How We Got Here

[00:00:00] Welcome everyone to the inaugural episode of The Be A Good Wheel Podcast. I'm your host

[00:00:09] Amper Pierce and I'm thrilled to share this journey with you. When I was in college,

[00:00:16] I fell in love with riding bicycles. My crush also happened to be on our club team and

[00:00:21] as I peddled behind him on one of our first rides he said, don't worry, I'm a good wheel.

[00:00:27] He meant that I could trust him to ride safely, but I hope he meant a little more. When

[00:00:34] he added, that's a metaphor for life, my heart soared, no joke I married the man and

[00:00:39] he is absolutely a good wheel. I ended up competing as a professional cyclist for over a decade,

[00:00:46] cultivating skills that made me a good wheel in the world of bike racing. But I also experienced

[00:00:50] firsthand what a difference a good wheel could make both on and off the bike. I've made

[00:00:55] a point to try to pay that impact forward. And in doing so, I've begun to understand

[00:00:59] just how many different ways a person can be a good wheel. This exploration of what it

[00:01:07] means to be a good wheel has long been an informal personal endeavor and here I am. Finally

[00:01:13] putting it all together in a podcast form. In this first season we'll experiment with

[00:01:17] different formats and you can expect a lot of conversations with top performers and

[00:01:20] experts to exemplify what it means to be a good wheel. This episode is a little different.

[00:01:26] It's just me, I've had a pretty non-traditional path and the path that would eventually

[00:01:30] lead me here to this microphone has been anything but linear. In fact it's been more like

[00:01:35] the trajectory of a pinball thrown into a wild array of life experiences by two paddles,

[00:01:41] one being my love for academic inquiry and the other being my love for sport and human

[00:01:46] performance. Today I want to share more about my story, how I got from performing surgery

[00:01:51] on tuna in the open ocean to speaking with you right now, why I'm making this and what

[00:01:57] I hope for you to get from the show. You're listening to the Be A Good Wheel Podcast,

[00:02:03] the show where we explore what it means to be a good wheel by digging in scientific research

[00:02:08] and personal stories about human potential and performance. I'm your host Amber Pierce.

[00:02:17] I wanted to be a lot of things growing up. In kindergarten I had my heart set on becoming

[00:02:22] an archaeologist, I loved to uncover mysteries. By the time I entered college however, I was

[00:02:27] sure I wanted to be a writer. That is until my fascination with the physiology driving

[00:02:32] my performance as a competitive swimmer tilted the scales in favor of a completely different

[00:02:38] trajectory. As a high school swimmer I had set state and national records earning an athletic

[00:02:45] scholarship to attend Stanford University. I had also graduated as valedictorian and earned

[00:02:50] the distinction of being named a president scholar upon admission to Stanford, being one

[00:02:54] of 100 freshman admins to receive an intellectual exploration grant in recognition for outstanding

[00:03:00] academic merit. As thrilled as I was to realize my dream of competing for the nation's top swimming

[00:03:06] program, I was equally if not more eager to explore what the university had to offer in academic opportunities.

[00:03:14] As a freshman in college dreaming of becoming a writer, I was also training 35 to 40 hours a

[00:03:20] week with national champions, Olympians and world champions. It was not just a physical challenge.

[00:03:26] I was studying the physics underlying different swimming techniques and the physiology behind

[00:03:30] different nutritional strategies. We worked with leading experts in every facet of our performance,

[00:03:37] each new insight setting my curiosity of fire. As much as I loved my literary studies,

[00:03:45] I couldn't deny this deep love of science. Even when I officially declared a major in human

[00:03:52] biology, it remained one among many facets of interest. I loved studying the intricacies

[00:03:58] of biological systems, but I'd also wonder at how the behavior of a molecule connected to the

[00:04:03] behavior of the person and the person within more expansive relationships and systems. Biology was

[00:04:09] for me a gateway to exploring the complexity, beauty and wholeness of the human experience.

