Emmy Lan - The Sustainable Speed Playbook Artwork

Dynamic Life Cycles

Welcome to Dynamic Life Cycles, where host Jarrad Connolly shares stories of individuals met along his journey, all while riding and racing anything with two wheels. From heart-pounding races to soul-stirring encounters, join us as we explore the profound human connections and adrenaline fuelled passions that shape our experiences.

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Dynamic Life Cycles

Emmy Lan - The Sustainable Speed Playbook

January 20, 2026 • Jarrad Connolly • Season 1 • Episode 15

0:00 | 53:37

What if success in mountain biking isn’t about doing more but about being more?

In this episode, Emmy Lan joins us to unpack how she balances elite racing with law studies, restaurant shifts, and a life that actually fuels performance instead of burning her out.

We trace Emmy’s journey from cross-country roots to back-to-back U21 Enduro World titles, World Cup experience, and her decision to lean into Crankworx for its variety, creativity, and community. She breaks down her “free-flow” training approach, and explains why flexibility beats rigid plans when you’re juggling midterms, travel, and racing.

The conversation goes deeper into fear management, why enduro feels exciting rather than terrifying. Emmy also opens up about identity, pressure, serving tables to stay grounded, mentorship through programs like Ride Like A Girl, and the surge of Canadian women riders pushing the sport forward.

We talk gear and setup for smaller riders, and lessons learned from teammates, from track walks to dialing race craft to fit your brain, not someone else’s.

If you’re chasing speed without burnout, this episode delivers the playbook: build a life you love, train what matters, and ride with people who lift you up.

Reach out and get in contact with me here.

Share it with your riding crew, hit follow, and tell us where you want to ride, the next chapter starts right now.

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Hosted and Produced by Jarrad Connolly

Emmy Lannon Introduction

Jarrad 0:00

Welcome back to the Dynamic Life Cycles podcast. This week we have Emmy Lan. Emmy is one of the most well-rounded Canadian mountain bikers at the moment. Yes, she did win two under 21 in Enduro World Series. She's also won uh Canadian downhill and in enduro titles. But put all of that aside and we dive a bit deeper. We dive into her lifestyle, the way she balances her work, her studies and her racing, what she's got up to on the road, what she's learnt from her teammates, and where she's travelled and what she enjoys doing outside of racing. So I really hope you enjoyed the podcast as much as I did. And if you get a chance, like and subscribe. It really helps. Thanks. I'm great. I'm great. How did you cope with the rain today?

Emmy 1:06

Um, well, I had school in the morning, so I actually enjoy going to school when it's rainy because I don't get FOMO that I'm missing out on biking as much. So it was good. And then did some admin stuff for biking and just chilled. I was at Pravot yesterday, so took a bit of a rest day.

Riding Pravot And Skill Progression

Jarrad 1:22

I did see that. Yeah. Proveau is such an amazing mountain. And it's like obviously there's so much history behind a lot of the trails over there, but um, yeah, those trails are insane.

Emmy 1:35

Yeah, it's it's I think it's the best downhill in the world, but yeah, I'm a little biased. Um, but I also I I think it's like challenging enough that I'm like always scared when I'm riding Pravel, but like balanced with having fun. I think that's what you're looking for. That's what I'm looking for.

Jarrad 1:52

I I would have to agree. Like, I've been over there a handful of times, and it's always with a fairly big mixed group of writers, um, ranging from like I think the first time I was there I was with Matt Beer and then the Free Radicals and a few others, and you can only imagine how that trip went. And uh I remember chasing Matt Beer down the trail and just thinking this is like insane, yes, like crazy scary. Yeah, but then like chasing a couple of the other boys down, it was like, yeah, it's a full party train.

Emmy 2:25

Yeah, it's so good. I love following like the local, like Magnus and Mark too. Whenever I ride with Magnus and Mark, I like am dropped within 0.1 seconds, but I just think they're so cool riding those things so fast because it's so steep, too. I'm like, how are you going that fast and it's that steep?

Jarrad 2:41

But yeah, and it's like yeah, well, the rest of the world is the same, so that won't feel bad for for that. Like, there's not many people that are gonna keep up with either of those on their home trail. But how how far from Provau were you? Could you you grew up in Comox?

Emmy 2:57

Yeah, I grew up in Comarks, so it's like two hours, I think. But when I was living on the island, I'd go down most weekends, yeah. But um yeah, there's not many downhill trails or riding up island. I guess you could shuttle Mount Washington, but Prava is definitely worth the drive, I think.

Jarrad 3:13

Yeah, I would have to think so. And then I don't know, is there much downhill on like Sirhalem and that sort of area as well, or not really?

Emmy 3:21

I don't think so. I think it's mostly like Enduro pedaling trails.

Jarrad 3:24

Okay.

Emmy 3:24

Um, yeah, like Mount Washington does have some pretty good downhill tracks, and like I would ride those quite a bit in the summer, but yeah, definitely it's like nothing compared to Pravot.

From XC Roots To Racing Identity

Jarrad 3:34

Yeah, for sure. That's that's a pretty hard one to beat on the island anyway. Yeah. So um, yeah, I I wanted to get you on because of what you just posted about transferring mainly into crankworks and that side of things, but obviously what you've achieved in the past, and um everybody understands and knows a lot about your results already, so we don't need to dive deep into those. But one of the the first things I wanted to ask you about is growing up, you were always on bikes, started cross-country, and then transitioned across. How was that? Like, where did that start? Like, how, why?

Emmy 4:14

Well, both my parents are really big mountain bikers, and it's funny because I actually hated biking when I was really young. Like, and I think I hated it because my brother was really good, my little brother was really good, and he was way better than me. And so we'd go on like family rides, and I'd just get dropped, and I think I'm like pretty competitive, so that was like so frustrating. So I actually didn't love mountain biking when I was really young, and then what drew me to the sport was the racing, and so there's the Island Cup series, yeah. Um, and so my mom one day was like, Hey, like just do this one race, like you'll have fun, and so I did the race, and it was so much fun, and I loved that environment of like pushing myself and then surrounded by a bunch of other girls because I'd kind of only ridden with my brother and my brother's friends up until that point. Um, so that was so much fun, and then from there I was like, Okay, I want to race, like this is awesome, and then I started to love biking, and I think it just grew from there, and then I did a few years of cross country and then started doing Enduro, and I was like, Oh yeah, this is that's where this is definitely where it's at.

