On the morning of July 11, 2001, I was struck head-on by a Ford Explorer traveling at 40 mph during a training ride before a corporate off-site retreat.

My trauma team was amazed I survived.

That morning, I was training for my first race in a few years, having taken time away from competitive cycling and running to start our family. In a moment, our world was turned upside down and shaken violently.

During my recovery, I began to remove the "rocks in my backpack" that I had been carrying for years. It wasn’t easy, to say the least, and it wasn’t a linear process. It involved taking one pedal stroke or one step at a time.

Several years later, I pinned a number on again and in 2022, I rode my bike across America—with a total knee replacement, no less. In 2023, I rode across New York State on the Empire State Trail in five days.

This year, I'm easting the whole burrito with Unbound XL. I credit my practices in mindfulness, breath work, meditation, and visualization, for aiding my recovery and executive career.

In 2022, I launched the Pause Breathe Reflect Meditation and Coaching app, designed for those new to meditation or those who prefer shorter sessions. It also includes a few sports visualization practices.

Recently, I sat down with podcast guru Rich Roll to share more of my story and the wisdom I've gained over the years. I hope you’ll listen. And if you’re in Kansas in May, I'll be riding in an Open inspired by Jackson Pollock's work.

Keep pedaling, Michael

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Check out Michael's feature on the Rich Roll Podcast! Episode #824 "The #1 Habit for Happiness"

Boundless Coaches: Heather Fischer & Dr. Justin Ross

Instagram: @PauseBreatheReflect & @the.mindful.cyclist