Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

EP 492 - Life in the Fast Lane with Misti Hurst

Sep 17, 2026

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Mark interviews Misti Hurst, a racer, a writer, a coach, and a mom. She is the author of LIFE IN THE FAST LANE: Discovering the Art of Cornering which is part manual, part memoir and compiles her decades of experience as a rider, a racer, and a coach.

Prior to the main content Mark shares recent comments, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsors.

This episode is sponsored in part by...

Mark's forthcoming book A BOOK IN HAND. Click here to get to the Kickstarter listing and be notified when the Kickstarter for the book goes live in mid September 2026.

In the interview Mark and Misti talk about:

Recently celebrating a milestone birthday and looking at what she wanted to do next
The column Misti wrote for in Motorcycle Mojo Magazine called "Life in the Fast Lane"
Repurposing those articles into a book project to help fulfill a long-time dream she'd had
How the content of Misti's articles are a bit of a "memoir meets technique"
The two distinct moments where Misti totally fell in love with riding and racing motorcycles
How motorcycle racing on a track is far safer because you're not dealing with the unpredictable behavior of other types of vehicles and motorists
Some of the signals that motorcyclists offer one another when they pass on a highway
The comradery and shared connection that motorcyclists have with one another
Life lessons that can be derived from a passion for motorcycles and racing
How Misti is going to focus on slightly different topics in the ongoing series of books
The chapter in Misti's book called "Oh, Great! I Got The Girl Coach" that addresses stereotypes and sexism
Breaking stereotypes related to motorcycle culture
The freedom and exposure to the environment that can be experienced when driving on a motorcycle
How when racing on her motorcycle is the only time when Misti's mind is calm because you HAVE to be focused
The value of leveraging the very techniques of learning a track when traveling to foreign and differently laid out track environments
The concept of "at least they were doing what they loved" and the power of that sentiment
And more...

After the interview Mark shares a few reflections from elements of the conversation.

Links of Interest:

Misti Hurst's mission is to lead by example as a racer, coach, writer, and mom—blending skill, vulnerability, and grit to help others grow on two wheels and in life. She is a former AMA Pro 600 Supersport and FX Racer, a certified Level III California Superbike School Coach Worldwide, and a columnist for Motorcycle Mojo and Adventure Bike Rider magazines. She has also worked as a freelance writer, pr/media specialist, mountain bike instructor, and, her toughest role yet, a mom of two incredible kids. She is passionate about helping riders become the best versions of their riding selves. Writing her stories started as a way to stay connected to the sport and community she loves — even when mom duties kept her from spending weekends racing or riding.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0