Choosing Crankworx Over World Cups

Jarrad 5:19

Yeah, yeah, and I think like the whole racing aspect was interesting because I didn't know that side of it. I knew like you had sort of competed against your brother when you were younger. I didn't realise that the racing was the thing that like turned you from disliking to liking it, but it's like funny, I'm on the opposite end of that now and not racing, not in the sense of hating writing, I still love writing, but in the sense of like racing a lot less, and I'm like, everyone asks, they're like, Oh, like, what do you think of racing? I'm like, dude, I miss it so much. Less of the like putting everything on the line and just like taking your brain out of your head, and more about just like seeing and catching up with everybody and the whole social aspect, and it's quite funny. Like, you hear a lot of racers talk about that, and I think it's such an sort of forgotten about aspect of racing, is like, yes, you're all competitors, but 90% of mountain bike racing take XE out of it, obviously. But most of mountain bike racing is against the clock, so as much as you're trying to go as fast or faster than everybody else, it's like such a social sport.

Emmy 6:29

Yeah, and I think that's like yeah, that's so true, and that's why I've come back like full circle to just wanting to do crankworks and Transmadeira because I do just like love being at the events and I love seeing everyone. Um and I don't know, like the World Cups are very like results-based, like you're going to like get a result.

Jarrad 6:48

Yeah.

Emmy 6:48

Um, whereas crankworks and like those things are a bit more on the like social fun, and then it's like a personal like mission of like, okay, what can I do? What events do I want to do?

Jarrad 6:57

Um, yeah, I feel like it's it's kind of such an interesting thing because I feel like over the years it's it's grown so much with crankworks, and it's like I guess it started more as like an exhibition event and something fun to do in the the summer break of World Cups, and and now it's like becoming its own thing. Um and I think it's sort of progressed over the few years with the European events, and now like we've got what where where are they this year? You got Whistler, uh Mount Santana.

Emmy 7:29

Christchurch and Rotarua in New Zealand, so there's the first two, and then yeah, Silver Star, Whistler, and MSA. So it's kind of good places to go.

Jarrad 7:38

Yeah, yeah. Very sort of, I guess a couple local for you, but in the sense of like traveling to New Zealand and and things like that as well. Have you been down there much? Obviously, with the the World Cups, but no, I've actually never been to New Zealand.

Travel Plans, Midterms, And Balance

Emmy 7:51

I've been to Tasmania for the Enduro World Cup there, but um yeah, I've never been to New Zealand, so I'm so excited to go. It's gonna be awesome, I think. Um yeah, but it's a bit my plan is so hectic. I don't but I couldn't avoid it. I have to go to Christchurch in February, and I'm only there for 10 days, and I'm gonna do all the events, and then I have to come back here for midterms. Um, because I have midterms that week. So then I do all my five midterms, and then I go back to New Zealand for Rotorua March 11th, um, after my midterms are done for that crankworks. So it's like an insane plan that I really wanted to go, so I made it happen.

Jarrad 8:28

But yeah, that's crazy. Uh with with studying, what are you actually studying?

Emmy 8:36

Um, I'm in legal studies and I'm doing a minor in communications as well.

Jarrad 8:40

Okay, so pretty important sort of stuff. It's not like you can just like push it aside for a little bit and yeah, no, I I think and like I love school.

Emmy 8:50

Like I love studying the law, and I love my courses right now. Like, I tell people and they're like, wow, that sounds awful, Emmy, but I think I just really enjoy studying. So I also do want to do well in my midterm, so it's like focus on crankworks, get all the events done, like be a mountain biker, and then like fully switch, go back to being a student and like lock in for that.

Jarrad 9:11

But it's it's probably a good little like separation, I guess. Like between the two crankworks events being so close together, if you have a good or a bad, like it separates you from that high and lows.

Studying Law And Loving School

Emmy 9:26

Mm-hmm. It's like a full reset. And I also like that's been my biggest thing is like balance. And so if I like in my mind, if I do not as well at an event at crankworks, it's okay. Like I am still a person, I still have like other things going on in my life um to sort of fall back on. And it like takes a lot of the pressure off for me, which is nice. And it like works, I don't know, in the off season when I'm studying all day or like in class all day. I'm so excited to go biking. Like I like am so excited that I put everything into those rides, and I'm like, okay, I'm gonna do the most on this ride. And then during my ride, I'm like, okay, like I'm kind of over this ride now, I can't wait to go study. Like, it's a good balance of things.

Jarrad 10:10

Yeah, it's really interesting you say that because um, especially about the results and not like putting everything on that one result. I had a conversation or a podcast a couple of years ago with a clinical therapist, and they were talking about the exact same thing about the whole like identity and identity crisis, and the reason I had her on was based on like COVID and no one could go racing, and a lot of my friends kind of lost their identity because of that.

Emmy 10:40

Yeah, yeah.

Jarrad 10:42

And it was like she went deep into like not putting all of your eggs in one basket, and that's what I love about your program in the sense of like well, a couple of years ago, you kind of broke the internet or the mountain bike internet when you raced the the like the two world cups in one weekend, and it's like there's so many cool things that you've done where it's just like um I'm trying to remember what you said in the video, something along the lines of I'm just riding my bike, like it's not hard. And it's like, well, kind of, like you're racing World Cups and you're qualifying for World Cups, and there's obviously a lot of pressure, but that that refreshing attitude I think is quite cool.

Identity Beyond Results

Emmy 11:23

I think I need that, and I think it does come down to like it is just biking, and if you love something as much as like I love biking, you're just gonna like you're gonna go somewhere with it. Um and I always like I just have so much FOMO when I don't do things, which is like a huge problem. But I like being in Europe that year, I remember like our manager being like, Kay like, do you want to do the download or do you want to do the enduro? And I was like, I want to do both. Like, I I don't know. Um, and in my mind it was like I can do both, like the schedule lined up, so I could do both. Like, why can't I just do both? Um, but I don't know, I think I'd I it is good to like tone it back sometimes. That was like a big weekend for sure.

Jarrad 12:05

Yeah, and then that was following a weekend of Enduro as well, because it was like back-to-back weekends, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah, it was insane.

