Dabbling In Paddleism Podcast

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Chris Issendorf, legendary ultramarathon paddler and 1st ever overall solo champion of the Texas Water Safari in 2026. We cover so much in this episode from seeking out hard things in life, learning from failure, paddling technique, the Ausable River Marathon, Chris’s training evolution, finding the perfect solo boat for the Safari, intentional mental training, the importance of training camps, the story behind him racing solo in the 2026 Texas Water Safari, and the pursuit of perfection. And if you’re enjoying the show please share it, follow it, or visit dabblinginpaddleism.com to find archives, what’s coming soon, a book club tab with guest curated reading recommendations, and ways to support the show through merch, memberships, and more. Of note, we did this episode in 2 takes because we had so much to talk about and that’s how it’s going to be delivered to you in two episodes. There’s so much more to this show, a 1st of a two part series, but I’ll let you hear it from Chris himself on this 66th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast…

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down again with David Miller, ultramarathon paddler and owner of Rowdy Racoon Paddling and Racing Solutions. We cover so much in this episode from how to build a kayak, an intro into boat modifications and repair, working with carbon fiber, custom trailers, Rowdy Racoon, balanced yokes, under stern versus over stern rudders, his new invention the Ski Dash, and Party Possum. And if you’re enjoying the show please share it, follow it, or visit dabblinginpaddleism.com to find archives, what’s coming soon, guest book recommendations, and ways to support the show through merch, memberships, and more. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from David himself on this 65th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Rowdy Racoon Website: https://www.rowdyracoon.com/ Rowdy Racoon IG: @rowdyracoonracing David’s FB: https://www.facebook.com/david.m.miller.58 David’s email: damichaelmil@gmail.com Ski Dash weight: 8oz

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Esther Wheeler fresh off of her amazing performance in the Race to Alaska finishing in 21 days, 1 hour, and 30 minutes and more impressively being the first ever female to complete the race solo and she did it under human power only. We cover so much in this episode from the Proving Grounds, otters, orcas, and humpbacks, managing fresh water supply in salt water conditions, navigating tides, currents, and rapidly changing weather conditions, camping safely in extreme tidal conditions, making decisions based on instincts versus technology, generosity from strangers, Cape Caution, taking time to feel emotions, and racing for a once a week shuttle. And if you’re enjoying the show please share it, follow it, or visit dabblinginpaddleism.com to find archives, what’s coming soon, guest book recommendations, and ways to support the show through merch, memberships, and more. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Esther herself on this 64th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Esther’s book recommendations: -Where the Light Gets In, by Ben Crowe Race to Alaska website: https://r2ak.com/

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with his brother, firefighter, and ultramarathon paddler, Bradley Thomas who is fresh off a 4th place male solo finish at the 2026 MR340. We cover so much in this episode from never really paddling to spring boarding into the Yukon 1000, the science behind zone 2 training, the challenges of 24 hour shift work when training for ultras, hitting rock bottom 20 miles from the finish line of a 1000 mile race, the MR340, the Race Owl app, creatine karaoke for sleep deprivation, being inspired by crew and the paddling community, the pitfalls of trying something new on race day, and as many Big Lebowski quotes we could manage to fit into one episode. And if you’re enjoying the show please share it, follow it, or visit dabblinginpaddleism.com to find archives, what’s coming soon, guest book recommendations, and ways to support the show through merch, memberships, and more. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Bradley himself and this Little Missouri Urban Achiever on this 63rd episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Bradley’s book/podcast recommendations: -Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer -The Long Walk, by Slavomir Rawicz -The Meateater Podcast Episode 641: 15 Years of Living Off the Land in Alaska

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Andrew and Kathren Hansen of Hansen Family Services paddle racing safety support team. Andrew is an ultramarathon paddler, volunteer firefighter, and race safety extraordinaire and his wife Kathren started out crewing for him in ultramarathon races and now is part of his race safety team. Just as a short side note we recorded this in 2 sessions and Kathren joined us for the 2nd recording, so I wasn’t prepared to give her a proper intro like I do all of my guests, so that is the reason why the sole focus is on Andrew at the beginning of the show. We cover so much in this episode from racing against yourself, the California River Quest, the Gorge Downwind Champs, SeaStrike machines, race safety training, and being prepared for the worst and unexpected. And if you’re enjoying the show please share it, follow it, or visit dabblinginpaddleism.com to find archives, what’s coming soon, guest book recommendations, and ways to support the show through merch, memberships, and more. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Andrew and Kathren themselves on this 62nd episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Hansen Family Services IG: @Hansen_Family_Services www.rpams.com https://k38rescue.com

