Rediscover Yourself

Meta x Oakley, Life Time Expands, van der Poels $240K Style, the Future of Cycling Tech is here, and more…

👋 Good morning and happy Friday. I’m Scott and feel free to reach me here. If you’re a brand, or agency, throw me on your media list. I want to hear about new products, brand news, and happenings.

This is the Front Pack Newsletter, your weekly source for all things endurance and business. We feed you the most important things happening in the world of health & wellness, cycling, triathlon, and running.

Join our app to stay motivated, meet athletes near you, coordinate workouts, and highlight your journey to greatness.

I have a deep fondness for this weekend—not just because it’s Super Bowl Sunday (Go birds! 🦅), but because it reminds me of one of the most defining experiences of my life. Back in 2021, I packed up and drove eight hours west to Big Bend National Park for a three-day solo trip—just me, the wild, and my own thoughts. I stayed in a makeshift shack (below), used an orange Home Depot bucket of sawdust as my bathroom, and took freezing cold showers heated only by the sun. Sound miserable? You couldn’t be more wrong.

See, my idea of a perfect getaway isn’t some five-star resort or fancy dinners. It’s staring at the stars in freezing temps, cooking a porterhouse over an open fire, and stripping life down to its rawest form. There’s something about being alone in the wild that peels back the layers, forcing you to face yourself at your purest—no distractions, no noise, just you and the elements.

So here’s my challenge for you in 2025: take a solo trip. Get away from routine, get uncomfortable, and find out what’s left when the world is stripped away. Because sometimes, the best way to rediscover yourself is to be alone with yourself.

As always. Stay moving…✌️

The Pod

How far are you willing to go to find out what you’re truly made of?

This week, we sit down with Christian Brown-Johnson (CBJ), a relentless ultra-endurance athlete, elite OCR competitor, and IRONMAN—who thrives in the pain cave. From battling brutal conditions in the Middle East to preparing for the Arizona Monster 300-miler, CBJ doesn’t just flirt with suffering—he embraces it, learns from it, and comes out stronger every time.

But his story isn’t just about endurance. It’s about mental warfare, resilience, and the practical strategies that keep him pushing limits while building a successful business. If you’ve ever wondered how to turn discomfort into fuel for growth, this is the episode for you.

Listen now and redefine what’s possible.

*Also. Be sure to subscribe and rate to get updates on new episodes.

The Biz

Meta x Oakley: If rumors are to be believed, meta will launch a pair of Oakley smart glasses as soon as later this year. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Meta plans to expand its AI-powered eyewear lineup beyond its existing partnership with Ray-Ban. The article states that the new glasses will be based on the $240 Oakley Sphaera model, which is designed for athletes like runners and cyclists, and would feature a camera positioned closer to the center of the frame for improved capture. Cool and all but huge miss on not launching these with the Sutro or Jawbreaker line. Read more…

U.S Wellness Industry Sits at $2 Trillion: Regardless of how many ads I get for all things wellness, it’s still mind bending to believe we are talking TRILLION. That’s right. All of the AG1s and LIFETIME Fitness memberships are showing big returns because the U.S is the indisputable “wellness nation,” pulling further ahead of #2 China ($870 billion), #3 Germany ($310 billion), and #4 Japan ($255 billion). Globally, per capita, the American spend on wellness ($788) is greater than healthcare ($746), hotels/restaurants ($593), and clothing/shoes ($294). Read more…

Trek’s 2025 Sustainability Report: Trek wants reduce its carbon emissions as much as possible, and that is a great thing. So what’s behind the curtain you ask? Some key findings of their third sustainability report include. Read more…

95.4% of its total emissions happen in the supply chain.
Total emissions fell by 47% between 2021 and 2023.
Aluminum was the number one contributor to the company’s carbon emissions.
Shipping bikes and components around the world makes up less than 1% of their total emissions.
Trek refurbished 2,791 used bikes in the first year of its trade-in program, saving an estimated 432 tons of CO2 when compared to making brand new.

