With Pace
Professional mountain biker Payson McElveen sits down with some of the biggest names in sports and adventure to get an inside look at what sets them apart. With no script, the casual conversations are as diverse as the guests, with topics ranging from harrowing tales of survival, to debates on current events, to everyday tips and tricks and everything in between. As Payson travels the world for his two-wheeled day job, listen in as he rubs shoulders with and learns from some of the most inspiring athletes, entrepreneurs, academics, and others as they chase and inspire greatness.
With Pace
Christian Meier on leaving the WorldTour for ultrarunning
In 2016, Christian Meier made an unusual decision: at the age of 31, he walked away from a successful WorldTour career a year before his contract was due to end to focus on the coffee shop he and his wife had just opened in Girona, Spain. That year, they opened two more businesses. After dabbling in off-road racing for a couple of years, he made a second unconventional transition. He started competing in trail running events and found so much fulfillment in it that his focus began to gravitate toward professional sports again. Last year, he won TDS, a 150-kilometer trail race in Chamonix and one of the most iconic ultra races in the world. This year, he has his sights set on the biggest off-road running event of them all — Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB).
Payson sat down with Christian to discuss his journey from Canada to Girona before the town became known as a cycling haven. They delve into Christian's decision to leave the WorldTour early, his entrepreneurial ventures, and that time he started a breakaway at Unbound. He also talks about why he switched from cycling to running, and how the current state of ultrarunning mirrors where gravel was a few years ago.
Instagram: @withpacepodcast
YouTube: Payson McElveen
Email: howdy@withpace.cc