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I met Anastasia Rolek years ago in the most random way and we somehow discovered that we are each ultrarunners, although in Anastasia’s case, she is way more successful than I am. In addition, she is a lot more colorful, being well-known for running races dressed as Supergirl, Beast Mode Barbie, and as a unicorn. You might say that Anastasia is a flat land ultramarathon specialist, having placed second in the Prairie Spirit 100 in Kansas five times. But this year she got into Western States, the grandaddy of 100 mile races, which she finished in 28:32:06, although not without some anxious moments leading up to the run. Like many in the ultra world, Anastasia found a new community after battling addiction to alcohol, and she describes the setbacks she encountered during those turbulent times. Through the uplifting ultra community, she found her now-new husband, Aaron Lozier, who has supported this journey as well as crewed her, and he joins us on this episode to make it even more fun. Anastasia is following in Aaron’s steps into the rock climbing world, and has her sights set on taking on the Badwater 135, having crewed for another runner there last year. And you’ll learn how petrified Anastasia is of cockroaches!

My Running With Problems podcast episode with Miranda Williamson and Jon Eisen:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/running-with-problems/id1684062687?i=1000778933670

Anastasia Rolek

Instagram @anastasiasupergyrl

Facebook Anastasia Rolek

Aaron Lozier

Instagram @ajlozier

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook and LinkedIn Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @coachstahl
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Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.

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With the Badwater 135 having just started on Monday evening, I thought it would be great to bring Bob Becker onto the WASP. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Badwater 135 is nicknamed the World’s Toughest Footrace. It is, yes, 135 miles. In Death Valley. In the middle of the summer. All on roads. The temperature typically is in the 120s or more, and the pavement can get much, much hotter than that. It’s not flat by any means, either. Badwater begins at the lowest point in the U.S. - 282 feet below sea level – crosses three mountain ranges, and finishes at more than 9000 feet on the slopes of Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the continental U.S. You can see why it’s earned its moniker and legendary place in ultrarunning. In 2022, Bob attempted to become the oldest finisher in Badwater history at age 77. Videos of his finish went viral when he literally bear crawled to the line – but it was 17 minutes after the 48-hour cutoff, so it wasn’t an official finish. That would have been it for many, but not Bob. He returned to the starting line at Badwater Basin three years later at age 80 and with crew that included ultrarunning and Badwater legend Marshall Ulrich and wife Heather, Bob nabbed that oldest finisher record in the astounding time of 45:00:06 – three hours faster than when he was 77! That was one of Bob’s four Badwater finishes. He has also completed a Badwater double, which entails running from Badwater Basin to the top of 14,505-foot Mt. Whitney and returning to the start, a total of 292 oven-like miles. In this very entertaining chat, Bob explains the lure of running in Death Valley, and describes in detail what it is like to train for and to experience almost two days of running through that inferno. This is from someone who didn’t even begin running until a bit over 20 years ago and ran his first ultramarathon to celebrate his 60th birthday, and it was the Marathon des Sables, which entails 150 miles in the Sahara Desert.

Bob is also one of the great evangelists for the sport. He founded and still directs the Keys 100, Florida’s first ultramarathon, which now includes more than 1000 runners, and has amazing logistical challenges that Bob describes here. His company Ultra Sports LLC also hosts the Daytona 100 and he consults to the Everglades Ultras. You’ll be amazed at the energy this 80-year-old has, which is part of why he is in demand as a public speaker. This episode was recorded not long after he ran the Denali 135 in Alaska. He shares how he keeps ultraracing, became a vegan, how he trains for hills in pancake-flat Florida, and inspiring others to do their own movement so they can live fuller, healthier lives.

Bob Becker

bob-becker.com

bob@ultrasportsllc.com

Instagram @bobruns150

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook and LinkedIn Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @coachstahl
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.

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We’ve got something very special for you, the first We Are Superman Podcast live in front of an audience! The La Sportiva store in Boulder last week hosted a Q&A session with sponsored athlete Tyler Andrews, fresh off of his record-setting run, yes run, on Mt. Everest on May 28. This has been Tyler’s years-long quest, following his FKTs on dozens of routes, including ascending such very tall peaks as Aconcagua, Cotopaxi, Kilimanjaro, Manaslu, and Mt. Fuji. On his seventh Everest attempt he reached the summit from Everest Base Camp in 9:55, smashing by 61 minutes the previous record with supplemental oxygen held for 23 years by Lakpa Gelu Sherpa. He also set a roundtrip record of 16:32. His achievement made instant national headlines and also landed him an appearance on the Today Show. During this awesome live session, Tyler talks about how the successful record attempt unfolded, his gear, fueling, how it felt to finally summit Everest, what made this attempt different than his previous ones, and his future plans. And also about Quackers the Duck. I hope you enjoy this very fun chat with someone I’ve known for several years who I think is one of the most impressive, focused, and dedicated endurance athletes in the world.

Tyler Andrews

tylercandrews.com

Instagram @tylercandrews and @chaski.endurance

Check out his podcast, Ty's Training, Talking with my Dad on Spotify and other platforms

Support the Chaski Foundation to provide sports programs for deserving kids in Nepal and Ecuador: givebutter.com/chaskifoundation

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook and LinkedIn Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @coachstahl
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

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I think most of us who run dream of running forever. I sure do. And of course with no achy knees, no sore back, just keep moving. But how about staying on top of the game for decades, still running past retirement age, and still excelling? That would be Doug Bell of Greeley, Colo. Doug, a 2013 Colorado Running Hall of Fame inductee won the Denver Marathon three times in the 1980s and placed first among 75-year-olds at this year’s Bolder Boulder 10K. How’s that for a spread of years? For decades, when other runners saw that Doug was entered in a race, they knew that the competition in that age group was for second place, because Doug was already a cinch for the top spot. Along the way, he set masters’ national records in the 5K with a 14:36 up to the 25K. Just to throw out a few other notable times over his career, he ran a 15:53 5K at age 56, a 17:11 at 60, and an 18:47 at 65. In the mile, he zoomed to a 6:02 clocking at age 72, and last year ran a 6:25 mile at 74 in 92o heat. The Bolder Boulder with it’s nearly 50,000 runners does one-year age groups, and Doug has won his at least 15 times. These days, Doug has found new energy competing with the Boulder Road Runners racing teams, traveling all over the country to spar with other clubs. As you can hear in this episode, his spark for the sport has never waned and his roots in it run deep. He owned an independent running store in Greeley, Bell’s Running, for 30 years, and has coached at Greeley Central H.S. Doug has some terrific stories to tell about competing against some of the greats, as well as how to maintain high performance for literally decades, so if you want to keep running strong for the rest of your life, have a listen to Doug.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook and LinkedIn Bill Stahl
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YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

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I’m very excited to bring you an extremely inspirational and energetic guest, who has been through a ton of challenges to get to where she is today. I was so honored to get to interview her in-person in the Hive and experience her energy. Athena Brownson is a former professional freestyle skier who has endured 27 surgeries, including nine on her knees. She believes that the resilience lessons she learned from being a pro athlete from the age of 15 and these injury experiences helped develop her character to face other life challenges, including a devastating diagnosis of Lyme Disease that led to all sorts of oddball related debilitating illnesses, infections, fatigue, pain, and an extreme sensitivity to electromagnetic fields that defies comprehension. You’ve got to hear how she coped with the latter. It sounds like something out of a mad scientist’s lab. But also how she built and ran a fast-moving real estate business while dealing with brutal symptoms, even while some doctors told her she should just go on disability for the rest of her life. Her resolve to keep thriving is truly inspirational. She has a great support community and she built routines to help keep her on the improvement track. Undergoing revolutionary treatments has helped her turn the corner on her symptoms. These ordeals have caused Athena, who was a hypercompetitive athlete growing up in an athletic family, to redefine success, including how to be a bright light for others who are facing struggles. It reminds me of how those in the addiction recovery world have such profound insights into life. She has also gained other extremely valuable shareable lessons that have helped her become a high-performing realtor and that I think can benefit anyone in their home and work lives, making this an episode where you might want to take notes.

Athena Brownson

athenabrownsonrealtor.com

Instagram and LinkedIn @athenabrownsonrealtor

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook and LinkedIn Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @coachstahl
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.

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I hope you enjoy hearing about my tales of running the Leadville Marathon and the vitally important work that Team Leadville is doing to support the Boulder Crest Foundation to help stop veteran suicide. If you are able, I hope you can support with a donation - link below. Donate, share, or just help spread the word to help end veteran suicide. Thank you very much!

https://weblink.donorperfect.com/BoulderCrestFoundation/2026TeamLeadville/BillStahl

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

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We’ve featured a lot of people who have taken on epic challenges, but this guest, Ray Zahab of Quebec, Canada, has done dozens and dozens of them. When we recorded this two years ago, Ray had just completed a couple of weeks before a crossing of Death Valley from north to south. I’m very familiar with the Badwater 135, which just completed, but that is run on roads. I didn’t even know it was a thing there to run the shortest route between two points, completely off-road. The terrain is seriously rugged, and it’s pretty hot, and Ray ran it with limited re-supplies in 53:35:21. In case you’re wondering, he drank 75 liters of water. He’s also run across the widest park of Death Valley west to east, crossing two mountain ranges, in 35 hours. He’s run 7500 km across the Sahara Desert in 111 days, 1850 km across the Namib Desert in Africa, 1200 km across the Atacama Desert in Chile, and 2000 km across the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. That’s the hot, dry stuff. He’s crossed Baffin Island in northern Canada nine times in winter and trekked from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on snowshoes pulling his supply sled. And I’m just scratching the surface. Here’s the WASP comeback story angle: Ray did this last Death Valley project a little more than a year after completing six months of debilitating chemotherapy for a rare form of lymphoma. What’s very cool about Ray is how he shares his projects with schoolchildren with live links, and he has been running his foundation, impossible2Possible, to introduce kids to the kind of adventuring he does and reach beyond their perceived limits. The foundation takes kids to wild places so they can challenge themselves, and it doesn’t even charge them to be there! Yes, they’re free! Ray and his wife have been raising two daughters who get to experience the outdoors unlike the way Ray was when he was younger and was an out-of-shape, pack-a-day smoker. So there’s another comeback. His brother inspired him to get outdoors and Ray now encourages everyone to also do so, including with his expedition company, KapiK1, which leads trips to remote and beautiful places like Baffin Island, the Atacama Desert, and the Gobi Desert. Even though we had a fairly short conversation, you might still find yourself listening in amazement to all that Ray does and get pumped up by his incredible level of energy and excitement.

Ray Zahab
rayzahab.com
impossible2possible.com
kapik1.com
rzahab@impossible2possible.com
Facebook and LinkedIn Ray Zahab
Instagram and X @rayzahab
YouTube @rayzahab1944

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Please consider donating to support Team Leadville and Boulder Crest to help end veteran suicide! Donate, share, or just help spread the word to help end veteran suicide. Thank you very much!

https://weblink.donorperfect.com/BoulderCrestFoundation/2026TeamLeadville/BillStahl

Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.

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This is part two of my entertaining chat with Mike Melton of MCM Timing, the absolute best in the business of timing very long races. As I mentioned last episode, I inherited Mike for the American Heroes Run after David unexpectedly passed away less than four months before the race and I suddenly took up the mantle of race director, and I got really lucky because Mike ensured that not only would the race not miss a beat in the transition, but I’ve had a partner ever since that has helped me maintain the highest quality in the race running smoothly, with accurate timing and results. Mike is well-known across the continent for his precision work with many of the most prominent ultras, on point-to-point trails, loops, indoors, in hot weather, cold weather, rain, snow, wind, you name it. Mike and I have traded stories for hours at the American Heroes Run, but it was super cool to be able to chat with him here without getting interrupted by race duties. No one has seen as many unusual occurrences, or has gained more perspective on human behavior of those who run races like these, as Mike has. Enjoy the second part of this very fun chat.

Mike Melton

Facebook Mike Melton

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Please consider donating to support Team Leadville and Boulder Crest to help end veteran suicide! Donate, share, or just help spread the word to help end veteran suicide. Thank you very much!

https://weblink.donorperfect.com/BoulderCrestFoundation/2026TeamLeadville/BillStahl

Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.

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They say that a game is well-officiated when you don’t even notice the referees or umpires. I sure can’t say that about this NBA Finals, where the officiating has been atrocious. But if you’ve ever run an ultramarathon, especially a multiday race, and didn’t notice the timer, it might have been because that was Mike Melton of MCM Timing, the absolute best in the business. I inherited Mike for the American Heroes Run after David unexpectedly passed away less than four months before the race and I suddenly took up the mantle of race director, and boy, did I get lucky because Mike ensured that not only would the race not miss a beat in the transition, but I’ve had a partner ever since that has helped me maintain the highest quality in the race running smoothly, with accurate timing and results. Mike and his company have timed everything from 5Ks to many of the most significant ultras in North America, including the Barkley Fall Classic, Big’s Backyard Ultra, Six Days in the Dome, Across the Years, the Keys 100, and many more. In fact, he is on the road in his Sprinter van that has 500,000 miles on it for 265 days a year. He has seen it all and has some great stories to tell here. In fact, so many that I have split this conversation into two parts. Mike also shares his origin story in the timing business and as a runner. Many might not know that Mike ran 171 miles in 72 hours at Across the Years, and has a very respectable 100-mile PR of 22:49. Mike also tells about how he and David connected for the very first American Heroes Run and how it led to the development of the software that Mike now uses for races that run laps.

Mike Melton

Facebook Mike Melton

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Please consider donating to support Team Leadville and Boulder Crest to help end veteran suicide! Donate, share, or just help spread the word to help end veteran suicide. Thank you very much!

https://weblink.donorperfect.com/BoulderCrestFoundation/2026TeamLeadville/BillStahl

Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.

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One of the most common questions we coaches of long-distance runners get is, “How long should my long run be?” Related to that is, “If I’m training for a marathon, how many times should I do 26-mile training runs?” I dive into these, training camps, and other related considerations in this Power Play episode that I hope helps you in your training for your next marathons and ultramarathons.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Please consider donating to support Team Leadville and Boulder Crest to help end veteran suicide! Donate, share, or just help spread the word to help end veteran suicide. Thank you very much!

https://weblink.donorperfect.com/BoulderCrestFoundation/2026TeamLeadville/BillStahl

Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.

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Ride to End ALZ Colorado

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Cody Poskin is an emerging star of ultramarathoning, and his meteoric rise continued earlier this month at the Cocodona 250 in Arizona, where he placed second among men in 58:13:44, impressively knocking 13 hours off of his time from a year earlier. He attributes his progress due to lessons he learned from last time about sleeping, how not to chafe, increasing his training load, and to mental ruggedness. Some of the latter was honed when he won the Ultra Gobi Desert 400K, which he discussed on WASP episode #364 last October. Cody chats with me about many of the challenges he encountered while running 253 miles through the Arizona mountains, deserts, canyons, and several steep mountain climbs and descents, and what it was like to not be cruising to the finish, but actually be dueling other competitors in the latter stages of the race. Not to mention the challenges of training for such terrain on the meek hills where he lives in Missouri, and while working an office job. His recent results have led to sponsorships with Mount to Coast shoes among others that are leading toward him considering himself a full-time professional runner, and allowing him some degree of freedom like many 24-year-olds crave to travel to races and pursue other adventures like triathlon and long-distance kayaking. Cody is setting his sights toward qualifying for high-profile races like Hardrock and UTMB, and relocating to an area like Colorado where he can train on our trails. And last but not least, we chat about his race clothing choices. Cody is awesome to chat with and I’m sure you’ll be entertained.

Cody Poskin

codyposkin.com

Instagram, YouTube, and Threads @cody_poskin

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Please consider donating to support Team Leadville and Boulder Crest to help end veteran suicide! Donate, share, or just help spread the word to help end veteran suicide. Thank you very much!

https://weblink.donorperfect.com/BoulderCrestFoundation/2026TeamLeadville/BillStahl

Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.

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Today’s guest is one of the earliest members of David’s Leadville Ten Warriors group that all were overcoming their addictions and with David’s guidance gleaned from lessons he learned in his own life, battled back against those addictions and trained to run races like the Leadville Heavy Half and Marathon. Josh Lee completed the Heavy Half in 2019, but he had to hit rock bottom before making the definitive changes he needed to put his life on the right course. Josh was a high school wrestler, and as you may know, their routine before every meet was to starve and sweat to lose pounds, and then following the weigh-in gorge out eating. This yo-yo effect created bad habits that led to him gradually putting on more and more weight. From 200 pounds in 2017, Josh ballooned to 435 pounds in 2023. At least that’s what he knew of. It might have been more. Josh works as a funeral director, which meant wearing suits to work. He and his young son had a routine where the boy put on Josh’s socks because he couldn’t reach down himself to do this seemingly simple task. A comment by his son triggered a response that made him determined to upend his food addict life. So he changed his diet and get this, Josh dropped 180 pounds over the ensuing 72 weeks. Nothing fancy. No GLP-1 drugs, no bariatric surgery. And he began running. A lot. Nine months in, he ran his first 50K. A year after that, he finished 7th in a 12-hour race, completing 53 miles. This past October, he finished the Hennepin 100-miler in 21:51, which is a very, very, impressive time. Earlier this month, Josh entered his first backyard ultra and placed second, completing 112.5 miles. But best for Josh is he is the dad and husband he always wished he could be when he weighed literally three times what I weigh. Plus he’s a great guy. I think you’ll be very inspired by this truly amazing story.

Josh Lee

Instagram @leemortuary

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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I’m talking today with three truly remarkable men, all veterans, all of whom have not let the loss of their eyesight and sometimes more affect their willingness to help others in monumental ways. They have started foundations and programs so others are not glued to their couches but instead get active and find meaning in their lives. They have found ways to adapt to the world to produce podcasts and music, and telling stories about overcoming steep odds. They have set and attained what would be unfathomable goals to most people that are even more impressive for the blind. They have also formed a tight bond that has led them to the Top of Africa – the summit of Kilimanjaro. Imagine if you will a multi-day trek starting through the jungles and pouring rain up an Alpine peak that tops out at 19,341 feet, all without vision. One of them, Aaron Hale, even first ran 200 miles from the Indian Ocean to the base of Kilimanjaro to join the climb with the others, Steve Baskis and Lonnie Bedwell, who by the way is the first blind person to kayak the length of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. The climb up Kili itself is arduous enough for most, but being blind adds elements that others wouldn’t encounter. Obviously, every step on a rocky trail can be riskier. Or take a little thing like leaving your tent in the middle of the night to answer nature’s call when no amount of lights is going to help tell you if there is a cliff a step ahead. I think you’ll be riveted to hearing this enthralling story. I would recommend following up this WASP episode by listening to Steve’s three-part series telling of their climb on the Blind Endeavors podcast channel. And also check out their other amazing achievements on their web sites, which I have listed in the show notes, including Lonnie’s quest to complete the last leg of the Explorer’s Grand Slam, which includes reaching the top of the Seven Summits, which are the tallest peaks on every continent, as well as trekking to the North and South Poles. The only part he’s missing is the North Pole, soon to come. Steve meanwhile, is working to sail solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

Blind Endeavors Media Hub:

https://blindendeavors.org/on-the-mountain-to-tell-the-story-a-blind-endeavors-foundation-mission-to-kilimanjaro/

Steve Baskis

stevebaskis.com

Facebook Steven C Baskis

Instagram and X @stevebaskis

YouTube @Baskis360 and baskis360.com

LinkedIn Steven Baskis

Lonnie Bedwell

lonniebedwell.com

lonnie.r.bedwell@gmail.com

Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @Lonnie Bedwell

Aaron Hale

Facebook www.facebook.com/aclayhale

Instagram @aclayhale

LinkedIn Aaron Hale

pointofimpactpod.com

YouTube @pointofimpactpodcast

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Subscribe to the We Are Superman Newsletter!

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Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.

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As you know, the American Heroes Run honors among others our courageous first responders, so when the opportunity came up to chat with Tim Carney, a professional firefighter for 33 years, I jumped at it. Tim learned early on during one of his rescues how much fitness comes into play. From this, he earned his personal training certification. But he was surprised how much resistance he got from department heads after he developed a program to improve wellness for those he worked with. This evolved into him creating PrimeFITTlife, which is aimed to help people of all ages and all walks achieve what he calls a better “health-style.” Tim has learned a lot about how fitness contributes to overall health, and most of all about the different ways people are motivated to act. He points out that people are typically either “doers,” “whyers,” or “howers,” and what types of exercise are likely to inspire each group. He has distilled his down-to-earth approach into in-person and online training, and e-books. We talk also about barriers that some people erect to adopting a better health-style, and about simple steps one can take to overcome these, whether it’s meal planning or simply walking – and that there are different types of walking for fitness, too. It’s also great that Tim brings his classroom training into community centers near where he lives in northeast Ohio to facilitate more of that healthstyle training to a wider audience. Tim shares a lot of fantastic, simple steps one can take to make incremental progress in your overall health that can benefit all of us, including what he calls “minding your P’s and 2’s.” Be sure to reach out to Tim at timothyjcarney.com for his free e-book or if you’d like to chat with him about improving your own healthstyle.

Tim Carney

timothyjcarney.com

Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @primeFITTlife

Bill Stahl
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Coming back from a suicide attempt, tumors, and pain so bad that he was bedridden for six months and couldn’t even operate a TV remote, Greg desperately searched for answers, any answers. He came across one that showed promise – hydrogen. But being the skeptic that he is, he recognized that there are gazillions of scams both in traditional and alternative medicine. It took him four years researching hundreds of studies before he started to believe. Greg also learned about how pure water and blocking PFAS from entering our bodies are also major keys to health. Water, filtration, and supplement companies in general, he found, have been misleading consumers about their efficacy in the name of profits, which Greg illuminates us on. Over a period of years, Greg was able to recover his physical and mental health and has embarked on a mission to help others. He isn’t promoting products, but just wants to share his extensive research that has led to him to debunk dubious medical claims and to creating protocols using hydrogen that have cured and/or improved the lives of people living with autoimmune diseases, Parkinson’s Disease, tumors, diabetes, glaucoma, and more. A lot of these inspiring stories are featured on his comprehensive YouTube channel, Uprising144K. I think you will find this a very interesting episode, especially if you or someone you know is dealing with a condition that seems to defy solution.

Greg the Hydrogen Man

uprising144k@gmail.com

Instagram @uprising144k_

YouTube, X, and Rumble Uprising144K

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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David battled multiple addictions, including alcohol, drugs, and eating, but some other addictions don’t often receive the same attention. In this riveting episode, we hear the incredible story of convicted felon Jonathan Schwartz, who worked his way up in the finance world to the point where he was managing the money for numerous entertainment stars in Hollywood and beyond. However, underlying this glamorous life were insidious addictions to cocaine and gambling, the latter of which spawned from seemingly innocent sports wagering in college. I saw the devastating effects gambling had on someone once close to me that took many years to unravel. For Jonathan, it led him to embezzling millions of dollars from entertainers like Alanis Morissette. After his crimes were uncovered, Jonathan snorted coke on his way to take a lie detector test, which he failed miserably. His conviction in 2016 made sensational headlines on network news, Rolling Stone, and the Hollywood Reporter. He served in prison until 2020, his marriage broke up, and he became estranged from his three sons. Many of you know David’s story of seeking redemption, asking forgiveness, and making amends by becoming a positive force out of the ashes of his previous life. I have a quote from David on my office wall that reads, “I am not a bad person because of the past – I am a good person because I have the courage to leave it behind.” Jonathan’s remarkable story follows a similar path. Sober since the day of his disastrous polygraph test, he has undertaken a life dedicated to helping others, including as a program director for Altus Rehab, a luxury residential rehab facility. Like David, Jonathan acknowledges his own flaws and the harm he caused his victims, family, work associates, and friends by his actions, and that some may doubt his sincerity. But he knows the only person he can control is himself and others are free to judge him by his actions and make their own determination whether to believe or scorn him. Listen and find out for yourself.

Jonathan Schwartz

https://altus.rehab/meet-our-staff/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567366347946

Bill Stahl
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While I was running a 12-hour, overnight trail race in Highlands Ranch, Colo. in 2024, I got a hamstring cramp that forced me to walk until I could get it to go away. In the middle of the night, when it was fairly cool. What the heck! I started to think afterwards about the number of times I’d been impaired by muscle cramps over the course of 35-plus years of races. At mile 30 of the Leadville Trail 100. At mile 22 of the Lost Dutchman Marathon in Arizona when I was on BQ pace. When my hamstring and quad muscles cramped simultaneously at mile 23 of the Boston Marathon, causing me to hobble-walk a 19-minute mile when I had been on my way to perhaps breaking 3:10. With another Leadville Trail 100 attempt only a couple of months away, I decided it was time to do something about this chronic issue and get a sweat test done at the Nutrition Mechanic in Boulder, Colo. It’s a very simple test done in their office. They also had me do three short trial runs to determine my fluid loss rate. It was a real eye-opener. I always knew I sweated a lot of salt, but my degree of fluid loss was rather astounding. I was losing from 0.8 to 1.0 pounds of fluid in just a half-hour! Since your ability becomes impaired once you exceed losing 2% of your body weight, using 150 lbs. as a rough number, meant that that 2% was happening to me in only 90 minutes. I had never considered it necessary to carry water for a run this short. This info was a total game-changer for me. I used this knowledge during the LT100 to dial in my fluid and electrolyte intakes using products from Precision Fuel, and bam, no muscle cramps hindered me at all. In this episode, you are going to learn a lot that might also greatly impact your training and race performances with Nutrition Mechanic founder and CEO Dina Griffin. Dina is a registered dietician who has an MS in Food Science and Human Nutrition and has also finished races like Leadville, Run Rabbit Run, and Comrades. Our conversation goes in-depth not only about how to use sweat test results and the genetics behind them, but how to efficiently fuel, various kinds of testing that can be done to optimize performance, supplementation, and much more. Dina shares a lot of practical advice in very relatable ways that will potentially help you make adjustments that don’t require extreme supplementation or radical dieting.

Dina Griffin

nutritionmechanic.com

Facebook The Nutrition Mechanic

Instagram @nutritionmechanic

LinkedIn Dinagriffinrd

Podcast Inside Sports Nutrition

Bill Stahl
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What would possess someone to basically spend every waking moment for four weeks running back and forth along the same stretch of pavement only ¼ of a mile long… 5400 times. Is this some sort of Buddhist monk ritual? Or cruel punishment doled out by sadistic POW camp guards during WWII? Someone who should have been locked up a long time ago in a mental institution? Or someone competing for a year’s worth of Mexican food and some running shoes? Yep, it’s the latter and it’s the Burrito League. We chatted earlier with Diarra Cropper running loops around a parking lot with the burrito league in Manitou Springs, Colo., but now we are going to step it up a notch with someone who ran on the original course in Tempe, Ariz. and finished second, my good friend TJ Harms-Synkiew. I met TJ as a 21-year-old at the American Heroes Run a couple of years ago, and he has gone on to stack numerous impressive race finishes, including placing in the top four spots in five races in 2025 ranging from 50K to 200 miles to 24-hour backyard ultras. TJ has dedicated himself so much to ultramarathoning that he has led a nomadic life, living out of his car, spending a winter, yes, a winter in North Dakota doing nothing but earning money, building trails on Mt. Shavano, a Colorado 14er, and volunteering at races for the free entries, all while adding to his personal running community. We’ll find out here what motivated him to go down to Tempe and average 300 miles a week on the same short stretch of street, over and over and over again. He earned six months of burritos and two pairs of shoes – all while wearing out two pairs of shoes and beating up his body like none other. Is there something more here in what seems like insanity? Listen up here to TJ to find out. You might not want to sign up to do what he did, but you’ll definitely admire his heart and spirit.

TJ Harms-Synkiew

Instagram @harmssynkiew

Bill Stahl
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Awareness about barefoot running reached a crescendo with the publication of the book Born to Run about the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico who came to run the Leadville Trail 100 in 1992 and 1994. Steven Sashen and his wife Lena started a company that produced kits that allowed buyers to assemble their own huarache-style sandals that the Tarahumaras wore. This evolved into them designing shoes for running, court sports, and other training that has become the popular brand Xero Shoes that spurned a Shark Tank offer and had sales of $48 million in 2022. Their shoes are designed with a wider toe box and a zero drop, meaning the heel is not lifted at all, allowing the foot to function more as nature intended us to move, thus strengthening the foot and reducing injuries. Steven, a one-time standup comic, entertainingly explains how the built-up shoes that are common in the footwear industry have actually created more problems to our bodies. In addition, those shoes’ foam cushioning begins breaking down from the first use, necessitating their replacement within a short time. Xero shoes on the other hand have a 5000-mile sole warranty using FeelTrue rubber they have developed themselves. You’ll learn a lot here about the human science that goes into Xero shoes. Steven himself is a masters track sprinter, and shares many anecdotes about adult track competition, as well as many terrific helpful lessons about the business world as a whole.

Steven Sashen

xeroshoes.com

Facebook and Instagram @xeroshoes

Podcast The Movement Movement

jointhemovementmovement.com

Bill Stahl
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I’m really excited to bring you this episode’s guest. When I began ultramarathoning several decades ago, the only way I could learn about races and people in that space was through a B&W magazine delivered to my mailbox called Ultrarunning. I read about people who became my first idols in the sport like Marshall Ulrich and Roy Pirrung, who I’ve had the great honor to chat with both on this podcast and in-person. But one who absolutely left me in awe who I never got to meet was Ann Trason, who I got to see – briefly – when she zoomed past me on Hope Pass in the Leadville Trail 100 in the 90s. Ann won the Western States 100 a mind-boggling 14 times, twice less than two weeks after winning the Comrades Marathon in South Africa. Western States is considered the most prestigious 100-miler in the US, and Ann, who in 1994 set a course record of 17:37:51, now lives close to the 99-mile mark of the course. Comrades is the oldest ultramarathon in the world, having begun right after WW1, and is so esteemed that the entire country basically shuts down to watch it. Ann set the Leadville course record of 18:06:24 in 1994 that was only broken this past year. She finished 2nd, not just among women, but overall. In 1996, she not only completed the Grand Slam of 100-milers – Western States, Leadville, Vermont, and Wasatch Front – but she won them all. Ann set 20 world records, including for 50M in 5:40:18 and 100K in 7:00:47. All the way back in 1987, Ann became a Nike-sponsored athlete when women’s sports hadn’t taken hold like they have today, and ultramarathoning hadn’t achieved any of the attention and popularity it now has. Ann retired from ultramarathoning in the 2000s due to injuries and the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, which has ravaged her body. As a result of her many accomplishments, as well as her continuing contributions to the sport as a race director, coach, writer, supporter, and much more, she was inducted into the Ultrarunning Hall of Fame in 2020. After a long time out of the spotlight, Ann arrived at an Arizona race called Across the Years, which begins 3 days before New Year’s and finishes 3 days after it, just wanting to engage with the ultrarunning community in her joyous way, and push her walker – with all of its lights and decorations – for some laps around the 1.41-mile looped course. One of the event’s highlights was when she completed 100 miles and earned a buckle – all while pushing that walker. With such a long, colorful career, you can imagine that Ann and I cover a lot of ground in this very fun chat, including her talking with Nelson Mandela after she won Comrades, swapping hats with the Jester, the Grateful Dead, being vegetarian and a race director, including the best way to make PB&J sandwiches at races, the fun of reading that old Ultrarunning magazine, her inspirations in the sport and those who have followed her, her relationship with her parents, and about the joy and gratitude she has for life and the running community.

Ann Trason

Instagram @ann_trason

Bill Stahl
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Have you heard about the latest thing in running challenges, the Burrito League? A year ago, Jamil Coury, owner of the race directing company Aravaipa Running, ran back and forth in front of a Chipotle in Tempe, AZ expressly to get them to give him a year’s worth of burritos. Back and forth, back and forth. And he succeeded. That was the genesis this January of the Burrito League. Leagues have sprung up all over the country. The idea is to run as many segments on Strava that runners can during the month of January. The segments are .25 mile or less. Some are on city streets, back and forth, back and forth. There is one going as we speak just two miles from my house that is going back and forth on a fairly busy, unscenic street. There is now a Burrito League world headquarters in Tempe where they are tracking daily results as runners are logging marathons or more every day at all hours of the day. My friend TJ Harms-Synkiew is running one on the original course in Tempe, which is along a busy thoroughfare and they have to cross the street twice during every segment, which has led to a few car vs. runner encounters. As of this recording, he is in second-place with more than 2300 segments, or about 575 miles on the same stretch of pavement. There are now prizes such as entries into Aravaipa-hosted races like the Cocodona 250, a reward worth a couple of thousand dollars, plus shoes from sponsoring companies, and importantly, a year’s supply of burritos from local stores. In this episode, I’ve gotten a report from the course in Manitou Springs, Colorado with my Black Men Run brother Diarra Cropper, who will fill us in on the whys, the hows, and the ups and downs of the Burrito League there in this picturesque town at the foot of Pikes Peak. This Burrito League is creating a community while running laps around the parking lot of the Buffalo Lodge, and even townspeople who are not running are joining in on the, uh, fun. You’re possibly going to be amazed – as well as perplexed – at this new phenomenon as described by Diarra, an accomplished trail runner, who is a terrific ambassador to bring more people into the sport.

Diarra Cropper

Strava Diarra Cropper

Instagram @dcrop_mtnrunner25

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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We’re going back Down Under for a really impressive comeback story. Olli Bryers was what we Americans would stereotype as a young, carefree, adventurous Australian who liked to surf, backpack, travel, and occasionally party. Usually, that youthful bliss only gets interrupted when the real world says that maybe you need to find a job to finance this lifestyle, or get serious about a long-term career path. But in Olli’s case, that jolt came in his early 20s from the discovery of a spinal tumor that necessitated a surgery that could rob his ability to ever walk again. Fortunately, the doctors were successful in removing the tumor and it was benign. Improbably, just six months later, Olli toed the starting line of his very first triathlon, in his hometown of Newcastle in the state of New South Wales. But that wasn’t the end of this amazing comeback story because Olli never would have completed the race without the generosity of another competitor. His finish time was 1:27:16, placing him 114th out of 304 who completed it. But I have a feeling that this is only the beginning for this young Aussie, who as you’ll hear in this interesting chat has a lot of gratitude and a very mature attitude about the meaning of his surviving this ordeal intact, including how to approach life and being kinder to those around you. Plus, I’ve got to say that Olli told me I’m “cruisy,” which I took as a compliment. You’ll have to look that one up in your Aussie slang dictionary.

Olli Bryers

Instagram @olli.bryers

Bill Stahl
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Many of us have complicated relationships with our parents and then wonder how much of our inherited traits we are passing to our own children; it’s left up to us whether to nurture and grow those traits, or to discard them entirely. In his new book, “The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports,” Nick Thompson describes how his dad one day taking him to watch the New York City Marathon led him to a lifelong love of running. Nick, the CEO of the nationally renowned publication The Atlantic, and his dad followed similar paths through New England prep school and then Stanford, and both pursued running to varying degrees, but there their paths diverged. His dad’s life devolved from being a Rhodes Scholar and working inside the Reagan administration to a baffling, hedonistic life overseas. All the while, Nick’s journalistic career blossomed and he became the Editor-in-Chief of Wired magazine, and running became an anchor of stability. He consistently cranked out speedy marathons in the 2:40s, sandwiched around his own serious health scare. Then an opportunity to train under Nike coaches led him to breakthrough marathon times and a greater awareness of his importance as a husband and father. “The Running Ground” also includes stories about pioneers such as Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, and Suprabha Beckjord, a multiple-time winner of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon, a 3100-mile race run on a half-mile concrete sidewalk loop in Queens, New York. Nick has now ventured into the ultramarathon world, including breaking the previous 50K American 45-49 age group record previously held by the legendary Mike Wardian, running a 3:04:36. “The Running Ground” is a riveting read that deeply explores as only a career journalist can the complexities of why we run – the joys as well as the challenges and frustrations – and exploring that part of our life cycle that includes unraveling the mysteries about our parents. You can order both print and audiobook versions on Amazon. I also highly recommend subscribing to The Atlantic if you, like I do, want to read great in-depth reporting about the people and events that are shaping this world.

Nick Thompson

nickthompson.com

theatlantic.com

Instagram @nxthompson

“The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports" is available on Amazon

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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As many of you are planning your 2026 race schedule, you might be considering traveling out of town. Of course, that’s very different than waking up in your own bed, throwing your gear and some nutrition into the back of your car, stopping at a coffee shop along the way for some caffeine, and making a leisurely drive to a local race when few others are on the road. For answers about what and how to pack when the race is in another state, how to deal with not being able to bring big bottles of your favorite liquids on a plane, and more, I thought I’d turn to travel warrior Karen Smidt. Karen was featured in episode #186 four years ago as she was navigating her way toward an impressive goal of completing a 50-miler in all 50 states while in her 50s. She is now only six states short as she approaches her 60th birthday later this year. She not only finishes these races, but she is often a top placer in her age group or even overall in them. As Karen’s husband and crew chief Dan says, the only thing that she likes more than running is talking about it, so we have a fun time as she breaks down the gear she takes (hint: less), how she packs it, and how she achieves her need to drink pickle juice during races. Plus, we share many stories we’ve had at ultra races in far-flung locales. Definitely listen closely so you have smooth sailing at your next travel race, until you kick a rock and do a Superman on the trail!

