#87 Be Badass Every Day: From 1970s Skate Rebel to World Champion at 65 — How Judi Oyama Outlasts Everybody

[00:00:00] 

Kush: I typically start with this question, Judy, which is, where are you right now, and what did you have for breakfast this morning?

Judi: I am in Santa Cruz, California at my work office at Lens Arts. I'm do all their marketing and for breakfast I had coffee with, um, I put cinnamon, chocolate and some, uh, laird's, uh, powder in some of his, uh, coconut powder. And I had some quiche and part of a peach. Fresh peach.

Kush: That's a delicious sounding breakfast, and I'm particularly impressed with your coffee game.

Judi: Yeah, I like my coffee actually. I have coffee before I go to my six o'clock CrossFit class, and then I eat when I get back.

Kush: Wow. I guess the [00:01:00] caffeine in the coffee helps, uh, get you going with the CrossFit intensity that bright and early.

Judi: Yeah, I, I prefer I get up early and I prefer to get my workout in, so I get it done for the day and it always kind of starts my day off. Right.

Kush: Beautiful. You know, when we were just chatting before we, we started recording, you mentioned it's already been a heck of a week and yes, it is only Tuesday. So what is going on in your world right now?

Judi: well, I care for my dad. He's in the facility and he had a fall on Friday and he hit his face on some on the corner bench of tile in the shower. So I've been. Constantly going and checking on him and he is doing well. And then my car started having some loud noises, so I had to take it in this morning at eight 'cause I didn't wanna keep driving.

So it's con, [00:02:00] and then I had a couple bags of rocks that I needed for an art project here. And I was like, I'm not carrying those rocks right now, but I'm gonna go back and someone's going to do a ride because the, the, luckily the auto place is like a block and a half away. So that's my day.

Kush: Super. Got it. Got it. And, and Judy, I can see that you are juggling many identities. You have a career, uh, that you work hard at. You are caregiving for your, for your father, and you have a family, and then you are also a slalom skateboarding professional, a world champion. So I thought maybe we could just start with that.

I would love your help in helping us and [00:03:00] listeners understand the sport that you have mastered. Uh, a lot of us have seen skateboarding on television, even if we haven't skateboarded ourselves, and skateboarding was recently inducted in the Olympics. What is slalom skating though, and how does it work?

Judi: So slalom skateboarding has actually been around since the seventies, and it's racing on a skateboard, and usually it's going off a ramp and you're racing against another competitor and you're going down the hill as fast as you can in and out of skateboard cones. It's kind of like, um, snow skiing with the gates.

And the first one down the hill that crosses the finish line is the winter. It's gotten to be a bigger international, uh, sport and actually, uh, slalom, downhill luge and Burt riding has gotten into [00:04:00] the world skate games, which is the step before getting in the Olympics. And so, uh, park and Street went to the world skate games for a couple seasons and they got in and I guess I was hoping that vert would get in because vert is such a small, um, amount of space needed for, it's just a big ramp.

Like they just had the vert alert in Utah last weekend the hope is that slalom will get into the Olympics in maybe eight to 10 year or eight years. And my goal has been to keep the sport going and trying to get the next. A generation of slalom racers, um, started. So by the time it gets in the Olympics, they'll be in their twenties.

And one of the young women, Loyola is 16 and she's a US national champ and I've been coaching with her. And I, uh, also call and talk to Maggie who lives in Texas, who's [00:05:00] 14. And I just am enjoying seeing them, love the sport. And they also vert and are very versatile. And I feel like, I can show them the steps it takes to be a professional and I'm connecting them with some of my sponsors so that as I kind of step out, they can take my spot, is kind of my goal.

Kush: Amazing. Judy, you are competing at the highest levels yourself, and you're also. Mentoring and supporting the next generation of crushers, it might actually help. Uh, could you behoove us for a second and maybe, uh, go a step even further back? Uh, what I heard you talk about like ver, which sounds like it's stands for vertical.

So maybe, uh, what are the different types of [00:06:00] popular skateboarding today? Maybe a, a very quick

Judi: So, um, the, there's different disciplines of skateboarding and in Olympics they have street, which is the riding on the rails, riding on stairs, and kind of doing jump moves that are obstacles that you would see on a street. And then there's park, which is more like a concrete swimming pool and half pipes.

And they have, uh, rails in them now, and, and they're very specific to riding in a bowl and doing tricks. And then there's, uh, the next level is vertical, which is halfpipe and vertical. So the, I wanna say the ramps could be 12 feet, 13 feet, and the, maybe the last two to three feet are vertical. And they usually start with a lunch wrap.

And, uh, Tony Hawk just had his vert alert in, um, Utah and X Games always has vert and, um, and then slalom [00:07:00] is racing down the hill. Anything from, there's a giant slalom race, which is a single lane course on a big hill, and you're going 25, 30 miles an hour. And then there's hybrid, which is, uh, dual slalom, but it's a technical course.

And the cones are close, six, seven feet to like nine to 12 feet. And they're offset. So you're actually reaching for cones and they're long courses. And then they have a tight solemn, which is anywhere from 60 to 75 cones, and they're usually space at six feet to seven feet. And it's very technical. And then there's downhill, which I was one of the first women doing downhill back in the eighties.

