May 30, 2024

#23 Katie McConnell - Big Waves and Bold Choices, Staying True to One’s Dreams

#23 Katie McConnell - Big Waves and Bold Choices, Staying True to One’s Dreams
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Season 1

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"It's kind of like... when the oracle is talking to Neo, and she's like, 'Know thyself.' I think if you just really stay true to yourself, and go, and just follow your dreams, I don't think you can lose." 💫🏄🏽‍♀️

When I happened to chance upon a video of Katie McConnell masterfully dropping into monster waves in Nazaré, Portugal , and then heard her thoughtfully describe epic hold-downs, I knew I had to try to bring her on the show. Katie's trophy case is overflowing with wins at prestigious events , and this interview is quite timely as she just won the tow award at the Red Bull Magnitude in Hawaii!  However, more than just a big wave rider, Katie is a brilliant marine biologist and a true champion of the oceans. 🌊🐠

This conversation goes beyond the podium. Katie opens up about her journey of self-discovery through surfing, the challenges of being a female pioneer in a male dominated sport, and her creative hustle to balance her passions with the realities of life. It’s an honor to be able to share her intelligence, humility, and gift for storytelling. 🙏🏾💜

Connect with Katie:

  • Instagram: @keiti_mar
  • Website: https://www.surfwithkatie.com/
Don't miss out! Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete Podcast for more of this juice! 

References

Katie's Sponsors:

▶️ YouTube

🟢 Spotify

🎵Apple Music

Oh yes, on social media:

📸Instagram

🔵Facebook

Blogroll

💧Substack Blog

Comments, questions, who do you want to invite to the show?! Write to me kush@agelessathlete.co

Transcript
WEBVTT

00:00:05.001 --> 00:00:05.722
Well, I come back.

00:00:05.782 --> 00:00:06.801
It's just athletes.

00:00:07.402 --> 00:00:08.961
This is kosher host.

00:00:09.082 --> 00:00:13.252
And, you know, I live for those stories that take us beyond the expected.

00:00:14.061 --> 00:00:25.582
The introduce us to individuals who are not only pushing physical boundaries, but who are also exploring the depths of their own potential and sharing their unique perspectives to the world.

00:00:27.080 --> 00:00:31.221
Katie McConnell is not just your average surfer.

00:00:31.850 --> 00:00:37.911
She is a champion conquering waves that most of us wouldn't dare to dream about.

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We are talking Mavericks jaws.

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Those legendary proven grants for big wave surfers.

00:00:44.331 --> 00:00:47.151
And her traffic is reflects that dedication.

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Wince at the thriller at killers, big wave contest.

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Top honors at the Lobo's.

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big wave invitational.

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Body and finishes at the red bull magnitude.

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Women's big wave contest.

00:01:01.131 --> 00:01:06.260
And even a finalist for the women's biggest battle at the X, X, L awards.

00:01:07.161 --> 00:01:07.881
But, you know what.

00:01:08.960 --> 00:01:09.950
What sets.

00:01:10.370 --> 00:01:12.441
Katie truly apart is her depth.

00:01:12.501 --> 00:01:15.590
She is not just a fearless athlete.

00:01:16.221 --> 00:01:22.611
Katie's journey is also about vulnerability, self discovery, and overcoming those inner doubts.

00:01:22.641 --> 00:01:23.301
We all face.

00:01:23.570 --> 00:01:29.631
She found her way to surfing as a teenager, searching for a sense of belonging and confidence.

00:01:30.111 --> 00:01:35.090
Uh, way to transform her relationship with the body and that journey has taken her to.

00:01:35.600 --> 00:01:38.421
Imaginable Heights literally had metaphorically.

00:01:38.990 --> 00:01:40.881
And it's not just about big air surfing.

00:01:41.180 --> 00:01:47.480
He is a champion body surfer, a Marine biologist who's dedicated to protecting the oceans.

00:01:47.540 --> 00:01:50.870
She loves and a pioneer for women in a sport.

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That's often been seen as a boys club.

00:01:54.350 --> 00:01:54.861
Kitties.

00:01:54.950 --> 00:01:57.200
Uh, tactful article storyteller.

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Who takes us beyond the adrenaline rush and into the heart of what it means to chase big waves.

00:02:04.881 --> 00:02:09.920
He's a Marine biologist who uses her scientific mind to understand the ocean.

00:02:09.920 --> 00:02:13.640
She loves a championed body surfer with the playful spirit.

00:02:14.270 --> 00:02:16.431
And a pioneer for women in a sport.

00:02:16.941 --> 00:02:19.281
That has long been dominated by men.

00:02:20.211 --> 00:02:26.811
You will hear about a journey from those early days of finding confidence through surfing to riding waves.

00:02:26.901 --> 00:02:29.151
Most of us would not even attempt.

00:02:29.600 --> 00:02:36.200
She was sharing insights on training, overcoming challenges, the importance of representation.

00:02:36.531 --> 00:02:38.931
And what it means to be an agent as athlete.

00:02:39.381 --> 00:02:40.941
Be prepared to be transported.

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Katie is a gifted storyteller, weaving her experiences with the ocean into a tapestry of vulnerability, humor, and profound connection.

00:02:52.640 --> 00:02:55.371
Her words would make you feel the spread of the ocean.

00:02:55.760 --> 00:02:58.281
And the power of those masses files.

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The dad further to do.

00:03:00.681 --> 00:03:03.531
I'm so excited to have giddy on the show.

00:03:04.580 --> 00:03:12.091
And friends, if you have been with us so far, I would really appreciate if you could leave us a rating.

00:03:12.510 --> 00:03:17.191
On apple podcasts or Spotify or wherever you listen to a.

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Stories of these.

00:03:19.381 --> 00:03:20.311
Is just athletes.

00:03:20.700 --> 00:03:21.241
Here we go.

00:03:25.149 --> 00:03:26.188
Hi, Katie.

00:03:26.598 --> 00:03:29.739
Great to have you on Ageless Athlete.

00:03:30.068 --> 00:03:32.718
Please tell us, where are you from?

00:03:33.878 --> 00:03:35.368
Where are you right now?

00:03:36.378 --> 00:03:40.579
And then also, what did you have for breakfast this morning?

00:03:43.269 --> 00:03:43.919
Hi, Kush.

00:03:43.938 --> 00:03:46.568
Thank you so much for having me on the podcast.

00:03:47.074 --> 00:03:49.204
Um, yeah, I'm Katie.

00:03:49.264 --> 00:03:51.653
I'm from Encinitas, California.

00:03:51.804 --> 00:03:55.213
Right now, I live in Maui, in Hawaii.

00:03:55.864 --> 00:04:03.544
And for breakfast, I, I had some dark chocolate with cacao nibs in it and coffee.

00:04:05.908 --> 00:04:12.429
What a delicious sounding breakfast you know, most people have on here are like eating oatmeal every morning.

00:04:12.929 --> 00:04:27.428
So yeah, chocolate for, no, so did you have the breakfast to reward yourself for your morning surf or was it before morning surf to get ready with all the sugar?

00:04:28.829 --> 00:04:42.988
You know, so I found sometimes I like to have a little bit of dark chocolate as like a little reward or a little dessert that's not too sweet but I found with the nibs I couldn't eat it at night.

00:04:43.353 --> 00:04:46.644
Because it would keep me up, and I think there's some caffeine in it.

00:04:46.824 --> 00:04:51.184
So, it's actually kind of like a double pick me up in the morning.

00:04:52.264 --> 00:05:06.053
Some coffee, and then some cacao on top, and then it's got some good fats and stuff, and just kind of gets me going in the morning, and, uh, gets me, kind of will carry me through most of the morning.

00:05:06.613 --> 00:05:13.348
My Last time or maybe my only time in Hawaii so far, I visited a local chocolateria.

00:05:16.918 --> 00:05:26.059
And they grew chocolate there in their farm in Big Island, and that was some of the best chocolate I have ever had, so.

00:05:26.829 --> 00:05:30.798
Local chocolate, perhaps, that you also had this morning?

00:05:31.869 --> 00:05:33.069
Oh, I wish.

00:05:33.069 --> 00:05:34.428
That sounds so good.

00:05:34.880 --> 00:05:38.980
but this is just from the local little grocery store.

00:05:39.463 --> 00:05:46.252
Say, I, I've heard like big island grows like the best, so, and they have a little elevation.

00:05:46.252 --> 00:05:50.343
It'd be so, what a dream to have a, a tree like that.

00:05:53.043 --> 00:05:53.843
Amazing.

00:05:54.233 --> 00:05:54.593
Super.

00:05:54.593 --> 00:05:54.913
Yeah.

00:05:54.923 --> 00:05:55.202
Great.

00:05:55.202 --> 00:06:06.237
So let's see, you are from Encinitas and, uh, now you live in Maui and what are you doing in Maui?

00:06:07.024 --> 00:06:26.685
I came to Hawaii to surf big waves, um, in 2021 during the winter season, and I had been living in Northern California at the time, and I was inspired by the Red Bull Magnitude, which is a women's big wave competition.

00:06:27.569 --> 00:06:41.850
And, uh, I reached out to Red Bull and sent them some photos and asked if they were going to do the contest again, because they had just done their first year and they invited me to surf the second year.

00:06:42.050 --> 00:06:53.300
So, I came over and I originally stayed on Oahu for two winters, and then last summer I came to Maui to be closer to Peahi, or Jaws.

00:06:53.937 --> 00:06:54.307
Awesome.

00:06:55.007 --> 00:06:55.427
Yeah.

00:06:56.802 --> 00:06:58.112
Let's jump right in.

00:06:58.822 --> 00:06:59.353
Okay.

00:07:00.233 --> 00:07:06.702
You recently won this Red Bull award for surfing.

00:07:07.098 --> 00:07:09.208
yeah, so I think this podcast is kind of timely.

00:07:09.208 --> 00:07:13.117
I feel like I'm almost like breaking news, but it's not breaking news because it's all over the news.

00:07:13.557 --> 00:07:21.617
Um, could you tell us what was the award, what was the competition about and what did you win?

00:07:22.447 --> 00:07:26.487
And what made you excel in that competition?

00:07:28.177 --> 00:07:28.728
Right.

00:07:29.076 --> 00:07:41.057
this was the fourth year of the Red Bull Magnitude, which is a women's big wave surfing competition that is held in the Hawaiian Islands each winter.

00:07:41.596 --> 00:07:49.500
And the format of the competition is, it's pretty unique in that it's called virtual style.

00:07:49.764 --> 00:08:09.834
So instead of calling on a singular day for a surfing competition with heats and, you know, like a tournament style, they have a long contest window and then they'll call up to three green light days, which means days where the swell conditions are 15 foot swell or greater.

00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:13.209
and sustained kind of across the whole day with good conditions.

00:08:13.579 --> 00:08:26.769
And you go out and you get whoever gets the best video clips of them paddling or towing a wave can submit their waves at the end of the season and for judging and whoever gets the most points wins.

00:08:26.939 --> 00:08:35.600
So usually they have the overall performer which is a woman who has the three best paddle waves.

00:08:35.830 --> 00:08:37.879
So paddling is just using your hands.

00:08:38.325 --> 00:08:56.969
And then they usually do an additional toe award, where whoever just gets toed in, which is When a jet ski has you on a, usually a heavy, smaller board towed behind the jet ski and then whipped into a wave, whoever surfs the biggest wave will win the tow award.

00:08:56.969 --> 00:09:01.558
And then they'll do a best ride award, which is for paddling.

00:09:01.558 --> 00:09:04.288
So whoever had the biggest and best paddling ride.

00:09:04.855 --> 00:09:10.765
this year, the contest window, usually they do it between December and February.

00:09:10.765 --> 00:09:10.785
Okay.

00:09:11.691 --> 00:09:24.900
and then this year, I'm not exactly sure why, but they did it from January and February only, which kind of statistically for like occurrences of giant good swells is a little late.

00:09:25.301 --> 00:09:34.951
And so, and so they actually didn't have enough, um, swells to even call an overall winner this year.

00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:38.760
So they just awarded best ride for paddling and best.

00:09:40.181 --> 00:09:41.240
Biggest toe wave.

00:09:41.240 --> 00:09:45.980
So I won biggest toe wave, uh, for a wave at Jaws in January.

00:09:46.451 --> 00:09:49.291
And, um, yeah, I'm stoked.

00:09:49.640 --> 00:09:59.056
It's kind of funny because on the outskirts of the actual contest window, other women and other women who compete in the.

