Alison Jackson: Paris-Roubaix Winner, Pro Cyclist + Content Creator

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From growing up on a bison farm to winning the 2023 Paris-Roubaix Femmes, Alison Jackson is now known for more than just her world class wins. The pro cyclist with UCI Women's WorldTeam EF Education–Tibco–SVB has also gone viral on TikTok.

In this episode, she joins host Andrew Vontz to talk about what it took to become the champion of the biggest one-day race in the sport and shares the powerful role storytelling, social media and dance play in her life as an athlete and in life.

Alison has come a long way thanks to her unique blend of humor and athletic intuition. When she was younger, she trained in triathlons and ran competitively, even attending the University World Championships in Uganda. After committing to cycling, she quickly made moves to the top and represented Canada in the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Following her wins in both the Canadian National Road Race Championships and the Canadian National Time Trial Championships, Alison finished 6th in the women's road race at the 2021 UCI Road World Championships in September 2021.

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Choose the Hard Way is a podcast where guests share stories about how hard things build stronger humans. Sign up for the newsletter to get the story behind these stories updates and more. If you’d like to suggest a guest or say hello, DM @hardwaypod on social or send an email to choosethehardway@gmail.com.

Host Andrew Vontz has spent more than 25 years telling and shaping the stories of the world’s top performers, brands and businesses. He has held executive and senior leadership roles at the social network for athletes Strava and the human performance company TRX. His byline has appeared in outlets like Rolling Stone, Outside magazine, The Los Angeles Times and more.

Today he advises and consults with businesses and nonprofits on high-impact storytelling strategies and coaches leaders to become high-performance communicators. Find him on LinkedIn or reach out to choosethehardway@gmail.com

In This Episode:

Alison Jackson Instagram | Team Website

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• TRANSCRIPTION

  Andrew Vontz 0:01

  All right, cool. So before we get going, I have no idea if you're familiar with my podcast or me, but my podcast is about how hard things build stronger humans and how the hard things in life are often the best things. And I was a journalist for over a decade early in my career, I interviewed people like Daft Punk, Kanye West, Samuel L. Jackson, wrote a lot about cycling as well. And then later, I was the head of content at TRX training and human performance company. And then I was an executive at Strava. I was there for about seven years. And yeah, and I've been doing this podcast for five years, I have all kinds of people from all kinds of different backgrounds on I've had a lot of cyclists on recently, I've been interested in cycling, on bikes with gears for about 35 years. So it's like a personal passion of mine. And I watched, I watched you win Perry Roubaix with my four year old daughter and my son who's six, and they were super stoked, and I really wanted to have you on. So I'm grateful that you made time to do this. And I also know that you've done like 5 million interviews at this point about that race. So this is probably going to be slightly different. You know, I would really, we're also we're going to do a second interview with me and Spencer Barton, I host a pro cycling podcast with him called Beyond the peloton. And we're going to be interviewing you and I think about two weeks. And we're just going to talk entirely about racing and bike stuff on that one on this one. We'll also probably get into bikes, I think. But I really would just, you know, like to get to know you better share more about you and your background with my audience and life on the farm as well. I'm very excited to get into it. So yeah, so before we get started, are there any? Do you have any questions or just want to rock? I'm ready to go. Yeah, yeah. Cool. All right. So How tired are you of doing interviews at this point?

  Alison Jackson 2:10

  Yeah, well, um, I mean, I love storytelling, really. So. So I know for sure. I've accepted more interviews and podcasts and probably most people would, because I really do just love like, yeah, sharing stories, you know. But also, it is such a great moment for me. If we can relive it this? That's cool. Do it. Yeah, it is a I've had to start I really had to, I've had to say no to quite a few just to spread it out. Because yeah. It's been a full full schedule.

  Andrew Vontz 2:41

  Yeah, I bet. What have you not gotten to talk about on podcasts? Or in all the interviews that you've done following the race that you're actually interested in talking about?

  Alison Jackson 2:54

  Well, I mean, most of them have been very specifically about Perry bass, we kind of talking about the day and, and what it's like and then but I mean, it's really interesting, like, anytime you get an interview with someone who is really engaged in that, or like, do a good job, they like, read about you and pick up on different things. And then, and then, I mean, I think I live quite an adventurous life. So I've got a lot of I've collected a lot of stories already. So like, I always, yeah, it's, you know, the more times you tell a story, you can, like, you can take the same story, but tell it with different lenses, you know. And so sometimes it's kind of been fun for me even to process like my way in, or some of the things that kind of built up to this moment through just like, yeah, picking out different stories or whatever. So yeah, I guess like, we'll see what we get into it, though.

  Andrew Vontz 3:46

  Yeah, totally. Do you feel are most of your adventures that you've had in your life? Are they related to sports? Or they happen in other domains?

  Alison Jackson 3:54

  Yeah, I think in well, in a lot of different domains, I mean, sport has taken me to a lot of like, really cool and interesting places all around the world. Even like, when, yeah, before when I was in university, and as a triathlete, and in traveling to different places for competition, or I mean, the only time I've been to Africa was for university World Championships, cross country running, and we went to Uganda. So it's like, it takes like three it took it was three, four hours of like travel to get to Uganda. We had two nights there, raced and then came back. So it was almost like, and then another 34 hours of travel, so it was almost like more travel time than it was being in Uganda. But it's like just these wild experiences that way, you know, when you get to live the moments you just got to like, soak it up while it's happening. So, I mean, a lot of that is due to sport. A lot of it is also just due to like my personality of wanting to say yes to opportunities, and then and seeing where it goes

  Andrew Vontz 4:59

  with that person. a jeweler trip. How did you prepare for that?