That is going down a hill that's windy and now they have it where there's groups of four people that ride as fast as they can from point A the top and they push start to the bottom and they [00:08:00] draft each other, they pass each other and they're going at speed that are far beyond what we were doing when we were racing.

'cause now it's gone to the next level and it's very international. There's a lot of downhill in all different countries. And then there's luge, which you're laying on the bo, a whole different board set up and it's low to the ground and you're laying on your back. And um, so those are some of the other disciplines of skateboarding.

And then the other one that isn't in, on the radar but it's been around forever is freestyle. And that's where you write a really small board and you're doing little tricks. On a flat ground, and you could do all kinds of kick flips, handstands. And it's very fun to watch. It's very technical. 

Kush: Wow. Judy, thank you so much. My mind is a little blown. I had no idea that skateboarding had all these, uh, different exciting [00:09:00] sub genres. What type of skating do you specialize in again, and maybe what, what is it about Slalum skateboarding that is so

addictive for you? So when I first started skating, I did, pretty much everything, a little bit of freestyle, uh, park riding when they had parks, and I did downhill. And I had to kind of fight my way in because. The first downhill race. Um, I was the only woman in our town that ha, that raced and I got in the middle of the pack, I think I placed like eighth.

Judi: And then the next year they had a women's division. It was called the Capital Classic. And I got second. And um, the next year they made an invite only and they didn't invite me. And I called the promoter and I said, well, you know, I've raced it [00:10:00] twice. This is third year. And he said, well, you know, it doesn't look as gnarly when a chicken go down the hill. And so I got uninvited and they let me like help sign the men in and stuff. And I watched it. It's funny 'cause I could see myself on an old video and I looked really sad. But um, and then I rode parks and I was one of like a few women, Cindy Whitehead and Vicki Vickers that competed in Women's Vert. But unfortunately when they talk about vert now, they talk about women from the eighties on.

They don't give any recognition to a lot of us early skateboarders. So I'm glad I get to mention a few names and, and you know, have them remember that we were skating in the seventies and a lot of times there were contests, but there weren't women's divisions. So, um, now it's like equal pay, equal contest, uh, [00:11:00] purses.

And it's nice to see after going to races where I spent $125 for a entry fee and I get a VCR video tape and the guys get, yeah. So, and I didn't even, uh, mention that I won the race. They did all the men's winners and they didn't do the women. I've been at races where the final women's was, filmed in Oregon and, um, I mean the race was filmed in Oregon and it was really a beautiful race, lot of media, but when they had the women's final slalom, they told the the TV crew, they can go to lunch.

So we didn't get filmed. So it's just a constant battle and I, I feel like I'm, you know, I don't mind if people don't like me or people you know, say that I complain, but I've been fighting since the seventies and I still will speak out for the women because we get [00:12:00] neglected or we got, get belittled and talked down to, and I, I'm hoping that by the time Loyola and Maggie.

And some of these other women, they won't have to deal with that. 'cause the young girls that are doing vert and slalom, I mean, uh, vert and park, they don't see that. 'cause they didn't, it's already had passed them where they just get to see the, the good part, which is great. 

Kush: Wow, that is insane. Uh, sounds like when people talk about the history of skateboarding and women skateboarding, maybe they go back to when women were officially invited. Into the competitions, but you were helping pave that entry even before that in the seventies. And sounds like some, somehow the, the media, uh, conveniently continues to ignore some of those [00:13:00] origins.

The other thing you said is that yes, you had to fight the whole way through in all kinds of, uh, creative ways, but it sounds like despite equal pay and maybe the same level of competitions, they, the, the fight isn't yet over. The fight for equality in skateboarding still isn't over there. A gap. Can you speak a little bit about what that gap might be and why we, why, let's say women skateboarding

is not still

being 

recognized. 

Judi: I think one of the gaps is a lot of times it's, there's a lot of, it's mostly run by men and there's nothing wrong with men, but you know, they look after their own. They invite their own and they'll, you know, the camera crews probably more men. And, you know, years [00:14:00] ago when X Game started, they just, I think had their 30th anniversary, but they started and they had women and their prize purse was $2,500.

They were paying men $2,500 just to show up, not even have to place. And so the women actually, um, boycott, were gonna put a boycott on. I, I don't know remember exactly if you know how they got the money or whatever, but they actually stopped the women for 10 years. So I think last, this last year was the first time, um, or the year before they had women because they just kinda shut them out.

And so, and you know, media doesn't talk about that. 

Kush: It's been quite a journey for, for you as one of the early pioneers. So, rewinding back a little bit, you started skating [00:15:00] in the early seventies and like you pointed, skate culture and, and even the world looked so different back then. So what drew you

into the sport as a teenager? What led the spark? Um, what drew me in was the challenge, like I'd see surfer guys around pleasure point in Santa Cruz skateboarding, and my brother built a board and I tried it out on our driveway and it was 73, I was 13. And I just liked the challenge and I liked that you could go out by yourself and ride anytime you wanted and, um, that you could just see yourself, uh, improve.

