What's The Rusch

We are excited to share our first ever collaborative episode between What's the Rusch and Afternoon Snack, bringing Meredith Root onto the show to launch our Summer Streak Challenge together. Meredith's story is about building a coaching business around movement that doesn't require punishing yourself to earn it. In this episode we explore why motivation shows up after you act instead of before it, how the right amount of stress builds growth while too much burns you out, and what happens when training data starts running your life instead of supporting it. We discuss the four types of motivation, the tools that pull you out of a demotivated spiral, and the launch of our Summer Streak Challenge, a joint habits challenge between Meredith's coaching business, Tactic Functional Fitness, and the Be Good Foundation. Every dollar raised goes toward the Be Good Foundation's girls and women mentorship program at Rebecca's Private Idaho, pairing young women with experienced mentors in cycling, bike mechanics, and action sport photography and videography so they can build real skills and find their own places in the outdoor and sports industry.
This episode is sponsored by Rebecca's Private Idaho
Show Notes
Rebecca and Meredith discuss:
How Meredith and Alex met Rebecca by showing up at Rebecca's Private Idaho, where Meredith cornered her to talk shop
Meredith's move from a career in engineering, and Alex's move from law, into building Tactic Functional Fitness together
The Yerkes-Dodson performance curve and why the right amount of stress builds growth while too much burns us out
The four types of motivation: intrinsic, extrinsic, introjected, and identified
The Fogg Behavior Model and why motivation naturally fades over time no matter how committed we are
How power meters, heart rate monitors, and training data can help or hurt depending on where we are mentally
The launch of Summer Streak, a joint habits challenge between Tactic and the Be Good Foundation, running August 10 through September 12
The origins of the Be Good Foundation, tied to Rebecca's ride down the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the site of her father's death

Transformative insights:
Motivation is found after action, not before it. We cannot think our way into a new way of being; we have to act our way into it.
Stress and discomfort are the mechanism of growth, not something to eliminate; the goal is the middle of the curve, not the extremes
Rebecca's realization on the Ho Chi Minh Trail that winning wasn't the end point but a launch pad for something else, which led directly to founding the Be Good Foundation
Lasting fulfillment comes from love, community, and service, not from accolades, even for people who've already reached the top of their field
Motivation problems are often not about willpower, but about never having identified the real reason behind the habit in the first place

Vulnerable moments:
Rebecca on her concussion and the long recovery that led to creating this podcast, including putting her power meter in the closet because the data was demotivating her at her lowest point
Rebecca on texting sports psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais out of nowhere during her concussion crisis to say she needed help and didn't know what to do
Rebecca on the eating disorder she experienced in high school and how her early years in sport were rooted in fear rather than joy
Rebecca on nearly quitting the Alaska Fat Pursuit after a wrong turn cost her the race, and the internal spiral of shame before deciding to keep going
Meredith on realizing she was still spending the same hours in the gym after leaving competitive CrossFit and questioning what she was actually doing it for

Practical wisdom:
The motivational menu: treat motivation like a buffet and build a mix of intrinsic, extrinsic, introjected, and identified motivators to draw from depending on the day
Third-person self-talk: talking to ourselves the way we'd talk to a friend, especially when the internal voice turns harsh
The opposite action technique: when a demotivating emotion takes over, do the literal opposite of what we feel like doing for 60 seconds, since emotions typically pass within 45 to 90 seconds
The emotion-conversation-behavior loop: we notice the emotion, notice the story we're telling ourselves about it, and then choose the behavior; this is the point where change actually happens
Ask what outcome we actually care about before starting a practice so we're working from identified motivation instead of just going through the motions

Personal growth:
Rebecca's shift from a competitive athlete to someone who will never retire from being an athlete, separating retirement from competition from retirement from movement itself
Rebecca's purpose expanding beyond personal achievement into service after the Ho Chi Minh Trail ride, moving from podiums to helping other people find their own
Meredith's transition from an engineering career and a hyper competitive gym identity into building a coaching business meant to make movement sustainable rather than punishing
Both women reflecting on how their reasons for training have changed over time and how that process is ongoing rather than finished

