Dynamic Life Cycles

ELLY HOSKIN - Control Beats Chaos

• Jarrad Connolly • Season 1 • Episode 12

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A wall of noise, a missing setup rock, and a bike landing on her head, Elly Hoskin turns a chaotic Squamish Enduro crash into a lesson in composure.

 From there, we dive straight into the engine room of Enduro performance: why a cross-country base still pays dividends, how controlled stress tests make race day feel familiar, and the art of checking just enough data to stay lethal without losing focus.

Elly opens up about moving from U21 to Elite and the mindset shift that came with it, including when she refuses to look at results and when a tiny time gap is exactly the nudge she needs. We talk training blocks, zone two battles, headphones on transfers, and listening to the bike on descents. She shares how coaching sharpened her language and self-awareness, made her a better athlete to coach, and helped her invite newer riders into the sport without the pressure of pace.

Identity and expectations show up in surprising ways: the world champion label on a bike that won’t let you hide, the relief of riding flats to relearn feel, and the choice to value longevity over spectacle. Elly spotlights the surge of women in Enduro, mentors like ALN, best-friend brain trusts with Tori Wood, and a COVID-era cohort that found freedom on bikes when team sports shut down. Then we step into Worlds: weather chaos, schedule shuffles, a calculated caffeine gamble, and a ruthless late push that moved her from fourth to the rainbow jersey on stages that favored power and precision.

If you care about Enduro strategy, sports psychology, and building speed that lasts all day, this is a rare, inside look at how control beats chaos. 

Reach out and get in contact with me here.

Subscribe, share with a riding friend, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.

Jarrad:

Welcome back to the Dynamic Life Cycles Podcast. This week we have Elly Hoskin joining us. Yes, EWR World Champ. But that's not the only thing we touch on. We dive into a lot of different subjects, including her friends, her school, the way she was brought up, living in Squamish, and then just riding bikes in general. There's a lot of cool topics that we touch on. So I really hope you enjoy the listen. Thanks. Did you uh get a chance to ride the bike today?

Elly:

No, I didn't. I was in the gym today, but it and I was staring outside. It was beautiful out.

Jarrad:

It's like the only dry day of the week. Yeah. Although tomorrow's meant to be good.

Elly:

Yeah. I'll be riding double time tomorrow to make up for today. Today's huge fumble.

Jarrad:

What's your like go-to normally? Like you're obviously in Squamish, but what is your go-to trail, bike, whatever?

Elly:

Um, I am known to die on the hill that hybrid in Squamish is the best trail, and I haven't found anyone else who agrees with that statement. But that is my favorite trail to lap hybrid lowdown in Diamond Head.

Jarrad:

To be honest, that is my go-to like exit trail.

Elly:

Yeah.

Jarrad:

Like that into like sudo type area. Yeah, yeah. Like we I hardly rode it, and then we raced it in the Squamish and Juro, which I want to ask you about. But um, like since we raced it, I'm like, this is sick.

Elly:

Like Upper Hybrid? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's the perfect Enduro track. Yeah. And we have few of those, I think. Like, it's hard to find trails in Squamish that have switchbacks. Yeah.

Jarrad:

There's one tight enough.

Elly:

Yeah. There's one real good one on hybrid that when you lace it up, it just it's so good.

Jarrad:

Yeah. No, yeah. It's funny you say that because it's like it's not as high as like Angry M and all of that trail. So it's a good exit like lap to get that extra little bit of elevation.

Elly:

Yeah.

Jarrad:

Yeah.

Elly:

Agreed.

Jarrad:

Um, Squamish Enduro, I want to start here because we can dive into a bunch of other stuff later and into your history and and all the rest of it and where you went. But uh I knew you crashed at the Enduro. I didn't realise you crashed on that final stage.

Elly:

Yea h.

Jarrad:

That's gnarly.

Elly:

Did that video come up? Yeah. Great.

Jarrad:

If anyone hasn't seen the video, like it's on your Instagram. But like I raced it, I did the the full thing, all the rest of it. And I haven't raced a stage with that many people on it, probably ever.

Elly:

Like everything fans, you mean? Yeah. Yeah.

Jarrad:

Yeah. Sorry, yeah, like people on the side of the course. Like everything from like Four Cross World Cup, like right through to just whatever. Like even racing like motorcycles, I've never had that many people like leaning in. And the way I described to people was it's kind of like when you watch the video of the Tour de France, right?

Elly:

That's exactly what I was gonna say.

Jarrad:

Yeah, and then like parking for that's what it felt like.

Elly:

Yeah, I don't think you could have gone on the beeline if you tried. I think there was people there.

Jarrad:

So like how yeah, how was that for you?

Elly:

Because like obviously I mean that was that was pretty worst case scenario. Yeah. Like, you know, when you're dropping in and you're like, wow, what's the worst thing that could happen? And you're like, no, no, don't go there. That's where that was to me the worst thing that could happen. And in practice, there was so if you don't know, there was this big rock slab, three in a row, and the first one had quite the compression. And in practice, there had been this tiny little rock that someone had leaned up to give it a bit of a transition.

Jarrad :

Yeah.

Elly:

And it's super blind, so I came over the top faster than I had in practice, and I just like look, and my rock isn't there anymore. And so I was like, wow, you're going way too fast. And you know, no amount of push-ups would have saved me there. Right. And um, yeah, I actually I it was kind of like for worst-case scenario, I was relatively okay. I kind of like bounced down the next slab, so I didn't actually take like that harsh of an impact.

Jarrad :

Yeah.

Elly:

Um, but yeah, so there's there's some great photos from below, but the video that my friend got, because my bike hits him and he was like cut and like so he was like hurt and sent me the video and was like, dude, what the heck? Like it's like, I'm so sorry. But yeah, there was like because everyone was there, and I like I'm like I stand up, I'm like, you know, head to toe scan, I'm okay. I'm looking around. It's all my friends, everyone I know. I'm like, okay, where's my bike? And it's like on top of my head somehow. And I'm like, so I grab it and I jump on, and I just like, but I'm halfway down these three slabs, so I have to hit the next one, and my brakes are so I just like gave it a whack and it didn't move. And I was like, Well, I guess we're riding, yeah, you know, one up, one down, and then that was the last stage, so yeah, there wasn't it was pretty short.