Emmy 12:12

But yeah, no, the balance is like really good. And I also um I'm serving at a restaurant right now. Okay. And that like, I don't know, my parents and like some coaches are always like, Why are you doing this? Like, why do you need to this job as well? But serving is probably one of my favorite things to do, actually, because I go into that restaurant and I like can just fully switch off my brain. Like, I don't have to be like a mountain biker or student or like think about anything important. I just have to have these like mindless conversations, and that is like so refreshing for me. Like, that is really good for me to like reset, and it also just makes me very appreciative of the life that I live. Like the being a professional mountain biker is like one of the most privileged things, I think, in the whole world. Like, it's insane, like it's so cool. Um, and so when I'm working as a server and I'm just kind of having simple, mindless conversations, I'm like, wow, I'm so lucky.

Jarrad 13:04

Yeah, especially it's so funny you said that because especially in like North Van and all places, like pretty much see disguise the mecca of mountain biking, and it's like it's quite funny for you to be like one of the best in the world at what you do, but then on the flip side, it's like you're out there just to having fun and and and serving and things like that. Do you ever get noticed as a server? Like, do people come up?

Serving Tables And Staying Grounded

Emmy 13:30

This is so funny. The other day, someone came in and he was like, like, I I also this is so weird, but I go by the name Emily when I'm serving, so that because I just don't want to think about biking or school when I'm at work. Um, but this guy came in and he's like, Oh, like, how are you liking North Fan? Like, since you moved from the island, and I was like, Oh, it's weird. Like, how does this guy know that? And I was like, Oh, it's good, it's good. He's like, Oh yeah, and like, how's the how's the new dreadnought? And I was like, Oh, oh wow, it's yeah, you really are and he's like, Oh yeah, I've just I've been following your races. Um and I think in North Van there's a lot of mountain bikers, like people mountain bike, and so and there's like not that many restaurants, so if they come into the restaurant I work at, most people are like it's a small community. Um Tippy came in the other day, and some of my other mountain bike friends come in, so yeah, yeah, I do see people.

Jarrad 14:18

Okay, awesome. Yeah, I was like, it'd be kind of for some people, I guess, for the the guy that was asking all those questions, it would almost be surreal because you see so many videos and like all of the Instagram and all of the let's call it fake world, and then all of a sudden you're giving them a plate of food. It's like it it probably feels a bit strange to them because yeah, I don't know. I feel like there's there's one of those things, like yeah, I think so.

Emmy 14:47

And I think it is like good as an athlete and as like I mean, just in the community in general, to like remember that like athletes are more than just an athlete, like they're like a real person. I think it's good for myself to remind myself of that as well.

Jarrad 15:00

Yeah.

Emmy 15:01

Um, that there's like more than just like my results or like the social media, like I'm just a person living. I like to do things.

Jarrad 15:09

I was gonna gonna ask that. Like, do you find because I found this as a coach, uh coaching a lot of k like younger writers and kids and things like that, and then also I guess older writers I found as well, but do you find it with like sort of I don't know what the right word is, whether it's humbling or just remembering like there is other people out there in that sense?

Emmy 15:33

Yeah, for sure. And I think that it's really important to remember that it is a privilege, like the whole being an athlete thing. Like, I always think if the hardest thing I have to do today is intervals, like that is so lucky. Like that people would die for that. Um, but I think it's hard, especially in the mountain bike community, because people get so wrapped up in the sport because it's so fun and it is very consuming, but then you just end up comparing yourself to other mountain bike athletes and people who are doing the same thing, which is really hard because everyone is cool, everyone is doing really awesome things right now, um, in mountain bike industry in general, that it's really easy to compare yourself, but I think it's it is really important to like remember that like what you're doing is really cool and you are really good and you are like an amazing athlete no matter what you're doing. Um but it's hard when you're like comparing yourself all the time.

Comparison Culture In Sea To Sky

Jarrad 16:27

Yeah, for sure. And I think it's interesting you say that because I know a lot of people that live in Squamish and the amount of conversations I've had with non-elite athletes, and just like you're you're recreational, and they're like, Oh, but I saw this person run up like and it's like well, yeah, but they're like paid to do that, like they're and it's like, or yeah, obviously, like you have like uh Remy Matellia or or any of those guys doing like insane lines on these insane rock features, and it's like literally something anybody can go and ride if they wanted. But so yeah, it's it's crazy and interesting that you're almost like trying to step away from that comparison a little bit.

Emmy 17:12

Yeah, that's I this is the I love Squamish riding, but I don't think I could ever live in Squamish for that reason. It's because like I go outside and squamish, I see like 10 professional athletes and like 14 people like doing intervals and sprints, and it's just like a lot.

Jarrad 17:28

Yeah.

Emmy 17:29

Um and I think yeah, it it is so easy to compare yourself these days with like social media and stuff. So it's cool that and I just I do just love, like I just like to have fun. Like um I love biking in general, so I don't really I personally don't feel like I need to compare myself to anyone.

Jarrad 17:48

Um but yeah, nice so talking about that sort of stuff, mentors and mentoring. I know you had a a bit to do with like ride like a girl and and that side of things. What sort of brought that on and and I guess taking a step back from that, what sort of mentors do you have? Like obviously you mentioned your parents and things like that, and where does that go?

Mentors And Building Girl Communities

Emmy 18:11

I mean, yeah, I think that mentors are like so important in the sport and very helpful. Um, ride like a girl. I started, I was like uh eight or nine, no, maybe older, like ten. And Michael Dick was my first mentor. She was awesome. She was super good at cross-country and psychocross. Um, and then Carrie Mark, I think was my other mentor. And then I sort of swapped and I started mentoring some of the younger girls, and it's just a really cool um program because you get to like learn so much and then you get to teach that and sort of pass that on, which I think is cool. Um and I also when I was on the island, I did this event called Connecting Sister Shredders for a bunch of like the younger girls because they're all of a sudden there's a bunch of girls in the valley who wanted to ride, but they like were only riding with guys, and like they didn't really know where they like how to like meet each other. So I had this event and there was like so many girls who wanted to do it. I had a huge wait list and it was awesome because we just like all got together and did some like skills and I did some chatting with them, um, and they all made like really good connections with each with each other. And now they had a bunch of friends to ride with, which was awesome because that's really what I wanted growing up, was like a bunch of girls to ride with. Um But yeah, I think growing up I really looked up to a lot of the girls in the scene who are a little bit older than me, like Julia Long and Lucy Chick. Um they were so cool. And and then there was also like I I think I got pretty lucky with the girls my age, like Gracie is my age and Lily Boucher, um, and Lucy Van Eastern, like I always had a bunch of really cool, fast girls to ride with, which is so awesome. Um Yeah. I think it's important to like, yeah. Surround yourself with cool people.

