About Fast Talk Laboratories

OUR MISSION: LET’S MAKE YOU FAST.

Fast Talk Laboratories is a new and fast-growing sport science and coaching knowledgebase and virtual training center from the creators of the Fast Talk podcast. Our Lab has sprung from the dynamic community of coaches, experts, and athletes of the Fast Talk podcast, originally hosted by VeloNews. We tap the most engaging experts in sports, sport science, and related fields to share knowledge and experience with our members. Our athlete members, coach partners, and listeners enjoy fascinating multimedia learning experiences including deep dive Pathways, live online events, personal coaching guidance, and access to a slate of world-class athlete services. We are the home of The Craft of Coaching with Joe Friel and a coaching development and education partner of USA Cycling. Fast Talk Laboratories is based in Boulder, Colorado.

Our Virtual Training Center

We offer education, community, and expert guidance on training concepts, workouts, sports nutrition, skills and technique, long-term mentorship, and lab-grade testing through a spectrum of online content, in-person consults, and live virtual events. Members of Fast Talk Labs form a vibrant community of science-minded athletes, coaches, and experts who seek to know themselves, to know the science, to understand the why behind the how, and to get more out of endurance sports.

Our Origin Story

Fast Talk Laboratories has sprung from the dynamic community of listeners and guests of the Fast Talk podcast, originally hosted by Trevor Connor and Caley Fretz at VeloNews. Branching out from our popular podcast format, Fast Talk Labs taps the most engaging experts, coaches, and athletes in sport science to share their knowledge and experience with you through our sport science platform and community.

The Smartest Community

215+ episodes later—and now independent from VeloNews—Fast Talk has become one of the most popular podcasts in endurance sports with millions of listens and a guest list including the brightest minds in sports science like Dr. Stephen Seiler, Joe Friel, Dr. Iñigo San Millán, Dr. Andrew Pruitt, Dr. Allen Lim, Dr. Stephen Cheung, and dozens more. These experts present on topics through our Webinar and Screen Share Series. Our members come together in our forum and live events—like Zwift group rides and Live Q&A Sessions—to field questions and swap ideas. In all of endurance sports, there’s no brighter place to be than Fast Talk Laboratories.

Meet Our Team

Trevor Connor
Cofounder, Chief Executive Officer, Cohost of Fast Talk, and Coach
Trevor Connor has 20 years experience in bike racing and has coached for U.S. and Canadian national performance centers and managed teams. He holds a master’s in nutrition.

Rob Pickels
Exercise Physiologist
Rob Pickels is Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer at Fast Talk Laboratories. He is an exercise physiologist who has worked in product development for Pearl Izumi and at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine and the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center.

Ryan Kohler
Head Coach & Physiologist
Ryan is an exercise physiologist, sports nutritionist, USA Cycling Level 1 coach and certified skills instructor, and a USA Weightlifting certified strength training coach.

Dr. Stephen Seiler
Professor in Sport Science, University of Agder
Dr. Stephen Seiler is an exercise physiologist and one of the world’s leading minds in the science of cycling.

Joe Friel
Cycling and Triathlon Coach and Creator of The Craft of Coaching
Joe Friel is the most trusted endurance sports coach in the world.

Emma-Kate Lidbury
Content Strategist, Fast Talk Laboratories
Emma-Kate Lidbury, known to her friends, family, and colleagues as EK, joined Fast Talk Laboratories in June 2022 as Content Strategist. She is also a former pro triathlete with six Ironman 70.3 titles and two top-10 world championship finishes to her name.

Julie Young
Cycling Coach and Contributor
Julie Young is a sports scientist, cycling coach, and former U.S. National Team member.

Dr. Andy Pruitt, EdD
Director of Sports Medicine
Andy Pruitt is an internationally known sports medicine expert, educator, scientist, and inventor.

Dr. Stephen Cheung
Exercise Physiologist & Senior Research Fellow
Dr. Stephen Cheung is an exercise physiologist, cycling science author, and Professor & Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Kinesiology at Brock University.

Steve Neal
Coach and Forum Host
Steve Neal is a cycling coach who specializes in athlete testing.

Grant Holicky
Cycling and Triathlon Coach
Grant Holicky is a cycling and triathlon coach who has coached national and world champion athletes in cycling, swimming, and triathlon.

Chris Case
Cofounder and former Chief Operating Officer and Cohost of Fast Talk
Chris is a lifelong endurance athlete and a true Renaissance man with degrees and experience in neuroscience, art, documentary photography, and journalism.