Karen Smidt

@cairnrunner

Bill Stahl
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Jerzy Gregorek and his wife Aniela survived a perilous journey living behind the Iron Curtain in Poland while it was subservient to brutal Soviet Union domination. He describes the darkness of living there in the 1970s and 80s, and how it led to him becoming an alcoholic at age 15. He had a mentor who pretty much dragged him into weightlifting at the time of the rise of Solidarity, the movement that led to the fall of the repressive Communist regime and to the free Poland that exists today despite constant threats from Putin’s Russia. Escaping that destructive, alcoholic path shaped his understanding of resilience and personal responsibility. He rebuilt his life — becoming a political exile in the USA, then a four-time world champion weightlifter, and later a mentor, poet, and a student earning his PhD in Humanistic Psychology. His core philosophy — “Hard Choices, Easy Life; Easy Choices, Hard Life” — comes from lived experience and years of guiding people through transformation. Jerzy founded the weightlifting program at UCLA, and Aniela herself is a five-time world weightlifting champion with six world records.

What sets Jerzy apart is his ability to integrate physical training, creative expression, and psychological insight into a holistic approach to health and resilience. He emphasizes that emotional intelligence is a crucial element in overcoming life’s adversities, and that it can be practiced, cultivated, and mastered. His three books, titled “The Happy Body: Mastering Food, Exercise, and Rest Choices,” are designed to help people embrace this path of strength, wisdom, and balance. The poetry book “The Happy Body: Food For Your Soul” helps with emotional eating. “The Happy Body Virtues: Daily Practices for the Modern Stoic” helps with emotional eating and self-regulation, while “I Got This: The Art of Getting Grit” helps with integrating the stories that contribute to building the skill of living a good life. Listen closely to the wise lessons Jerzy shares here and strongly consider getting deeper into The Happy Body to learn to apply the “Hard Choices, Easy Life; Easy Choices, Hard Life” philosophy to your own life. This might be one New Year’s resolution for change that I can heartily endorse.

Jerzy Gregorek

thehappybody.com

jerzygregorek@gmail.com

The Happy Body book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N21PL3D

Facebook The Happy Body

YouTube @thehappybody

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerzy-gregorek-ab87475/

Bill Stahl
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This is an absolutely don't-miss episode listening to the incredible wisdom of two former fat guy alcoholics who became sober endurance beasts. I promise you will gain more insights from listening to this pair than you would from reading an armful of self-help books. And make sure you stay for the song at the end! Enjoy this very special blast from the past - David's last Christmas.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Running on trails in the winter takes different sets of preparation and skills. As a long-time trail runner in all seasons, I share some of my insights to help keep you comfortable, on your feet, and enjoying the benefits and special beauty of getting off of the roads and into challenging yet peaceful trails to enjoy the next few months.

Bill Stahl
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You can’t beat the trail running community for positivity, and during so many of my races I have randomly met the most interesting and often inspiring people, many of whom have become lifelong friends. During the descending miles of this year’s Leadville Heavy Half, I started chatting with a fellow runner and before long discovering Scott Tish’s inspiring story that included his experiences as an air ambulance helicopter pilot and as a five-time cancer survivor. Scott’s battles led him to some dark places, but he emerged on the other side with a reinvigorated view on life and gratitude for the mere opportunity to go out and run every day, much less complete races as challenging as the Heavy Half. He attributes a lot of his rebound to his wife, Pam, who gave him the tough love needed to move forward with his life and find again how running is some of the best medicine anyone can take. Scott’s journey in the Army also gave him the very rare privilege of being a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Combine that with being a survivor of very rare forms of cancer and being an ultrarunner, Scott’s one-of-a-kind story will certainly inspire you.

Scott Tish

Facebook @stish162

linkedin.com/in/scott-tish-tus162

TikTok @millieandtesspapa

tombguard.org

Bill Stahl
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Dealing with my dad's serious illness has reinforced the value of one of my core philosophies: It Will All Work Out. Anytime I have faced adversity, just as all of you have numerous times, it's a great tool to keep in your arsenal.

Bill Stahl
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How did Cody Poskin, a guy who was told to “get lost” by the coach at his college, become one of the rising stars of ultrarunning and getting invited to run across the Gobi Desert in China? I dig into that with the help of another 23-year-old ultramarathon beast, TJ Harms-Synkiew. After Cody was spurned by the college coach, he decided to target the Boston Marathon, nailing a qualifying time in his first attempt. At age 21, he jumped up to ultras and won his first two races, including the Midstate Massive Ultra Trail 100-mile in a speedy 19:47. He was a very impressive 13th at his first Leadville Trail 100 in 2024 in 19:28, and then had another breakthrough at the Jackpot 100 miler, which he ran in 13:26, breaking the course record by 33 minutes. After placing 8th at the Cocodona 250 in 71:11, Cody joined 54 other runners to run the Ultra Gobi 400K, a life-altering experience. The Chinese hosted a world-class event as Cody describes, all while he had to navigate a course that had no markings, only checkpoints, and he had to run self-supported with a 15-pound pack in which he was required to carry 2000 calories at all times. He won in 64:49, shattering the course record by 4 hours, and earned the title Guanjun Marshall. What makes this episode fun for an old ultramarathon goat like me is listening to 23-year-olds who are relatively new to the sport and how they plunge into all sorts of challenges with the attitude of “I’ll figure it out along the way.”

Cody Poskin

codyposkin.com

Instagram, YouTube, and Threads @cody_poskin

Bill Stahl
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In this coaching episode, I discuss 13 creative things you can do this winter to renew and reinvigorate your running so you can be fitter and stronger for 2026 racing. Please feel free to contact me if you'd like me to expand on any of these topics for you!

Bill Stahl
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I was really intrigued when I heard about Matt Zemon and his advocacy for psychedelic therapy as an alternative when traditional psychotherapy hasn’t been successful. Colorado became the first state in the country to legalize therapy using psilocybin mushrooms, and I know someone who has done it and says it produced great results. Like many of you, I came from a place of complete ignorance on this topic, so I really appreciate Matt’s expert knowledge on it, and he enlightened me on information like about the hundreds of psychedelic churches and societies in this country. He has a very broad knowledge of using medicines like psilocybin, ketamine, ayahuasca, MDMA, and other psychedelics, why for some people these are better than antidepressants, who should consider taking one of these, like veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress, or people wanting to explore spiritual growth, the research that has gone into psychedelics, government views and laws on them, and places where people can consult with professionals if they want to explore trying these medicines. In particular, Matt supports veteran communities with his book, “The Veteran’s Guide to Psychedelic Journeys” helping them find more healing and hope by combining ancient healing traditions with contemporary practices. He is donating all of the book’s proceeds to the Heroic Hearts Project, which further aids veterans to heal. It’s a fascinating conversation that I would encourage you to listen to because it may resonate for you or someone you know, and it will open your eyes in a lot of unexpected ways.

Matt Zemon

mattzemon.com

Facebook and Instagram @matt.zemon

LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/mattzemon

Bill Stahl
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Facebook Bill Stahl and American Heroes Run for race photos
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Eric Pence is a guest I actually wanted to chat with a couple of years ago, but it is even better that it is occurring now because this summer he completed the Leadville Trail 100 for the 30th time, becoming just the second person to do so, after the legendary Bill Finkbeiner. Eric and I go back to the early 1990s days of the race, so we have lots of stories to share about that pioneering era, quite a few unique race memories, and the changes we have seen over the years. Eric discusses what has kept him going all of these decades, especially the support from his close and extended families, including his wife Anne, who has written a LT100 crewing guide, and his son Ethan, who has become an ultramarathoner himself. Discussion about his family certainly wouldn’t be complete without talking about his sister Pam, to whom he donated a kidney several years ago, and who is married to legendary Mark Macy of adventure running fame. Like several WASP guests have recounted, having one kidney hasn’t diminished his abilities one bit. Eric has had numerous other impressive racing accomplishments, and he talks about what has gotten him through iconic events like the Badwater 135 and Across the Years. Eric also shares secrets of his longevity and his tried-and-true tips for racing success in this very engaging episode.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Sometimes seeing a close relative struggle through chronic conditions can spur someone to take action to help themselves and then others. I often find these stories to be inspiring. Like the story we had of 250-pound middle schooler Nathan Maze in episode 277, who saw his dad battle obesity and decided not to follow the same path. He dropped the weight, got jacked in the gym, and then as a 15-year-old ran and completed the American Heroes Run marathon. In this episode, I have an uplifting chat with Jonathan Boulware, who lost his mother to obesity-related health issues which propelled his journey to lose weight himself and then help others achieve the same results. Wanting to head off the yo-yoing that many others have undergone in battling their weight, Jonathan studied how to make lifestyle changes by becoming a certified lifestyle coach, personal trainer, and nutrition coach. Following his own success, Jonathan has created many incredible tools to help others, including his 432 Playbook and his book Take Control of Your Body Before It Takes Control of You that demonstrate how to personalize your own lifestyle change plan. It's the same concept David had when he said that once he learned to first change himself, he could then help others change, and it opened the door for him to write his third book, Eat Sh*t and Die, Radical Rehab for Food Junkies and Sugar Addicts, which also gives a blueprint for changing your eating habits. In this fun and entertaining chat, Jonathan gives a lot of very practical insights into how to lose weight and keep it off. He is also putting into action how his own transformation has changed his life by competing soon in the Cal Tri LA Duathlon, which consists of a 5K run, 23-mile bike, and then a 10K run all strung together.

Jonathan Boulware

YouCanBeatObesity.com

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-boulware

Bill Stahl
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We had an incredible two days at the American Heroes Run with great weather, the largest turnout yet, inspirational and speedy performances, and the humble opportunity to honor our military veterans and service people, first responders, the lives lost on 9/11, and race founder David Clark, not to mention the opportunity to see familiar faces either pushing themselves to their limits or helping put on this event that was David's passion. Listen in for some amazing stories of people putting themselves out there to see how much they could achieve and to honor those who serve.

Bill Stahl
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David turned me onto learning about non-Western medicine because our system is primarily geared toward curing and not prevention. I’ve felt the difference in just modifying my food intake as much as possible away from the all-too-normal American diet that includes too much sugar, fat, and processed foods. So I’m excited today to share my chat with Dr. Shivani Gupta, an Ayurvedic medicine practitioner. We take a deep dive into how plant medicine and dietary modifications can benefit your body to battle inflammation, a popular buzzword these days. She explains what it really means and what it means to you when you eliminate it. We have a detailed discussion about the herb turmeric, a powerful natural anti-inflammatory that I have always used, what kind you should take, and what you should look for when evaluating the many options on the market. She also explains the benefits of another natural medicine, ashwagandha, that you may have heard many use to calm their brain and enhance focus. She covers a lot more important health topics on her Fusionary Health podcast, which you can catch on her website shivanigupta.com or on Apple Podcasts. She has also rolled her extensive knowledge into a supplement company called Fusionary Formulas, that includes many products to help fight inflammation, improve sleep, support women’s health, and much more. She has generously offered a 15% discount to all WASP listeners using the code WASP2025 on its website fusionaryformulas.com

Dr. Shivani Gupta

shivanigupta.com

visionaryformulas.com

Facebook Dr. Shivani Gupta

Instagram, Threads, and YouTube @dr.shivanigupta

Fusionary Health podcast

Bill Stahl
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We’ve had several WASP episodes about organ transplant recipients who have gone on to accomplish impressive feats, but here’s one from the other side. Dan Armstead had plans to be a kidney donor from the time he learned in a high school class that you actually only need one to function perfectly normally. He eventually got tested and officially listed on the donor registry and then it barely took 48 hours before he got linked to someone who was in end stage renal disease who desperately needed a kidney, and it turned out it was his kidney that perfectly matched. But I’m not going to spoil it for you how that match took place because it’s a remarkable, heartwarming story. What is important to tell you right now is how admirably selfless Dan’s act was, and how he wants to spread the word about how easy it is to get tested to be a potential donor, and how little ongoing impact it has had physically on him. Most importantly, there are thousands on the kidney transplant waitlist who sometimes remain there for years – and sadly many don’t make it at all. Dan, who runs a Synergy HomeCare provider, however, was able to save a life with his incredibly generous donation. I think this story will make your day a whole lot brighter, and who knows, maybe motivate some of you to someday save a life yourself.

Dan Armstead

Facebook Dan Armstead

Gabrielle's "G"'s foundation

Onekidonekidney.com

Bill Stahl
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When I volunteered at the Painter Boy aid station of the Leadville Silver Rush 50, there was a runner who came in who looked rather young and somewhat beaten down by the course and the heat and I thought might need some extra attention. I got to know a bit about 17-year-old Teagan Martin and his dad KC who was running with him in what was both of their first 50-milers, and that this was part of their buildup for the difficult Creede 100-miler in a couple of weeks. What really set Teagan apart is that he was doing all of this ultramarathoning as a fundraiser for people in Phillips County, a rural area of Eastern Colorado near the Nebraska border, where he lives in the county seat of Holyoke. I later got to see Teagan and KC triumphantly cross the finish line of the SR50 and learned more about what Teagan is doing with his foundation called Running 4 Reasons. When I sat down with Teagan, his mom and de facto crew chief, Gina, and KC, they described running both the Silver Rush and Creede, a small, high-altitude race with a 40-hour cutoff in the Colorado mountains, where they were last among the 24 finishers. It was a lot of fun chatting with true ultramarathon neophytes and the numerous lessons, I really mean numerous lessons, they learned along the way, some of which will likely have you chuckling, as well as the altruistic spirit they have to help their neighbors during hard times. Teagan is a really impressive young man who has put in the miles not just running but doing the extraordinarily hard work in pounding the pavement in his town to try to address their agricultural community’s staggering needs. I think you’ll be inspired by how much this project means to a young guy who is just getting started in his philanthropic life. If you would like to support the Martins’ very worthy effort, check out the Running 4 Reasons Facebook page or call him at 970-518-8241.

Teagan Martin

Instagram @martinteagan5

Bill Stahl
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Most people don’t imagine octogenarians throwing shotputs, discuses, and the hammer at track meets. I have officiated enough track meets that I have seen bunches of them doing so. One is Terry Ten Eyck of Golden CO, who back in 1963 set the state shotput mark of 59’-10¾”, breaking the previous record by four feet, while throwing for Wheat Ridge H.S. He went on to briefly compete in track and football at the University of Colorado and then served for 7½ years in the Navy, including in Vietnam. After about a 50-year hiatus, Terry returned to the track and field world, competing in masters meets and winning medals, most recently winning the world indoor championship in the shotput for the 80–84-year-old age group. His favorite event is the hammer which involves spinning around and throwing an 8.8-pound (4 kg.) ball attached to a four-foot wire. He also does the seldom-seen weight throw, which requires throwing an even heavier weight with a shorter wire, ideally suited to indoor competitions. Terry and I talk a lot about field events through the ages, share some great track stories and valuable wisdom, and hopefully you’ll be inspired hearing what it’s like to train and compete at the master’s level when most his age are in their rocking chairs.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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I really didn’t have to write much of an intro because I could simply copy the fascinating story in Dave Munson’s bio. It resonates with me because it reminds me about how David Clark found so much more happiness, not by making and spending huge amounts of money from his mattress and furniture businesses, but by serving others. I also love how Dave Munson manufactures products that are unique and insanely durable, which has become so rare these days. The story begins in 1999, in a dusty leather shop in Morelia, Mexico, young American Dave Munson slid a hand-drawn sketch across the counter and said, “No breakable parts. I want my grandkids to fight over it when I’m dead.” What a great slogan! That moment sparked the beginning of Saddleback Leather Co. That bag turned heads everywhere it went, and before long, Dave was selling bags on eBay, eventually bringing in family members to help meet demand. With grit, grace, and a business coach, he evolved into the CEO of one of the most recognized leather brands in the world. Today, Saddleback Leather is known for crafting over-engineered full-grain leather goods with a 100-year warranty — built to outlive the owner and become heirlooms.

Dave’s wife, Suzette, is his true partner in both business and life. Together they raise their two kids and sponsor many more in Rwanda. Suzette also leads Love 41, a sister company to Saddleback that donates 100% of its profits to helping vulnerable communities in Rwanda, Mexico, and Fort Worth, Texas. They also operate the Saddleback Leather Factory, where all of their products are made, and you’ll learn here why leather goods make so much more sense for the environment than those made from artificial fibers. Headquartered near Fort Worth — where the Munsons live in safari tents — the company is celebrating more than 20 years in business. For Dave, it was never about getting rich. It’s always been about using business as a force for good — to shift the trajectory of poverty-stricken families and create a global ripple effect of hope, one bag at a time. As Dave puts it: “We make the longest lasting, most over-engineered leather bags in the world — and we love people while we do it.” I think it’s a really cool mission statement.

Dave Munson

Saddlebackleather.com

Facebook Saddleback Leather Co.

Instagram @saddlebackbags

YouTube @saddlebackleather

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Brian Watson was in New York City in 2018 and noticed hundreds of thousands of people crowding the streets and asked what was going on. A friend told him it was the NYC Marathon, a foreign concept to a guy living in a 300-pound body. He calmly told those around him that he would run it the next year. While that might sound daffy to some, those that knew Brian knew to take him at his word. Before you knew it, Brian had dropped a third of his weight, had finished New York, and was moving up to ultramarathons. Beginning in 2021, he completed in successive years the Arkansas Traveler 100, the Leadville Trail 100, and the Javelina Jundred. Then he jumped up to 200s and up, and discovered he actually placed better as the race got longer, finishing the Moab 240 and the Arizona Monster 300 in the top half of the fields. When I met Brian in Leadville, he was only a few days removed from having completed Badwater 135, the so-called World’s Toughest Ultramarathon in Death Valley, in 45:04:16. Transforming into an ultramarathoner is only part of his story. He owns a chain of pizza restaurants in Texas and Oklahoma and is partner in a real estate company, among his business ventures. Through all of this, he has gained amazing insights, many of which he shares in this chat. You will learn a ton about ultramarathoning and some iconic races in this episode, but also about so many of the lessons one learns doing these races that strongly apply to anyone’s daily life, including overcoming the hurdles we all face, and about the mental battles that derail our success. Brian has a matter-of-fact, no-nonsense approach to racing, like pushing through mid-race stress fractures and weather issues, but that through good planning and determination when things go south, reaching the finish line becomes a foregone conclusion, as it is with anything else he puts his mind to.

Brian Watson

Strava Brian Watson

Bill Stahl
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In previous episodes, we’ve chatted with some young runners who have taken on ultramarathons like the Leadville Trail 100, something that was unheard of in the ancient days when I began in the sport. While it’s become less rare to see this, it’s now been taken up a notch. Meet the Chisholm family of Salem, NH. Brothers Ben, Brody, Elliott, and Asher all play hockey, with the three eldest at one time playing on the same line together on their high school team. Led by their parents, the boys started off climbing in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, eventually summitting all of its 48 4000-foot peaks, which is no joke in difficulty. This evolved to the family next through-hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, then the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail, each of which are thousands of miles long and take months to complete, and definitely at times challenged the limits of family togetherness. While later hiking the Arizona Trail, they learned about this thing called ultramarathoning and on a whim entered the Elden Crest 38-miler, in which second-oldest son Brody led the family to the finish line in fifth-place overall. So the next logical step of course was to return to Arizona to run the 2024 Cocodona 250. Of course. Since races like this include large swaths of hiking, the family leaned heavily on their strong through-hiking skills, a theory that bore fruit. Brody, 17 at the time, boldly had his sights on setting a course record despite having had no prior ultra experience longer than 38 miles, but has 4:30 mile speed on the track, so he could add that running ability to the mix. He learned a lot of ultramarathoning lessons, especially regarding fueling, but still astoundingly finished 12th in 75:42:42, a pace of 18:11 per mile for more than 250 miles. Meanwhile, 18-year-old brother Ben finished 34th in 87:01:50 despite battling lack of sleep and hallucinations, and mom Jennie finished as well in 103:58:03 while overcoming tibial stress fractures. Round two for the family was this year as 16-year-old Elliott attempted to usurp Brody’s record as the youngest-ever Cocodona finisher, but a sickness felled his chance, and Brody also DNF’d. However, Jennie chopped more than 14 hours off of her previous time and placed as the 7th female finisher. So Elliott took on a new challenge the day before we recorded this and ran the Back Cove Backyard Ultra in Portland, ME, where he impressively ran 121 miles, running another 4.16-mile loop at the start of every hour for 29 hours, the third-most in the last-man-standing event. With Jennie and the three oldest boys of this super nice family all crammed onto a couch together for this really fun chat, we cover how they logistically pull all of this off with schoolwork and teen life in general, as well as dealing with those who have this idea that teenage boys shouldn’t take on epic challenges like they have. I think anyone who has doubts will walk away with other ideas after listening to them.

The family

Instagram @thefieldtrip_5

Jennie Chisholm

Instagram @_jenniechisholm

Ben Chisholm

Instagram @benchisholm_7

Brody Chisholm

Instagram @brody.chisholm

Elliott Chisholm

Instagram @elliott.chisholm

Bill Stahl
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All was good in the life of Kijuan Amey of Durham, NC. He had an exciting job as an Air Force in-flight refueling specialist, advancing to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was finishing his bachelor’s degree with a 3.87 GPA, played semipro football, had a girlfriend, played the drums, had started a company doing website design and social media marketing for businesses, owned a sweet 2014 Dodge Charger with a Hemi V8, and was active in his church. All at the age of 25. He also enjoyed relaxing takes drives on his Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle. On the fateful day on May 5, 2017, a Honda Accord, in broad daylight, inexplicably pulled out in front of Kijuan and his motorcycle, striking and almost killing him. The long list of injuries included shattering bones in his lower right leg, left hip and femur, and lower vertebrae, a fractured skull, a broken jaw, and a torn lower eyelid that caused his eye to pop out. Kijuan was in a coma for a month, and when he awoke in the hospital, he had no idea that he’d even been in an accident, only that he couldn’t see, and with his jaw wired shut, couldn’t ask anyone, either. He thought he was in some sort of a nightmare, not reality. Can you imagine trying to process that in your mind? Kijuan faced arduous months of physical and mental rehab, including dealing with the permanent loss of his sight. He’ll probably never know why the driver pulled out like that. However, Kijuan is too young and ambitious to be held down, so what you are going to hear in this episode is Kijaun’s inspiring battle back and determination to make a difference. His motto is that he may have lost his sight, but not his vision. He is a motivating force and is empowering others to success. He has been called the “Excuse Destroyer,” because he hasn’t let this rough incident hold him back and wants to make sure others don’t hold themselves back, either. He’s out there motivational speaking, and you can book him at ameymotivation.com, where you can also hear him playing the drums to what I think are awesomely soulful tunes. After listening to this incredible story, I highly recommend reading his soon-to-be-bestseller, “Don’t Focus on Why Me: From Motorcycle Accident to Miracle,” which is a quick, yet uplifting read that you can find both on his website and on Amazon.

Kijuan Amey

ameymotivation.com

kijuan@ameymotivation.com

Facebook Amey Motivation

Instagram @kijuanamey

LinkedIn Kijuan Amey

YouTube @Story_OfSuccess

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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At a high school track meet I was working as an official this spring, a young man came up to me and commented about my ever-present Yankees cap and mentioned that his uncle had once played for the Bronx Bombers. I figured it would be some nobody, but it turned out to be Hall of Famer and Yankees legend Goose Gossage. As Avi Rahmani of Ralston Valley H.S. in Arvada, Colo., and I got to know each other, I learned about his amazing story of contracting a rare form of cancer, leading to having a kidney removed, and eight agonizing months of chemotherapy and isolation in the hospital. He came out of that ordeal healthy and with a new attitude toward life and a renewed enthusiasm for running. Any recovery has its share of road bumps, and Avi’s took a different turn. He developed the same uncommon vocal cord dysfunction that you heard about in our episode a few weeks ago with high school runners Benji Anderson and Peak Performance teammate Bobby Kieswetter, who got him directed to their doctor at Denver’s National Jewish hospital. This brave young man discusses the challenges that he and his family stood up to during his serious illness, and Avi’s life is definitely on the upswing now as he prepares for his senior year. You’ll come away with a renewed sense of optimism when you hear this exceptionally nice guy’s upbeat attitude and about how he looks forward to being a leader on his high school cross country team and having a long, healthy life that will make a difference in the world.

Avi Rahmani

Instagram and Threads @avi.rahmani

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
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We all know veterans who have battled the transition from military service to civilian life. Nick Koumalatsos was a Marine raider who can certainly speak to that. After discharging from the military after 12 years of service, he battled that adjustment, going through divorce, bankruptcy, and even serious thoughts of suicide. It took him many years to figure out a formula that would work for him to pull himself out of these abysses. But throughout his life, Nick had always been seeking an angle to move up in the world. This led him to start his first business, and he’s now run multiple businesses. The one that gets him most fired up is Johnny Slicks, which makes organic personal grooming products right here in the USA. Nick describes how they have created a strong family-like company atmosphere as they do all production and distribution in-house instead of farming these aspects out. He has also founded Core Medical Group, whose differentiator is providing personal care and service for men who need to determine whether they should explore testosterone replacement therapy. He’s also created a transformative coaching group called Agoge that currently includes men from ages 17 to 74. It’s a very hands-on community to help men overcome challenges. The lessons include Mastering Yourself, Leading Your Family, Mastering Your Finances where Nick shares what the wealthy don’t tell the rest of us about, and Leaders Creating More Leaders – creating your own legacy. He has put a tremendous number of resources and lessons on his website, nickkoumalatsos.com including a free course well worth checking out. Related to this, Nick is leading a retreat in Kona in October for those who feel stuck in life or having a lot of stops and starts that prevent them from making progress. If that’s all not enough, he’s helping add his Marine experience to the production of the upcoming Punisher movie. You’ll be able to feel Nick’s abundant energy in this chat and learn a lot about how you can take control of your own inaction and/or overcome serious challenges like Nick did to create a fulfilling life helping others in myriad ways.

Nick Koumalatsos

nickkoumalatsos.com

info@nickkoumalatsos.com

Instagram and Threads @nickkoumalatsos

Facebook Nick Koumalatsos

Bill Stahl
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Tyler Andrews is a good friend with whom I’ve done trips with to Peru, Ecuador, and most recently, the Atacama Desert of Chile where we climbed up to almost 20,000 feet. Ty was a self-described high school nerd musician who went on to be an average D3 cross country runner. After battling depression, Ty dedicated himself to becoming a pro mountain runner, which has seen him set numerous FKTs on some of the most iconic tall peaks in the world, including Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, and Cotopaxi. One recent FKT in the Himalayas has been commemorated in the very cool short film “9 Hours on Manaslu” that you can watch on YouTube and is definitely worth 27 minutes of your time. To show his breadth, Ty also holds the record for the Leadville Marathon and has run in the U.S. Olympic marathon trials. He is a La Sportiva-sponsored athlete and is founder of the Chaski Endurance Collective, which coaches ultramarathoners. Which all leads us to this riveting WASP appearance, on which we chat about his recent attempts to set the FKT for running up Mt. Everest, both with and without supplemental oxygen. How incredible does that sound? I won’t ruin the story for you, but Ty will talk about the what, when, how, and why for this audacious project and all of the logistics and challenges involved. For some really great content that gets very granular about how Ty did this, I highly recommend you go listen to his 21-part podcast series called Ty’s Training: Talking with my Dad. It’s fascinating hearing some of the innovative methods Ty used to train for this quest that pushed him harder than he’s ever been challenged before. I’m sure you’ll love this story.

Tyler Andrews:
Facebook Tyler Andres Andrews
Instagram and Twitter: @tylercandrews

Chaski Endurance Collective:
www.chaski.run/linktree
Instagram: @chaski.endurance

Bill Stahl
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One of the most badass racers I know is Kat Edwards Anderson. She has been on the WASP twice before, most recently on episode #327 in January, chatting about her runs at the Sedona Canyons 125 and the Moab 240. I first met her in Chile in March, 2024, where she impressively conquered many new challenges for her in the high Atacama Desert. She built on these experiences by overcoming blisters on her feet, menstrual cycle irregularities, heat, and mental hurdles to get on the podium at Moab. In this episode, Kat shares some great insights on her run in May at the Cocodona 250, where she finished as the 6th female. Kat took many of the lessons from Moab, along with input from her coach, Tyler Andrews, to dial in the minutiae that is required to have success at such a grueling race. Kat shares much about the custom-designed gear she used to suit her needs, and the many very sound practices that she employed for Cocodona. Naturally, there were uncontrollables like the weather, and once again, her cycle. Most notably, she generously shares her mental battles through the race, and how her crew and her faith both came through for her to get to a finish line that at times seemed improbable. This is a great chat inside the mind of a tough, focused endurance beast of a runner. Next up for Kat is some “speedwork” as she comes out here to Colorado to slay the Leadville Trail 100.

Kat Edwards
katedwardspt.com
Instagram @kat.elizabeth_
For coaching inquiries: www.chaski.run

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Please support Team Leadville and Warriors' Ascent help prevent veteran suicide! Donate here:

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Thank you!

Subscribe to the We Are Superman Newsletter!

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This is a classic WASP comeback story in a different kind of direction. Alex Neist is a former college and pro quarterback who seemingly had it all post-football – a thriving business career and great family – and then had it all fall apart because of his snoring. It’s true, snoring. Alex found an unlikely answer with mouth taping, which he had to find on his own because he realized our healthcare system didn’t espouse it because there isn’t nearly the profit with it available to providers as, say, recommending meds or a CPAP machine. This kicked in his entrepreneurial spirit. Alex’s philosophy toward starting a business is to identify a problem you’re having and then provide a solution that others can also use to solve that issue. That led him to found Hostage Tape. He will explain to you why the provocative name. Alex says the change in one’s sleep quality, and indeed in the quality of their life, is almost immediate when someone starts mouth taping. He also explains here why there is no reason to be concerned about not being able to breathe while using the product, and about a lot of other unexpected benefits that have made improvements in users’ oral health, workouts, and yes, relationships. Hostage Tape now has hundreds of thousands of customers, some as well-known as Joe Rogan, and Alex’s goal is to help one million people sleep better using Hostage Tape’s products, which include nasal strips that have become all the rage these days for athletes, include many in the track world. Before you dismiss this as woo-woo stuff, definitely give this episode with Alex a listen – it will awaken you – or just the opposite of that – to a very simple, possibly life-changing, solution.

Alex Neist

hostagetape.com

Facebook Hostage Tape

Instagram @alexneist and @hostagetape

YouTube and X @hostagetape

TikTok @hostagemouthtape

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Please support Team Leadville and Warriors' Ascent help prevent veteran suicide! Donate here:

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Thank you!

Subscribe to the We Are Superman Newsletter!

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Colorado has always been known as a distance running hotbed, and some amazing runners have come out of our high school ranks. This episode’s guests are no exception – with an added twist. Bobby Kiesewetter, from Golden View Academy, a Class 2A school in Golden understandably was very concerned when his airway would shut down while he was running, making it impossible to breathe. Perplexed doctors suspected asthma and prescribed inhalers, but to no avail. Bobby happened to see a social media post from another local runner, Benji Anderson, who had experienced the same thing and had been diagnosed with Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction, also commonly called vocal cord dysfunction. Benji connected Bobby with the doctor right here in Denver who had treated him at National Jewish Hospital, which specializes in lung and breathing research. Through extensive treatment and exercises, both young men have learned to control their breathing issue and achieved great results in their high school careers. Bobby swept the Colorado Class 2A 800, 1600, and 3200 meter titles, each by wide margins, including setting a state meet record in the 1600 of 4:17.84. He will continue his running career at Division 2 Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Benji, who ran for Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch, has a long list of accolades, including winning the 2024 Class 5A cross country title, is a two-time champion of the prestigious Liberty Bell Invitational, both times running the 5K course in a blazing 14:48, and has been top five in the state multiple times in the 800, 1600, and 3200. His best times include an 8:46.15 in the 3200 at Arcadia, and a 4:08.03 1600 at the New Balance indoors in Boston. He has a couple of big upcoming races before he heads off to Notre Dame this fall. Among these is the Festival of Miles this week in which a star-studded high school field will be going after sub-4:00 times. This is a great chat with a couple of very nice young men who have overcome some concerning challenges, have learned about the considerable power of the running community, and who will have many more successes in the future.

Benji Anderson

Instagram @benji.andersonn

Bobby Kiesewetter

Instagram @bobby_kiess

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Please support Team Leadville and Warriors' Ascent help prevent veteran suicide! Donate here:

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David always had a deep appreciation for alternative and regenerative medicine. He and I have both had guests here who understand how broken our “sick care” system is and have created new pathways for those who want to take control of their health in ways the American system won’t allow. One such pioneer is Jay Campbell, co-founder of BioLongevity Labs. Jay’s lifelong mission is to inspire and empower others to optimize their health, reverse aging, and unlock their true human potential – physically, mentally, and emotionally. In this dynamic chat, he and I talk about what’s going on in the U.S. state of health, and Jay gives great insights into the benefits of balancing hormones, most notably testosterone, for both men, and in underrated ways, for women, too. Once that balance is achieved, then one can potentially take the next steps into administering therapeutic peptides that can transform health, from cellular regeneration, to anti-aging, losing fat, hormonal balance, and beyond. Really intriguing topics on which Jay certainly raised my understanding. You’ll gain a lot in this episode from Jay’s immense store of knowledge.

Jay Campbell

www.jaycampbell.com

www.biolongevitylabs.com

Instagram, X, and YouTube @jaycampbell333

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
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I have been amused that 200-mile races have become a thing, and some now even call 100-milers a “speed event.” But now Destination Races, which hosts a series of 200-mile races has created the Arizona Monster 300 with a cutoff of 170 hours, or just more than 7 days. Good friend of the WASP Kelly Thrush ran its inaugural edition a few weeks ago. You might remember Kelly from WASP episodes #231 and 232 in November, 2022 after he completed 85 miles at the AHR following receiving a liver transplant. That two-part episode is definitely worth a re-listen as he described years of alcohol abuse that led to not only the deterioration of his liver, but alienating most of his family and friends, and put him on the doorstep of death. He awoke from surgery feeling immense gratitude, which has driven his life since then, including the founding of the Gratitude and Grace Foundation, which helps other transplant candidates and recipients navigate the financial hurdles they face. Kelly has created events to support this important mission, including an event that involves climbing laps up and down Mount Tumamoc in Tucson. In this fascinating chat, Kelly describes all aspects of taking on the enormous challenge of the Arizona Monster 300 and what it’s like to be out there on the trail day and night for 7 days, how his wife and crew contributed to his finish, his fueling, sleeping, mental approach, hallucinating, and what it did to his feet. Get ready for a fun adventure!

Kelly Thrush

Gratitude and Grace Foundation

Facebook Kelly Thrush

Instagram and Threads @just__keep__going_

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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We haven’t chatted with anyone in Nepal for a couple of weeks, so we thought we’d go back there with Len Forkas, who is heading to Mt. Everest to cap bagging all of the Seven Summits – the tallest peaks on all seven continents. This achievement also brings him a step closer to completing the coveted Explorers’ Grand Slam, which includes the Seven Summits and trekking the last degree of latitude to the North and South Poles. He began his quest in 2013 summitting Kilimanjaro after accomplishing endurance feats like biking the Race Across America. Len does all of this to support a charity he founded called Hopecam, which does amazing work connecting cancer-afflicted kids to their schools and classmates. It was spurred after his own son Matt was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 9, and aside from the daunting treatments, Matt endured the challenge of isolation from his friends. Back in 2002, there was no Facetime or Skype, so Len arranged for a video connection between Matt and his class, and Len noticed what a sea change that was for Matt’s overall outlook, as well as how much it benefitted his classmates to interact with him and help demystify cancer to them. This led to the birth of Hopecam, which began connecting 50 hospitalized kids and led to partnering with St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and eventually affiliating with 180 hospitals and helping 1000 inspiring kids at a time. A majority of these kids come from Title 1 schools and whose families often can’t afford Internet service. Len has a personal connection with many of these kids, and for this Everest project, he is paired up with a fifth-grader in Louisiana. In this chat, Len talks about how teamwork plays roles in accomplishing both his projects as well as in Hopecam’s important mission for which he is aiming to raise $1,000,000. You’ll also hear about his many other extreme adventures and the preparations for them and about a couple of harrowing episodes he had where divine intervention may have saved his life so he could continue his mission. Len is one of the nicest people with whom I’ve had the pleasure to chat, and this riveting episode is filled with so many great life lessons about humility, teamwork, finding purpose, and listening to and learning from others. He also shares great lessons he’s learned about uniting people to work toward common goals in his book, What Spins the Wheel.