  Alison Jackson 5:04

  We also it's like going Uganda, it was also like quite high elevation. I think we were racing that like 1700 meters or something like that. So then yeah, you go from Europe, right? Like, as a student in university, you don't have all the resources to either prepare for altitude or even like the heat training stuff or whatever. You just kind of go and hope for the best, you know, paces a little a little. conservatively, and then yeah, hope for the best. But I mean, part of the whole thing was like, I mean, I was really just excited to go to a new plays have this opportunity. And I mean, a lot of times, you don't know what you're going to be met with. But there was also it was really cool. Back in an area in my like, Home Church, there's this family that had moved to Uganda, honestly, in the city where I was going. So that's also something that's really cool. But like traveling in the world is like the you almost know, the world is small that you might know people and all these like very random sort of places stuff. Hey, that was pretty cool.

  Andrew Vontz 6:08

  Do you remember how you felt at the end of traveling for 32 hours to get there to run in this meet?

  Alison Jackson 6:15

  Oh, well, I was young back then. Was I 2024? I don't know. But oh, actually, one of my super powers as a human is being able to sleep anywhere at any time. So for a traveling athlete, when you have to sleep on planes or in transit, or, you know, different beds, different temperatures, different pills, or no pills, or whatever. I do really well. So for me, yeah. And I think also I thrive on like the spirit of new or the spirit of adventure. So when you get there, yeah, I very can very easily switch to, to whatever time zones have a great sleep for the eight hours that I need. And then and then just be excited about what you can get up to during the day. So for me, that was pretty good. I think. Right? When I got there, I was just excited to meet the other people go for a run, see what the course is, like, try to figure out a way if we could see giraffes or any other kind of African wildlife while we were there. Yeah, maybe when I got back to Canada after the like, long travel there, and then on the bat, the back end of it when you also don't have to have the pressure of performing for any event, then maybe there was a little bit of like a crash there. Maybe I was grumpy for about a day and then carry on.

  Andrew Vontz 7:43

  What was your pre race meal?

  Alison Jackson 7:46

  Oh, well, in Uganda. You remember actually the night before the race. The mayor of the city wants to invite us all to this like dinner party before but we have to race like pretty early in the morning and we're all you know kind of jet lagged and tired. But we go to this this like campground almost place with this like dinner, but then they're having all these performances and it's getting late and it's dark. It's like 9pm We still haven't eaten yet. And then we finally get to go to this buffet, but there's no lights. And they're just like dishing out these like big pots like almost like a big stone tall pot. You have no idea what's in there. We've, we take out a phone, turn on the flashlight to look the first part that we look at. It's just all these fish heads looking up at us. But I'm pretty sure there was not much meat or anything there. But there was like five different types of of plantains you could eat. Could be mashed plantain or a fried pan plantain or? Yeah, big plantain. So that was the main, the main substance of our dietary plantains.

  Andrew Vontz 8:56

  And you mentioned there was a family from your church that was living in this community. Did you go to church growing up?

  Alison Jackson 9:02

  Yeah, for sure. In my small town and in Canada, that was a big part of my family life and upbringing in the country.

  Andrew Vontz 9:11

  Were you in the choir?

  Alison Jackson 9:14

  My dad didn't quite have it like. Yeah, nope. But I did play piano and would play that church sometimes.

  Andrew Vontz 9:23

  Were there drums in your church? Like was there like a drum set?

  Alison Jackson 9:27

  That's true. Yeah, yeah, we were cool church.

  Andrew Vontz 9:30

  Okay, you're in cool church. Trump set a fog machine. I was talking to a buddy of mine who was over here helping me resurface our halfpipe recently. And, yeah, he grew. I grew up. I grew up in the Catholic Church and went to Catholic school. My buddy grew up in whatever like a more Christian church environment. But yeah, he was telling me about, you know, that drums fog machines, like, say not stuff that I was seeing at church when I was a kid. So yeah, Yeah, drums are impressive. So, you know, I've heard you talk on other podcasts about growing up on a farm kind of in passing, but I'm really curious, like, when you were a young person, what was a day in the life? Like on the farm? And what kind of farm was it? What was going down there?

  Alison Jackson 10:18

  Yeah, so we have a, like a big scale, like green farm, so mostly like wheat and canola. But then, yeah, we've always had bison. So a Bison Ranch and I remember when my family first kind of got into it. And then it's just like, very cool to just like, wild animals. We had a lot of space. We would drive the trucks out with just agility like with our binoculars to see the cars the animals because while they're trying to catch you know, when they have a fresh little bison baby or whatever. Yeah, but I mean, farming is my dad's work, but it's also his, his passion, his His pastimes, whatever extra time he has to do something fun, that's going to be more farming. So yeah, for sure my life was just steeped in, in Yeah, outdoor chores. Lots of like tractor driving, even if it was like the little lawn tractor that we had from being a kid you grew up just doing all this sort of stuff. I mean, also when I was younger, we had horses and things and that was my thing for a while but yeah, just like once we started going to school it would basically be like go to school come back and then do some farm chores and then yeah, but I the younger brother that so I have older sister younger brother and my dad was really keen on my younger brother being being the farmer but I was the kid with all the energy and I just kept being like pick me like let me come but yeah, he was just really keen on my brother being a farmer so then I just had all this like outdoor energy that then my mom put me in all these sports and then and basically I tried to do every sport that I could that was available in town and sometimes I would have like you know, back to back practices throughout the week like I would have a track and field right after school and then I would go right into soccer practice but then after I might have a ballet class, so it was just like a full packed evening but I loved it.