Jarrad:

So yeah, it was it was definitely a shorter stage, but I'm just like picturing it because like even for myself, like I was only racing masters, but it was like come over the come through that first little section is like 30 seconds of silence, so intense, and you can hear the person ahead of you go through the crowd, yeah, yeah. And it was like, but the trail above was silent, it was like weird silence, yeah. And then you come over that crest and it was just like a wall of noise. Um and I yeah, like the a couple of people in front of me exploded a wheel, yeah, and I could hear it from the start line.

Elly:

Yeah, that's what so the person who dropped behind me was like, I heard the crowd go, ooh, and get really quiet, and then like erupt when you got up. So they like they knew what happened, and yeah, that's not what you want to be hearing in the gate. Yeah.

Jarrad:

No, that's insane. And then you got to do your first shoey.

Elly:

Yeah, yeah, I did. That was that was exciting because that was my first elite race. Okay, and I know like Squam Shadro, everyone shoeies, yeah. And so I just told my friend, I was like, if no one starts chanting, you start chanting. Yeah, I'm like, well, let's let's make this happen.

Jarrad:

Yeah, that's that's so funny being an Australian, and I'm just like, I was reading that and it was like I can't even remember, it was on one of your posts, it was like key highlights of like Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.

Elly:

And I used like um speaking of like Australian, do you know like the comedian Frenchie? And so I used his song, like Chewy, which is amazing.

Jarrad:

It's perfect, yeah, perfect timing for it. Yeah, yeah. No, it was just funny, it's just like this like back to reality moment of like uh I don't even know how to describe it, just watching this footage of you diving down this this rock, and I'm like, holy moly, like this is insane. And then read the like the caption, and it was like, okay, well, at least she enjoyed herself.

Elly:

I know I had a great day. Squaw Shanduro is I feel like every year it kind of ages me a little bit, but just you go through so much in that day, and there's not many stages on in any race that I'm like at the top of and I'm scared to like hit the features on it at pace, and Squamous Neduro has that in probably five out of six stages.

Jarrad:

Yeah, for sure. Like even what one was it? The second stage, it was like an eight-minute stage, and I'm like, this is hard for different reasons, but yeah, for sure. Like it wasn't technically that hard, but after going flat out for six plus minutes, it then gets very technically hard.

Elly:

Yeah, that being that that being the second stage of the year that you do, and it's it I'd say it's one of Squalish's gnarliest enduro stages because it's so physical, like the trail itself is like you know, a hard black, but you throw in like probably two out of the eight minutes are climbing at least.

Jarrad:

Yeah.

Elly:

And you know, a lot of it's kind of flat and technical, and you're pedaling over stuff. I yeah, it's one of the few stages that you're like, I'm throwing up and I still have five minutes.

Jarrad:

Yeah, I can I can taste blood already.

Elly:

Yeah, yeah. Actually, yeah, I crashed on a climb on that stage too. I like almost looped out and like tipped over. Yeah, I was pretty cracked. Pacing had not come into play in the season.

Jarrad:

Yeah, no, it was all in. It was the beginning of the season.

Elly:

No, yeah, you gotta find the line somehow.

Jarrad:

So I hear it, and I've spoken to a lot of people. How does that compare to like a World Cup? Like, I I look at the numbers. I've never raced in Jura World Cup, but I look at the numbers and they seem fairly similar.

Elly:

Yeah, I mean, I think track wise, uh distance the whole day is probably hard as hard, if not harder. Uh, I think the tracks are typically like we get gap jumps taped off for us sometimes at rock ups. Yeah. And the jumps that we do have are kind of I'd say sketchy. Like they're not they're not built for bikes or something. Like it you're just kind of like doing this weird pull.

Jarrad:

Yeah, you can just see it, you can see a line and I'm like, I can jump from here to there and miss a bunch of.

Elly:

It's not so it's not so much features like we have here. And yeah, so I I feel like that that stage too, that rigs and to crouching stage, is it's pretty comparable. Like um, for some, at least like that would be a hard stage on a DWS. Yeah.

Jarrad:

Yeah. No, it seems to seems to bring a lot of big names to it. So it's like interesting to sort of yeah, yeah, understand a better bit.

Elly:

I mean that that speaks a lot. I think it's such a great event, and Dylan does such a good job organizing it, and just the way it falls in the calendar is such a great shakedown. And every time I sign up, I'm like, okay, this is because it's the first race and probably the hardest one, like I know I'll never have to be this scared at a start for the rest of the year, which is a great place to start, you know.

Jarrad:

Yeah, and that's a I guess that's a good way, as you say, to shake down and like just break yourself in again and yeah, remember what it's like to do an epic.

Elly:

Yeah, jump right in the d-pad, yeah. And it's home.

Jarrad:

So who are you off the bike? I guess is one question I've asked a lot of different people and and things like that. And you obviously have a lot of following on with cycling and and racing and and what you've achieved, but what does it look like off the bike? Because everything I've been told is when you're on the bike, you're so switched on and so race focused. But what does that look like when you're not?

Elly:

It's disaster. No. Um no, I think biking is it's such an outlet for so many people because it's like it the I was actually having a funny conversation with my friend about this the other day, and uh we're talking about um like being a chaotic person because I find I'm really chaotic when I'm not biking, and then once I'm tired or trained, I kind of reach a baseline, and that's where I can operate like a normal human being. Um, so that has always just been the case. Like I'm I'm pretty energetic, and yeah, so I I just like to go tire myself out and work at something, and then I can kind of be functioning the rest of the day. Yeah, yeah.

Jarrad:

So you've got almost that without saying ADD, ADHD or whatever, whatever they want to call it, yeah. To some degree. Sure. Classic enduro mountain biker. Yeah.