Judi: Like, you know, you could ride 10 feet, you could And, um, I just, I I I had no idea that I'd be skateboarding still. I actually just got my Guinness World Record certificate yesterday for longest skateboard, competitive career, And, um, it [00:16:00] took seven months after the, uh, world skate games in Italy for all the paperwork and all the approvals.

'cause they, you have to send them videos and. Certificates from people or forms that they watched you and that they're part of the industry. And, um, I'm super grateful to have good friends and people that filled out the paperwork and helped me get it. 'cause I just thought, you know, I'm doing it this long.

It'd be fun to at least document it so it won't be forgotten and it'll give someone else a goal. 

Kush: uh, in. inspiring people for a long time. That kind of longevity in, not just in skateboarding, but in any sport. Judy, that is so impressive. You talked about how you got introduced because your brother helped shape [00:17:00] a boat for you, but at the same time it was still so challenging to make headway into the sport when even such fundamental things like just maybe like you said, like just the simple indignity of not having your name be pronounced or spelled correctly.

You know, I, I, I come from India and I ha I also have a different name and it's always weird, you know, when people cannot say your name, but you know, you were competing and people. yeah, what, what did that invisibility feel like back then? And do you think it actually like fed your drive 

Judi: Well, I, I, I know that it fed my drive because the more people kind of counted me out or, um, I mean, like, I remember going to a con meet, having [00:18:00] teammates that I when I rode for Santa Cruz and we were supposed to go to a contest and they told me to meet at a certain time at their house, and they took off 10 minutes before I got there.

And I had my dad drive me all the way up to the contest and which was like an hour away. And so, I mean, I was used to being left out and so I just felt like I'm gonna, in my mind it was like, I'm gonna prove you wrong. And then I just kept skating and I feel like. Um, I always got, uh, compared to Peggy Yoki, who's really sweet on the dog town, Z os but I mean, I still get even in my own town, Hey, you're Peggy Yoki or whatever.

So I, I'm trying to like just prove that there's more than one Asian American skateboarder and uh, girl skateboarder, women's skateboarders like that are unknown, you know? 'cause if you didn't get in the magazine, no one knew you. And now because of social media, uh, you can be found and, and get [00:19:00] um, I feel like when I'm powering out and kind of proving to people that you can make a difference and be seen, and I think because of my age, I've gotten a lot of people that are in the mountain biking and swimming or other sports that say, you got me off the couch, or you made me realize that at 40 I'm not done. So that's the other part is I hope I'm inspiring, um, more people to just do something, do what they love, and don't let the age thing, uh, stop you. Because people always like, aren't you worried that you're gonna fall? But, you know, I've fallen doing other dumb things, tripping on stuff, and I at least, you know, I luckily have the muscle and bones from lifting that's gonna help me be able to fall and just get back up like falling. It shouldn't be like a death sentence. 

Kush: I want to bring in [00:20:00] something deeper here. Your family, as Japanese Americans, from what I know, lived through the trauma of World War II incarceration camps, so how did that history maybe even shape your perspective? up. Growing up, I mean, this is 1960s, 1970s Santa Cruz, very white. you were, you stood out just by the virtue of who you were.

So

tell us how it shaped your approach to sports and your identity.

Judi: Well, I know one of the things my, so my parents are like born in Monterey and Gardena and, um, you know, they were all interned and sent to the [00:21:00] horse stalls in Salinas and, or they had like a, um. Uh, what'd they call it? Assembly center at the different horse tracks in Northern California, in la in Anaheim, Santa Ana racetrack.

And, um, I know that as much as they tried to just spoil us because they didn't have a lot, um, it made me really appreciate just having the freedom to go do whatever I wanted. And I didn't take it for granted that I could go skateboard or go horseback ride or whatever. 'cause I knew that they went through a time where they just lost everything and that, they had to build back up.

And, um, my dad was fortunate enough that, uh, my, my grandfather was a fisherman and actually his boat is in the Cannery Row. history books. And, um, my parents or my dad's side of the family, they had a house in Monterey. He lost his boat. [00:22:00] But some family in Berkeley rented out my dad's house and when they came back from internment camp, their house was still there and there, there was, uh, soldiers from for or living in there.

And so they shared the house for six months where the soldiers lived upstairs and the family lived downstairs and they were able to keep their home. yeah, it was really fortunate. And that's like my uncle did, helped produce a movie called Beyond Bob Wire. And it was about the four 42nd troop, and I had two uncles in that.

And, um, so while their family was in internment camp, they were actually fighting for the US Army. And, um, and so basically I just feel very fortunate and I think my and my parents kind of never had any, they weren't like, uh, bitter about it, you know, like, um, they just. Felt like, you know, it was a time [00:23:00] that, uh, changed their life, but they were able to move on.

And my dad's 96, he's still alive. He was, I think 13 when he was in camp. And he, he, I can't tell, I wouldn't tell. I think he would understand and he would be really disappointed that we're at that state again, where we're, I mean, it's scary that they're just grabbing people off the street 

Kush: that is, yeah, no, sorry. That is such a uncanny observation, uh, that your dad has, right? Like, you know, your family lived through that period when they were, uh, uh, taken away for no fault of their own. And now we have families in California and all over the world, I mean all over the country who are also facing this, uh, constant nightmare. Your childhood was [00:24:00] anything but typical and did skating or picking that sport up, did it feel like maybe some kind of, um, like quiet defiance a way where you could just be yourself

amidst all of the other chaos

that must have been part of growing up in that 

era? 