  Andrew Vontz 12:34

  Did you love all of the sports equally

  Alison Jackson 12:39

  well maybe maybe I think whatever when I'm in something then I just that's all I think about and I want to be the best at it and get give it all that I've got but for sure I really liked the the creative sides of of sports that I did so when I was I was in gymnastics for a little bit or dance so things that are that have a really nice blend of that like physicality of a sport but with yeah a little bit more creativity in it

  Andrew Vontz 13:09

  Do you remember the first time you want to race huh

  Alison Jackson 13:23

  But yeah, I don't know must have been in like once um, you know blue ribbons in you know like recess track meets like when you're in an elementary school it's not a proper track me but yeah, we run around it we had a dirt track at our elementary school must have been something like that but it's not like so memorable that I have it have the memory stuck in my mind.

  Andrew Vontz 13:55

  What's the first race that you want that you remember? Is there one that sticks out?

  Alison Jackson 14:06

  Well, one that was really important to me was in university so that's the like yeah, university, I when I assigned a running or for running scholarship at university, and but the first year I got lapped like on track the 3k indoor and I got laughed and but then two years later, I won that championship race and then I kept the title for two years when the 3000 meter indoor but for me, I think that's like a super memorable win because yeah, I really was like lapped last and then through just like a lot of training a great coach and sticking with it than to you know, take the title later. It was really meaningful. I think also, there was, I mean, there's a few things when I was younger. Like, as a gymnast, you know, this is, you know, low level sort of gymnastics as a kid. But yeah, winning the overall of all the apparatus things and then getting to like, move on to provincials. But then go into provincials, because I came from a small town, so I get to be the best of the best in my small world, then I go to provincials. And then I was seeing tricks and things I'd never seen before I'd never even knew was possible. Because that the visibility of it wasn't available in my, in my small town, you know. And then just thinking like, oh, man, if I, if I had known this was possible, like I would be trying all these crazy tricks way earlier, or whatever. But that's the kind of thing about being like a big fish in a little pond. And then, and then going up to leveling up to the next level and realizing that actually, I'm just like a small fish. And there's such a bigger pond out there.

  Andrew Vontz 16:05

  When you did that race, and you got lapped in university, do you remember how that felt?

  Alison Jackson 16:11

  Oh, yeah. I mean, it's a mix of like, embarrassment. And, you know, because I think going into the race, like I got this scholarship, because I want to race a cross country race. And so then, you know, the university was chatting with me, and, you know, I signed on, but then Yeah, going through this Canada West championship, and then being laughed and just thinking like, Well, like I again, yeah, I thought I was good. And, but the other girls that are there are just that much better. So yeah, bit a bit of embarrassment, or also thinking that like, I mean, I want to win so bad, but also, like the university had taken what they thought was a winner, and then, you know, missing the mark. Totally. So, but I mean, you take a little bit of those feelings during the race and just be like, Well, okay, you know, there's a lot of room to improve, and then just, like, sticking to it, or like being so determined that. Yeah, I wanted to win that race.

  Andrew Vontz 17:13

  And I know, You've told the Perry Roubaix story a million times at this point, what I'm curious about is, how many times have you been in a similar scenario at the end of a race? And it actually didn't work out? Had you ever been in an analogous situation, because when I was watching the race with my kids, who were screaming, my daughter was going crazy. And I was really excited. And I turned to them and I said, Because you kept turning to the group and yelling at them to pull through and I was like, this isn't gonna work because she's, you know, she's having to spend energy yelling at the group, they're gonna get caught. And then of course, you did it, which was incredible. But how many times have you been in that situation? And it simply didn't work out?

