happy with these results. Ride on!