Elly:

Um that's an athlete, I'd say. Yeah, almost for sure. We're all a little messed up, yeah, for sure.

Jarrad:

I I've been there. Um so like when you are off the bike, like hanging out with friends, just chilling. Are you still heavily interested in bicycles? Are you watching that sort of stuff, or are you how like what I guess what I'm trying to ask is like where like do you have other interests out of cycling?

Elly:

Oh yeah, definitely. I'm like, um, yeah, I'm going to school right now for health sciences. I'm pretty like set on studying like sports psych and that. So I really I really enjoy thinking about thinking processes and yeah, and just like how to optimize like all aspects of training.

Jarrad :

Yeah.

Elly:

Um yeah, part of the reason that I I like to train is like I mean I'm I'm my own test subject a lot of the times, and I like to see, you know, what what's working and what's not. Like how how far can we take any of this? And yeah, and that just translates right into biking.

Jarrad:

So so with that type of thing, and I had a pretty good chat with Tori Wood a while back, and I know you were you girls are very close friends, and she actually did the podcast what like two maybe four years ago. Oh really? She never even told me that. Um yeah, she it was when she hadn't even fully finished her degree. Um, but same obviously the same situation. Yeah, what have you found and what have you done in the sense of like experiments and stuff on yourself that you have learnt from to then allocate that and push that into racing?

Elly:

Um, yeah, I mean I I'll take any chance I can to talk about Tori. She's my best friend, but um yeah, so when when I she's been like a huge inspiration in a lot of mountain biking, like I met her at my first Canadian Enduro, and like we've been friends ever since. And yeah, so she's a c counselor, obviously. And um, yeah, so we our conversations are really great because we're kind of that that mentor mentee role, best friends, and like I kind of steal therapy from her a little bit too. And so yeah, it's really interesting to get to talk about that stuff with her. Um yeah, I think as like the whole thing is an experiment, really. It's hard to like anytime any kind of injury happens or any setback, it's like, okay, how are we gonna fix it? And it's just solving the puzzle over and over again, and that and then you look back and reflect, and you're like, okay, next time you know A B happens, we know that X and Z worked, but maybe not Y, right? So yeah, it's just an ongoing experiment, yeah, consistent.

Jarrad:

Yeah. Have you done anything specific in the way of like training or stuff to put yourself in that stressful situation? And um something I like to talk about is like putting yourself in a controlled, stressful the so many words there, a controlled, stressful situation to then when you get put in an uncontrolled, stressful situation that it becomes karma. Yeah. Have you experimented with that like when you're training as such?

Elly:

Yeah, I think um that's kind of the purpose of like any kind of B or C races that I do is you know, even if the race caliber isn't there, it's like I'm gonna show up with A race intensity every single time. Yeah. So A race becomes the norm. And that's and I know how to operate and the pressure is less. So yeah, I think you know, I do a lot of race sims like over the winter with my coach and stuff, and yeah, a lot of just getting uncomfortable on the bike to make it comfortable when you have to be.

Jarrad:

Yeah, for sure. And then um I just mental blanked on what I was gonna ask you then. That's okay. But you're so you like when you're talking about doing race sims and and that type of thing, one of the things that I did read about you don't look at the results sheet throughout the day. Is that intentional and is that part of the whole sort of mind games and and things like that for yourself?

Elly:

Yeah, I so it's kind of changed a bit this year at the start of the year. There was no way you could get me to look at a results sheet during the race at least. Um I I don't know, there's just there's nothing that's gonna do to help me. Yeah. Yeah. So if I can push myself as hard as I can on every stage, what's knowing who's going faster than me gonna do? Really? Um yeah, because I I can just pretend everyone's beating me all the time and always race like I have to catch someone. Yeah, but um yeah, so that kind of worked for the first race and then the second race, they I was leading the race and the camera people kept coming up to me. And in that situation, I was like, Oh, I kind of wish I knew what was going on because they're obviously trying not to tell me, but even them just coming and talking to me says enough, and then I'm drawing my own conclusions, and you know, your brain obviously is like, what if you're winning? What if you're winning by like an hour? Like, you know, like anything. So towards the end of the year, I started um having whoever was with me look for me and be like, you're 10 seconds back, doesn't matter who, like that's all I need to know. But at least a time gap is such because I think once you can handle it's about like what you can handle in in those situations because that's just more information, right? Um, and if you're already struggling with your own racecraft, it's like leave that, like don't even open that box yet. So I think as I got more comfortable, like with an elite EDR situation, it became a bit easier to turn that stone over, I guess.

Jarrad:

How like because you have obviously done quite a few World Cups, most of them being under 21. You're at the front of the group for most of that. How did that differ going into elite? Obviously, there's more media around, but at the end of the day, you're leading in a well like in that world anyway, you're in that podium world. How do you feel that differed?

Elly:

I felt like in under 21 I I would expect a podium out of myself a lot. So yeah, if I didn't really want to look because it was either like I was I was close or I wasn't, and I didn't really need to know at that point. Like I it felt it felt too soon. Um and it just it just didn't really matter to me. Like I just needed to focus on each stage and not the overall. And um, and then coming into Elite, I um I purposely started trying not to look because that's what I knew how to do. And then when things started going well, I was like, okay, maybe it means more to get like obviously it means more to get an elite podium than it does in U21. So if there's gains to be made by me looking now, maybe let's try it or let's let's try to pull a little bit more information and see what we can handle.

Jarrad:

Yeah, yeah. And I think that's a good way to do it is like slowly build that information up to allow yourself to sort of understand what the right level of information is. And there's so much to think about, and you're already like so mentally drained by the time it gets to race day to add that extra stress in.

Elly:

I can fully understand that, but yeah, I I think like some people operate differently, and I'm definitely not you know, having someone text me after every stage, like I'll probably wait until halfway through the day. So it's like we've had a couple different stages, you know. Yeah, maybe I've had a good one, and I'm like, you also just kinda know. Yeah, like I know when I've had a bad stage, it's rare that I'm like that stage sucked, and then I won. Like that has never happened, so yeah, you guys just gotta you can trust your gut quite a bit, yeah.