  Alison Jackson 17:57

  I mean, there are way more accounts like that then then me coming through with a win. I mean, that's the thing it's like, like I know I'm a pretty good sprinter, but when you come with a group to sprint to the line, it's all about timing and you know, so many more things can go wrong and then you know, can go right and it's so hard to be you know, that the one person that went you know, out of all the 200 people the start there's only just gonna be one winner, you know, and yeah, I've had so many moments where you know, then it becomes like a sleepless night after just like going through all the different ways that I could have you know, what could I have done differently to make that that win happen and you know, you can do the right things all day long and then lose it and just like the last 100 meters and I mean, I even had it at Nationals the year before, I mean, I come into nationals I had a terrible week of like sickness and just being in bed all week, but nationals were in my home area in Alberta and so you know, I show up for the road race and still like one of my life philosophies is do well with what I have right now. And even if it wasn't full health, there's still like God's strength on the legs like let's see what we can do. And yeah, coming into the sprint and just like maybe not backing myself so well and being out of the wheels a little bit but then you know, starting my sprint and just like passing so many people and then they became so close to the line that I basically if I just like held on to a different wheel or whatever I would have you know, that would have been that would have been in the win and but then you know, come in second there's no glory with that. When you're first you get the jersey, you get to wear it all year round. You recognize that whole year's national champion, but missing out on that, you know, there's been other times like tour Scotland, they had a one one year we did this race and I won the first stage. And then you know, had Do we had the second stage ago, and it was pretty hard with this, like kind of climb, but I made it with the front group. And all I had to do really was like, I mean, I didn't even have to wait and just be first or second even. And then I would have had the whole thing. But in that sprint, just like who I thought, you know, following the wheel that I thought would go and they didn't go got trapped a little bit behind came in fourth, but the the Yeah, girl who was second on GC, won the race. So she got the bonus seconds, and then took the whole thing. And it's just like, ah, you know, like, you can say all you want that, like you were the strongest writer there. But you know, in the end, you have to put it all together with the timing, and the strength and whatever. So yeah, there's been so many more moments, just like sleepless nights for that. So that's why like, when I'm crossing the line with Perry Bay, and knowing that it was mine, like, you know, I would say the whole time I believed I could do it. But it's still you never know, until you actually cross that line, you know, or did I go too early? Did I do too much work. And that was like the gamble that I was going with is that I just wanted us to stay away so bad to have the shot at, you know, sprinting from a small group rather than the the bigger group. But then for it all to come together for me in that moment to actually be the first person to cross the line, then, yeah, it when you recognize how many times you've just missed out, there's way more of those for me than there has been the Yeah, coming through with the win. Yeah, and

  Andrew Vontz 21:36

  I don't have to tell you, but I will say that that was one of the most exciting conclusions to a bike race I've ever watched in my entire life. And it was just a thrill. Just to get to see that happen. It was incredible. When you think about back on those other losses that you had, though, that kind of set the stage for or maybe they didn't set the stage, because sometimes there isn't actually a lot of logic behind losses. It's just like, whatever, there's a split second decision, something happens. Maybe you could have had control over having a different outcome. Maybe you couldn't have, as you mentioned, you've had sleepless nights, sometimes in situations like that, how do you process a loss? And do you have any kind of framework that you use to try to learn from those things and carry them forward? Or what do you do?

  Alison Jackson 22:28

  Yeah, I think when when you have a loss, you, I always have to take the time to actually like soak in the shitty feeling. And, because it when it means so much to you. It and you know, you don't get so many opportunities to really be like at that, the moment with the crux, where you know, you could take a win. So yeah, it is it is a loss. So to just really feel that recognize that also, like, you know, that's a part of your, you know, sport journey and stuff. But then really like looking back and being able to congratulate yourself on things that you did well, because, I mean, a lot of times, sometimes I come away from races where I almost made it, but I just have this feeling that like I'm a boss, because there was moments where I just like did the right thing, and it was great. So you really got to take those so you keep like pumping yourself up for next races because, I mean, we will lose more than we win in cycling. So you really got to take up these pump up moments when you can get it otherwise. It's it's really hard to keep living in the cloud of, of, you know, failure every time so, but then I really take you know, I will try to think of seven different scenarios of how I could have made the difference what I could have done to win sometimes it's like okay, do we look at the training that was beforehand? Was there something you know, could we have done something better with the equipment that would have it would have helped it was it something in my spirit like you know, the the mental focus of it could I have thought more could have it with cycling you know, it's not just could I bought more the whole race but it was their moment so they could have taken it easier here and then went harder there that's kind of like you know, choosing when you use your energy, which makes a big difference and so yeah, then I just tried to really process through a few scenarios so that I can take that now I put that knowledge in the bank. So if I'm in a scenario like this again, I have a few more options already ready that I don't have to think through that I can just utilize to try to make the best of the next opportunity. But yeah, usually it takes about a day before the all the emotions kind of like wear out and then yeah, I mean part of professionalism of our sport is that you got to leave that you have to leave that where it is. There's nothing you can do about it now and the refocus for for the next race and we always have The next race and the next opportunity. So yeah, champions, you know, don't stay champions for long you still right next race or next year, you have that same opportunity. So yeah, just keep looking ahead, got it stay positive,

  Andrew Vontz 25:15

  when you're processing through a loss is, do you do that by talking to other people? Is there a particular person you talk to? Or do you write in a journal? How do you like to do it?

  Alison Jackson 25:26

  Yeah, a lot of it is just like, really just like, thinking over and over in my head. I do always write a bit of a race report and some comments in my training peaks, because that's something that from race to race, you can look back, you know, what were the things that I learned in the race in the previous season, when I was a younger athlete, I really did actually write out in the little journal, or have basically a Word document from, especially with the classics, because we come back to those classics every year, so little notes that they could learn about, you know, the course notes or things that how the race played out. And to use that then as as, yeah, good. I guess reminders for the next year to look back on. Because I think when that's the you know, what been benefit experiences, you can look back on all these reference points. And then yeah, try, you know, my, I was really trust talking to my coach, too, you know, and they give a better perspective on, you know, some of the physiology stuff versus what my feeling my feelings will be, you know, based on, you know, RP, or, you know, how it feels, what I was thinking, where I was mentally, or, you know, the moment in the race, and then, you know, pairing that with the coach that can see, you know, from a physiology point of view, so then you can pair those together and maybe create a better, a better story. And also now like that most of our all our world tour races are our video and broadcasted, then always to go back and look, because you can have a memory of what you think was happening. But when you look back, you know, there can be a disconnect of what you were thinking was happening in the moment what what was actually happening. So being able to look back and get a better, like a broader perspective of the whole race. Yeah, that's kind of the process that I use.