Judi: I think, I think a 

little bit, uh, yes, because I guess what's fun about skateboarding and I still, you know, it's a little bit of renegade sport, like, you know, you're not really welcome. But you just do it and you, and you're kind of like looking around and making sure, like, okay, I'm on this street. Am I going to get kicked out?

Or, I mean, I've had neighbor and when I was a kid, I had a neighbor run my cones down with their car, and then the mother, the wife came down the street, And I'm like, you don't need to do that. Your husband did that. you know, [00:25:00] so I mean, I've had other pe I skated at lunch, at one place, and then the, I had some guy come down the street and just run him all over.

And I stopped him and started yelling at him. And he apologized like I got in his face about it because one, he could have hit me. Two, why is he doing that? And so. skateboarding is like, sometimes you have to sneak into a spot and you just try to not leave any marks and just go and, I mean, I still will jump fences or squeeze in between fences to go ride go to, if I go to a skate park too early in the gate's not open.

I mean, who thought a 60 something year old would be jumping, climbing over the fence? But, you know, I was a kid and I did it and I feel like, you know, I'm just riding a little earlier than I'm supposed to. So, I think that it's just part of one. Being, uh, independent. And two, just knowing that, you know, as long as you're not hurting [00:26:00] anyone or any property, you should be able to, um, skate.

And I have a funny story that, uh, one time we were skating in San Jose and they were having a Criterion bike race and on this road. So we were like, okay, well we can't skate here. So we went to this parking lot in an industrial complex and we set up cones and, you know, we're older, we always wear safety gear.

And this Mercedes comes jamming up through the parking lot and over to us and said, skateboarders aren't allowed here. And I said, okay, well if we see any skateboarders, we'll we'll let him know. And he looked at me and he looked at all of us, like being a little older and wearing safety gear. He goes, oh, you guys look all right.

Okay. Well, and he just laughed and he said, you, I own this property and I saw you guys and I just thought I should kick you out. But. You guys can stay. And so, and I always laugh, my friends still laugh about that, 

Kush: That is a, a cool story indeed because [00:27:00] people sometimes make assumptions about, a sport or, or any other kind of counterculture activity, and they don't, uh, they don't make contact with. Actual humans. And, and when they do that, like I know that as a rock climber, people think, you know, climbers are like some kind of crazy daredevils, but when, you know, my parents actually meet my friends and other climbers, they're like, oh, these are normal people with normal lives, you know, who are thoughtful and educated.

So I think just, being able to meet in person can help sometimes, uh, at least change some stereotypes. Judy, at what point did you realize after picking up skateboarding that you had this natural

gift that you were, you were that good and it is something that you wanted to invest in? 

Judi: when I, was 16 and I, uh, was able to get on the Santa Cruz team, skateboard team, and I got sponsored by Independent, I realized, well, I might it be good enough to, you know, be a pro. And then [00:28:00] it kind of pushed me forward to keep, uh, skating and Santa Cruz.

Richard Nobe, he's the founder and there was Jay Sherman as well, but he actually passed away when he was in his forties from Leukemia. But he has sponsored me since I was 16. Like, if I need a board, I need wheels. I can just. Let him know and I can grab stuff. And, um, just having someone behind you that's always, uh, backed you and, uh, supported you and didn't say, you know, why are you doing this?

You shouldn't be, you know, he's always been there. And my husband who used to skate, and actually we used to take all the kids skating. He's a bike racer and bike rider, and he, has always supported me. Like, I felt like if I had people saying, you shouldn't do it, you're getting too old, I probably would've quit.

But since I've had really good friends and people just, um, saying, Hey, uh, keep doing it, it's cool. Makes you happy. [00:29:00] So I think that's been a big part of why I continued and that's helped me bridge the gap or whatever, because I actually got kind of out of slalom because it had stopped for a little bit.

There wasn't races, but I still skated I wanna say I was like in the early forties, started skating again and one of the women that was skating with me says when we're in our sixties skating, and I looked at her like, what are you talking about? I'm not gonna be skating. You know, like I thought that was like some foreign things she was saying and now being 65 and ra and skating and racing. And then, you know, I have friends that are in their seventies that still race and skate and some of them I've skated with since I was a teenager and they skate more than I skate. So, I mean, there's other people out there that, um, maybe aren't getting the limelight or, or don't do a lot of social media, but I have [00:30:00] people in my life that are my age or older that skate.

Like I have a friend, Gary Hall, who's probably skated every day for three years. he actually is a good friend of Andrew Huberman he is also someone that I really appreciate in my life. 

Kush: At some point you stepped away from skateboarding, it seems like that from, I guess, an outsider's view and then sounds like you came back, uh, with force, uh, in your later years. Is there some sort of sort of story behind that beyond maybe family,

career and other obligations? 

Judi: I continued to skateboard since I was 13, but for a little bit because there was like a, I wanna say, uh, there was a time where there was a ton of skate parks.