Jarrad:

For sure. At that level, like if you're not having a a 95% perfect day as such, you're probably not winning. Yeah, give what you're doing.

Elly:

Exactly. Yeah.

Jarrad:

Do you find some of the other girls and uh even just showing up next to some of the other girls, how does that feel? Like, do they talk about that sort of stuff, or like, yeah, how does that feel when you're actually on the start line next to them? Are they are they talking results and things like that, or is it different?

Elly:

Not really. Everyone I think I think they've been really respectful of me not wanting to know, and there's a few times like you know, we'll reseed for the last stage, and you know, someone's gonna tell you if you have to where you have to start in the order. So you just kind of have to be adaptable, yeah. But um, and you can't like be upset if anyone gives it away either because like yeah, it's a waste of energy. Yeah, right. Um, yeah, I wouldn't say a lot of people are talking results, it's all very um subjective to their own, like how they felt their stage went. And then it's usually like that was super hard when we came down, it's like, yeah, like I've I fucked up that corner too, and they're like, Oh, yeah, okay, like everyone struggled, cool, let's keep going. Like that's more what it the vibe is like.

Jarrad:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It seems seems more uh I don't even know, like social, I guess, than than anything from learning from super supportive.

Elly:

Like, yeah, I didn't it's super fun. Yeah, even even in like the A group, I find like, yeah, tensions are high, but like as soon as you know, everyone kind of goes their own ways at the top of the stage, and then once everyone's at the bottom, it's like, yeah, we'll we'll talk about our stage, we'll talk about yeah, how many cokes we're gonna have after. And by Coke I mean beer, but um, yeah, yeah, stuff like that.

Jarrad:

Yeah, definitely. And I think that's like part of the best thing about Enduro itself and like comparing that to downhill and and all the other stages and things like that. Um talking about different disciplines, you started cross country way back in the day.

Elly:

Yeah.

Jarrad:

How is that as a transition and as a base building into what you're doing now?

Elly:

Um I actually started in triathlon. Oh, interesting. And then went to road and then cross country. So we've kind of done every discipline. Yeah. Um except for cyclocross. I haven't turned that leaf over, but you know, retirement. Yeah, there's there's there's still time. There's there's yeah, you're only young. Um, yeah, I found yeah, having an XC base, even though you know I stopped racing XC and maybe like maybe when I was 16, 17? No, 15. Like it feels like so young, but you know, that's junior, right? So um yeah, I mean I felt like it I had already tackled the hardest part, which is like that that fitness and that base. And if you can like to suffer, that's the hardest part of Enduro for sure. And and then you just work on skills, and that to me, I was like, oh, I've never done this for like training before, so this is super fun. So I kind of felt like all the fun pieces were what was lacking in XE that I get in Enduro, like the social bits, the skills, the sessioning, the like riding blind. Um yeah, so it was super helpful. And I still feel like that XE, I mean it's been six years since I braced an XE, but um yeah, I still feel like that's still my strength. And yeah.

Jarrad:

Yeah, and it's still I feel like when you're at that age, you're still developing and you're still understanding and your mind is growing.

Elly:

Totally.

Jarrad:

And being able to push yourself for 20, 30 minutes flat out at that age is huge.

Jarrad :

Yeah.

Jarrad:

To then now, as you say, like you're halfway up a climb that's two hours long. Yeah. Like you can kind of just dig deep and and understand it and know how to balance it a little bit.

Elly:

Yeah, I think yeah, I I would way rather have gone XC to Enduro than like I don't know, downhill to Enduro. Like, I'm I'm glad that my strength is the fitness because yeah, I mean, I would that's my least favorite part to train. Like it sucks. Yeah, it's not fun, it's type two fun for a reason, right? Yeah, for sure. So you can enjoy their the other stuff and do more laps of the other stuff, right?

Jarrad:

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Like being able to get yourself to the top of the hill, let's call it efficiently, yeah, is like way harder than being able to get to the bottom of the hill fast in in the sense of like effort put in. Like obviously the harder you train on cross country, the better you get. And I I feel like there's a limitation with skills in the sense of like you can only practice skills so much and you'll get X amount better. It doesn't matter how many times you repeat them, you're you're only gonna the percentage of getting better gets shorter and shorter. Yeah, if that makes sense.

Elly:

Yeah, the gains get smaller over time for sure. I think like the other key piece of that fitness in Enduro is like, yeah, get getting to the top of the f first time, but it's like can you do that all day and not lose power on any of the descents, right? Like how efficient are you over eight hours, right?

Jarrad:

So how often are you now doing like longer rides? And do you still use a cross-country bike or are you doing mainly everything on a a bigger travel?

Elly:

Um, this year's the first year, I've had the luxury of a smaller bike again. So that has been really fun. And not even more for training, but just for like my mind not to think I'm racing all the time if I'm riding my race bike. Yeah. I think that distinction is really key. Because yeah, it's fun to just go for slow pedals and just be out there and like dicking around on a small bike. And yeah, I find this if if I'm riding my race bike, I'm like, okay, the speed has to be high, otherwise, you know, my suspension doesn't feel good. And you know. Um, but yeah, this time of year is kind of you know, like base block season. Um yeah, November, December is when I do a lot of road riding and gym stuff.

Jarrad:

Is there much road riding in Squamish?

Elly:

No, there's one road that goes out Squalmish Valley, it's about an hour out, hour back, and it's a good one. Yeah, it's flat. Do that a few times, kill an afternoon. Go get three different coffees. Yeah, yeah. I I suck at zone two. I hate it.

Jarrad:

Yeah, I don't know anybody that can actually do zone two well, if that makes sense.

Elly:

I mean, honestly, Tori's a god at it, to be completely honest. She just like I her mind must be really busy because she just like powers down and like she's insanely disciplined, like she's next level disciplined. Yeah, absolutely. I yeah, again, my mentor. I wish I had it. But um, yeah, I don't know. There's different strategies I use, like just I'll listen to podcasts or music or just anything to yeah. They're also like part of me wants to be super hardcore and just like raw dog a five-hour road ride and see if like it's I can tell you it's not as good as it sounds. It's pretty worth it though. And then you tell someone and then they're like, Are you okay? I'm like, I've never been better. I feel like such an alpha reiner.

