Like a Bigfoot

Motivation, Mindset, Positivity, Endurance, Adventure, Perseverance, and Possibility

Month: April 2019

Like a Bigfoot Podcast #143: Rick Nealis — The Man Behind the Marine Corps Marathon, Going Ultra with the MCM 50k

For the past 26 years, legendary race director Rick Nealis has put all he has into the iconic Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C, a race that is widely known as one of the absolute best marathons in the United States.  One that is an unforgettable experience as it guides the runner on a tour past the monuments and history of the Capitol, ending at a finish line full of Marines.

This year Rick and his staff are adding something extra special as they dive into the ultrarunning scene and put on the inaugural MCM 50k!

For both the ultra and road racing community, the MCM expanding to ultra distances is going to be paradigm shifting and, in my eyes, will have an extremely positive effect as it will allow more and more people their first ultra experience.  In turn this will infuse new racers with all the positivity and life lessons that come along with tackling difficult challenges.

In this episode I brought on my friend, former marine, and 5 time MCM finisher Phil Pinti to explore all aspects of this new event.  We have a conversation with Rick and his operations manager Bret Schmidt about the ins and outs of race directing, the WHY as it pertains to expanding to an ultra, and how they plan on making it the best experience ever for their 1,700 racers.

We also dive into Rick’s rich history with this race, hearing stories from his first time running it as an athlete, how it’s changed over the past quarter century, the effects it has had on both Marines and Civilians alike, and, of course, how he convinced Oprah to make the MCM her first and only marathon.

This episode was tons of fun to record and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Huge thanks to Rick and Bret for coming on and sharing their thoughts and to Ashley Topolosky for setting this up!  It was awesome to chat with all of you!

If you are taking on the MCM 50k or preparing for any sort of crazy endurance event, stick around for the end of the episode where Phil and I briefly discuss lessons and strategies we’ve learned through racing a handful of ultras.

MORE FROM THE MARINE CORPS MARATHON:

Website: https://www.marinemarathon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marinecorpsmarathon/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarineCorpsMarathon/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Marine_Marathon

Info about the 50k: https://www.marinemarathon.com/blog/mcm-new-50k

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2

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Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/likeabigfoot/

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Like a Bigfoot Podcast #142: Steve Cannon — Conquering the 1,000 Mile Iditarod on His Bike, The Spirit of Adventure

Our last mountain biking podcast took us to the South Pole.  This time we’re heading up North to one of the most iconic races on the planet, the Iditarod!

1,000 miles through some of the most pristine, awe-inducing wilderness in the whole entire world, the Iditarod takes competitors, be it dogsled teams, runners, or bikers, across Alaska from Anchorage all the way to Nome.  Through this journey, competitors must traverse mountain ranges, frozen rivers, and even sea ice as they battle some of the harshest elements imaginable.

Today’s guest Steve Cannon is an ultra endurance adventurer from the great state of Iowa.  He’s taken on pretty hefty goals in the past, running completely around Lake Michigan, running across Iowa, and rock climbing some tough Colorado routes, but his current finish at the Iditarod takes all of his experiences to the next level!

In this episode we really dig into Steve’s concept of adventure- how it fuels him, the lessons he’s learned about himself by overcoming obstacles, and how he’s handled the loneliness and self doubt that comes with multi-day adventures.

We get into some great mindset conversations all while Steve shares tales from his unbelievable journey across Alaska!!

Buckle up.  This one is AWESOME!!

Steve’s greater purpose is to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Please help him out and donate HERE.

(Steve has also written quite a bit about these adventures and his book “40 Days” about his journey around Lake Michigan is available free at his website expandyourpossible.com)

MORE FROM STEVE CANNON “EXPAND YOUR POSSIBLE”:

Website: https://www.expandyourpossible.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/expandyourpossible/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xpandurpossible/

Des Moines Register Article: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/2015/12/15/mile-posts-steve-cannon-book-story-human-spirit/77339202/

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/likeabigfoot/

Like a Bigfoot Podcast #141: Adam Crews — Reclaiming Health, Tales From Teaching Agriculture

This week we are chatting with one of my favorite people in the whole entire world, Adam Crews!

Adam became one of my closest friends in high school.  Many days were spent playing football and getting into shenanigans together. Recently, he began working out and running, focusing on reclaiming his health.  In this episode he talks about the why and the how of his fitness journey.

He also happens to be an incredible high school Agriculture teacher with an abundance of really awesome knowledge of the outdoors.  As a fellow teacher, I wanted to dig into some of the lessons, stories, and misadventures of his teaching career.  Including what has to be the worst first day of teaching EVER….don’t want to spoil anything, but it involves a cow, a fence, and his poor knee.

I can’t be more proud to call this guy a friend and am honored to share this conversation! I hope you are as inspired by Crews as I have been from knowing him over the last 18 years!

Enjoy!

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2

Soundcloud Archives: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/likeabigfoot/

Like a Bigfoot #140: Andrew Zeck — Training for an Ironman, His Journey Into Endurance Racing and Entrepreneurship

Andrew Zeck lives in California and is the CTO and Founder of the delivery app Saucey.  He’s also an old high school football teammate of mine who is has discovered of a love of endurance racing.  And he’s pretty damn fast too!!

In this episode we discuss his recent preparation for his first Ironman Triathlon and all the peaks and valleys along the way.  We also delve into his endurance racing journey- his experiences in big open water swims, building his speed for the LA Marathon, and, my favorite part, the lessons he learned through his first solo multi-day bike adventure up the coast.

I really enjoyed reconnecting with Zeck and hope you guys love the conversation as much as I did!

His story of the self confidence the built by taking on the unknown is insanely important and is a lesson I hope all of us can experience at some point of our lives.  Get ’em!!

MORE FROM ANDREW ZECK:

His Saucey App: https://www.saucey.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dewhacker/

Forbes Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryflynn/2014/08/08/drink-alcohol-donate-clean-water-how-saucey-is-standing-out-in-uber-for-x-model/#6680d63b76dc 

MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT:

Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2

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