This powerful in-person episode of What’s the Rusch was recorded live at the Outside Festival in Denver, where Rebecca Rusch is joined by legendary swimmer, author, and speaker Diana Nyad. Famous for her record-breaking swim from Cuba to Florida at age 64—after four failed attempts and 35 years of persistence—Diana shares more than a story of grit. She opens up about resilience, reinvention, the importance of awe, and what it really means to live a life without regrets.

From pushing physical limits to rewriting what’s possible at any age, this conversation dives deep into the psychology of endurance, the value of failure, and the beauty of evolving with each chapter of life. Diana’s voice is clear, bold, and unflinchingly honest as she reflects on personal trauma, the pursuit of legacy, and the softening that comes with wisdom.

Whether you're staring down your next big dream or simply trying to remember that it's not too late, Diana’s story is a masterclass in finding purpose, holding onto passion, and daring to begin again.

In this episode, Rebecca and Diana talk about:

1. Why true endurance is more mental than physical—and how it applies to life beyond sport
2. How failure, not success, built Diana’s legacy
3. What it takes to dream big, assemble a team, and come back after defeat
4. Why aging is not a limitation, but an invitation to rewrite your identity
5. The role of awe, nature, and connection in fueling purpose
6. Diana’s powerful reflections on her relationship with her mother, personal trauma, and healing

Transformative Insights:

1. “Courage to fail” is more valuable than a perfect track record.
2. The physical body may falter, but the mind’s will can carry you to the shore.
3. Endurance is a human quality, not an athletic one—it lives in all of us.
4. Sometimes the longer path is the one that leads to the deepest growth.
5. The goal isn’t always to win, but to show up and discover who we are.

Vulnerable Moments:

1. Diana reflects on her childhood sexual abuse and how it shaped her drive.
2. She shares the regret of not being more forgiving to her mother—and the healing that came just before her passing.
3. She opens up about living with intensity and learning, even at 75, to soften.
4. Rebecca shares how a concussion changed her relationship with movement, identity, and purpose.

Practical Wisdom:

1. "Be in the arena.” The critic on the sidelines doesn’t count.
2. Learn to pause: sometimes slowing down helps you see more clearly.
3. Don’t buy into age limits—dreams have no expiration date.
4. Use awe—nature, connection, challenge—as a gateway to meaning.
5. Start where you are. There’s magic in beginning.

Personal Growth:

1. Diana’s shift from ego-driven achievement to team-centered leadership
2. Letting go of perfection and embracing authenticity
3. The never-too-late power of second (and third) acts
4. Being curious as you are wise—staying in the game with intention
5. Turning adversity into your greatest strength

Helpful Links:

1. Diana Nyad’s website
2. EverWalk Foundation
3. “Find a Way” by Diana Nyad

Sponsor: Momentous

Use code RUSCH at livemomentous.com...

In this episode of What’s the Rusch, Rebecca Rusch shares an intimate and inspiring conversation with Dr. Hebah Hefzy—a neurologist, mother of three, first-generation Egyptian American, and the first Muslim woman to complete the Western States 100 in hijab. A true trailblazer, Hebah's story is about far more than sport. It’s about rewriting the narrative, being a visual representation, and living with confidence and comfort in her identity.

Together, Rebecca and Hebah explore the intersections of identity, faith, visibility, and wellness. From struggling to run a single mile during her medical residency to finishing one of the world’s most iconic ultramarathons, Hebah’s journey is a powerful reminder that transformation doesn’t require perfection—it requires courage.

They dive into what it means to show up authentically and how she’s navigating life as a single mother, endurance athlete, and physician. Hebah’s voice brings vulnerability, warmth, and strength to conversations on cultural barriers, representation, and the importance of doing hard things to grow.

Transformative Insights

1. Owning Multiple Identities – Why claiming every part of who you are can be a radical act of self-love.
2. Running as Transformation – How sport became Hebah’s entry point to confidence, health, and spiritual growth.
3. Redefining Representation – The impact of showing up visibly in male-dominated and non-diverse spaces.

Vulnerable Moments

1. Hebah recounts the discrimination she faced wearing hijab as a medical student post-9/11.
2. She opens up about the guilt and exhaustion of raising three young kids while navigating medical residency.
3. A turning point: a patient calls her out for not practicing the health habits she preached—sparking a wellness journey.
4. Hebah shares the weight of representing an entire community on the world’s biggest endurance stage.