  Andrew Vontz 27:26

  When you look down the road it accomplishments that you would like to achieve. What have you gotten that just in the sporting domain? Let's start there. What have you got in the bucket list? Are we going to see a gravel World Championship in 2027? Like what's coming down the pipe?

  Alison Jackson 27:45

  Yeah, it's been really exciting. Like, since like, 2021, I had a great year where I could check off like a ton of things. That just would be really meaningful, as a sports person in my career. And then this year, too. I mean, I've always wanted to win a, you know, one day classic, I think those are the hardest races that are on the calendar. And to get like, the big one period way. There's nothing better than that. So then, yeah, now, you know, thinking of like, what's next, but the thing is, like, once you've won one, it's not just like, that's good enough. You just like, you know, you want to, you know, what's on my bucket list for next year to win Perry Roubaix, again, could I do it, you know, two in a row, like, you know, how do you become a legend in the sport, is something that is also like, just put stars in my eyes, you know, but, I mean, I always want to be national champion, I just, I really love representing Canada that way. And wearing the maple leaf Jersey all year, I just think it's so special. So that's a big goal for this year. But really, every year of my career, I just, that's what I, that's the reason that I want to win. And as a Canadian, you know, our sport culture is not so steeped in cycling. So when I tell people, I'm a professional cyclist, a lot of times they ask either like, oh, like, so you go to the Olympics, or you raise the Tour de France. And now we have those two, I mean, we have those two opportunities to make something happen. And so I would, I really would love to win a stage at the tour. And I want to be an Olympic champion. And, you know, that's a that's a, you know, a goal that you can only accomplish or have the opportunity to accomplish every four years. So it's a pretty rare thing to you know, be at top forum for something like that. But also 2026 World Championships are going to be in Canada in Montreal, which would be you know, to be world champion but in your home nation, that is also something that would be super special, but Yeah, but I'll take being real champion in any country then a year, so we're not just gonna save it for then but and yeah, I still always I really want to win. Flanders so that's a I mean, Pierre Ruby is, is one of these super well known races and, and the type of rider that wins is, you know, resilient and tough and, you know, has to beat all the odds to get there. And Flanders is also just a racist has such a long history and it's such a hard race. And it's such an important race for our sport of cycling. I really would love to, to win now.

  Andrew Vontz 30:47

  With the Olympics with Flanders with some of the other goals that you've shared, do you feel like you need to evolve anything about yourself as a writer? Or do you need to improve in any areas?

  Alison Jackson 31:01

  Yeah, I think well, for Flanders it's, it's becoming a little bit more of a climber type of rider that makes it rather than, you know, a traditional classic are, you know, in, it's been a quite a few years, since it's come down to kind of a bunch sprint, really since 2017. When Korean Rivera won, her teammate pulled it all the way back to have this bunch sprint. And we don't see that so much now. So I think that would Yeah, trying to evolve a little bit more into a climber type. Or specifically target that race in that way. And then, yeah, for any kind of Olympic course, it's really interesting, because the course will be different for every, every time. So really trying to figure out Yeah, well, what would you need to do well there. And also, can I help might build a team that will support that too. Because in our professional cycling, we're teams that understand how team work works, and that some races we have, you know, this person, as a leader and other races, it's going to change. And so a lot of times, you'll always get an opportunity, but you you know, you can dig deep for a teammate and one race because, you know, maybe your opportunities coming later. But for things like World Championships in the Olympics, when you come with a national team where you haven't written with each other all year. And, you know, it's it's a kind of unique one off race, how do you really rally the troops under a common goal? So I think, yeah, I've worked a little bit with the national team or with the other Canadian girls for World Championships. So we're in Australia and Wollongong last year to try to kind of raise support together and try to do some pre planning before that we could all you know, really, um, be on board for the same goal in the same plan that we just want a Canadian winter. So I think they're for the Olympics and for World Championships, I think that's something that's really important is how do you rally the troops together for a common goal? And, you know, not only that, but also skill development together, we don't get a ride together every year, like you do on your professional team. So if you can, you know, do things that that really build up the teamwork in our sport, that's going to make a big difference for your if you're going to be able to take the win. Yeah, and then and then also, yeah, I guess. Yeah, mostly just be like looking at the at the course. And, you know, for example, this year in Glasgow, it's likely like of course, it would generally suit me. And then you know, it's just can kind of have that sprint power at the end to come off with a good result.

  Andrew Vontz 34:09

  Yeah, to move to move in a different direction. You're you have a massive social media presence. Your Tik Tok videos are pretty famous. When you were a kid, were you into storytelling and did you enjoy getting attention?