Jarrad:

I I did a did quite a big ride on the island, so from North Van down to Victoria, all the way back up the island, back across the Sunshine Coast in one go on the road. And no music. Well, not quite. My I forgot to bring wireless headphones. Yeah. So because I I generally ride with wired headphones because I always suck at charging headphones. Yeah. So it's like 2 a.m. My phone is like 5% battery, so I'm gonna have to plug it in so I don't lose battery. So I put my f like, plug my phone in so it's charging, and it's pitch black. Like this is like just north of Nanaimo on the old road. And I had my phone on as loud as it can play the music, or loud as it can play a podcast, to be honest. And then it was just like in my back pocket on loudspeaker. Just so I didn't have to deal with no no sound. Wow, yeah. I don't think I don't think I could do it.

Elly:

I think there's a time and a place for it. And I don't know, I just kind of got back into running over the last year or two. And um I started running. Running is my time with no music. And I only recently, in maybe the last month, brought headphones back to the chat for runs. And it's like it just makes it more enjoyable. But once in a while, I find like the purpose of it is to like test my head and like see if I can just sit in it.

Jarrad:

Yeah.

Elly:

And it usually ends up being a shorter run or just like a more draining run. Like when you finish, you're like, oh my god. Whereas like sometimes I'll finish a run with headphones and I'm like, I could keep dancing, you know.

Jarrad:

Like I I yeah, running's a hard one because like I feel like running all I hear is just my breathing and that like yeah, like versus cycling is obviously so much smoother. But then on the descents, I can't listen to music on the descent because I need to listen to the bike.

Elly:

Yeah, so this was why I stopped riding with headphones in the first place, is because I any of my friends will tell you this is probably one of my most annoying habits, but like if I know the words, I can't not sing them. Yeah, and so I would keep crashing because I'd be like, you know, trying to hit any note and every note, and I'd eat shit. So I was like, okay, headphones are the issue. So I just scrapped them for years and I only just started riding with them again. Yeah, okay.

Jarrad:

Yeah, yeah, like I can climb with them, but definitely not descend. Yeah, definitely not. I I struggle to descend. But interesting that you're singing because all of the coaching I've ever done, I always whenever I see someone holding their breath, I get them to sing to then breathe through whatever they're doing. Yeah, interesting. So, and I know you've done a bunch of coaching and and you've got your PMBI and I think they're expired now, but yeah. Anyway, it doesn't say that online, so we'll go.

Elly:

Oh great, perfect. Send me clients, but no. Um yeah, that's that's a funny technique though, because I will do that on climbs with like if I'll play music on transfers usually just to like take my mind off the race. For sure. And if I can sing along, I know I'm like in a good zone too. Like I'm pacing myself well.

Jarrad:

So yeah, that's a that's another good point. I've never thought of it in using it to like pace yourself as such.

Elly:

Yeah, because I mean you kind of have to be nasal breathing.

Jarrad:

Yeah, yeah, for sure. So talking about some coaching and things like that, what are some of the like key points that you think about and then with the coaching you've done, did you find that changed your writing? Because I know when I well, I did a lot of downhill racing, things like that, and then moving into coaching and things like that. My writing technique changed so much because I had to think about how to explain it.

Elly:

Oh yeah.

Jarrad:

Did you notice that much when you've done coaching and think sort of you see where I'm going with that?

Elly:

Yeah, I think it I think it helped me become a better athlete to my coach. It was the biggest change. But um, and also just yeah, helped me understand what what I was doing, right? Um, just it just kind of gives you the language to name what you're feeling, what you're seeing, right? Um, those courses. Um, yeah, but I found like when I was coaching, I found it quite hard to also be training because now work is bike, yeah, biking times two, right? Like so, yeah, that's kind of why I don't do a lot of coaching anymore. But I find it like the skills that I got from just doing those coaching courses are super useful. And I recommend like any athlete who like I think there's value in learning how to coach too, because you'll just be you know a better friend to your friend who's learning to bike as well, right?

Jarrad:

Yeah, and I think it like also helps make you a little bit more approachable as well because you can understand and talk to different people and it's less about like yeah, I guess you understand how they're riding, yeah.

Elly:

Yeah, and you can understand how people's skills develop too, and I find like I don't know, I find I find it very frustrating when sometimes I'll have like I have a lot of friends who are like just getting into biking, they're like, oh no, like I don't want to ride with you. I'm like, no, no, like let me let me help. Like I'm not worried about you holding me up at all. Like, this is about getting more people on bikes that this is not like I'm not trying to train on this ride, like that's not the intention, and um, yeah, so I find like it's a nice way to be like, okay, like don't think of me as you know, your your pro mountain biker friend. Like, let me let me be your coach or let me just be your friend. Yeah, yeah.

Jarrad:

So I yeah, like I always say that to a lot of people is like, I didn't invite you on this ride to ride away from you, and it's like it's crazy how many people like you get to the top of the the trail or whatever, and like you've cruised up and like you're chatting and everything's good, and then they're like, All right, you go and I'll see you at the bottom. It's like no, no, I want to ride with you.

Elly:

I want to follow you, like let me like hype you up, and yeah, yeah. It's no fun if I'm just screaming by myself, like, let me scream with you. Like, let's be scared together.

Jarrad:

Do you get that a lot with obviously with you being a world champ and and the race wins and things like that? Do you have that conversation a lot? Or how do you know?

