Dabbling In Paddleism Podcast

E51: Emily McNeil & Trey Reaves - 2026 Everglades Challenge Champs

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Trey Reaves and Emily McNeil, two highly accomplished paddlers who just came out on top in the 2026 Everglades Challenge. After meeting both of these characters in the 2023 Yukon 1000 it was great to sit down with them together and chat about how they both came through for each other in a solid team win in the EC. We cover so much in this episode from the supportive paddling community around Kansas City as well as the Water Tribe, the choose your own adventure aspect of the Everglades Challenge, treacherous aspects of the EC that set this race apart from others, navigation, in-race birthday celebrations, hallucinations and sleep deprivation strategies, and the bond developed between two paddlers suffering together. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Emily and Trey themselves on this 51st episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Emily’s book recommendations: The Pursuit of Endurance, by Jennifer Pharr Davis: https://a.co/d/0dUrnct0 Emily’s Social: -FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1869413446655700

E50: Jennifer Fratzke - Ultramarathon paddler, coach, & podcaster

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Jennifer Fratzke, ultramarathon paddler, coach, and podcaster. We cover so much in this episode from the Sea Paddle NYC, the MR340, the importance of the mental aspect of training, fishing as a cross training activity, power napping for performance, the Seventy48 race, YRQ, Alabama 650, paddling for vengeance, the Adirondack Canoe Classic, hypothermia, her coaching work and philosophy, the importance of focusing on technique, the 90% Mental Podcast and Natasha Haine and Jen Kilpatrick. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Jennifer herself on this 50th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Jennifer’s book recommendations: How Bad Do You Want It?, by Matt Fitzgerald: https://a.co/d/0bpfsPEK Endure, by Alex Hutchinson: https://a.co/d/0c8gaKSK Endure, by Cameron Hanes: https://a.co/d/0eeo3PPy

E49: The Sleep Deprivation Episode

So this episode is going to be a bit different as I not only have one or two guests, but a cornucopia of them. Back in the early episodes of the show I asked paddlers to reach out to me if there were specific topics they’d like me to cover and this episode is courtesy of Chuck Scheidt reaching out. His question was, “how do paddlers get themselves rested for a race? In particular the two weeks (or weeks) leading up to the event.”So to answer his question, I polled 14 of the top paddlers out there to share their experiences. And if you liked this episode and have a different question you’d like me to tackle, please reach out. There were quite a wide array of strategies shared from doing nothing at all to scientific and intentional approaches, but I’ll let you hear it from the paddlers themselves on this 49th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… A big thanks to all of the paddlers that made this episode possible!! Lindsey Tilton, Trey Reaves, Mirko Prufer, Brandon Grundy, Ryan Gillikin, Jake VanLue, Esther Wheeler, Jeremy Stanton, Michelle Bousquet, Sean Lougheed, Lauren Andersen, Salli O’Donnell, Paul Cox, and West Hansen.

E48: Jon Frith - Yukon 1000 Race Director

This is the law of the Yukon and ever she makes it plain. Send not your foolish and feeble. Send me your strong and your sane. This is the Robert Service poem my guest today recites minutes before paddlers begin the Yukon 1000. In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Jon Frith, U.K. Army veteran, adventurer, expedition leader and guide for wounded veterans, and race director of the Yukon 1000. We cover so much in this episode from his entry into adventure sports via his military career, his innate desire to empty the tank, how the Yukon brings him back year after year, the story behind him becoming the Yukon 1000 race director, racer selection, his race support partner Andy, behind the scenes look into directing the race, how the race touches and reshapes paddlers for the better, talk about a Yukon 2000 race, the record setting source to sea trip on the Yukon, his work guiding wounded veterans down the river, and a sorrowful memorial to a great paddler Ian Huntsman. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Jon himself on this 48th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Jon’s book recommendations: The Long Walk, by Slavomir Rawics: https://a.co/d/0imC1LGQ Yukon 1000 website: www.yukon1000.org

E47: Mike Malone on Coaching, Crewing, Training, & Technique

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Mike Malone, veteran, paddler, crew support extraordinaire, and paddling coach. We cover so much in this episode from his early days as an elite swimmer, why he gravitates to coaching and crewing ultramarathon paddling over competing, pitfalls crew support often fall into, tips for getting out of in-race funks, approach to training with focused sets and focused speeds rather than simply logging miles, his journey to discover the best paddling technique to maximize speed and minimize risk of injury, future growth of ultramarathon paddling, getting kids involved in the sport, Last Paddler Standing, and 10th Life Kayaking. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Mike himself on this 47th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Mike’s contact info: paddleferal@gmail.com 10th Life Kayaking - https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18PYP21SCK/