Like actually San Jose had eight skate parks and [00:31:00] with, uh, and this is late eighties. Uh, no, yeah. Or late eighties. Uh, they basically in six months all closed because of insurance. So insurance got to be really expensive. So all, like all throughout the country, skate parks are just closing. So people went from having multiple skate parks to having none. Or barely any, no big ones. Um, and then they went to street, so that's where street, skateboarding started picking up. And then they went to Vert because people would have build ramps in their backyard. So there was like this weird transition period. And, um, so I would skate, but I wouldn't compete in Slalom because there weren't races, but I still would skate.

And, um, then, uh, I wanna say in like 2001, there was like a resurgence of, uh, this FCR series, fast [00:32:00] City Racing series that started contests up again. And, um, a friend of mine that I used to ride with, Steve Olson, had called me up and said, you need to get back onto slalom and skating. I'm like, what? Like, I, I had no idea that, you know, racing would start again. So I started searching the internet and I found Henry Hester, who was a world champion and wrote. Uh, for Santa Cruz and a couple other people. And, um, Henry sent me a board and another, you know, pe other people I knew were practicing. I would go find them and practice in parking lots and I could barely make it around the cones. And then I went to a first race in San Francisco, battle of the Bay, and I actually won the first second, day. And, um, I was thinking, I'm just gonna try one race. Well, it's been like 2001 And, um, I figure it's, it's, been fun for me. challenging. [00:33:00] Uh, I had no idea I'd be going faster and racing, uh, still and travel, like I'd never gone out internationally to a skateboard contest until 2022 when I went to, um, the, uh, Argent. And I actually, when I went, I was thinking, okay, you're going to get your butt kicked and just get, you know, this is gonna be it and just wrap it up. And the first day was a hybrid and I came in third and I was just like, wow, I guess I have some potential. And then I got, I placed fourth overall. and um, and then like, I kept skating and then I met Loyola in 2023 or 24. And I got her, her interested in it, and then I was like, oh, I'll just train with her for, you know, another year. And then we both made the team and then we went to [00:34:00] Italy and there was another worlds skate games. I think I came in 14th Overall. And then I got on the USA slalom team for this year. And Loyola didn't, but she has great opportunity too.

'cause they'll have, uh, world skate games in Paraguay in 2026. So I'm hoping to help her get on the team and, uh, get to Paraguay. I tried to give my spot up both at, uh, Argentina And um, this year, like, but you can't give your spot to somebody. And then I, you know, I was gonna quit skating so I wouldn't keep, uh, the points or quit racing. And Cowie Loyola's mom goes, don't just quit and give her a goal. cause she's young. And so I figured. All right, well, I'll see how it goes. This, I have a US Nationals is in Colorado, August 14th or 16th seven. No, 15, 16th, 17th in, [00:35:00] uh, Westminster, Colorado. And so we'll see how it goes there. 'cause she'll get, be able to get more points and if she goes to Worlds in Brazil in November, she could possibly make the 2026 team and get to go to the world. 

Skate games. 

Kush: And Judy, just so I am clear, when you're competing at these levels, you're not competing in a special category for, let's 

say, 

masters, right? You're 

competing 

in the same category. as all the 

other mainstream 

competitors. 

Judi: Yes. There since there, well, in both men and women's, um, there's only one category. So like in Argentina I was racing 17 year olds, 14 year olds. I was 63 and in, uh, Italy I was 64. And so. I, I, I think it's more of [00:36:00] entertainment for people to see that I'm still doing it. And, um, I, for me, it's like a challenge and I'm, I'm still having fun.

It's an adrenaline rush. And I think that's kind of one of the things that keeps me going is, uh, I like the thrill. I'm not so into the giant slalom and the, like, they've had some really big ramps. They've had like a 12 foot ramp at Texas for a start ramp, and I actually crashed the first time I tried it.

And then the second time I, so like I had to do it, I actually ripped my shorts and I had to go change 'em because I landed and slid on part of my pants and I was like, if I don't at least drop in on this ramp, it's gonna haunt me the rest of my life. I don't know why I think that way, but I've done 10 foot and was fine, nine foot.

But, um, this 12 foot was like a monster, and so at least I know [00:37:00] I did it and I can get that, uh, like checked off my bucket list. 

Kush: Judy. This is, yeah, this is insane. Like you are. 

In your sixties, you're 

competing in the same events as people 

who could, I guess, be your grandkids. I, I mean, you are kind of well known now, but I can only imagine maybe the, the shock on people's faces 

when they realize 

that 

you're 

in the 

same 

like starting 

line in the same cohort of cohort 

of 

athletes 

who are so much

younger than you are. Yeah, I, I have a funny story. When we were in, uh, Argentina at the airport, we ran into, uh, some other women racers and I was with. Two of the other US slalom racers, and they all introduced each other and shook hands. And then I went to put my hand out and they turned around and walked away. And one of my, my, teammates goes, I can't believe they just did that to you.

Judi: You should say something. [00:38:00] And I said, they'll know who I am once we get on the hill. And I ended up beating 'em both, you know, and since then, they probably could beat me. But, um, I felt like I had no need to try to tell 'em who I was because of course I don't look like I'm a racer. 