Elly:

Um yeah, I don't know. I think I don't know. I get I don't know. I'm stumbling over my words right now. I can't place a thought, but um it definitely like feels I mean I can't go for a ride now, like it says it on my bike. Yeah, like there's no more like incognito for me, and I feel like sometimes that gets to me a little bit, and I love that it says it on my bike, like but yeah, sometimes I I want to feel bad at biking and like safe to be bad at biking, yeah. And even though you know I can be in the forest completely alone, it's like you know, I it feels like something I have to like live up to all the time, and that's just not the case. Like I don't have to ride that fast all the time. And I don't know this year it kind of started to like get to me a little bit on group rides. Someone a couple people were like um just like like friendly heckles, but um they I kind of took them to heart after a while. Yeah, I could see it. And it's like, oh like I'd do it if I got my bikes for free, like stuff like that, which is not that nice. Um, and so I just started walking stuff.

Jarrad:

Like okay.

Elly:

So I just took that took it the other direction. I was like, I don't have to. I don't have to do this yet. Yeah, I actually have to train tomorrow, so yeah, I kind of got pleasure out of riding really slow and poorly sometimes on group rides, and that was just satisfying enough for me.

Jarrad:

Which I think is good for like a mental break as well. Yeah, like even uh when we bumped into you the other day, yeah, like and you're riding flat.

Elly:

That was so funny because I was like, I don't think anybody knows, but yeah, I'm like I feel so stealthier.

Jarrad:

It's it's quite funny because like you're on like your non-worlds bike, you're in just like regular kit, yeah, and you're just like cruising at the back, like and and that's all good. And then and then I flattered. Then you flattered, and then as you flattered and you left, uh Gracie turned up.

Elly:

Yeah, I was wondering if it was like Gracie Gracie, and I was like, these guys work for an arco. I was trying to put it together. I hadn't seen her in a bit, and I I knew she had just moved to Squamish, and I was like, ah, and then I flattered, and I was like, ah, I'm not gonna get to write with Gracie.

Jarrad:

And then but what was interesting, and we actually had we talked about this after, um, not with her, but uh how different the red bull helmet makes everybody, like yeah, the the living up to a red bull helmet, so it's interesting that you It's like you can't hide, yeah, yeah, and like it's she can't ride without it, like yeah, it's against a contract. But like I I was sort of trying to understand that a little bit. It was like when you turn up with like that, and whether it be like a world champs bike or a a red bull helmet or a monster helmet or like stick out like a sore throne, right?

Elly:

Like for all the right reasons, right? Like it's something you're so proud of, but it sometimes doesn't leave you room to like go back and relearn things and feel like it's okay to be bad at biking again. So that was the whole point of me putting flats on my bike, is and that's my my trail bike, like I'm not used to it really. And I was like, I just want to feel like I want to be learning something right now, and that lasted about I just took them off the other. I remember I was telling you about it, and I was like, I'm gonna keep them on all winter. That lasted two months, and now I want to feel better at biking again. But there's a time and a place.

Jarrad:

But there's there's something to be said about humbling yourself on the bike.

Elly:

Absolutely, yeah.

Jarrad:

Yeah, so no, yeah, it was it was interesting, and it's funny that you mention that in the sense of like people sort of judge you a certain way and then or there's just an expectation placed on you.

Elly:

And I like all my really close friends who I ride with, they they know I'm not like I'm not a free rider, I'm not super gnarly, like I come from cross country, yeah. Like Squamish and Drill is like some of the hardest trails I will ever ride. Like, I don't ride those for fun. Yeah, like I like, yeah, I was looking at the beelines on a lot of those. Like, and that's something that I need to work on, but it's I don't know that with my close circle of friends, they they understand that it's like I don't like to ride that kind of stuff. I don't like to scare myself often, yeah. Um, like I like to ride in control, and I like I guess I like to scare myself at the speed I go, not the terrain. Yeah, if that makes sense. So it doesn't look sick, yeah.

Jarrad:

I don't know, but I think that's like such a racing mentality, yeah. In the sense of like, um we talk about this all the time at work, like I have no want to jump off like whatever, uh a 30-foot drop.

Elly:

I mean, I want to, but then I get there and I'm like, no. Yeah, this is just dumb. I'm so out of my lane here. Like, what like what is this worth to me, right? Like, cause I'd like to race again next year, and like I've had injuries that take you out of the offseason, and that sucks. It makes it really hard to want to continue to race, right? So I it very little is worth injuring myself.

Jarrad:

Yeah, for like doing a drop or doing some form of stunt or such, like, so it's yeah, it's interesting, and it sort of goes hand in hand with what Oliver was saying, is like how how race oriented you are versus just like flying down like a rock slab or something like that.

Elly:

Yeah, Oliver's a great person to talk about that with. Like, he's such a sleeper sendy guy. Like, he's insane. I remember the first time we we rode together in Squalmish, he hit this huge drop, got super sketchy. I almost couldn't ride the ride around. Like, uh and he's just like, you know, like a guy.

Jarrad:

Just a general dude.

Elly:

Like just general man. Yeah. And there's like so many people like that. And like if I didn't race, absolutely, I would be trying to progress my riding in other ways more. But I'd like to race and I'd like to race for a long time if I can. Like, I don't want to be have an injury be what ends up. So yeah, go out on my terms. Yeah, it's too early to talk about that.

Jarrad:

Um so talking about racing, I feel like there's a whole wave of new girls coming through. Like obviously yourself, you got Geezer, you got Emmy, Gracie's we mentioned, like the the list goes on, and I didn't actually realise how many of you girls are all in that like two to three year age gap until I started looking at photos. Like even like Maddie and it just goes on. Like do you I don't even know if it's the right way to ask it, but do you really have any idea of why there's so many of you sort of in this same age break when you're growing up or I think um I I think I don't know, I had a good conversation about my coach with this because he runs a training group of like kids m my age, like you know, 2003 to 2007, kinda.

Elly:

And um yeah, I think a lot of it was during COVID. We were in school, like finishing high school, you know, last couple years, and it was kind of the only thing we could do.

Jarrad:

Yeah, which is fair.

Elly:

Yeah, and so yeah, there's not a lot of people playing team sports or anything during that time. Like you just pull your bike out of the garage and you ride with the friends that you would normally go to school with, right? So and I I think that must have had something to do with it. I think there's also just been a lot of I think it has to do with the generations before us becoming now coaches and like pulling us up that way as well. Um, but yeah, it's hard to say. There's so there's so much talent right now, it's crazy. It's insane.