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Jessie Gladish, Canadian Yukon resident, ultramarathon racer of many disciplines and climates, and director of the 2026 Yukon River Quest. We cover so much in this episode from hiking the Chilkoot Pass at age 7, the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra in minus 48 degree temps, the Iditarod Trail Invitational, hazards of the Arctic in winter, a behind the scenes look at directing the Yukon River Quest, a call for and importance of volunteers, and of course the standard book recommendations. And if you’re enjoying the show please share it, follow it, or visit dabblinginpaddleism.com to find archives, what’s coming soon, guest book recommendations, and ways to support the show through merch, memberships, and more.There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Jessie herself on this 61st episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Jessie’s book recommendations: -Polar Dream, by Helen Thayer -Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell -Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen -Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer -Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer racedirector@yukonriverquest.com volunteers@yukonriverquest.com YRQ IG: @yukonriverquestofficial Jessie's IG: @jessiegladish YRQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18vyLPUSua/?mibextid=wwXIfr YRQ website https://www.yukonriverquest.com

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Bernard Moyersoen, ultramarathon paddler and adventurer out of Belgium, who is the back-to-back-to-back solo kayak champion in the Yukon River Quest from 2024 - 2026. We cover so much in this episode from expedition paddling in Venezuela, downriver marathon paddling in Scotland, the Loire 725 and Dordogne Intégrale, YRQ race strategies, the pull of the Yukon, and epic training plans. And if you’re enjoying the show please share it, follow it, or visit dabblinginpaddleism.com to find archives, what’s coming soon, guest book recommendations, and ways to support the show through merch, memberships, and more. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Bernard himself on this 60th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Bernard's book recommendation: La Riviere Esperance

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down again with Sean Lougheed, but this time as a solo guest. Sean is a Canadian ultramarathon paddler and Yukon 1000 alum who just took 1st place in the solo canoe division of the 2026 Yukon River Quest and came in just 11 minutes off of record time. We cover so much in this episode from the fire that the Yukon 1000 lights within, longevity in ultra paddling, positive impacts paddling communities can support, risk versus safety equations, flexibility and recovery, heat and hallucinations, the importance of safety checks, reflections on the Yukon Flats, and brainstorming ways to deepen the dot watching experience in ultra racing. And if you’re enjoying the show please share it, follow it, or visit dabblinginpaddleism.com to find archives, what’s “coming soon”, guest book recommendations, and ways to support the show through merch, memberships, and more. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Sean himself on this 59th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Sean's YRQ Trip Report: https://slougheed.substack.com/p/2026-yukon-river-quest Sean’s book recommendations: -Love Big Country, by Mark Fletcher -Reading the River, by John Hildebrand

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down again with Rod Price out of Florida to catch up on more of his paddling stories as well as a 2026 Suwannee 230 race. We cover so much in this episode from his recent class win in the Everglades Challenge, learning from DNFs, the Pea River Race, setting world records in a dragon boat, hazards from sturgeon, and the Rod’s 2026 Suwannee 230 race recap. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Rod himself on this 58th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Rod’s books: -If you’d like to order any book Rod has authored he is offering a 2-for-1 deal. To get the deal reach out to him at rodbprice@hotmail.com.

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Candi Hill and David Miller to chat about their back-to-back mixed tandem victories and course record for the Suwannee 230. We cover so much in this episode from couch to the MR340, the Kansas/Missouri paddling community, going from never met to racing an ultra the next day, navigating swamps, how electrolytes can affect paddling technique, double vs. single blading, sturgeon vs. manatees, and the Pea River race. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Mike himself on this 57th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Candi’s book recommendations: -Can’t Hurt Me, by David Goggins David’s book recommendations: -Voices on the River, by Walter Havighurst

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Steve Schnarr of Missouri River Relief and the sitting Race Director of the MR340. We cover so much in this episode from the community-centric programs Missouri River Relief provides and how they transform lives as well as the river, the story behind MRR becoming involved with the MR340, how the race has evolved over the years, the MR340 culture of sharing, hallucinating robots, volunteerism and unsung heroes, the Reaper, and the innovative approaches paddlers take to get to the finish line of the MR340. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Steve himself on this 56th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… -Missouri River Bookshelf (on Missouri River Relief website) - https://riverrelief.org/resource/mo-river-bookshelf -Missouri River Relief - https://riverrelief.org/ -MR340 - https://mr340.org/ -Documentary about 2022 MR340 ”Chronicle – Race for the River” by KMBC in Kansas City - https://mr340.org/mr340-documentary/ -Missouri American Water MR340 Facebook Group (soon to be renamed MR340 Community) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/188849561244166 Missouri River Relief Social Media -Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/missouririverrelief -Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mo.river.relief/ -YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/MissouriRiverRelief

