This week we are talking with lifelong athlete, ex-Navy, powerlifter, and all around awesome dude Dave Ruppert!

Dave is extremely dedicated to his health and exemplifies the power of consistency.  He has also led an incredible life through his time in the Navy which led him into body building and powerlifting.

In this episode, we chat about the time he played semi-pro football, his journey into powerlifting, his various injuries, why he has an awesome home gym and how he continues to show up to his health day after day.

Dave is really inspiring to me and I’m lucky to be able to call him a friend, a coworker, and a lifting buddy.  Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy!

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This week we are welcoming back my favorite person in the world, my lovely wife Lindsey Ward.

On this week’s show, Lindsey and I discuss a wide variety of topics some related to running and exercise and some not.  We chat summer training plans, my mindset and preparation for my second year of the Desert RATS stage race, how self care affects our lives, and the mountain goat kids trail running series.

Hope you guys enjoy the show as much as I did! As parents of three kiddos under five, it’s always a blessing to be able to sit down and actually have a conversation!

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Travis Macy is an endurance athlete, adventurer, mountain hunter, coach and the author of the excellent book “The Ultra Mindset.”

When it comes to taking on incredibly difficult events in the mountains, there’s only a small few with the experiences Travis has.  He’s competed in a variety of endurance events all over the globe and in 2013, he set a record for the Leadman, the iconic series in which racers compete in all Leadville ultra-endurance races over the course of one summer.  Whether it’s running, biking, paddling, snowshoeing, ski-mountaineering, or orienteering, Travis has done it all.

He’s also an incredible coach who uses his excellent philosophies to guide all sorts of athletes to success.  Using his many adventures, Travis is able to express his stoic mindset better than almost anyone I have ever met.  “The Ultra Mindset” is exists and is authentically created by anyone who is willing to push their limits, both physically and mentally.

On this episode we chat about this mentality.  How does adventure help develop it, how does one elevate these lessons in life outside of racing, and why is a fellowship with nature so important?

We also hear about his recent adventures taking on the epic Grand Traverse ski from Crested Butte to Aspen and how his partner pushed through after breaking his elbow.  Travis also shares a bit about his experiences hunting with and filming an episode of Greg Mchale’s Wild Yukon.

Can’t wait for you guys to listen! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Also, truly make sure to check out Travis’s book “The Ultra Mindset”.  It is a wonderful combination of adventure stories, overcoming adversity and reflections on the lessons he learned along the way.  Definitely, one of the best ultrarunning books out there!

MORE FROM TRAVIS MACY:

Website: http://www.travismacy.com

Coaching: http://www.travismacy.com/coaching/

Order the “Ultra Mindset”: https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Mindset-Endurance-Champions-Principles-ebook/dp/B00PWX7T2C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526607549&sr=8-1&keywords=the+ultra+mindset

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

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In 2017, John Kelly became only the 15th finisher of the Barkley Marathon, an epic race through the rugged mountains of Tennessee.  He battled through pain, exhaustion, sleep deprivation and three years of preparation in order to achieve one of the biggest accomplishments in ultra running.  It was an incredible accomplishment that only someone with a solid physical foundation and mental stoicism can endure.

An incredible athlete who has fallen in love with mountain running, over time John has discovered a lot about his limits, his motivations, and his fortitude.  He’s also developed what is an outstanding mindset as it pertains to WHY we pursue adventure and how to walk that fine line between pushing your limits and putting yourself to unnecessary risks (which he writes about on his fantastic blog post “Look How Tough I Am”).

In this episode we chat about that fine line.

When should you push to the limit (which…funnily enough when I typed that phrase into a thesaurus the first suggestion that popped up was “injury”…illustrating the complications of this discussion perfectly) and when should you come back to fight another day?  What are healthy reasons to really challenge yourself physically and what are unhealthy reasons?  When taking on an adventure why does your WHY matter so much? How does the Barkley find your weaknesses and how does one adjust and adapt?

We also talk a bit about his next big adventure as he explores some big trails around his new home.  He will be linking three big English “Rounds”, running each of them and then biking in-between.  It’s something he’s created and he’s calling it the “Grand Round”.  I love the idea of self created adventures and this one looks to be pretty epic!

Hope you guys enjoy the show!! Thanks again John for coming on and sharing all your awesome philosophies on endurance racing and adventure!

MORE FROM JOHN KELLY:

Website/Blog: http://www.randomforestrunner.com

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RndmForestRunnr

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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

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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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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!

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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 

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Miriam Gilbert is an ultra runner, writer, and adjunct professor from New Jersey.

She describes herself as an “ordinary runner” but, in my opinion, is anything but.  Having ran eight 50 milers, three 100 milers, and a handful of 24 hour timed events, Miriam is an experienced ultra runner who has a lot of insights and wisdom to share.

On top of all that, ultra running quite literally saved her life.  After a botched surgery and a major infection, her body’s extreme resilience built up by these brutal endurance events was key in recovering from this life-threatening condition.

This story is the main thread of the show this week.  Miriam shares her many stories and insights into ultra running while highlighting how beating her body down actually made her much stronger.

I really enjoyed chatting with Miriam for this episode and learned so much about running timed events (which is the next big challenge in my own running journey).

Enjoy the show!!

MORE FROM ULTRA MIRIAM: 

Website: https://www.miriamdiazgilbert.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ultramiriam

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

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZtmb5-6ke5qkoVGMVRpCqw

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George Black is an entrepreneur, a father, a traveler, and a business strategist.  He’s the author of “The Next Level Entrepreneur” which is focused on finding that passion in life and using it to sustain a business.  George is also a guy who loves a good adventure- whether that is backpacking through some of the more remote wilderness in the U.S., traveling the world, or constructing his own business.

This episode is essentially about what we do with those lessons we learn in an adventure AFTER we return to life.  How do we apply all these ideas we’ve discovered to our various roles- fathers, husbands, business owners, etc.

Hope you guys enjoy the show! Links to all of George’s work can be found in the show notes below!

(NOTE: His book was previously titled “Dear Mr. A: Letters Revealing the Secrets of an Entrepreneur”)

MORE FROM GEORGE BLACK:

Website: https://livetrulyfree.com

Check out his Book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0999574604/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=intigro-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0999574604&linkId=ff492b3fb553ba58e3dab23acc892369

“Burning Issue” Course: https://livetrulyfree.com/the-burning-issue-mastermind/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/intigro

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