Ultra-endurance bikepacking is about as niche a sport as you’ll come across. But in short order, Lael Wilcox has helped raise it out of obscurity and even cultivated a cult following.

What does it take to ride your bike thousands of miles for days on end, often without sleep? If you’re Lael Wilcox, milk — at least, that’s part of her secret. In just a few short years, Wilcox went from not being much of a biker to dominating ultra-endurance bikepacking events — completely self-supported races across vast, remote areas.

But despite being one of the hardest and most relentless athletes out there, Wilcox maintains a completely disarming and quirky demeanor. We sat down with her to learn how she does it, why she does it, and what happened at this year’s Tour Divide — a race she was favored by many to win before controversy struck.

And be sure to check out Lael Wilcox in the Tour Divide film, I Just Want to Ride.