00:09:59.466 --> 00:10:17.416
Uh, event, also had phenomenal rides, and even I had bigger rides than that, uh, but it just so happened that it was in the contest window, so But, it's good, I hope, the, the thing is, I hope, like, one, I'm, I'll take it, right?

00:10:17.416 --> 00:10:28.030
I'm, I'm really stoked and I'm really grateful to Uh, Daniel Goldberg, who towed me into that one, and who's, you know, kind of shown me the ropes towing a lot.

00:10:28.610 --> 00:10:30.041
Um, but it's good.

00:10:30.041 --> 00:10:45.892
I think the contest is awesome because it helps, it helps showcase women surfing, which is important for representation in the media and to inspire people to go out and chase their dreams or inspire more women to go out and surf big waves.

00:10:46.486 --> 00:10:56.256
And it also supports progression within the sport because on green light days, they send out videographers and so you watch your clips and you learn so much.

00:10:56.736 --> 00:11:09.456
They send out safety skis and, you know, that helps you, you know, and it's, it's basically they provide you with a safety plan, or otherwise, you'd be taking a lot of risks on your own.

00:11:09.787 --> 00:11:20.241
And as we know in general still, it's, you know, socially economically more difficult for women to get ahead.

00:11:21.042 --> 00:11:21.861
Um mm-Hmm.

00:11:21.961 --> 00:11:27.647
So in order to have the resources to have a jet ski, you know, outside of our.

00:11:28.451 --> 00:11:40.701
You know, men and women have different suites of challenges and obstacles in life, but definitely in surfing, the Rebel Magnitude has helped even the playing field a lot.

00:11:41.009 --> 00:11:46.059
You shared, uh, quite a bit there, just trying to understand the contest a little bit better.

00:11:46.320 --> 00:12:08.360
So unlike, let's say some of the more televised contests out there, which are held live at a given time, let's say the pipeline, let's say all the other This one takes place over a certain time horizon where you have to, uh, uh, literally submit virtual, like you said, your, your best waves.

00:12:09.394 --> 00:12:28.654
It makes me also think of this other thing that I think has been going on for a while, like maybe it's always at pipeline in, um, in Wahoo, uh, the wave of the winter thing, where, uh, again, people are either submitting clips or somebody else is just picking out clips and people get awarded like a specific one.

00:12:29.254 --> 00:12:31.174
But let's say for this one, you have this window.

00:12:31.205 --> 00:12:32.254
So how long is this window?

00:12:33.970 --> 00:12:37.809
This year it was two months and then last year it was three.

00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:39.039
Okay.

00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:39.399
Got it.

00:12:39.409 --> 00:12:40.500
So, okay.

00:12:40.509 --> 00:12:49.592
So two months seems, uh, still seems fairly, um, wide, but, but yeah, I mean, luck favors the brave, right?

00:12:49.623 --> 00:12:56.253
So you managed to manage to be within that window and, uh, managed to perform.

00:12:57.798 --> 00:13:17.556
At, at, you know, the highest levels in order to win this, congratulations, it seems incredible that, uh, I think you're somewhat of a, please correct me, but didn't you recently also win rookie of the year or for maybe the same category or different category with Red Bull?

00:13:17.596 --> 00:13:25.995
And then I think quite soon after you have now won the, this award with like everybody else in the playing field.

00:13:26.493 --> 00:13:27.363
that's correct.

00:13:27.373 --> 00:13:45.562
My very first year participating in the Red Bull Magnitude, I was actually third place, and since I was the top performing rookie, they awarded me Rookie of the Season, and, uh, that was awesome.

00:13:45.633 --> 00:13:47.763
I just, it was such a fun year.

00:13:48.393 --> 00:14:12.712
Because it, it totally changed my life, I had honestly come over to Hawaii on a strike mission, which is basically, I figured I'd just go to Hawaii just for the swell and fly right back to work, you know, and my house, where I was paying rent and everything, and then I ended up just staying in Hawaii, getting third place and winning an award.

00:14:13.528 --> 00:14:33.227
And since surfing big waves, you know, it was just something I loved so much and participating in a competition was just a curious experiment to see what I could do and just to kind of measure up, like, how do I, how do I do, how do I feel in this space?

00:14:33.827 --> 00:14:37.557
Cause I don't really consider myself a very competitive person.

00:14:37.668 --> 00:14:39.957
And so it was awesome.

00:14:39.988 --> 00:14:40.908
I was really stoked.

00:14:40.908 --> 00:14:41.437
And then.

00:14:41.687 --> 00:15:05.248
each year after that, I've placed somehow, um, and I went, actually after my rookie season in Hawaii, then it was Southern Hemisphere winter, and I went to Chile and Brazil, and I was the top performing woman there too, except at Itacoatiara, Michaela Fragonesi.

00:15:07.187 --> 00:15:07.988
Got me there.

00:15:09.638 --> 00:15:13.307
And she had a great wave this crazy day.

00:15:13.307 --> 00:15:30.638
And then, um, and yeah, and then it propelled me to go back and do the magnitude my second year, um, where I unfortunately kind of sprained my MCL right at the beginning of the season, right after I had my best Jaws wave yet.

00:15:31.278 --> 00:15:45.278
Um, but I still managed fifth place and got on the podium, even though I Even with a knee brace on, so it's just been like, well, can't stop now, you know, like, got to keep going.

00:15:45.278 --> 00:15:48.798
I'm just so, it's like, pretty mind blowing to me.

00:15:48.798 --> 00:15:51.768
I'm surprised, like, my whole family's like, really, you?

00:15:51.957 --> 00:16:09.660
Like, I started off, like, not being able to swim very well in the beginning, like, years ago, like, always been kind of, you know, I kind of started late surfing and, you know, Was just in science and yeah, it's just been awesome.

00:16:10.541 --> 00:16:11.880
It's just been a, it's been a trip.

00:16:13.900 --> 00:16:21.520
You shared so much and, um, yeah, I want to, you know, pick different points.

00:16:22.130 --> 00:16:52.336
Of what you shared, but my, my most immediate reaction is I am nursing an ankle sprain and that's been one of my excuses to have taken a break from surfing because I'm kind of nervous about, you know, walking on rocks to get out and then, uh, you know, uh, getting the, the, the pop up a little bit of falling on my ankle, but you dropping into giant waves with a torn MCR.

00:16:52.990 --> 00:16:57.270
You know, really makes me want to go in a corner with my excuse.

00:16:57.280 --> 00:16:59.980
So anyways, uh, thanks.

00:17:00.010 --> 00:17:00.291
I didn't

00:17:00.291 --> 00:17:01.530
say it was a good idea.

00:17:05.933 --> 00:17:12.263
Anyways, yeah, no, I mean, I will take this in the, in the best light, which is, uh, I'll take some inspiration from that.

00:17:12.394 --> 00:17:15.523
And I hope others will as well that, Hey, you know what injuries happen.

00:17:15.523 --> 00:17:18.054
Sometimes you just have to figure out the best way to.

00:17:18.453 --> 00:17:23.874
move past them with braces or whatnot and take some chances.

00:17:24.443 --> 00:17:25.314
Calculated chances.

00:17:26.354 --> 00:17:44.023
You also spoke of your, let's say, ascendance into competitions, but even before that, you also talked about getting started and not being, let's say, uh, a child prodigy.

00:17:45.304 --> 00:17:45.653
Right.

00:17:45.933 --> 00:18:05.713
So if you can help take, uh, take us through this journey of how you got started with surf and, uh, also when did that, like, spark fire when you decided to focus, uh, and make this your, uh, passion?

00:18:06.041 --> 00:18:08.710
yeah, I, so I grew up in, in Encinitas.

00:18:08.710 --> 00:18:12.529
And Encinitas is known as.

00:18:13.625 --> 00:18:14.684
A place of surf.

00:18:14.684 --> 00:18:30.700
It's in Southern California, Norris County, San Diego, in the classic Beach Boys Surfin USA song, they mention Swamis, which is there, and Yeah, it's got really nice waves, kind of longboard y.

00:18:30.700 --> 00:18:36.599
There's a wave called Seaside that is more rippable, shortboarding and stuff.

00:18:37.240 --> 00:18:48.930
And pros have come out of Encinitas over the years, like Rob Machado, Ryan Birch, um, But I didn't start surfing until high school.

00:18:48.930 --> 00:18:57.295
My high school had Surf PE and So, but they didn't teach you to surf in it.

00:18:57.325 --> 00:19:01.375
It was a class that happened every single day before school.

00:19:02.095 --> 00:19:06.265
So we'd meet at Heart of Reef at like 7 a.

00:19:06.265 --> 00:19:06.765
m.

00:19:07.134 --> 00:19:09.365
and then you'd make it back to school.

00:19:09.875 --> 00:19:32.944
For second period or homeroom, and I started off taking it with my best friend, Emily, and we were the only girls in the class, and our parents would drop us off, and we would just, Cardiff Reef has an actual reef out front of this river mouth, but it also has kind of an inside beach break.

00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:40.380
And we were too scared to go out to the reef, not just for the waves, but also because we were afraid of the crowd.

00:19:41.230 --> 00:19:45.519
We didn't want to get yelled at or do something wrong, so we would just stay on the inside reef.

00:19:46.029 --> 00:19:53.500
And we would just throw each other, we would just throw ourselves into these, like, dumpy closeouts on boards that were way too small for us.

00:19:54.160 --> 00:20:10.200
And we just kept trying and trying and, uh, Eventually Emily dropped out and went back to cross country, but I kept going and a local Don patroller took pity on me and passed me his long board.

00:20:10.660 --> 00:20:15.230
One day and he told me it was magic and I believed him.

00:20:15.779 --> 00:20:53.244
I was like what and he he invited me out to the wreath to the outside and so I kind of sat near him and And I finally caught my first real wave just paddled into a green phase and rode it for a long time Just a small little wave, but I think A lot of people who, a lot of surfers still remember their first wave and that feeling of the glide over the water and the speed and kind of that like, yeah, it was just so smooth, you know, and

00:20:53.325 --> 00:20:53.704
yeah,

00:20:53.845 --> 00:21:01.035
and at Cardiff Reef, you go over like the reef patches and it was this like cold overcast day, you could see the seagrass.

00:21:01.630 --> 00:21:03.769
And then I was hooked.

00:21:03.769 --> 00:21:10.440
It was super fun and beautiful and I just wanted to surf as much as I could.

00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:27.029
Um, it was also because, um, I was like 15 at the time and I had a lot of, I just did not feel, I didn't, I just didn't feel very comfortable in my own body.

00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:31.799
And so a lot of my friends loved going to the beach.

00:21:32.309 --> 00:21:38.019
And sometimes my family would go to the beach, but I wasn't part of like a surfy family.

00:21:38.019 --> 00:21:43.069
My dad used to surf a little bit, but he, you know, he didn't really as much anymore.

00:21:43.069 --> 00:21:52.819
And so I'd go to the beach sometimes and everybody would, all the girls would be in their bikinis and I just didn't feel like I fit in and I just felt so uncomfortable there.

00:21:53.355 --> 00:22:08.941
But I realized looking in, I loved surfing magazines, because of the, the waves, and I just loved looking at these beautiful, beautiful, bending, light, glowing shapes of water.

00:22:09.455 --> 00:22:13.066
And all the cool things surfers were doing on them and all these poses.

00:22:13.695 --> 00:22:23.425
And I just wanted to be closer to that magic, but I also couldn't, like, I couldn't deny that all the surfers looked pretty fit.

00:22:23.786 --> 00:22:31.125
And so I was like, huh, like, maybe this would be a great way for me to start getting in shape a little bit.

00:22:31.566 --> 00:22:50.566
And so I started going surfing more and more like with Surf PE and the salt water would like clear up my acne and then my hair started getting shiny and like getting blonde and then I'd come out of the water and I would just feel good, you know, you get the cold water and then you're just kind of set for the rest of the day.

00:22:51.125 --> 00:23:10.340
And so it was just this kind of positive feedback loop of having fun in the water and then having all the good benefits just kind of transformed me from, you You know, inside and outside, in and out, and just kind of got me on a whole new track of life.

00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:20.500
So, and like what my focus was, you know, it was, it kind of gave me a little bit of a, something to look forward to, and like a reason to live.

00:23:20.961 --> 00:23:24.330
So that's how I got into surfing, and then all I wanted to do was surf all the time.

00:23:26.611 --> 00:23:30.221
But I was not, I was not a prodigy surfer at all.