[00:04:17] My studies in human biology eventually led me to take a course on comparative physiology,

[00:04:21] which introduced me to the fascinatingly wacky array of physiology in our oceans,

[00:04:27] which ignited my curiosity. I decided to pursue a master's degree focused on oceanography

[00:04:33] through Stanford's Earth Systems program. I couldn't wait to immerse myself in learning how

[00:04:37] the unique physics of the earth interacted with the fluid dynamics and chemical properties of

[00:04:42] the oceans to shape the physiology of marine life. But the Earth Systems program had a unique

[00:04:49] approach. It required embracing a 360 degree view of the world's challenges, well beyond oceanography

[00:04:56] or marine science. The interdisciplinary approach of the Earth Systems program applied what you

[00:05:02] might call systems thinking to complex environmental problems. Imagine as an example, you're passionate

[00:05:09] about saving the whales. Sure, you love these majestic creatures, but to have real impact,

[00:05:15] you would need to understand their physiology and ecology, and for example the interplay of these

[00:05:21] with the environment, pressures of whaling and policies affecting whaling. So you would also

[00:05:27] have to grasp policy analysis and the economics of whaling with all the corollary financial

[00:05:33] and political ripples, all of which relate to economics, culture, and psychology of human beings.

[00:05:40] In other words, to make a substantial difference, you have to understand the components of

[00:05:45] and relationships among multiple systems involved, and judiciously apply the scientific method

[00:05:51] in order to intelligently and persuasively problem solve within array of stakeholders.

[00:05:58] This is exactly the kind of thing my brain craves. I was like a kid in the candy store studying

[00:06:03] everything from fluid dynamics, climate modeling, economics, and psychology to cultural anthropology,

[00:06:09] international relations, and policy analysis. I dove into assist on as many research projects as

[00:06:15] I could and ended up authoring peer-reviewed papers and earning acknowledgements on others. I spent

[00:06:20] months at sea conducting research with world leaders in science and got to collaborate with a

[00:06:25] noble laureate in economics. A future in academia seemed inevitable, but I couldn't shake the feeling

[00:06:31] that something was missing. Support for the show comes entirely from listeners like you. Support us

[00:06:39] on Kofi and Patreon to get exclusive content, official be a good wheel merch, and more. We encourage you

[00:06:45] to check out our page on Kofi. Unlike Patreon, Kofi doesn't take a fee, so 100% more support goes to

[00:06:52] the show. Go to kofi.com slash be a good wheel. That's kofi.com.co-fi.com slash be a good wheel.

[00:07:02] For more ways to support the show including on Patreon, check out be a good wheel.com slash support.

[00:07:08] That's be a good wheel.com slash support. If the idea of being a good wheel resonates with you,

[00:07:15] check out the be a good wheel community at be a good wheel.com slash community. The community is

[00:07:21] a virtual membership based organization of like-minded folks keen to continue exploring what it means

[00:07:27] to be a good wheel beyond the podcast. Connect with other folks on topics that go way beyond the

[00:07:32] bike toward meaningful application and fellowship across industries and aspirations.

[00:07:37] Fuel your curiosity and inspiration by joining today. Learn more and join us at be a good wheel.com

[00:07:44] slash community.

[00:07:54] During my graduate studies, I found myself on a commercial fishing boat off the coast of Baja

[00:07:59] performing surgery on live tuna. As a member of the research team, my job was to surgically

[00:08:04] implant archival tags into live yellow fin tuna and release them, effectively turning the fish

[00:08:09] into remote sensing platforms that could collect real-time information as they traverse the ocean.

[00:08:15] Our system allowed the live caught fish to continue respiring through their gills during

[00:08:19] the short surgical procedure all designed to minimize distress to the fish prior to release.