Jarrad:

Yeah, like even looking at like the XC world and like um like just Canada's dominating, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's it's insane. Um and then like talking about coaches and the the generation, obviously you've got ALN.

Elly:

Yeah.

Jarrad:

Do you get to spend much time with her being up in Squamish?

Elly:

Uh a little bit. We've gone for a few rides. Um, yeah, I mean, she she was there in Europe the first time I was there and mentored the the U21 Team Canada at the last Trophy of Nations, which was my first Euro expedition. Um, yeah, and that that was kind of when I really met her. And yeah, she totally took us under her wing. And she I don't know, she's just been pioneering it for so long, yeah. Kind of by herself. Yeah. And like, yeah, we we owe her so much. Yeah.

Jarrad:

Yeah, she's she's insane. Like the whole like running her own team deal and wild. It's just like full business on the side.

Elly:

She is so excuse me. Yeah, she she's so dialed and like just so purposeful in what she does, very calculated, and so yeah, it's no wonder she's been so successful.

Jarrad:

Yeah, yeah. How you mentioned trophy of the nation the trophy of nations. There's a lot of lot of syllables there. Um, how is that? Like being is that the first international race you did? So first race out of Canada completely. How how was that turning up and doing that? Oh my god it was a shit show.

Elly:

Oh my god. It's kind of yeah, this is kind of my origin story, but um yeah, so I that year I graduated high school and it was Trophy of Nations happened. I went to university and it was right during my first midterms of my first semester. But I had never qualified for anything before, and I was like, Oh, I can't go. And then my parents were like, What are you taught? Like, what? No, go. I was like, Oh, okay, like this is okay with you, what? And so they're like, bless their hearts. They were like, Yeah, go. Um, so I went and I met it was me, Emmy, and Lily. Yeah, um, and ALN didn't have a team because we didn't have any other elite women, right? Um, so she supported us, but yeah, I showed up for I've never packed a bike bag before. Like, it's a mess. I forgot a half shell. Like, I I thought I was homeless for the first night. I my phone died and I didn't have our Airbnb address, so I like parked up at the train station. Emmy just came and found me, luckily. But um, yeah, it was like it was truly in the deep end. And um, but yeah, like I I'd raced with Lily and Ebbie before, and we were all super competitive with each other. So I I at least knew like you know, like it I think would be a lot more if I was coming on being like, oh man, I really don't want to be like holding them up or something. Like I felt like we were the favorites to win. Um yeah, and then yeah, we were we were leading by like a landslide, and unfortunately Lily crashed and cancassed herself, so we had to pull out. Yeah, I think I actually like we'll have to check this back, but all three Canadian teams were the favorites, and all of them did have yeah, all the boys' teams had a mechanical, or I think the elite men crashed out pretty hard, but um yeah, so it was pretty heartbreaking to come over for the first time and like feel like this is my shot. Like I better make it happen, yeah, and then just like not get to finish. Um and like having it not be me to crash out. I was like, oh, like it sucks. Like I'm obviously like not mad at Lily at all, I'm just mad at the situation, right? Like it just is heartbreaking as like a 16-year-old to be like or 17 to just be like, wow, there goes my shot, which is also crazy to think at 17 that your your shot is over, but you know, you're young.

Jarrad:

Of course, yeah, very impressionable, yeah.

Elly:

Anyways, but um I mean there there were a lot of positives. Like, I I was like second on a bunch of the stages that we did do, yeah. And I was like, oh, and like Emmy had just won the series, and so she was the only person who was beating me, and I was like, Oh, okay, like if we did this, we'd be we'd be in the mix, and that was so that was very motivating.

Jarrad:

So then did that open the door for those under 21, the two years with that? Is that stuff sort of where the door opened for that, or how did that work?

Elly:

I'd say, I mean, uh yeah, so the following year, 2023, was the first like full season I did. Um, I mean, I just fully privateered by myself, and that was the last year of Da Vinci Global Racing, and I had just come on as an ambassador for them, just like through my shop. And I like full hail married, like went and to Australia by myself and just like was like, Hey, like to the team manager, I was like, Can I like stay with you guys? And he was like, Oh yeah, I think someone mentioned you would be here, and I was like, Yeah, like so. Can I like sleep on your couch? And they were like, Yeah, at the next round. I was like, Okay, cool. Like, and they just took me under their wing like the whole year, like I yeah, so and then yeah, that was kind of my my first season.

Jarrad:

Your your intro into traveling the world.

Elly:

Yeah, yeah. That's when I became a world traveler, yeah.

Jarrad:

No, that's insane. Let's just like how quickly it changes and how quickly you get into it.

Elly:

Yeah, totally. It feels so slow at the time, yeah, because you're like, you know, a contract only gets written every year, right? So you're like, okay, I have to do everything I can with what I'm given to prove myself, right? And I was super, yeah, just super motivated. And yeah, I think coming off of like my first European experience being a DNF, but like having the pace and then it being, you know, yeah, you know, just feeling kind of robbed. I like just had a chip on my shoulder and I was like, I'm gonna show people what's up. And then I just like shattered my foot and yeah, and then I was like, okay, so we finished another season with a DNS. Yeah. Like, okay, so the chip grew.

Jarrad:

But you you still at 23 you were what second overall?

Elly:

And then yeah, so yeah, I got second overall. I got like my best result was a second, um, but a bunch of thirds. Um, and then at the last round in out in France, I forget where. Chatel. Um I just like clipped a rock, like didn't even crash, just stuck my toe really hard and broke like my whole foot. Like eleven eleven breaks in my foot. And um, yeah, and the mechanic drove me to Geneva to like get an X-ray. It was a whole thing, and yeah, so I couldn't obviously didn't race that around. Yeah, yeah.

Jarrad:

No, fair. Um we're coming up to almost an hour.

Elly:

Oh yeah.

Jarrad:

So it's been crazy.

Elly:

Holy. I can yap.