Len Forkas

lenforkas.com

Support Hopecam today at hopecam.org

Instagram @lenforkasjr

LinkedIn and X Len Forkas

His books What Spins the Wheel and Cold Hard Truth are available on Amazon

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

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Travis Robinson was an active 35-year-old IT project manager, spending much of his leisure time in the outdoors rockclimbing, when he began noticing weakness in his hands, which is not good news for this pursuit. This led to a diagnosis of early-onset Parkinson’s Disease that changed his life. Travis’ response was not one of resignation to a restricted lifestyle, but more of a “Screw you, Parkinson’s” attitude. That is evidenced in the theme of a podcast called I’m Not Dead Yet he co-hosts with Judy Yaros, whose husband died of the disease in 2020. Together, they talk about life adjustments caused by Parkinson’s and how they are helping those afflicted and their families. But more so, it’s about living their best life. To help others do the same, Travis is very involved with Parkinson’s Community L.A. and the Faces of Parkinson’s Project. One way he keeps physically active is with something called neuroboxing. He’s also deeply engaged in photography, but using old-time cameras with the long, bellows-like lenses and where the photographer stands under a hood. The image is projected onto large-format film and Travis creates finished works on metal and other unique media that have had gallery showings across the country. His work in California’s scenic landscapes evokes Ansel Adams’ dramatic photography from last century. Travis has recently had to use his power of resilience once again as his and his partner’s home burned down in the Eaton fire in January, and they lost everything, including all of his photographic equipment. They saved their pets and vehicles, and not much more. They expect to begin re-building in May, and undaunted, Travis is planning a photographic project in Iceland this summer. You can't help but be inspired by Travis' story!

Travis Robinson

Instagram @mighty_travis

Listen to the I'm Not Dead Yet Podcast:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-im-not-dead-yet-81736783/

Instagram @imnotdeadyetpd

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

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Chris Fisher and Erin Ton are very down-to-Earth people, but they are also way-up-in-the-air. As in, they are almost constantly on a mountain, very high mountains. And when I say constantly, I mean they are pretty much always climbing, running on, and exploring mountains, as well as challenging themselves in the wildest wildernesses. Erin is known for setting hordes of FKTs, speeding through the gauntlet of Colorado 14ers in record time, as well as climbing 14ers in high heels. Yep, you heard that right. She and Chris, who owns the current record for the least time to climb all of the 14ers in winter, spent all of last summer bagging Colorado 13ers – of which there are 100s – several of them each day. They explored Patagonia for several weeks earlier this year, taking like they always do, heaps of absolutely jaw-dropping photos of their climbs and the scenery. Chris then took on the now-infamous Barkley Marathons, so definitely listen closely to learn more about this insane, unique race. Erin and Chris describe his battle against the course, that was made even tougher this year because of the unprecedented number of finishers last year – five – the heat the runners faced, the camaraderie with some legendary Barkley participants, and of course, enigmatic race director Laz. Later on, Erin also nailed a couple of FKTs on the gnarly course herself. They are now headed to the Himalayas, where in addition to their own projects and FKT attempts that you’ll hear about here, they will be supporting our mutual friend Tyler Andrews in his unfathomable attempt to set the record for running up and down Mt. Everest without supplemental oxygen. There really isn’t a dull moment in this very fun chat with this power duo of the mountains, who will absolutely inspire you to find adventure in the outdoors yourself, so I’m sure you’ll enjoy this chat.

Chris Fisher

Instagram @chrisjfish

Strava Christopher Fisher

Check out Chris' film Nine Hours on Manaslu on LaSportiva's YouTube channel

Erin Ton

Instagram @erin_ton7

Strava Erin Ton

Tyler Andrews' podcast: Ty's Training: Talking with my Dad

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
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Melissa Davey took the adage about it’s never too late to try something new quite seriously. This wasn’t about jumping out of an airplane kind of stuff. In her sixties, she retired from a lengthy corporate career to pursue her second act and dream of becoming a filmmaker. I always tell teens I coach or meet who are stressed about picking a college major and choosing a career path, that the average American changes careers, not just jobs, seven times in their lifetimes. You never know when circumstances allow you to drop the grind and forge a new direction, like you heard Australian Maddy Reynolds do in a WASP episode a few weeks ago when she dumped the corporate world to become a pro trail runner. Melissa was the Vice President of Social Security and Managed Disability at GENEX for 22 years, sat on the company’s executive team, and worked throughout the United States to create and deliver services to the disability insurance marketplace. But after a day on the set with famed screenwriter and filmmaker M Night Shyamalan, she decided to take a risk and left her career to jump into the unknown.Pursuing her dream of becoming a filmmaker became a reality in late 2018 when Melissa completed her first feature film, Beyond Sixty, which highlights stories of women making similar jumps, including the woman behind the original voice of Siri, the Madam CJ Walker biographer, and the sculptor of Lady Gaga’s Fame perfume carriage. During 2019, Melissa’s film was accepted by and screened at eight film festivals throughout the United States and Canada, winning awards and confirming that it is never too late to learn something new. Picked up by a distributor and released in 2021, the film is currently available on most streaming platforms. Melissa’s second film, Climbing into Life, details the inspiring life story of Dierdre Wolownick, the oldest woman to ascend El Capitan, who also happens to be the mother of famed free solo climber Alex Honnold. The film is currently making the film festival rounds. Melissa is a champion to show that it isn’t too late for people over 60, particularly women to explore new pathways and make a profound impact on the world. It’s such a great message to share, and she does it with an infectious energy as you’ll find out in this episode.

Melissa Davey

melissadavey.com

beyondsixty.com

melissa@melissadavey.com

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Instagram @beyond60project and @climbing_into_life

Bill Stahl
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The WASP has had a long history of inspiring stories about people overcoming alcoholism and addictions, but I really like the story and approach presented here by Tom Barnum. He is a former college and NFL player, who was on two teams that won the Super Bowl, including the 1972 Dolphins who is still the only team to complete an undefeated season – although in each case he only made it to the taxi squad. It was a culture that encouraged drinking, steroid use, and gambling. After engaging in these destructive behaviors for many years, as well as going through recovery, AA meetings, and learning about Buddhist principles, Tom developed a deep understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of many of these paths that can take one from ruin to sobriety. He sees even more perils in today’s society where younger and younger kids have access to drugs and to phone app gambling, and where the justice system is an ineffective deterrent. Tom shares his insights in his book Sobriety Is A Team Sport, where he emphasizes the power of enlisting support networks—family, friends, healthcare professionals, and spiritual guidance—in overcoming addiction. He writes candidly about the evolving landscape of addiction, the necessity of surrender, and the limitations of punitive legal approaches in addressing substance use disorders. His teachings integrate elements of mindfulness and Buddhism, offering a holistic perspective on sustainable sobriety. The culture of discipline, resilience, and mental toughness—while important for success—can also create a dangerous stigma around seeking help, making it difficult for individuals to admit they are struggling. As a former athlete, Tom shares his personal experience with addiction and how the fear of appearing weak kept him from seeking support for years. He challenges the misconception that surrender is failure, explaining instead how true strength lies in acknowledging the need for help and embracing recovery as a team effort. Tom also explores how shifting from a hyper-competitive mindset to one of community and support can make all the difference in sustaining long-term sobriety, helping high performers reframe their approach to both success and healing. Of the many WASP guests discussing their sobriety, I find Tom’s down-to-Earth approach makes an awful amount of sense.

Tom Barnum

www.stilltom.com

Facebook Sobriety Is A Team Sport

Instagram @stilltom462206

Bill Stahl
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This is the type of adventure story you don’t get to hear about very often. You very likely know something about Alaska’s Iditarod Trail dog-sledding race, a grueling, multiday wilderness endurance test from Anchorage to Nome. Did you know that there is also a race where humans bike, ski, and run on the course? Leadville’s own Mitch Dulleck trained for months in the high Rockies and then attended a camp in Alaska to prepare to run the Iditarod Trail Invitational 150-mile race. There was no designated route as he pulled a sled with all of his gear, the only rule being that he had to pass through several checkpoints. The entrants truly have to be self-sufficient in that sometimes-harsh environment. For instance, the race organizers don’t promise any rescue should some misfortune befall racers. Competitors need to problem-solve for themselves while enduring possible issues with weather, terrain, injuries, wildlife, and more. Few of us will ever get to breathe the air in such beautiful and serene wilderness, much less race there, so I don’t have to tell you that Mitch will be describing a very unique outdoor endurance experience that will have you fascinated as much as it did me, including discussing his training, food, equipment, and seeing the aurora borealis, all of which has stoked Mitch’s fire to go back and try the Iditarod Trail’s even more challenging 350-mile race.

Mitch Dulleck

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Instagram @1mtnrnr1

Bill Stahl
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Listing 285-pound defensive lineman or being the fifth-ranked high schooler in the nation in the discus on your resume aren’t typical prerequisites for running across America. But former big guy Mason Wright, who at 17 years old could bench press 450 pounds and squat 685 pounds will be doing exactly that, and not that “short” way, either. He won’t just run from one coast to the other, but from corner to corner, Seattle to Miami. But first this April he will run across Utah from north to south in eight days, averaging about 55 miles a day. He will be doing all of this to raise funds for the Single Parent Project, after having witnessed his mom’s struggles following Mason’s dad’s imprisonment and then the sudden death of her second husband. The family’s struggles also led Mason to some very dark, even suicidal, places. With the very strong support of his wife and her family, they introduced Mason to Spartan racing, which then led him to shed triple-digits weight and eventually enter his first trail ultramarathons and a top-20 finish in the Spartan World Championship just two years later. Along the way, he has developed a large following among those who know him as the Buff Runner. He inspires them to join the Buff Runner Army and take the small steps to challenge themselves every day. His fitness journey has guided him to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the health and nutrition field, and to open a nutrition practice and a rehab gym facility. His fundraising goal for his run across Utah is $15K, and he hopes to raise a total of $100K with his Project 3434 run across America, the 3434 miles he will cover to support the Single Parent Project, which assists families that don’t have resources get back on their feet, whether they need help with rent, groceries, transportation, schooling, getting kids into activities, etc. The links to contribute are below, which are also on his web site, buffrunner.com, where you can also find information about joining him in any of his events leading up to the run across America. Buckle up to listen to this fun journey.

Mason Wright

Buffrunner.com

Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok @buffrunner

Bill Stahl
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I want you to explore the world! With a little creativity and ingenuity--and a willingness to get out of your comfort zone--you can have experiences that will open your eyes to people and places that will enhance your life in ways you can't imagine. In this episode, I describe my trip in October to places many people don't often visit. It began with a cruise with my family--including my parents who are in their 90s--beginning in Lisbon and stopping in Madeira, the Canary Islands, Morocco, and Spain. Following debarkation in Barcelona, without any plans at all, I rented a car and drove to Carcassonne, France, the tiny, wealthy, Pyrenees Mountains country of Andorra, then through the Spanish cities of Pamplona, San Sebastián, Bilbao, Laguardia, Logroño, Zaragoza, and Barcelona. It was quite the adventure navigating roads in foreign countries and figuring out accommodations and food. There were plenty of challenges and surprises, and I think you'll enjoy riding along on these adventures!

Bill Stahl
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I first met Max Madorsky when the kids on my cross country team at Littleton H.S. invited me to join them at an all-you-can-eat sushi joint in the southern suburbs of Denver. They had invited along this guy who had this amazing capacity to shovel in food. This restaurant couldn’t have been too pleased seeing Max down eight plates of sushi all by himself. I happen to have a remarkable ability to consume large amounts of pizza, so right away I knew Max was my guy to win a challenge from a local parlor in which if two people would win $100 if they could eat a 28”, two-topping pie in an hour. Max and I crushed this prize in only 45 minutes. Because 28” is not just double 14” (think pi-r-squared), that’s something like 14 pounds of pizza. And then Max weaseled a couple of those oversized chocolate-chip cookies out of them, and later went out and ate a handful of doughnuts! What I didn’t know at the time is that Max was relatively svelte at the time, having weighed close to 300 pounds a few years prior as an eighth-grader! Max got bullied for his size and resorted to using drugs to mask his feelings. Some great mentors introduced Max to martial arts like jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and kickboxing. It was scary for a young Max when one of these mentors got deployed to Iraq, so this soldier promised Max he would return home alive if Max would turn around his life. With that kind of motivation, Max did indeed. He eventually became a professional mixed-martial arts fighter, and has lived in Thailand and Mexico both perfecting his craft and teaching others. During a time in Thailand in which he was injured, Max even opened up a bagel shop/marijuana dispensary! Now Max is additionally pursuing a standup comedy career. It’s a great comeback story from someone who got bullied when he was as young as 8 for his weight. With these and other twists and turns, I’m sure you’ll enjoy hearing Max’s compelling story.

Max Madorsky

Instagram @maxmadorsky @muaythaijew @toebra

Bill Stahl
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Even though Maddy Reynolds was not a runner, COVID-19 spurred her and her homebound friends to start running around the limited area they were allowed to in their neighborhood in Sydney, Australia. On a lark, they decided to run their own marathon. Once racing resumed, Maddy ran an actual marathon. Then she was encouraged to try trail running and next racing. You can see where this is going. Maddy eventually took the risky leap, quitting her secure job as an investment banker to become a full-time runner. By 2023, successes started to accrue. After a runner-up finish in the Six Foot Track Marathon, one of Australia’s most prestigious races, Maddy was chosen to represent her country at the World Mountain and Trail Championships in Austria. Her crowning result for the year was winning the UTMB Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko 50K. She followed up that ascendent year with a string of top-10 trail race finishes in 2024, including a win at the Trail de Lac d’Oô in the Pyrenees. Like any upward trajectory, there were bumps in the road. Maddy suffered a stress fracture in her calcaneus, or heel bone, following Kosciuszko. The most serious, though, was after she sustained a serious bacterial eye infection due to a contact lens mistake. Doctors considered removing her eye, but were able to save it, although her vision was severely fogged over. Amazingly, Maddy continued to progress despite very limited depth perception, certainly a huge impediment for a trail runner, leading to numerous falls, including a cracked kneecap. Just last week came a double-dose of positives. First, Maddy’s doctors got her a new kind of contact lens that has restored her sight. A truly “Holy Crap, I can see” moment. Ironically, it’s the same kind of lens that has also salvaged my vision. Using her new visual acuity, Maddy finished second in New Zealand’s UTMB Tarawera Ultra-Trail 52K. Although the race buildup did not go without some crazy, maybe even hilarious, hiccups, as you’ll hear. None of these incidents can deter Maddy, who explains the big chance she took on herself, and led her to move to France with her boyfriend to advance her career. She is a font of positivity, and feeds upon the community that is running. She has some huge days ahead of her, and we had a very fun and engaging chat, so I hope you’ll enjoy this and follow her as she establishes herself as a force in the trail running world.

Maddy Reynolds

Instagram @maddyreynolds98

Bill Stahl
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I love when people don’t accept the status quo from the medical field. One disease where there is no known cure, and not much is known about its cause or treatments for it, is Parkinson’s an uncurable neurological disease. So Scott Hanley of Belfast, Northern Ireland chose a different path to dealing with getting diagnosed with it, and as a result believes he has reduced his symptoms by 95%! Repeat, 95%! That’s simply unheard of. He didn’t do anything magic, take any banned substances, or sell his soul to the Devil. Parkinson’s patients are usually instructed to engage their minds more. Scott added to this advice with some very commonsense approaches, including tweaking his nutrition and moving his body. But Scott reasoned that just doing cardio would actually be more mind-numbing, so this former Royal Army soldier engaged in short-burst exercises, which he could easily do during the lockdown of the pandemic. This eventually led him to a CrossFit gym in Belfast, where he found a community to engage with and where he has become an inspirational participant. Scott has found the CrossFit workouts have continued to keep his mind and body strong and moving, so much so that for a couple of years, many in the gym weren’t even aware of his Parkinson’s. Scott’s experiences have given him a unique perspective into resilience, and he shares his story, which might motivate anyone to also find their own solutions when facing a tough medical diagnosis.

Scott Hanley

Instagram @thrive_happens

Bill Stahl
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As the world’s population ages, more and more of us are affected by diseases, truly horrible diseases, like Alzheimer’s. The latest studies show that 1/3 of seniors will have some level of dementia by the time they pass away. That’s staggering. Alzheimer’s now afflicts more Americans than breast and prostate cancers combined. Seven million people living in this country have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, plus 11 million more are caregivers for these patients. There’s not much that’s tougher than watching a loved one’s mental faculties decline to the point that they are almost-unrecognizable. In this episode, I chat with Brian Tatum of the Alzheimer’s Association, which is doing amazing things in funding research into Alzheimer’s causes and treatment, as well as providing critical support for caregivers, for whom tending to a loved one’s decline can be another full-time job. The Association also hosts the Ride 2 End ALZ, an opportunity for anyone to hop on their bike to help raise money to aid them to fund more research and support services like a 24/7 hotline that is staffed by Master’s-level experts. The ride is a super cool and supportive event, as described in this episode also by Steve Mollen, who I randomly met at a Colfax Marathon committee meeting where we’d initially connected talking about New York sports. Steve enthusiastically describes the community created at this ride, one of six in the country, by the Alzheimer’s Association. He has participated in the ride in Fort Collins, Colo., which has distances ranging from 23 to 75 miles and this year will be on June 8. It’s a very significant event that is geared for anyone to do, or you can ride virtually and/or support riders like Steve by donating on their fundraising pages. It’s very likely you and a loved one have been impacted by Alzheimer’s, so please consider getting involved with the Ride 2 End ALZ and fighting this terrible disease. If you choose to support Steve in particular, his fundraising page info is below.

Alzheimer's Association Ride 2 End ALZ
alz.com/ride

Steve's personal ride page: https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Ride2025/Ride?px=22795655&pg=personal&fr_id=18284

Alzheimer's Association
alz.com
24/7 Helpline: 800-272-3900
Facebook, Instagram, and X

Bill Stahl
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It’s always great to jumpstart a new year talking again with Dan Herman of Dan Herman Performance. We are past the so-called quit day after which many people’s resolutions have gone down the drain, so Dan and I talk about both setting goals as well as how to keep them going. The great thing about Dan is he how he can present ideas in relatable ways that are not just pulled out of a textbook, and puts them into actionable steps that you can easily work in your everyday life. For those who haven’t heard him on previous WASP episodes, Dan once weighed 375 pounds, then bought his first running shoes and lost one-third of his weight. He embraced movement and strength and began sharing his knowledge with others. He eventually quit his job to train others full-time and now he is fully committed to helping people transform into the strongest and most authentic versions of themselves. You might want to be ready to take some notes because his commonsense approaches born from overcoming his own struggles I think make listening to him as enlightening as anyone you will hear.

Dan Herman
danhermanperformance.com
Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube @danhermanperformance

Bill Stahl
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I have always thought that everyone has a sport or activity in which they could be world-class, but sometimes we haven’t tried it and discovered which one it is. Maybe it’s karate or curling or backgammon. Or as I’ve told kids I’ve coached in track that to get ahead, rather than run a common event like the 100 meters, try an event that few others do like the pole vault, triple jump, or 300-meter hurdles. Ultramarathoning is obviously a niche sport, as is an Olympic sport I’ve always liked, fencing. My interest goes back to my days as a sportswriter for the University of Pennsylvania student newspaper. You get assigned to cover so-called minor sports as a freshman, and one team I drew was the Penn fencing team. I learned quickly to admire both the skills and endurance of some of the best fencers in the NCAA. So even after I worked my way up the ladder to reporting on the basketball and football teams, I asked to still cover the fencing team, and even became something of a de facto team manager. Later, when Denver hosted the 1989 World Fencing Championships, I was named press liaison between the organization and journalists who had come from around the globe to cover the event. Today, I do alumni interviews for applicants to Penn, and I had the opportunity to chat with a dynamic local high school senior named Patrick Li, who I found out has fenced since he was in 4th-grade. Patrick has discovered the benefits of pushing himself to excel and realized the benefits of having a supportive community around him. In turn, Patrick has been generously giving back to expose kids and disabled individuals to the sport, so they can enjoy it as much as he has. I’m impressed with how much this young man, who hopes to major in behavioral economics in college, is willing to put in to help others. Along the way in this chat, you’ll also learn a bit about this sport they call “physical chess,” and hopefully have some appreciation if you see it on TV during the 2028 Olympics in L.A. Maybe go to a local fencing club and find out for yourself if it could be your own gold medal sport!

Patrick Li
pli2006118@gmail.com
720-220-6495
Instagram @patrick__li__

Bill Stahl
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We are heading back Down Under for this episode to speak with a super-inspirational Aussie named Paul Jamieson, who at the age of 32 suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in a freak wakeboarding accident. He spent the following half a year in a hospital before being released to a rehab facility that for years basically had no hope for him and did little more than feed him puréed foods. Remarkably, these life-altering events transformed him into an extremely positive person. Paul used to be highly critical and negative, but post-accident, he has completely eradicated negativity from his life. We are joined by Dan Dougherty, who I’ve coached both when he was in high school back in the 90s and as an adult, and who has helped guide Paul at Jigsaw Australia, a company that provides training and employment for disabled people. Paul’s ultimate goal is to live independently and secure meaningful work in a mainstream job, with the dream of becoming a motivational speaker. His journey has been arduous – after his accident, he was in a vegetative state and bedridden for years, unable to communicate except by blinking his eyes or to sit up because his legs were totally straight and stiff. However, inspired to make a change, Paul, with the help of his dedicated therapy team, has taken life one step at a time, re-learning how to speak and eat. Initially, he couldn't even bend his knees enough to complete one rotation on a stationary bicycle. Through excruciating hard work, now his goal is to walk 600 meters to the local café – he's currently able to cover more than half of that. Paul's sense of humor and ability to inspire others to believe in their dreams, seek help when needed, and maintain a positive outlook are truly remarkable, so I think you’ll enjoy hearing from this very inspirational Aussie.

Listen to more on Paul's story on the Spotify podcast series, Beyond the Impact - Paul's Recovery Story
https://open.spotify.com/show/7v5KK6LrU9TBU3cM21lCXM

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Let’s start off 2025 with someone who had a breakout 2024, and like the final episode of last year with Mary Denholm, in which there is a lot of great information from which to learn. I met the impressive Kat Edwards while on a mountain-climbing adventure with Tyler Andrews’ Chaski Endurance Collective in Chile’s Atacama Desert. This was the now-25-year-old’s first trip outside of the U.S., and in fact, she had barely even left the Eastern time zone before. It was part of a year in which she not only got out of her comfort zone, but she walked right up to the ledge and jumped off. Kat grew up in an athletic family and was always very active herself, and dabbled in high school and college running, but didn’t take it seriously until 2021. Kat has always had a lot of drive, both for herself as well as for the athletes she coaches, so down in Chile she set FKTs for the ascent and roundtrip on Nevado San Francisco, the highest peak we climbed, which tops out at more than 6000 meters, or just under 20,000 feet. Without a ton of ultramarathon racing experience under her belt, Kat soon after experienced some hard lessons competing in the Petzl Trail Plus 80k in Ecuador that probably added to her arsenal when she won the Sedona Canyons 125 this past spring in 30:21:16. In October, she took third-place in her first 200-mile effort, the Moab 240, where she battled the heat, sleep deprivation, and very tough foot issues. In between, Kat married her long-time partner and fellow endurance junkie, Jason Anderson, who has now been enlisted as Kat’s forever crew leader. As young adventure-seekers without big endorsement dollars at this point, you’ll hear about how they engineered the logistics to get to Moab in the first place, which was not always assured, and how their strong faith in God helped them overcome the many obstacles it took for Kat to score such an incredible achievement. Kat also generously shares many of the techniques she has employed to see such amazing early success in her career, including her devotion to strength training. There’s lots to gain listening to this Kat chat. I think also that if you are a young, aspiring endurance athlete, you might do very well to connect with Kat as a coach at the Chaski Endurance Collective at chaski.run

Kat Edwards
katedwardspt.com
Instagram @kat.elizabeth_
For coaching inquiries: www.chaski.run

Bill Stahl
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I thought it would be good to end the year with someone who had a mind-blowing 2024. Mary Denholm finished it off at the JFK 50-miler, where she was the second female with a time of 6:04:15, which was faster than the previous course record. Her summer in Leadville really stood out. She won the very difficult marathon under four hours. Due to the schedule shift this year, the Silver Rush 50-Mile was just one week later, but Mary breezed to a 28-minute victory, good for fourth overall. She capped the summer off by winning the Leadville Trail 100 by three hours, which was ninth overall. Her time of 18:23:51 was second-fastest in history, only 16 minutes behind legendary Ann Trason. In this very informative episode, hear the mechanics of how Mary pulled off this impressive year. She also shares very essential keys to her overall success, including how she executes her high-caloric, mostly plant-based diet, has added strength training, and how she has preserved having a menstrual cycle. There is a treasure trove of great knowledge in here. Finally, Mary shares a fantastic account of her JFK 50, which featured an inspiring comeback from a very bad place she was in during the race, stayed calm, turned it around, and closed with a 6:00 mile. A lot to learn there. Mary has some big plans for the upcoming year that will be sure to further fire you up for your own epic goals for 2025.

Mary Denholm
Instagram @eatrunandbemary
Strava

Bill Stahl
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It’s time for our annual tradition started by David of Sober F*cking Christmas. As you may know, in his book Out There, David describes how on one Christmas Eve, on one of his usual stumbling drunk days before he got sober, he was attempting to wrap his kids’ Christmas gifts, but was so hammered that all he could do was crumple newspaper around them and bind it up with duct tape before passing out. Christmas morning, the kids opened the embarrassing messes while he nursed his hangover. That would be the proverbial rock-bottom that caused him to finally pull out of the abyss of addiction he had been in to eventually become the motivational wonder that he became. So this episode has become a staple that always rates among the most-downloaded episodes year-in and year-out.

As we wind down 2024, thanks again to all of you for listening to the WASP. Please make sure you subscribe so you can load all new episodes onto your phone. If you enjoyed the podcast, the best thing you can do is share it with your friends or on social media, and please do me a favor and take 60 seconds and give us a five-star rating on whatever platform on which you listen to us. I would also be humbly honored if you would write a review as well. These five-star ratings and reviews really do help! Again, Happy Holidays and Sober F*cking Christmas to you. Until next time, always be positive!

Gary Stotler
garystotler.com
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Instagram @_garystotler_
Find his latest book, "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon

Chad Prichard
Instagram @rn_leadman_chad

Ed Barnette
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Bill Stahl
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Meghan Hunter was an eight-time state track champion in Utah at Provo High School, including 2018 when she swept titles in the 100, 200, 400, and 800 meters, an almost-unheard-of spread of talent. Her impressive times included a blazing state record of 52.59 seconds in the 400. She earned herself a berth on the U.S. Youth Olympics team and got to compete in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her natural progression took her to her dream of competing collegiately at BYU. Then on July 4, 2019, she and her brother Morgan were on the way to volunteer at a race when Morgan swerved to avoid hitting a deer on the road, and rolled their car five times. Meghan broke the C3, C4, and C5 vertebrae in her neck and doctors told her that she would probably never again run at the same level she had. Naturally, Meghan wasn’t satisfied with that answer, and began the arduous process to get back to running and competing at a high level. Nineteen months later, Meghan was back with her BYU teammates, but still had to confront another nemesis caused by the crash, PTSD. It’s something she still continuously has to work through, but by this year, the results have been coming around. She was third in the 800 meters in the NCAA indoor championships, got her time down to 2:00.75 at the Portland Track Festival, and got to compete at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. She was named a finalist for the Honda Inspiration Award, and has just signed an NIL deal with Nike. Quite the whirlwind of a year! What I love about Meghan and her story is her relentless positivity in the face of these struggles. Even in her neck brace in the hospital with her family, she was sporting a huge smile. At the same time, she graduated from BYU with a degree in communications disorders, and is aiming to work in the field of speech, language, and pathology. How cool is that? I hope you enjoy this chat with this delightful young woman with an inspiring story and become a fan of hers like I am as she ascends a very promising ladder in the track world.

Meghan Hunter
Instagram @meghan_annne

Bill Stahl
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I have one more great guest with an awesome story who ran the American Heroes Run this year. James Gaa completed 36 laps, or about 37 miles, of the 9 hour and 11 minute run. Pretty darn good for a guy who only began running a little more than a year prior. James had been primarily spending his time in the weight room before deciding to start to run in 2023, and has done so every day since. It’s launched him on a journey to help him overcome the traumas of an abusive childhood and the drug-related death of his mother. His first goal was to run a marathon. Check. Then an ultramarathon. Check. Both of which almost didn’t happen after a heavy table base fell on his head in a warehouse at his job. James has a very well-developed perspective on how all of these events have shaped his life as well as on his journey to discover how far he can test himself, so I think you’ll gain a lot listening to this chat. I really enjoyed learning a bit about his story at the AHR, and a lot of it more here. I’m excited to see how far James will venture on this personal adventure.

James Gaa
@jamesgaa
MapMyRun James Gaa

Bill Stahl
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Just in time for Thanksgiving and the holidays, I am very excited to bring you this chat with Leah Garcés, the CEO of Mercy for Animals, which is promoting a campaign to Pardon a Turkey. The idea is to celebrate the holidays in a kinder way by sparing the life of a beautiful, intelligent animal, and instead substituting other delicious and healthy dishes. Tens of millions of turkeys are artificially gorged to an insane weight and then killed each year for Thanksgiving alone. To help the meal preparers in your family, Mercy for Animals has created an impressive downloadable cookbook that has easy-to-follow directions and videos for a dozen very tasty-sounding recipes for vegan apple-cranberry stuffing, vegan mashed potatoes, vegan sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, and a crispy vegan turkey roast. Yum! The cookbook is totally free on their website, mercyforanimals.com Mercy for Animals has been at the forefront of trying to create a more humane world that ensures the health of everyone on the planet by specifically trying to move us away from factory farming, which not only perpetuates shocking, cruel methods, but endangers our health in many ways, whether through the pollution it causes to deadly outbreaks of e.coli, salmonella, etc. It is also an enormously inefficient use of the Earth’s rapidly shrinking arable land that needs to feed an ever-growing population. One particularly innovative program is called Transfarmation, that is helping chicken farmers that are caught up in the grind of subservience to massive conglomerates to convert their farms to growing plants and thus achieving a better balance in their lives, and get this, more profitability. Don’t be turned away from this episode if you are a dedicated meat eater, which is fine. Leah does a fantastic job of educating and making it easy to make a small difference in the world. Did you know that Americans on average eat 30 animals a year? Even one meatless day a week can spare several animals from the torture of factory farming, and you know what? You will be healthier, too, which is a nice benefit. So enjoy this lively chat, and Pardon a Turkey this holidays!

Leah Garcés
MercyForAnimals.org
Info@MercyForAnimals.org
Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn Mercy For Animals
Threads and YouTube @mercyforanimals
TikTok mercyforanimals_us

Bill Stahl
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Despite the beginning of more focus now on mental health, especially after the well-publicized battles that were brought forward by gymnast Simone Biles and tennis player Naomi Osaka, there is still a stigma for men to seek assistance, unless you count the omnipresent TV commercials by the affable, mustachioed Dr. Rich Mahogany for mantherapy.org Soleiman Bolour has tapped into his own journey to assist men in their personal growth to find greater clarity, confidence, and intention. Whether the individual is in addiction recovery, dealing with unresolved trauma, or just trying to identify a focused sense of purpose, Soleiman mentors men and guides their journeys by tapping into his studies in psychology, tantra, tao, NLP (neuro linguistic programming), and much more. He both does one-on-one coaching as well as leads groups, where they explore, among other things, how to balance productivity vs. mindfulness. The basic elements that they build upon include 1. Building a foundation, 2. Creating a vision, 3. Identifying what needs to change, and 4. Execution. I see some real opportunities here for men if you are dealing with being unable to set boundaries, holding yourself back because you are always trying to please other people, and those who want to improve their relationships to thus unlock the doors to personal growth. Soleiman can explain all of this a lot better than I can, so I think you’ll get a lot out of this chat, as well as checking out the blogs and other information on his website, soleimanb.com, and perhaps engaging with him either one-on-one or in his men’s groups. By the way, he limits the size of each one to 12 men, so you develop a more focused relationship with others who have a common purpose.

Soleiman Bolour
www.soleimanb.com
info@soleimanb.com
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Instagram and YouTube @soleimanbolour
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Bill Stahl
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I met Chaiwen Chou on the trip I took in March to the Atacama Desert of Chile that was led by Tyler Andrews of Chaski Endurance Collective. Two things immediately stood out about Chaiwen: one was her gorgeous purple hair, and the second was the boot on her foot. As you know, this was no tourist cruise, we were going to be climbing several very tall summits, the highest at almost 20,000 feet, on steep, loose terrain. You see, Chaiwen had broken her ankle a few weeks before the trip, and her doctor and physical therapist told her that the trip was out of the question. Undeterred, she came on the trip, at first thinking she would just walk around the beautiful landscape while the rest of us took on epic challenges. That thinking didn’t last long. Chaiwen not only conquered all of the climbs in her boot, but she crushed them! Despite those achievements, when she got home to NYC, those professionals still told her no running for several more weeks. Which was a problem because this veteran of epic races like the Formosa Trail 104k in Taiwan and the Tahoe 200 was registered for her dream race, the UTMB, in August. Chaiwen talks here about her long injury recovery, her crash training regimen which totally blows me away, and her experience running in the “Super Bowl” of 100-mile races. So, so impressive! She is tremendously fun, so I think you’ll get a kick out of this chat as much as I did.

Chaiwen Chou
Instagram @aehrwyn

Bill Stahl
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Our guest today is a local running and coaching legend here in Colorado who is also well-known worldwide. Junko Kazukawa came late into the running world, but has been a prolific endurance athlete, while exuding tons of positive energy. This year alone she completed the Leadwoman challenge – all of the Leadville running and biking races – which included her 10th LT100 run finish, then finished the very difficult Tor des Géants 200-miler in Italy, ran rim-to-rim-to-rim in the Grand Canyon, and currently has the NYC Marathon on-deck. In 2015, she became the first person to complete Leadwoman plus the 100-miler Grand Slam – Western States, Leadville, Vermont, and Wasatch – all in the same year. She did this on the heels of a second breast cancer diagnosis. This has given her the wonderful perspective of if there is something you want to do, don’t wait, just do it, you never know what will happen tomorrow. And then her philosophy that cancer takes away a lot, but it gives you so much more. Junko also talks here about the interesting topic of how suffering through a tough ultramarathon makes her feel more alive. Her infectious positive energy has created a huge following for her both at her races and in her coaching, and Junko Mountain Training is not only the training regimen for many of her athletes, but has become an Internet sensation, too. Junko with her running and coaching has also generously supported the Susan B. Komen Foundation, the Leadville Legacy Foundation, and several individuals battling cancer themselves. I know you’ll enjoy this chat with this relentlessly energetic and positive dynamo.

Junko Kazukawa
boundless.com
kickingjk@gmail.com
Instagram @runjunkorun

Bill Stahl
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We have had some uplifting performances by young runners in American Heroes Run. Last year, we had the formerly overweight high school freshman who completed the marathon. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago a freshman cross country runner named Bobby, who normally runs 5K, who completed 50K. And then we have 19-year-old Steven Sampson, who completed 35.7 miles in the 9 hour & 11 minute run. One thing that sets Steven apart is that he considers himself a hybrid athlete because he devotes probably more of his time to weightlifting and bodybuilding than he does running. Some of his inspiration comes from the likes of David Goggins and many notable competitive bodybuilders. So like the young marathoner last year, it was cool to see a guy with a jacked body hammering out long distance miles. One of his drivers, too, has been overcoming surgery to remove a brain tumor, which has left him with screws in his skull and he also hopes doesn’t prevent him from someday becoming a Navy Seal. He’s a super nice young man who is passionate about his athletic pursuits, and is just getting started in finding where these will take him, so I think you’ll enjoy our chat.

Instagram @camopants_steve

Bill Stahl
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Another great American Heroes Run performer was Lindsay Rahill, who attempted to complete her first 100-miler. While she bowed out at mile 72, Lindsay far exceeded her previous limits, and in the process continues to put behind her abuse and an eating disorder. She was supported by her awesome husband Chris, who had a fantastic spread of fueling items out for her the entire race except when he had to run home to pickup the kids from school. Lindsay is a lot of fun and she exudes enthusiasm for running and life in general. I greatly appreciate the help she gave me to help promote the AHR this year, which likely directly contributed to our having the highest numbers ever since I began directing the race.