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with David Horkan, Irish ultramarathon paddler, adventurer, guide, and coach who just came in 3rd place K1 in the Vohondu Marathon in Estonia. We cover so much in this episode from getting started paddling at a young age through canoe polo, crossovers between show jumping horses and kayaking, the importance of consistent practice, the Liffey Descent, the Devizes to Westminster the race that changed his life, the Irish paddling scene and community, his attempt at the fastest solo circumnavigation of Ireland, the 2026 Vohondu Marathon, preparing the mind for ultra endurance efforts, the Irish Wildwater Racing Series, low intensity versus high intensity training, and guiding and coaching. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from David himself on this 55th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… David's Contact Info: -IG: @dhkayaking -Website: www.dhkayaking.com David’s book recommendations: -The Pacific Alone, by Dave Shively: https://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Alone-Untold-Kayakings-Boldest/dp/1493058436/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1#detailBullets_feature_div -Fearless, by Joe Glickman: https://www.amazon.com/Fearless-One-Woman-Kayak-Continent-ebook/dp/B00MJD6QE0/ref=sr_1_1?crid=NHN81GYTJUNC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.a1zMLJJt6jZL9AZBUy-Gbtb67J33fd_M4Wo6rxKCgVU.57HEJ8S4IBF7J94sIkOYTkvJOOfLukEueYvf2o9EEqQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=freya+hoffmeister+joe+glickman&qid=1778632136&sprefix=freya+hoffmeister+joe+glic%2Caps%2C416&sr=8-1 -A Voyage for Madmen, by Peter Nichols: https://www.amazon.com/Voyage-Madmen-Peter-Nichols/dp/0060957034/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3OGZ4F003K6QI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.IMVwQe9OQTea81Npl7ah097PG6PQ0RfbJRW3F94PEcqRoSEPoSmE7cKKYdL86E6pAJO-XE_meIlXRiBLEvqrabQVrOeQmYpQxwDpT73b9-V6aXLCphJGo_qb4KWcVqgR.EBxRkGSG362zGTIZU8TBdlHYD1T0lWfVyioswFCro2c&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+voyage+for+madmen&qid=1778632259&sprefix=a+voyage+for+madm%2Caps%2C208&sr=8-1

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Kendra Leibel & BeaV Vollhaber two adventurers and ultramarathon paddlers with a preference for unsupported challenges. I first want to give a shoutout to Joseph Gerard who suggested I interview these two last year. We cover so much in this episode from wing nights to backcountry Alaska living, the Everglades Challenge and the Water Tribe, resume building portages, the history of the Voyageurs Highway and the Kruger-Waddell Challenge, paddling under the Northern Lights, navigating by map and compass, seeing penguins in Florida, the importance of a positive attitude and mental fortitude, and the life changing impacts of ultra distance paddling. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Kendra and BeaV themselves on this 54th episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Kendra’s book recommendations: -Beyond Grit, by Cindra Kamphoff: https://a.co/d/0gNGTSsH -Woman of the Boundary Waters, by Justine Kerfoot: https://a.co/d/0d0tiNsG BeaV’s book recommendations: -My Side of the Mountain, by Jean George: https://a.co/d/03YmdD6F Links: www.bwca.com www.watertribe.com

In this episode, Chris Thomas sits down with Matt Taylor and Bobby Johnson, two elite ultramarathon paddlers out of Alabama and Florida, respectively, who have won back-to-back Suwannee 230 titles in ’24 and ’25 as well as the 2025 Alabama 650 as a team. We cover so much in this episode from learning from failure, the Texas Water Safari, broken boats that bring a team together better than Flex Tape, stomach issues and ultimatums, rescuing cats during the Suwannee 230, the Alabama 650, getting stuck on the same dock 2 years in a row due to storms, and paddling to win but more importantly to have a great time in the process. There’s so much more to this episode, but I’ll let you hear it from Matt and Bobby themselves on this 53rd episode of the Dabbling in Paddleism Podcast… Also, I just recently launched a website where you can find archives of all episodes on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, see what’s coming down the pike in the “coming soon” section, and you can find a fully curated list of recommended reads from each guest that has come on the show in the Book Club section. You can find all this at dabblinginpaddleism.com. Bobby’s book recommendations: Endurance, by Alfred Lansing - https://a.co/d/02uEzQlv Matt’s book recommendations: Books by Rod Price - https://www.rodpriceadventure.com/home/rods-books/

In this episode, Chris Thomas gives his firsthand account of the 2026 California River Quest including the conditions, boat selection, and challenges along the course. Additionally, he discusses ways in which listeners can support the show at www.dabblinginpaddleism.com via a new merch store, membership opportunities that come with custom gear that only members will have access to, as well as donations. Website: www.dabblinginpaddleism.com Gear mentioned on this show: -Solite neoprene boots -NRS neoprene pants

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

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

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.

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

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/