Practical Wisdom

1. How to build fitness and confidence from the ground up—even in your 30s with no athletic background.
2. The importance of showing your children that your well-being matters too.
3. Creative ways to fit training into family life—like running circles around a cul-de-sac or the soccer field.
4. Why doing something hard on purpose prepares you for life’s unexpected challenges.

Personal Growth

1. Hebah’s evolution from doctor to mother to athlete—and finally claiming the title of athlete out loud.
2. Learning to slow down, rest, and recognize that doing “nothing” can be deeply healing.
3. Why your identity is allowed to evolve—and how embracing change can unlock your greatest self.
4. Reframing visibility as opportunity: showing up publicly in a hijab and transforming perceptions of what an athlete looks like.

Helpful Links

1. Dr. Hebah Hefzy GU Athlete Profile
2. Hebah's Instagram

Sponsor: Momentous

Thank you to GU Energy for fueling Hebah and Rebecca’s adventures! Use code RUSCH20 to get 20% off your order of $49 or more at https://bit.ly/WTR_GUEnergy

And thanks to our partner Momentous. Listeners of What’s the Rusch get 35% off their first subscription with code RUSCH at

In this vibrant episode of What’s the Rusch, Rebecca Rusch welcomes artist, writer, cyclist, and creative trailblazer Lisa Congdon. Known for her bold use of color and voice as an artist and activist, Lisa didn’t start her art career until nearly 40—proving that it's never too late to uncover your calling. In this candid conversation, Lisa and Rebecca explore what it means to build a life you love from scratch, why imperfection is essential to creativity, and how movement and meaning are inextricably linked.

Lisa opens up about the vulnerability of starting over, navigating self-doubt, and the hard-won freedom that comes with aging. From living as a broke aspiring artist to becoming a renowned creative entrepreneur and elder Gen Xer with a powerful voice in the cycling and art worlds, Lisa’s story is an inspiring reflection of reinvention, identity, and enduring curiosity.

Together, Lisa and Rebecca discuss how to use our creativity to not only express ourselves, but also to make change—and why embracing flow, community, and self-defined success is the real masterpiece.

Show Notes:

In this episode, Rebecca and Lisa discuss:

1. Building a thriving art business from the ground up in her late 30’s without formal training
2. What cycling gave her that art didn’t—and vice versa
3. How community and connection power both endurance and creativity
4. The emotional and physical impact of aging and identity shifts

Transformative Insights:

1. There’s No Perfect Time to Begin: Lisa’s story reminds us that it’s never too late to become who you’re meant to be.
2. Imposter Syndrome Can Be Conquered: Success doesn’t eliminate self-doubt—but it can be dismantled with age, experience, and intention.
3. Movement and Art as Medicine: Both cycling and creativity offer essential healing, especially during times of physical or emotional recovery.
4. Redefining Success Through Values: Knowing your values gives you a compass to navigate the choices that shape your life.

Vulnerable Moments:

1. Lisa recalls the early years of building her business while struggling financially and feeling insecure about her skills.
2. She shares the deep impact of imposter syndrome even as her fame and recognition grew.
3. Lisa and Rebecca reflect on the emotional and identity shifts that come with physical injury, aging, and transitioning careers.
4. Lisa talks about the fear—and eventual freedom—of slowing down post-knee replacement and how art carried her through.

Practical Wisdom:

1. Flow Follows Familiarity: Mastery brings presence—when you know your tools, whether a paintbrush or a bike, you can get lost in the moment.
2. Set Boundaries to Preserve Joy: Lisa’s shift to a 4-day workweek helped her rekindle her love for art—and for life beyond work.
3. Make Space for Play and Recovery: Whether in creative practice or physical pursuits, recovery time is essential to long-term joy and success.
4. Use Your Platform for Good: Lisa uses her art to raise awareness, fundraise, and share values—because creativity can be activism.

Personal Growth:

1. Lisa’s evolution from broke, self-taught artist to respected voice in the creative and cycling worlds.
2. Embracing elderhood as a Gen Xer and using life experience as power.
3. Letting go of external validation and instead aligning with personal values and joy.

Links:

1. Lisa Congdon Website:...

In this episode of What’s the Rusch, Rebecca reconnects with longtime friend and fellow endurance athlete Travis Macy. Known for his career in ultra-endurance racing, bestselling books (The Ultra Mindset and A Mile at a Time), and coaching, Travis brings a powerful story of transformation shaped by sport, fatherhood, concussion recovery, and caring for a parent with Alzheimer's.