Kush: Well, that's amazing. And I, I mean, it, it sounds like that's kind of been a, a bit of a theme through your life where you were this underdog, nobody expected, you know, this, this Japanese American girl from Santa Cruz to be this, you know, world beating skateboarder. And then you've come over and over and surprise people. And you also said that, you know, when you got back into racing again, you didn't think you would be doing this, let's say two decades and plus later. So

what has been. [00:39:00] The secret, Judy, how have you been able to continue doing this and also excelling for all these decades? 

Judi: well, I, one of the things that's really helped me, 'cause I used to get really tired at the events. Like, I I I learned a lot of things about nutrition, sleep, exercise, like one race I was doing, uh, no carbohydrates, eating nuts and bare, you know, uh, drinking fluids. And, I actually bonked on a race, like I totally had no energy and I've had races where I could just feel I had no blood in my thighs towards the end of a race and kept hitting cones.

So I've learned a lot about, um, I guess forced, uh, how to eat better. And, um, I also, what 53 got into CrossFit, which, um, like the. I, I wanna say, when I first started, the first day, I remember [00:40:00] they had to hang from a bar and I could only hang with my hands for 11 seconds, and now I could do two minutes and 15 seconds.

What? So the grip strength was really important and, um, just being able to to keep fit has really helped me. So since I'm older and these. Girls are so much younger and more fit and have the youth on their side, I feel like I have to work out twice as hard and keep in better shape. And it's more for myself to be able to start the morning and warm up.

We do qualifying practice, then you sit around for a while, the men race and then they have semi-finals and you only get to warm up like one run and then you have finals. And then at the finals you actually have to race a bunch in a row. So you're constantly, you go down, you're exerting energy and then you either walking back up the hill or uh, maybe getting [00:41:00] pulled by a motorcycle or car, which you know, is kind of dangerous.

But, um, so I've learned that, you know, really regulating diet and stamina and conditioning is really key. 

Kush: Yeah. Uh, much to unpack here, I would love to learn a little bit more about different things you have learned that we can all be, inspired by and maybe incorporate into our lives as, uh, as we get older and want to keep performing at, at, at, at a, at a high level or a level that is appropriate for us.

So maybe, uh, just starting a diet. You talked about, you took on this particular diet

and it did not work out for

you. So what have you learned since then and what type of diet do you, uh, allows you today to

perform optimally?

Judi: Well one is it is really important to have carbohydrates, you [00:42:00] know, to burn. I try to 

you know, not. I really am careful about alcohol in my life, especially during, I mean, not that I don't drink a glass of wine or drink, but like before a race for a good month, I won't drink any alcohol and I really try to reduce my sugar intake, but I'll eat fruits.

Um, being older it's like it's harder to lose the weight even though I'm like eating the same as I did when I was younger. I just still have to really watch what I eat try to eat organic. I try to eat really healthy. I don't eat fast food. uh, what else? I drink a lot of water and I've been, uh, lucky enough to find this brand called, and I'm not advertising, they don't pay me, but momentous that has a really good clean protein powder and creatine. And their stuff so clean that, uh, the Olympic athletes can use it. So it's really to, and I, I feel like I wanna make sure that what I put in my body is, you [00:43:00] know, healthy. but I just think it's really important to to plan out when you're going on a event, you know, like bring the, the nuts, bring the powders, you know, when you go to the store, you know, go get fruit, get, you know, the stuff that's a little bit more healthy for you. Because when you get to a race or an event, it's really easy to, rely on what's with what's there. And you know, sometimes, you know, you've pra trained for months and months and months, and then you get there and there's like no food or whatever, and then you just don't have the energy. So I've learned to bring what I need, uh, that helps me through it makes me feel better.

Kush: For sure. And you realize that carbohydrates are important, and do you actually watch your intake of the different, uh, uh, type of nutrition groups? Do you [00:44:00] try to get a certain amount of carbs, certain amounts of protein, or are you more about like, Hey, as long as I

eat clean and I bring essential. To competitions that looks after itself.

Judi: Yes, I'm not as picky. Like I've gone through phases like where I've, like what counted everything. I, one of the things I like is, uh, the 800 gram challenge. I don't know if you've ever heard of that, where you eat 800 grams of fruits and vegetables and that always makes me feel better, but, um, it's just harder to do 'cause you really have to, uh. Prep your food and uh, make sure you have a lot of dark greens and whatnot. And so I try to just do, uh, the basic, um, foods that I like and that are easy, accessible from like, hard boiled eggs and, uh, grapes and, and nuts are a really good thing to bring to a race. [00:45:00] Um, and then I do bring, you know, the different powders and I have it in my, my water bottle.

I, besides just water, sometimes I'll, I'll make sure I've, I actually put creatine in there and I'll put element, which has got a lot of uh, electrolytes and, but I only use like a third of their pack 'cause I don't like it. Real sweet. But, um, and then it's fun because other racers ask me what I'm using and I'll share some of the stuff and then I get them involved anywhere from Downhill Racer that has been winning all these races.

He, I met him at a slalom race. He's from the US San Diego. And, um, he isn't on the US team because they already had a full team. He's on the French team and he is won like four world races, anyways, so I just feel like if I can encourage and, and, motivate some of these younger athletes and they ask me what I'm doing and they [00:46:00] try it and it works for them, it's kind of been fun to see them excel. So I'm happy to share my information. 