Jarrad 20:03

Yeah, definitely. And that was gonna literally be another one of my points is like almost like the Canadian girls movement, whatever you want to call that. Like I sort of I spoke about it with Ellie when she was on the podcast, and it's like between like the girls you just mentioned and then a bunch of the cross-country girls, all in that same age bracket. It's insane. Like how like yeah, everybody just sort of came out of like Ellie sort of mentioned the COVID era or COVID boom of like your age bracket. But it's like crazy how many of you came out and you're all like shredding.

The Canadian Women’s Surge

Emmy 20:45

Yeah, which is awesome. And I think it's cool because now the girls who are like 14, 15, they're way faster than me. Like they're insane. Like I think our age group is really good. Like we worked really hard, and like it is cool to see like a bunch of really fast girls, but those younger girls now are like next level, like they're so good and they're so young, which is insane to see. Like that's super cool. And at like Downhill Nationals, um the U17 and U15 girls category was so fast, yeah. And there were so many of them, which was so cool. Like, I think it is just like exploding now, like it's just growing so much, which is cool.

Jarrad 21:23

Yeah, it's interesting because I feel like the whole winter scene of like the girl side of it has been fairly big for a while, and that it feels like a lot of them are transferring into mountain biking. Um, obviously with more resorts and things like that, taking on mountain biking and stuff like that, but it just seems insane like how many, and I didn't realise how many of you were all the same age until I started like doing the research on on Ellie and then yourself, and then obviously with Gracie as well, as you mentioned, like you're all within like what two years of each other, a year.

Emmy 21:59

Yeah, I Gracie Ellie and I are all the same age, and Lily Boucher, um, and Lucy Van Eastern's a year younger. Um, and then yeah, those cross-country girls like Maren and Ella McPhee, they're all my age or a year younger, but yeah, it's crazy. Yeah, it's really cool.

Jarrad 22:16

Yeah, definitely. So, moving on a little bit, I kind of wanted to ask you, like growing up on the island, you sort of mentioned that side of things, and now you've moved over to North Van. How did that feel? Like when where I grew up, it was a pretty similar size, I guess, to probably Nanaimo in the way of population and things like that. Every time I went to a race, I sort of felt like everybody knew who I was to some degree. Um, and by no means I didn't achieve what you've achieved so far, but in the sense of like turning up local events everybody knows and they want to chat and talk. Moving from there across to sort of Europe and and traveling through Europe, how did that feel? Because I feel like back home you're probably a bit of a big fish in a small fishbowl, and then going to Europe, it probably felt the complete opposite. How like did that sort of help or did that change like your mentality a little bit?

Emmy 23:12

Or yeah, that's a cool question. I've never yeah, I think that um going to Europe is just a big event in general, um, for anyone when you're that young. And then also the fact that it's like a World Cup and it's this huge step up in your sport um and just trying to figure things out. But yeah, I think it's like the I mean mountain bikers in general are pretty nice, I think. So no matter where you go, you're gonna like make friends. Um, but at home it's definitely like, oh, you know everyone, it's comfortable, it's familiar. And then Europe, it is way more foreign. And I think one thing I learned the last few years is that I can't, like I cannot be in Europe for long periods of time. Like I just can't do it. Um, and some of the race schedules were weird last few years where I had to be in Europe for like months on end, and it was just exhausting. And I think it is because I I miss people I know well, um, and it's just less familiar. But I think the actual racing in Europe is welcoming, like it's yeah, nice, and people want to see you succeed and they're excited to see you there. And again, there's like a lot of Canadians who are really good, so there's a lot of Canadians at the World Cups, so it almost feels like I don't know, like I go to a race in BC and I see most of the same people that I will see at a World Cup because a lot of them are there, but um yeah, it's definitely a crazy experience, I guess, going to Europe the first time.

First World Cups And Learning Europe

Jarrad 24:44

So, how like when you say it was a crazy experience, like tell me a bit more about that. Like obviously, outside of just like being at the races, like the traveling, the all the experiences, like the lessons and things like that. Like, what what are some of the crazy things that happened?

Privateering To Team Support

Emmy 25:00

Yeah, okay. Well, so the first year I was junior, um, and I went with Gracie to our first World Cup, and it was in um Maribor. I think Maribor was both of our first World Cups, and I just remember it like it is really intimidating. Like everything is huge, everything is really steep, and I was like, whoa, okay, but it was cool having Gracie there because Gracie just has like insane confidence. Oh, yeah. And she's so good. She was just like hitting everything first lap. I was like, okay, I guess we're doing this. Um, and so that was the first World Cup I ever did as a junior in downhill. Um and then I did a few more downhill World Cups that year, and then I did the EWS in Crans, Montana, and it was so fun, and I love that one. And so then I was like, okay, I want to do Enduro. And then I went home and I worked, and I was like delivering pizzas, I think, then in high school. So I saved up all my money and I was like, okay, I want to do all the EWSs. Like that was the sickest race I've ever done. And I made a plan with Lucy Schick, and we were both riding Norcos then, so it kind of worked out, and it was really great having Lucy Shick, because I I think I was 17 then, so I didn't really know what I was doing. I booked flights and I was like, I think we should go here and here and here. And she was like, okay, well, we need to like figure out how to get there and trains and stuff. So she helped me out a lot that year. Um, and I kind of like joke, and a lot of my friends joke that I kind of have more of a free ball program. Like, I don't, I'm not great at like planning things, and I'm not great at like programming. I've also like I haven't had a coach in years. Um, and so my my off-season training is just a free ball program of what I think I need to be doing, and it works out most of the time. Um, but it goes the same for Europe. I kind of just hope that it works out, and it does work out most of the time. So um yeah, and then I mean I only did one year of privateering, really, and then Forbidden picked me up, and then I had people do stuff for me, which was really nice.

