Kelly Brush: Leading the Charge in Adaptive Endurance Sports Artwork

New England Endurance Podcast

Celebrating New England's thriving endurance sports culture.

Our mission is to passionately showcase and celebrate the vibrant endurance sports culture thriving in New England. Through engaging conversations, local endurance athlete (Art Trapotsis) embarks on a journey to uncover the essence of the region's clubs, group rides, cherished routes, legendary races, and the devoted community of athletes who proudly call New England home.

From the exhilarating realms of road cycling to the rugged trails of mountain biking, from triathlons to ultramarathons, from open-water swimming to collegiate rowing, this podcast is a tribute to the challenges, victories, and compelling narratives that shape the endurance sports landscape in this distinctive part of the United States.

With a commitment to fostering connections, providing valuable insights, and igniting inspiration, we strive to unite, inform, and empower the New England endurance community.

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New England Endurance Podcast

Kelly Brush: Leading the Charge in Adaptive Endurance Sports

November 14, 2025 • Art Trapotsis & Eric Schenker • Season 2 • Episode 25

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In this inspiring episode of the New England Endurance Podcast, we sit down with Kelly Brush, founder of the Kelly Brush Foundation, and a former collegiate ski racer turned national advocate for adaptive sports. After a life-altering crash in 2006 left her paralyzed from the chest down, Kelly founded the Kelly Brush Foundation to empower others with spinal cord injuries to live active, engaged lives through sport and recreation.

Kelly shares her personal journey from rehab to riding again on an adaptive bike, and how that pivotal moment sparked nearly two decades of advocacy, innovation, and community building. We talk about the barriers people with disabilities face when accessing sport—whether cost, awareness, or terrain—and how KBF’s Active Fund and Active Project are changing that.

She also dives into the power of inclusive trail design, how Vermont became a model for accessible mountain biking, and how events like the Kelly Brush Ride are not only about fundraising but about celebration, connection, and confidence.

Whether you're an athlete, race organizer, or simply someone who believes in equitable access to the outdoors, this episode will leave you inspired to get involved and help redefine what's possible for adaptive athletes.

This podcast embarks on a journey to showcase and celebrate the endurance sports community in New England.