Voice of the Athlete: David Restrepo

We had the opportunity to interview David Restrepo, a cyclist and adventure junkie who travels the world on an MTB and unicycle. Let’s listen to the Voice of the Athlete: David Restrepo.

Question 1: How did you first get into MTB and unicycling?

Voice of the athlete: I started with BMX when I was very young. Through some friends of mine, I was introduced to MTB and then Trials. And, lately, about 2 years ago, I started with the unicycle and traveling around the world.

Question 2: Which do you enjoy the most?

Voice of the athlete: Lately, the unicycle and the world trips.

Question 3: You’re an adventure junkie, you go after things. How do you stay focused?

Voice of the athlete: You just have to declare it. You have to say: I will do this. I will do that. And with no doubts, you go for it.

Question 4: In ultra-distance biking, you need to put in serious hours. How do you approach that and find the motivation?

Voice of the Athlete: Many times I have said that long-distance biking is a kind of active meditation. I travel alone. It’s a perfect moment to connect with yourself. A moment for being just with yourself. Here and now. Obviously, there are moments when you don’t find the motivation. The trick for me is focusing on the journey, not the destination. So, I stop to take photos and chat with locals. It’s easy thinking.

Question 5: What was the most mentally challenging ride, and how did you push through?

Voice of the Athlete: It was when crossing the border from Cambodia to Thailand. It was a long process, and it was an area that I was told was very dangerous. I had to leave my bike unattended with all the bags on it for about 2 hours, and the whole time, I thought it was not going to be there when I came back. Luckily, it was there! Then I pedaled unto a small town where I planned to sleep. To my surprise, there were no hotels around, no banks, and I did not have a single coin of the local currency.

It was about 13:00, and I decided to keep pedaling. Unfortunately, the next town was out of my reach that day, and I decided to take a train to Bangkok. It was a local train, and it took around 7 hours to get there. Once there, it was around 21:00, and I decided to take another train and go to Ayutthaya. I was told there were some beautiful temples in the city. And during all this time, my only food was potato chips, protein bars, and water. These are the things I was carrying with me.

Finally, I made it to Ayutthaya at around 01:00 in the morning, and I started pedaling to find a place to sleep. At about 02:00, I finally found the place where the hostels were not full. It was a journey that started at 07:00 one day and finished at 03:00 the next day, almost a 24-hour adventure. A dangerous place, almost lost my bike, little money, barely enough food, and multiple train rides in a search of a place to lay my head.

Question 6: You've traveled around the world mountain bike. What's your favorite place in the world to ride?

Voice of the Athlete: My favorite trip so far has been in the Balkans, from Greece up to Croatia.

Question 7: Do you listen to music when you ride? And how does it help you?

Voice of the Athlete: Initially, I used to listen to music. But now, I prefer to hear the local sounds and talk to myself.

Question 8: How do you mentally prepare for a long ride?

Voice of the Athlete: I always remind myself to take it easy and slow, as it's going to be a long trip. I am not in a hurry.

Question 9: What is the greatest piece of advice you've ever received?

Voice of the Athlete: "You don't know how strong you are until you need to be strong."

Question 10: What advice would you give your 12-year-old self?

Voice of the Athlete: Keep doing what you are doing and follow your instincts.

Question 11: Who are your role models both in and out of sport?

Voice of the Athlete: My father and my cousin.

Question 12: Where is your next big adventure?

Voice of the Athlete: I hope to go to Indonesia.

Takeaway #1: Long-distance biking is a form of active meditation. It's a perfect opportunity to connect with yourself.

Takeaway #2: Don't let anything stop you from new adventures, even after a trip that turned into a 24-hour search for a place to rest in a dangerous area. Despite almost losing his bike, having little money, barely enough food, and multiple train rides, he rested and continued to the next ride.

Thank you, David Restrepo, for being the Voice of the Athlete and giving us a glimpse into the mindset of a world-traveling cyclist. Follow David @twowheelzrider.

To listen to the voices of other athletes: https://www.mentalaccelerator.com

Question for you: If you could bike anywhere in the world, where would it be? Leave your comments below.