00:23:30.711 --> 00:24:23.855
What was so funny was one of our substitute teachers in high school started, was a, The California State Beach lifeguard and he tried to start a different surf PE course called ocean surf life saving Which was he the idea was that he was going to train us to become lifeguards and like do the spring Test and like go to training and then get summer jobs and stuff and grow the force, but what he didn't realize Was that all like the cool good surfers stayed in surf PE and all us kind of nerds went to ocean surf life So he just had you know, he had his hands full trying to train these kooks into like, you know pro ocean navigators and ocean lifesavers You So I will never free.

00:24:23.855 --> 00:24:28.665
We had such a good time, but I remember the day the spring test came.

00:24:28.705 --> 00:24:31.215
I think we were all seniors at this point.

00:24:32.796 --> 00:24:44.776
It was like a four foot day at Ponto and which is not very huge and we all just got rescued like, like jumped in the water and like my friend Demetrio just got pulled out.

00:24:45.115 --> 00:24:48.645
I didn't even make it out past the break and just got sucked down the beach.

00:24:49.236 --> 00:25:02.806
I start from humble beginnings of surf, let's just say, and, but I always loved it, and so it stayed with me into college when I went to Santa Cruz, and I took a swim class.

00:25:03.270 --> 00:25:07.221
Which helped me pass the lifeguard tets the following year.

00:25:07.810 --> 00:25:15.711
And, um, and lifeguarding is where I became more comfortable in the ocean.

00:25:15.800 --> 00:25:24.171
I,'cause we were body surfing all of the time and, and just in the water and staring at the water all day.

00:25:24.736 --> 00:25:31.135
You watch the water all day long and you learn so much about it and how other people interact with it.

00:25:31.915 --> 00:25:38.925
And, yeah, it just, it was just kind of a gradual progression until I started surfing big waves.

00:25:40.174 --> 00:25:55.700
during the pandemic really, yeah, fast forward like 10 years and it was just little bit by bit and I think I got, yeah, that was a lot, so

00:25:56.180 --> 00:26:00.470
no, no, um, no, that was, there was so much.

00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:03.500
Yeah, there was so much beauty in what you shared.

00:26:04.170 --> 00:26:06.009
I was just, uh, you know, beaming.

00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:14.868
Firstly, looks like that, surfboard was, shared, uh, with you by this kind person at the beach.

00:26:16.148 --> 00:26:18.608
That looks like that was magic indeed.

00:26:18.729 --> 00:26:27.868
Looks like that, that transformational because you went from like your whatever undersized craft to a proper board.

00:26:28.554 --> 00:26:39.344
And that allowed you to actually, you know, paddle into a wave and, and feel that, uh, delight and riding that green wave.

00:26:39.364 --> 00:26:43.058
So sounds like that, there was, there was, some transformation in that

00:26:43.148 --> 00:26:44.449
moment there.

00:26:45.157 --> 00:26:46.825
Then there were

00:26:46.974 --> 00:26:59.805
other things that occurred as you started to take that joy and that manifested itself in other parts of your life and your personality.

00:27:00.365 --> 00:27:14.734
And what you said about how taking up surfing or taking up like, let's say, um, an ocean sport, uh, allowed you to feel differently about.

00:27:15.539 --> 00:27:18.279
Your self, your body and your being.

00:27:19.529 --> 00:27:20.490
I mean, that is powerful.

00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:34.089
I mean, it seems like, yes, saltwater beauty therapy, you know, trumps all cosmetics, just get out and just get out and, uh, uh, experience that.

00:27:34.932 --> 00:27:46.431
At what point did you change your lifestyle where let's say you were out there, you know, playing in the water a little bit.

00:27:47.020 --> 00:27:58.921
You mentioned your family was not, you know, an avid beach going family, which I think is, uh, is somewhat of a different upbringing than a lot of, uh, pro surfers.

00:27:59.796 --> 00:28:12.256
Childhoods where a lot of kids who are pros now, they learn surfing early as early kids because their family surfs or their family takes them or they're at the beach all the time.

00:28:12.925 --> 00:28:15.885
It looks like you had to be more intentional about it.

00:28:16.526 --> 00:28:24.336
There was some draw that you felt and you decided to, uh, to shift your path a little bit.

00:28:24.355 --> 00:28:31.655
Was that like a, like a, was there like a definitive thing where you're like, okay, now I'm going to start doing ABC.

00:28:31.695 --> 00:28:37.355
Now I'm going to start taking up lifeguard, lifeguarding courses.

00:28:38.365 --> 00:28:44.205
What, what was that, uh, catalyst beyond just that magic surfboard ride?

00:28:46.375 --> 00:28:48.026
Um, wow.

00:28:48.105 --> 00:28:49.546
That was such a great.

00:28:50.181 --> 00:28:51.601
Summary, reflection, Kush.

00:28:51.621 --> 00:28:53.871
I'm so, like, in awe of you.

00:28:54.010 --> 00:28:56.990
Um, and, yeah, thank you.

00:28:57.290 --> 00:29:00.221
Yeah, that's really cool, and thanks for listening so well.

00:29:00.221 --> 00:29:49.047
I'm sorry I'm running on so much, but, um, yeah, that's a good question, because I think for, I think, although, I mean, I, my family is, has really blessed me, where especially my dad has always told me that I can do anything if I set my mind to it and work hard, and I think just naturally, I've always loved a challenge, and so I think the combination of finding something that I love, that made me happy, that made me feel good, that made me healthy, um, that was also a challenge.

00:29:49.656 --> 00:29:59.596
Um, and then having this kind of internal programming of like, okay, well, if I just set my mind to this, if I set a goal.

00:30:00.301 --> 00:30:10.971
Maybe I can figure out the steps to get there, and if I achieve my goal, then I'll look around from there and see what else I can do.

00:30:11.432 --> 00:30:19.477
And so I think that's kind of how it started right from the get go with surfing, was, um, it was just such like a, a path.

00:30:19.826 --> 00:30:41.487
A positive challenge for me to keep going, and I think a lot of surfers feel this way too, where it's like a forever journey, like we're always learning and surfing, like in a way, we're always still beginners, and that comes from, uh, you know, the, the ocean too, it's like a constantly, it's a dynamic environment.

00:30:42.166 --> 00:30:52.227
And, I mean, arguably, it's also kind of like a living being's spiritual environment, too, like you're always in conversation with.

00:30:52.896 --> 00:30:58.527
With the ocean when you are in the ocean and that side of things has also developed over time.

00:30:59.317 --> 00:31:02.807
So Yeah, I think it started right away.

00:31:02.817 --> 00:31:27.761
It was it was like a Pretty pretty instant like when I taught surf lessons, I would Jokingly, but not so jokingly, caution people who would catch their first waves, and they would be so excited about it, and I'd be like, Look out, cause now you're, you're gonna get addicted, you're gonna start moving little things around in your life so you can surf more.

00:31:28.092 --> 00:31:33.352
And then all of a sudden you're going to be moving closer to the coast and maybe you'll be in Hawaii.

00:31:34.432 --> 00:31:42.172
Cause, cause it can happen, you know, and, um, yeah, it become, it can become a central focus.

00:31:42.301 --> 00:31:56.142
And, uh, but yeah, I remember, so I used, in terms of like challenges and getting in shape and stuff, I started realizing that I, there's so much more I could do that I initially thought possible.

00:31:56.471 --> 00:31:58.451
And so that turned into.

00:31:59.192 --> 00:32:00.172
Like wait a second.

00:32:00.172 --> 00:32:18.272
I can bike to the beach, you know before I had a car I can bike brought my house up over the hill, down the coast to the beach, you know, go on a run, swim the buoy, run back and then bike to school before first period.

00:32:18.873 --> 00:32:27.612
And, and it was part of like, okay, I'm, I'm the worst lifeguard out there, but I can get better and I can do it this way.

00:32:27.612 --> 00:32:30.782
And, and, and I, and I am improving.

00:32:30.782 --> 00:32:33.887
And you just, you know, Keep working at things.

00:32:33.887 --> 00:32:46.897
And I think it's, it's, I don't know, the more green flag, the more positive signs you get, the, it's just like doors just open and it's just natural to just keep going.

00:32:47.702 --> 00:33:00.964
one of the first, uh, words that I think of, you know, when I think of you, when I first came across you and some of those, uh, surf videos and even now is you seem so thoughtful in your approach.

00:33:01.015 --> 00:33:02.605
You know, obviously there is.

00:33:03.295 --> 00:33:06.134
So much excitement and stuff, but you're also so thoughtful.

00:33:06.984 --> 00:33:10.164
Um, I want to talk about that approach a little bit more.

00:33:11.001 --> 00:33:25.461
Um, just sticking with surfing for a second, you decided, you mentioned that over COVID, which is just, you know, it didn't happen so long ago, you know, just, just four years ago, COVID came and like shook us up.

00:33:26.692 --> 00:33:29.571
Big wave surfing became, let's say, a focal point.

00:33:30.632 --> 00:33:40.832
Uh, what I want to understand is most people who take up surfing, you know, Either for leisure or for competition, they don't go into big waves.

00:33:40.842 --> 00:33:47.271
So within the, within this like outlying sport of surfing, big wave surfing is even more niche.

00:33:48.311 --> 00:33:53.951
At what point, again, did you start focusing on big wave surfing?

00:33:54.491 --> 00:34:01.751
And again, was it like a, was it like a, was it like a gradual approach where you, you know, you took one chance?

00:34:02.517 --> 00:34:06.426
And, and then slowly you started going out in bigger waves.

00:34:08.007 --> 00:34:10.626
And at some point you were like, you know what, I'm really good at this.

00:34:11.007 --> 00:34:15.083
When did this, and how did this happen?

00:34:15.094 --> 00:34:20.804
This draw towards big wave surfing and, uh, yeah, I would love to hear about that journey.

00:34:22.083 --> 00:34:22.454
Okay.

00:34:22.474 --> 00:34:23.514
That's a good question.

00:34:23.554 --> 00:34:25.474
Um, I think so.

00:34:25.664 --> 00:34:29.643
So big wave surfing came about, I think it's an interesting concept to consider.

00:34:29.643 --> 00:34:32.833
Like, you know, how do we get over our fears?

00:34:32.864 --> 00:34:36.563
And so forever, I mean, I'm still scared in big waves.

00:34:37.128 --> 00:35:00.909
But I love surfing and so at the time of the pandemic, I had come back from lockdown in Chile and I was living in Northern California and there, I mean, there's some like big waves, but, um, in terms of like big, big waves, it kind of gets to a certain point and it's not really surfable anymore there, but it's solid.

00:35:00.929 --> 00:35:02.759
I mean, it's, it's a challenge.

00:35:03.309 --> 00:35:25.369
For anyone to surf in that area and when I first moved there, I was really scared and I would, but I wanted to surf every day and the worst was when I would get stuck on the sand and my friends would be out surfing and I was like, gosh, it just feels horrible.

00:35:25.369 --> 00:35:26.849
You just want to be out there.

00:35:27.228 --> 00:35:43.329
And so I think, although I was afraid, my love for surfing eventually won out, and I started taking small steps to figure out how to feel more comfortable, how to navigate, and how to surf safely.

00:35:44.864 --> 00:35:50.173
On days where I, in the past, had not thought were possible for me to serve, right?

00:35:50.344 --> 00:35:57.344
And so, that started off with, my boyfriend at the time started lending me different equipment.

00:35:57.773 --> 00:36:01.994
So I had a actual big wave board called a gun.

00:36:02.344 --> 00:36:10.684
It was nine feet, two inches long, which at the time to me was like, Oh, this is the same length as my longboard that I love so much.

00:36:10.713 --> 00:36:14.994
But the shape is, you know, pointed nose drawn in tail.

00:36:15.393 --> 00:36:18.393
And it's, so it's built for speed and it was heavy, you know?

00:36:19.244 --> 00:36:22.114
So it was like, just, you know, it's just a knife.

00:36:22.114 --> 00:36:22.934
It's a blade.

00:36:23.543 --> 00:36:30.574
And so that gave me the paddle speed to be able to navigate and dodge, you know, giant incoming sets.

00:36:31.244 --> 00:36:41.244
And not take them on the head and gave me the confidence to pick and position myself for ones that I felt like, you know, we're inviting.

00:36:41.923 --> 00:36:47.773
And so it's always just been a little bit of a tiptoeing a little bit closer.

00:36:47.813 --> 00:36:55.724
Even on the biggest days, I would watch it from the coast, you know, or from, you know, from some vantage point.