Links and Resources
Join the Summer Streak Challenge
Tactic Functional Fitness, Meredith and Alex's coaching business
Afternoon Snack Podcast hosted by Meredith Root
Rebecca's Private Idaho, September 9 through 12
Be Good Foundation

Show Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by Rebecca’s Private Idaho, where adventure, community, and purpose come together in the wild. Join us in Sun Valley for a ride that's about more than the miles; it's about showing up for yourself, your community, and the planet. Registration is open!

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Blood Road

Become a Partner: Interested in reaching an engaged audience of leaders, athletes, creatives, and purpose-driven individuals? What's the Rusch is the place to align your brand with authentic conversations about performance, purpose, and personal growth. For sponsorship inquiries and media kit information, please contact Aerah@RebeccaRusch.com.

Dean Fidelman has spent fifty years photographing the climbers who shaped Yosemite, from the original Stonemasters to Dean Potter to today's Camp 4 generation. In this episode, Rebecca and Dean explore what it takes to earn a soloist's trust before you ever raise a camera, why performance and vulnerability sit at the center of every photograph he makes, and what it finally took for him to grieve a friend he'd lost years earlier. Together they talk about patience as a practice, art as a byproduct of honesty, and why there's no rush to get anywhere worth going.

Show notes:
In this episode, Rebecca and Dean discuss:
Dean's path from teenage climber to the unofficial photographer of the Stonemasters in early 1970s Yosemite
Meeting Rebecca through a Five Ten ad campaign and the first Stone Nudes shoot
Why performance, not posing, is what actually makes a photograph work
Reading someone's mindset in a first conversation, and what separates good from elite
Trying to go commercial in fashion and advertising, and why it never fit
The phone call from Lynn Hill that pulled Dean back into climbing photography
Being present for Dean Potter through his hardest periods without judgment
What it took to finally grieve Potter years after his death, once The Dark Wizard forced him to look back
Archiving Glen Denny's work and keeping Yosemite's climbing history alive
Slowing down at 70 and letting the work come to him instead of chasing it

Transformative Insights:
Self honesty is the line between good and elite, in art and in athletics
Trust gets built by being embedded in a community, not by observing it from outside
Grief that gets shoved down doesn't disappear. It waits
Keeping someone's story and history alive is its own form of healing

Vulnerable Moments:
Dean on the depression that hit him only after The Dark Wizard's premiere, years after Potter's death
Second guessing his own actions during a physical altercation with Potter in China
Rebecca on her own body image struggles going into her first Stone Nudes shoot
Dean naming the losses that have stacked up over five decades in the climbing community

Practical Wisdom:
How to build enough trust with someone that they forget the camera is there
Reading passion and mindset in someone within a first conversation
Why staying broke by choice can be what keeps your art honest
Processing loss by putting the work into preserving someone's history

Personal Growth:
Dean's evolution from documenting his friends for fun to becoming Yosemite's de facto historian
Rebecca's reflection on how the same photograph that once terrified her gave her confidence
Both on what it means to keep learning from younger generations instead of just teaching them
The throughline between what healed Dean as a teenager and what still fuels him now

Helpful Links:
Stone Nudes: stonenudes.com
Dean's Instagram: @pictures_of_fidelman
Fidelman: A Body of Work: gripped.com feature
The Dark Wizard: HBO Max

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Rebecca's Private Idaho, where adventure, community, and purpose come together in the wild. Join us in Sun Valley for a ride that's about more than the miles: it's about showing up for yourself, your community, and the planet. Registration is open at rebeccasprivateidaho.com.