Lindsay Rahill
Instagram @lindsay.rahill

Bill Stahl
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As I mentioned in my American Heroes Run episode, there were numerous impressive performances and I’m going to bring you chats with some of these while I’m traveling. First is Lisa Kabat, who not only improved her distance in the 9 hour & 11 minute race from 48 miles in 2023 to 62 miles this year, but also smashed the race record… the men’s record, too. Given the unusual time length, perhaps that’s a world record? Lisa lives near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, but she prefers to run loops around her neighborhood, to the tune of 25 miles every day. Yes, that’s right. Thus, the loop format of the American Heroes Run suits her very well. What was cool was that Lisa generally had a big smile as she completed every lap. This might distract you from gawking at her unusual running form. She runs on her toes with a short, machine-like stride, with arms wildly swinging. I coached high school basketball for many years, and my first instinct would be to fix bad shooting form. But if the player was making his shots, you just shrugged and let it go. The same thing applies to Lisa – it seems to work for her. It’s funny but just last week some people I was with talked about this woman with the funky form who they would see over and over and over running past their house near where Lisa lives. I’ve got a strong hunch I know who they were talking about! Lisa’s next goal is Tunnel Hill, which, while it’s out-and-back, is relatively flat. As she says, with her style it’s likely she should stay off of rocky trails. But in our fun chat, you’ll be impressed hearing how she fits huge miles into her schedule, and her enthusiasm for cranking out repetitive miles.

Lisa Kabat
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Bill Stahl
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In addition to the We Are Superman Podcast, it is my humble privilege to honor David Clark's legacy to direct the American Heroes Run that he began in 2010. This year, we had the largest number of runners since I began hosting it, and quite a few had outstanding performances. We will be highlighting some of these stories in episodes over the new few weeks, but here is a recap of the entire two days of racing from 5K to 100 miles, from 15 to 85 years old, in Longmont, Colorado.

Bill Stahl
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Adam Popp was one of the most impressive previous WASP guests, appearing on episode #209 in May, 2022. Adam, a 12-year combat veteran, had his right leg blown off by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in December, 2007 while serving in the Air Force as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team leader. After a long, arduous rehabilitation process, Adam found his purpose again in advocacy work and sports, where he has always gone big and crammed a lot into a short amount of time. He won the 2021 and 2022 Americas Triathlon Championships, and completed a full Ironman in 11:03:06 in 2023. He became the first above-the-knee amputee to complete a 100-mile running race in less than 30 hours, and this year set the 100-mile world record of 16:13:43. He won the 2024 Boston Marathon Para Elite division (T61/63) and set a T63 world best of 3:08:52 at the London Marathon just six days later. For good measure, he ran another marathon in New Zealand a couple of weeks after that. Adam, who already holds seven Guinness World Records, is on a current quest to set 17 records this year to mark 17 years since losing his leg. His next major attempt will be to run 24 hours straight on a treadmill, which he’ll do on Oct. 15 inside the Hoka flagship store in NYC. He aims to support the many organizations that aided him and other wounded soldiers. He is also doing a trial run on Wednesday morning, Sept. 25 in Arvada, Colo., so please reach out to him if you are a local listener who’d like to help witness it for him. His Instagram to contact him is @eodpopp He’s a super humble guy who valiantly served his country on the battlefield, so please support him if you can either in Arvada or in New York.

Adam Popp
adampopp.com
Instagram @eodpopp

Bill Stahl
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Some wise person said that necessity is the mother of invention. It’s also sometimes the mother of entrepreneurship. Meet Rice University runner Tyler Strothman. When he experienced years of frustrating foot pain, he tried many different brands of shoes, but nothing seemed to help solve his issues. So boldly, Tyler decided to start his own shoe brand, Veloci. The first models should arrive in January, but many runners who have tried his demo models have raved about them. The differentiators include a toebox that conforms to the natural shape of the foot AND they have a typical running shoe heel drop. Unlike some other brands on the market that have wider toeboxes, Velocis truly match the foot’s shape and they are not zero-drop shoes. In a crowded field, Tyler has been using his youthful enthusiasm and energy to crack into running shoe stores with his innovative brand. In this chat, it is interesting to hear the approach used by a 21-year-old to introduce Velocis to the running community, as well as learning how he has taken his shoes and the company from the drawing board, through financing and relationship-building, to actual production. After my bunion surgery last year, my foot still feels pretty beat up after runs, so I’m looking forward to receiving the pair of Velocis I’ve ordered myself.

Tyler Strothman
velocirunning.com
Instagram @velocirunning and @tylerstrothman
LinkedIn and TikTok Veloci Running

Bill Stahl
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It’s a shame that two of the nicest people you can meet at the Leadville Trail 100 also happen to be the ones you want the least to meet. You see, Sandy and Mike Monahan are the race’s cutoff queen and king. If you are pushing the time cutoffs at each aid station, they will do their best to move you through and on to the next one. But if you are too late getting there, they will kindly and gently deliver the news that your raceday has ended. You couldn’t ask for better people to handle this difficult job, and that is what makes them an integral part of the Leadville Family. I’ve been there several times on both sides of the cutoff ledger, which may be why in the years I have volunteered, Sandy has sometimes recruited me to assist her. I got to know them particularly well in 2015, when I was the so-called Last Ass Up the Pass, the DFL, or dead f*@king last finisher. Due to coming back from surgery for a ruptured quad that prior fall and some other unique circumstances, from the time I arrived at Twin Lakes inbound, I was within four minutes of the cutoff at every aid station the rest of the way. A very stressful position to be in, but the Monahans kept me moving along so that I did make it to the finish with only two minutes to spare, in 29:58! Once again this year, at Outward Bound and Half Pipe, there were Mike and Sandy pushing me along as I teetered ahead of those cutoffs. But the couple has meant a lot more to the race, going all the way back to the early days when Mike was a racer, and Sandy helped race co-founder Merilee computerize the records from the old handwritten ones prior to then. Cole Chlouber devoted an entire chapter to them in his new book, Grit, Guts, and Determination. Mike and Sandy share some great stories that I am sure you will enjoy in this episode, recorded on the eve of this year’s race, which they generously agreed to do, get this, on their 50th wedding anniversary!

Bill Stahl
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I recap the Leadville Trail 100, including my experiences, training, fueling, the race itself, the Leadville people and the race's highly-charged atmosphere, and what my takeaways from it are. The chief one of those is to continue to think big and take chances on epic challenges. In fact, I'm asking all of you listeners to suggest other ones I can undertake. I'm ready. Please contact me and let me know your ideas for me!

Bill Stahl
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With the Olympics having just ended, I’m presenting a chat I had with someone who might be a good bet to run in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Parker Wolfe had a terrific high school career at Cherry Creek H.S. in suburban Denver, where in his senior year he was the Gatorade Player of the Year after having an undefeated cross country season, and ran 4:06.17 in the 1600 to set the Colorado state record, which hadn’t been broken in 41 years. He also set the still-standing state record in the 3200, 8:55.94. From there, he has had a stellar career at the Univ. of North Carolina. He won the ACC cross country title this year, but things really began to accelerate after he was runner-up this winter at the NCAA indoor championships in both the 3000 and 5000 meters. The highlights of his spring track season included winning ACC titles in the 5K and 10K, and then winning the NCAA 5000-meter crown. Three weeks later, at only 20 years old, Parker ran in the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. In an incredibly gutsy race, Parker crossed the line in 13:10.75 in third-place. Despite the top-three finish, Parker had not run the Olympic qualifying standard, and after computation of complex world rankings formulas, Parker was unfortunately the first guy out. It was a bit of a tough pill to swallow, but as you’ll hear, Parker has mentally moved on and is focused on his upcoming season at North Carolina. He’s a great example of resilience, overcoming setbacks, and continuing to follow the process. This conversation will also be enlightening if you are a high school or college runner as you hear about how he progressed through the stages of his recruitment, training, and competing.

Parker Wolfe
Instagram and Threads @parkerw19

Bill Stahl
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We often feature comebacks on the WASP. This is a comeback by one old guy, me. I'll be toeing the starting line at the Leadville Trail 100 this weekend for the 10th time, hoping to become the first runner to finish the race in four different 10-year age groups. Leadville has been a special place to me since I first ran there in 1992. I have had many memorable races there, including finishing as the Last Ass Up the Pass in 2015. Between finishes, I have had almost too many surgeries to count. My latest one a year ago kept me out of action most of 2023. However, I have made training for it this year almost a full-time job and have pulled out all the stops to get to the finish. Thank you for following along with my journey, and definitely reach out if you happen to be in Leadville this weekend!

Bill Stahl
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Anthony Lee is a young, rising star in the ultrarunning world who has a backstory that is as atypical you will hear for someone who has won very challenging major races like the Ouray 100 and Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountain Wild and Scenic 100. If you see him at a starting line, you’ll notice his long, brightly-dyed hair, tattoos, painted fingernails, and that he’s Asian, all telling you that he has a story. What a story it is. It includes being a difficult teenager who got into trouble with the law. After he moved to Colorado, he spent a couple of years couch surfing or living under a bridge, and working in the restaurant industry, obviously none of which is very conducive to ultramarathon training. On many days, he would stash his belongings under some bushes in the pre-dawn dark, go for a run, then shower at the rec center and show up for work. This is where Anthony learned a lot about self-reliance, toughness, and perseverance and began his rise in ultrarunning. Despite those hardships, he is one of the most positive and affable athletes in the sport. What’s super cool is Anthony wants to be an advocate for people to try to discover trail and ultrarunning who may look differently than the stereotypical old, white, male. You’ve heard athletes who were former addicts like David, Gary Stotler, and others who have been on the WASP who perhaps gained their amazing wisdom and worldly perspectives due to their struggles. You’ll quickly hear with Anthony the immense gratitude and generosity he radiates that perhaps were gleaned from his hardscabble times. I mean he is just one friendly, giving, upbeat guy and I hope you really enjoy our lively chat.

Anthony Lee
Instagram @anthonyclee
Strava and Facebook Anthony Lee

Bill Stahl
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We’ve featured a lot of people who have taken on epic challenges, but this guest, Ray Zahab of Quebec, Canada, has done dozens and dozens of them. When we recorded this, Ray had just completed a couple of weeks before a crossing of Death Valley from north to south. I’m very familiar with the Badwater 135, which just completed, but that is run on roads. I didn’t even know it was a thing there to run the shortest route between two points, completely off-road. The terrain is seriously rugged, and it’s pretty hot, and Ray ran it with limited re-supplies in 53:35:21. In case you’re wondering, he drank 75 liters of water. He’s also run across the widest park of Death Valley west to east, crossing two mountain ranges, in 35 hours. He’s run 7500 km across the Sahara Desert in 111 days, 1850 km across the Namib Desert in Africa, 1200 km across the Atacama Desert in Chile, and 2000 km across the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. That’s the hot, dry stuff. He’s crossed Baffin Island in northern Canada nine times in winter and trekked from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on snowshoes pulling his supply sled. And I’m just scratching the surface. Here’s the WASP comeback story angle: Ray did this last Death Valley project a little more than a year after completing six months of debilitating chemotherapy for a rare form of lymphoma. What’s very cool about Ray is how he shares his projects with schoolchildren with live links, and he has been running his foundation, impossible2Possible, to introduce kids to the kind of adventuring he does and reach beyond their perceived limits. The foundation takes kids to wild places so they can challenge themselves, and it doesn’t even charge them to be there! Yes, they’re free! Ray and his wife have been raising two daughters who get to experience the outdoors unlike the way Ray was when he was younger and was an out-of-shape, pack-a-day smoker. So there’s another comeback. His brother inspired him to get outdoors and Ray now encourages everyone to also do so, including with his expedition company, KapiK1, which leads trips to remote and beautiful places like Baffin Island, the Atacama Desert, and the Gobi Desert. Even though we had a fairly short conversation, you might still find yourself listening in amazement to all that Ray does and get pumped up by his incredible level of energy and excitement.

Ray Zahab
rayzahab.com
impossible2possible.com
kapik1.com
rzahab@impossible2possible.com
Facebook and LinkedIn Ray Zahab
Instagram and X @rayzahab
YouTube @rayzahab1944

Bill Stahl
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During my recent long hours on trails training for the Leadville Trail 100, as well as in the Chase the Moon ultramarathon I just ran, I have been listening to several podcasts, and one I recently discovered and really enjoy is Buckle Up with Brian Passenti and Simon Guérard. Fellow New York area guy and Yankees fan Brian grew up running but had some significant detours along the way due to drinking and addiction. He basically missed high school after his mom recognized his issues and sent him to various institutions in what is actually known as the Troubled Teen Industry. His path led him to enlist in the Marines where he served almost his full hitch but got discharged for getting caught smoking weed. Following his return to civilian life, Brian continued to run pretty decently, although probably diminished because many of his runs were done in the morning to work off his hangover so he could show up at his job appearing to be sober. He finished Leadville in 2010 in less than 24 hours and was fourth-place in the challenging Silver Rush 50 while juggling running and drinking. A drunken bike wreck in December, 2016 that resulted in significant bodily injury led him to get sober. His running and his life have taken off since then. He has finished Leadville eight times, Leadman, the Moab 240 in 82 hours, and this year the Cocodona 250 in less than 105 hours. Brian, who has a wife and kids, now has the Buckle Up podcast and a thriving full-time coaching business called Altitude Endurance Coaching, and his clients include many training for Leadville and other ultramarathons. I hope you enjoy this lively chat between two ultrarunning, storytelling East Coast guys.

Brian Passenti
altitudeendurancecoaching.com
Facebook Brian Passenti and Altitude Endurance Coaching
Instagram @passentiontherun
LinkedIn Brian Passenti

Bill Stahl
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In January, 2022, episode #187, we brought to you the story of Holocaust survivor Lili Berliner. It is to this day, our episode with the highest number of downloads. We recently lost Lili at the age of 97, and I thought, in a first for the WASP, that we should replay this episode both for those of you who heard it earlier, as well as for those who have joined us more recently. It seems needed in this troubled time in the world that has seen a growing tide of antisemitism and hate. Lili’s story of survival is incredible. Her family was yanked from their home in Transylvania when she was a teenager and shoved into a ghetto that was merely a converted warehouse, along with thousands of others. The Nazis then shipped all of them in a suffocatingly cramped train car to Auschwitz, where her father was immediately killed. Lili, all five feet-nothing of her and her mother against all odds somehow survived the hell of Auschwitz, only to be forced into a death march - barely clothed in frigid winter weather - on which three-quarters of the prisoners perished. They arrived at a labor camp where they craftily survived. Lili was already fluent in seven languages as a teenager, and she used this as a survival skill. When liberated from the infamous Bergen-Belsen by British troops, her mother weighed all of 60 pounds. The Allies used Lili’s language expertise to extract confessions from German guards to use at their war trials.

But this is a story of hope. Lili met her husband Walter, one of the Ritchie Boys, who were German-speaking Austrians who joined the U.S. Army and provided the bulk of intelligence to the Allies during the war. They were married in the first Jewish ceremony in Germany following the war. The couple moved to the U.S. and settled in Queens, New York, and raised a family, including my college roommate at the University of Pennsylvania, Steve. Because the Nazis had interrupted her education, Lili went back and got her high school diploma at age 55, and three years later received a nursing degree. She gave back to others in the medical field until she finally retired at age 85. Along the way, I can attest that she was the warmest, kindest person you would ever meet and a loving mother and grandmother, so amazing for someone who’d seen such horrors. To quote her, “Living well is the greatest revenge.” After listening to this, I encourage you to read her riveting memoir, “And the Month was May,” which you can find on Amazon. Please listen along and be amazed by this incredible survival story.

Steve Berliner
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Instagram @berlinersteve

Bill Stahl
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Trevor Farnes founded MTN OPS, a self-described outdoor performance supplements company. You may ask why you would listen to a chat about another company in this crowded space, but you will quickly find out that MTN OPS is a very different kind of company. For one, their customers are not anonymous buyers but part of a community that shares experiences and triumphs. Interestingly, MTN OPS focuses on the hunting community, but their products are also extremely well-suited for any endurance athletes. It makes sense when you think about it, because hunters spend long hours and days in the field and require proper fueling. Trevor has also created a unique MTN OPS corporate culture that is based on 12 principles that begin with recognizing God, empowering their employees from what he calls the Four Quadrants of Life, and community service. This latter principle led him to create Operation Conquer Hunger, an organization that has provided six million meals to families in the United States and the African country of Malawi. This project was spurred by Trevor’s own life in which his prior business ventures failed and his ability to put food on his family’s table was in question. It’s an impressive operation that brings people together to assemble meal kits in various communities. What’s very cool is that MTN OPS donates a meal for every sale they make. I also like that they are very serious about testing and delivering on their formulations, especially in the wake of recent reports about a prominent company in this field that was not delivering what was promised on its packaging. This is a very interesting story about the birth of this company, which evolved from when Trevor created a concoction that helped prolong his father’s life, to locating in a historic building in a small Utah town where they are literally the only business, to developing this unique culture and community. I hope you enjoy hearing from this engaging, faith-based force in the performance supplements world.

Trevor Farnes
mtnops.com
Facebook and YouTube MTN OPS
Instagram and Threads @mtnops and @trevorfarnes

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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What a difference a year makes. After a bunion that broke through the skin and eventually resulted in surgery wiped out pretty much all of my running and other activities in 2023, this year has seen me excitedly get back into doing big things - whether it was an amazing mountaineering trip in Chile, tearing out the turf in part of my yard and replacing it with a waterwise garden with native plants, editing Cole Chlouber's memoir, "Grit, Guts & Determination," about the birth and growth of the Leadville Race Series, and now completing the Leadville Heavy Half. The latter was with Team Leadville and that included the challenge of raising funds for Warriors' Ascent. The race went very well and the group collected more than $125,000 to fund programs that help prevent veteran and first responder suicide, SAVING 62 lives! Everything is building up to the Leadville Trail 100 in August where I'll be attempting to become the first runner to ever finish it in four different 10-year age groups. Do you have it in you to do something big? Train for a big event? Write that book? Take an epic adventure? I hope I can inspire you to take the leap to give it your best shot to challenge yourself to do something big!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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After Nick Jonsson, a Swedish-born, Southeast Asian businessman, found the mounting stresses of his job and climbing the corporate ladder untenable, he began drinking heavily, abandoned his fitness regimen, and put on a ton of weight, leading to him losing his job, as well as his wife and son. After getting help to control his alcoholism, Nick, who has now been sober for six years, recognized that one of the primary reasons business leaders were failing was having no one available to open up to about these stresses. Instead, they blew off steam in the bars and in other unhealthy outlets. He realized that businessmen, in particular, could benefit from having support to cope, just as he had to regain his sobriety. The well-traveled Nick now leads the Executive’s Global Network in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia to bring business leaders together to discuss issues they face both in and out of the office. He encourages leaders all over the globe to seek out similar groups before work stresses cause them to slip down the slopes that he did. His book, “Executive Loneliness – The 5 Pathways to Overcoming Isolation, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in the Modern Business World” is an Amazon worldwide bestseller, and provides a very logical framework with which to put anyone, not just business leaders, onto the path of a more fulfilling career and overall life. In the meantime, Nick has hammered himself back into prime shape and is one of the top-ranked competitors in the Ironman 70.3 Triathlon World Championship in New Zealand this December. I hope you will enjoy this chat with a very insightful business leader and accomplished triathlete.

To donate to Team Leadville and Warriors' Ascent, which saves lives by providing holistic programs helping veterans and first responders dealing with PTS symptoms, go to:
https://give.classy.org/We-Are-Superman
Thank you!

Nick Jonsson
www.nickjonsson.com
LinkedIn Nick Jonsson
“Executive Loneliness – The 5 Pathways to Overcoming Isolation, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in the Modern Business World” is available on Amazon and his web site

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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On a bike ride on an open road in New Jersey in 2011, Ron Gold was struck head-on by an SUV whose driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel even though it was the middle of the day. He barely survived, suffering critical injuries, and was left a paraplegic. It was bad enough the driver was totally unapologetic about causing this tragic event. Ron spent many months in rehab, not to mention wrestling with feelings of despair and hopelessness. After he finally got back home, one thing he learned, which you would likely never find out otherwise, is how challenging it is to find a reliable home health care provider. Ron and I are fellow alumni of the University of Pennsylvania, and leveraging the business acumen he had gleaned both there and in his Wall Street jobs, Ron and his wife Betsy, who had encouraged him to find purpose in his life despite his situation, founded and run LeanOnWe. This organization serves to help pair people in the New York Tri-State area who need home healthcare with screened providers, as well as enable those providers to receive a livable wage, which is often a barrier to many remaining in the profession. LeanOnWe innovatively addresses both of these shortcomings, and has now matched more than 1900 individuals with providers. In the meantime, Ron has charged back in to the athletic world, in both para-rowing, in which he has competed in the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, and as a marathoner using a handcycle, where he is roughly horizontal to the ground and “pedals” with his arms. He completed the Hartford Marathon in 2:56, and then improved to 2:42 at the New York City Marathon. Along the way, he has helped the fundraising efforts of Eric LeGrand, the Rutgers football player who was paralyzed in 2010 and is now an inspiring entrepreneur himself. Ron’s efforts have helped raise more than $36,000 for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation to aid paralysis research and treatment. Ron’s story will inspire you how he pushed back against very dark times in his life, found a purpose, and had he not done that, the impacts on others that never would have been possible.

Ron Gold
LeanOnWe.com
rongold@leanonwe.com
www.RonGold.live
substack.com/@rongoldInstagram and Threads @the_ronnieg
Facebook and LinkedIn Ron Gold

Bill Stahl
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Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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The We Are Superman Podcast has hit 300 episodes... we think. But thanks to David's impetus, inspirational WASP guests have touched millions of listeners around the world. Or at least thousands. After a quick historical recap, I'm honored to bring you my recounting of my truly amazing trip to Chile and climbing peaks in the Andes as high as almost 20,000 feet in the driest and one of the most remote spots on Earth, the Atacama Desert. Our trip included many impressive elite athletes, surprising sights, spectacular scenery, jaw-dropping starry night skies, and consuming so many wraps that I still haven't eaten one since. The climbs were some of the toughest challenges I've ever undertaken, but the rewards of exploring my limits - as well as seeing the others doing so - were well worth it. I hope you enjoy following along with this awesome adventure (which you can do as well, see below).

If you'd like to take the same amazing trip, contact Tyler Andrews at:
Instagram @TylerCAndrews
chaski.run/contact

To donate to Team Leadville and Warriors' Ascent, go to:
https://give.classy.org/We-Are-Superman
Thank you!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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Imagine you are an 18-year-old and you have worked your entire life and gotten to the cusp of achieving your dream of playing hockey on the Division 1 collegiate level and then the NHL, and suddenly you are told that your dream is now kaput due to a health issue. That was the reality faced by David Carle, a star defenseman from Anchorage, Alaska following a physical he received at the NHL combine for top prospects just prior to the 2008 draft. Instead of hearing his name picked in the early rounds by a team that would be eager to add him to their roster after a few years of playing college hockey, he now faced an uncertain future due to a drastic diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease of the myocardium heart muscle. However, George Gwozdecky, the head coach at the University of Denver, where David had decided to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Matt, a winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in college hockey, honored the scholarship offer he had made, and added David to the staff as a student coach. Few freshmen athletes arrive at college thinking they would be stepping into a coaching career, but he embraced this new opportunity to stay in the game he loved. Following his college graduation and a couple of seasons with Green Bay in the USHL, David returned to DU as an assistant coach and helped the Pioneers win the national title in 2017. When head coach Jim Montgomery left for an NHL job in 2018, David at age 28 was elevated to head coach, the youngest in NCAA Division 1 hockey. He guided the Pioneers to the NCAA Frozen Four in his first season, and they took the national championship in 2022, with a tense overtime win in Boston over Michigan in the semifinals, and then a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Minnesota State. Earlier this year, he coached Team USA at the prestigious World Junior Hockey Championships, with the team capturing the gold medal over host Sweden. This season, the Pioneers had a record of 32-9-3, the first time in program history with three consecutive 30-win seasons, and won the NCHC league playoff title. It all culminated in St. Paul, Minn. with DU winning the national championship for the 10th time, the first NCAA program to hit double-digits in titles. The Pioneers beat Boston University, 2-1 in overtime, and then shutout the leading offense in the country, top-ranked Boston College, 2-0 in the final, games that have made sensational goalie Matt Davis a DU folk hero for years to come. David was later named USCHO Coach of the Year. His career coaching record stands at 148-62-16, a winning percentage of .690. All this and he’s still in his early 30s and with a heart they said shouldn’t let him play hockey but is withstanding a lot of high-tension moments. As many listeners know, I am a huge DU fan, have been a season ticketholder since the 1980s, and have attended all of those Frozen Fours mentioned, including those three championship games. So I was very honored to chat with Coach Carle and am excited to bring this to you. I do want to deeply thank Ron Knabenhauer of the DU athletic staff for helping me to arrange it.

David Carle
Instagram @duhockey

Bill Stahl
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This past late winter I met a truly impressive group of athletes on a trip to the rugged and beautiful, high-elevation Atacama Desert of Chile. One of these is Kat Edwards of Richmond, Va. A relative newcomer to ultrarunning at 24 years old, and having never experienced performing at altitude, Kat crushed climbing peaks of 16,000 and 18,000 feet before tackling her first FKT attempt, on nearly 20,000-foot Nevado San Francisco on the border between Chile and Argentina. This same insanely difficult climb with 4400 feet in elevation gain over just 4.67 miles took me more than nine hours to the summit and back. Coached by Tyler Andrews, who led our trip, Kat quite impressively set the female FKT by reaching the peak in 3:37 and completing the roundtrip in 5:40. Kat has followed that up by taking on more scary challenges that have been more opportunities for growth. She raced for the first time on foreign soil in the Petzl Trail Plus 80K in Ecuador on a dastardly beast of a course that led to a DNF, but she also gleaned a ton of knowledge to apply to the future as she discusses here. She bounced back in a huge way in early May as the first woman finisher by nearly four hours – and fourth-place overall – in the Sedona Canyons 125 on the Cocodona course in Arizona. Kat comes from a varied athletic background in which she has also biked, rock climbed, and enthusiastically hit weight training. She may be young, but she is on the fast-track of seeking new ways to challenge herself, and she has now joined Tyler as a coach with the Chaski Endurance Collective, and she will take on the Moab 240 this fall. She also recently got engaged. One thing you’ll notice is how meticulously Kat approaches her training and racing, which belies her easy-going personality. I certainly enjoyed getting to know and admire Kat while we were in Chile along with all of the incredible people on the trip.

Kat Edwards
katedwardspt.com
Instagram @kat.elizabeth_
For coaching inquiries: www.chaski.run

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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This is a very special and personal episode for me. I want to introduce you to Nate Zayonc, a young man whom I am very proud of. His life was not in the most positive place a bit more than a year ago, but now he is thriving as a private in the U.S. Army. Nate was a top distance runner on the cross country and track teams at Bear Creek H.S. where I helped coach him. His desire was to run in college and then professionally. However, his life at home was difficult, and in fact he did receive a partial scholarship offer from UConn, but his parents for whatever reason never told him about it. Actually, his parents were an aunt and uncle who had adopted him. His biological mother was 14 when she had him and hasn’t been in his life since he was a toddler. Nate was also born with fetal alcohol syndrome, which led to him having behavioral issues growing up. His father was 18 at the time and subsequently served time for statutory rape and is currently imprisoned on another charge. Nate’s adoptive parents weren’t great about supporting his running career, and after an incident with another boy on his high school team, they prohibited him from running during his pivotal senior year. Nate had told me that when he hit his 18th birthday, he planned to move out of the house, even though he had nowhere to go. This is where things got interesting. In today’s society, and especially in public schools, insanely, it is frowned upon for an adult to show concern for a struggling young person who is not their own. A Bear Creek H.S. teacher reported me for offering to aid Nate, and I was immediately fired and all the athletic director and principal would tell me was “I don’t know.” I only later learned that it was because I’d offered to help Nate out of his dilemma. At that point, there was no reason not to invite Nate to move into my spare bedroom in the basement. My original thought was that he would only be there for a few months until he left for Army basic training. We immediately got him back onto the track team so he could do what he liked best for the remainder of his senior year. The best part of Nate staying with me was watching him thrive in a positive environment for the first time. I’ve jokingly called it my late life fatherhood because all of a sudden, I was driving him all over and helping him in various ways to navigate his new independence. Following his basic training and subsequent stationing in Arizona, he has been assigned to Fort Carson, near Colorado Springs. What has been a pleasant surprise is that he is now home on most weekends, and we have bonded over everything from running to our common love of sports. He jokingly tells his fellow soldiers that he is staying with his stepdad. He’s very proud of his status in the Army and is strongly considering going for Army Ranger school. And I’m proud of him, too. I likely forfeited my coaching career to give him this opportunity to live in a more positive home, but I have zero regrets about that. I don’t understand why any school district would not support an educator being willing to go above and beyond for a student in need. My bottom-line message is to get involved when there is a young person in need – the rewards go both ways! I really hope you will enjoy this very special chat with a young man who is going to do great things and who has become like a son to me.

Nate Zayonc
Instagram @nathanzayonc

Bill Stahl
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Jack Rubalcave and I are at the end of our now-four-part summation of our amazing trip to Asia this past fall. I hope you’ve gotten a lot out of hearing about our adventures and that we have helped inspire you to go explore the world yourself. As you have been hearing, we encountered so many unexpected experiences, but they were almost all positive. The terror of driving scooters through the chaotic streets of Bali, the incredibly nice and polite people in the bustling cities of Japan, how different the toilets, yes, the toilets were, vending machines on the streets that served up everything from cold food to hot food to fresh-squeezed orange juice, the night markets in Seoul and Taipei with really, really strange food, things we learned at the DMZ dividing North and South Korea, checking into a hotel where bringing in a fruit called the durian is banned just like smoking is, the jaw-dropping beauty of Buddhist temples in Bangkok where also poisonous water monitors casually roam a busy city park, the food, the culture, and so much more. It was crazy how mostly first-world countries could be so different from the U.S. In this final episode, Jack and I chat about one of our last stops, in Singapore, a beautiful, modern city that is very culturally diverse, with areas known as Arab Street, Little India, and Chinatown, mixed in with their heritage as a one-time British colony. Known for their strict laws (and resulting very low crime rate), you can be arrested there for throwing your gum on the sidewalk and fined $10,000 for feeding pigeons, yet prostitution is legal! Go figure! Finally, Jack and I share with you how we pulled off this 3½-week-long trip with 13 flights between 7 countries for less than $1000 and bringing only a backpack each! I hope you enjoy this adventure and the previous three.

Jack Rubalcave
Instagram @jubalcave
Snapchat jackrubalcave

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Tim Kaufman fell victim to all of the classic American poor lifestyle choices. He ate primarily processed food – and large quantities of it. After surgery related to a crippling disease called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, doctors prescribed painkillers and soon he was hooked on them. Like most addicts, he connived ways to get more of them and even more powerful narcotics, like fentanyl. He smoked, he chewed, and he drank staggering amounts of vodka. Tim was raised in a strait-laced Christian family in a quiet, rural town, demonstrating how his pitfalls don’t discriminate based on social standing. Realizing he would soon be in a coffin, 400-pound Tim decided it was time to get bariatric surgery, only for his doctor to tell him that his body’s catastrophically poor health wouldn’t allow for him to have it, which sunk him into further despair. Four simple words from his terminally-ill mother-in-law shook Tim into deciding that he needed to find a way to live. Tim knew David and like the latter’s book, Out There, Tim has just released his book, Escape: Breaking Free From a Self-Made Prison, in which he similarly has a remarkable transformation. Tim also adopts a plant-based diet and becomes a clean and sober Ironman triathlete who discovers that gratitude could change his outlook in life and help him become the husband and father his family deserves, and an inspirational and motivational human. Like many in his shoes, Tim’s tribulations have helped him learn some fantastic perspectives, which he shares in his book, which is now available on Amazon. Please enjoy this entertaining chat with an amazing man.

Tim Kaufman
Escape: Breaking Free From a Self-Made Prison available on Amazon
Watch his story on www.hope-theproject.com/#plant-power-stories
www.fatmanrants.com
Facebook Tim Kaufman
Instagram and Threads @fatmanrants

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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Jack Rubalcave, my 24-year old traveling companion, with whom I’ve previously traveled to Portugal, the Azores, and Ecuador, took an amazing 3½-week long trip to Asia this fall, and we want to share with you some of our adventures and inspire you to seek your own. We carried nothing but a backpack, took 13 flights, visited seven incredibly interesting countries, and probably spent less than $1000 each for the entire trip. We have been sharing some of our formula as well as the exotic sights, food, and fun we had. In the previous two episodes we covered Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and in this one we talk about the crazy times we had in Thailand and Bali, Indonesia, including a surprise encounter with really big, venomous water monitor lizards in a Bangkok park, an enchanting elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and attempting to rent and drive scooters on the very chaotic streets of Bali. I think these travels have given me a much deeper understanding about other people and cultures, which we in the U.S. are often insulated from. In the next episode, we’ll chat about beautiful Singapore and our tips for pulling off such a trip yourself, as well as where we hope to head next.

Jack Rubalcave
Instagram @jubalcave
Snapchat jackrubalcave

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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If you think you can’t accomplish a lot of change and challenge yourself to achieve new goals in a short amount of time, then you’ll benefit from listening to this chat with Diarra Cropper. I’ve gotten to know the ever-enthusiastic Diarra through the Black Men Run community. Black Men Run is a dynamic nationwide organization that is a movement that encourages Black men to be active to reverse health risks like hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and mental depression that disproportionally affect this population. The organization conducts meetups to bring local chapters together and organizes to connect at races throughout the country. I began running with the Denver chapter three years ago and have developed many great friendships. With awesome leadership, the Denver chapter has been one of the fastest-growing in the country. Diarra, like many African-American male track athletes, gravitated toward the power events like sprints. And why not? If you turned on a marathon on TV, the only Black runners you saw were Kenyans and Ethiopians, almost no Americans. Black runners were virtually absent from ultramarathons. When Diarra moved to Colorado Springs, it opened up a whole new world of trail running to him. Within a couple of short years, Diarra is now crushing trail ultras and through an almost-random encounter at the Leadville Trail 100, has recently gotten sponsored by Speedland. He's become a leader as well of the BMR sub-chapter in Colorado Springs. What’s been super cool is that there are others in Black Men Run running ultras, and during our group runs it’s exciting hearing the chatter about ultrarunning. The tide is definitely turning, too, as you see more Black runners at marathons and ultramarathons, and you are beginning to see lots more women and runners of other colors out there as well. I have no doubt that Diarra, with his passion and drive, is headed toward becoming a major force in the ultrarunning scene. Before we jump in, I’d encourage you to go to blackmenrun.com to find a local chapter. I got involved after the insane killing of Ahmaud Arberry, which woke me up to the fact that it is markedly less safe for a Black man to simply go for a run anywhere he wants unlike a white guy like me can. I’ve never regretted finding this really positive group to run with.

Diarra Cropper
Instagram and Threads @co_trilete25

Bill Stahl
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Keenan Haga is who you might call a serial marathoner. In fact, he has run 311 of them so far. On every continent, including Antarctica. He has run one in every state – three times. Keenan’s goal for 2024 is to run 100 marathons, including 13 in 15 days, plus a 100-miler. You’ll undoubtedly enjoy hearing about his cool experiences running among polar bears, sea lions, on the race track at Churchill Downs, at Crater Lake, Oregon, and the not-so-great ones like getting a parasite from water at an aid station in Brazil. In the midst of all of this marathoning, Keenan also beat stomach cancer, chemotherapy, the whole works. He credits running with helping him develop the attitude that he could dig in to battle it. But he kept his diagnosis to himself, even to his family, until he met another runner, Karen Kay-Timonier, at the American Heroes Run to whom he opened up and began to share his cancer journey. Keenan had already discovered how much he cherished the running community he’s met throughout the world, but now he has also been absorbed into the cancer survivor community in which he can share his experiences. The first things I noticed in our chat is how down-to-Earth Keenan is about his life’s extraordinary journey, his positivity, humility, warmth, and his gratitude that he gets to do the things he does. For you distance junkies, Keenan also shares a lot of helpful little tips from a guy who covers an awful lot of miles. I think you’ll enjoy this chat a lot.

