157 - From Spy to Ultra-racer with Leah Goldstein

Switch4Good

Hop on your bike, because this episode is a wild ride. Leah Goldstein is an incredible human who knows no limits. Most recently, she gained fame as the first woman to outright win Race Across America (RAAM). She also happens to be 52 and a plant-based athlete. Before Leah’s decorated pro cycling career, she was an elite commando instructor for the Israeli Defense Force, and prior to that, she became a bantamweight national kickboxing champion at age 17. This woman can endure, but she’s also not immune to the pressures of the world. We cover it all—from her time in Israel to the nitty gritty of her RAAM experience. This is an episode that will leave you breathless and hungry for more.

What we discuss in this episode:

- Shared stories of pro cycling between Dotsie and Leah

- Leah’s experience in the Israeli Defense Force

- Dealing with gender discrimination in the police force

- Deciding to leave Israel and become a pro cyclist

- Struggling to excel for the first time at the age of 30

- Eating disorders in pro cycling

- Nutrition in the cycling world

- Leah’s experience racing RAAM: nutrition, sleep deprivation, hallucinations, and saddle sores

- Giving it all you got and suffering as a journey

- Leah’s strict training protocol

- Getting out of your comfort zone to do the things you want to do

- Leah’s website: https://leahgoldstein.com/

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