Support What's the Rusch: If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or post your favorite insight on social media. Your support helps us keep bringing you these honest, inspiring conversations.
Subscribe and Follow: Rate, Review, and Share
Get Connected:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Substack
Blood Road
Become a Partner: Interested in aligning your brand with authentic conversations about performance, purpose, and growth? Contact Aerah@RebeccaRusch.com for sponsorship opportunities and our media kit.

Paige Onweller’s journey proves that it’s never too late to chase big dreams or reinvent yourself. In this episode, Rebecca and Paige dive into the realities of starting over, the power of community, and how setbacks can become springboards for transformation. From the ER to the elite gravel scene, Paige shares her story of hard work, healing, and using her platform to lift others up, especially women in cycling.
Rebecca & Paige Discuss:
Jumping into cycling in her 30s after a career in emergency medicine
How a “work hard to survive” mindset shaped her approach to sport
Navigating recovery and trauma therapy after a major crash
The role of sponsors and community in supporting her comeback
Discovering new mental strengths through adversity
Launching the Rosie Up Initiative to empower women in gravel racing
Balancing ambition with self-compassion and honest reflection
The importance of representation and advocacy in sport
Recent highlights: Unbound Gravel podium, Lifetime Grand Prix success

Transformative Insights
Setbacks can unlock unexpected strengths and new directions
Community support is essential for resilience and recovery
Starting late can be a superpower, bringing fresh perspective
Advocacy and visibility create pathways for others
Growth is found in both vulnerability and determination

Vulnerable Moments
Paige’s candid account of trauma therapy and identity shifts
The pressure to return to racing—and the courage to heal first
Admitting the ongoing impact of injury and mental health challenges
Sharing the realities of being a woman in a male-dominated sport

Practical Wisdom
How to turn adversity into opportunity
Building a support network and asking for help
Balancing high achievement with self-care
Encouragement for women and late bloomers to pursue their goals

Personal Growth
Paige’s evolution from ER professional to gravel champion and advocate
Rebecca’s reflections on the value of unconventional journeys
The power of storytelling to break barriers and build community
Both guests’ dedication to using their voices for positive change

Links & Resources
Paige Onweller: Instagram | Website
The White Line Project: thewhiteline.org

Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by Rebecca’s Private Idaho where adventure, community, and purpose come together in the wild. Join us in Sun Valley for a ride that’s about more than the miles: it’s about showing up for yourself, your community, and the planet. Registration is open at rebeccasprivateidaho.com.
Support What’s the Rusch
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or post your favorite insight on social media. Your support helps us keep bringing you these honest, inspiring conversations.
Subscribe and Follow
Rate, Review, and Share
Get Connected:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Substack
Blood Road

Become a Partner:
Interested in aligning your brand with authentic conversations about performance, purpose, and growth? Contact Aerah@RebeccaRusch.com for sponsorship opportunities and our media kit.

Amelia Boone’s journey is about moving beyond the myth of toughness to embrace honesty, presence, and real resilience. In this episode, Rebecca and Amelia dig into what happens when the “Queen of Pain” identity no longer fits, and how facing struggle head-on can lead to deeper growth. Together, they talk about the realities of mental health, the courage to be vulnerable, and the ongoing work of aligning who you are on the inside with what the world sees.
Rebecca & Amelia Discuss:
The origins and impact of the “Queen of Pain” nickname
Navigating eating disorders and OCD as an elite athlete
The pressure to appear tough versus the reality of emotional struggle
The process and risk of going public with mental health challenges
Balancing a demanding legal career with high-level competition
Redefining resilience and toughness in sport and life
Using her platform to advocate for mental health and authenticity
The shift from achievement-driven identity to living with greater presence

Transformative Insights
True resilience is about honesty and emotional openness, not just endurance
Letting go of old identities can create space for real growth
Aligning your inner and outer worlds is a powerful act of self-respect
Vulnerability can be a source of strength and connection