Life Time Expands to Cold Plunges and Glucose Monitoring: While places like Crunch or LA Fitness look to give its customers the basics for a not much cost, Life Time, while costly to be a member is always working to provide its guests with the next big thing. This week, the athletic country club chain highlighted it will add cold plunges to 70+ of its fitness clubs nationwide by the summer. Additionally, they have teamed with Dexcom to offer continuous glucose monitors directly to members through its app. As part of their push into wellness, the Life Time x Dexcom partnership makes a lot of sense as the Stelo biosensor is the first CGM cleared for over-the-counter sales. Read more…

Peloton Beats Expectations: Shares of the company surged 12% as it inches to being profitable. Though it delivered mixed results for its holiday quarter, the company said it still has a “steep hill to climb” to achieve profitable growth under its new CEO and won’t be ready to focus on boosting sales until it fixes its balance sheet. Read more…

Meanwhile

Other happenings in the world of endurance.

A Cockpit like No Other: Are we approaching the golden age for cycling tech? If you talk to German startup Flite, they just may be the founders of this revolution. Their integrated touchscreen Flitedeck handlebar comes with built-in navigation, weather, power, theft alarm, cadence monitoring, and a built in headlamp. Currently available for preorder, the drop-style road handlebar is powered by an onboard lithium battery which should get you 20 to 30 hours of runtime before needing a USB-charge and connects with third-party sensors and other devices (including all common electronic-shift drivetrains) via Bluetooth, ANT+ and Wi-Fi, plus it links up with third-party iOS/Android apps running on the cyclist’s paired smartphone. The cost? Flitedeck starts at a cool $1,677 with the first production run being limited to 1,000 units. The price will go-up from there. Read more…

van der Poel takes Cyclocross World Championship in $ix Figure Timepiece: Not only did the flying Dutchman win the cyclo-cross world championships for a joint-record seventh time in France, he did it in a $258K watch. Chock full of mud and in freezing temps, the timepiece was from new Swiss sponsors Richard Mille, also seen on the wrist of other pro athletes like tennis icon Rafael Nadal, and NBA Champ, Jayson Tatum. Read more…

Big Pidcock Power: That didn’t take long. The controversial 25-year-old pro stepped up in a big way this past weekend by laying down his best power numbers ever on his way to winning his debut GC for Team Q36.5. The high pressure debut silenced critics while Pidcock simply said, “I’m excited for what’s to come.” Read more…

BROKEN: The 48-hour treadmill record: Just seven months after setting a record for the fastest run across Ireland (563 kilometres in 3.5 days), British ultrarunner Sophie Power has smashed another record, 48 hours on a treadmill; managing 226 miles (363.86 km) in 48 hours–23 km farther than the distance run by the previous record holder. Read more…

Hack Your Hips: One personal trainer gives their three go-to exercises to increase hip mobility and reduce stiffness. Read more…

The Best Energy Bars According to a Sports Dietitian: The results may surprise you but according to the folks at Triathlete magazine, “That’s it” ($30) are the absolute best bars for endurance athletes. Followed by David ($25) bar for protein (which I hear taste horrible), and Picky Bars ($25) for flavor. Read more…

Training Tips

Because training is life.

The Fastest Tire size for Gravel Racing is: I’m not spoiling it but I know its a big question a lot of people are facing heading into race season. Which tire size is going to be fastest?

Rewatchables

Content for long training days inside or just everyday life.

UCI Cyclocross World Championships 2025 Highlights: Relive the battle between Mathieu van der Poel vs. Wout Van Aert.

Lachlan Morton on his record-breaking lap of Australia and Unbound Gravel win – Rouleur Live 2024: I’ll listen to anything Lachlan Morton and you should too. I’d yet to see a really great post recapping his Australia record or Unbound win, but this is the one.

ASICS Trail | Beyond Trail Running | Adventure in the Dolomites: LOVE that ASICS followed amateur runners to tell their stories. No influencers, no big names. Just normal people who like trail. Bravo.