In this week’s episode, Katie and Elena welcome Catherine Rocchi, a competitive gravel cyclist, backcountry skier, climber, trail runner, triathlete, all-around adventurer, and longtime friend to the podcast. Catherine shares about how she developed from a runner in the suburbs of New York to an Alaskan multi-sport adventurer; how optimizing her training for joy, social connection, and unstructured adventure has helped her excel in races; how beginners can start to get involved in adventure sports; and how to build community through endurance and adventuring. We also dive into some heavier but incredibly important and relatable topics, including how movement can impact our brain chemistry (for better or for worse) and how to manage risk and handle emergencies in the backcountry. The interview culminates with the story of how Catherine survived a grizzly bear attack in northern Alaska while biking the 800-mile Alaska Pipeline route just a month ago, and how encounters like that—and any experiences of trauma—can impact us physically and mentally. This is a very profound interview, and we are so grateful to Catherine for sharing her story! Check it out.

Gear pick of the week:

Catherine: Yoga TuneUp Therapy Balls
Katie: Hoka Mach 6
Elena: Patagonia Capilene Cool Daily Hoody