[00:08:25] I would make a small incision insert the tag and close the incision with sutures all in a matter

[00:08:30] of seconds then return the live fish to the sea where it would help us unravel many of the ocean's

[00:08:35] mysteries. The implanted tags could record information about the fish's internal physiology as well

[00:08:42] as about the water in which they swam. From it, we were able to propose a new mathematical method

[00:08:47] for estimating chlorophyll or the plant life forming the basis of the food chain in the water column

[00:08:53] giving us insights into the very lifeblood of the ocean. As much as I relished the science,

[00:08:59] it was on that fishing boat that I first realized my path might lay outside the halls of academia.

[00:09:05] When we first boarded the boat, there was a palpable tension between our team of scientists and the

[00:09:10] crew of commercial fishermen, understandably so. In our field, scientists tend to support

[00:09:15] conservation efforts and fishermen and conservationists often view each other as adversaries when

[00:09:21] it comes to fisheries policy, a well-worn narrative of opposing interests. Or so it seemed.

[00:09:29] At sea for weeks in close quarters, we naturally made an effort to connect and make conversation

[00:09:35] and I found myself captivated by the profound transformation taking place.

[00:09:40] We came to realize that although our positions about fishing and conservation differed,

[00:09:45] our core interests were in fact the same. We all wanted more fish.

[00:09:53] It was an epiphany that changed the entire dynamic onboard.

[00:09:57] Once we recognized our shared desire for abundant healthy populations of fish,

[00:10:02] conversations turned from awkward careful exchanges to open impassioned dialogues.

[00:10:07] It was a turning point that opened my eyes to a crucial realization as fascinating

[00:10:13] and awe-inspiring as science can be, the breakthroughs, the discoveries. None of it mattered

[00:10:21] unless it could be shared outside the laboratory. My true love for science I realized wasn't fueled

[00:10:29] by the science alone but rather the interface, the intersection with the real world where policy

[00:10:34] decisions are made where real change happens. Science in its brilliance needs translators,

[00:10:40] communicators and advocates to bridge that gap.

[00:10:44] Out there on the water, somewhere amid the hum of the engine, the drama of open ocean fishing

[00:10:50] and the exchange of ideas I knew with absolute clarity that I wanted to be such an advocate.

[00:10:56] I didn't know how but I could feel in my bones that my love for science, my fascination with physiology

[00:11:03] had a destination beyond the confines of a lab or university.

[00:11:07] Sure enough, less than a year later the trajectory of my career took an unexpected turn onto a path

[00:11:14] where science, sport and the pursuit of greater purpose would soon converge.

[00:11:21] While conducting my graduate research I began riding my bike to keep fit, I tried running but

[00:11:27] my advisor got so tired of hearing me complain about shinsplints that he gave me his own bike.

[00:11:34] I have a bicycle collecting dust in my garage, it's yours for the love of all that is good please

[00:11:39] take it. So I started to ride my new to me bike along the beautiful coastlines of Monterey, California

[00:11:45] where I was studying. With this as of legendary beauty it was an easy place to fall in love with riding

[00:11:50] bicycles, though I couldn't possibly have known at the time what a dramatic turn my life would take

[00:11:56] as a result of this new hobby. At the suggestion of a fellow graduate student I joined our collegiate

[00:12:02] cycling team, one thing led to another and a year or so later I won the collegiate conference

[00:12:06] championship title and went on to win the collegiate national championship title and overall.

[00:12:11] In less than six months following the collegiate season I won enough races to upgrade to the

[00:12:15] highest amateur category of the sport earning the interest of a professional team based in the area.

[00:12:22] By the end of the season they offered me a contract to raise full time for them the following year.

[00:12:28] Not exactly a path to the academic career that I had envisioned.

[00:12:34] Pursuing a career as a professional cyclist was just about the last thing I could have guessed I

[00:12:38] would be doing after graduating. On one hand it seemed like a weird and wild new adventure.

