#390: Hannah Otto -- "Kokopelli Strong", Setting the FKT on the Kokopelli Trail!!

·1 hr 14 min·5 clips

Hannah Otto just set the FKT on the Kokopelli Trail in 11 hours 15 minutes, a place that changed the host's life.

This episode of Like a Bigfoot features an interview with professional cyclist Hannah Otto, who recently set the FKT on the Kokopelli Trail from Moab, Utah to Loma, Colorado. Host Chris Ward introduces the trail as a sacred place that changed his life, having run it in a stage race and filmed a movie there. Hannah explains she chose the Kokopelli for its diverse terrain and challenge, detailing sections like the climb out of Moab, Rose Garden Hill with its steep ledges, and the flat, demoralizing Rabbit Valley. She describes her first attempt, which failed by 15 minutes due to snow, frozen water, and headwinds, leading to hypothermia and frostnip. Her second attempt succeeded with a mindset shift from 'ignorance is bliss' to 'knowledge is power', leveraging lessons from the first experience. Hannah discusses mental strategies like staying present, using mantras like 'I wonder', and the psychological boost of a smiley face on her handlebars based on a scientific study. The conversation covers the FKT community's supportive nature, with advice from previous record holders, and contrasts it with competitive racing. Hannah talks about the vulnerability of being filmed for 'Kokopelli Strong' and the importance of sharing stories of failure and perseverance. The host shares how the trail helped him process grief over seven years, emphasizing the desert as a 'land of time and space' for self-reflection. They explore themes of personal growth, the trail as a living entity, and how such challenges build perspective for future endeavors. The episode concludes with Hannah's experience winning Leadville in 2022 with a separated shoulder, illustrating the power of surrendering control.

As heard by us

A Kokopelli Trail bike FKT becomes a conversation about racing past prediction.

Like a Bigfoot's conversation with Hannah Otto turns her Kokopelli Trail FKT by bike into a broader look at what changes when an athlete stops treating prediction as a ceiling.

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Why you'd press play

You want a trail story where a Kokopelli FKT opens into a conversation about risk, limits, and adventure.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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