Phil Gaimon - the 2020 Olympics, a Big Wreck, Broken Bones & Raising $100,000 for No Kids Hungry
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How does a YouTube star and world-class cyclist in pursuit of an Olympic team slot deal with a dream-crushing wreck that left him with a collapsed lung + a broken collarbone, scapula and ribs?
Phil Gaimon is an ex-pro cyclist and the creator of the wildly popular YouTube cycling series, The Worst Retirement Ever. He previously joined me for episode 5 where he talked about his transformation from an overweight kid into one of the best pro cyclists in America and his evolution as a creator and entrepreneur.
Phil is the author of two memoirs, a creative force and had planned to spend this summer on a cross-country tour to use his YouTube series to raise money for the No Kid Hungry charity. Then he had the opportunity to qualify for the 2020 USA Cycling Olympic track team and decided to pursue that goal, too.
A month into his van tour, a track race at the velodrome in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania went sideways and Phil had a horrible wreck that put him in the hospital for a week with broken bones and a collapsed lung. Only a month out from the wreck, Phil joined me for this conversation to discuss what happened, how he is physically and emotionally processing the injury and how he used it as a chance to amplify his efforts to help No Kids Hungry.
You can donate to his No Kids Hungry drive here. Check out the new business Phil launched during his recovery at www.icelegs.com. You can find him on Twitter & Insta @philgaimon, at www.philthethrill.net, and on Strava.com/athletes/philgaimon.
During this episode, we talk about several bicycle track racing events. You can see a video of a points race here and a team pursuit race here. And check out Phil’s video about his attempt to qualify for the Olympic team here.
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