Kush: And Judy, over the decades, you know, we all can have our run-ins with injuries and maybe other situations where a body doesn't perform as well

as we would 

like.

have you had to 

battle 

with 

injuries 

or, or 

other kind of 

setbacks, 

through this long career? 

Judi: when I was young, 19, I actually 

on a, doing a front side air at a win a skate park, I dislocated and broke my ankle and had a cast all the way up my thigh. And that was like my biggest injury as far as skating. I, I've had some falls where I was skating and I slipped out on sand and got hit my face and got rocks in my, uh, chin. And I actually ran into a dermatologist. Who's asked me, you know, what'd you [00:47:00] do? And he said, well, we do this tattoo removal, uh, plant program, but you have to do volunteer work. And he says it gets rid of scars. And I actually had volunteered, did horse patrol for Anya Nuevo State Park. And um, so I had one of the rangers wrote me a letter and so I got to do it. But the funny part was going to this, uh, tattoo removal. There was all these gang bangers and girls with their parent mom getting tattoos off. And I came out with this big red bloody chin and they're probably like, what? She had a tattoo on chin. But yeah, I actually fell about six months ago, tripped on something in our backyard, did a full yard sale carrying a skateboard and stuff.

'cause I couldn't see that. There was some round plastic balls on the concrete and I just slipped and rolled my ankle and it actually. Still bugs me, but, uh, it's gotten better and I've been [00:48:00] doing some physical therapy and, um, just being more careful and, uh, taping it up and it seems to be healing. But, you know, it's funny that have an injury that was just not skateboard related. 

Kush: That is, uh, yeah, that is kind of hilarious. And that story about the, uh, I guess the, the chin work that you had done and how people, uh, misunderstood that as something else. Um, what about, uh,

maybe some of the 

other things 

like, like, like, 

sleep for 

example, 

Judi: I go 

to bed, my husband laughs at me. I go to bed pretty early, 8 39. And I do like some breathing exercises that I've learned to this fall and I fall asleep really easy, which I'm feel very fortunate. but one of the things that I'm doing that's new and different is for racing because, so the next race is in, um, Colorado at 5,000, elevation.

And I've raced [00:49:00] in Breckenridge at 10,000. And you really, have to acclimate yourself and, um, but I have had this Ricardo, this coach's apnea, he does underwater workouts with weights in the swimming pool and he works with surfers and NFL athletes or whatever to learn breath. And I just went, um, last Thursday and did a out. Indoor class, so it's more like with yoga mats and stuff. And he showed us some breathing techniques that will help you recover and help you with the thin altitude. So I feel like, okay, I am old, older, I have to compete against a bunch of young people. What can I do that's next level to help myself? And so I'm actually working with Loyola and some of the other racers that I, that are NorCal.

like, do you guys wanna learn what I'm learning? Or do you wanna come to a class? And what it is is about, you know, breathing, bringing in more oxygen, [00:50:00] using your stomach muscles. he has really helped me like for lifting weights and for, I'm hoping because of the altitude and that we're only gonna be there like three days or four days early that I can, Learn these techniques so that when we're competing, I can get enough air. 

Kush: For sure and like sleep for example, do you, you know, you,

sleep early, 

do 

you, do you make sure, but you also 

wake 

up 

early 

because, for example, 

today you had 

CrossFit. 

Do you swear by 

getting a certain number of hours as as an

athlete?

Judi: I, I wanna say I used to get like seven hours, like I'd like to get more, but I I wait, I 

go

to bed early and I get up early. I get up usually at 4, 4 30. 

Kush: Right on. Yeah. And then after that, you have the day that starts, uh, pretty soon after. obviously you are a different person now, Judy, than you were at, uh, 15 or maybe [00:51:00] even 25. And of course, in some ways our bodies have changed, but are there some ways in which you think you actually have some special abilities because of your experience or something else that allows you to continue succeeding today despite the competition being so much

younger, despite you being 

a different 

person? 

Judi: I, well, I wanna say half of 

you know, a lot of it is mental, you know, I mean, it's important to be 

physical, but I think because I, I have, practiced a lot and I just feel more comfortable with myself that I trust myself. And if I don't feel comfortable, then I won't do something. Like if it's a super gnarly hill and I don't feel like it's safe at the bottom, 'cause half the battle of solem racing is, is racing the hill.

The other half that people don't realize is stopping at the [00:52:00] bottom. 'cause sometimes you have to stop by putting your foot down. That is mental. Like you're two thirds the way down the hill, but you're trying to finish the race. But then you're thinking about, how do I stop without crashing? And, or sometimes it's a, a race through and then you have to turn and you try to communicate.

Uh, like if it's another road with the other racer going, I'm going to go left. And if they, you know, you wanna make sure you don't cross up at the bottom. I just think that I'm more fit now than I was in my thirties. And I wanna tell people like, you should start, I think I really believe in, um, Olympic lifting, like lifting heavy weights.

I don't think people realize how important that is. 'cause I feel, uh, even though I look in the mirror and go, God, I look so fucking old, but I feel good, you know, I feel physically good. And, um, yeah, [00:53:00] I'm older. I have wrinkles and gray hair, but I just think it's so important to keep your body fit. 