Jarrad 27:03

Yeah, it makes life a lot easier. How how was that as a like a separation? Because I feel like it's kind of interesting in the sense of where Enduro was, and then it sort of went almost a bit more privateer-like, and now I feel like it's like in this weird limbo, but then you compare that to the downhill, which is like full-blown factory, like almost motocross, super cross truck type level. Um, like how I guess the question is like, how do you prefer it? Like, do you prefer a bit more of that free-flowing side of things, or do you prefer more of that, like, this is where we're going, this is where we're staying?

Emmy 27:46

Yeah, I definitely think that I prefer a bit more like flow and freedom. But that being said, I don't think I think the level that the downhill world cups are at, you can't really do that full free ball, free-flowing thing. Like, you have to have a certain level of support so that you can focus on the racing because it's at such a high level. And I think Enduro is also at a very high level, but I think it's different where you can totally just privateer and sort of make a more like trip out of it. Um and so I I mean it depends. I think if I was uh to go do a downhill World Cup season, I would want like a pretty structured support system and plan. Whereas if I was gonna go do an enduro World Cup season, I think I would try and keep it a little more loose and keep it fun because that's sort of what Enduro is in my mind. Yeah. Um but yeah, and that's sort of the transition that I'm in now, is that I've I've been on the team for the last few years and it is very structured and it's awesome, and I'm so grateful for it. Um, but now I sort of wanted a bit more freedom to sort of do my own thing and um yeah.

Jarrad 28:51

And that's kind of where the crankworks comes back in.

Emmy 28:53

Yeah, and that's where this season, I mean, this season is like it just comes together bit by bit as I go, but it is coming together. Um and yeah, I kinda I just wanted to do a bit more of my own thing. Yeah, which is cool.

Jarrad 29:06

Yeah, it's like watching like the the breakdown and the recaps of all the the enduro's and and things like that. It was interesting seeing like even like the specialized van and it's like just a regular sprinter versus like a full-blown truck and things like that.

Emmy 29:23

Yeah, like I think if you go um at the World Cups, the downhill pits are insane. Like there's they're so so fancy and expensive looking. Yeah. Um and the enduro World Cup pits are just less so, like it's a bit more chill, a bit more grassroots, like yeah, yeah, it's it's very interesting.

Jarrad 29:42

So talking about that, like you sort of prioritized a lot more of the the enduro over the past few years. Why was that? Like what drew you to the enduro so much more?

Emmy 29:54

Um, I think I just it goes back to just I love biking. Like I just I want to spend as much time as I can on my bike, and that was sort of what Enduro was. It was like a whole day spent on your bike. You get to ride so many different trails. Um, and so I really love that. And I also just don't really like being scared when I'm biking, and downhill's really scary. Like, I every time I race downhill, I get to the bottom of like, wow, okay, nice, I'm alive. Like that was really stressful and scary. Whereas Enduro, I'm not. I think at an enduro start gate, I'm like nervous because I really want to do well. Whereas a downhill start gate, I'm like, oh my god, I hope I survive. So I think I chose Enduro a bit more because uh it was a bit more fun for me.

Jarrad 30:37

Do you actually think it's that much different on the trail? Like when you're on the trail.

Emmy 30:40

Oh, I think so for sure. Like if a downhill world cup at the top of this track, I am like, I'm so I'm doing everything in my power to like keep myself calm because I'm like, this is so scary. Whereas Enduro, I'm like, I know I can ride the trail. Like it's not I'm not like scared for my life. I'm just like, oh, I hope I do well.

Training Without A Coach

Jarrad 30:59

Yeah, interesting. I always I've always had this like internal battle to what is like harder because obviously on an enduro, you're on a slightly shorter travel bike, you s I feel like you're going just as fast as a downhill bike, but less control.

Emmy 31:18

Yeah, see, there's that element of like enduro, you don't really know where you're going also, so it's that scary. Um, but I think I just I don't think about those things as much, and I like to just trust my trust your reaction, trust my instinct, yeah, and the enduro bike. And I don't think I push myself as much on my on in an enduro race.

Jarrad 31:38

Like I'm not yeah, that's true.

Emmy 31:39

Probably because I don't know the trail as well, like I don't know if there's a corner there, like I can't remember. So I'm gonna be a little more cautious.

Jarrad 31:46

Yeah, you can't ride it 110% the whole way down the trail.

Emmy 31:49

Downhill, like I have to I'm like, okay, I have to be like on my game and going as fast as I possibly can.

Jarrad 31:54

Yeah. So that's yeah, that's a fair point. And like, yeah, when you break it down in that way of like the how close you are to the edge, and yeah, I guess like yeah, yeah, it's pretty crazy. Although, like, I know like I spoke about this in a uh a couple of the other podcasts, but like the squamis and duro, yeah, there's like some pretty gnarly features in that sort of yeah, squamish enduro is super and like the World Cups are gnarly.

Emmy 32:21

The enduro World Cups are I wouldn't say it's like I'm just chilling. I'm definitely like still a little bit scared, but um, yeah, and there's that whole like the uphill part in Indo. It's well yeah, that's scary to me too.

Jarrad 32:35

That's scary on a whole different path.

Emmy 32:37

Yeah, it's like yeah, not getting that in downhill.

Jarrad 32:40

So no, well, you'd hope not anyway.

Emmy 32:43

Yeah, yeah.

Jarrad 32:44

So uh talking a bit about that, you just mentioned you don't have a coach. What do you do to prepare for the the World Cups and things like that? Like, how do you prepare yourself?

Crankworx Readiness And Broad Skills

Emmy 32:57

Um, yeah, so I go on a pretty like how I'm feeling basis. Um, but I have worked with coaches in the past. I worked um, but like not for years now, but I know what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm trying to get strong and I'm trying to go fast.

Jarrad 33:13

Yeah.

Emmy 33:14

And I'm not good at people telling me what to do. Like I just don't really work like that. Um, it's better if I can just go to the gym and do what I need to do and go for a ride and do what I need to do. And like, I think that in my mind, if I'm riding as much as I can and I'm going to the gym a few times a week, it's like that's what I need to do. Like, I don't know if there's anything more I can do. Um and so my training program is I mean, there is no training program, I just do pretty pretty free. Yeah, free ball program. Um right now I'm going to the gym three times a week. Um, and I do reformer Pilates, which I think helps a lot.