Together, Rebecca and Travis reflect on two decades of friendship, racing, and the evolving meaning of success. They explore how legacy, grief, and deep love fuel purpose—how presence, not podiums, can be the true marker of achievement. Travis shares raw stories from his journey through burnout, concussion recovery, and the emotional terrain of navigating his father’s memory loss while raising kids of his own.

From redefining impact to embracing play, this conversation is a powerful reminder that life’s deepest challenges can also offer the most meaningful connections—and that being still can sometimes be the bravest move of all.

Transformative Insights

1. Legacy Through Connection – Why Travis defines success not by accolades, but by the emotional depth of his relationships.
2. Redefining Impact – The shift from measuring success by breadth (likes, downloads, podiums) to depth (personal meaning and contribution).
3. Healing Through Storytelling – How writing, podcasting, and fiction helped Travis process grief and share his truth.
4. Slowing Down to Speed Up – The unexpected clarity and growth that comes from rest, reflection, and nervous system regulation.

Vulnerable Moments

1. Travis opens up about the emotional toll of his father’s Alzheimer’s and the grief of “losing someone while they’re still here.”
2. He shares how concussion recovery forced him to stop, re-evaluate, and rebuild from the inside out.
3. Rebecca and Travis exchange stories of personal loss—including Rebecca’s mother and father, and Travis’s beloved teammate Emma Roca—and how grief fuels their present-day purpose.
4. Travis reveals his inner battle with perfectionism and how he’s learned to embrace nuance, playfulness, and uncertainty.

Practical Wisdom

1. Impact Isn’t a Metric – How to reframe success in your career, sport, or creative work through personal resonance, not just reach.
2. Navigating Identity Shifts – Tools for evolving from athlete to author, or competitor to coach, without losing your sense of self.
3. Coaching with Heart – Why Travis emphasizes emotional intelligence and long-term growth over PRs and watts with his clients.
4. Building Rituals for Presence – From stopping mid-run to take in the view to daily gratitude reflections, Travis shares practices that ground and restore.

Personal Growth

1. Letting go of all-or-nothing thinking around athletic identity.
2. Using nature, storytelling, and parenting as daily teachers.
3. Discovering spiritual connection through plant medicine, meditation, and flow.
4. Embracing midlife reinvention not as a crisis, but as an opportunity to build deeper meaning.

Links

1. Travis Macy Website
2. Books: A Mile at a Time & The Ultra Mindset
3. Instagram
4. Skimo Gold Podcast

In this episode of What’s the Rusch, Rebecca Rusch connects with her longtime friend, world-renowned photographer and filmmaker Corey Rich. Known for hanging off cliffs with a camera in one hand and a story in the other, Corey reflects on a life built around capturing raw, authentic moments—in sport, in nature, and in the human spirit.

Their conversation is a journey through decades of friendship and creative partnerships from adventure races in the jungles of Borneo to documenting Rebecca’s earliest endurance cycling records. But it’s also a reflection on how we build something that lasts— a creative business and a meaningful legacy through work, family, and community.

Corey opens up about the evolution of his career, the pressure of running a production company, and the deeper questions that come with success: What are we really building? Who are we building it for? And how do we stay aligned with our values along the way?

This is a conversation about how we evolve, how storytelling changes us, and how slowing down can illuminate what really matters. Corey shares intimate reflections on burnout, parenthood, vulnerability, and why showing up with curiosity and care might be the most radical act of all.

Whether you’re a creative, an entrepreneur, an athlete, or someone navigating your next chapter, this episode will leave you thinking differently about presence, pressure, and purpose.

Transformative Insights:

1. Authenticity Over Aesthetics: Why Corey values honest, photojournalistic images that capture real emotion over curated perfection.
2. Evolving the Craft: From dirtbag climber to commercial director, Corey shares how staying curious and committed to his values has shaped his path.
3. Presence Is the Point: “We design our lives”—Corey discusses how meaningful moments often emerge when we stop chasing and start savoring.
4. Legacy Through Story: From his daughter to his community park project, Corey explores what it means to create impact beyond accolades.