00:36:56.353 --> 00:37:07.134
And if it looked really big and scary, but it But actually surfable, I would try and convince myself to at least paddle out and go get a closer look.

00:37:07.213 --> 00:37:23.208
Like if I could find a way to get closer, often it would shift my perspective and you know, with no expectations and no plan, except for safe and smiley on the sand at the end of the session.

00:37:23.498 --> 00:37:27.248
You know, just don't put any expectations on riding a wave.

00:37:27.248 --> 00:37:30.759
Just get closer, get another look and make it back in is a success.

00:37:31.458 --> 00:37:33.409
And so that helped a lot.

00:37:33.608 --> 00:37:37.188
And, um, I started catching some waves.

00:37:37.188 --> 00:37:42.958
It was super fun and it was really rewarding.

00:37:42.969 --> 00:37:48.789
And, you know, you, I mean, I can't deny that it's like, it really gets your heart pumping.

00:37:49.108 --> 00:37:52.128
You know, you catch a giant wave, you overcome a big fear.

00:37:52.128 --> 00:37:52.259
It's.

00:37:53.528 --> 00:37:56.858
It's, you know, it's, you really feel a lot.

00:37:58.309 --> 00:38:10.668
And so, like I said, it's kind of like I was starting to be able to do one thing I thought I hadn't been done before and I thought, well, maybe I can catch a bigger one.

00:38:11.128 --> 00:38:19.338
And so I kind of expanded my, you know, horizons to check out, um, this big wave in Oregon.

00:38:19.898 --> 00:38:24.079
And then I went down to Mavericks and I got my own.

00:38:24.929 --> 00:38:43.228
Gun, because I figured I can't just keep writing my boyfriend's board all the time and, uh, a nine two to me seemed like a big wave board, you know, and so I figured kind of like, you know, astronauts always say the best rocket isn't the fastest rocket.

00:38:43.228 --> 00:38:44.648
It's the most reliable one.

00:38:45.929 --> 00:38:55.159
I figured that, uh, uh, since I've been writing a board shaped by Gary Linden, um, I was like, well, I know this one works.

00:38:55.168 --> 00:38:56.438
I'll call up Gary Linden.

00:38:57.059 --> 00:38:59.998
And I was like, Gary, what do you think?

00:38:59.998 --> 00:39:01.469
Should I go 9.

00:39:01.469 --> 00:39:01.489
4?

00:39:01.489 --> 00:39:01.639
Is 9.

00:39:01.639 --> 00:39:03.248
6 too big?

00:39:03.728 --> 00:39:05.668
And he was like, why don't you go 10.

00:39:05.668 --> 00:39:06.389
0?

00:39:06.389 --> 00:39:07.818
And I was like, oh my gosh.

00:39:07.829 --> 00:39:10.398
He's like, don't you want to catch a million waves?

00:39:10.949 --> 00:39:13.358
And I was like, geez, well, when you put it that way.

00:39:14.009 --> 00:39:18.068
And so he shaped me this giant 10 foot long gun.

00:39:18.514 --> 00:39:19.764
That's heavy.

00:39:19.784 --> 00:39:21.534
Like, I still have it.

00:39:21.534 --> 00:39:23.023
I don't know if it will ever break.

00:39:23.023 --> 00:39:27.664
It's like the most insane board and, um, It was just a gateway.

00:39:28.164 --> 00:39:40.284
It was the gateway board into more, you know, just to progress bigger and, um, And along the way, you know, as you said, there aren't a ton of people surfing big waves.

00:39:40.744 --> 00:39:50.583
And so you get out into these lineups and especially as a woman, you know, I was often the only woman out there.

00:39:50.733 --> 00:39:56.284
And so in a way that attracts a lot of attention because people are like, Hey, there's a girl over here.

00:39:57.494 --> 00:40:00.574
But it also means that I got to meet a lot of people.

00:40:01.083 --> 00:40:07.403
And that in itself also opens doors because surfing big waves is such a small community.

00:40:07.414 --> 00:40:07.434
Yeah.

00:40:08.023 --> 00:40:44.208
That, you know, you make friends, you're out in a big wave session, and it's, they're all so memorable, it's like you live something together, when you're surfing big waves, because there's so much energy in the water, and it's so spectacular, and there's so much power, and people are doing radical things, and taking big wipeouts, you know, it's like a huge adventure, and so you create these strong bonds, and you become like a family, And then, if you start trying to show up for Swells, you start to see the same people at the same place at the same time.

00:40:44.239 --> 00:40:56.338
And they could be from all over the world, and it's just, it just kind of continues the whole, like, flywheel effect of, like, jumping on a new train.

00:40:57.018 --> 00:40:59.018
And off you go.

00:40:59.648 --> 00:41:09.969
So, yeah, I think what a turning point, I would say for me in surfing big waves was, you know, during the pandemic I was, I was pretty much out of work.

00:41:10.039 --> 00:41:11.688
I had just finished grad school.

00:41:11.778 --> 00:41:15.148
I was teaching in a study abroad course, so nobody could travel.

00:41:15.699 --> 00:41:17.588
And so I was.

00:41:18.594 --> 00:41:50.739
Doing a bunch of odd jobs, you know, doing some crabbing, some substitute teaching, you know, some gardening, whatever, and, uh, some surf lessons on the side, and, uh, I went up to Oregon for a swell, and I met some guys who had, who were from Mavericks, and they were like, you know, the swells go kind of, they're, these northwest swells will hit Oregon first and travel down the coast, And we surfed together and they're like, well, we're going down to Mavericks.

00:41:50.739 --> 00:41:52.039
Why don't you come with us?

00:41:52.668 --> 00:41:54.528
And so that was it.

00:41:54.619 --> 00:42:08.329
I ended up just following them and, uh, dropped down into Mavericks for one of the best runs of, of surf they've had in years, there was just swell after swell.

00:42:08.969 --> 00:42:14.009
And even a really big day to this January 10th day.

00:42:15.009 --> 00:42:17.748
And, um, yeah, it was just.

00:42:18.114 --> 00:42:19.494
It was just mind blowing.

00:42:19.664 --> 00:42:20.543
It was so cool.

00:42:20.543 --> 00:42:26.023
And, and that it was down there where I started feeling like, Oh, I think I can kind of do this.

00:42:26.023 --> 00:42:30.123
And some of the guys were paddling over to me and they're like, who are you?

00:42:30.634 --> 00:42:32.173
And I was like, I'm Katie.

00:42:32.173 --> 00:42:33.643
This is my second day here.

00:42:33.664 --> 00:42:34.853
And they're like, what are you?

00:42:34.864 --> 00:42:38.213
They're like, you are way too comfortable out here.

00:42:38.943 --> 00:42:43.574
And actually Trevor Carlson, uh, he lives on the North shore of Oahu.

00:42:43.963 --> 00:42:46.943
He was like, you should seriously consider doing this more.

00:42:46.963 --> 00:42:56.623
It was just kind of, so I, I really, Trevor's one of my good friends now because we have seen each other all over the place.

00:42:56.764 --> 00:43:13.563
And, um, Him and Will Scootin and Drake Stanley and Eric Akoskalian and during that time even like Kyle Lennie and Justine DuPont were there and you know and all my friends I've just been it's just been awesome.

00:43:13.563 --> 00:43:30.278
And so I'm so grateful for the big wave community and Because all the positivity and encouragement they showed me helped me believe in myself to keep following what I really loved.

00:43:30.972 --> 00:43:32.041
You took me down

00:43:32.041 --> 00:43:39.742
that journey as, yeah, as other listeners would also feel that power.

00:43:40.172 --> 00:43:46.516
And, uh, a few things I want to ask you, but before I do that, I have a funny anecdote to share.

00:43:47.742 --> 00:43:55.802
You spoke about, you know, how, when you first got that nine to gun, you were like, this is similar to a longboard.

00:43:56.791 --> 00:44:00.402
When I was learning to surf here, uh, maybe.

00:44:01.041 --> 00:44:10.061
Yes, somewhere in that journey, about like 12 years ago or so, I was going through different boards because I was trying to figure out the right board size, whatnot.

00:44:10.402 --> 00:44:13.362
And I would buy used, used serve boards from Craigslist.

00:44:13.782 --> 00:44:18.132
And I accidentally ended up with a gun, I think, around the same length.

00:44:18.742 --> 00:44:20.601
And I was like, Oh, this is, this is long.

00:44:20.632 --> 00:44:21.882
I need a big stable board.

00:44:22.181 --> 00:44:23.771
And I remember taking it out.

00:44:24.181 --> 00:44:26.521
To Ocean Beach in San Francisco one day.

00:44:26.831 --> 00:44:38.831
And I think somebody literally asked me, they're like, Oh, are you preparing yourself for like big wave surf season by getting comfortable with your, with your gun in like small conditions?

00:44:38.862 --> 00:44:41.472
And I, I, I didn't actually understand that question.

00:44:41.521 --> 00:44:48.021
And my friend who I was with, he's like, Oh yeah, you know, big wave surfers will just to get used to the equipment.

00:44:48.802 --> 00:44:56.702
They will use, you know, they will try that stuff out in small waves just, you know, before they drop into a 50 foot wave for the first time on that board, they will know how that board does.

00:44:56.972 --> 00:44:59.092
Anyway, I had no idea what was being talked about.

00:44:59.251 --> 00:45:10.641
And I'm sure maybe that person asked me, maybe that person saw me wipe out on like, uh, like, you know, a waist high wave that probably, uh, cleared, uh, you know, any, uh, yeah.

00:45:10.981 --> 00:45:12.561
Any misconceptions that person had.

00:45:12.581 --> 00:45:13.992
Anyway, I thought that was quite funny.

00:45:15.112 --> 00:45:25.119
Um, Also, another thing, uh, which I can totally relate to, again, I have never been on a, on a massive wave.

00:45:25.179 --> 00:45:30.469
I probably never will, but that thrill of catching a big wave.

00:45:31.320 --> 00:45:37.030
You know, I did not grow up surfing, so I have a lot of fear about the ocean.

00:45:37.070 --> 00:45:44.309
I grew up in like a freaking landlocked city, which is also partly what my excitement is about going to the ocean.

00:45:44.329 --> 00:45:47.309
It is just this incredible dynamic, dynamic environment.

00:45:48.465 --> 00:46:13.784
I do know this when I wipe out a lot, and I don't like wiping out, I don't like being underwater for long periods, but those days when I feel that I'm charging, quote unquote, and I, I can catch like some bigger waves, I don't even care if I wipe out and have like, and you know, and get crunched by the waves if I've made an effort and I have overcome some of that fear in, in going after and paddling and, and dropping in.

00:46:14.364 --> 00:46:16.855
confidently on a scary wave.

00:46:17.364 --> 00:46:18.864
I don't even care about the aftermath.

00:46:18.885 --> 00:46:19.994
It's like, I love all of that.

00:46:20.175 --> 00:46:23.324
So for sure.

00:46:25.175 --> 00:46:34.585
What helped you become so comfortable being at, let's say Mavericks amongst other places you have served?

00:46:35.275 --> 00:46:48.269
Because I'm guessing somebody who hasn't served Or who's visiting a place and a wave, which is so storied, you know, there's just so much drama that you hear about, see about Mavericks.

00:46:48.280 --> 00:46:50.090
And you were out there for the first time.

00:46:50.130 --> 00:46:57.900
And, um, you seem comfortable according to yourself and other people.

00:46:57.940 --> 00:47:01.369
Like what was it just diligent preparation?

00:47:01.989 --> 00:47:03.690
Was it just so much excitement?

00:47:03.969 --> 00:47:05.809
Was it, uh, something else?

00:47:08.525 --> 00:47:10.474
Well, okay.

00:47:10.505 --> 00:47:20.804
I, first, that's a good question too, because, first of all, just say that if Trevor Carlson thought that I looked calm and comfortable, that was just on the outside.

00:47:21.135 --> 00:47:30.864
On the inside, I was for sure fearing for my life, pretty much at every moment, because, You know, it's like you're in a new place.

00:47:30.925 --> 00:47:32.125
It's new dynamics.

00:47:32.125 --> 00:47:33.894
You're not really sure what's going to happen.

00:47:33.894 --> 00:47:52.545
There's a lot of uncertainty, even if you are a seasoned veteran of a certain spot and you know how it behaves on different conditions, you know, it's like, but I think because I'm very, I try to keep my heart rate down and, and just, and more curious, like what I'm supposed to do, right?

00:47:52.545 --> 00:47:55.875
You know, I try and be very cautious and.