Jarrad 33:56

Yeah.

Emmy 33:56

Um and then I just ride as much as I can and I like balance that like pump track, downhill, trail riding, um and just everything. Yeah, just everything. And like I do like I like to ski, I like to do other things too. So um but I think now like um I'm because I'm sort of focusing more on other like crank works um and more video projects sort of things, it's l it doesn't need to be as structured. Whereas I know athletes do it, it probably would be good to have like a structured program um and like racing the world cups, especially downhill and enduro. Like you should be like trying to like stick to some sort of plan. Um but I think that's sort of the transition I'm in is like maybe stepping away from the whole structured thing in general, like just yeah, following my own path a bit.

Winter Motivation And Community

Jarrad 34:48

Yeah, definitely. And I know like seeing the way like the events and things like you almost can't be super hardcore structured on one thing. Like if we're talking like hardcore downhill, like yeah, obviously you're gonna do everything you can and so specific, but when you're talking about like crankworks, as you say, you've got pump track, you've got like air downhill, yeah.

Emmy 35:14

There's so many different things.

Jarrad 35:17

So yeah, I can fully fully understand just like getting on and riding and just like doing everything and enjoying it, I guess.

Emmy 35:24

Mm-hmm. And I think the big thing too is when I have worked with coaches in the past, it I get frustrated when it's like, okay, you have to do this today at this time for this long. And that's just not really how my life works. Like I I can't, I just I need to ride when I can ride. Yeah. And that changes on the daily. Like, I'm I'm not gonna be able to ride at 2 p.m. every single day.

Jarrad 35:47

Yeah.

Emmy 35:48

Um, and so it's it's nice to sort of have that flexibility, and I think that works really well for me because then it goes back to the balance thing where like I have school and then I'm stoked to go riding, or I'm like working and then I'm stoked to go to the gym.

Jarrad 36:00

So have you spoken much to other riders that are like sort of crankworks focused riders, like in the sense of like say Caroline or even like Ryan Gilchrist or those sort of people that are I know Ryan's obviously in the E injuru, whatever you want to call that, but like have you spoken to them about what they're doing or um yeah, a little bit.

Emmy 36:23

I talked to Caroline last year a bit, and Caroline actually texted me the other day. She sent me, she said something like it's all in the math, um, and she's laid it out how I can win Queen of Crankworks. I was like, oh nice.

Jarrad 36:36

That's that's classic Caroline, too.

Emmy 36:38

Like, yeah. Um, but I mean, yeah, I think when I have talked to Crankworks athletes in the past, it is like you just have to do everything. You have to be an athlete, like you have to just be athletic, and I think the best way to attain that is just going to the gym and doing everything, like going to the pump track, doing long rides, going for runs, um, doing downhill laps.

Jarrad 37:00

Yeah.

Emmy 37:00

I think crankworks is like pretty broad in your skills and strength. And so just kind of being a good athlete is helpful, I think.

North Shore Crew And Trails

Jarrad 37:08

Yeah, no, I I completely agree for sure. So, how do you keep yourself motivated through winter? Like the past what feels like month has been pretty wet in saying that, like still getting out in riding and things like that. What else do you do? You mentioned skiing. Is there like are you backcountry or are you just mainly in the resorts?

Emmy 37:29

Um mainly in the resorts, and honestly, I actually haven't skied a ton. I actually haven't skied at all this year, but I skied in the past. Um skiing kind of scares me now. But I I think that I mean I'm pretty busy. Like I think I am motivated because when I'm not biking, I'm sitting in a classroom or I'm serving. And so those things aren't necessarily as fun as biking, and I would rather bike in the rain than do those things. So it's like not hard for me to be like, oh nice, okay, we're gonna go biking. And I think there is a really good group of people on the shore in the sea to sky, and that definitely motivates me. There, there's definitely been days this winter where I'm like, yeah, I'm not riding today, like it's pouring rain, and my friends are like, Oh, we're we're meeting in 10 minutes. And I was like, Okay, well, I guess we're going biking in the pouring rain. The FOMO kicks in, yeah, and I can't say no to things, so I mean, there's that as well.

Jarrad 38:23

That's that's so true. Like, literally this weekend it was like I can't even remember what time on Saturday, but it was meant to be like 10 mils of rain in one of the hours, and two hours before one of the boys is like, Oh yeah, we should go riding, and I'm like, I don't know. He's like, Well, I'm going riding, I'm like, Alright, well, I guess we're going riding.

Emmy 38:43

Then, yeah, you can't really say no. Um, so yeah, and I might I mean I I don't really mind the rain, riding in the rain, I guess. I think sometimes I get cold, but if you're with a bunch of people, it's not that bad.

Jarrad 38:56

Like you just you get you get wet, but yeah, it's kind of just if if the if the energy is there with the rest of the group, you kind of forget about it a little bit.

Emmy 39:03

Yeah, it's like totally fine, and the trails are so fun here that I forget about it. And I always like go back to the thing like if the hardest thing I have to do today is bike in the rain, that is so awesome.

Jarrad 39:12

Yeah. I'm living a great life. That's a true point.

Emmy 39:15

Yeah.

Jarrad 39:15

So who who and well I guess two parts here. Like, who are the people that you go to on the North Shore? Like, you obviously grew up on the island, things like that you mentioned earlier. Living over here, who are the main people you're riding with over here?

Bike Fit For Smaller Riders

Emmy 39:29

Um, so I ride a lot with John Moselle and I ride a lot with Lily and Gaza. Yeah, they're like and I mean they're super fit and they do huge rides, so yeah, I definitely feel like I'm training when I'm riding with them.

Jarrad 39:42

Yeah.

Emmy 39:42

Um, and Reese Verner, because he was on my team, he's on my team. Um Reese is like on Lawnsdale, so super close. And yeah, I mean there's I feel like there's you can go to see more, and there's tons of people all the time. Yeah. Um and yeah, Magnus comes over quite. A bit and then I go over to the island to ride Magnus.

Jarrad 40:03

Um then what's your go-to trail on the the North Shore?

Emmy 40:10

Um well I love the shore. Like I've actually never ridden North Van until I moved here like a year and a half ago, and I was like blown away, like mind blown at how good these trails are. Like I I can't even put it into words. Um I don't know. That's a awful question. I love Seymour, I love Frome. Um I definitely Cypress, I kind of I don't know if I love Cypress. I think because I grew up riding Provot, I'm like, ugh.