Keenan Haga
Strava
mycoloradolife.net

Bill Stahl
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Helping and honoring our military veterans was deeply meaningful to David, and he helped support them with his American Heroes Run. As you may know, I now direct the event to continue his important legacy. Proceeds support Warriors’ Ascent, an organization that provides holistic programs to veterans and first responders experiencing post-traumatic stress. Treating veterans with this not-as-visible type of battlefield injury has often gotten overlooked by the Veteran’s Administration and organizations that support veterans. I became aware of Iraq War veteran Gene Bennett’s story and received a copy of his chilling book, “We Did Not Deserve the Crapper: The prison we entered but never fully left.” Gene served two tours in Iraq. At first, the Army used him as a truck tire mechanic, but as sometimes happens, they assigned him where needed, and with just a smattering of training, he ended up a prison guard. Gene, whose callsign was Spazmasterflex, termed this job “the worst babysitting job ever.” In 130o heat, often walking on metal grating during all-day or all-night shifts, he was tasked with guarding a violent population where Sunnis and Shia often clashed, and often meted out their own versions of justice, which could be death. Of course, they all wanted to kill the Americans. To make it worse, the prison comprised both adult and juvenile sections. At one point, an eight-year-old was detained and a riot broke out until this child was released. On his watch, an Iraqi teen was murdered, something which continues to haunt Gene. He also witnessed several incidents of horrible atrocities and jaw-dropping leadership ineptitude committed by U.S. military officers. His PTSD and depression no doubt were exacerbated by a difficult childhood in a dysfunctional family. Gene has been fighting back by working to get his fellow veterans improved treatment from the VA, as well as write a cookbook to help them take better care of themselves. He is also creating an innovative line of meat smokers. Gene and I had a very engaging conversation that I think will keep you on the edge of your seat. I’d highly recommend you read his book to get a bird’s eye look at one veteran’s deployment that will leave you shaking your head, but also rooting for this hero to emerge on the other side in a better place.

Gene Bennett
Book on Amazon: "We Did Not Deserve the Crapper: The prison we left but never fully left"
Instagram and X @mickeyseverson

Bill Stahl
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In a little bit of a twist, I’m chatting today with another podcaster, Joe Corcione, from the Everyday Ultra Podcast. Joe is a fellow New Yorker who also cheers for, and often suffers with, my same New York teams the Giants, Yankees, Rangers, and Knicks. The Everyday Ultra Podcast is laser-focused on the ultrarunning world with one of the best lineups of guests to keep ultra aficionados informed and entertained. Joe also presents episodes that provide excellent tips and guidance to your everyman and everywoman ultrarunner. What is incredibly impressive, though, is that Joe grew up as a self-described non-athlete who eventually developed a serious drinking problem. When Joe hit his breaking point, he moved west, eventually landing in Arizona, and he began running and jumped in with both feet, pun intended. Like most starting out, his journey began with baby steps, and Joe began to rise rapidly in his challenges to become an ultrarunner and is now training for the Cocodona 250. Not only that, but he has built a successful coaching business and Everyday Ultra is a top-ranked podcast, all of this occurring in a mere five years. As you’ll find out here, although Joe is relatively new to ultrarunning, he can also dispense some amazing insights and wisdom for a young guy. I’d definitely recommend you check out the Everyday Ultra Podcast where you will always feel Joe’s unbridled enthusiasm for the sport, and above all, his desire to make a difference to help every ultrarunner get better.

Joe Corcione
Everyday Ultra Podcast anywhere you find podcasts
everydayultrapodcast@gmail.com
Instagram @joecorcione and @theeverydayultra

Bill Stahl
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If you’ve ever run an ultramarathon, you almost certainly know the name of Marshall Ulrich. His accomplishments are unparalleled, and if I tried to list them, I’d undoubtedly leave out many. I could naturally mention his 29 official Badwater finishes in Death Valley, a race most of us would not want to tackle even once. Or that he dwarfed those finishes by continuing on to the Mt. Whitney summit, or that he once ran around the entire 425-mile perimeter of Death Valley, which we have fun talking about here. He completed the Seven Summits on his first attempt, and he set the speed record for the transcontinental run across the U.S., recounted in his great book, "Running on Empty." I could add his Stray Dogs team completed all of the Eco-Challenges, televised as The World’s Toughest Race. You may have already heard about all of this, so instead let’s focus on his latest endeavors, like the Route 66 Ultrarun, a 140-mile, multi-day event along that historic route in Arizona, and his support for his good friend and fellow Stray Dogs teammate Mark Macy in his inspiring battle against Alzheimer’s. Marshall is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet in the sport. He was an early mentor to an aspiring ultraendurance athlete named David Clark, and wrote the foreword to David’s first book, "Out There, a Story of Ultrarecovery." Marshall’s latest book, "Both Feet on the Ground," will inspire you to seek out your own adventures. Grab on tight, you’re in for a thrilling ride listening to Marshall!

Marshall Ulrich
marshallulrich.com
route66ultrarun.com
Facebook Marshall Ulrich
Instagram @marshall.ulrich

Bill Stahl
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We are into the dog days of winter, and for a lot of folks the days are gray and cold and New Year’s resolutions are starting to fade into oblivion. That’s why I thought it would be great to bring back Dan Herman, whose upbeat approach to health, fitness, and setting goals would be a refreshing antidote to the winter blahs. Dan owns Dan Herman Performance in New Jersey, and I think he offers some of the most practical advice people can employ to knockout fitness and nutrition goals in sensible ways and not succumb to the hype of online hawkers of canned fitness programs and supplements that have not been scientifically studied. It’s not just that Dan had once been 375 pounds, lost weight, got fit, and now thinks he knows it all. Dan has earned numerous certifications, and knows great ways to help people develop solid plans to overcome obstacles that prevent them from following through on their stated goals. Plus, I always enjoy Dan’s positivity for a guy who lives in Jersey. I hope you take away a few nuggets from this dynamic chat!

Dan Herman
danhermanperformance.com
Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube @danhermanperformance

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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For 24 days beginning in mid-October, Jack Rubalcave and Bill (and Nigel Leonis for part of the trip), had an amazing time traveling through 7 countries in Asia. In part 1 of this trilogy, we described the incredible energy and culture shock we experienced in Japan, and the interesting Communist world of Vietnam. In this episode, we share with you our experiences in South Korea and Taiwan, two countries that have experienced their share of conflict. Seoul is a beautiful city with many cultural surprises, including crazy almond stores, wild street food, and an obsession with K-Pop. We also took a fascinating side trip to the DMZ, where we got to within 70 meters of the North Korean border. Taiwan is fiercely independent despite China wanting to seize it back. We had some unique experiences in Taipei, where we saw some beautiful Buddhist temples, as we did in Seoul. Jack and I hope that you enjoy hearing about these adventures and get inspired to explore new travel destinations yourselves.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Jack Rubalcave
Instagram @jubalcave
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For 24 days beginning in mid-October, Jack Rubalcave and Bill (and Nigel Leonis for part of the trip), traveled through 7 countries in Asia. It was truly an amazing trip and we crammed an incredible amount of activities and saw so many sights in such a short span of time in each place. We each brought only a backpack. We took 13 flights in the 24 days, and get this, our total outlay for airfare was $204! We flew on airlines like Scoot, Peach, Air Asia, and VietJet using our miles and points, and had almost no issues. Our lodging was just over $500 for all of these nights!

Jack and I hope that you enjoy hearing about these adventures and get inspired to explore new travel destinations yourselves. We describe in this first of three parts our adventures for the first eight days of the trip in Japan, and in Vietnam, where we ended it. Japan stood out for its incredible energy, how nice and polite people were, its cleanliness, fantastic food, and its surprising customs. Like buying hot corn chowder from vending machines on the street - and it was actually good! Vietnam was unusual in how Communist it felt there and that pho is truly street food.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Jack Rubalcave
Instagram @jubalcave
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It's that time of year for resolutions and goal-setting. But how do you do this after last year was derailed and you're still struggling to take the first steps to even set goals for the new year? Using my own current experience battling back from August bunion surgery that still hasn't yielded good results, I discuss strategies to set your sights on goals you'd like to achieve in the coming year.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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It’s the New Year, and we all know what that means. Perhaps you are already on your way to working toward your 2024 goals. Others might be planning to start on Jan. 1. Or maybe later when the snow begins to melt. Some will go it alone, so to speak. But for a great many, coaching will improve the chances you can have success. After all, I have yet to see a football team take the field this bowl season without a coach. Even in individual sports like golf or tennis, the pros have coaches. Heck, Tiger Woods had a cadre of coaches – a swing coach, a mental skills coach, a strength coach, a nutrition coach, etc. What can a running coach do for you, and who might want to have one? I discuss this with UESCA-certified coach Miki McConaha and cover many aspects in which coaches can help you get more out of a sport in which you’re already investing a lot of your time and resources, so why not get the most bang for your buck, so to speak. Many runners enjoy the community aspect to being coached, but perhaps you live in a remote area, or you have a schedule that doesn’t allow you to make group runs. So Miki and I have begun the Be Positive Runners community. Miki and I will provide you customized, personal workouts on the TrainingPeaks app, and we will have group online calls where we can share experiences, tips, and provide encouragement to one another. Hopefully this will develop into group trips to goal races. We will initially limit the community to 10 motivated individuals who want to help themselves and others knock out their 2024 goals. If interested, shoot me a message at silly_billy@msn.com or on Facebook or Instagram Messengers and we can talk to see if you would like to be a Be Positive Runner to achieve more in 2024, or mention it to a friend who you think could use this kind of positive community.

Miki McConaha
www.trainingthroughthetrees.com
Facebook Miki McConaha
Instagram @miki.mcconaha10 and through.the.trees10

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Our annual tradition is back! We began this with David Clark and have continued it since. Gary, a former obese alcoholic who became an ultramarathoner and all-around extremely insightful human, and I share a chat which goes in any and all directions. Always one of our most downloaded episodes, you're sure to gain some gold nuggets when listening to Gary's wisdom. Enjoy, and Merry Sober F*cking Christmas and Holidays to all WASP listeners!

Gary Stotler
garystotler.com
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Instagram @_garystotler_
Find his latest book, "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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This year we have highlighted several runners who have logged incredible achievements in longer distance events at a young age. Remember Lauryn Wojcik, who had never raced longer than 6K and yet crushed the Leadville Trail 100? This next performance caught my eye, and the guy is right in my backyard. Boulder-based Charlie Lawrence last month broke the 50-mile world record previously held by veteran ultrarunner and current UTMB champion Jim Walmsley. Charlie is 28, self-coached, and his previous longest run had been 35 miles. He completed the distance in 4:48:21 at the Tunnel Hill 50 Mile in Illinois, averaging 5:46 per mile. I like that Charlie didn’t run it on a track or in an artificial environment, but in an actual race, on a mostly gravel surface with some hills. Charlie, a native of Foley, Minn., got the inspiration to challenge the record, which he was actually confident he would secure, from American two-time Olympian Des Linden after helping pace her to a 50K world record. After sitting out most of 2022 with a sacral stress fracture, Charlie left his running group and set out on his own, upped his volume into the 140 miles per week range, and added some beastly track workouts as well. Charlie, who will line up to run the Olympic Trials Marathon this February, feels that the speedwork he does for 26.2 miles definitely helps him at longer distances as well. It’s a fun story as Charlie rose from a decent high school runner who took two Minnesota state titles in the 3200 meters, to being a contributing all-Big Ten performer for the University of Minnesota, to being good enough to run in the Olympic Trials marathon in 2020 yet not threaten to make the team, to busting through with a world record at a totally new distance for him. We hit on everything here including his pacing strategy, his fueling, his extraordinary focus, his upcoming goals, and even the stories behind his tattoos. He’s a really nice and engaging guy, so I hope you enjoy this!

Charlie Lawrence
Instagram @lawrence_char

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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As many of you know, David, the founder of this podcast, was an incredibly insightful man. A lot of that was gleaned from the hardships that he endured, many that were self-inflicted. He also studied Eastern religions like Buddhism which helped him acquire a better understanding of the human psyche, and pointed him toward directing his energies inward toward improving himself in order to improve the world around him. Along the way, in his memoir, Out There: A Story of Ultra Recovery, he showed how he could attain a huge measure of that by showing his vulnerability, unashamedly exposing his mistakes and shortcomings, discussing the self-loathing he felt, and letting people make up their own minds about his efforts to make amends, and importantly, not harboring ill will toward them if they chose not to accept any of that. He understood that we all have done things we regret, and he was willing to accept others for who they were trying to be instead of judging them for past misdeeds.

The most interesting book along those lines I have read in a while is by Nick Moore. I found his book, Who Am I?, to be a real page-turner that I tore through in two sessions. Nick grew up in Texas among racism, violence, and parents who were unfaithful to one another. On the plus side, he loved to play football, and in high school received all of the adulation that football players get in Texas, and eventually got to play for Georgia Tech and Baylor. On the other, he had a mercurial, sometimes violent father. Nick discovered that his father had been molesting his daughter and granddaughter, leading Nick to call Child Protective Services, and causing an irreparable rift in his family. Nick struggled from that point with depression, substance abuse, mistrust of his religious upbringing, and finding a good direction to his life. Nick’s story takes more twists and turns than a rollercoaster as you share his bad luck, frustrations, and questionable choices. But he could eventually see how the Universe was pushing him in the right direction, even after losing his life savings – an envelope with $4000 in cash – that he’d planned to use to re-start his life in Amsterdam.

Interestingly, Nick had a psychological breakthrough while experimenting with psychedelics. He now lives in Hawaii, where he learned about the love and acceptance offered by Hinduism, and found some very wise mentors. He shares his poetry with visitors on Waikiki Beach, and like David after the revelations he realized, has become a leader in teaching others about vulnerability, self-love, and compassion, and most importantly, how people think about themselves. He definitely gave me some impetus for self-reflection, so I hope you enjoy this chat, too.

Nick Moore
nicholasjordanmoore.com
His book "Who Am I?" is available on Amazon
Nicholasjordanmoore@gmail.com
Instagram @nicholasjordanmoore and @papa_infinite
YouTube @nicholasjordanmoore
X @NickJordanMoore
TikTok NicholasJordanMoore

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Bill Stahl
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A quick guide to how to use this very effectively tactic in your races to beat your competition and run faster. Please feel free to contact me if you have specific questions on implementing surges into your tool kit.

Bill Stahl
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You might remember early last spring, an athlete who I coach, Julia Beckley, had her racing wheelchair stolen from her garage. We put out the word to every local media outlet we could, yet unfortunately it never turned up. However, the good news is that a GoFundMe that was setup raised enough funds for Julia to order a new chair and fly to Atlanta twice to get fitted for it and then have it fine-tuned. It should arrive just in time for a project that will begin on Oct. 26 that will highlight the needs of other adaptive athletes. Thanks in part to Julia’s efforts, races have added or enhanced their pushrim divisions, including the Colfax Marathon and the Bolder Boulder, and more racing chairs are available to other adaptive athletes in Colorado. During her project, which she calls the Beckley Marathons, an intention pun on the infamous Barkley Marathons, she will wheel herself through a marathon on consecutive days in various corners of Colorado, beginning in Fort Collins, hitting southern Colorado, the Western Slope, and ending in Washington Park in Denver. She figures she will be pushing herself for 96 hours. She will be posting details on her Instagram account, @artisaurous I’m looking forward to following Julia’s progress while she balances the challenges of her complex health issues and pushing herself through these daily efforts.

Julia Beckley
Instagram @artisaurous

Bill Stahl
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Do you know how we look at young kids running and marvel at how free and easy they seem to run because no adult has yet tried to correct their form, so to speak? As you may have heard in the two episodes I presented with the two 18-year olds who finished the Leadville Trail 100, that pair took their own unique and surprising paths to completing the race because there really isn’t much of a template for young people like them. Along a similar vein, at the American Heroes Run last month, we had a fascinating scenario involving a 15-year old completing the marathon. Nathan Maze, from nearby Commerce City, Colorado by no stretch is your typical skinny kid whose parents pushed him to run from a young age. In fact, Nate was once a 5’4”, 180-pound middle schooler who never even contemplated running. Determined to change his body, Nate dropped 50 pounds, no small feat for a young guy. Then he got into the gym and became, well, jacked. Nate soared to over 6 feet in height, put on muscle, and now weighs a lean 170. Check out the transformation photos I posted on Instagram. Along the way, he told him mom, Amanda, that he wanted to run a marathon. He was serious, even though he’d never run much before, wasn’t on his school’s cross country or track teams, or anything like that. Without much guidance, Nate would do things like have Amanda to drop him off 17 miles from home so he could run the rest of the way. The American Heroes Run was super tough for Nate, and at many times I had doubts this young stud could finish, but despite looking defeated, he kept heading out for another lap and another lap until he finished. Beyond that incredible display of determination, there is a lot more than this to this remarkable young man, as you’ll hear. Like his desire to help others transform their bodies like he did. And his goal to save $50,000 by the time he finishes high school. He even already has a financial advisor to help him get there. He’s also influencing his dad, Bob, to lose weight. As you’ll hear, Bob began at more than 400 pounds and is progressing nicely. Young or old, I think you’ll enjoy this chat.

Nathan Maze
Instagram @nathan_m127

Bill Stahl
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Imagine trying as hard as you can to run, bike, dance, or hike and yet always struggling to keep up with everyone else. Worse yet, getting told by coaches, PE teachers, even friends that you were just lazy, or worse yet, that you plain sucked? Andrea Ogg experienced that her whole life until she was 35 years old. Then she got the diagnosis that it wasn’t her, but a congenital heart condition called Left Ventricular Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy that prevented her heart from developing normally. So this ever-cheerful and funny woman found joy in other areas of her life. Until one day in August, 2017 her heart stopped, and she keeled over and died. She didn’t even realize what had happened to her as she clowned around with the paramedics in the ambulance until she was informed that the defibrillator that had been implanted in her chest had kicked in to restore her heart rhythm and save her life. However, her heart was now on borrowed time and in July, 2018 she received a heart transplant from a stranger. Andrea’s amazing attitude is to show her gratitude by giving her new heart the kind of life that a parent would want to give to their child. She lost 50 pounds and dedicated her life to health and fitness. She has continued to sing and dance in musical productions, took a photo safari to see African mountain gorillas, and in June ran her first half-marathon! She is focused on showing others how you can be resilient and see beyond the challenges in life. If you go to her web site, andreaogg.com, you’ll also find that she is hilarious in how she chronicled her journey up to and through her heart transplant. She also has some absolutely awesome recipes on there, too. As she sums up on her web site: “Heart transplant patients can not only lead completely normal lives. They can lead extraordinary ones.” I think you’ll enjoy this energetic chat with this amazing woman.

Andrea Ogg
andreaogg.com
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Instagram and X @dfibkitty

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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We are going to drop into a whole new kind of location on the WASP, the Turks and Caicos Islands, near the Bahamas. Drexwell Seymour was raised in this British possession into a family with very modest means but not knowing any different, he was a happy child. However, he endured quite a bit of racism while in school, which greatly affected his self-confidence. He threw himself into his studies and graduated high school at the age of 15. He got an incredible break when an American philanthropist awarded Drexwell a scholarship to attend Wilmington College in Ohio, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Management in only three years. He then precociously added on an MBA from Miami (Ohio) University by the time he was 19. Armed with these degrees before he turned 20, he returned to his home islands, hoping to get into the hospitality industry. We have all encountered this Catch-22 - he was told he couldn’t get into that industry because he didn’t have experience. So with his accounting degree, he created his own opportunity in that field, and later eventually started his own firm and became owner of a hotel as well. Suddenly the young man who had been filled with self-doubt was a respected community leader, and his success has springboarded him to become a civic leader in the vexing issues facing his small country, which still has not achieved independence from Britain. It has also led him to writing books and speaking gigs. His first book, Rise Up and Take Your Position: Don't give up. Find your Gift and Cultivate It became an international bestseller on Amazon. He’s just released his second book, Succeeding In Your Position: Ten Essential Ingredients for Success that covers how to build self-confidence, deal with everyday challenges, and live passionately and purposefully to achieve all of your goals by detailing the numerous timeless concepts that anyone can use. Among these he teaches is how to find your gift, search for meaning in your life, overcome your fears, how to look at failure as opportunity, and then cultivate your meaning, work on it, and rise up to share it with the world and make you successful. I think you’ll enjoy hearing how this dynamic man seized every opportunity given to him and used the gifts that he discovered only through hard work to change his life trajectory and be able to share it with others.

Drexwell Seymour
drexwellseymour.com
info@drexwellseymour.com
Facebook Drexwell Seymour
Instagram @drexwellgseymour

His books:
https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Take-Your-Position-Cultivate/dp/B09JF3W26J/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

https://www.amazon.com/Succeeding-Your-Position-Essential-Ingredients/dp/1637653719/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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We have spoken on the WASP with a few of among the hundreds of amazing personal stories of how they got to the starting line of the Leadville Trail 100, and more so, to the finish line. I was rather impressed with the 18-year old guy we spoke with, Alden Iselin, completing the race as such a green runner, but the 18-year old division female winner, Lauryn Wojcik, really blows me away. Get this, her longest previous race was 6K. Yes 6K, a bit over 3½ miles. She had never before run a trail race. Plus she had been injured and cross-trained for months until she was able to begin running again in June – two months before the race! Her longest training run in that span was 30K. Hope Pass was the only part of the course she’d ever been on before. Her finish time was a very, very respectable 28:19:50, and how about this? That made her the 29th female overall! Yet her understated reaction on her Instagram post was “Ouch.” Here’s a quirky stat, she was actually faster going up Hope Pass than down it! So how did she do it? Believe it or not, she was spurred by a lack of self-confidence, which has likely markedly changed after this. I think you’ll be as amazed as I am hearing about the unique ways in which Lauryn pulled off this insane feat, including being a dedicated planner. She is a structural engineering student at Cal Poly-SLO, and that being in her DNA also shows up in her approach. I hope you enjoy, and even pickup a few training ideas, from this chat with this really nice young woman who has a ton of potential both on and off the trails.

Lauryn Wojcik
Instagram @lauryn_wojcik
Strava Lauryn Wojcik

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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This year’s Leadville Trail 100’s winners both hail from Boulder, CO, so I got to venture a tad north and west to visit at the house of the men’s winner, JP Giblin. JP seized control of the race just beyond Winfield, the mid-point of the race, and he kept adding onto his lead, finishing in 17:07:25, 40 minutes ahead of runner-up Luke Paulson on one of the hottest Leadville race days in history. JP, an Altra-sponsored professional athlete, is hoping this victory opens up new opportunities for him. Despite earning the Leadman title in 2022 for accruing the best time for all of the Leadville running and biking races, sponsors weren’t yet knocking down his door, and a disappointing finish at the Western States 100 in June didn’t help that or his path forward. So the self-coached JP tore down what he was doing and quickly pivoted his training, which obviously paid off. JP sees a lot of upward potential for himself being that he’s only 29 years old with not a lot of miles on his bones. Even though he made his Leadville debut when he was 21, JP only ran one ultramarathon in a span of more than six years due to serving in the U.S. Navy. Uncertain upon his discharge about what direction he wanted to choose with his life, he cast caution to the wind to become a pro runner. So you’ll hear in this fun chat about how JP bet heavily on himself, as well as about how he revamped his training, how the LT100 race unfolded, and what lies ahead for him. There are also some good nuggets to learn from for future Leadville racers and all ultramarathoners.

JP Giblin
Instagram @jgiblin13
Strava JP Giblin

Bill Stahl
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When I first ran the Leadville Trail 100 in the early 90s, and for many years afterward, there had never been a finisher younger than 23 years old. A few had unsuccessfully tried, but it was considered too much of an endeavor for a younger person to do the necessary training for an ultramarathon. But then along came Clare Gallagher and Annie Hughes, major race winners and record-setters in their early 20s. In 2019, I ran the start-to-May Queen stretch of the LT100 alongside college senior Harrison Hornung, actually named after the main drag in Leadville, who was attempting to complete Leadman, which he did. There’s no doubt the demographics in ultramarathons have trended younger, yet I was pretty surprised when I was up at the LT100 this year and saw that there were 4 or 5 runners in the 18-19 year old division. Alden Iselin of Newton MA just graduated from high school and impressively finished in 29:11:33. I was curious what made this young man tick, and what I discovered is an energetic 18-year old who is eager to explore new places and challenges, and who wants to help others seek similar goals. He is relatively new to the ultrarunning world, too, having only run his first 50-miler in NH in October. In February, he completed the rugged Orcas Island 100-miler, which was complicated by bad weather, precipitating a 12-hour start time delay. His time there was more than 32 hours. I greatly enjoyed hearing about what sparked his interest in ultrarunning, his training, the challenges he has faced in his nascent ultrarunning career, what he learned in these first experiences, and about his extraordinary focus for an 18-year old. Alden might be a future star, and you heard him first on the WASP!

Alden Iselin
Instagram and Strava @aldeniselin

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Michael O’Brien had one of those life-changing, near catastrophic events in 2001. He was struck by a car while riding his bike, resulting in multiple, possibly lethal, serious injuries. The doctors’ prognoses for how his future life would look were grim. Obviously, he had the option of accepting these and leading a life just scraping by. One of the revelations that someone provided him was that he could choose his own labels, in other words, what attitude do you want to have toward hardships? Michael decided that the day of his accident would be his last bad day. Challenges are simply moments, not chronic conditions if you believe you can overcome them and opportunities to move forward. His rehab was tedious, but his mantra was that working hard today would create a better tomorrow. Boy does this surgery rehab veteran relate to that! Michael also gained a lot of insight into meditation and mindfulness and began leading sessions. The pandemic spurred him to leave his corporate life and devote himself to introducing more people to these hugely beneficial practices. Many people don’t have the time for long meditation sessions, so he created Pause Breathe Reflect, which includes an app that offers easy-to-access meditations, some as brief as one minute. Nice and convenient. Pausebreathereflect.com has a Web site on which I’ve enjoyed many of his blog articles. Last year, Michael pedaled across the country on a recent knee replacement, and this episode also includes some of his interesting data collection on milkshakes in every state!

Michael O'Brien
pausebreathreflect.com
Instagram and LinkedIn @pausebreathereflect

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Climb all 122 peaks in the Rocky Mountains, and do it in less than 40 days. That’s 58 Colorado 14ers, 37 Wyoming 13ers, and 27 Montana 12ers, many with backcountry treks just to get to their trailheads. That’s averaging more than three peaks a day, every day, for almost six weeks. The equivalent of more than 26 marathons in length and 318,000 feet of elevation gain, or sea level to the top of Mt. Everest 11 times. Add in storms, deep snow, some wrecked feet, and unforeseen hurdles like crew abandoning at the most inopportune time. Those were some of the challenges faced by Jason Hardrath, who completed the Rockies Grand Slam just a week before we recorded. He and I are accompanied on this episode by ultrarunner and coach Miki McConaha. Don’t believe for a minute that Jason is some one-hit wonder. This is now one of something like 116 FKTs that Jason owns! Yes, 116. Jason has documented part of this journey in a film called “Journey to 100.” A few of these is his record Norman’s 13 traversing the 14ers in the Sierras, the Pico De Orizaba infinity loop around the tallest volcano in North America, summitting Washington’s 100 tallest peaks in less than 51 days, and the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim-alt, which means rather than take the bridge at the bottom across the Colorado River, because that run isn’t hard enough, he swam across it. Travel along here with Jason’s latest great adventure and him overcoming the multitude of obstacles. Have you ever wondered why someone takes on such challenges? Well Jason will let you get deep between his ears to find out what drives him. Part of it might be connected to his childhood ADHD, and the car accident in 2015 that seriously injured him. Jason is very generous with his time and also wanting to help others achieve their own audacious goals. Look for his upcoming film “Journey to Infinity” and for him out there speaking or flying by you on some trail sometime attempting another FKT.

Jason Hardrath
jasonhardrath.com
Facebook Jason Hardrath
Instagram @jasonhardrath
Film: Journey to 100

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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We have talked a few times to organ transplant recipients, but today we’ve got a great conversation with a kidney donor. I met Mike Kennedy while I was volunteering in June at the Leadville Heavy Half and Marathon. He had come out from Bethlehem PA, and as we got to talking, I found out about his organ donation. As you heard me describe earlier, it was a sloppy, snowy, muddy epic sort of weather day. But I was surprised when I saw Mike cross the Heavy Half finish line in 11th-place overall in 2:30:20! He was also third in the men’s 30-39 age group. This was less than two years after he donated one of his kidneys to an anonymous recipient to indirectly help his mother-in-law, who had been on dialysis for many years while waiting for a kidney transplant herself. A sort of give-a-penny, take-a-penny dish arrangement that is common in these cases where the waitlist for a new kidney usually stretches for years. Mike had even completed a Half-Ironman triathlon only a year after his donation. Subsequent to Leadville, on July 23, Mike completed the full Ironman Triathlon in Lake Placid, NY, in a very impressive 13:18:49. Mike can obviously describe from first-hand knowledge, as he does with me, how easy it is to donate a kidney and lead a normal life – and beyond – with one kidney. He was back to his usual training in just a month after his donation, and helped out another human being in the process. Mike also got to see first-hand that dialysis is tough, and needed kidneys are scarce, and he altruistically jumped in to do something to make a huge difference in someone’s life. I think you’ll be as wowed by this guy as I am. After listening to Mike, if you would like to consider a kidney donation yourself, go to kidneyregistry.org

National Kidney Registry
https://www.kidneyregistry.org/

Mike Kennedy
Facebook Mike Kennedy (the one in Bethlehem PA)
Instagram @xcmikek

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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We’re making another trip Down Under, this time to Wellington, New Zealand and talking with an expert in your physical, psychological, and digestive well-being with the goal of giving his clients better energy, mobility, purpose, gut health, mental sharpness, confidence, workout effectiveness, and life balance. His name is Olly Wood, and his understanding of the big picture led him to start the Body Reset, which enables people, especially those who are busy, to get back to functioning at a high level. So much begins with our fuel intake whether we are an athlete, office worker, or stay-at-home, so Olly and I discuss rather extensively the history and issues with today’s diets in regard to feeling and performing at one’s best. I like his ability to make his insights very relatable. Olly and his team’s coaching staff and the many articles and other information on his web site are invaluable resources to get people to understand what is holding them back from achieving the results they are hoping for. We could have talked for hours about the many areas in which Olly is expert on, but I would suggest reading what he’s put out there, it’s quite impressive. He covers such vital topics as battling depression, what’s holding you back from accomplishing your goals, possible causes and remedies for allergy sufferers, examining sugar vs. fat, focusing your training goals, and much more. Do check it out at his web site bodyreset.online. The site also shows testimonials from their coaching clients who have taken on their personal goals of tackling weight loss, improving energy, dealing with menopause, and optimizing their training plans for better effectiveness, so perhaps a free consultation might lead to you knocking out some goals that have frustrated you until now.

Olly Wood
www.bodyreset.online

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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When I heard about Dr. John Lewis, I was mesmerized by how committed he is to healthy living and helping others enjoy their best lives, too. But what cinched it for me is that he has done the research himself through dozens of studies as a professor at the University of Miami School of Medicine that demonstrate the links between proper nutrition, exercise, and dietary supplementation to optimum health and that have been published in almost 200 peer-reviewed medical journals. His studies on brain health in particular have led him to branch out into the private world to further study Alzheimer’s. It’s been conclusively shown that there is a close connection between our lifestyles, what we put into our bodies, and our brain health. Even just in recent days I heard about a study in the mainstream media that found that runners have a lower incidence than others to contract Parkinson’s Disease. Dr. Lewis’ study of polysaccharides has led to pioneering approaches to the treatment of Alzheimer’s and the development of his own brain care supplement formula. Dr. Lewis himself walks the talk, having been a WFPB eater for almost three decades, has been a competitive drug-free bodybuilder, and as you will tell, even overpowers me with his off-the-charts energy. I hope you’ll enjoy this very informative and worthwhile chat that will hopefully motivate you to make incremental, positive changes to help you get more out of your daily life.

Dr. John Lewis
drlewisnutrition.com
john@drjohnlewis.com
Instagram @drlewisnutrition
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5xvuUBaSGsAuSo4ZxhNR0A

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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This is part 2 of my chat with one of the legends of high school basketball coaching not just in Colorado, but in the country, Dick Katte. I hope you had a chance to listen to part 1; if not, please catch that first. Coach Katte began coaching basketball and teaching math at Denver Christian High School in 1960, becoming the head coach in 1964. He finished with a record of 876-233, which until surpassed this season, represented the most wins ever for a coach in Colorado. His final team in 2012 went 26-0 and culminated with his eighth state championship. During this long journey, he hit some daunting obstacles, to say the least. In 1984, he suffered a brain aneurysm that almost killed him. Nine years later, he contracted cancer which necessitated the removal of 4½ feet of his small intestine. Through each of these challenges, as we talked about in part one, Coach Katte felt like he was being tested by God to re-evaluate the way he was conducting his life on and off the court, and he came out on the other side a much better man. In this episode, we talk more about basketball, faith, how to approach life and sports with dignity and humility, his very long marriage, and his life’s mission to positively impact young people. For further depth on this great coach and mentor, he wrote his memoir, Over Time: Coach Katte on Basketball and Life, which you can find on Amazon.

Coach Dick Katte
303-587-7674
dickkatte@gmail.com
His book: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=dick+katte&i=stripbooks&crid=1GZ1YS0LXMUV4&sprefix=dick+katte%2Cstripbooks%2C184&ref=nb_sb_noss

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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We are bringing you a special treat in this episode, a sit-down chat with one of the legends of high school basketball coaching not just in Colorado, but in the country. Dick Katte began coaching basketball and teaching math at Denver Christian High School in 1960, becoming the head coach in 1964. He finished with a record of 876-233, which until this past season represented the most wins ever for a coach in Colorado. A lot of you know me as a running coach, but I actually broke into the coaching biz in basketball, way back in 1983. A dozen or more of Coach Katte’s wins were against teams that I helped coach, and it was always particularly gratifying when you could steal a rare win from the master, as we did in the 1998 state title game. Sorry Coach, I had to throw that in. His final team in 2012 went 26-0 and culminated with his eighth state championship. Coach Katte has been inducted into an alphabet soup of halls of fame, including those of CHSAA, the Colorado Sports HOF, the National High School, and National High School Coaches’ HOFs. Along the way, he was a football official for the WAC, supervisor of football officials for the RMAC, and has served admirably for CHSAA and the CHSCA, focusing particularly in the area of sportsmanship. But there were some major road bumps along the way, to put it mildly. In 1984, he suffered a brain aneurysm that almost killed him. Nine years later, he contracted cancer which necessitated the removal of 4½ feet of his small intestine. Through each of these challenges, Coach Katte felt like he was being tested by God to re-evaluate the way he was conducting his life on and off the court, and he came out on the other side a much better man. I’ve made many friends in the coaching world over my four decades in it, and anytime you listen to a great coach, you come away with many gold nuggets of insights and wisdom. Follow along with this conversation with Coach Katte, which I have split into two parts, and you will come away with a trove of those nuggets. Among the topics we discuss in this first part is about that at age 87, he is still teaching math at a school that helps its students go into the trades. Despite the age gap, he is still challenging and developing trusting relationships with his pupils. For further depth on this life very well-lived, he wrote his memoir, Over Time: Coach Katte on Basketball and Life, which you can find on Amazon.

Coach Dick Katte
303-587-7674
dickkatte@gmail.com
His book: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=dick+katte&i=stripbooks&crid=1GZ1YS0LXMUV4&sprefix=dick+katte%2Cstripbooks%2C184&ref=nb_sb_noss

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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Baseball hero and color barrier-breaker Jackie Robinson once said, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." As coaches, we make impacts on others' lives every day, sometimes in large ways and at other times in very low-key ways. This year I have had one standout opportunity to do so. When Nate, a young man I coached, was in need of a place to live when he would turn 18 years old in March, I didn't hesitate to jump in to help. The original plan was to find a temporary home until he would enter the Army in July. But an unexpected turn of events led to me offering Nate a room in my basement, which would be a safe and more positive place for him to spend the next 3½ months. From there we got him back on his school's track team so he could finish his senior year on a positive note. He overcame being born with fetal alcohol syndrome by graduating from high school, which is achieved by only a small percentage of those who start life with it. Nate impacted me profoundly as well as I have never been a "father" before, and he taught me a lot about patience, dedication, and how to better understand how the brain of someone of his generation works. It was a challenge to be his chauffeur, stay on my toes with his changing plans, and do my best to ensure that he would have the greatest possible chance to succeed in his future military life and beyond. But despite the setback I incurred from helping him, it was all well worth it, and I don't regret for a second helping out this young man. Best of luck to Nate, who is now entering Army basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

This experience also made me realize something. I have coached for more than three decades and have had so many interesting, unpredictable, and entertaining episodes occur that I would like to share with others. So I have begun writing these stories that I'll add to a blog that will someday become a book I've wanted to write. I'll share the blog address once I have figured out how to set one up!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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One more in our series of standout performers at the Colorado High School State Championship meet, we are heading out to the farm, literally. I happened to be hanging around the finish line there talking to Matt Kleve, whose son Max was competing in sprint events for Holyoke High School, a school of about 250 students way out on the Eastern Plains of Colorado not far from the Nebraska line. Generations of Kleves have lived in Holyoke, a town of around 2500 residents, and Max’s family grows wheat and raises cattle, so like I did, you will learn a little about farm life and FFA, formerly Future Farmers of America. Matt told me some of his son’s story of suffering a disastrous ACL tear in a high school football game his junior year, enduring a long, arduous rehab process, and coming back to compete at the state track meet. Max is a very bright and perceptive young man, and what is cool, too, is that Max candidly discusses his battle with anxiety, going to therapy, and how through discovering there is something bigger than himself, and finding his faith in God, he could overcome his struggles and realize success, even in the rough-and-tumble, testosterone-filled world out in the country. This helped fuel his determination through nine months of difficult rehab to get back on the track. All of this work on himself physically and mentally led to him setting personal records at the state meet in the 100 in 11.22 seconds, good for 4th, the 200 in 22.53, also netting him 4th, and a huge PR of 49.03 in the 400, which earned him the gold medal. Max poignantly describes here his feelings upon ascending to the top of the awards stand. And how’s this for a cool story? Max anchored Holyoke’s 4x400 relay to the Class 2A title by almost two seconds after a couple of their runners flew in just in time on a small plane from Holyoke, where they had been playing in a state baseball playoff game. This impressive young man will continue his track and academic career at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo.