00:47:56.235 --> 00:47:57.465
Yeah, it's it's true.

00:47:57.465 --> 00:48:00.315
There are there are days when you are really feeling it, right?

00:48:00.315 --> 00:48:23.014
And you just are like full send mode on on waves and stuff kind of like what you were saying You don't even care if you're gonna get wiped out, you know Like you just go and it feels great and you're just having fun And I think with big waves, for me, that's the goal, but sometimes it's a little scarier and it feels a little less free at first because you're just kind of tiptoeing around.

00:48:23.809 --> 00:48:24.309
yeah.

00:48:24.960 --> 00:48:26.110
Did that answer your question?

00:48:26.110 --> 00:48:27.320
Sorry, I got a little off track.

00:48:27.320 --> 00:48:58.719
Yeah, no, I think I I think I'm understanding, uh, how, what your approach is and what's going on in your mind and yes, you know, on the outside, you might look cool and poised, but inside, I'm sure the heart is beating hard as all of that excitement and fear just kind of comes together into, uh, into, uh, making for a very heady conversation.

00:48:59.860 --> 00:49:00.579
Experience.

00:49:01.349 --> 00:49:12.623
You mentioned the camaraderie that you found when you started and being a female and you got invited and you got attention and you made friends at the same time.

00:49:12.673 --> 00:49:25.958
I'm sure they were Some unique challenges you faced as a female entering the world of particularly big wave surfing, you know, which has historically been completely male dominated.

00:49:27.509 --> 00:49:32.028
Did you face any such challenges or obstacles and, and

00:49:32.028 --> 00:49:36.108
yeah, how do you continue to overcome them?

00:49:38.619 --> 00:49:39.048
There's

00:49:39.938 --> 00:50:06.978
Definitely challenges, but it's a lot better than how it used to be because of women like Keala Connelly and Bianca Valenti and many women who have come before us who made, who, who did not back down and made huge strides to not just show that we're capable and deserving to be out there just as much as anybody else.

00:50:07.608 --> 00:50:10.208
Um, but also.

00:50:10.688 --> 00:50:25.659
In terms of like the surf industry, fight for our equality and our like equity in the, in that space and our, and our value and our worth for what competitive surfers are doing.

00:50:26.429 --> 00:50:34.349
So, yeah, I think as a, as a woman, for me, I think one of the biggest challenges is that.

00:50:35.259 --> 00:50:37.318
I mean, it goes two ways, right?

00:50:37.338 --> 00:50:44.099
I, sometimes I think, I feel like as a woman, people are extra nice to me, which is really cool.

00:50:44.639 --> 00:50:57.829
Um, but then there's also this other side of it where I still have to prove extra hard that, like, dis, you know, disprove all of these old prejudices that are against us, right?

00:50:57.849 --> 00:51:08.494
Like, We, we are just hazards in the lineup or we don't, you know, we have no business being out there or we're not strong enough.

00:51:08.503 --> 00:51:09.844
We're not brave enough.

00:51:09.844 --> 00:51:12.534
We don't have the skills and whatever.

00:51:12.813 --> 00:51:37.568
And so partly what I hope I can do is be an example that changes that paradigm and to have it not be You know, I think sometimes I, a lot of my guy friends have complained that, you know, it would be, we would all love to be able to be paid to surf and just be able to do that, but we can't, right?

00:51:38.108 --> 00:51:57.824
But women have this additional advantage that, you know, often, you know, we were like models and, you know, there's all sorts of like bikini butt shots going around, not quite as much anymore, but it's kind of, you know, you know, And so I've had guys complain that it's like, Hey, it's just not fair.

00:51:59.494 --> 00:52:01.983
If I had that, I would use that too.

00:52:02.623 --> 00:52:08.844
But for me, I always kind of think like I just want it to be, it's not like there's got to be a separation.

00:52:08.844 --> 00:52:15.833
I've talked with Rochelle Ballard about this, like super briefly once where we were kind of got to the point where we're like, there's this.

00:52:16.264 --> 00:52:34.405
element of being feminine and that's just part of part of it because we are women and Women are and men are different and that's great and we appreciate that but also not letting it get in the way of like, you know, what we're actually doing and what our What our actual merit is.

00:52:36.250 --> 00:52:36.789
Let's see.

00:52:36.820 --> 00:52:38.630
So in, in my experience

00:52:39.239 --> 00:52:50.239
surfing as a woman, I think the biggest challenge has been, you know, people's assumptions about me simply because I'm a woman.

00:52:50.559 --> 00:53:01.230
And, you know, a lot of the assumptions come from like, she's, I'm going to be weak and not surf well and be dangerous and all that stuff.

00:53:02.610 --> 00:53:06.590
And you know, also sometimes I'm objectified, right?

00:53:06.610 --> 00:53:16.429
Sometimes when I'm doing well, people are extra stoked, which is cool, but sometimes it becomes like part of the fantasy.

00:53:16.429 --> 00:53:24.670
You know, sometimes I feel like I can't have like a real authentic connection with someone because they start to see me.

00:53:25.019 --> 00:53:29.889
As something else, just because I am doing well, like I am a surfer.

00:53:29.889 --> 00:53:31.840
It's so new and different still.

00:53:32.349 --> 00:53:39.090
So I think at the end of the day, I think the goal would be that there's like a, we've got to strike a balance between like.

00:53:39.815 --> 00:53:41.695
Oh, women are doing well.

00:53:41.724 --> 00:53:44.385
And it's also not being so much of a big deal.

00:53:44.385 --> 00:53:49.655
If we're a men or a women, right, there's a balance between men and women are, are different.

00:53:49.655 --> 00:53:51.295
And we appreciate diversity.

00:53:51.715 --> 00:53:58.804
And also, you know, and it's extra awesome that we can do certain things and that we're doing great.

00:53:59.340 --> 00:54:14.389
But it also should be less remarkable at some point and I honestly think that right now, and many people say this, the, you know, the next generation of, of girls coming up are just crushing.

00:54:14.900 --> 00:54:19.519
There's some of the best surfers out there like Katie Simmers, of course, and Erin Brooks.

00:54:19.929 --> 00:54:24.940
And I'm really excited about Dominique Charriere from Chile in big wave surfing.

00:54:24.949 --> 00:54:27.460
She is just so mind blowing.

00:54:27.969 --> 00:54:29.980
Um, and.

00:54:30.784 --> 00:54:35.375
Yeah, so yeah, just onward.

00:54:35.434 --> 00:54:47.635
It's still not easy like if there's a difference between just like free surfing and in the industry and You know, at least in 2019, the WSL established equal pay.

00:54:47.655 --> 00:54:52.485
So in contests, um, and that was partly sparked.

00:54:52.885 --> 00:54:59.704
It was not, you know, nobody was never totally happy about it, but it wasn't until I think it was 2017 or 18.

00:54:59.715 --> 00:55:01.784
There was the Balito pro junior.

00:55:02.085 --> 00:55:10.074
And so they had the young kids under 18 standing up on the podium and the little boy had a check that was significantly

00:55:10.074 --> 00:55:12.445
greater I think that's what

00:55:12.925 --> 00:55:17.264
kind of got everyone's, uh, raised everyone's eyebrows.

00:55:17.275 --> 00:55:19.284
They were like, wait a second.

00:55:19.635 --> 00:55:20.945
That's not equal.

00:55:20.954 --> 00:55:22.894
What are we trying to tell our kids?

00:55:23.065 --> 00:55:24.065
And so.

00:55:25.735 --> 00:55:29.045
So, yeah, so there, there have been great strides.

00:55:29.534 --> 00:55:39.394
Because at the end of the day, it's not just about the money money represents resources, but it, you know, and and and ability to do more later, but it's.

00:55:39.795 --> 00:55:41.054
Also reflects.

00:55:42.275 --> 00:55:48.644
our culture's perception of how we value different aspects.

00:55:49.295 --> 00:55:53.795
So it was just like, so we're there, it's becoming more equal.

00:55:53.795 --> 00:55:55.315
We're not all the way there.

00:55:55.554 --> 00:55:55.864
Yeah.

00:55:55.894 --> 00:56:08.391
And in my experience, I'm just blessed to have a great group of friends and guy friends and, girlfriends and just hope this be a good example.

00:56:10.262 --> 00:56:10.541
Thanks for

00:56:10.541 --> 00:56:19.181
sharing about, yes, how women's surfing has come a long way, but there is still much work to be done.

00:56:20.106 --> 00:56:23.726
And that balance you spoke about is, is key.

00:56:24.958 --> 00:56:30.148
Changing tracks a little bit, I want to actually talk a little bit about your career.

00:56:30.157 --> 00:56:34.217
You've had, you have a very interesting career from all that I know.

00:56:34.697 --> 00:56:40.257
After college, for many years, you worked as a diver, I think.

00:56:40.777 --> 00:56:44.327
In support of scientific studies around the world.

00:56:45.927 --> 00:56:47.907
I think it took you to many interesting places.

00:56:49.157 --> 00:56:56.157
Could you tell us a little bit about the work that you did

00:56:57.347 --> 00:57:00.498
and continue to do in that field?

00:57:02.378 --> 00:57:03.947
Alright, yeah, sure.

00:57:04.547 --> 00:57:05.586
So right after,

00:57:05.706 --> 00:57:09.427
when I went to UC Santa Cruz, I studied marine biology.

00:57:09.427 --> 00:57:09.456
Okay.

00:57:10.036 --> 00:57:15.677
And, um, I just fell in love with being underwater.

00:57:15.677 --> 00:57:32.032
They have a really amazing scientific diving program, and it's a very low cost way to get your scuba certification, and at the end, you can take field courses, so it's like you go into the field and learn how to do scuba diving.00:57:32.422 --> 00:57:38.681


Uh, ecology, and conduct scientific research in the ocean for class.00:57:39.172 --> 00:57:43.202


And so when I heard that they offered classes like that, I was like, What?00:57:43.262 --> 00:57:45.251


That sounds like the most fun thing ever.00:57:45.711 --> 00:57:49.632


And it's hard work, but it was so fun.00:57:50.021 --> 00:58:23.862


And I just, and you're in the ocean, you learn so much about the ocean, and then you share the information, and you do it with, you know, great people, and Um, it just propelled me to, I, right after college, I got a job working for a scientific, um, field station, which is pretty much like a couple little buildings out in the middle of nowhere, and they usually have, they're all over the world, but they usually are run by a university or a government as just like a base for Bye.00:58:23.862 --> 00:58:23.931


Bye.00:58:24.612 --> 00:58:28.251


You know, to help the logistics of different field research to happen.00:58:28.652 --> 00:58:34.711


So, um, my first experience was actually in Morea.00:58:34.751 --> 00:58:42.702


One of my, uh, fish biology professors had a post doc who worked on a project on clownfish genetics.00:58:43.362 --> 00:58:47.842


So I was hired by him and I would assist him in the field collecting samples.00:58:48.461 --> 00:58:49.961


And then I lived in the station.00:58:50.362 --> 00:58:54.291


Um, they're usually pretty rudimentary, kind of rustic.00:58:55.782 --> 00:58:57.851


Accommodations, there's often bunk beds.00:58:59.001 --> 00:59:05.311


Uh, usually like a big shared kitchen and people share meals together and, you know, take turns cooking.00:59:05.871 --> 00:59:17.802


Um, and then when I moved to Chile, I was a live in field station in a remote station that was only accessible by boat called the Nacion Winay.00:59:18.081 --> 00:59:24.211


And it's kind of like nestled right at the top of the fjords of Chilean Patagonia.00:59:24.762 --> 00:59:38.351


And so It was kind of like a hospital for scientists where I would help facilitate incoming groups and whatever they needed, whether they were studying like alpine lakes or frogs in the temperate rainforest.00:59:39.161 --> 00:59:49.141


But also sometimes do some diving work, like if I had to collect something for them, install a long term experiment and like maintain it by taking photos.00:59:49.731 --> 01:00:01.652


Um, and also we were, the directors of the station wanted to, um, create a biogeographical map of the marine flora and fauna of Chilean Patagonia.01:00:02.192 --> 01:00:07.702


Um, and so, cause they're, it's so remote, it's so difficult to access, there's no baseline.01:00:08.211 --> 01:00:14.817


So nobody really There's no real marine life census had been taken there.01:00:14.856 --> 01:00:19.757