Jarrad 40:40

Cypress kind of scares me a little bit with the way it's built.

Emmy 40:43

Yeah, same. I don't think I don't feel like I'm a good rider when I'm riding Cypress ever.

Jarrad 40:49

Yeah. I know a bunch of people love it and people are gonna hate on me for saying this, but like I'm a racer and I love going fast, but yeah, Cyprus definitely scares me.

Emmy 41:01

Yeah, if you the thing is that you kind of have to go fast on Cypress, and it's so scary to go fast.

Jarrad 41:06

Like it's full commitment.

Emmy 41:08

Yeah, it is full commitment, and but you can't go slow because the trails aren't necessarily like super technical or hard. They're just you have to go fast. Like that is what you have to do, but it's really scary to go fast. So I don't yeah, I I don't know if I would say I love Cypress, but let's let's call it the training mountain. Yeah, I mean I ride it. So um, but yeah.

Druid Or Dreadnought: Choosing Bikes

Jarrad 41:29

So uh one of the questions, like I was talking to a couple of different people about like you coming on, and one of the things that came up quite a bit was being that you're slightly shorter as a rider. How do you find that with like the bigger Enduro bikes and obviously the downhill bikes? Downhill bikes I find they sort of make them now for shorter riders in the sense of the mixed wheel and things. With Enduro, are you full 29? Are you running mixed or yeah?

Emmy 41:57

I have mixed on all my bikes. Um, and that definitely that does definitely help. I think the dreadnought, I have the Druid and the Dreadnought and the Super Knot, and the Dreadnought is definitely I think the biggest, like I know I feel like it's the biggest for me.

Jarrad 42:11

Yeah.

Emmy 42:11

But it's my daily bike right now. Like I love it. Um and I think you kind of just get used to it. Like I've never I don't know what it like maybe my bike is too big for me, but I'll never know because it's just like I am on the smallest bike they could make.

Jarrad 42:26

Um so it doesn't I don't know if you Yeah, you don't have like almost an option to do it.

Emmy 42:31

Yeah, like it's not. I don't know. Yeah, I actually don't know if what it would feel like.

Jarrad 42:36

Yeah, yeah, interesting. Yeah, it's sort of one of those things that yeah, people were or one of the people that I was talking to was like, oh like ask her like what she does to change, or like, but I guess if you don't know, like you don't know.

Emmy 42:50

Yeah, and I honestly I also will admit this, I am really bad at like bike mechanicking and knowing things about my bike. Um, so I think my bike feels amazing to me.

Jarrad 43:01

And um yeah, it feels like it have you have you had the chance to do much testing and things like obviously with the downhill team and I guess when they were developing the downhill bike and that sort of things. Were you a big part of that?

Emmy 43:16

Mm-hmm. Yeah, we did lots of days testing. I feel like we mostly I mostly did testing on the druid and dreadnought when we were racing it on the World Cups. And that was sort of a big transition, and people were like, and I still don't know what the right answer is, but do I race the druid or do I race the dreadnought at the World Cups? And in BC, I always think that I need to race the dreadnought because it's a bit, it has more travel, it's a bit bigger, and the trails in BC are pretty tech and pretty gnarly. Um and they're pretty like there's not many uphills. Whereas in Europe, um, when I was racing on the druid, I did so much better. I got smoked on my dreadnought, and I think it's because the druid is a bit smaller, so it's like easier to get through those like really tight Euro turns, and the World Cups in Europe for some reason go uphill now, so it was like a lot easier to peddle the druid um on like uphill sprints in the stage. So yeah, it kind of depends. But I got so turned around one year because I was like, I don't know what bike to ride, like I don't know what's going on. Um, but again, I think it's just like it's the rider, not the bike.

Lessons From Teammates

Jarrad 44:19

But yeah, I think so as well.

Emmy 44:21

Like you want to feel good on your bike.

Jarrad 44:23

Yeah, I think yeah, it does definitely come down to a lot of personal preference. And then when you're overseas, do you travel with both the bikes or do you just travel with one?

Emmy 44:32

Well, yeah. I no well, I have my downhill bike and then one trail bike. But I think I I was like, okay, I gotta just pick a dreadnought or the druid. I can't bring both because then I have the option of do I ride this one or do I ride that one?

Jarrad 44:47

Yeah, okay.

Emmy 44:48

And I think I didn't want to think about that. Like I just need to focus on like it doesn't matter what bike I ride, I just but I shouldn't be swapping back and forth, I think, all the time.

Jarrad 44:55

Yeah.

Emmy 44:56

Um, and the thing is that like both bikes are so good. Like the druid and the dreadnought are both insane. Um, but I guess it would just depend on what I'm riding or the track I'm riding.

Jarrad 45:06

Yeah, the style of the mountain type thing.

Emmy 45:08

Yeah.

Jarrad 45:09

For sure. And you you kind of mentioned a few of the teammates and things like that you've had, um, and you still have, I should say. Um, what are some of the cool things you've learned from them?

Emmy 45:19

Well, I love my teammates. I think they're awesome. Like you, if you ask me who inspires me that, like Alex Store, Rhys Verner, Magus Manson, Connor Furan, I think I got so lucky. Like, they're just the coolest people. Um, and I think what I learned from them the most is the whole balance and have fun. Like, we used to do so many other things other than just racing when we'd be in Europe, and I think that was really important for me to just get my mind off racing. Um, and that like, yeah, they are all really well-balanced people and have really cool other ambitions and personality, which is awesome. Um, I remember the first time I went to Europe with the team, we went to Monaco after finale, and that was awesome. And then we went to Dorno, this like dirt bike track outside of finale.

Jarrad 46:10

Yeah.

