In this episode I sit down with Anders Johnson — professional track cyclist, former pro mountain biker and Xterra triathlete, and Stanford researcher – to talk about what happens when a physics brain falls in love with going fast in circles. Anders grew up in a tiny Utah valley surrounded by ski resorts, found his way onto some of the best development teams in mountain biking, and now splits his time between chasing LA 2028 and working on cutting-edge research at Stanford, including the ELITE VO₂ max genetics study and a large-scale cardiovascular health app.
We get into how his physics and math background shapes the way he trains, races, and thinks about numbers without becoming a prisoner to them, why he races so little and cares so much about the day-to-day process, and how surfing, campfires, and getting back on the mountain bike refill his mental tank. Anders also opens up about a year marked by deep personal loss, what that’s done to his sense of meaning and success, his views on religion and spirituality, and why he’s trying to stay playful and bring joy into every room he walks into—even while aiming at the biggest goal in sport.
Anders’ Studies: https://elite.stanford.edu/people/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Anders’ IG: https://www.instagram.com/andersjohnson35/
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