  Alison Jackson 34:24

  Oh, totally. I've always been the entertainer so yeah, as a kid even going to other people's birthday parties. I was always the one trying to make everyone have a good time or or get people to laugh. You know the class clown in school just love Yeah, absolutely love getting getting people to laugh or being a little bit part of the drama. And also Yeah, when I was a kid, I loved the storytelling. I loved making videos to you. I remember asking for a little camcorder for Christmas one year and then trying to rope in my brother and sister to be in these little videos I would want to make are like, I remember even like for school projects, I remember one time I made might have been in like eighth grade making a video with the the Barbies that we had or something just like little so stupid like, it might have been like, even like a science video, I don't know what it was. But just like, yeah, I really love sort of creative storytelling and things that are are funny. Yeah, and then actually, even in university, they have this contest the university with a couple of universities where we're creating their own, you know, platform for Inter University, kind of, like Facebook or whatever, but and they had this contest that you could win, like, you know, $2,500 or something. If you like, different social media posting, or if you posted videos, you get more points or things like this. So I was making all these silly videos with like, hula skirt and a hot sauce. And yeah, even like doing things on the street with like, interacting with, you know, yeah, people on the street making videos and stuff. So yeah, I really do just like, love making videos and storytelling and having a good laugh about it.

  Andrew Vontz 36:16

  When you think back on University, in that period of time, when you were making that set of videos, were there any other things like on TV, on social media that inspired you?

  Alison Jackson 36:30

  Um, I mean, it's sometimes it's hard to tell where your inspiration comes from, you know, because we, I mean, we do have are bombarded with different, like, you know, videos and other things. But I think also just like, I do just have this creative spirit about me or something might just, like, hit me in a different way that makes it funny. And then I build up a story in my mind, and then just want to try to portray that in a video. And yeah, sometimes I don't know like, where those ideas come from, what was fun like with tick tock basically, as a platform, a lot of times you like take someone's Sony makes a video and you copycat it, but you know, maybe put your own thing on it, and what for a while, when I first started, I just love doing that. But then making it like, with my brain with my lens of a cyclist that I would apply that to you know, someone else's videos, but turn it into this cycling video that then I think would just be funny. And that was like, my take on the on the concept, I guess. Yeah, so I mean, really, inspiration can come from anywhere, like a funny conversation with someone or like, you know, a play on words, that you can just like, take and then build it out to be crossing the line, you know, so, yeah.

  Andrew Vontz 37:52

  When you think about the videos that you're making now, is there at this point, is there a formula? Or are there specific elements that you're like, Yeah, I have to have XY and Z for this thing to do what I wanted it to do, or to make people feel the way I want them to feel.

  Alison Jackson 38:08

  You know, also, when I started posting, like, my videos on on Instagram on social media, it's really because I was making the videos for me, and I felt they were so funny. And then I just thought off, they're so funny to me, I wonder if other people would laugh to the posting them. And then I loved interacting with fans and people just being like, you know, commenting that this was the funniest thing that they saw all day, or like, why they thought it was funny, or so I just love sharing my joy or that and sharing that laughter with, with people, friends and family and fans as well. So then now it's interesting, because, I mean, I could get really into the metrics of like, all what hits Well, what what does it but honestly, sometimes I have no idea. I remember even my first like viral like real, most popular video with my crash dance into her skin Navia last year. I've never posted anything in AWS. It's probably the it's probably an average video, but then it has, like, you know, more than a million views or whatever. So sometimes it's like, yeah, what really hits? Well, I don't know, but you know, the I enjoy making the making of the video and then posting it and seeing people's reactions and some that I think are just like the best videos sometimes like the public just doesn't hit well. And that's fine because like, I just like really enjoy producing and making the videos but it was funny after my Piru Ruby when I knew that people, the fans would want a video with the rock, but they would want a video with some dancing. And then I also wanted it to be funny in some way that it would be you know, like something a little bit clever and a little bit funny. And so then that was like kind of the first time I thought I feel like a little bit of pressure like this, you know, with all these new followers and people I really Gotta like, make this one a good one. And then I think I did I think the I wanna rock video was was just like perfect, a little bit of dance had the rock and then it also had this funny play on words. I am really appreciated.

  Andrew Vontz 40:19

  Part of what I found to be interesting about that video. I don't know if this was a conscious connection for you. But for me, the Perry rube a podium ceremony this year, like had the shooting flames, and it had like a real glam rock kind of feel to it reminded me of like, I was like, this is like a Def Leppard concert. You know, yeah. So this is this is pour some sugar on me at a bike race. I've never seen anything like it before. So that was, I thought that was really fun. I mean, you mentioned in the context of going for an Olympic title, are going for a world title that you have to work to develop some team spirit, and do some skill development together with the writers from from Canada that you're going to be racing with. And on the storytelling side, I'm curious, like, Do you have a protege? Are people coming to you? Are they like, Hey, can you know, can you kind of take me under your wing and just show me the ropes of you know, how to really get things cooking as a Tiktok store.