Vulnerable Moments:

1. Corey opens up about questioning his purpose during high-pressure projects and dreams of simpler lives during times of stress.
2. He talks about showing his photos to his mom as a personal litmus test for emotional truth—and the rarity of images that truly “move the needle.”
3. Rebecca and Corey reflect on aging out of peak performance and how identity shifts can feel both liberating and confusing.

Practical Wisdom:

1. “Work really hard. Be easy to work with.” Corey’s no-nonsense creative philosophy for success in high-stakes environments.
2. The Importance of Community: Building a local bouldering park and bar wasn't just a lifestyle choice—it was about building culture and connection.
3. Storytelling as a Family Practice: How nightly story circles at the dinner table are shaping the next generation of creators.
4. Business with Heart: Why mission-driven brands and intentional culture matter more now than ever in creative work.

Personal Growth:

1. Corey discusses designing a life rooted in curiosity, play, and contribution—not just productivity.
2. His shift from documenting others’ stories to helping the next generation shape their own.
3. Letting go of external validation to find satisfaction in impact, intimacy, and shared experience.

Links:

1. Corey Rich | Website
2. The Story Behind the Images | Book

In this deeply insightful episode of What's the Rusch, host Rebecca Rusch sits down with Dr. Allen Lim, renowned sports scientist, entrepreneur, coach, and founder of Skratch Labs. Allen’s journey from a young, curious cyclist to one of the most influential figures in human performance is a testament to the power of curiosity, connection, and care. Through a raw and heartfelt conversation, Allen and Rebecca explore the intersection of science and emotion, performance and play, and the relentless pursuit of meaning in sport and life.

Dr. Allen Lim’s journey is one of contrasts; balancing external validation with self-acceptance. Growing up as a latchkey kid in LA, cycling became both an escape and a calling, leading him from city streets to the Olympic stage. His early kitchen experiments fueled his passion for performance science and led to the creation of Skratch Labs. Inspired by the 1984 Olympics, he believes sport is a unifying force and now focuses on "creating luck" and fostering environments where athletes thrive. Through personal loss, including the tragic passing of Moriah Wilson, he’s learned that connection and play are just as vital as performance. As he prepares for the 2028 LA Olympics, his message is clear: the Games won’t change athletes’ lives, but their impact can inspire the world.

Transformative Insights:

1. Being Seen vs. Being Enough – The shift from seeking external validation to embracing self-worth.
2. The Importance of Connection – How relationships, mentorship, and community shape success and well-being.
3. Lessons from the Kitchen – How meal prep, family dinners, and cooking for others became foundational to Allen’s philosophy on life.
4. Balancing Ambition with Acceptance – The tension between striving for greatness and realizing that what we have is already enough.

Vulnerable Moments:

1. Allen opens up about his childhood experience of exclusion and how it shaped his commitment to building bridges.
2. He shares the trauma of losing Moriah Wilson and the simple human need for comfort and companionship in grief.
3. Rebecca and Allen reflect on the pressure of high achievement and learning to let go of the fear of not being “enough.”
4. Allen talks about the weight of responsibility in leadership and business and how he learned to trust his team.

Practical Wisdom:

1. The "Making Luck" Philosophy – Why success isn’t just about hard work, but about creating environments where people can thrive.
2. How to Build a Vision of Greatness – The importance of articulating your purpose to stay aligned in moments of doubt.
3. Tools for Play & Performance – How bringing joy and competition together leads to better outcomes in sport and life.
4. The Dinner Table Rule – Why tracking who you share meals with can be a more meaningful measure of success than work achievements.

Personal Growth:

1. Allen’s transition from scientist and coach to nurturer and community builder.
2. The realization that true leadership is about care, not control.
3. Learning to embrace contradictions—beauty and terror, ambition and stillness, winning and losing.
4. Finding freedom in play, laughter, and human connection.

Links

1. The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership – A guide to leading with authenticity and awareness.
2. Zingerman’s Guide to Building a...

In this heartfelt episode of What’s the Rusch, host Rebecca Rusch sits down with Maureen Kolenyo, Regional Director of East Africa for World Bicycle Relief, transformational leader, and mother of five. Maureen shares her incredible journey from corporate powerhouse to purpose-driven changemaker, revealing how a simple bicycle can unlock safety, education, and opportunity for girls across Africa.

Together, Maureen and Rebecca explore the deep inequities in education access, the overlooked power of community-based solutions, and what it really means to redefine success later in life. From navigating male-dominated boardrooms to rising before dawn to prioritize wellness, Maureen’s story is one of grace, grit, and lasting impact.