Max Kleve
Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok @klevemax
Facebook Max Kleve

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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Continuing with our series of standout performers at the Colorado High School State Championship meet, our state has been known for many years as a mecca for distance running, and it seems like the pace of records falling the past few years has accelerated. In fact, despite our elevation, some of the fastest times in the country this year have been run right here at mile-high. One of those is the Colorado all-time girls’ 1600-meter record that was reset by Emma Stutzman from Pomona High School in Arvada, who ran 4:39.94 to become the first girl in state history to break the 4:40 mark in a breathtaking romp to the state Class 5A crown. The Northern Arizona University commit also won the 3200-meter title in 10:12.68, and on the heels of that max effort placed second in the 800 meters in 2:11.32, which was still a two-second personal record. Her 3200 time was an 18-second PR at elevation after she ran 9:56.34 at the Arcadia Invitational in Calif. in April.

I got to enjoy, as a track coach and meet official, watching Emma dominate numerous meets the past few years and what has always stood out is her persistent smile, joy, and sportsmanship. After every win, Emma could be seen waiting for every other finisher, no matter how far back, to congratulate them on their efforts. I could always tell that Emma was having a blast at track meets, sometimes gleefully running the maximum four events in league meets. I got a kick seeing in some of her online race photos that she was wearing one of the Be Positive bracelets that I frequently give at meets to kids and others who have a great attitude, like Emma does – or maybe experienced disappointment and could use a pick-me-up. In this episode, we chat about what has driven her rise from a youth runner to a fourth-place finisher at last year’s state meet, to a record-setting champion. She is a terrific role model for high school cross country and track athletes, and someone I look forward to following in her college career.

Please consider supporting Warriors' Ascent for which 27 men and women ran the Leadville Heavy Half and Marathon on June 17. Warriors' Ascent provides a holistic program to help veterans and first responders who are enduring PTS, post-traumatic stress. We have all heard the staggering number of veterans we tragically lose every single day to suicide. Warriors' Ascent is saving lives! Through the deadline on June 23, all donations will be matched by an anonymous donor up to $2000. Donate at (tax-deductible):
https://give.classy.org/WeAreSuperman
Thank you!

Emma Stutzman
Instagram @emmamarie051 and @bigcatdistance
Twitter @EmmaStutzman7

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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The Leadville Marathon and Heavy Half had rain, wind, mud, and even on June 17, snow!  The race organizers had to modify the course because the top of 13,185' Mosquito Pass was unattainable, but many runners thought this made the race even tougher.  It was a mudfest extraordinaire!  Kudos to the men and women of Team Leadville whose runners not only successfully completed the races, but raised more than $80,000 to support Warriors' Ascent help prevent veteran suicide.  I got to admire them as well as all of the runners who took on this colossal challenge while doing recycling duty as a race volunteer, and have recorded this race recap.

Please consider supporting Warriors' Ascent for which 27 men and women ran the Leadville Heavy Half and Marathon on June 17.  Warriors' Ascent provides a holistic program to help veterans and first responders who are enduring PTS, post-traumatic stress.  We have all heard the staggering number of veterans we tragically lose every single day to suicide.  Warriors' Ascent is saving lives!  Donate at (tax-deductible):
https://give.classy.org/WeAreSuperman through June 23.
Thank you!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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This is the first of a series episodes chatting with some athletes with notable performances at the recent 2023 Colorado State High School Track Championships. We love to find inspiring comebacks on the WASP, and this young man is right there. Brandon Hills of Vista Ridge H.S. in Colorado Springs was already a dedicated track and football athlete when he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. He got caught in the crossfire between two feuding knuckleheads at a party in December, 2021 and was struck by a stray bullet that embedded itself in his chest. A few centimeters over, and the outcome might have been drastically worse. After a surprisingly quick recovery, Brandon returned to training and a fresh outlook on life, which included being grateful for the opportunity to resume doing what he loves, and appreciating every day of his life. His subsequent junior year track season resulted in getting onto the podium in the 100 and 200 meter dashes at the state meet, but with the lost training time he did not succeed in defending the long jump title he’d won as a sophomore, placing second. He then produced a very special football season his senior year, leading the state of Colorado with 1548 receiving yards for an average of 129 yards per game, and scoring 20 TDs as his Vista Ridge Wolves made it to the state playoffs quarterfinals. Even though he's only 5’9” and 160 pounds, his prodigious talent has earned him a football scholarship to Washington State. All that was left after that was to crush the state track meet. He won the 100 in 10.52 seconds, narrowly took second in the 200 in 21.12 seconds, and anchored Vista Ridge’s 4x100 meter relay to a gold medal. It’s fun at the state meet to take it all in and find where there’s extra energy being generated. That was the case before Brandon’s last high school long jump when he leapt 24’8” to break the state record that had stood for 33 years. It will be exciting to see what this humble young man accomplishes in his career at Washington State, where he plans to study kinesiology.

Brandon Hills
Instagram @bebe.hills
Twitter @BebeHills5

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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In this episode we re-visit with my favorite running nomad, Tyler Andrews, who is rarely stationary, infrequently in the same locale for any length of time. We last chatted on the WASP in episode 129 in May, 2021. I caught up with Tyler in a rare settled-down moment in Albuquerque. Tyler has a penchant for attempting and setting FKTs, fastest-known times, on both well-known and less-popular routes. Some of these include his recent FKT of Kilimanjaro, which most travelers take many days to hike up and down, but which he ran roundtrip in 6:37; Mt. Fuji, which we talk about here; the Everest Base Camp trail on which he became the first to traverse up and down in less than 24 hours; Aconcagua, the tallest peak in South America, on which he covered the 40 miles roundtrip from 14,435 feet to 22,842 feet in 11:24; Cotopaxi and Ojos del Salado, two of the other tallest peaks in South America, as well as several other routes down there; and Peru’s 40-mile long, high-altitude Salkantay Inca Trail in 6:13. I met Tyler in during a running/tourist adventure I joined that he led in Peru, where he has done extensive work helping kids. I also got hop into another trip with him in Ecuador where among other challenges I got to run up past 15,000 feet on Cotopaxi and with Ecuadorian national hero Karl Egloff, with whom Tyler regularly trades FKT records, and is also a past WASP alum on episode 193 in March, 2022. Tyler spends a lot of time training at altitude, but he’s not a one-trick pony. He attempted an FKT running across Hong Kong, ran the Olympic Trials Marathon in 2020, and set American records for the treadmill half-marathon and 50K. Last year, he obliterated the Leadville Marathon record up and down 13,185’ Mosquito Pass by eight minutes in 3:23. And you heard it here first, Tyler will return to the LT100 in August, where last year he placed fourth. Tyler is a founder of the Chaski Endurance Collective, which brings together some of the best ultradistance coaches in the world to help other ultramarathoners design and tailor their training programs to achieve maximum results. I hope you enjoy this chat with one of the really fun and well-traveled ambassadors of the sport, and for those who follow his social media, you’ll learn here the origin of Steve the Andes bird.

Tyler Andrews:
Facebook Tyler Andres Andrews
Instagram and Twitter: @tylercandrews

Chaski Endurance Collective:
www.chaski.run/linktree
Instagram: @chaski.endurance

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
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David used to give out rubber bracelets, one of which I still wear, that say “Happiness Warrior.” This episode’s guest, Rob Dubin, should probably also be called a happiness warrior. Rob had already chosen a career that made him happy making outdoors-themed films, getting to kayak, heli-ski, and climb mountains for work. Long before he started a business teaching people how to be happy, Rob, his wife, and a party of skiers became lost in the Colorado backcountry during one of the worst blizzards in the state’s history. That led to a massive search that made international headlines and a pronouncement from the local sheriff that they had only a 10% chance for survival. To Rob and his wife, they had a 90% chance, and that sense of optimism was instrumental in their return to civilization, where they were greeted by a phone call from President Bill Clinton. It also re-framed their outlook on life, which then included spending 17 years sailing around the world learning about other cultures and studying human happiness and fulfillment while visiting 100 countries. Following retirement and seeing the effects of the pandemic, Rob decided to start his company to train others to achieve the kind of happiness he and his wife have experienced. He works with many companies that are battling employee retention in this post-pandemic world in which workers are seeking more fulfillment in their jobs and thinking less about longevity. During a conversation he had many years ago with motivational superstar Tony Robbins, Robbins expressed to Rob that we can all be the stone that hits the water and creates outward ripples that influence others, a concept that resonates strongly to me. That sparked Rob to now do public speaking and he recently completed a TED talk. Rob shares on this episode a lot of terrific actionable advice to help you be happier, be present, and live with gratitude. He also shares with WASP listeners his first lesson that you can receive by simply texting “Happier” to 33777 on your phone. My goal in listening to a lot of speakers is to find that one gold nugget that makes my time worthwhile. With Rob, I found quite a few, and I hope you do, too.

Rob Dubin
robdubin.com
text "happier" to 33777 for his first lesson on finding happiness

Please consider supporting Warrior Ascent for which 37 men and women will run the Leadville Heavy Half and Marathon on June 21. Warrior Ascent provides a holistic program to help veterans and first responders who are enduring PTS, post-traumatic stress. We have all heard the staggering number of veterans we tragically lose every single day to suicide. Warrior Ascent is saving lives! Donate at (tax-deductible):
https://give.classy.org/WeAreSuperman
Thank you!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Imagine crashing into a wall in your car while traveling at 30 mph. That could certainly leave some ugly marks. Let’s take away the seat belts and airbags and imagine careening down a hill on a bike or on skis and hitting an object at that same speed. That will probably hurt quite a bit, perhaps a trip to the hospital. Now imagine skydiving and smacking into the side of an immovable building. Jason Dennen of Boulder, Colo. experienced that extremely tragic scenario, and the results were predictably catastrophic. For starters, Jason broke 10 of 12 ribs on one side, his pelvis, his arm, his leg, and suffered damage to multiple organs. Most significantly, his heart was ripped from one side of his chest to the other. The doctor who performed the surgery to move it back into its proper place later told Jason that no one at the trauma hospital had done it before; he had studied the procedure in med school, but no one there had ever seen a patient survive such an injury, so this was a first-time type of surgery. Jason spent eight days in an induced coma, hence the name of his new book, 8 Days Till Sunrise. I think you’ll be riveted listening to Jason’s amazing journey of awakening to that doctor in awe that Jason had even survived, his family and friends getting the shocking news of his accident, his numerous months of mind-challenging healing and determined rehabbing, his many highs and lows in hospitals, and how his deep faith in God and desire to see the Colorado mountains again carried him through that emotional rollercoaster. Of course, it wouldn’t be quite right on the WASP if this saga doesn’t end with Jason completing an astonishing athletic achievement, a triathlon less than a year after his near-death accident. This is also a compelling story of someone who felt that he had lost his way in life while working impossibly long hours in his career, and then trying to understand why his life had been spared and discovering a new purpose for himself on this Earth. His mission now is to inspire and empower people to get through their toughest hardships by using their own life’s lessons and inner strength. His book is a fantastic read and is available on jasondennen.com and on Amazon.

Jason Dennen
JasonDennentheHealer@gmail.com
JasonDennen.com
Facebook Jason Dennen
Instagram @jwdboulder
linktr.ee/dennenj

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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This episode is a departure from the athletic world, but I think it is nonetheless a great comeback story worthy of sharing. I met Tomas Marin at several Wheat Ridge CO Chamber of Commerce leads group meetings, and while chatting with him over coffee I learned about his remarkable story. Tomas fell into gang life on the streets of Denver in his early teens, and not long after participated in his first car theft. The gang became another family that dominated his life throughout his teens. As many of you may know, it’s very hard to leave gang life, and as Tomas describes, many of the members he ran with are still gangsters even into their 30s and 40s, O.G.’s as they like to call themselves; Tomas terms them losers. Others are in prison. Tomas, though, pulled himself away after learning about Jesus, and becoming a follower has given him a more positive path to be a family man, engaged business owner, and strong contributor to the community. In this episode, Tomas shares his remarkable journey and many sound tips for how he has become a strong family man and built a successful business in the credit card payment processing industry where it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. Tomas talks about how he builds relationships and provides a higher level of customer service to make Salvus Payment Solutions an out-of-the-ordinary partner in his clients’ success. It’s a lively and very enlightening conversation into the world that Tomas lived in that few of us understand and many do not emerge on the other side from and accomplish as much as Tomas has.

Tomas Marin
salvuspaymentsolutions.com

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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It's the height of track season and we are starting to see the action heating up even if the temperatures outside aren’t quite there yet here in Colorado. I’m actually pretty jealous of the following guest, Andrew Simmons, the owner and founder of Peak Performance Running in Golden CO. It is a club for high school and middle school runners, and is probably similar in many respects to others around the country. The reason the club exists in the first place is that many kids get substandard coaching in their own school programs, so they turn to Peak Performance Running and its team of coaches, athletic trainers, and physical therapists to try to achieve the results they hope to achieve. I’m certainly not knocking all school coaches, one of whom I have been. I know many, many great coaches who truly care about the kids they coach and have developed the knowledge and techniques to deliver superb experiences to them. I’ve also observed schools that don’t put any effort at hiring a coach with any relevant track experience. The school at which I recently coached is one of two in the league that simply gave the head track coach job to the football coach; ours admitted he knew nothing about track, but he was learning about it by watching YouTube videos! What are we doing here? Unfortunately, that is way too common in our schools, especially in sports outside of football, basketball, volleyball, and baseball. So that’s where clubs like Andrew’s come in. I’m jealous as I said because he can run the Peak Performance the way he likes and doesn’t have to deal with bureaucratic school administrators. What he has built is truly extraordinary. It’s a club that not only coaches, but also emphasizes character development. It hosts meets and camps, too, that showcase the fun these young runners have whether they are just starting out or have moved to more competitive levels. If you are a taxpayer with kids in school or not, this is an interesting discussion about how someone like Andrew has a vision to serve others and fill a gaping need. I think the lesson here also is that there is a strong argument for these clubs that operate outside of the school coaching realm, just like there are similar youth clubs in sports like soccer, volleyball, and more.

GoFundMe to buy a new racing chair for Julia Beckley. Thank you!
http://bit.ly/3ZGigAb

Andrew Simmons
andrew@lifelongendurance.com
peakperformrun.com
Facebook Peak Performance Running
Instagram @peakperfomancerunning

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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This is a very cool Power Play. I’ve been telling you since the fall about my work with Ixcela to use their nutritional testing and counseling to counter the breathing and energy issues I had been experiencing right from the beginning of my runs. I started with them with a simple at-home blood test that I mailed back. They analyzed 11 metabolites, and my awesome Ixcela certified nutritionist Shelby Burns then recommended supplements and foods I should eat. One of their goals for most clients is to battle bloating and cramping during runs, which were not big issues for me, but I definitely never had any GI issues on my runs or otherwise after starting my program. I have always been a poor sleeper, infrequently getting more than 6½ hours a night, and one very pleasant added benefit was that I was suddenly sleeping better and for up to eight hours. I also had a spike in my energy levels all day long. I normally spring out of bed because I can’t wait to get the day started, but now I am feeling fired up all day and evening, and with much better focus I was also getting lots more done. Shelby recommended among other things that I add more Omega-3 and fermented foods to my diet. There are Omega-3s in many foods that I didn’t realize. For instance, I began adding walnuts to my smoothies, a simple and inexpensive way to boost my Omega-3 intake. I’d also never emphasized fermented foods, so I started topping vegan sausages and some other foods with sauerkraut, and experienced kimchi for the first time, including making a kimchi soup that was really delicious. The Ixcela website was chock full of advice for more of these foods, plus lots of terrific recipes that were well-indexed so I could find ones that would address my needs. Shelby was great and always available for chats and e-mails and ready to provide me articles and more suggestions. I then took another easy at-home blood test, and in my analysis of this you’ll hear about areas in which I had metabolite improvements and Shelby’s recommendations for what I should do to continue the gains that I made while working with Ixcela. If after listening to this you are interested in exploring whether this kind of personalized nutritional expertise might be desirable for you, Ixcela is offering a complimentary 15-minute consultation with one of their expert nutritionists. Schedule that appointment at ixcela.com/Superman. This is a great opportunity if you have ever wondered whether nutrition counseling would benefit your training or how you feel every day. If you decide you’d like to use their products or services they have also provided the order code Superman10 to give you 10 percent off.

GoFundMe to buy a new racing chair for Julia Beckley. Thank you!
http://bit.ly/3ZGigAb

Ixcela.com/Superman - use discount code Superman10
info@ixcela.com
Facebook and LinkedIn Ixcela: The Internal Fitness Company
Instagram @ixcelaperformance and @ixcelawellness
YouTube @Ixcela
Twitter @ixcelawellness

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Today I bring back into the Hive one of my favorite people from the Leadville 10 Warriors group, Ed Barnette. Ed’s backstory is that he was once a rather hefty guy, a smoker and drinker, too. He probably consumed more Buffalo Wild Wings than any person on the planet. Ed had a random meeting with David and felt compelled to tell him that David would never see him that large again, and David told Ed that he believed him. That conviction led Ed to quit smoking and drinking, go vegan, and become a runner, too. He posts every week about his runs along the Gulf Coast beaches, and has worked his way up to races like the Leadville Heavy Half and other long-distance challenges. Ed also crewed for David during his epic fat tire bike ride from Chicago to New York in January, 2020 through six NHL cities to support the NHL Fights Cancer campaign. Ed appeared previously on WASP episode #108 in Dec., 2020, one of the most popular ones I’ve ever recorded, and it would be worthwhile to go back and hear his stories about reforming his ways, overcoming opposition from those close to him, and the great support from his wonderful wife Colleen, who among many great traits, whips up some incredible plant-based meals. I brought Ed on again because it seems like a lot of people I’ve talked with have spun their wheels trying to build new habits and progress toward goals they’d hoped to reach. Ed has impressed me so much in how he’s pivoted when the going has gotten hard, including when the pandemic effectively shutdown his business relationship with NASCAR. Ed has since greatly expanded his representation of mixed martial arts fighters with his company, ECB Management, and has dived into the real estate game in his condo association in Panama City Beach, Fla. He’s even now an agent for a top ultrarunner who will be competing this summer at the Badwater 135 in Death Valley. Ed’s motto/hashtag is #juststart, and it’s a great reminder to all of us to take those important first steps toward meaningful goals in your life. It’s always tons of fun chatting with Ed, someone who thanks to David I have had the enormous privilege of getting to know, so I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

GoFundMe to buy a new racing chair for Julia Beckley. Thank you!
http://bit.ly/3ZGigAb

Ed Barnette
Facebook Ed Barnette
Instagram @ed.barnette

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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Here we have part two of our lively conversation with Creigh Kelley, someone who is synonymous with running in Denver and well beyond. Starting a few years before I arrived in the Mile High City more than 40 years ago, this graduate of Virginia Military Institute, Vietnam War Army veteran (where he was awarded two Bronze Stars), Colorado Running Hall of Famer, and Road Race Management Lifetime Achievement Award recipient has directed more than 1000 races through his company BKB Ltd. Creigh has been the start/finish line voice of hundreds of races, including the Walt Disney World Marathon races, the Chicago Marathon, four Olympic Trials Marathons, the Cherry Blossom 10-miler in DC, which he just got back from, the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, the Hospital Hill Run in KC, and been a TV analyst for track and field and the triathlon at the Sydney Olympic Games. Let’s add a little more. He’s also been an agent to elite runners, helped found Running USA, and is currently the race director for the Colfax Marathon, which is Denver’s only marathon, and also includes two days of races and relays of varying distances. In this week’s episode, we talk about how racing evolved from its primitive days to its current state, including the inclusion of women, the rise of swag and giant medals, how he started his race management company, our opinions of novelty events like bubble runs, where the sport is heading, his impressive work with the Kipture Primary School Foundation in Kenya, and much more.

Creigh Kelley
Creigh@runcolfax.org
Facebook and LinkedIn Creigh Kelley
Instagram @creighvmi

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Creigh Kelley is synonymous with running in Denver and well beyond. Starting a few years before I arrived in the Mile High City more than 40 years ago, this graduate of Virginia Military Institute, Vietnam War Army veteran (where he was awarded two Bronze Stars), Colorado Running Hall of Famer, and Road Race Management Lifetime Achievement Award recipient has directed more than 1000 races through his company BKB Ltd. Creigh has been the start/finish line voice of hundreds of races, including the Walt Disney World Marathon races, the Chicago Marathon, four Olympic Trials Marathons, the Cherry Blossom 10-miler in DC, the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, the Hospital Hill Run in KC, and been a TV analyst for track and field and the triathlon at the Sydney Olympic Games. Catch your breath now, he’s also been an agent to elite runners, helped found Running USA, and is currently the race director for the Colfax Marathon, which is Denver’s only marathon, and also includes two days of races and relays of varying distances. He is also a founder and Board member of the Kipture Primary School Foundation in Kenya, which he visits every year to support the school and its students. Creigh and I talk about a lot of fun stories about the good old days of running, how he got started as a runner and in the business, how he learned to take risks and try new challenges, and the birth and genesis of the Colfax Marathon into a major event with thousands of runners through the streets of Denver. We chatted enough for two episodes, and I guarantee you’ll be entertained by both of them.

Creigh Kelley
Facebook and LinkedIn Creigh Kelley
Instagram @creighvmi

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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We have presented WASP episodes recorded from places like Nepal, Australia, and the U.K., now we’ll add a new one, Israel. This is a very uplifting episode with author Bracha Goetz. Bracha overcame disordered eating as a young woman and used that victorious experience to discover meaning in life. This led her to learn from a rabbi about the Pleasure Ladder, which focuses more on the spiritual pleasures in life where we can find happiness in ways that feeding short-term addictions like through eating foods laden with sugar and other unhealthy ingredients cannot. Bracha and I exuberantly chat about simple steps you can take to eat better, find greater long-term fulfillment in life, experience joy, and more. Her study of spirituality has led her to be able to provide very insightful guidance for overcoming the negative voices in your head that lead to addictive behavior and instead live with gratitude. Bracha is the author of more than 30 books, most focusing on how to keep your family safe, healthy, and joyful. Her latest one is cleverly entitled, “Don’t Read This Book.” Of course, getting her books published wasn’t always successful, so I also love her simple advice for overcoming rejection. I had never spoken with Bracha before, and had a real kick sharing her passions. I think you’ll love Bracha’s energy and her very practical advice.

Bracha Goetz
thegoetzbookshop.com
Facebook and LinkedIn Bracha Goetz
Instagram @brachagoetzbooks

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Jason Bahamundi is a New York-born marketing professor and business owner who is not afraid to tackle audacious challenges. Whether it was moving west to Arizona, getting sober, changing over to eating vegetarian, starting a new business, or diving into the endurance world. A mentor gave him a philosophy to “fail fast.” In other words, trying really hard things and risk falling on your face. He’s learned a lot from those flops, leading to his motto of, “Failure is not terminal, it’s the building block to success.” He first got into competing in Ironmans before taking on ultramarathons. Jason is a five-time finisher of the Rocky Raccoon 100-miler, including an age group win, has finished the Western States 100, the Cocodona 250, and took second-place overall in the Crazy Desert 50K. Part of the fun in this episode is hearing Jason’s stories about running for more than four days at Cocodona through the Arizona desert, an event you heard Annie Hughes talking about a few episodes ago. But more importantly you’ll hear about the lessons he learned while running this and other races, as well as during his interesting journey these last few years. A lot of these have been applied with the company he started, a story that is instructive in itself. Run Tri Bike includes a magazine with stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Its web site, runtrimag.com, also has very useful articles and resources from experts in many disciplines to aid endurance athletes. It’s well worth your visit and bookmark. Jason’s company also helps complementary types of companies to market themselves, and he also coaches with No Limits Endurance Coaching.

Jason Bahamundi
runtrimag.com
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube @runtrimag

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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We have a new visit with a longtime friend of the WASP, Simone Brick. Listeners might recall Simone appearing with David and telling her powerful story of remarkably changing from a teenager with disordered eating, weight issues, and being institutionalized with severe depression, to becoming one of the most dynamic trail runners in Australia with one of the sunniest dispositions you’ll ever encounter. Simone spent much of 2022 competing in the Salomon Golden Trail Series, a traveling road show of the world’s top mountain runners with races spanning Europe and in the U.S. Simone shares what it’s like living “on tour,” so to speak. After talking with Simone on numerous occasions via video calls, it was a treat to finally get to hang out with her this summer when she came to Colorado, where she spent a month training in Leadville to prepare for the race tour stop at the Pikes Peak Ascent. This type of racing series has increased the popularity of the sport as well as the prize purses, and inevitably the ugly spectre of doping has reared its head, something which directly impacted Simone. Simone also discusses her 2023 goals and racing schedule, which began last weekend with a victory in the Old Ghost Ultra 85K in New Zealand that she ran in 7:59:23.

Simone Brick
Instagram @theflyingbrick_
stillwerise.com.au

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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I hope you enjoyed last week’s chat with Don Reichelt, who has been crushing it in the ultramarathon world. Please go back and check it out if you haven’t caught it yet. We talked about Don’s ups and downs running at the Leadville Trail 100, about his relationship to David and David’s continued influence on him to this day, about learning the process to taking big jumps in his running abilities, the benefits he’s noticed from his vegetarian diet, and challenging himself to run some really hard races. In part two, we talk about living and training in the boonies at 9600-feet elevation near Fairplay, Colo., how to start running on a non-motorized assault treadmill, which is a lot harder than you’d think, and then his Guinness World record attempt at 12 hours, 24 hours, and 100 miles on that kind of treadmill at a Life Time Fitness in midtown Manhattan. Being in NYC, it was a lot more chaotic than Don had expected, so it took some problem-solving to stay focused. Focus was especially essential throughout the night in a non-changing environment. It’s really fascinating hearing how the whole event went down. Don ran to support the Life Time Foundation, which supports educating schoolchildren to develop better nutritional practices, something that he is passionate about. Don then talks about the huge goals he has in 2023, including the Firecracker 48-hour run, the Cocodona 250, and Javelina, with an eye toward getting a ticket for Western States. He’s also a coach, and he’s gotten to be quite generous sharing his workouts and helping the running community. He shares lots of useful insights in this episode, so I hope you enjoy this terrific chat.

Don Reichelt
Facebook @Don Reichelt
Instagram, YouTube, TikTok @runwithdon

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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This is the first of two parts of a very fun conversation with one of the really impressive relatively-new stars of the ultraendurance world, Don Reichelt. After pretty much his debut doing Leadman in 2015, Don has plunged headlong into running long distances and doing everything he can to embrace finding out how far he can go in the sport. He has moved to a house at 9600-feet elevation near Fairplay, Colo., and has outfitted his place with a workout space, ice plunge barrel, sauna, and more. When he first broke out, he won the Lean Horse 100-miler and ran a blazing 13:16 at Tunnel Hill. He has won the 52-mile Coldwater Rumble in Ariz. the past two years. His most recent achievement was breaking the Guinness World record for running 12 hours, 24 hours, and for 100 miles on a manual treadmill, which is quite a bit more challenging than a motorized one. In this first part, we talk about Don’s ups and downs running at the Leadville Trail 100, about his relationship to David and David’s continued influence on him to this day, about learning the process to taking big jumps in his running abilities, which I think is quite educational, the benefits he’s noticed from his vegetarian diet, and challenging himself to run races like the Keys 100 in Florida’s humidity, and the Badwater 135, where he surprised a lot of people in finishing third in his debut. His focus and his curiosity to see how far he can challenge himself is truly inspirational. Plus, he’s a super nice guy, so I hope you enjoy this great chat.

Don Reichelt
Facebook @Don Reichelt
Instagram @runwithdon

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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You've heard me before lauding the benefits of hip and glute strengthening to ensure your health and longevity in running.  I discuss here a large set of exercises you can easily do with minimal equipment once or twice a week that will help you immensely.  I also have a printed handout and a video I can share with you, just drop me a note at one of the addresses below.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Time to take a deep dive into the world of trail race directing and the state of ultrarunning. This is a really entertaining chat with John Lacroix, owner of Human Potential Race Series, based here in Colorado. I got to visit with John in his business’ very impressive HQ/studio. John first got into ultrarunning himself before later having friends twist his arm into becoming a race director. Less than 10 years after starting HPRS, he is directing one of the largest schedules of trail events in the country, and become one of the most prominent directors as well. He has also become one of the great analysts of the trail racing world, so his foresights into where the sport is headed are well-worth paying attention to. I would highly recommend reading his detailed and insightful blogs on the HPRS web site and listening to his HPRS podcast to stay abreast of current developments. Included among these is the often-controversial topic of diversity in the sport. I highly respect and support John’s stand on inclusiveness, despite the fact it has garnered him both praise and potshots. His championing of the LGBTQ+ community often overshadows his honoring as well of the Indigenous communities over which whose lands his races often tread upon. John unabashedly says that if you don’t like the way he thinks, there are plenty of other races in which you can run. Above all, John believes races should challenge the human mind and spirit, hence the name of his organization. You won’t find a mamby-pamby race on HPRS’ schedule, and they often have fun twists to attract runners of all abilities. John believes strongly in creating races “for the people,” so he places emphasis on valuing every runner equally, not focusing on the 5% who actually compete for spots on the podium. I have personally experienced his kindness on the trail when he ferried me off the course when the Last Call 50-miler in Fairplay, CO kicked my ass. Please enjoy this spirited chat!

Do you deal with bloating, cramping, or frequent porta-potty stops when running or racing? Ixcela uses gut testing + a performance dietitian to understand why your symptoms are happening and what to do about it. I’m working with one of their dietitians now, Shelby, and she’s AMAZING! Find out if Ixcela is a good fit for you by scheduling a free 15-minute session. Go to ixcela.com/superman If you like their services or products, use the code SUPERMAN10 to get a 10% discount.

John Lacroix
humanpotentialrunning.com
info@HumanPotentialRunning.com
Facebook Human Potential Running Series
Instagram @hprunningseries
YouTube @humanpotentialrunningserie4275
Human Potential Running Series Podcast

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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Here's a bit of fun recounting my recent three-week trip to South Africa and Namibia, a fancy cruise with my family to celebrate my dad's 90th birthday.  I describe the thrilling animals, impressive sights, crazy runs, and the history and culture, including the tragic legacy of apartheid, and the good and the bad of current life there.  I discovered there is a ton more to know about this conflicted part of the world, full of beauty, wild nature, poverty, and Third World problems.  Please check out my Instagram account for many scenic photos.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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Here's a quick Power Play episode referencing a recent real-life coaching scenario, discussing ensuring both your body and brain are totally engaged in your training program.  

Ixcela is offering the WASP family a free 15-minute consultation with one of their nutritionists, and a 10% discount if you decide you’d like to use their services to try to improve your performance and overall health. Go to https://qrco.de/bdZsae to set an appointment, and if ordering, use the code SUPERMAN10 to get your discount.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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When I heard Glenn Livingston’s story, I was immediately struck by the similarities to those of David and so many others I know from the Warriors group and elsewhere. This native of the same area of Long Island that I grew up in, like so many young people I coach, felt that as an athlete he could eat anything he wanted to because he would burn it off at the next workout. What occurred next was the inevitable massive weight gain and the doctor’s pronouncement that he would not live much longer on the path he was on. Very familiar story. Glenn spent years as a psychologist counseling overweight clients and as a CEO for a firm consulting many Fortune 500 food industry companies, which gave him inside knowledge of how the food industry perpetuates the bad habits it has created. Not satisfied with the bingeing and overeating solutions that were available, he researched the subject in a study with 40,000 individuals that gave him unique insights into these maladies of modern-day life. That launched Never Binge Again, a site with resources to help people combat these problems and develop a healthier relationship with eating and nutrition. Glenn has written numerous books and workbooks on the subject, including "Never Binge Again: Stop Overeating and Binge Eating and Reprogram Yourself to Think Like a Permanently Thin Person...on the Food Plan of Your Choice!" He has been featured on dozens of media outlets like the NY Times, Washington Post, LA Times, the Chicago Sun Times, the NY Daily News, ABC, and CBS Radio. He’s got a lot of free stuff on his web site, neverbingeagain.com, that I would highly encourage you check out if this is a battle you wage. I have also watched several of his YouTube videos which I recommend as well. This is an extremely worthwhile episode to listen to whether you fight these battles or not, but especially if you do. It’s just as important to check out his rich array of web site resources. Again, neverbingeagain.com

Glenn Livingston
support@neverbingeagain.com
www.neverbingeagain.com
Facebook
Instagram @livingstonglenn
Never Binge Again podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, etc.
YouTube @neverbingeagain4474
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/drglennlivingston

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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Happy New Year, everyone! Returning to the Hive is the always fun breakout star of ultrarunning, Annie Hughes.  We spoke with her in 2021 after she became, at age 23, the youngest-ever winner of the Leadville Trail 100. And she was a local resident to boot!  Annie ramped up her racing and success even more in 2022, capturing four more titles and many course records, all with the guidance of her trusty friend Olga. Included among them was a huge win at the Cocodona 250 in Arizona, which she describes as a series of course mishaps, sleep follies, and rattlesnakes, yet was a resounding victory. I’m sure you’ll be entertained to hear what it takes to not only finish 250 miles, but to place highly as well. We cover a lot of areas during our high-spirited chat, including her plans for this coming year, with her keystone race being the Hardrock 100, and her insane plans for her 25th birthday in March, topping even her 24-hour run in Leadville for her 24th birthday. Annie is so much fun to talk with and as long as we did, we probably could have carried on for much longer – maybe for 250 miles!

Annie Hughes
Instagram @annie.a.hughes

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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Following my running the LT100 in August, I went through two weeks of extreme fatigue, I was exhausted at times following doing only household chores. I had an ok week after that, and then I was set back for another two weeks after receiving shots I needed for my trip to Africa. Even after that, I have often struggled to feel energy on runs, frequently feeling out of breath either at the very start or later in runs. I’ve had thoughts that maybe I was experiencing so-called long-Covid. Some people suggested I get a blood test. I didn’t really know where to turn for that, and more importantly, who would competently analyze and interpret the results for me. Then through Robbie Balenger I became aware of Ixcela, a company started by two biochemists, whose goal is to help people live and perform better by assessing their health using a simple finger pinprick blood test and providing feedback in the areas of gastrointestinal fitness, immune fitness, emotional balance, cognitive acuity, and energetic efficiency, and then providing tailored recommendations to help them achieve their goals. Our guest today is one of those founders and the CEO, Erika Angle, who discusses the science and its benefits to us. Ixcela and I have agreed to have me to do a live test of sorts. I’ve provided them a blood sample and then had my first meeting with my really awesome Ixcela Performance Registered Dietitian, Shelby. I’m going to follow Shelby’s recommendations, which include adding certain foods to my diet, as well as a couple of supplements. She and I will have frequent check-ins and then after 90 days, I’ll complete another blood test to see if my markers have improved, and more importantly, whether subjectively I feel better. This should be a lot of fun, and hopefully informative for you as well. Ixcela is also offering the WASP family a free 15-minute consultation with one of their nutritionists, and a 10% discount if you decide you’d like to use their services to try to improve your performance and overall health. Go to https://qrco.de/bdZsae to set an appointment, and if ordering, use the code SUPERMAN10 to get your discount.

