Writing 'Shifting Gears: Coast to Coast on the Trans Am Bike Race'

Meaghan Hackinen is a Kelowna-based bikepacker and writer whose two-wheeled adventures have taken her from Haida Gwaii to Mexico’s high plateaus, across Canada and the United States, and from North Cape to Tarifa along some of Europe’s highest paved roads. 

She is a 4X Everester as well as a Transcontinental Race, Trans Am Bike Race, and Paris-Brest-Paris brevet finisher. Meaghan holds the women’s course record for the World 24-Hour Time Trial Championships, among others. 

In 2023, Meaghan took the overall solo win in all but one of the endurance races she competed in, including the Buckshot and Lost Elephant in British Columbia, Silver State 508 in Nevada, and an Individual Time Trial of the Log Driver’s Waltz in Canada’s Capitol region. 

Her debut travel memoir, "South Away: The Pacific Coast on Two Wheels" (NeWest Press, 2019) was shortlisted for two Canadian book awards and her follow up, "Shifting Gears: Coast to Coast on the Trans Am Bike Race" was just released to critical acclaim.

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Show notes

• Who is Meaghan
• Her 2023 cycling plans and how she structures her training in the winter
• Letting things fall into place and being opportunistic
• Having a dislocated finger and getting COVID
• Working with a coach in the past
• Using TrainerRoad as her cycle training platform
• Using the Dynamic Cyclist app for strength, stretching and mobility work
• Writing the races down on her calendar
• Preparing herself and her bikes
• Choosing races with the goal of competing at her best level
• Setting a new women's FKT
• the importance of nutrition and recovery
• Prioritising route prep using a combination of Strava, ride with GPS, and Google 
• Creating a cue sheet with resupply points, elevation high points, and challenging features
• Having a to-do list and a checklist
• Journaling and giving yourself space
• Meditating and feeling much better afterwards
• Practicing visualization
• Transitioning from road cycling to off-road gravel adventures
• Enjoying the challenge and discovering unexpected places
• Carrying a bike through obstacles like water crossings and steep hills
• Not training very much on the TT bike this year
• Having a friendly and supportive cycling community
• Finding rivalries motivating
• Finishing the Dark Divide race alongside her partner
• Describing the Dark Divide and what it's like
• Writing and releasing her new book, Shifting Gears: Coast to Coast on the Trans Am Bike Race
• Having a transformative experience in 2017 that made her write a book
• Lessons and realizations that made her grow
• Reflecting on solo mountain biking experience
• Her plans for 2024
• Quick-fire questions
• Final words of advice

Social Media

Website: meaghanhackinen.com

Instagram @meaghanhackinen

Facebook @meaghanhackinen Book: Shifting Gears: Coast to Coast on the Trans Am Bike Race