The Morning Upgrade Podcast Featuring JC Chamberlain

Welcome to episode #173 of the Morning Upgrade Podcast. In this week’s episode, I spoke with JC Chamberlain, a competitive cyclist and entrepreneur.

Top Talking Points

• How JC’s near-death experience reset his priorities.
• How his friends helped him go from a wheelchair to cycling again.
• How breathwork improved his recovery cycle.

Resources & Links

Connect With JC at AntidoteTheBook.com.

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Morning Upgrade Podcast Transcription

Ryan Cote:
Hey JC, welcome to the Morning Upgrade Podcast. How are you?

JC Chamberlain:
Hey Ryan, I’m great—thanks so much for having me.

Ryan:
We’ve already been chatting for 15 minutes and I can tell—you’re a wealth of knowledge. We’ve got some great talking points to cover in the next 20 minutes or so. Let’s start by introducing you to the Morning Upgraders. What should we know about you, professionally, whatever you want to share?

JC:
Thanks for asking. I’ve realized I have a deep fascination with the intersection of humans and technology, where we touch technology and it touches us. That’s where really amazing things happen.

I’ve spent most of my career at that intersection. In college, that interest led me to study nuclear energy. Over the years, I’ve launched both tech-based and service-based startups.

I also love cycling. It’s become a highly technical sport—carbon frames, aerodynamic gear, nutrition, training—all measurable and scientific now. I tend to think a lot about the future and what’s on the horizon. That mindset has taken me down some pretty fascinating career paths.

Ryan:
Love that. I definitely want to dive into entrepreneurship and resilience, especially that incredible story you have about biking and surviving a major accident. But first, let’s talk about your morning routine. What does that look like?

JC:
I’m an early riser—up around 4:30 or 5 a.m. I go straight into a 30-minute yin yoga routine with a set of poses I hold for two minutes each. During each pose, I focus on slow, intentional breathing—10 breaths per pose.

The science is strong—it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body heal. I do this cold, not post-workout. Then I walk to get coffee and just sit and enjoy it. That’s my daily start.

Ryan:
That’s solid. Quick question—have you ever heard of David Goggins?

JC:
I don’t think I have.

Ryan:
He’s an ultramarathon runner and does two hours of stretching every single day. Super calculated with everything related to fitness. Your routine reminded me of that.

JC:
That’s incredible. Yeah, I’m still riding my bike—and hoping to keep doing it into my 90s.

Ryan:
Speaking of biking, let’s get into your accident and recovery. It’s a wild story.

JC:
Sure. I’ve competed in over 1,100 amateur bike races. I’ve crashed a lot—it’s just part of the sport. But two years before this accident, I aged into the 50–54 category and committed to riding 15,000 miles a year. I trained five years for a 60-minute race. I had a deep well of fitness.

My old college teammates and I had been undefeated champs. We reunited 30 years later to race again in Boston. The week before that race, a group of us went on a 50-mile ride plus an extra 15. We were on a country road in Columbus, Ohio when a car hit me.

I was thrown from my bike, broke my left shoulder, and had no memory of the impact. My friend Pete and the driver later told me what happened. Their quick thinking saved my life. They found a pulse and got me into an ambulance.

Ryan:
And you had a spiritual experience in the ambulance, right?

JC:
Yes. It was profound. I had this clear, almost divine moment of consciousness outside my body. I asked: “Why now? What do you want from me?” And the answer I received was: “There was a fatal accident in your future. But because I’m not done with you, I chose this one. It will change the course of your life.”

About 90 minutes later, I woke up in the ER. My girlfriend was there, feeding me water with a sponge on a stick.

Ryan:
That’s intense. What happened next?

JC:
I asked if I could still race. The doctors said, “You’ll need to work hard just to walk again. You’ll never ride.” That devastated me.

But then my community—my church, family, friends—rallied around me. One friend encouraged me to try a local yoga studio. I was reluctant, but gave it a shot. Those 90-minute sessions helped me heal emotionally. Over five years, I did 525 of them.

Eventually, I realized I needed an Olympic-level training regimen to return to elite cycling. I turned that studio into my recovery center. That routine gave me momentum and hope.

Ryan:
When did you start walking again?

JC:
My leg was in a cast for two months. Once it came off, I used crutches and went to a fitness center to use a stationary bike. I still couldn’t balance. Then one day, my best friend—who had been storing my tandem bike—showed up with coffee and said, “Get dressed, we’re riding today.”

Still on crutches, he helped me onto the bike. We rode a few miles, and we kept riding together that entire year. That was the real turning point.

Ryan:
That’s incredible. For those who want to learn more or get your book, where should we send them?

JC:
Visit antidotethebook.com. That’s a-n-t-i-d-o-t-e-t-h-e-b-o-o-k dot com.

I call it Antidote because no doctor can prescribe it, and no nurse can inject it. It’s about building emotional wealth—W-E-A-L-T-H—from within. The book is short—about 150 pages—and includes a workbook at the end of each chapter to help you apply what you’ve learned.

Ryan:
Love that. I’m grabbing a copy. JC, thank you so much for sharing your story.

JC:
Thanks, Ryan. I really enjoyed the conversation.

Ryan:
Thanks for listening to the Morning Upgrade Podcast. See you next time.