Ixcela
www.ixcela.com
info@ixcela.com
781-538-6614
Facebook and YouTube @ixcela
Instagram @ixcelaperformance
Twitter.com/ixcelawellness

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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It’s our annual holiday tradition: Gary Stotler and I presenting Sober Fcking Christmas. Gary has had quite a journey in 2022, so we chat about both of our career’s twisting roads and what’s coming up for the holidays, including Gary’s own food struggles during the holidays and how he solves them. Of course, we pay tribute to David Clark, who recorded the first Sober Fcking Christmas, with some of the things that he enlightened us with, and carry that forward with our always insightful advice for some things you can do to make this a great holiday season for everyone. Enjoy, and Merry Sober F*cking Christmas and Holidays to all WASP listeners!

Gary Stotler
garystotler.com
Facebook Gary Stotler
Instagram @garysellsdenver
Find his latest book, "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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We often talk about rebounding on the WASP. It may not be much harder than this since we spoke earlier in 2022 about Holocaust survivor Lili Berliner. Today we talk with Rick Townsend, whose lovely daughter Lauren was one of 12 students murdered at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Rick is the president of the Columbine Memorial Foundation, which maintains the beautiful memorial in Clement Park adjacent to the school. It’s a place that allows quiet reflection and healing, and does a fantastic job of remembering the innocent lives lost. I met Rick, along with former Columbine principal Frank DeAngelis, in September at the Dave Sanders Invitational cross country meet, named after the heroic teacher and coach who died protecting his students. Both Rick and Frank impressed me with their passion and devotion to the memorial and to remembering the victims and supporting the entire Columbine community. I’ve always been awed that Mr. DeAngelis stayed on as principal until kids who were in kindergarten at the time had eventually graduated from Columbine, spending almost 35 years at the school. To this day, he remains the person who the media seek out following yet another school tragedy, and one of the first to reach out to those stricken communities. I hope you will appreciate this poignant and inspirational conversation, and consider helping the Columbine Memorial Foundation, which as Rick explains, has many expenses related to upkeep, weather the elements, updated the lighting system, and more. Columbinememorial.org has the story, pictures, and an opportunity to donate.

Rick and I mention here the inspiring documentary 13 Families: Life After Columbine, which is a very moving tribute to the 13 beautiful souls lost that day. I will send the DVD copy that Rick gave to me to the first person who contacts me at one of the addresses below. If you are not the first responder, it is also available on Amazon.

Rick Townsend
Columbinememorial.org
info@columbinememorial.org
Facebook Columbine Memorial Foundation

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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I’m excited to present the second WASP appearance by Dan Herman, who trains and counsels athletes out of Dan Herman Performance in New Jersey. Like we did a year ago, Dan and I have a fun and timely chat to keep you focused on your training and nutrition goals through the holidays and into next year. Dan is an amazingly insightful guy who’s had his own amazing journey. He was 375 pounds with an unhealthy relationship with food and a broken self-image. Add in an inoperable spinal tumor that made it nearly impossible to move. Like David, he illogically bought a pair of running shoes and ran a few seconds at a time. Eventually of course he kept improving and lost nearly half of his weight. Go back and listen to his WASP episode #183 from Jan. 5, 2022 if you didn’t catch him already. I hope you’ll get some good advice and nuggets out of this episode with a really cool guy who’s dedicated himself to helping others.

Coach Dan Herman and Dan Herman Performance:
www.danhermanperformance.com
dan@danhermanperformance.com
danhermanperformance@gmail.com
Facebook Dan Herman Performance
Instagram @coachdanhermancpt and #danhermanperformance

TogetherWeRise

YouTube Dan Herman Performance

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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As most of you know, the typical response in our medical system to your injury is first medication, sometimes physical therapy, then maybe injections, and finally surgery. In the previous episode, Sammie Lewis and I touched on some of the more advanced modalities available should you get injured. The problem can often be that if you need one of these, good luck getting our health insurance system to help you pay for it. Or that your traditional doctor has no idea about these, or worse, dismisses them as unproven, often because they are untrained on them. Interestingly, many so-called traditional medical providers are now bringing in specialists to perform these procedures like platelet rich plasma, or PRP. I have brought in today two experts in helping you navigate the medical jungle, Drs. Vas Eliopoulos and Khoshal Latifzai, of Rocky Mountain Regenerative Medicine of Boulder, CO. Both men came out of this traditional medical system, but after seeing how much they were limited by its rigid structure, including the decades it can take for new drugs and therapies to get through the regulatory process to reach the open market, they became experts in finding alternative solutions to help patients live, look, and perform better longer. They provide some excellent perspectives on the state of the health insurance industry and the medical industry complex, and what you should likely do to ensure that you are not at their mercy when you actually need medical care. Especially preventative care, which standard medicine isn’t trained or incentivized to address. Please pay acute attention to our discussion about stem cell therapy, and hormone and peptide therapies to avoid surgeries like ACL repair and knee replacement. I’m sure you will gain a lot of great insights from these medical experts in this very educational episode.

Rocky Mountain Regenerative Medicine
Dr. Vas Eliopoulos
Dr. Khoshal Latifzai
rmrm.com
Facebook Rocky Mountain Regenerative Medicine
Instagram @rmrmboulder
YouTube @rockymountainregenerativem1413

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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As I’ve mentioned, I’m a huge believer that if you want to keep working out without interruption, you must address your muscle imbalances and your overall balance, and in many instances work on your mobility, flexibility, and overall strength. These efforts should be happening year-round, but in particular we often have more opportunity to do so in the winter. So I thought it would be most appropriate to bring into the Hive Sammie Lewis, a prehab, rehab, and strength coach with Golden Endurance from right here in Golden CO. Sammie and her fellow coaches bring a holistic approach to training those aspects and provides her thoughts here for getting the most bang for your buck when dealing with health insurance for your injury rehab. Sammie and I also have some interesting discussions about the most important exercises endurance athletes can do, including plyometrics and ones for activating your glutes when you run, something many of us hear about, but few really know how to do. Then we delve into the pluses and minuses of modalities like PRP, orthovisc, blood flow restriction therapy, dry needling, cupping, e-stim, and icing. This episode is very informative for any athlete. There are probably a few areas that you have experienced or investigated, and perhaps something new, like I had never heard of blood flow restriction therapy, so I hope you find something useful to keep moving your athletic career forward.

Sammie Lewis
info.golden.endurance@gmail.com
www.golden-endurance.com
Instagram @golden.endurance

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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With Thanksgiving around the corner, our focus is on family, so who better to bring onto the WASP than the creator of the Leadville family herself, Merilee Maupin? While Ken Chlouber and his rugged miner face and dressed in classic Western attire appears on the Leadville Race Series Web site and posters, Merilee, as co-founder with Ken, was the force behind creating the Leadville Family that gets runners and bikers returning to Leadville summer after summer. It is deeply heartfelt when she says Welcome Home to Leadville. And it’s the goal of every runner who starts the race to receive the coveted hug from Merilee upon crossing the finish line, metaphorically returning home. The founding of the Leadville Trail 100 is well-chronicled. The mine was closed and once-booming Leadville crashed, suddenly having the highest unemployment in the nation. Residents fled in droves. Ken had this crazy idea to save the town by staging a 100-mile race at 10,200-foot elevation. Not only did it stick, but it thrived and then grew into a series of running and biking races from 10K on up that is now owned by Life Time Fitness. In the early days, Merilee and Ken did almost everything themselves, including handwriting all of the race documents, and marking and picking up the course, a task that took several days.

I got to meet with Merilee at their office that you’ve probably passed many times on Leadville’s main drag and didn’t even realize was there. The old house’s interior is decorated with dozens of Ken’s hunting trophies as well as momentos of past races. I got to visit with Ken in the adjacent garage where he is restoring his gorgeous old Corvette and where his Harley resides. Even though Merilee co-founded the LT100 way back in 1983, she is still as fired up as ever about what the race and the Leadville Legacy Foundation do for the community, and its impact on every runner who challenges themself to cross the finish line. I think you will enjoy this chat with truly one of the pioneers of the sport, someone who is gracious and passionate, and is as tough as anyone in the tough town of Leadville.

Merilee Maupin
merileem33@gmail.com

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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I hope you caught last week Kelly Thrush’s jaw-dropping story of nearly drinking himself to death, how a liver transplant saved his life despite that he hadn’t yet gotten sober, and waking up from that surgery feeling gratitude for the efforts of so many to give him another shot at life. Kelly has grabbed that opportunity by the proverbial horns. He describes in this second part getting sober and losing weight, discovering hiking, running, and ultramarathoning, his Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to rim hike, by the way, all while eating plant-based, his upcoming goals, and some of the ways he is positively impacting the world helping kids, and the recovery and transplant communities. I have no doubt you will leave this episode as impressed and inspired by Kelly as I was when I first met and ran with him at the American Heroes Run.

Kelly Thrush
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Bill Stahl
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At this year’s American Heroes Run, Kelly Thrush of Arizona by far had the best cheering section, including a couple of adorable tikes, his niece and nephew, holding up a posterboard sign with the message, “From liver transplant to 100 miles, look at what you can do Kelly.” I had the fantastic opportunity to cover a few laps with Kelly and got to hear his remarkable story. An aspiring professional baseball player, Kelly fell instead into the world of college partying. He later worked in restaurants and bars, which fueled his drinking even more. Kelly drank so hard that his boss sent him to the hospital and Kelly eventually found himself on his own deathbed. With perhaps hours to go, Kelly received a new liver, which went against normal protocol because Kelly hadn’t even started getting sober yet. He awoke feeling immense gratitude and has ever since dedicated his life to showing gratitude and giving back. He also started hiking and eventually progressed to running ultramarathons and completing a Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim hike to raise funds to give kids opportunities to get into the outdoors themselves. We cover this gripping journey in two episodes. In this part, I think you will get a lot out of hearing about Kelly’s story up to his transplant and how slim a chance he had of even being around today, getting sober and losing weight, and to be able to make the difference in the world that he now does.

Kelly Thrush
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Instagram @just__keep__going_

Bill Stahl
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I’ve brought back Kathy Davis from VegInspired, who was on episode #217 on July 21, to expand on the benefits of plant-based eating, and more importantly, how to make it easy to do. Specifically, she recommends meal planning so as to avoid, when life gets chaotic, reverting to eating out of a box, i.e., reaching for the nearest junk food. Most importantly, she offers tips about making meal planning fit into your own schedule, making it exciting for you by using ingredients you already like, and how to make meal planning and healthy eating an intentional activity. If healthier eating is on your agenda, especially as the Holidays approach, grab a pen and paper and take copious notes because Kathy doesn’t just provide a gold nugget or two in this discussion, but a whole pot of gold. For those who like to have some positive encouragement to get going and/or moving on their meal planning, definitely check out Kathy’s new accountability club to help you along. This is on top of the free meal planner she offered during the previous episode that is available on VegInspired.com/podcast, and her wonderful cookbooks that make plant-based eating quick, easy, and affordable. Kathy and I have fun chatting, but seriously, take a close listen because she really offers a ton of great ideas, and I recommend going back to episode #217 to take a deeper dive into shifting to a healthier eating lifestyle that can benefit your health, those around you, and the other animals that inhabit this planet.

Meal planner:
www.VegInspired.com/podcast

Kathy Davis
www.VegInspired.com
Facebook and YouTube VegInspired
Instagram and Twitter @veginspired

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Training most of your life to make the Olympic team and then actually achieving that goal has got to be the crowning achievement of your life, right? For Hannah Halvorsen, it certainly was. It looks so glamorous to march in the Opening Ceremony, competing against the best in the world at the most awesome venues money can build, enjoying an unparalleled experience in the Olympic Village and seeing the sights of the host country with teammates and competitors. We met Hannah back in January, 2021 in episode #113 when, as an aspiring member of the U.S. Cross Country Ski team, she had rebounded from a catastrophic accident getting run over by a car in Anchorage, Alaska to return to the world Nordic Cup circuit and earning racing points. Certainly the kind of comeback story we love to share on the WASP. Hannah’s upward trajectory continued to earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. But as she describes, the Beijing experience was just a bit skewed due to Covid, restrictions on free speech and movement, dietary challenges, and more. All of which she and the other athletes were trained to expect, but certainly quite different from what Olympians will face at the next Olympics in Paris. It was still good, but not exactly what she had dreamt of. We also talk extensively about the different attitudes between the female and male athletes on the team, and among athletes in general. I think you’ll enjoy hearing about this eye-opening trip to the Olympics as well as hearing about her hard-fought journey to get there, including the relentless positive outlook that obviously played a huge role in getting her there. Hannah has now retired from competitive skiing and is embarking on some exciting new challenges, including both studying for a psychology degree and coaching skiing at Harvard University.

Hannah Halvorsen
Instagram @hannah.g.halvorsen

Bill Stahl
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First I had a two-week malaise after running the Leadville Trail 100.  Then after receiving yellow fever, typhoid, and polio vaccinations for my upcoming trip to Africa, I went through a host of medical problems including debilitating cramps in my upper trapezius muscle, more fatigue, numbness in my fingers, and double vision.  So now I'm pretty much starting over, as I did after each of my surgeries every year of the 2010s, only this time there's no rehab involved.  I was in shape enough to attempt 100 miles in August, and here I am taking the baby steps to get back into shape just six weeks later.  How do you make a comeback from this kind of layoff?  I'd love to hear your techniques and perhaps discuss that on a future episode!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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There were stories galore at the 2022 American Heroes Run, David's tribute to first responders, military service people and veterans, and the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. We also had a lot of record performances, perhaps due to a sudden 40-degree drop in temperature plus a steady dose of rain. Please listen to hear some of these impressive and inspirational tales of endurance and perseverance.

Bill Stahl
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I hope you enjoyed part one of the great storytelling with one of running’s legends, Roy Pirrung. Last episode I detailed some of Roy’s many incredible running achievements at a wide array of distances, and he and I talked about some of his many-varied experiences. In part two of this conversation we talk more about how the Italians tried to stop him from finishing a race, getting married in the Vatican, competing in the famous Spartathlon, running across the Gobi Desert with seven broken ribs, and how crazy a race is too crazy for Roy Pirrung. If things go according to his plan, he expects to outlive his centenarian aunt, and no doubt he’ll be running that entire time. I hope you’ll be entertained again in this episode by this tremendous ambassador of the sport of running.

Roy Pirrung
roypirrung.com
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Bill Stahl
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When I first began running long distances, I subscribed to this obscure black-and-white magazine called Ultrarunning. It was nothing but race results and a few articles and letters to the editor. The community of ultrarunners was very small in those days, and there were a couple of names I’d always see standing out in the results. One of them was Roy Pirrung, a legend of the sport, now 74 years young, who has run 1.1 million lifetime miles, set 99 national records and counting, been named USATF Ultrarunner of the Year five times, and voted to the USATF Masters Hall of Fame. He has run 157 marathons and 219 ultramarathons. Roy is currently top-ranked in the world for 100 miles in the 70-74 year old age category. Some of his jaw-dropping marks include 90 miles in 12 hours, 100 miles in 13:15:50, 154 miles in 24 hours, and 243 miles in 48 hours. Roy thinks of himself not as an ultrarunner but as a runner, the kind of guy who will complete an ultra one day, and jump into a 5K the next day. He’s also the extraordinary individual who’ll eagerly jump into helping a cause like the American Cancer Society or to develop and support the sport. Roy shares global running experiences as diverse as Italy, Greece, and Asia’s Gobi Desert. Roy is so full of great stories and vigor that our chat is going to span two episodes. Even at 74, Roy is looking to join previous WASP guest Dean Karnazes to again run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. Roy shares some of his ideas about longevity, which inspires old guys like I am to keep pursuing goals and dreams, and hopefully will you as well. I hope you enjoy this very entertaining chat with one of running’s legends.

Roy Pirrung
roypirrung.com
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Bill Stahl
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It’s taken a bit to process everything from my Leadville Trail 100. The race for me ended at Twin Lakes, mile 40. My plan to fuel and hydrate better by going out at a conservative pace was obviously too slow and might have worked better had I not expended so much mental and physical energy dealing with a lighting system that wasn’t bright enough and my dicey depth perception and balance that led me to being too cautious navigating the rockier, uneven trail sections. I was moving ok but with a thin margin for error when my left hamstring cramped ¼ mile from Halfpipe aid station, mile 33. Despite eating salted mashed potatoes, salted watermelon, and a banana, the hammy continued to cramp up for the next 2-3 runnable miles. I got 250 mg. of salt from a fellow runner that immediately helped, but I’d lost too much time. I bombed down into Twin in a desperate attempt to beat the cutoff and have a shot at Hope Pass, but missed by about 15 minutes.

Aside from the disappointment, I’m left with a few bright spots. I proudly represented Team Leadville and Warriors Ascent, which is a great organization supporting veterans experiencing PTS. I also had an amazing crew led by Brian Farrington, who had also paced me to the finish in 2015. My sister Ellen and nephew Matthew came out from Charlotte, NC to experience the magic of Leadville for the first time. Gabby Penaflor, who paced me to the finish in 2010, flew out last-minute from KC, and was responsible for the giant duck and other decorstions on top of the crew vehicle for easy spotting. Super appreciate 19-year old upcoming ultrarunning star Josh Taylor being there the whole time. Huge thanks as well to long-time supporters and all-around nice people Shelley, Scott, and Shane Miller. It’s so amazing having all of those folks ready to give up their weekend while this old guy pursues his dreams in the mountains and tries to inspire younger folks to follow in my footsteps.

Congrats to all of the finishers! There is seriously not much more inspiring than being at the Leadville finish line during the last two hours and seeing beaten-up warriors trudging the last of their 100 miles with their families and friends in tow. It was also cool seeing well-known runners like Hellah Sidibe and Harvey Lewis totally out of their elements and acknowledging what a beast the Leadville course is, yet still finding ways to get to the line. It was also inspiring to see Tyler Andrews, who’s taken me on amazing journeys in South America, bravely fighting in obvious distress to a fourth-place finish.

Finally, what a special treat getting to spend time with the amazing Simone Brick, and conversing with legends Ken Chlouber, Merilee Maupin, Cole Chlouber, and Travis and Mark Macy, joking around with the cutoff king and queen Mike and Sandy Monaghan as they followed me around, and chatting with some of the sport’s luminaries like Robbie Balenger, Scott Jurek, Courtney Dauwalter, Hellah, Harvey, and more. And seeing tons of old friends along the course. I’ve got some things to adjust and then I’ll be back!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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It's here!  Time to run the fabled Leadville Trail 100 for 700-800 intrepid runners and for me for the ninth time.  Here's a quick preview before heading to beautiful, magical Leadville. 

Bill Stahl
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Get ready for a super-exciting and motivational episode with legends of ultraendurance racing, Mark Macy, known to many as Mace, and his son Travis. Mace is an adventure athlete extraordinaire, including competing in every one of the Eco-Challenges during its original iteration from 1995 to 2002. I would take up an entire podcast if I were to read off all of Travis’ racing honors. He set the record for the Leadman, which comprises the Leadville Marathon, 10K, 50-mile bike, 50-mile run, 100-mile bike, and 100-mile run. Podiumed the Adventure Running World Championships spread out over 5 to 8 days including running, mountain biking, skiing, winter mountaineering, orienteering, ocean sailing, canyoneering, and spelunking. The Wulong Mountain Quest and Ordos Adventure Challenge: 5-day stage races in China through ancient villages, rice paddies, limestone canyons, caves, cities, deserts, and mountains. Two podium finishes at Primal Quest, America’s top adventure race. He completed the 24 Hours of Moab and 24 Hours of Leadville, non-stop mountain bike races on difficult terrain. The Rock and Ice Ultra, a week-long, self-supported winter journey through the Canadian Arctic on foot and on snowshoe. If that’s not exhausting enough, Travis is involved in so many areas it’s mind-boggling. He penned a book called, “The Ultra Mindset: An Endurance Champion's 8 Core Principles for Success in Business, Sports, and Life,” and produces a monthly newsletter to supplement the lessons he teaches in it. He runs Macy Endurance Coaching to help athletes achieve their goals, works with Team U, an intercollegiate fundraising endurance team dedicated to improving global health and alleviating poverty. He hosts the Travis Macy Show podcast, which I highly recommend you find and listen to. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that he’s also gotten into Colorado’s official outdoor sport of pack burro racing. We are far from done here. Travis is now helping Mace battle early-onset Alzheimer’s. As you might guess, that doesn’t mean either one of them is slowing down. When first diagnosed, Mace wrote into a spiral notebook, “My name is Mark Macy, I am 56 years old and today I was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. My doctor told me to get my affairs in order and not spend time worrying about this diagnosis. He urged me to take vacations instead, maybe go on a cruise with my wife Pammy. I told him the diagnosis was bull.” Macy subsequently wrote: “Then my wife reminded me that I am 65 not 56, so maybe the diagnosis isn't completely bull.” Later he added, “I finished day one of my Alzheimer's diagnosis with a significant decision: I didn't cause this disease. I'm not embarrassed to be one of many who has it. Instead of hiding from it, I'm going to share my story with anyone who wants to listen. My family and I are dedicated to fighting this horrible disease that kills people all over the world.” Not surprisingly, Mace and Travis competed on the same team in the re-boot of the Eco-Challenge in the compelling World’s Toughest Race Fiji broadcast on Prime Video hosted by Bear Grylls. Why stop there? The Macys have a new book chronicling this journey titled, “A Mile at a Time: A father and son’s inspiring Alzheimer’s journey of love, adventure, and hope." They are also just super-nice and engaging people. But when you hear Mace say that he’s going to beat Alzheimer’s, it’s not a stretch at all to believe him.

Next book, "A Mile at a Time: A father and son’s inspiring Alzheimer’s journey of love, adventure, and hope” is now available for pre-order on Amazon

Mark Macy
Instagram @mmacy146

Travis Macy
travismacy.com
travis.macy@gmail.com
Facebook Travis Macy
Instagram and Twitter @travismacy
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/travis-macy-92607633

Bill Stahl
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I'm excited to be just two weeks away from running the Leadville Trail 100, one of the toughest running tests on the planet. I'll be toeing the starting line there for the ninth time, and hoping to become one of the very few to finish it in four different 10-year age groups! I talk about how I've been training, my race strategy, nutrition and hydration plan, my crew, where I've been getting tips, and more. Also, I honor the lives of three truly remarkable people who recently passed: Bill Russell, Nichelle Nichols, and Vin Scully.

Bill Stahl
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This is part two of a really fun episode with two very impressive track athletes, Camden Law of Chatfield H.S. and Jake Culig of Bear Creek H.S., who finished 2nd and 3rd at the Colorado 5A State meet in the 800 meters. As I mentioned before, even if you’re not a high school track fan, I think there is a lot to gain from listening to these insightful young men. In the previous episode #215, we talked about how these young men developed as runners, their training and racing strategies and experiences, and the bond they developed in competition. In this episode, we talk more about dealing with running injuries, running during lockdown, shoe technology, running in college, college recruiting, and what is timely after the recently-completed World Track and Field Championships in Eugene, OR which barely was a blip on the consciousness of the American public, ways track could be more popular to sports fans. These young men are great testaments to how hard work, dedication, and terrific character and humility can lead to dramatic improvements and ultimately tremendous success.

Jake Culig
Instagram jacob_culig

Camden Law
Instagram camdenclaw

Bill Stahl
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In June, I was volunteering at the Resurrection Aid Station at the Leadville Marathon and Heavy Half, and noticed a couple of groups running together wearing neon green shirts that said Team Leadville and STOP Veteran Suicide, which immediately drew my interest. Never one not to initiate a conversation, I chatted with a few of them – not holding them up from continuing their mission to complete their races – but long enough to learn they were supporting an organization called Warriors Ascent that assists veterans to overcome Post-Traumatic Stress. They also told me that I needed to talk to the guy who put all of this together, Tony Hofmann. As it turns out, Tony is quite the energetic, dynamic leader, and definitely a motivating force behind the Team Leadville group. A retired colonel, West Point graduate, and Army Ranger, Tony has completed the Boston Marathon 13 times and the Leadville Trail 100, among many other tests of stamina. He is a district commander in the Army Corps of Engineers, and led their efforts to rebuild Joplin, Mo. following its devastating tornado in 2012, which was complicated by unprecedented flooding of the Missouri River. He has also authored two books, “Embracing Grit” with a foreward by Leadville 100 founder Ken Chlouber, and “Endurance, Teamwork and Grit” that are great reads for anyone seeking the inspiration to dig deep to achieve their goals, and to learn about the history of Team Leadville’s efforts to improve the lives of veterans. He defines grit as putting yourself on a personal journey to do something you thought might be out of reach, devoting the necessary time and effort to prepare for it, but not knowing what the result might be. That certainly characterizes going for any goal, whether athletic, career, self-improvement, etc., doesn’t it? His overarching message is that anyone can achieve meaningful goals even in a busy life balancing family, work, and more. Ken says that Tony is the “real deal,” and I think you’ll find that true listening to him in this episode. I am so glad I took the time to talk to those Team Leadville warriors at Resurrection because it led me to get to know this remarkable man, and I’m going to be very proud to wear their shirt when I’m running the Leadville Trail 100 myself in a few weeks. I hope that you get a lot out of this inspirational conversation and also just enjoy listening to him.

Tony Hofmann
www.tonyhofmanngrit.com
Facebook tony.hofmann.50
Instagram @thofmanngrit
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/tony-hofmann-pmp-f-same-5534bb3

Bill Stahl
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This episode should be helpful to you if you're training for your first marathon or if you have run a few and are looking to tweak your training. I chatted here with Mike English, who I'd coached when he was in high school, then competed for the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Mike drifted away from running while establishing his career and his family with his wife Tamber and two young kids. Returning to running, Mike is training for the St. George Marathon in Utah under the tutelage of his college coach, Mark Misch. Mike and I discuss tweaks to his runs, pacing, hydration, nutrition, and other aspects to try to achieve his goals for his maiden marathon. Hopefully you gain a nugget or two from this episode whether you're a novice or have some marathons already under your belt.

Mike English
Instagram @runnermike8

Bill Stahl
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For me, the transition to eating plant-based wasn’t a hard choice. As opposed to some athletes who do it for performance-related reasons, I’ve become increasingly fed up with the food industry, particularly factory farming. We kill billions of living, breathing, intelligent animals, funded to a large extent by the government – through industry promoters who lobby for subsidies like the Beef Council, the Poultry Council, the Pork Council, the Dairy Council, etc. – that has then exacerbated health issues like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and other morbidities that were magnified during the pandemic. And then the government has to lay out larger sums of money to help people to afford the health care they need to fight these ailments. Then we have a planet that is inching onto the edge of not being able to feed itself as there is less farmland and more crop failures as climate change worsens, which the factory farming industry contributes increasingly to that problem, all while the world population grows and grows and there are more mouths to feed. Without depressing you further, it seemed like a logical choice for me to spare the lives of a few animals, which won’t change the world, but maybe it will totally change it for just a few of them who don’t get slaughtered. Funny thing is, after many years of injuries and way too many surgeries, I do seem to be training better than I have in a long time. Not sure if there’s a connection, but I’m sticking with this lifestyle. My doctor has even pointed out better health metrics during my past couple of physicals. I can also see this impressive starter list of vegan athletes whose names you likely know, like Kyrie Irving and Chris Paul in the NBA, Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, incredible ultrarunners like Scott Jurek, Robbie Balenger, and Harvey Lewis, nine-time Olympic track medalist Carl Lewis, MMA star Ronda Rousey, and tennis great Venus Williams.

My challenge has been that like most guys, I know how to artfully use a grill to cook. In Colorado, we barbeque outdoors in almost any weather. But frankly, my biggest struggle now is finding enough variety in what I eat. I love salads, but not every day. Enter Kathy Davis. She has a site called VegInspired that offers a ton of recipes and information geared toward aspiring and existing plant-based eaters. What’s great is how Kathy breaks through the barriers and makes it so easy to really make plant-based eating your lifestyle. She’s so committed that she and her husband sold their house and travel the country in an RV on something of a plant-based eating road trip, showing how doable it is even on the road. Kathy particularly emphasizes eating whole, unprocessed foods after encountering an interesting twist at the start of her journey. Despite eating plant-based, she gained dozens of pounds because she was eating what David always called vegan junk food. You commonly see them now: Beyond and Impossible Burgers, fake chicken nuggets, fake deli meats, even fake bacon. But these are often highly-processed, sometimes with high amounts of sodium, sugar, and other questionable additives. I’m not saying they’re all bad, and I think most are still better than eating animal products, but I’d still point you toward more whole, unprocessed foods like Kathy does. You can join her journey with the coaching she offers, through her Website recipes and blogs, and with the free meal planner she is giving to WASP listeners, which frankly is a Godsend for someone like me. She’s really engaging, so I hope you enjoy this conversation and gain some tips that help you live healthier, and please take advantage of her terrific meal planner.

Meal planner:
www.VegInspired.com/podcast

Kathy Davis
www.VegInspired.com
Facebook and YouTube VegInspired
Instagram and Twitter @veginspired

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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I have a really fun episode for you. I have brought together two very impressive track athletes, Jake Culig of Bear Creek H.S. and Camden Law of Chatfield H.S., who finished 2nd and 3rd at the Colorado 5A State meet in the 800 meters. We had hoped to include Drew Costelow of Valor Christian, who’d won that race, but he had a family medical emergency, yet Jake, Camden, and I had a very spirited conversation anyway. Even if you are not a high school track follower, I think you’ll be interested to hear about how these young men developed as runners, their training and racing strategies and experiences, their views on the world of track, college recruiting, the bond they developed in competition, and much more. In fact, we covered so many interesting topics that I’ve split this conversation into two parts. Both young men jumped up significantly this year. I helped coach Jake at Bear Creek where despite an unremarkable cross country season, he broke the school’s 400 and 800 meter records, and lowered the all-time Jefferson County League championship meet 800 record by a whopping 1.6 secs. His dream was to attend the U. of Colorado, and to hopefully run on the track team. The team’s coaching staff had rebuffed his initial contacts to join the team, but his impressive end-of-season performances turned the coaches’ heads and earned him a walk-on spot on the team. Camden, a junior, also seemingly came out of nowhere to run impressive times of 1:52.25 in the 800, 4:17.37 in the 1600, and then go on to run in the elite Running Lane meet in Huntsville, Ala., and Nike Nationals at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. He’s got an impressive list of prospective colleges to consider after high school. These young men are great testaments to how hard work, dedication, and terrific character and humility can lead to dramatic improvements and ultimately tremendous success.

Jake Culig
Instagram jacob_culig

Camden Law
Instagram camdenclaw

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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On July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig, despite having just been diagnosed with ALS, often called Lou Gehrig's Disease, gave one of the most inspiring speeches in sports or almost anywhere else.  The 'Iron Horse' had played in 2130 consecutive games, and led the New York Yankees to six World Series championships, but would die of this terrible disease in less than two years.  However, the Hall of Famer would give a farewell speech that showed amazing gratitude and humility, calling himself, "The luckiest man on the face of the Earth."  I hope you enjoy hearing this inspiring speech that I reprised from an earlier WASP episode.

Bill Stahl
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Imagine you are a young, rising star college runner who wins the extremely competitive Division 2 national cross country championship as a redshirt sophomore, helping lead the team to the national title as well. That year you also win the Division 2 national 3000-meter steeplechase title on the track. You then get to run in the Olympic Trials steeplechase. But next an unfortunate accident puts you in a coma, hospitalizes you for months, and erases all of that. That is what happened in 2012 to Ryan Haebe while he was building his running career at Western State University in Gunnison, Colorado. Ryan had to re-learn how to talk, walk, feed himself, etc. But he used that determination also to build a teaching career in one of the most difficult places possible, on the Navajo reservation in southwest Colorado. Not only is it challenging for him to teach as an outsider to the local culture, but the lack of resources possessed by both the schools and the residents there is staggering. Add on the pandemic. Parents, teachers, and students alike in this country complained about the uphill climb to teach and learn remotely. Imagine what it was like for Ryan and his colleagues to surmount the same challenges where most of the families didn’t have computers, Internet service, or in some cases, even basic necessities like running water. Ryan has also returned to the running scene, but now as an ultramarathoner, overcoming some additional challenges to achieve success there. All the while, as you will hear, maintaining an unbridled enthusiasm for exploring the natural beauty and history of the Southwest and native culture. I hope you will enjoy Ryan’s great comeback story and his appreciation for the Navajo people.

Ryan Haebe
Instagram @rhaebe04_

Bill Stahl
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A lot to unpack on this Power Play episode, including my recent trip to Colombia, South America, a beautiful country that has moved well beyond its days overrun by drug cartels.  I've added a  few interesting stories to my trip description.  Plus, a brief recap of the Leadville Marathon and Heavy Half with record-setting performances, and a discussion on plyometrics, which will help your strength and flexibility and make you a more efficient runner.

Bill Stahl
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Many of you know that I’m a hockey fan and closely follow the University of Denver, which won its ninth national championship in April this year. On the day between the semifinals and finals while I was there in Boston for the Frozen Four, they present awards, most notably for the Hobey Baker, which goes to the best player in college hockey. The hockey Heisman, if you will. Among the other awards is a huge honor for one college player, the Hockey Humanitarian Award. This year’s winner was Josh Kosack of Union College, which is a small but mighty school in Schenectady, NY. Josh’s story and his acceptance speech resonated with me, so I reached out and brought him onto the WASP. Josh grew up in Oakville, ON, outside Toronto, eventually played with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL on the juniors circuit, and then came to Union, from where he earned his economics degree. What I love about this story is how a random act snowballed into a big deal that ultimately helped a lot of kids. Josh was leaving the ice after warming up for a game at Dartmouth and he gave a puck to a boy named Patrick Doner, who has Down Syndrome. Well that led to Patrick becoming a big fan of Josh’s, and later to Josh connecting with the C.O.C.O.A. House in Schenectady, which helps disadvantaged kids, and its executive director, Will Rivas. The acronym stands for Children of Our Community Open to Achievement. Josh developed a following there called Kozi’s Kids and in the first year raised $5000 to buy laptops and online learning equipment. Then things took off as the word got out. Kozi’s Kids raised $50,000 the next year, culminating with Josh’s Hockey Humanitarian Award and a $3000 check from its foundation. Josh is a humble young man who showed how one very simple act of kindness – along with a heart rooted in service – can make an amazing impact in the world. I hope you enjoy this!

Josh Kosack
Instagram @joshkosack

C.O.C.O.A. House
cocoahouse.org
Facebook and Instagram @cocoahouseinc

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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I got back in the trail racing saddle this weekend for the first time in what seems like eons, a 50K trail race in the Colorado mountains, and definitely gained and/or re-lived some insights that I want to share with you that can hopefully help your racing, or for that matter, inspire you in many areas of your life.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Jessica Gutierrez grew up in a split family and also suffered from learning issues in school that caused other kids to pick on her. She became withdrawn and started falling well behind in school. Eventually two things pulled her back up. One was an accurate diagnosis of dyslexia, a learning disorder that I think is vastly underestimated. There is no medication, training, or cure for dyslexia. Those afflicted have to learn to live with it for life. The other thing that helped Jessica to feel acceptable both to other kids and herself was sports. Jessica discovered that she had enormous talent in soccer, basketball, and track. The success she experienced, along with the mentorship of several caring coaches and a better schooling situation, helped propel her to improve her grades, move on to college, and a career in veterinary medicine with a solid upward trajectory. Jessica will always deal with her dyslexia, but she is a great example of persevering and always believing there is a better path ahead for those willing to beat the odds.

Jessica Gutierrez
Facebook Jessica Bradford
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/jessica-bradford-4902344b

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Is it hard to run a marathon on a prosthetic blade? If you listened to the episode this spring with Brian Reynolds, and I encourage you to go back and listen to it if you didn’t, you’d probably agree the answer is yes. Completing a triathlon, a 100-miler, completing the Tunnel Hill 100-miler in less than 19 hours? You’d even more likely say that’s amazing. And you’d say Adam Popp of Golden, CO is amazing. Adam joined the Air Force at 18 years old, and volunteered to become a bomb disposal technician. He served a tour in Iraq and then while on duty in Afghanistan he inadvertently detonated an IED that blew off his leg and severely injured his arm. He woke up in a military hospital in Germany, then spent months Stateside experiencing the teamwork and camaraderie of the military applied to his recovery and physical therapy. He decided to focus that military discipline and intensity into the athletic world and eventually found his niche in running and triathlons. The not-so-secret of this 43-year old’s improvement, as I often preach, is his consistency. These sports have provided him the opportunity to run races like the Boston and Prague Marathons, the JFK 50-miler multiple times, the CCC, which is a very difficult 100K on the UTMB course in Chamonix, France, the World Triathlon Para Championships in Yokohama, Japan and a lot more, with upcoming major triathlon races coming in Montreal and the UK. Adam is also currently getting a Master’s degree in Sports and Performance Psychology from the University of Denver to help other athletes improve their own sports careers. He got married last year, and he and his wife are now expecting their first child. I believe you will be really inspired by Adam’s courage and drive, the kind of story I love bringing to you on the WASP.