  Alison Jackson 41:24

  I have not had that. Which I think it was not fun. Well, it makes me like, I guess very unique in the space that I'm doing, you know, cycling silly videos with, but I do have people wanting to come and make videos with me or be in my videos. And or, you know, some i the teammate, you know, at our first camp just, you know, kind of quietly asked me, like, what would it take to be in one of your videos, and I was like, oh, like, you know, if you got dance moves, we can put that in. Also, if you don't got dancers, I got lots of other ideas of how to make a video that you can be in my video. When I was in Panama, actually, I raced Panem, champs this year. And there's these two or three girls from Costa Rica that came up and, and said to me, like after the race that, you know, other, you know, big fans, and we took a photo together and they're like, Oh, we, we filmed a tic tock today. And I was like, show me. So they show me and I'm watching it, I just like tell them to put on a loop so that I can learn it. And then I was like, let's go on it right now. And so then we filmed that. And then like for that what I love is like one, I'm giving them a story to tell their friends. And like I love stories. And if I can give someone a great story that you know, they're just have a story to tell other people, I think it's awesome. But also that, you know, they were filling it tick tock and wanted to show me but then I was like, let's make it even better. Like I'm going to be in it. And we did this and we filmed this tic toc just right then. And so I have the I have that more often that you know people like maybe come and ask to be in a tic tac, I have one teammate right now. young Canadian, Magdalene, who she also like, she's much quieter, reserved person than me. But she likes to make videos. And I think it's like she'll have a lot of ideas, but I'm the person that will actually do something about it. So what I love is like when you can have another creative person that you can talk through some ideas or you can like build off of each other. So she she's been a main character and a lot of my films this year from from Teen camp also my my teammate Zoe back said who's just has a very loud personality to and a lot of energy. And so when I pitch an idea, they're like, willing to be in something that's silly. I think sometimes my older teammates are taking themselves too seriously maybe to take the time to do something silly or something that's like a bit awkward to start with or something like that. But yeah, I haven't had anyone really approached me but about being a protege or taking over. I have seen some other you know, cyclists you know, take up doing some some fun videos and stuff and I think yeah, that's awesome.

  Andrew Vontz 44:12

  Well, within the world of pro cycling, is there anyone else who's a tick talker that you're like, yeah, you've got a pretty strong game. Um, yes. They are. Going to

  Alison Jackson 44:28

  stay tuned. Just got to make sure I'm saying the right name.

  Andrew Vontz 44:43

  I think it's Rick, Rick Zabel. Rick's

  Alison Jackson 44:53

  example. He has some pretty funny videos that he's come up with. And for a while there he was filming like A little video every day, but sometimes he pulls up like a good a good joke here and there that I appreciate. But there's not then there's more like there's a lot of like cycling influencers, that then their job is just to make content. And then they make some really good funny videos that I love, but they're not trying to blend professional racing with content creation. They're just all in on the content creation. So yeah, I mean, I love the stuff that that they have time to, to create. Then I also like, like, Nathan Haas, he's retired now. gret, while you growl racer, maybe we could say. But he's really fun, too. He was in a dance video of mine, I think in 20, in 2020, or 2021, and we made this sort of Drona tourism dance video. He's really, he's a creative guy has a great spirit. So hopefully, we'll do another collab video another time. But yeah, I guess like not not quite someone just like me.

  Andrew Vontz 46:10

  Are there any other celebrities outside of the world of pro cycling, or in other domains of pro sport that you're looking to collaborate with?

  Alison Jackson 46:20

  Oh, man, you know, that's the thing. I actually like, I love collaborating with brands and sponsors or other people, because it just gives me like another leverage point to think creatively or another thing to like, you know, I have all my brands and sponsors that you know, I get ideas from, but then when you can work with someone else, it's just like another outlet of like, all what's a new, like, creative sort of space. And there's tons of dance choreographers and and just like true, yeah, tick tock dance content creators that I would love to work with. So my favorite, there's this Causton Mayer is what their hashtag is. But I've, I've learned a ton of their dances and stuff, too, because I just think that they're so fun. And so I would love it if I could. Yeah, meet up with some like these choreographers and stuff and being being some storytelling dancer. Yes.

  Andrew Vontz 47:13

  The longer you do this, are you finding that you're able to get your dance move style, then faster?

  Alison Jackson 47:20

  Yeah, well, yeah, I think that's the thing. Like, even with the girls from Costa Rica, when they were showing me the video, and I could just watch it, you know, three times. And I was like, Alright, I got it. I think that is like, I can learn things pretty quickly. And of course, the more that you do it, then the better you get, but it's also like, yeah, once you kind of learn a dance move, sometimes it shows up over and over, something's just a little bit different. Or maybe you stylize it a little different. So like, once you kind of got the basics of the things and yeah, it's like, easier to, to learn. And then yeah, the thing is, like, when choreography or when dense stuff gets hard is when it's like really fast. So that's like, where the advanced go, I'm gonna be like a beginner, intermediate until I can like, maybe spend as much training time on the dancers as I do on the bike.

  Andrew Vontz 48:12

  And are you editing everything yourself? Like, what's your process? Like?

  Alison Jackson 48:17

  Yeah, totally. Just me, me and my phone really? And the free app? Or maybe I pay for the app. But yeah, it's, uh, like, what was really fun about coming on on to this team. You have to go SPV is like, they have a great media and marketing team. And what I love is like, I think I've got a lot of good content ideas, but sometimes the actual filming of it is, is low quality or medium quality, but the story telling this there so then, then that's like the meat of the of the video, and it still can hit well, even if the quality is not so great. But what I love is working with maybe some of these brands, I've just had, like, yeah, the editing team, the cameras, the fog machine, the lights and then we can create something that is really creative and also just like very smooth and just looks really good. Yeah, I think that's probably like if I could dedicate more time or resources to some of the like quality stuff of my videos, I think that would really amplify it or like, have, you know, other people helped me yet with the production stuff, and oh, man, I have so many more ideas of things that we will we could do with that. But otherwise, yeah, it's just me on my own. You know, I'll be sitting in my bed on my phone just laughing at myself forever. While I'm, I'm listening to the same 15 seconds of song over and over while I'm editing.