Kush: I have to agree. Absolutely. I mean, we have to make up for all the muscle that we are using every year as we get older, and not just for performance, but also for life. We need to keep that muscle with us. Judy, you have become this role model, maybe this, um, unexpected role model for aging athletes and, uh, and, and, and late bloomers.

Uh, what would you

say to someone 

who's in 

their forties, 

fifties, sixties, or even later,

and who's wondering 

if 

it's too, 

late to start? 

Judi: It's not too, I mean, I feel like if I could start at 53 years 

old, you know, and I've talked to other, uh, people that started even later, and, uh, there's some coaches that work only with, um, older athletes, like 70, 80 year [00:54:00] olds. Um, I, I wanna say it's a lifesaver to, you know, really build on your, um, at any age, you know, just build your body up because it's.

Like, I see people that are younger that just like have a hard time and are complaining about going upstairs And stuff. And I like if you, I, I mean, if you go to the mall or go wherever, like you see escalator, you see stairs, take the stairs, you know, like I'll take the stairs even with my luggage or a backpack and, um, I'll be the, there's like two people on the stairs and 30 people on the escalator. And I just feel like, you know, people need to just use their bodies while they have 'em, use 

them. 

Kush: When we were kids, our dad insisted or forced us to take the stairs instead of the, uh, elevators again. And I feel like for me now, it's so hard to [00:55:00] get on the elevators because of that early lesson that the stairs were always healthier. Uh, just maybe a couple of final questions, uh, before we, before we end this,

chat. 

and I like to 

ask 

this 

question to 

everybody, 

which 

is, What does being 

ageless 

mean 

to

you? 

Judi: What does 

age 

is mean to me? I guess age. 

I think age is a not a number. Like I think people can't go off the number that their age is, and that's why I why I felt like ageless means, you know, it's not about your age, it's about what you can do and how you. Keep doing what you love because um, you know, I see a lot of different athletes and you post different people and it's really cool to see that just because you're older doesn't mean that you have to stop.

And I think it's an important message that, you know, keep doing it and it might change, you [00:56:00] know? Um, like I don't see myself doing pickleball, but I do like, I used to, I've ridden horses. I've had horses and I think it'd be a nice transition to ride horses. 'cause I actually went riding on a moonlight ride on Nuevo with the McCreary and a bunch of people.

And the one lady was 84 years old. Bernice. And we were like on the beach trotting cantering and then a full gallop in the dark. And she was with us and I was like, I wanna be that person, you know? And, and it really made me realize that, you know, you could be in your eighties and still doing cool stuff and what you love.

And she outlived a ton of horses. She had a wall in her house that had all these pictures of horses that she outlived and she lived up by on Nuevo. And, uh, if any highway patrol ranger saw her on the side of the road, 'cause she kind of had bad vision waiting to cross, they would stop [00:57:00] and cross, help cross her, help her across the road.

And she rode way late in the life. And I just think that is. Hopefully the goal and, uh, if I can encourage 30 and 40 year, 50 year olds that, uh, don't stop, then I'm happy. That's, that's what I'm hoping, you know, besides enjoying it myself. I hope I am inspiring someone that's younger, that can't use the excuse.

I'm too old. 

Kush: Badass. Another thing I, I think I'm gleaning from you is that one can also be strategic and plan ahead, and plan for maybe that next activity one might wanna take up. You know, once, let's say in your case you stop skate or you slow down on skateboarding, at some point though, it doesn't look like you're gonna slow down anytime soon.

It could be, Hey, let's me begin this other activity. And I think maybe that just helps us stay excited about the chance to learn something new [00:58:00] and get into something else

that's just equally as, 

uh,

fulfilling. Judy, do 

you 

think your 

best 

years 

are ahead 

of you or 

behind you?

Judi: I think the years ahead are just different. You know, they may not be the best as far as like, I may not be going faster, but just the fact that I can still do it is good enough for me. 

Kush: Fair enough. One quick question I wanted to ask you earlier I didn't get to was we was talking about diet and you're talking about some supplements you take for performance. Talked about creating, talked about, uh, electrolytes. Are there any other, like supplements

or micronutrients you 

take? 

Like do you get 

like a blood 

panel

done? 

Do you 

make sure

that you 

have all those 

other vitamins and minerals that your body 

needs?

Judi: I do like take omega threes and Vitamin Bs and different vitamins. try to [00:59:00] try different things that I know make are important for our aging body. but I, like, I don't take any prescriptions. I don't, you know, once in a while I take aspirin or, but I do not have a prescription. I'm not on any medications and, um, I hope to 

keep it that way. 

Kush: Beautiful. And then, yeah, just final question, Judy, if you had a chance to come up with a, a, a, a short life motto or like a slogan you could put up

on

the highway, maybe on, on, on, on, on, on, you know, coastal Highway one or maybe 17, what would that, uh, billboard say?

Judi: so my motto's been be badass every day. 

Kush: I love it. 

I 

love 

it.

I love it. Judy, you are

badass 

woman 

and athlete. Thank you so much 

for coming on the show today.

Judi: Well thank you for having me. I really [01:00:00] appreciate it. and

um, keep up doing what you're doing. It's great.