Track Walks, GoPros, And Prep Styles

Emmy 46:11

Um, and so the boys all like loved it, and they're like, Oh, Emmy, just do it, like it'll be fun. I was like, Oh, okay. That was really scary. And then I can remember that our team manager DuPau was like, Don't go, like, you're gonna hurt the athletes. Like, you guys need to just chill because we had Leo Gang the next weekend, and our chef also, Travis, he was awesome, he was insane. He was like ripping the track. He must have crashed or something and hurt his leg, and then Alex's door crashed and hurt his leg really bad. And so we get to Leo Gang, and Alex is like limping, and Dupel is like, What is going on? Like, what happened to you guys? And then Secret came out that we went to Dorno, but yeah, like just doing things like that was really fun. We went to Venice that year too, in between races. Um, but yeah, I mean, yeah, I think Connor and Alex and Reese and Magnus, they're all really cool people, so yeah, they're all so down to earth and just friendly. And they're just yeah, they're so nice. And I think it's really cool. All of them have such unique styles. Like, if you watch Connor, well, and it's weird because like half my team is on flat pedals, but Connor and Alex, like and Reese and Magnus, they all look so different on a bike, but they all look so good, which is so cool.

Jarrad 47:23

Yeah, like between Connor and then Reese, like they're like some of my favorite riders to watch. Like, yeah, it's it's quite yeah, it's insane. That whole gamble uh like movie segment with Connor. Yeah, like that's like one of my favorite all-time movie segments.

Emmy 47:40

It's I think everyone says that. Um yeah, and it's it's really nice because when I was when I first got on the team, I was 18, I think, and they're all like a bit older than I am, and just being the only girl, I was like, oh, this is a little scary. And our first trip was to Medina in Australia, and I remember like being in the airport, being like pretty nervous before that trip because it was like my first team, first like time going to Australia, all these new people. I was like, oh god, this is really scary. But um, yeah, I couldn't have asked for better people for that um experience.

Jarrad 48:13

Yeah, I think they they understand like what to do, when to do it, and then when somebody new comes into that fold, yeah, it's like there's no rejection. Yeah, they're just the nicest people. Yeah.

Emmy 48:29

Yeah, and I did learn a lot, like I don't think I ever GoPro'd until I got on the team, and then I remember being in Australia and Reese and Alex, and everyone was GoProing, and I was like, oh, I should probably be doing this. And then like, same with like checking lines, like I learned so much from them on track walks, and I would never track walk an enduro race before I was on the team, but Alex track walks like every stage. Oh wow, yeah, which is insane. Sometimes I can't do it because I'm just tired, but Alex and Reese both have their like walking sticks, and at every race, they'll like walk every stage.

Jarrad 49:03

Yeah, which is insane to think like to be able to walk that far a couple of days before then racing.

Emmy 49:12

Yeah, like the day before. Sometimes Alex would be out there hiking, and I'm like, man, I and so sometimes I do it with him on the shorter stages, and it's good because you can like see your lines, but um, and it definitely works for Alex, and it's cool, like I expose all his secrets, but he used to like draw out the like tracks on paper, which is cool. Um, and I think that like really works for him, but it's interesting how I kind of learned throughout the years that I I don't know if that works for me because then I'm like thinking way too much about the track at the top of a Nenduro stage, and then I'm like messing up on the stage. Whereas if I'm just riding how I ride and like flowing with the trail, I do so much better. I think.

Jarrad 49:51

Yeah, I I feel like I'm somewhat the same.

Emmy 49:54

Like I'm you would rather just like flow with the trail.

Start Gate Calm And Rituals

Jarrad 49:57

Yeah, like I definitely want to know my points. Yeah. So like I definitely want to know if I'm coming to a hairpin and I need to change gears, or like there's let's say it's a four-minute stage, but there's only like five major features, whether it's like a hairpin or a drop or whatever, the rest of it I know I can ride at like 95 to 98% of my skill ability without like freaking myself out. Yeah, yeah, and then yeah, like it's interesting because then yeah, one of my other really good friends is is like the same in the sense of like he needs to be able to see all the different things, watch the video 10 times.

Emmy 50:36

Yeah, exactly.

Jarrad 50:36

Yeah, and like I don't know, I feel like you just get too far in your head.

Emmy 50:40

Yeah, I definitely get too far in my head. I think it's just a unique thing for each person, you gotta do it differently your way, but yeah, yeah. I learned a lot from my teammates though, for sure.

Jarrad 50:52

Yeah, that's pretty awesome. So um, I guess before we start to wrap this up, um I've completely mental blanked on what I was gonna ask you. Um oh, at the top of the trail, like you mentioned at the top of the trail, uh you sort of were trying not to get too much in your head. What are some of the things you do to break that down?

Emmy 51:15

Um well I always I like to do hamstands at the top of a race run, gotta like loosen things up a bit, flow. I also this again, like this sounds so bad, but I have no warm-up routine. Like I don't I get to the top of a racetrack and I kind of just do what I think I need to be doing and what feels right. Um and I also this is another weird thing, but I I can't I used to get way too hyped up, and I think this is classic, like I think a lot of athletes eventually learn this, but yeah, I used to listen to like I don't know, rap or like some I don't I don't know, EDM, and I just get way too hyped at the top of tracks and then just explode. Um and so I started listening to classical piano music because I love piano. Um and I used to play a lot as a kid. My dad is a really good piano player, and so listening to the classical piano sort of like brought me back to that, which was cool. Um and yeah, that kind of made me a little more calm. So I think my main goal at the top of a race is just to like find some peace and calm. Yeah. To sort of like keep me locked in rather than like hyping myself up. I think I'm like a pretty hyped up person in general. I don't need to be more hyped up. Um so yeah, just trying to be calm. I think that's the main goal.

Jarrad 52:31

Yeah, interesting. Yeah, it's sort of like trying to level and clear your head, I guess, more than like actually, as you say, like you don't need to be any more amped up. You're about to drop in.

Emmy 52:42

Yeah, like I I I don't think anybody at the top of roll track in my mind should be a little bit like hyped up and like anxious and like nervous. Like, yeah, I don't need the like I don't need more.

Jarrad 52:53

Yeah.

Emmy 52:54

I need to like step back a little bit and just like chill out. Um but yeah.

Closing Thanks

Jarrad 52:58

No, that's fair. Yeah, it's interesting, like hearing all the different sort of starting procedures of like what everybody does differently and how they do it, and like talking to like Gracie and the music she's listening to, and then obviously you mentioning what you're doing and um yeah, just like so many different aspects of it. It's like it's cool to hear everyone's mental prep sort of thing with that. So yeah. Well we're almost at an hour, so yeah. Thank you for coming in and thank you, it was fine. It's awesome. Thank you.

Emmy 53:33

Yeah, of course. Awesome.