  Andrew Vontz 49:46

  What are some of these ideas? Now? I feel like I've got it here. Um, what are some of the big ideas that you have that you want to execute in this space?

  Alison Jackson 49:54

  Yeah, well, I mean, I have some, you know, like, almost like Like a video storytelling idea, but that but then it becomes really like, almost cartoonish or where things get like really silly. But then you would need like some of the extra resources or like drone shots or like some other like video angle tricks. Or like I say like, if you know, maybe it's like a dance video, but like in really interesting other spaces or with like, yeah, other influencers or like, you know, big name people that can make it, you know, cameos and people that can be fun. But also I have some ideas for like, like, longer storytelling, so not just these, like 32nd Tick Tock videos, but actually either like, a documentary storytelling or you know, I have, like, can't tell steal all my ideas here. Yeah.

  Andrew Vontz 50:48

  Yeah.

  Alison Jackson 50:52

  Yeah, so are the production and quality of like, some, like a bigger project to take on, you know, like a, you know, adventure ride, or, like I say, you can tell the same story over and over, but in a different way, you know, with these different lenses, and I have a couple ideas even about Perrier bay that how we can tell the story, but it's not about me. But it's it's that same story, but it's through a different lens. So I have a few ideas like that.

  Andrew Vontz 51:22

  It's about a mouse that rides a motorcycle. How do you know? I'm sorry? I'm sorry, your idea, but I have to feel like, Yeah, well, I think in the last couple of days, it's come out that Ben Stiller is a big Garrett Thomas fan and has been commenting on his Twitter posts, which Garrett Thomas was ignoring, and then I think is finally acknowledged. So I mean, who knows? I feel like if Ben Stiller is a Garrett Thomas fan, he has to be watching your tic TOCs. So the door could be open to Hollywood pretty soon.

  Alison Jackson 51:52

  Right? Okay, good. Yeah. I'll um, I'll just keep an eye on the on the comments.

  Andrew Vontz 51:58

  Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So, at this point, you've got an awful lot going on between what you're doing as a storyteller what you're doing as a pro athlete? Have you even thought about, hey, what am I going to be doing in 10 years? Do you have goals during ambitions for where you want to go down the road?

  Alison Jackson 52:16

  Yeah, you know, I think like, with this lifestyle, like as a pro cyclist, it's, it's, I guess, like a volatile market, basically, you know, you could be at your top of the game one year and then crash out and never race again. Maybe not so extreme, but sometimes it's that extreme. And so I think I really just have to take a take my career, kind of like holding it in my hands, where my hands are open, things can fall through the fingers, like you, you can't hold on to it so tightly. Because, you know, how do you how do you really plan and make your own future it's, you have to be really open to and adaptable. So I really just, I love what I do. I love racing my bike, I love training, I love the travel. I love the new experiences, I love creating the videos and and you know, making people laugh. And so I always said like, I would do it as long as like, I still love it as long as I still love the chaos, because I think when you get older, sometimes that chaos and the risk factor is kind of what slows you down or maybe takes yell, but if I can still be a difference maker to my team. So whether that's me being the winner, or me being the person makes a difference for a teammate to win. And I want to stay in the sport. But I mean, I really do love this storytelling and the video, I love using my personality to entertain. So you so you know, dabbling in a few things of like, whether it goes kind of like in the entertainment space of like TV presenting or, or maybe some more entertainment stuff that way or maybe in the video space, or film production or something in that space. Or maybe it's more than like the, you know, cycling tourism where you can take people to go see all these amazing and wonderful places. And also, you know, I think sport is so valuable for everyone. When you find out what you thought was not possible is possible. And I think through sport, you get to challenge yourself and you go in a safe way beyond what you thought you could ever do. And then I think you take that self efficacy or that competence and you can take that into other you know spaces in areas of your life. So yeah, you to help young people push the boundaries of what they believe is as possible for themselves I would love but also, I mean, I love the bike and where the bike is taking me to see new places and meet new people and discover new cultures and you know you Get these new reference points. And then you really have to do what you thought was, you know, the true for so long, you got to take all these other worldviews and spaces and challenge kind of what you thought and you see, and and I think you just grow and mature and just become a better human that way. And then I mean, I also love like a great dance party. So if we can, you know, pair some some bike riding tourism with a great dance party, and some really good wine, and new foods and places. Like that's really cool, too. So, I mean, I have a lot of interest in, in a lot of areas. So I think, yeah, I'm just gonna keep saying yes to opportunities as they come along. And yeah, exploring some of these other spaces.

  Andrew Vontz 55:47

  Awesome. Well, Alison, thanks so much for being here today. Thanks for everything that you've shared. And I couldn't agree with you more. I love the idea of inspiring people to reach beyond what they believe might be possible, which is the whole point of this podcast.