So it was so awesome to be a part of that and see these far out places.01:00:21.177 --> 01:00:23.016


and yeah, and just.01:00:23.981 --> 01:00:27.561


Beautiful, pristine ecosystem, like, just awesome.01:00:28.271 --> 01:00:31.192


And so, part of, part of what drives01:00:31.222 --> 01:00:42.041


me is to, um, you know, help, help the, help people and planet, you know?01:00:42.052 --> 01:00:42.362


It's like,01:00:42.391 --> 01:01:02.047


it seems kind of, maybe, cliche at this point, but, I really can't separate myself from this idea of trying to help steward our natural resources and the earth and ecosystems and communities.01:01:02.277 --> 01:01:29.356


And so, Part of my work when I went back to grad school, I did a minor in risk and uncertainty, and so this idea that we're in a time of such sweeping global change, both, you know, in human and natural systems, right, both, you know, with globalization and with climate change, um,01:01:29.836 --> 01:01:39.507


there are so many, you know, Species, habitats, human communities,01:01:39.516 --> 01:01:40.067


ecosystems.01:01:40.931 --> 01:01:51.731


Which the technical term in some cases called a socio ecological system that are at risk, you know, like they're You know, we're losing species all the time.01:01:51.731 --> 01:01:53.121


We're losing habitat.01:01:53.461 --> 01:02:12.106


People aren't able to live where they used to They're not able to carry on livelihoods that they used to and sometimes They are the ones who are least responsible for the change, and they are most at risk of being hurt by it, too.01:02:12.856 --> 01:02:20.507


And so it's something to me that is ethically, it's an ethical problem in the world that I am trying to alleviate.01:02:20.516 --> 01:02:43.253


So, a lot of my work shifted from just doing, like, biological research and just figuring out, like, you know, what exists and how does it exist within a space and what sort of changes is it fronting, confronting right now towards, okay, well, within the scope of change, how can I help things?01:02:44.063 --> 01:02:48.123


Survive according to what they would like.01:02:48.143 --> 01:02:54.253


So, in grad school I did some internships with non profits like One People, One Reef.01:02:54.784 --> 01:03:00.733


Who, the process is not like, we're going to come in and tell you how to help your fisheries.01:03:00.733 --> 01:03:09.398


It's like, oh, we were requested by, people in the outer islands of Micronesia to assist them in recovering their fisheries.01:03:09.409 --> 01:03:14.259


So, the, there is nuance in the, the, uh,01:03:14.278 --> 01:03:15.148


the process.01:03:15.998 --> 01:03:20.528


And, the idea was more, was less like, okay,01:03:21.844 --> 01:04:09.244


We're not going to tell you what to do, but we will help show you and teach you how to find out, you know, do some reef surveys, figure out where your fish stocks are, and then just by presenting the data, you know, which is scuba diving is more of like a Western science sort of they're able to consult with their elders and and kind of rekindle these ideas of like oh they had this they had this thing back in the day where they would you know close this wreath and do that and And it started a revival in, um, these complex management techniques that created sometimes a doubling or tripling of biomass on reefs.01:04:09.384 --> 01:04:12.253


So, that's like a small example of where01:04:13.543 --> 01:04:20.233


I think what's most, I don't know, what's driving me is the, the idea of that it's, it's01:04:20.304 --> 01:04:25.213


unethical the way we are plowing forward into the future.01:04:25.704 --> 01:04:39.568


Um, the expense of, um, People and ecosystems and forms of life that, uh, don't really have a voice in driving that ship.01:04:40.108 --> 01:05:29.009


And so I'm stoked that through surfing, even though I've shifted the focus of my time towards surfing and trying to Chase Waves, I can still, um, have a, it's like weird, like, I can still kind of have a voice in that because I have my, like, my education in that, I can frame social media posts in that way, and I can interpret different, you know, peer reviewed research, um, and I can join with other non profits, like Save the Waves Coalition, and Um, who are, whose framework is so cool, they've got this like, really awesome, adoptable, scalable structure of how to, uh, conserve surf ecosystems.01:05:29.369 --> 01:05:48.509


And so this idea of a surf ecosystem is so genius because it includes the wave itself, it includes the human and natural, like the coupled human, natural, Systems that are connected to the surf break like in the vicinity.01:05:48.518 --> 01:05:51.818


So it provides a framework for local communities.01:05:52.309 --> 01:06:02.148


To begin to organize, um, and visualize how they would like their surf ecosystem to be for the future.01:06:02.179 --> 01:06:15.268


And often these conversations are started when their surf ecosystem comes under threat of development, you know, or pollution, or a loss of access because of something or other.01:06:15.898 --> 01:06:22.219


Um, and now they're also trying to integrate the idea of climate change into that too.01:06:22.219 --> 01:06:25.768


So how do we mitigate for climate change,01:06:26.449 --> 01:06:46.199


uh, which is, which is a, you know, not unsolvable, but it's a, it's like a different scale of, of a, of a component to try and, uh, you know, make a different different field.01:06:46.318 --> 01:06:46.409


Sure.01:06:46.414 --> 01:06:47.369


To try and, yeah.01:06:47.369 --> 01:06:47.759


Makes sense.01:06:47.759 --> 01:06:48.963


Uh, modify in a system.01:06:48.963 --> 01:06:49.204


Yeah.01:06:50.619 --> 01:07:07.548


Because if you set aside like a, a typical marine protected area or a search protected area, you know, that's like a, it's a polygon on a map and you can try and manage everything going on inside of it and it could be doing just fine.01:07:07.983 --> 01:07:14.884


But it's also open to outside influences such as climate change or external, you know, disturbances.01:07:14.903 --> 01:07:19.023


So, um, yeah, it's awesome.01:07:19.023 --> 01:07:41.039


So, I'm stoked to be, I'm an ambassador with Save the Waves, and I'm just starting as an ambassador with Finisterre, which is the company, They're, they're, they're a brand, um, but they also have a really cool communication platform for conservation and environmental causes and social justice.01:07:41.918 --> 01:07:43.409


So, yeah.01:07:44.153 --> 01:07:45.733


It's kind of shifted over the years.01:07:45.733 --> 01:07:54.074


I think someday maybe I will go back to school Because I still love research and all the time.01:07:54.844 --> 01:08:10.014


I there's I see these questions and I love data and I love analyzing data But for now, I I'm happy to do, you know, just whatever I can While pursuing surfing big waves.01:08:10.023 --> 01:08:20.588


Sometimes I feel I it's it's Kind of like an ethical thing, like, oh, surfing big waves, just selfish, but I find that just by following what I, like, I just love surfing big waves.01:08:20.588 --> 01:08:29.349


I just can't deny it, and, and even by doing that, it's had really positive, like, I, I see that it gives something to the world too.01:08:29.509 --> 01:08:30.798


It's not just for me.01:08:31.338 --> 01:08:32.408


And, um,01:08:34.069 --> 01:08:34.988


and so it's okay.01:08:34.988 --> 01:08:36.099


So I can still sleep at night.01:08:37.208 --> 01:08:39.613


Yeah, yeah, no, that was a very good question.01:08:41.003 --> 01:08:42.054


Yeah, I know.01:08:42.064 --> 01:08:44.953


Again, I love that answer, uh, Katie.01:08:45.993 --> 01:08:46.694


So thoughtful.01:08:48.064 --> 01:08:53.484


Um, firstly, I would say, uh, my one reaction is, you know, Surf the Waves.01:08:53.673 --> 01:09:02.333


Uh, I've, I've attended their fundraisers and whatnot, and I think I might have even done a tiny bit of volunteering with them.01:09:02.474 --> 01:09:12.613


I used to think that was a slightly more selfish cause in helping surfers protect this one resource that they care about.01:09:13.783 --> 01:09:26.873


But I think you're opening my eyes that yes, that might be the, uh, the outward or that might be the hook, but really it helps protect the entire ecosystem where the waves are.01:09:27.804 --> 01:09:28.524


exist.01:09:29.144 --> 01:09:36.104


It's the flora, the fauna, the climate, and also the people.01:09:37.663 --> 01:09:40.283


So I think that is helpful01:09:40.323 --> 01:09:41.253


to learn from you.01:09:43.363 --> 01:09:46.423


The second thing I wanted01:09:46.423 --> 01:10:17.073


to ask you, which I think you have kind of answered is, is how does your You know, passion for waves and your career come together and it sounds like they seem to dovetail and one thought that comes to my mind and whether it's surfing or other forms of rec, of, uh, rec, uh, of recreating these wild and beautiful places is it doesn't matter what gets you out there.01:10:17.144 --> 01:10:22.863


It could be your mountain bike or your surfboard or your climbing shoes or even your running shoes, whatever it might be.01:10:24.173 --> 01:10:30.493


If one goes and interacts in nature and finds01:10:32.134 --> 01:10:40.123


joy and delight, that person is more likely to be an advocate for protecting nature.01:10:40.823 --> 01:10:44.344


So I think whatever that,01:10:45.054 --> 01:10:48.974


whatever that, that mode might be.01:10:49.583 --> 01:10:58.384


If people get out there and they do things in nature, they're more likely to vote for causes, they're more likely to do things which help protect the natural environment.01:11:01.384 --> 01:11:23.113


You, besides your career and your passion as a scientist, you also seem to juggle different things in order to pursue perhaps this crafted career as a big wave surfer.01:11:24.984 --> 01:11:25.894


How do you?01:11:27.283 --> 01:11:27.493


Yeah.01:11:27.524 --> 01:11:46.923


How do you balance this passion along, you know, at the highest level, along with the practicalities of making a living right before we met, you know, you were trying to finish teaching your, your term as a teacher, right.01:11:46.984 --> 01:11:51.833


And maybe you're juggling other, uh, jobs in order to really make it all come together.01:11:51.923 --> 01:11:53.444


So how do you do that?01:11:53.453 --> 01:11:55.033


Like, how do you balance it all?01:11:55.963 --> 01:11:57.363


What trade offs have you made?01:11:59.248 --> 01:12:13.488


And then what advice would you give to other athletes who are also trying to, uh, to be able to pursue what they love, but also, you know, make sure they have what they need to be01:12:14.179 --> 01:12:15.109


moving forward?01:12:17.748 --> 01:12:18.948


That's a great question.01:12:19.059 --> 01:12:21.458


And yeah,01:12:21.828 --> 01:12:24.979


I mean, there are, there are, there is so much.01:12:24.988 --> 01:12:27.198


I'm just like hustling all the time.01:12:27.269 --> 01:12:28.759


And I apologize.01:12:29.588 --> 01:12:50.088


You know, there's people I admire, like Sylvia Earle, you know, when she speaks, she's like, so illustrative and poignant, and you just really feel what she's saying, and she's so to the point, and I'm, maybe one day, once I can kind of, Streamline things a little bit, and it's not such a multi faceted hustle.01:12:50.099 --> 01:12:52.719


I'll be a little bit more, uh, Articulate.01:12:54.408 --> 01:12:54.899


But,01:12:55.158 --> 01:13:04.048


right, so right now I have two, three, four ish jobs01:13:04.668 --> 01:13:17.118


that I, yeah, four or five jobs that I juggle all the time, and I think in general it comes down to, comes down to, like, how01:13:17.118 --> 01:13:19.458


much, how much do you really need?01:13:20.288 --> 01:13:28.269


So the less you need, you know, the less you have to strive for, right?01:13:28.809 --> 01:13:36.448


Um, but, I think, like, if you have, like, for right01:13:36.448 --> 01:13:42.038


now, like, now I'm living in Hawaii, and the rent is pretty high.01:13:42.623 --> 01:13:55.394


And I also have goals of like, I would love to have my own jet ski, or that way I don't have to pay people to take me out to Jaws hundreds of dollars every time I want to go surf, right?01:13:56.453 --> 01:13:56.934


Yeah.01:13:57.003 --> 01:14:03.073


Yeah, and, and, um, or, you know, I want to be able to travel to other waves.01:14:03.819 --> 01:14:19.769


And so, striking a balance between, like, at your core, what is really important to you and what are you working towards, and, you know, and trying to figure out how much do you really need in order to get there.01:14:20.668 --> 01:14:25.248


So, yeah, I mean, for me, it's been, it's01:14:25.298 --> 01:14:27.029


kind of ever evolving.01:14:27.048 --> 01:14:34.069


This is the first time I've, I mean, I haven't been in this place for an entire year yet.01:14:34.423 --> 01:14:41.104


But this is the longest I've been in one place in many years, and it's cool.01:14:41.194 --> 01:14:44.793


It's like a kind of an experiment and seeing like, oh, okay, well.01:14:45.588 --> 01:14:54.038


