Elite skimo racer, adventure athlete, and all-around mountain machine Rea Kolbl joins SKIMO Gold to talk about her journey from gymnastics to the high-altitude world of ski mountaineering. Co-hosts Travis Macy and Cam Smith dive into Rea’s diverse background in mountain running, OCR, and adventure racing, and how all of it has shaped her approach to SKIMO.

With her sights set on the 2026 Olympics, Rea breaks down the mixed relay event—what it takes to compete at the highest level, the precision of sprint racing, and how the right fueling and gear choices make all the difference. She also shares a candid look at her recent battle with mono, how it forced her to rethink training, and why rest and recovery have become key to her performance.

Beyond the racecourse, Rea discusses Slovenian sports culture, the balance of training with real life, and how she’s helping other athletes through her coaching business. If you’re looking for insights on endurance, resilience, and what it takes to reach the top, this episode is packed with it. Let’s go!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thanks to our sponsors Redmond Real Salt and CAMP

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

Learn more about Travis Macy and Cam Smith

Follow along with Skimo Gold and the Travis Macy Show

Skimo Gold is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.