As a powerful advocate for gender equity and rural development, Maureen is proving that leadership is not just about what you achieve, but about what you lift in others. Her voice is a rallying call to rethink our legacy, reimagine retirement, and move through life with purpose, connection, and heart.

Transformative Insights

1. The bicycle is a tool for mobility that is transforming access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity across rural Africa.
2. Why Maureen left a 26-year corporate career to pursue lasting community impact.
3. Redefining success after 50 by letting go of the pressure to win and embracing a more holistic, human-centered definition of achievement.
4. Why relationships—not just results—are the currency of sustainable leadership.

Vulnerable Moments

1. Maureen opens up about being unaware of rural poverty in her own country until witnessing it firsthand during COVID.
2. She shares the emotional story of a mother whose daughter’s new bicycle meant she could finally sleep peacefully at night.
3. Rebecca and Maureen dive into the pressure women face to choose between motherhood and ambition—and how to build a life that honors both.
4. Maureen reflects on hitting burnout, and how learning to rest became her ultimate act of strength.

Practical Wisdom

1. How to lead with empathy, clarity, and shared purpose.
2. Engaging men, communities, and families to champion girls’ education and create cultural change from the ground up.
3. Wellness is a part of wholistic leadership practice including the role of movement, morning routines, and boundaries in staying grounded.
4. Why trust and generosity are the foundation of lasting influence.

Personal Growth

1. Maureen’s evolution from task-driven corporate leader to holistic, impact-centered changemaker.
2. Embracing health and stillness as core values—not luxuries—in a high-demand life.
3. Leading by example for her children, showing that failure, like not finishing a marathon, can still be a proud win.
4. Maureen’s reflections on legacy and how she’s shaping a retirement defined by service and joy.

Links

1. World Bicycle Relief
2. Be Good Foundation – Rebecca’s Nonprofit
3. Rebecca’s Kilimanjaro Ride for WBR (Video)
4. Follow Maureen Kolenyo on LinkedIn

Sponsors – GU Energy Labs &

In this deeply introspective episode of What's the Rusch, host Rebecca Rusch sits down with world-renowned photographer, explorer, and endurance athlete, Chris Burkard. Known for capturing some of the most remote and untamed places on Earth, Chris reveals the deeper motivations behind his relentless pursuit of adventure.

Chris shares his journey from being a self-taught photographer living out of his car to becoming a globally recognized storyteller. But beyond the accolades, he opens up about the emotional and personal costs of chasing the extreme—from burnout to the challenges of balancing ambition with family life.

The conversation takes a profound turn as Chris recounts his experiences in endurance cycling, including his grueling Tour Divide ride, the life-changing winter fat bike expedition across Iceland with Rebecca, and his recent darkness retreat, where he confronted himself in total isolation. He reflects on the lessons of stillness, the importance of asking for help, and how he's learning to embrace a new kind of adventure—one that prioritizes presence over achievement.

This episode is a raw and real look at the internal and external landscapes we must navigate to find true fulfillment.

Transformative Insights

1. How extreme environments expose the rawest versions of ourselves.
2. The power of endurance sports in stripping away emotional armor.
3. Learning to let go of external validation and redefine success.
4. The role of stillness and self-reflection in preventing burnout.

Vulnerable Moments

1. Chris opens up about his struggles with burnout and the pressure to constantly achieve.
2. His raw reflections during the Tour Divide, where he questioned why he was racing for validation instead of presence.
3. His unexpected realization during the darkness retreat—where he found answers to questions he hadn’t even thought to ask.
4. The internal conflict of being both a devoted father and an explorer constantly drawn to the wild.

Practical Wisdom

1. How to embrace discomfort as a tool for growth—without losing yourself in the process.
2. Strategies for balancing high-performance goals with personal well-being.
3. The importance of asking for help, even when it feels unnatural.
4. How to cultivate presence in everyday life—not just in extreme environments.

Personal Growth

1. Chris’ shift from chasing validation to finding joy in the process.
2. The realization that the most powerful stories aren’t about conquering landscapes, but about personal transformation.
3. Learning to replace achievement-driven identity with a sense of internal fulfillment.
4. The ongoing challenge of balancing ambition, creativity, and family life.
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Links

1. Chris Burkard - Official Website
2. Chris Burkard on Instagram
3. Chris Burkard on YouTube
4. Sky Cave Darkness Retreat

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