[00:12:44] On the other it felt like I was coming full circle from my days as a swimmer and my human biology

[00:12:49] degree. I had the chance to extend my learning journey by plunging even deeper into the science of

[00:12:55] human performance and this time the laboratory was out on the open road in international races

[00:13:01] across multiple continents. I had the chance to not just understand the science but to live it,

[00:13:07] breathe it and apply it in the pursuit of peak performance. As a pro I found myself surrounded by

[00:13:13] world-class experts genuine maestros in human nutrition, sport psychology, performance training

[00:13:19] and physiology. On this new path my exploration of leading edge science took the form of dynamic

[00:13:25] discussions about the race we conquered that day or the next block of training. The principles we

[00:13:30] debated weren't theoretical, they were applied in real time in the heat of actual races on which

[00:13:36] our careers depended. I absorbed not only the wisdom of experts but also the lessons of my fellow

[00:13:42] athletes, national champions, Olympians and world champions. It was a surprising revelation

[00:13:48] that the life of an athlete could be such a rich and intellectually stimulating environment.

[00:13:53] Yes, the goal was to train to be the best to perform at the highest level but to train at your best,

[00:13:59] you needed to mine the depths of human knowledge to incorporate the most cutting edge science into

[00:14:04] your athletic practices. My university studies gave me a powerful foundation for applying the

[00:14:11] scientific method and for taking my understanding of physiology to a whole new level in this environment

[00:14:16] but the environment itself opened my eyes to yet another crucial realization.

[00:14:22] I was thriving specifically because I was in a collaborative environment, experimenting and

[00:14:27] discovering alongside other human beings engaged in the same quest for excellence,

[00:14:32] facing many of the same challenges that come with being human. Not only did I relish the translation

[00:14:38] and application of the science but I felt a deeper sense of fulfillment being in conversation as part

[00:14:44] of a living discussion with other people. I knew that I loved science and in particular the

[00:14:49] exploration of the human experience. On the boat, I had realized that I wanted to become an advocate

[00:14:55] in bridging scientific research with real world application. On the bike, I came to more deeply

[00:15:01] appreciate the human aspects of striving and the profound value of dynamic collaborative dialogue.

[00:15:09] For a long time, I had believed that the best performers had figured out a way to perform at

[00:15:13] their peak all of the time, no matter what. I thought their secret was to compartmentalize everything

[00:15:18] and to execute every facet of their training and competition with robot light consistency and precision.

[00:15:25] But living on the road and performing in high-pressure environments with the best of the best,

[00:15:30] I saw a very different perspective.

[00:15:37] I remember being in a race in France, relatively early in my career,

[00:15:40] the young woman who had achieved astonishing results in a breakout performance that year was also at

[00:15:45] the race. I was frankly in awe of what she had accomplished so early in her career. She was always

[00:15:50] so composed of the races and seemed to have everything under control. I never saw her look anything

[00:15:55] other than perfectly confident that year. We were a few days into a five-day stage race

[00:16:01] and we just made it over a series of tough climbs into a valley where the field of competitors

[00:16:06] eased the pace a bit. It was a welcome respite. I reached for my water bottle to take a drink and

[00:16:12] was startled to see this woman ride to the edge of the road, lay her bike down in the grass

[00:16:18] and sit. It was the breakout star. She just stopped in the middle of the race and not even during

[00:16:28] the hardest part. I learned later that she had reached a breaking point and felt too burned out

[00:16:33] to continue. She left the sport soon after the race. Seeing her story unfold drove home what I'd

[00:16:40] begun to realize, even the phenoms and legends of the sport were human beings and like me they

[00:16:46] were all far from perfect facing normal human challenges. On one hand, I found this very reassuring.

[00:16:55] Perhaps being an imperfect human wouldn't disqualify me from achieving greatness after all.

[00:17:00] On the other hand, I had to wonder if the best in the world are not superhuman after all.

[00:17:07] How do they manage to achieve such heights of excellence in the face of human fallibility?

