Jacob Crossley Returns — A Tough Year, Honestly

Jacob Crossley is the only guest who's been on this podcast twice.

Last time was cycling-focused , the kind of episode ASCND had become over the past year. Bikes, kit, brands, the "rebrand" everyone kept telling me suited me.

This time there was no plan beyond: it's been a shit year and I wanted to actually talk about it instead of around it.

My daughter's cancer diagnosis. The loss of my Dad, something Jacob’s also experienced, my girlfriends Mum passing away all happened within the space of a couple of months. When people asked how I was doing my response turned into "Well, no one died this week" — gallows humour is the only kind that's ever worked for me.

Jacob's been carrying his own weight since losing his dad, and it turns out that's shared ground neither of us asked for but both leaned on. No clean answers, no fix either of us can point to. Just an honest conversation between two mates who ride bikes and have had a hard run of it.

This is ASCND V1.0. No format, no schedule, no polish. Full episode - The Road to Respair 🚲 on Apple Podcasts and Spotify