Jarrad:

That's a good thing for a podcast. Um, is there anything that you wanted to to touch on? Um I feel like we've touched on a lot.

Elly:

Yeah, pretty much a lot. I pretty much a lot.

Jarrad:

The only thing we haven't dived into, and I was not avoiding it, but is world your world champs, and I feel like you've spoken about that so often.

Elly:

Yeah.

Jarrad:

Tell me a little bit about that, I guess.

Elly:

There, like the race.

Jarrad:

Um yeah, like obviously the lead up, the build-up, it it seemed like everything that I read online, there was so much focus on all the other girls and very little on yourself. Yeah, how did that feel?

Elly:

Good. I mean, yeah, I kind of thrive like as an underdog. Like, yeah, um, yeah, I just wanna Yeah, I don't anyways, I I like that. Um but yeah, that second half of the season was I we had a weird block in the middle of the summer with no racing, which was awesome because I feel like the last couple years I've been super burnt out when crankworks was around, and um yeah, so I just like came into crankworks fresh and like off this great training block, and yeah, it just kind of like tumbled from there. I won that and then we won um yeah, it was the last uh World Cup in France again, and so I was like, oh sick. And um my coach actually came to Europe with me for the first time, which was really exciting. So, like to do that with him there, I was like, my cup's full. Like, yeah, Worlds was not my goal uh this year. Like, I really wanted to win nationals, um, because that seemed like a good next that's the next big one, yeah. Right. Um and he kept like telling me he's like after that race in France, he's like, you know, you like could do really well this week. I was like, whatever, man. Like it's worlds, like you never know what's gonna happen. Cause it's like such a one-off event. I was just I was really excited just to like you know, Darko made me like a custom kit, and I was like just so excited to wear that. And like a couple of my friends who like hadn't done the series had qualified for worlds, and we're coming up to that. I was like, I'm gonna get to see everyone, like this is just gonna be really fun. And it was actually at the venue, the only venue I've ever won at in Europe as well. So I was feeling like this is just gonna be an awesome experience. Yeah, um, yeah, like the the weekend itself was a shit show, it's always a shit show.

Jarrad:

Yeah, welcome, welcome to racing.

Elly:

Welcome to racing. Um, yeah, we had like a bunch of schedule changes because of the weather. That venue is super high up in the alpine, and so to make sure we had world champions crowned, they have to have at least two stages raced. So they actually moved one of our stages to our rest day. So we did practice, and on the last stage of practice at like 4 p.m., the marshal at the top is like, you guys better hurry down, like you're gonna be racing tomorrow. And we're like, sorry, sorry, sorry, what? Like, what? Um, so that was really stressful. Um, and like, yeah, so you kind of we all just kind of blasted through that last stage. Um, but yeah, and then we raced kind of it was kind of like an old pro stage, which I never got. Yeah, like I came in to endure after that pass, so that was fun. Um I think I got like fifth or sixth. I was like, okay, yeah, cool. Like that's where I should be. Like, yeah, I want to be in the mix, and yeah. Um, but then the next day had some really, really physical flat stages, and I I think I won the first two, so it was great. And then uh, but I didn't know, obviously. Yeah. Um, and I think I was leading after the first, because you know, two on the second day, so three stages in. Um, and then the stage four was my kryptonite. It was everything I hate in a stage, and it was super long and steep in tech, and um I just it was like kind of damage control, yeah. I felt like um it was worse than I thought it was gonna be because I actually got down and I was like, Oh, I think that was kind of good, and it wasn't. And so I like was leading and then I was in fourth with two stages to go. And then I saw my we came through the tech zone and my coach was there, and he was like, So that last stage. And I was like, What? And he was like, kind of set you back there again. I was like, oh no. I was like, Am I in touch? He's like, You're 12 seconds off of a podium.

Jarrad:

Yeah.

Elly:

And I was like, Oh, like way closer than I thought I was gonna be because I didn't know I was winning earlier in that day.

Jarrad :

Yeah.

Elly:

Um, and I knew I really liked the last two stages. Um yeah, so I kind of just I actually yeah, I had a Red Bull at the tech zone, and I I never have energy drinks, like I do not need that kind of caffeine. And um, but it was a really long day and I was really sleepy, so I kind of sent it, and he would not advise me to do that for the first time in a world championship.

Jarrad:

Yeah, yeah, it's a bit of an experiment.

Elly:

It was an experiment, but you know, what it I had nothing to lose, so we sent it, and um, yeah, and then I think I I think I won the last two stages. I don't know. I think so. Yeah, yeah, but I made up that that 14 seconds or whatever it was to the podium, so yeah.

Jarrad:

To the podium, to the win. Yeah, yeah, yeah, which is so insane, and then like reading everything about how you came across the line and you didn't even know you'd won.

Elly:

No, I was so focused. Yeah, so I I like had a minor mechanical on the second to last stage, and I was like, Oh, this is so done, like I'm over. Um so I was just and then we had a reseed, and they're like, You're in second. I was like, Oh god, like please don't let me like lose the podium right now. Yeah, and so I was just so focused on holding on. Like, at no point was I like you're dropping in for a win, yeah. Yeah, so I like kind of spaced. I was like, oh my god, I made it across the line, and then they were like, You're in the hot seat. I was like, Oh my god, so that means like only one girl, like I I for sure got second. Awesome. And then I was like, Oh, oh yeah, and then I think I make some stupid faces that are all over the internet, but it's all right, everyone's got those.

Jarrad:

It's okay, yeah. You're only 21. 21, yeah. Yeah, just turn. Yeah, you're only yeah, only 21. There's tons of time.

Elly:

So much time for weird podium faces, yeah.

Jarrad:

Yeah, yeah, definitely. Well, on that note, thank you for coming in. Pleasure. It was uh it was very interesting chatting.

Elly:

Yeah, thank you so much for having me.

Jarrad:

Yeah, yeah. Awesome. Cheers.

Elly:

Cheers.

Contributor

Jarrad Connolly

Host
Contributor

Elly Hoskin

Guest

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