You know, what, what is it like when I have a little bit more stability in my life, or can I find stability just being on the road all the time?01:14:54.658 --> 01:14:57.719


And I think that comes from, like, with age, too.01:14:57.719 --> 01:15:12.279


I'm 34 now, where maybe a couple years ago, I was totally fine to just throw everything in my parents garage and just hit the road until I went broke, you know, and see how far I got and, you know, come crawling back into work.01:15:12.279 --> 01:15:46.458


And But it's like, at some point, I would like to, you know, it would be nice to have a family maybe one day, like, you know, no, not pushing it, but don't want to discount it either, um, I would like to not feel, so, I think I will always be scrappy, but I would not like to feel desperate and scrappy come next season, and so, to do so, you know, I, right now I'm a substitute teacher at Haiku Elementary, which has been awesome.01:15:46.969 --> 01:15:51.338


Um, I do an AI data annotation job.01:15:52.179 --> 01:15:54.769


Uh, it's kind of, this company's kind of a mess.01:15:54.779 --> 01:15:56.378


So sometimes I can't work it.01:15:56.408 --> 01:15:59.588


So I have a second one that I can go to that pays a little less.01:16:00.588 --> 01:16:04.109


Also they're filming a TV show on a walkthrough right now.01:16:04.118 --> 01:16:06.538


So sometimes I work as a background actor.01:16:07.099 --> 01:16:14.748


I also write grants for Yaday Global, which connect donors with conservation and humanitarian aid causes.01:16:16.323 --> 01:16:35.554


And I was also supposed to work as a naturalist on a, uh, cruise ship line called Lindblad Expeditions, but since I was invited to surf in a big wave competition in Chile this year in the summer, I decided to let it go this year, which was hard.01:16:35.854 --> 01:16:43.524


It was a really tough decision, but So yeah, I mean, it still sometimes feels like I'm building the plane while flying it.01:16:44.019 --> 01:17:07.203


But at the end of the day, I think what has really carried me through was knowing that I made a decision to do something that I really love, and I'm sticking to it, and I'm still here, and I still got, you know, I'm still here, I'm still doing it, and And it's all good, you know, you just gotta count your blessings.01:17:07.333 --> 01:17:21.604


Maybe it doesn't look maybe I maybe, you know, my house isn't full of, uh, I don't have my whole garage full of, like, 50 different surfboards, you know, and my, like, two jet skis with, like, this perfect truck or whatever.01:17:21.894 --> 01:17:34.224


I'm doing fine with my dusty Ford Focus, you know, it's okay, I do, it still cruises, we're gonna reach 200, 000 miles very soon, it's gonna be a party,01:17:34.564 --> 01:17:40.993


so, but um, yeah, you just gotta, uh, yeah, just,01:17:41.599 --> 01:18:07.493


Keep going, I think, it's kind of like, you know, uh, I love the original movie, The Matrix, so much, and it's just kind of like when the oracle is talking to Neo, and she's like, know thyself, I think like if you just really stay true to yourself, and go, and just follow your dreams, I think it really I think, I don't think you can lose.01:18:07.623 --> 01:18:15.243


Because even, it's kind of the, that little phrase of like, shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land amongst the stars.01:18:15.453 --> 01:18:27.923


I remember when I started off and I like, kind of bought my first plane ticket a couple years ago, I was like, you know what Katie, just go for it, and I told myself, you will never regret it.01:18:27.984 --> 01:18:31.434


You just, wherever you end up, you'll never regret it.01:18:32.394 --> 01:18:35.029


And, uh, yeah, I still don't.01:18:35.029 --> 01:18:36.014


I still don't.01:18:36.293 --> 01:18:41.573


I'm just My life is totally different than it was four or five years ago.01:18:42.113 --> 01:18:46.583


And I'm in a place that I could never have even imagined.01:18:46.724 --> 01:18:48.104


And I'm just very happy.01:18:48.594 --> 01:18:53.213


And I'm just gonna keep going and try and give back as much as I can.01:18:53.779 --> 01:18:54.309


Help other01:18:54.309 --> 01:18:58.359


people, you know, go where they'd like to go to.01:19:01.038 --> 01:19:03.189


Katie, your answer is01:19:03.208 --> 01:19:04.529


giving me goosebumps.01:19:06.029 --> 01:19:12.429


I, yeah, I am just thinking about everything that you just said.01:19:13.658 --> 01:19:20.158


You're managing so many things in order to make this dream keep coming true.01:19:21.208 --> 01:19:25.599


And, uh, for everybody listening, you know, it's, it's crazy.01:19:26.583 --> 01:19:38.224


that even after you are winning awards on some of the biggest platforms and surfing, you still have to hustle hard.01:19:39.354 --> 01:19:42.944


And, uh, I love what you said about01:19:45.134 --> 01:19:49.094


good to be scrappy, but not desperate.01:19:52.583 --> 01:19:53.333


We are, you know,01:19:53.354 --> 01:20:00.519


we're coming to the, um, end of the show and, uh, It's funny, but you know, you are one of the younger people I've had on the show.01:20:01.038 --> 01:20:11.009


I was just inspired by the work that you're doing that I just had to ask you to, uh, come on the show, but I want to, I want to ask you this, which is.01:20:12.863 --> 01:20:28.243


What are some of the conscious choices you're making as an athlete with how you're looking after yourself, your body, your diet, your mental health that allow you to01:20:28.583 --> 01:20:34.304


keep performing, excelling, and01:20:34.314 --> 01:20:35.934


be an ageless athlete?01:20:36.804 --> 01:20:38.314


For the decades ahead.01:20:38.314 --> 01:20:43.823


To be an ageless athlete.01:20:44.413 --> 01:20:50.333


I think one thing I have going is that big wave surfing is something you can do for a long time.01:20:50.444 --> 01:20:55.234


And surfing in general is something you can do for a very, very long time.01:20:55.774 --> 01:21:16.538


And even still, like you were saying, you know, there's Big waves, you know, I think a big wave is in the sport of big wave surfing, you know, a big wave is like 20 foot bases or greater, but in general, a big wave is something that is relative to our confidence and ability level.01:21:17.009 --> 01:21:19.628


Given the conditions du jour, right?01:21:19.719 --> 01:21:31.168


And so, whatever that is, you know, for us, and just surfing, whether it's like standing up, or lying down, or just body surfing, or just splashing water in our faith01:21:31.448 --> 01:21:36.559


days, or just getting out there, um, and01:21:37.439 --> 01:21:43.429


just enjoying our time and connecting in that space, I think will carry us through for a long time.01:21:43.873 --> 01:21:51.323


Uh, but I would like to keep surfing and surfing big waves for many, many years, decades longer.01:21:51.913 --> 01:21:57.344


And I'm inspired by people like Gary Linden, who is in his 70s and still surfing big waves.01:21:57.854 --> 01:22:11.094


Or, like, Twig, I'm not sure how, how old Grant Baker is, but I know he's a little bit older than I am, and he seems to just be getting better at big wave surfing as time goes on.01:22:11.104 --> 01:22:17.037


He's just catching bigger waves, and he's performing at an even higher level all the time.01:22:17.594 --> 01:22:21.003


And so, it's an interesting concept.01:22:21.003 --> 01:22:28.844


I think in big wave surfing in particular, there's a lot of discussion over, like, the mind body, you know, what, what is the most important.01:22:28.904 --> 01:22:31.134


And I have some friends who say that it's01:22:31.484 --> 01:22:32.993


all in the mind.01:22:33.764 --> 01:22:42.344


And, you know, but personally, I am like, okay, that may be01:22:42.524 --> 01:22:45.613


so, but I'm not going to neglect my body either.01:22:45.613 --> 01:22:46.594


Okay.01:22:47.279 --> 01:22:54.708


So, my goal with big waves is, I just want to try and make my body strong enough so that I'm indestructible.01:22:56.488 --> 01:23:11.149


A big wave has so much power, like, pound profound with it, if you're to take one on the head or take a wipe out, you know, you have to have the strength in your limbs and arms to kind of keep everything together and not get ripped around.01:23:11.158 --> 01:23:21.548


So, I have, especially since I sprained my MCL, So, Like, thank goodness it was a minor thing, but it also opened my eyes to more dedicated training.01:23:21.548 --> 01:23:28.849


So, I don't have a personal trainer, but there is a really nice, um, training facility nearby.01:23:28.908 --> 01:23:30.609


And so I do their group classes.01:23:31.248 --> 01:23:38.088


And I started off training in the last year or two, just doing once per week.01:23:38.639 --> 01:23:49.969


And it was wild, because forever I was like, yeah, I jog, you know, I swim, I body surf, I go to, you know, I'll stretch sometime, um, but doing even a little bit consistently.01:23:50.694 --> 01:23:52.194


It makes a huge difference.01:23:52.314 --> 01:24:00.033


And I think, uh, that's something that I wish I had, uh, been told at a younger age.01:24:00.663 --> 01:24:03.984


But, you know, I feel like it's not too late to start.01:24:04.243 --> 01:24:05.184


It's never too late.01:24:05.253 --> 01:24:09.823


So, trying to stay consistent with some strength training.01:24:10.408 --> 01:24:22.658


Um, I try to go to a yoga class or stretch out my own at least once or twice a week because it helps me stay like long and limber and it calms my mind.01:24:23.488 --> 01:24:28.878


And big wave surfing, I also do breath hold exercises in case of long hold downs.01:24:29.729 --> 01:24:32.618


And that also kind of transfers into a mindfulness.01:24:33.639 --> 01:24:36.139


Um, sort of practice,01:24:37.368 --> 01:24:48.748


and I try to eat healthy, you know, I cook for myself all the time, one because it's cheaper, and I'm trying to save money, but also because I, I just love fresh stuff.01:24:49.354 --> 01:25:01.083


Fruits and vegetables and, uh, you know, with occasionally some chicken, but a lot of, a lot of just like vegetarian meals and get a good night's sleep.01:25:01.863 --> 01:25:09.793


And I didn't completely stop drinking, but I only have, every once in a while, I'll have like a drink or two.01:25:12.484 --> 01:25:13.283


Shame on you, Katie.01:25:13.283 --> 01:25:15.123


Shame on you for not giving No, I01:25:15.123 --> 01:25:15.503


know.01:25:18.923 --> 01:25:20.844


I know, it's like a choice for everyone, right?01:25:20.844 --> 01:25:22.988


But, yeah, in the past, yeah.01:25:22.988 --> 01:25:23.634


I do.01:25:24.134 --> 01:25:33.328


That'll be my end of the day, goodness gracious, I cut, I've cut way back, and it's made a huge difference, both, like, in my wallet, And in my wellbeing, because it goes01:25:33.328 --> 01:25:36.099


into my sleep and, and everything.01:25:37.078 --> 01:25:39.189


So, yeah.01:25:39.368 --> 01:25:40.479


Well, I'm gonna have a sip of water01:25:42.929 --> 01:25:47.179


Yeah, no, I am, you know, I am, uh, chair myself.01:25:47.389 --> 01:26:00.878


I eat a, a bit of seafood and, uh, I, yeah, I, I love the intentional intention intentionality about that beyond everything else that, you know, not, not eating animals.01:26:01.533 --> 01:26:02.024


does.01:26:02.863 --> 01:26:07.463


And um, let me ask you this.01:26:07.484 --> 01:26:08.963


So you seem to be doing all the right things.01:26:09.974 --> 01:26:23.519


Are there any things when it comes to exercise, physical training, even some of the breath work, mindfulness, like Somethings that don't work and somethings that work particularly well.01:26:24.434 --> 01:26:25.684


Somethings that don't work.01:26:27.304 --> 01:26:31.104


Like did you find that, you know what, like every day I woke up and I was going for long runs.01:26:31.783 --> 01:26:35.503


And that running wasn't necessarily, I don't know.01:26:35.984 --> 01:26:46.493


Helping with, uh, with surfing and helping with some of that, uh, specific athleticism that, uh, big wave surfing requires.01:26:49.533 --> 01:26:51.993


I think, like, for big wave01:26:51.993 --> 01:26:57.684


surfing, it's one of those rare things where I feel like there isn't anything that won't help, right?01:26:57.913 --> 01:27:08.139


I think, like, you do it with the intention, and if you're, like, visualizing what you want to be doing on a wave, or a specific wave, or What you want to do out in the water.01:27:08.139 --> 01:27:11.059


I think it, I think it all adds up in some way.01:27:11.349 --> 01:27:23.719


I have never, I can't really think of a, of an example of something that might have, that I was trying to train for, that ended up detracting from my goals, right?01:27:23.738 --> 01:27:24.149