[00:17:14] The longer I raced, the more I encountered moments like this when my deeply held beliefs about

[00:17:19] performance crumbled under the pressure of real world application. I began to realize that things I

[00:17:25] had taken for granted as being true were not facts but assumptions and that, though they seemed

[00:17:31] perfectly logical, were patently untrue and in some cases even harmful. As my experience proved

[00:17:38] more and more of my prior assumptions wrong, I had to question, experiment, and find a different

[00:17:44] way forward. My racing career became a scientific practice of myth-busting.

[00:17:49] I wasn't alone on this path. Olympians, world champions, and other elite performers were grappling

[00:17:56] with similar challenges and questioning the same assumptions. Yet as I spoke with folks of different

[00:18:00] backgrounds and at different stages of their journeys in cycling, there was a common assumption

[00:18:05] that these human struggles were not something that elite performers experienced. Many assumed,

[00:18:10] as I once had, that elite performers could bypass these mundane issues that they had it all

[00:18:15] figured out, or ought to. The reality could not have been further from the truth.

[00:18:22] Even as a professional athlete, I was navigating through challenges constantly learning and evolving,

[00:18:26] and this was the case for athletes far more accomplished than me. What elite performers were doing

[00:18:32] wasn't so much eliminating or bypassing these challenges as learning how to work with them

[00:18:37] to leverage them for learning and growth. I realized that these elite performers were far more

[00:18:43] relatable than most folks might think, not only in terms of their struggles but also in terms

[00:18:48] of their willingness to share what they learned. In launching this podcast, my hope is for you to hear

[00:18:55] from world-class performers and experts, to see yourself reflected in their stories and to feel

[00:19:01] seen and heard. I want you to discover actionable takeaways that resonate with your life and unlock

[00:19:07] new perspectives and ways to navigate challenges. My aspiration is for you to find valuable insights

[00:19:14] that propel you forward on your journey toward unlocking your potential, whether that's in your

[00:19:19] athletic pursuits or other aspects of life. At a deeper level, I hope this podcast contributes

[00:19:25] to a seismic shift in culture not just within the realms of sports and performance but across

[00:19:30] workplaces, businesses and academia. It's about real people facing real challenges,

[00:19:36] coming together and discovering common ground. By finding those shared interests,

[00:19:41] we can anchor ourselves in allyship and collaboration. Personally, I'm thrilled to dive into the

[00:19:47] learning, to explore research and to share these findings with you. I want to engage with the best

[00:19:53] minds and biggest hearts in the world seeking insights that can be transformed into actionable advice.

[00:19:59] Together, let's create a space where knowledge is shared, challenges are met,

[00:20:04] and a culture of support and collaboration takes root. Join me as we explore the intersections

[00:20:09] of science, sports and the boundless potential for positive change. Stay tuned for inspiring stories,

[00:20:16] conversations and reflections that celebrate the transformative power of being a good wheel.

[00:20:22] Thank you for joining us for today's episode. If you loved today's show, remember to subscribe

[00:20:27] and leave us a five star review. TheaGoodWheel podcast is produced by our wizard behind the curtain,

[00:20:32] Maxine Filovong. Find all published episodes and sign up for our newsletter at

[00:20:37] TheaGoodWheel.com. You can also listen wherever you get your podcasts. Support for the show

[00:20:42] comes entirely from listeners like you. Support us on Kofi and Patreon to get exclusive content,

[00:20:48] official Be a Good Wheel merch, and more. We encourage you to check out our page on Kofi. Unlike

[00:20:54] Patreon, Kofi doesn't take a fee, so 100% of your support goes to the show. Go to kofi.com slash

[00:21:01] Be a Good Wheel. That's k-o-fi.com slash be a good wheel. Learn more about how to support us at

[00:21:10] beagoodwheel.com slash support. Until next time, thanks for listening and thanks for being a good wheel.