Vulnerable Moments
Amelia’s decision to share her eating disorder and OCD publicly
The fear of judgment and the relief of finally being honest
Admitting that toughness isn’t about hiding emotion, but embracing it
The ongoing challenge of recovery and self-acceptance

Practical Wisdom
How to recognize when an identity no longer serves you
Tools for navigating recovery and building new routines
The importance of community and honest conversation in healing
Why presence matters more than performance

Personal Growth
Amelia’s evolution from world champion to advocate for mental health
Rebecca’s reflections on the value of showing up as your real self
The role of storytelling and open dialogue in breaking stigma
Both guests’ commitment to using their platforms for collective good

Links & Resources
Amelia Boone: Instagram
Eating Disorder Recovery: NEDA

Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by Rebecca’s Private Idaho where adventure, community, and purpose come together in the wild. Join us in Sun Valley for a ride that’s about more than the miles: it’s about showing up for yourself, your community, and the planet. Registration is open at rebeccasprivateidaho.com.

Get Connected:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Substack
Blood Road

Become a Partner:
Interested in aligning your brand with authentic conversations about performance, purpose, and growth? Contact Aerah@RebeccaRusch.com for sponsorship opportunities and our media kit.

Erin Sprague’s story is about transforming personal adventure into collective impact. In this episode, Rebecca and Erin explore what it means to lead with purpose in the outdoor industry, the lessons learned from endurance challenges, and the importance of showing up for the causes and communities you care about—even when the path isn’t clear. Together, they discuss how small moments of awe, resilience in leadership, and a deep connection to wild places can shape a meaningful life.

In this episode, Rebecca and Erin discuss:
Erin’s evolution from Adirondack athlete to CEO of Protect Our Winters (POW)
How running, skiing, and biking shaped her identity and leadership style
The drive to turn personal passion for the outdoors into climate advocacy and community action
Navigating uphill challenges as a woman in sports and business
The power of small, everyday moments—like a walk outside or birdsong—for resilience and presence
Why showing up for your values matters, even when the outcome is uncertain
Building community and collective action through POW and industry partnerships
Lessons from epic adventures and why the “unlock” in life might be found in simplicity
The importance of getting outside, even for just 10 minutes, to reset and recharge

Transformative Insights:
Leadership is about showing up for your values, not just your resume
Small moments of awe can be as transformative as big, bold adventures
Community and collective action are essential for meaningful change
Resilience is built through both epic challenges and everyday presence

Vulnerable Moments:
Erin shares the realities of leading in the climate space when the path isn’t always clear
Honest reflections on balancing ambition, family, and advocacy
Stories of setbacks, uncertainty, and the courage to keep showing up
The emotional impact of connecting with nature and community in difficult times

Practical Wisdom:
How to find meaning in both big achievements and small daily rituals
Tools for building resilience through movement and mindfulness
The value of community in advocacy, sport, and personal growth
Why it’s important to take action, even if it’s just a few minutes outside

Personal Growth:
Erin’s journey from athlete to advocate, executive, and mentor
Rebecca’s reflections on presence, purpose, and the power of wild places
How both use adventure and storytelling to inspire change and connection
The role of honesty and vulnerability in building a purposeful life

Helpful Links:
Protect Our Winters: protectourwinters.org
POW Films: “The Hypocrite” featuring Amy Engelbretson
Erin’s LinkedIn: Erin Sprague
Instagram: @erin_sprague

Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Rebecca’s Private Idaho—where adventure, community, and purpose come together in the wild. Join us in Sun Valley for a ride that’s about more than the miles: it’s about showing up for yourself, your community, and the planet. Registration is open at rebeccasprivateidaho.com.

Support What’s the Rusch
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or post your favorite insight on social media. Your support helps us keep bringing you these honest, inspiring conversations.
Get Connected:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Substack
Blood Road

Become a Partner:
Interested in aligning your brand with authentic conversations about performance, purpose, and growth? Contact Aerah@RebeccaRusch.com for sponsorship opportunities and our media kit.