So.01:27:25.234 --> 01:27:36.413


The only, thinking about it, the only way I could really see, at least in my experience, that happening would be if it, like, took away from another activity that worked, like, super well, right?01:27:36.823 --> 01:27:47.503


So, for example, you know, at some point, you know, I can be trading as much as I want, but I also just need to go surfing, right?01:27:48.554 --> 01:27:48.894


Yeah.01:27:49.213 --> 01:27:53.423


So, keeping time in the water, staying surfing, you know, and.01:27:53.929 --> 01:28:04.979


And having, keeping, you know, having it be fun still and enjoyable and not a slog or a grind, like, I think that's kind of the goal, but I think it01:28:04.988 --> 01:28:12.229


all helps, and everything that we try and do, I think, you know, it helps, it helps, it all adds up.01:28:13.779 --> 01:28:21.319


Katie, any big goals coming up in the next couple of years that you feel okay sharing?01:28:23.698 --> 01:28:26.798


Um It's just a01:28:26.988 --> 01:28:45.649


broad goal and it's, it's not, you know, on one hand, I feel like it's like, you want to be specific in your goals, but I just want to keep just going and see if I can catch a bigger wave than I've caught before and ride them better than I have before.01:28:46.323 --> 01:28:58.154


Um, I think that's one of the reasons it's so, like, there's no real end goal in sight, like, Oh, I did this one thing, and I'm, I did it, and it's over.01:28:58.163 --> 01:29:00.054


It's like, I'm still01:29:00.054 --> 01:29:04.104


just so curious, like, what can I do?01:29:04.243 --> 01:29:07.083


And, um, yeah,01:29:07.144 --> 01:29:12.439


I think more specifically, It also just depends on what the ocean provides us, right?01:29:12.488 --> 01:29:22.259


So, I, there's still so much room for improvement and things I could do at Piahi, you know, given the right conditions.01:29:22.269 --> 01:29:25.448


There's still so much I could do at Nazare.01:29:26.698 --> 01:29:31.979


The biggest wave I ever went for was at Punta Lobos in Chile.01:29:32.548 --> 01:29:36.373


And if I ever get another chance, Like that.01:29:36.753 --> 01:29:38.634


I mean, it would be awesome.01:29:39.554 --> 01:29:42.573


So, but it's also, you know, you just have to be patient.01:29:43.094 --> 01:29:55.243


And that's part of the, the dance of big wave surfing and surfing in general is that we're, we're responding to something in nature that isn't entirely predictable.01:29:55.293 --> 01:29:57.524


It's predictable to a point, right?01:29:57.524 --> 01:30:04.663


And so, you know, it's kind of, we don't have control over it and you just have to accept that.01:30:05.036 --> 01:30:18.006


You know, there is something to say, though, if you like surfing big waves, and, you know, sometimes you start thinking on different timescales of like, okay, they have the 10 year swell.01:30:18.256 --> 01:30:20.876


Like, this was the biggest swell I've seen in 10 years.01:30:20.876 --> 01:30:25.826


You want to have to wait 10 more years to see a wave that far at that spot?01:30:26.315 --> 01:30:28.615


I'm going to be 44.01:30:28.695 --> 01:30:31.645


Like, where do I deal with my life then, right?01:30:32.166 --> 01:30:33.036


And, uh,01:30:34.275 --> 01:30:42.636


so, when the biggest set of the day comes through, you gotta go.01:30:43.136 --> 01:30:44.770


You wanna be in position.01:30:44.770 --> 01:30:45.775


You know?01:30:45.775 --> 01:30:55.091


So, it's a balance, and you just, I think, uh, Yeah, I think that's part of the, it's part of a whole day on,01:30:56.921 --> 01:30:57.600


how do we do01:30:57.600 --> 01:30:58.871


it with style and grace?01:31:00.831 --> 01:31:01.310


Perfect.01:31:01.310 --> 01:31:25.461


No, I will look forward to you doing, you know, the, the Patrick Swayze, uh, follow up, point break reference, you know, and no, really, um, what you said about, you know, the, and the relative unpredictability.01:31:27.506 --> 01:31:55.395


about, about, um, playing in this medium offered by mother nature is one of, again, one of the many facets of some of these outdoor sports that I find so compelling, you know, we are at the mercy of mother nature and, you know, whatever the waves they provide or something else, some of the, some of the canvas and yeah, it's, it's what makes them so.01:31:56.576 --> 01:32:07.636


addictive in a way where you can't control all of those things where otherwise this modern world, you know, we have tamed so many aspects of our, uh, daily cycle.01:32:08.865 --> 01:32:10.735


Katie, we are at towards the end.01:32:10.886 --> 01:32:13.805


Um, where can people find you?01:32:14.525 --> 01:32:24.711


And then any, Organizations, or maybe sponsors that you want to call out, maybe beyond the ones that you have mentioned already.01:32:25.860 --> 01:32:29.470


We will also make sure to mention them in the show notes at the end.01:32:31.261 --> 01:32:31.810


Okay.01:32:32.261 --> 01:32:36.280


Well, thank you so much, Kush, for having me on the podcast.01:32:36.600 --> 01:32:40.831


And thank you for such thought provoking questions.01:32:40.990 --> 01:32:54.600


And, Thank you for digesting my somewhat, uh, you know, uh, sporadic answers, I guess, kind of all over the place, but yeah, I'm, I'm just so grateful.01:32:54.631 --> 01:33:00.751


I've just started, uh, today with Finistere, so thank you so much, Finistere.01:33:01.270 --> 01:33:07.400


Gary Linden, of course, he is literally, like, the reason I'm here talking with you today.01:33:08.626 --> 01:33:15.615


And he's been shaping me all of my guns since day one and has been my greatest supporter.01:33:15.815 --> 01:33:26.815


And I'm so, um, happy to still represent Stay Covered with their leashes and CPOP from Humboldt and my friend Marnie's beautiful art.01:33:27.725 --> 01:33:30.676


And, um, yes.01:33:30.786 --> 01:33:33.336


And you can find me, I'm mostly on Instagram.01:33:34.110 --> 01:33:37.490


Um, my name is Katie Marr on Instagram.01:33:37.490 --> 01:33:50.470


It's actually my old Chilean nickname, so it's Katie spelled phonetically in Spanish, and then my middle name's May, and it's, so it's Marr, so K A I T I underscore Marr.01:33:51.020 --> 01:33:52.610


And I also have a website.01:33:52.610 --> 01:33:53.890


It used to be my source code.01:33:54.201 --> 01:34:00.461


Lessons website, but it's just kind of turned into more of like a portfolio communications plate, uh, page.01:34:00.860 --> 01:34:08.930


Uh, but I'm hoping to kind of expand my blog a little bit more in the future now, especially with summertime and having some more time.01:34:08.930 --> 01:34:09.371


So,01:34:09.900 --> 01:34:14.970


hope to include more surf, science, and coral reef stuff moving forward.01:34:15.011 --> 01:34:16.511


So, that's surfwithkatie.01:34:16.520 --> 01:34:16.951


com.01:34:17.650 --> 01:34:18.140


Check it out.01:34:19.240 --> 01:34:19.761


Perfect.01:34:19.890 --> 01:34:23.990


Yes, uh, we'll be sure to mention All of those names.01:34:24.871 --> 01:34:29.220


And, uh, yeah, Katie, it was fantastic to have you on the show today.01:34:30.251 --> 01:34:31.631


So articulate, so thoughtful.01:34:31.720 --> 01:34:34.051


I'll be buzzing for some time to come.01:34:34.440 --> 01:34:47.180


And then, uh, yeah, talking of being scrappy, you know, if you roll through San Francisco at some point, I'm sure you have many friends, but, uh, I have an extra room at the moment if you need a place to sleep.01:34:47.390 --> 01:34:49.430


So thanks again.01:34:49.430 --> 01:34:50.002


Oh, very01:34:50.002 --> 01:34:50.287


much.01:34:50.287 --> 01:34:52.860


I would love to meet you in person someday.01:34:52.860 --> 01:34:54.291


That would be so fun.01:34:54.551 --> 01:35:05.490


I can't wait to meet you in person, uh, myself and maybe even go surfing some more, uh, mortal, uh, size waves, uh, at some point.01:35:05.961 --> 01:35:06.890


Thanks again, Katie.01:35:07.350 --> 01:35:08.121


Thank you so much.01:35:09.121 --> 01:35:09.911


Thank you.01:35:15.048 --> 01:35:15.529


Wow.01:35:15.679 --> 01:35:16.759


I am sitting here.01:35:17.238 --> 01:35:18.979


Buzzing from that conversation.01:35:19.399 --> 01:35:19.908


Katie.01:35:19.939 --> 01:35:25.009


Thank you so much for sharing your story, your wisdom and your infectious energy with us today.01:35:25.279 --> 01:35:28.878


You are truly an inspiration on so many levels.01:35:29.779 --> 01:35:42.588


It's one thing to be a world-class athlete to judge huge waves with the skill and grace that you do, but it is another thing entirely to be as thoughtful, articulate, and deeply connected to your purpose as you are.01:35:43.488 --> 01:35:45.048


As I listened to you talk about.01:35:45.529 --> 01:35:46.158


Your journey.01:35:46.698 --> 01:36:01.279


From those early days of finding your way in the surf to conquering waves, that most of us would not even dream of approaching from exploring the ocean debts as a Marine biologist, to becoming the champion in the water.01:36:01.849 --> 01:36:02.899


It struck me.01:36:03.378 --> 01:36:06.378


Just how much your story resonates with the heart of this podcast.01:36:06.979 --> 01:36:09.109


It's about pushing the limits.01:36:09.198 --> 01:36:16.309


Yes, but it is also about the courage to embrace vulnerability, to follow those whispers of passion within us.01:36:16.729 --> 01:36:20.958


And to create a life that feels truly authentic and aligned with our values.01:36:22.248 --> 01:36:27.979


And one of the most powerful messages you shared Katie is that idea of living a life in the regrets.01:36:28.849 --> 01:36:29.809


You took a leap of faith.01:36:29.958 --> 01:36:35.179


You packed your bags, you left behind a more conventional path and he chose those waves.01:36:35.779 --> 01:36:37.908


But literally and figuratively.01:36:38.088 --> 01:36:41.208


With everything you had and you have not looked back.01:36:41.658 --> 01:36:50.628


And that's what I want for all of us, for everyone listening to find that thing, that passion, that purpose, that lights us up and makes us feel truly alive.01:36:51.378 --> 01:36:56.328


And to go after it for the same level of dedication and joy and fearless spirit.01:36:56.929 --> 01:36:58.759


That Katie brings to surfing.01:36:59.538 --> 01:37:00.828


It might not be big waves.01:37:01.128 --> 01:37:03.349


It might be starting something new.01:37:03.679 --> 01:37:06.408


It might be a, yeah, it might be.01:37:06.798 --> 01:37:09.139


Taking up the sport that.01:37:09.948 --> 01:37:12.979


You love so much, or it might just simply be spending more time in nature.01:37:13.309 --> 01:37:14.359


Whatever it is.01:37:15.078 --> 01:37:19.338


Let Katie's story be reminder that it is never too late to catch your wave.01:37:19.519 --> 01:37:24.378


So I am being a bit cheesy, so, Hey, if you are feeling inspired to take the next step.01:37:24.828 --> 01:37:27.288


To make a change to pursue your own dream.01:37:28.158 --> 01:37:29.479


Do not wait, go for it.01:37:30.139 --> 01:37:34.309


Thank you so much for coming and listening to the show today.01:37:34.698 --> 01:37:35.269


And yes.01:37:35.298 --> 01:37:39.649


If you have enjoyed the series so far, I would love it really would.01:37:39.798 --> 01:37:42.378


If you would leave a review.01:37:43.009 --> 01:37:44.179


It helps this.01:37:44.298 --> 01:37:48.918


Uh, she'll get discovered and it means so much for.01:37:49.788 --> 01:37:50.779


Me personally.01:37:51.198 --> 01:37:53.899


Thanks for joining us on this a great journey.01:37:54.378 --> 01:37:57.738


Asia's athletes until next time, keep pushing those boundaries.01:37:57.738 --> 01:38:00.529


Keep living life to the fullest.01:38:00.828 --> 01:38:02.328


Go out, ride those waves.01:38:02.809 --> 01:38:03.979


And stateless.01:38:04.069 --> 01:38:04.548


LIS.