Adam Popp
Instagram @eodpop

Bill Stahl
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We've got a hodgepodge of entertainment for you, including on this second anniversary commemoration of his tragic, untimely passing, a reading from his last book, Eat Sh*t and Die, an overview of the amazing performances at the Colorado State H.S. track meet, and more.

Bill Stahl
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I'll tell you a couple of good, fun stories from recent morning runs, including at Denver's Colfax Marathon Relay.  I'll also discuss what I think are the many advantages of running at my favorite time of day to run -- in the morning.  Enjoy!

Bill Stahl
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These two guests are inspirational and a lot of fun. Reana and Alex Kaminsky were high-level college athletes who after graduation got deeply entrenched in the working world, and long hours here, traveling there, grabbing fast food meals here, not making time to exercise there, and next thing you know, each one had gained more than 120 pounds. Once they recognized back in 2019 the toxic effects all of these factors were having on their lives, these inseparable sisters decided to attack these problems. They got back into the gym, reformed their diets, found better balance in their lives, and dropped the weight. They documented their journey on YouTube and other social media, and suddenly attracted a following that eventually led to Eating Well and Women’s Health magazines to write feature articles on them and landed them on The Doctors TV show. This opportunity to inspire others birthed their company called Get Real, with Real an amalgamation of their first names, Re and Al. In addition to highlighting their transformation stories to help others to do the same, they hope the company’s merchandise can serve as a daily reminder that real change comes from consistent action. They have a line of shirts, hoodies, hats, water bottles, and more with the Get Real message that they hope will inspire those who wear and use them, as well as others who see them, to follow in their footsteps to better physical and mental health. This gear and their stories are on www.getrealshop.com Listen along to these inspirational women who made positive changes in direction in their lives and are sharing it with you.

Reanna and Alex Kaminsky
www.getrealshop.com
alex@realconsultingco.com
linktr.ee/Reanakaminsky
Facebook Reana Kaminsky and Alex Kaminsky
Instagram @getrealshop @alexkaminsky22 @reanakaminsky
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpRP1LZh8KiuCgXEf9lQY-w

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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I’m going to introduce you today to a young businessperson who has a ton of energy, and has funneled his enthusiasm and work ethic to create a company that makes one high-quality product, an athletic nutrition bar called the ExcaliBar. Emmanuel Lai cuts no corners to ensure the quality of the ExcaliBar. But this episode isn’t about trying to sell a nutrition bar. For a young entrepreneur, he has a very high degree of awareness about ethical business practices, living an uncluttered life, self-fulfillment, and actualization, much coming from the hard-working habits he gleaned from his immigrant Taiwanese parents. So even though he could be pushing himself and his employees to work longer hours and expand the Heaven’s Pantry product line, he is for now satisfied in trying to have the most positive and efficient workplace possible and to make the ExcaliBar the best product in the crowded nutrition bar market. We cover a lot of subjects, talking about living a simple, uncluttered life, what leads to success in business and personal relationships, and doing our best to serve others. This episode just flies by, and I get a huge kick out of Manny’s Wolfman Jack voice – look him up if you aren’t old enough to know who Wolfman Jack was. You can order the ExcaliBar on Amazon, as I did, and I used the discount code that Manny gives out during this episode.

Emmanuel Lai
emmanuel@heavenspantryllc.com
www.heavenspantryllc.com
www.amazon.com/ExcaliBar
Instagram @heavenspantry

Bill Stahl
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The American Heroes Run was the brainchild of David Clark who created the race based on the motto of "Patriotism Without Politics." The race honors first responders, military service people and veterans, the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and of course, David. It will take place on Sept. 9-10, 2022 at beautiful Rogers Grove Park in Longmont, Colorado. Distances are 5K, 9.11-miles, half-marathon, marathon, 9 hours and 11 minutes, 24 hours, and 100 miles. The course is a flat, very fast 1.05-mile loop that is half paved and half packed dirt. This means that every 1.05 miles runners will pass the fully-stocked aid station, bathrooms, and their own supplies as needed. All runners will receive a beautiful, patriotic-themed shirt. Finishers will receive an exclusive coin that David designed, and 100-mile finishers earn a commemorative belt buckle. Listen to this episode and you will learn about a $15 off discount code good through May 31. Come on out and enjoy a beautiful Colorado race! Register at www.ultrasignup.com or at: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=90477

Bill Stahl
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I’m really excited about today’s guest for what a difference he can make in your athletic performance. Christian Straka was an aspiring tennis player whose career got cut short by injury. Many athletes at this point choose to then get into coaching, but Christian opted for a slightly different emphasis – the mental side of the game. He has applied his insights into mindset coaching to top professional tennis players like former world #1 Victoria Azarenka, former #1 doubles player Mike Bryan, as well as athletes in other sports. Christian has created MindSize, an impressive 8-week mindset training program for athletes at all levels. Check it out on mindsizesports.com  We discuss some of its points in this episode, including honing your focus, coping with fatigue and pain, conquering self-doubt, removing distractions, reducing performance anxiety, and much more. This kind of training, often overlooked by athletes, can make a dramatic difference in your performance. Thus, pay close attention as you might find more than a few nuggets that get you to the finish line, drop your time, earn a bigger buckle, and get more satisfaction from the results of your hard work.

Christian Straka
temren.demirbolat@caa.com
mindsizesports.com and www.straka.la
Facebook @straka.la
Instagram @straka.la
Twitter @straka_la

Bill Stahl
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Bruce Springsteen sang: "It takes a leap of faith to get things going; It takes a leap of faith you gotta show some guts; It takes a leap of faith to get things going; Yeah, in your heart baby you must trust."  What I urge you here is in order to experience life fully, sometimes you need to take a leap of faith and do things that might seem very difficult or even out of reach.  Take advantage of situations and opportunities when they arise, and often you will be richly rewarded.  That's become something I'm striving to do more now in my life, and from which already I'm seeing the benefits, and I think you can do so, too.

Bill Stahl
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Do you remember Stan Cottrell on a WASP episode this past summer, the 78-year old who was running across the country, 30 miles a day every day for 100 straight days? He said that he’d performed a test in which they determined he was within 0.1% of biomechanical perfection! Thus at his age, he managed to run more than a marathon every day unhampered by injury. For the rest of us not in that 0.1%, that sounds pretty miraculous, doesn’t it? In fact, I’d argue that I’m in the opposite 0.1%. This is where this conversation with Dr. Andrew Fix comes in. Andrew is a doctor of physical therapy, and Board-certified in orthopedics. Actually, he has more initials after his name than anyone I have ever seen. He specializes in prevention of athletic injuries, and specializes in movement and mobility, an area in which many athletes are severely deficient, me included. Andrew has a lot of great insight and advice to dispense in this episode, so be prepared to take notes. He works at the Physio Room in Highlands Ranch, Colo., on the south side of the Denver metro area, and their Web site and YouTube channel also have a ton of very helpful videos and blog posts, some of which might become indispensable to you to stay active. I know I am constantly working on my ankle and hip mobility to try to make it intact to Leadville, so I would personally recommend you look into those exercises. They also have an informative and entertaining podcast called The Code you should consider checking out.

Dr. Andrew Fix
andrew@physioroomco.com
www.physioroomco.com
Instagram @dr.andrewfix and @physioroomco
Facebook Andrew Fix
YouTube Physio Room Co

Bill Stahl
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After 200 episodes, the WASP is still all about the amazing legacy left to us by David. I continue to honor that legacy by hosting this podcast with inspirational and informative guest and directing his American Heroes Run. Two more legacies will continue: Gary Stotler and I have a life group for men. It will focus on fostering better mental and emotional health spaces for men whether they are recovering from addiction, alcohol abuse, eating dysfunction, or dealing with divorce or other relationship issues, family, business and financial concerns, or other everyday pressures. We will find pathways to success through better motivation and self-discipline, journaling, fitness, and more. We will have a positive and encouraging Facebook group, Zoom calls, face-to-face retreat-style meetups, and more with the option for one-on-one meetings with Gary and me. Please contact me for more info. I am also creating a proposal to fulfill David's dream to run the bases at Coors Field in Denver, the home of the Colorado Rockies, to increase awareness and raise funds to combat the serious opioid crisis in this country. It will be called On-Base Against Opioids. I mention in the podcast a couple of areas in which I have needs to pull this off.

Finally, I provide a reading from David's book, "Out There: A Story of Ultra Recovery" in which David wrote in brutal honesty about some of the lowest of his lows as an alcohol and drug abuser, and how he finally put his foot down to turn around his life. It is incredibly impactful.

David's books Out There, Broken Open, and Eat Sh*t and Die are available on Amazon in both print and audiobook formats.

Bill Stahl
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Every leader wants to be more effective, right? Every athlete wants to perform better under pressure, right? Today’s guest happens to be an expert at helping in both areas. Bill Benjamin, a partner at the Institute for Health and Human Potential, has conducted workshops with NASA, the FBI, corporations like Intel and Coca-Cola, and every military service branch. Bill and I talk about very strong methods that can help you whether you are an athlete, work in a collaborative office environment, or want to be better about resolving issues at home. Buckle up and be prepared to take notes because Bill and I cover a lot in a short amount of time. In particular, note how Bill discusses the science of doing your best when it matters most, how 92% of those tasks come naturally but it’s what he calls “The Last 8%,” the more challenging tasks that we either handle poorly or avoid entirely that end up defining how both we and others define our performance, leading to negative reactions, regrets, and loss of confidence. The Institute for Health and Human Potential, through workshops and programs for which you can sign-up, offers methods where you can turn crisis into opportunities, make better decisions, perform better under pressure, create a more open, collaborative workplace that fosters curiosity and innovation, and help you become an exceptional leader. There is truly something for everyone in this episode, so I hope you enjoy it.

Bill Benjamin
learning@ihhp.com647-955-3724
www.ihhp.com
www.last8percent.com
Facebook Bill Benjamin
Instagram @ihhpglobal and @last8percent
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/bill-benjamin-12b671
Twitter _bill_benjamin

Bill Stahl
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This will be a short intro bio because the comeback story you are about to hear is just a young man. But I think you will be moved by his impressive comeback from open-heart surgery that almost had a sad ending, and by his desire to share his story so others might be educated and inspired by it. Mateo Casados was a soccer player and an up-and-coming track athlete at Horizon H.S. in Thornton, CO, specializing in sprints and hurdles. However, while doing workouts with his brother, who was in similar physical shape, Mateo’s dad Lee noticed that Mateo was getting exhausted much sooner than usual, even turning white. Subsequent tests on his heart revealed that in one area when the aortic blood flow into the heart muscle itself should have one artery on either side, the arteries came in on the same side. Mateo faced the choice of limiting his activities for the rest of his life, or agreeing to risky open-heart surgery. An active, healthy young man like Mateo chose the latter. Surgery seemingly went well, but while Mateo was recovering in the ICU, something went wrong and his heart stopped beating. Mateo was rushed back into surgery, and the surgeons cracked open his chest again. Following his recovery from this traumatic event, he went on to finish second in his league in both the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles, and make the finals at the State meet in the 110s. He now competes at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction where he began the 2022 indoor season with impressively fast times of 6.86 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles and 22.93 seconds in the 200 meters. But on top of his impressive comeback, you’ll notice that Mateo has a genuinely good heart, no pun intended, and really hopes to use this experience to show how, even at his young age, his determination and belief in himself has made him a better person who can help others overcome their obstacles.

Mateo Casados
Instagram @37teo

Bill Stahl
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I have often encouraged you to "just start" to change habits, begin a new exercise program, start a project, etc.  It's often difficult to resume your physical activities after surgery, injury, or illness, so now I'm giving you tips to "just re-start" to get you back on the roads and trails much faster than simply listening to your doctor's discouraging, conservative timeline.  I began running 11 weeks after rupturing my Achilles tendon (and skied on it even earlier) when the doctor told me I'd be out for 9-12 months.  I resumed running in January after late-October surgery to repair a ruptured quad tendon in my knee even though I was told I wouldn't do anything on it until May - even downhill skiing on it that spring - and then finishing the Leadville Trail 100 that August.  I share with you my ideas to get moving quicker, getting over the fear of re-injury, and specific workouts that might help you recover quicker and get back to doing what you love.

Bill Stahl
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You’ve just been plowed down by a truck while on a bike ride. You’re laying on the pavement, spine shattered, unable to move your legs. What’s among the first things you do? You forgive the driver who ran you over. Perhaps it was Dean Otto’s experience having gone through a 12-step program for alcoholism that caused Dean to reflexively forgive that driver who stood over the mess he had caused. Perhaps it was Dean’s inherent optimistic nature, which also carried him through the next agonizing months of rehab to restore his ability to function in life. A string of amazing coincidences, maybe Providence, saw Dean onto an operating table with among the best neurosurgeons on the East Coast within an hour of the accident that had taken place on Providence Road in Charlotte, NC. That improved his odds of ever walking again from 0% to 2%, hence the name for his inspirational book, “2% Chance.” What followed was a story of amazing determination, hope, and resilience. Instead of bemoaning his fate, Dean got to work that very night on moving again, and walked out of the hospital within days. Rather than holding anger, Dean’s family and the driver’s family became friends. Promising his skeptical surgeon the day after the accident that they would run a half-marathon in one year, Dean and his doc indeed finished that race – along with the guy who had run Dean over! Dean’s story has inspired many people who have read about him or seen him on TV programs like “Ellen” and the “Today Show.” All the while he has shown gratefulness to not only the doctors and therapists who worked on him, but for the love of family and the multitudes of friends and strangers who supported him. His book “2% Chance” can be found on Amazon. It’s a relatively short easy read that I’m sure you will like. I hope you’ll enjoy this uplifting story of the indefatigable human spirit and how a positive attitude can turn any outcome in a favorable direction.

Dean Otto
rdeanotto@gmail.com
www.rdeanotto.com
His book "2% Chance: A Journey in Resilience, Recovery, and Rebirth" is available on Amazon.
Facebook Dean Otto
Instagram @otto.dean
Twitter @DeanOtto

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Unable to process he and his wife suffering a miscarriage, Steve Claringbold literally stood on the precipice until an angel, in this case, a police officer, appeared out of nowhere and talked Steve down from leaping to his death. After that, he finally started working on healing and finding better ways to grieve. He took control of his mental health, lost a good deal of weight, and started running. During his journey, he discovered David Clark and the We Are Superman Podcast. Steve progressed from short runs to marathons and eventually ran Comrades, the oldest ultramarathon in the world, a roughly 55-mile race in South Africa that has been on my bucket list for years. In 2018, he ran the so-called “down” course in less than 10 hours, which is an outstanding time, then returned in 2019 and earned the back-to-back medal on the “up” course. I loved reading his blogposts on his Web page that gave me a great feel for what this iconic race is like. Wait until you hear in this episode about the Hell on the Humber run that Steve does every year in which entrants run the same four-mile loop across a river bridge for hours and hours. I’m sure David would have related to this. Along the way, Steve co-founded a popular running club and hosts a run in his hometown in northern England near the Scottish border. Playing off of the pivot Gary Stotler and I talked about in this week’s Power Play, Steve became a running coach, personal trainer, and massage therapist, eventually quitting his longtime job with the railroads to do these full-time. Many of his clients are dealing with long-term chronic conditions. All while devoting abundant time with his wife and two kids. I think you’ll enjoy this chat as much as I relished getting to know this amazing man.

Steve Claringbold
fitness_independence@hotmail.com
Facebook Steve Claringbold and @SteveAtFitnessIndependence
Instagram @steveatfitnessindependence

Bill Stahl
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I welcome again friend of the podcast Gary Stotler, motivational coach and author, whose last book Success is Spelled Action, a book on how to create consistent forward progress, I would highly recommend adding to your self-improvement arsenal. He also has a new podcast series called Coaching Call with Amy you can find on GaryStotler.com/podcast or on platforms like Apple podcasts. Did you know that the average adult changes their career seven times in their lifetime? Not job, but career. That means each time you have to make a hard pivot. Gary coaches others, yet recently found himself struggling to find the right direction for his business. But with focused purpose, he has pivoted into a new role. Gary and I discuss the steps to get past the self-doubt and imposter syndrome to actually setting yourself on the course you’ve always envisioned for yourself. First off, you need to take personal responsibility for where you’re at. Then you need to build consistent self-discipline in the direction you want to go. It’s always fun when we get together, so I hope you enjoy our chat and get motivated to make your own pivot.

Gary Stotler
garystotler.com
Facebook Gary Stotler
Instagram @coachgarystotler
Find his latest book, "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon
Coaching Call with Amy podcast series at garystotler.com/podcast

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Hey folks, you’re about to have your breath taken away. Karl Egloff is one of the pre-eminent mountain speedrunners in the world, holding FKTs, or Fastest Known Times – to not climb, but run – up and down many of the highest and most daunting peaks in the world, including Denali, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, and Aconcagua. Where it would take most of us many days to trek these mountains, it takes Karl mere hours. Where we would be using ropes, crampons, and ice axes, Karl is in running shoes. His Denali FKT of 11 hours, and 44 minutes edged out that of mountain legend Kilian Jornet, and Kilian skied down, whereas Karl ran. Karl is based in Ecuador, where I got to enjoy a very fun run with him in November. His mother was Ecuadorian and his father, Charly, is Swiss, so Karl got the Alpine best of both countries, and with his mountain-guide father leading the way, Karl naturally became a guide himself. His company, Cumbre Tours, leads expeditions for average humans to many of the bucket-list peaks of the world. All the while, he is an amazing family man with a mountain runner wife herself and two young kids. His current project is to capture the FKT on all of the Seven Summits – the highest peak on each of the seven continents. And then another goal is a simple run across Antarctica. We talk about taking on peak challenges (literally), chasing dreams, risk management, logistical tests, loving the mountains, and keeping the family in focus. I think you’ll be blown away when you hear his story, and I definitely encourage you to view some of his incredible mountain adventure photos and videos that will surely leave you breathless.

Karl Egloff
www.karlegloff.com
www.cumbretours.com
Facebook @karlegloff and @cumbretours
Instagram @karl.egloff and @cumbretours
Twitter @karlmtb and @cumbretours
YouTube

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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The athletes from the recently-completed Olympics are heading home and many into recovery mode.  Any athlete knows that recovery is absolutely essential to make forward progress.  I discuss here about a myriad of recovery modalities that are available to everyday athletes.  I  also have strong opinions on what is ailing the Olympics that is showing up in its low TV ratings, including competing on manmade snow, awarding the Games to totalitarian countries like China and Russia, and doping scandals still don't ban Russia's athletes. 

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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I have a treat for you today. If you want to get super-motivated, keep listening. As soon as I got done recording this episode with Hellah Sidibe, I headed out the door for a run. Hellah’s infectious enthusiasm and positivity might just do that to you, too, so you might want to listen to this just prior to – or during – your workout. Hellah grew up in Mali, a former French colony in West Africa. He moved to the United States to attend the University of Massachusetts, where he played soccer. He played professional soccer for a while before realizing his career wasn’t taking off. Trying to find his direction, one day Hellah asked himself what was his biggest fear, and decided it was running. So he went out for a run. He has run every day since for almost five years. Even though he wasn’t running long distances, he got the idea one day to run across the country. As it turns out, he became the first Black person to ever do this. But also as a Black man, this epic run wasn’t without its share of incidents. Hellah does all that while eating plant-based, too. Hellah’s fiancée Belle had begun recording his running streak and posting it on social media, and somewhere out of the blue, people identified with his journey, and he started blowing up in the cyberworld. Hellah now has a gazillion followers, and follow him on Instagram and YouTube if you also want a great daily dose of inspiration. Hellah has demonstrated how to get comfortable in uncomfortable situations and that no one is limited. His story is about taking risks, chasing your dreams, and re-imagining your potential.

Hellah Sidibe
Instagram and Twitter @hellahgood9
YouTube HellahGood
https://soles4souls.org

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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I love a good challenge, and that's the way I look at foreign travel.  Languages I don't speak, different food and cultures, navigating transit systems, enduring the intricate Covid policies, and in this case, dealing with a potentially devastating crime.  I came through this trip to Europe feeling much richer for all of the experiences and very appreciative of the hospitality of my hosts, the helpfulness and friendliness of people there, and the many opportunities to experience Europe, including many enjoyable runs.  I think you might be surprised as much as I was about many of the the things I saw there.  Thank you for listening to this fun episode!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Would you find it inspiring to listen to an episode about a guy who can run a 16:49 5K, a 1:17 half-marathon, and a 3:03 marathon? Maybe a little. How about if I added that he has done it as a double-amputee? Oh yeah, that’s a lot different! I randomly met Brian Reynolds last summer during the Leadville Trail 100. We were both at Mitch Dulleck’s house on 4th Street not far from the finish line waiting in the cold wee hours of the night for a mutual friend, Tyler Andrews, who was on WASP episode #129 in May, to complete his first LT100. We sparked up a spirited conversation and I quickly realized that this guy is a special kind of human. Brian lost both of his legs below the knee when he was just four years old due to meningitis. This tragedy never defined him, but not until the 2010s did he embark on trying to see what he could accomplish in the world of running. The results have been impressive, and if he can overcome some injuries that have been plaguing him, he hopes to test himself at this spring’s Boston Marathon. We discuss many of the unique athletic challenges he faces, as well as some incomprehensible barriers. For instance, it baffles me to learn that there isn’t a track event longer than 400 meters in the Paralympics. However, as you’ll hear, Brian has a very sunny attitude befitting a man who has seen many wonderous things happen to him in the last decade or so through athletics, including meeting his future wife and having three great kids. I hope you’ll also feel uplifted listening to the chat Brian and I had.

Please consider donating to help Boulder County fire victims relief:
https://www.commfound.org/grants/get-grant/Boulder-County-Wildfire-Fund

Brian Reynolds
Facebook and Instagram @brianreynoldsrunner

Bill Stahl
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Kevin Roth had a life-changing epiphany, packed up and moved to an idyllic place on the beach, and hung out a shingle calling himself a life coach. Oh, you say you’ve heard this story before? Wait, hear me out. Kevin was a prominent folk singer who played with Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul, and Mary, and wrote the theme song for the PBS children’s show, Shining Time Station. He recorded more than a dozen albums, and performed at the White House and at festivals all over the world. Then came a diagnosis of stage 3 melanoma and being told he had only a few years to live. Kevin stubbornly took control of his own treatment and has come out successfully on the other side. It taught him how to truly thrive in his life. Part of that was moving from Kansas to San Diego. I think that would improve anyone’s outlook, you know? Kevin found and now teaches ways to remove and replace the negatives in his and others’ lives – similar to the lessons espoused by our friends at Addict to Athlete. Kevin’s vehicle though is music. Kevin learned to play the dulcimer, a stringed instrument with a very peaceful, melodic sound. It has a very strong de-stressing effect and he has an intriguing program with it called dulcimeditation. Kevin works with clients one-on-one to help them change their lives in amazing ways. He also does group sessions, seminars, and he offers on his Web site a Teachable Course called Creating a Life of Meaning and Abundance. I think you’ll hear in our conversation that Kevin is just a down-to-Earth guy very much at peace and wanting to share with others his methods of de-stressing, and enabling them to better goal-set and re-direct their trajectories so they can enjoy a more fulfilling life experience. I know that may sound like a bunch of hippie mumbo-jumbo, but he comes across as the kind of guy you could meet one day at the bar and realize you’ve walked away a lot richer for having had the experience. When I listen to many speeches, seminars, Ted Talks, etc., I always hope to walk away with that one golden nugget. I think that if you pay close attention to Kevin here, you’ll likely gain several that will inspire you.

Please consider donating to help Boulder County fire victims relief:
https://www.commfound.org/grants/get-grant/Boulder-County-Wildfire-Fund

Kevin Roth
kevinroth.org@gmail.com
619-794-8599
www.kevinroth.org
www.kevinrothmusic.com
Instagram @happysoulsurfer_kevinroth

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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This is a very special episode of the WASP, partly because I have a personal connection to our guest. We often highlight inspirational stories about people making comebacks from things like addiction, obesity, and major injuries or illnesses. I hope these have served very much to inspire you to improve your life and achieve your own epic accomplishments. I’m willing to bet that we will never have a greater comeback story than in this episode. This is the story of a wonderful 95-year-old woman named Lillian Berliner, a survivor of the Holocaust. Her family led a normal life in a Transylvanian town that flip-flopped between Romanian and Hungarian rule until the Nazis came in and sent the town’s Jewish residents first to a crude ghetto and then to Auschwitz. Lillian and her mother survived that notorious camp, then a labor camp, death marches, and finally the Bergen-Belsen death camp. The horrors they saw and experienced are truly indescribable. By the time they were liberated by the British Army, her mother weighed only 60 pounds. Lili met her future husband Walter, an Austrian who had become a U.S. citizen and joined the U.S. Army, in postwar Germany and the two of them then built a life in America. They lived in New York, raised two sons, and Lillian worked until she was 85 years old in the medical field helping others. What is remarkable is how upbeat and vivacious she is despite her absolutely brutal experiences as a girl. She has written a memoir called “And the Month was May,” that details her incredible life, and just as importantly, displays her amazingly positive and grateful attitude and loving personality. Even though you might think that Holocaust stories are all very dark, this is a story of hope, love of hard work and America, family, and remembering and learning from the past. I have a conversation here with her son Steve, who was my roommate at the University of Pennsylvania, who along with his wife Meryl, helped Lili put her story onto paper. Interspersed throughout, you will hear clips from a conversation Steve had with Lili about her inspiring life. This is a riveting episode, as is her memoir, which I encourage you very strongly to obtain from Amazon. It’s less than 100 pages, so it’s no War and Peace, but it’s bound to have a deep impact on you. I will also be posting on my social media several photos of Lili and her family as well as with members of the Belgian family whose father had aided Lili and other prisoners during the war and that through social media incredibly connected with Lili many years later, and they still keep in touch with each other to this day. I’m very thankful that you are taking the time to learn from, and appreciate, this extremely important story.

Please consider donating to help Boulder County fire victims relief:
https://www.commfound.org/grants/get-grant/Boulder-County-Wildfire-Fund

Steve Berliner
Facebook Steve Berliner
Instagram @berlinersteve

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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As you know, I love a good comeback story as well as people who have conjured up a unique, daunting challenge to tackle. In this episode I chat with an old coaching friend, Karen Smidt, who is the long-time head cross country and track coach at Brighton High School, in a growing suburban, formerly rural, community northeast of Denver. Karen is a Navy veteran, and has been the head librarian at the school for many years. She is very welcoming as a coach and her teams routinely attract large numbers of kids to come out, and more importantly stay out, and her Bulldogs regularly finish at the top in their league championships. Karen has always enjoyed running herself, especially on trails, but she hit a major bump in the road several years back when she required neck surgery, and then that procedure led to what are likely nerve issues that have left her with almost no feeling in her hands and feet. That’s obviously not very ideal for a runner, much less a trail runner. So she did what any self-respecting WASP guest would do, she created a challenge, and hers is to run fifty 50-mile races, one in each state, while she is in her 50s. And she didn’t get started until arriving in her mid-50s, plus several states don’t have 50-mile races, so that’s added to her quest to complete this challenge before she hits 60 years old. As Karen’s husband Dan said to her after we recorded this, the only thing she likes more than running is to talk about running, so hopefully you’ll also enjoy our lively chat about her inspiring quest.

Please consider donating to help Boulder County fire victims relief:
https://www.commfound.org/grants/get-grant/Boulder-County-Wildfire-Fund

Coach Karen Smidt
Facebook Karen Stanley Smidt
Instagram @karensmidt

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Running hills gives more bang for your buck than almost any other workout.  They can be part of your transition workouts - along with tempos and fartleks - to bridge you to speed workouts, or they can be to practice the specificity needed to run hilly races.  In this episode I share many tips for workouts you can do to prepare your body as well as form essentials and ideas if you live in an area where you don't have hills readily available.  Don't hesitate to reach out if you would like to discuss how to incorporate any of these into your own program.

So many people lost everything in the recent Boulder County wildfires - more than 1000 homes were destroyed - and rebuilding lives will take a very long time.  If you are able to, please donate to help those in dire need to the Boulder Community Wildfire Fund at:
www.commfound.org or
https://www.commfound.org/grants/get-grant/Boulder-County-Wildfire-Fund

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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Before we get off of the topic of setting our actionable goals off in the strongest possible direction, I wanted to bring a guest into the Hive that will fire you up to achieve your 2022 wellness and fitness goals. Dr. Matt Chalmers regularly works with people in all walks of life ranging from CEOs and pro athletes, to local-level competitive runners, weekend warriors, and housewives. He is the author of the bestselling book “Pillars of Wellness,” which helps readers cut through the crap about wellness, exercise, and diet to figure out the actions they can take that will have the greatest impact. His book details how to fuel the body physically, mentally, and spiritually. Dr. Matt is passionate about leaving his legacy of getting his solidly-reasoned message out, so the book is available on Kindle for only 99 cents, and he loves to appear on podcasts like this one for the same reason. In our fun chat, Dr. Matt gives well-researched knowledge and a lot of excellent practical pointers to improve our body’s functioning: cut down on sugar, drink more water, get better rest, what supplements are necessary and that the RDAs set for most of them are meaningless for most bodies in motion, how to decide whether it makes sense to eat plant-based, keto, or something else, and more. I’m confident you’ll enjoy and undoubtedly gain some great insights from this lively interview.

Please consider donating to help Boulder County fire victims relief:
https://www.commfound.org/grants/get-grant/Boulder-County-Wildfire-Fund

Dr. Matt Chalmers
(214)-446-5300
fax@Chalmerswellness.com
www.chalmerswellness.com
https://linktr.ee/DrChalmers1
Facebook and Twitter @DrChalmers1
Instagram @drchalmers1 and @chalmerswellness
YouTube - DrChalmers1
"Pillars of Wellness" is available on Amazon

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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I hope your 2022 is off to a good start. To continue on the theme of adding ancillary exercises into your training program that I started with the year’s inaugural Power Play, I’m welcoming Coach Dan Herman into the Hive. Dan followed a similar path to David, maxing out at 375 pounds and having an unhealthy relationship with food as well as with his self-body image. He also had an inoperable degenerative spinal tumor that rendered him practically immobile. Illogically, Dan bought a pair of running shoes and started discovering a different way to live his life. Like David, Dan’s first runs lasted for what seemed like an eternity, even though they were less than a minute long. But he persisted until he reduced to (and has stayed at) 200 pounds and has completed marathons. Dan has brought his philosophy of transformational change to his personal training business, Phoenix Training and Performance, in which he challenges his clients toward self-discovery and achieving their own epic training goals. Dan is also a motivational speaker to empower audiences to find the most authentic versions of themselves. I think you will be very entertained by our chat, as well as find some valuable nuggets to help you start the year on an uplifted note and with some more tools to help keep you moving in a healthy fashion.

Please consider donating to help Boulder County fire victims relief:
https://www.commfound.org/grants/get-grant/Boulder-County-Wildfire-Fund

Coach Dan Herman and Phoenix Coaching and Performance:
www.phoenixcoachingperformance.com
emailcoachdan@gmail.com
Facebook @phoenixcoachingperformance
Instagram @coachdanhermancpt

TogetherWeRise

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Happy New Year!  May 2022 be the year you crush some epic goals!

First off, I do want to offer my sympathies to all of those affected by the wildfires in Boulder County.  So many people lost everything - almost 1000 homes were destroyed - and rebuilding lives will take a very long time.  If you are able to, please donate to help those in dire need to the Boulder Community Wildfire Fund at:
www.commfound.org or
https://www.commfound.org/grants/get-grant/Boulder-County-Wildfire-Fund

One key to crushing big goals this year is by staying healthy.  As sort of a resolution, I encourage you to add ancillary exercises to your training regimen, including core, hip/glute exercises, and weight training/bodyweight exercises.  I have seen directly how these will keep you on your feet and moving faster.   Hip and glute exercises are probably the most overlooked, so I describe a selection here  that you should add to your program, as well as discuss what I feel are the most important muscle groups runners should focus on in weight training, namely the triceps and lats.  Please contact me if you would like my workout sheets and/or videos to help you get rolling on these important exercises in the new year.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Happy New Year! As we navigate through the holidays, and head into a new year, all under the spectre of another wave of Covid, I thought it would be worthwhile to bring into the Hive one of the foremost experts in dealing with substance dependence, mental health, and compulsive behaviors. You may already know Coach Blu Robinson, the founder of Addict 2 Athlete, whose stated “mission is to establish and maintain recovery by promoting lifestyle changes through erasing negative behaviors and replacing them with positive ones.” Addict 2 Athlete team members routinely engage in running and other exercise as a positive replacement, as well as doing terrific service projects in their communities. It is an incredibly energetic program that helps people to set new goals. It can provide personal and group coaching, along with inspiration through its web site resources, blogs, and terrific Addict 2 Athlete podcast. These lessons of recovery I think are relatable to all of us, whether we are in recovery or not. Coach Blu grew up in a dysfunctional home and struggled with his own substance abuse. He became sober in 1996 and has been a force in the recovery community since 2001, including partnering with David Clark. Coach Blu has so much deeply helpful advice to dispense in this discussion. Note his wisdom about stopping thinking like a victim, but instead thinking about being an agent for positive change. And his five Champions Challenge principles to win in 2022, which are based on the concept of doing things outside of yourself which will lead to creating the biggest results. One I like a lot is treating people with respect who you don’t think you need. I’ve put that into play at every school I’ve worked at spending the time to know the athletic secretaries and janitors. One athletic secretary was a competitive bodybuilder and I learned from her about how that sport works. Another was a fan of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League, so I learned about that league, and I always had something to talk with her about. I’d also bring all of them an occasional simple gift like a grapefruit. They are truly the people who get things done at schools, not the ivory tower administrators. Anytime I’ve needed something done, I probably got better response because I treat them like people. Coach Blu has a lot more of this kind of solid wisdom, so please take a close listen to this episode, I think almost everyone will get a lot out of it.

Coach Blu Robinson and Addict to Athlete:
addicttoathlete.org
blu@addicttoathlete.org
Facebook & Instagram @addicttoathlete and @agentsofrecovery
Podcasts: Addict to Athlete, Agents of Recovery
Twitter @AgentsRecovery

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Season's Greetings!  Gary Stotler and host Bill Stahl again reprise the Sober F*cking Christmas episodes from 2019 (with David) and 2020 where we talked about dealing with the holidays.  Of course, a lot in the world went haywire in 2020 and 2021, but many of the root causes of holiday depression haven't changed, and maybe got even worse during the pandemic.   Gary once weighed 400 pounds and had serious issues with alcohol and depression, but transformed himself into an elite ultra endurance athlete, as well as a motivational coach, speaker, and author.   If you need a great catalyst to achieving your next goals, pickup his latest book, "Success is Spelled Action" on amazon.  Hopefully our discussion lifts your spirits during this holiday season!

Gary Stotler
garystotler.com
Facebook Gary Stotler
Instagram @coachgarystotler
Find his latest book, "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Season's Greetings, everyone!  To be honest, the holidays have always frustrated my Type A personality  in that it's hard to get much accomplished.  But you can use this "slow" period to set yourself to be more productive in 2022.  In this short Power Play, I discuss a few thoughts about what you can do now to put yourself in great position to shine in the coming year.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook @coachstahl
Instagram @stahlor

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There are so many excellent reasons to run, both physical and mental.  Longtime WASP friend Gary Stotler and I talk about many of these reasons and perhaps you'll find some that resonate with you.

Gary Stotler
garystotler.com
Facebook Gary Stotler
Instagram @coachgarystotler
Find his latest book, "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook @coachstahl
Instagram @stahlor

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As you’ve already heard from me, I was in Ecuador in early- to mid-November on a trip lead by Tyler Andrews, whose many impressive FKTs landed him here on the WASP earlier this year. There were six of us on this expedition, including my travel sidekick, Jack. Our other leader was 22-year old Ecuadorian native Beto Dávalos. I ran with Beto on an early day of the trip while we were getting acclimated to Quito’s 9300-foot elevation, on a beautiful 20 km-long trail that stretches from a place called Cumbaya, yes, that’s its actual name, to another part of the city. Along the way, we passed farms, modest neighborhoods, mansions, and ran up and down a canyon that included a spectacular waterfall and through three tunnels that were as dark as caves. Beto also told me about his battle with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, or GBS, an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the peripheral nervous system. You might recall a WASP episode earlier this year with Brad Kelley, who fell victim to the same disease, but who has had a remarkable recovery to complete the Kona Ironman, and recently attempted a quintuple-Ironman, yes, five Ironmans in a row. As you’ll hear now, Beto has had a strong recovery and has a big challenge planned ahead on Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America. He also has now gained the perspective of a much older person for someone so young, and hopes to pass that along to others. We did have one glitch in recording this episode from his home in Ecuador. My cat Babe, who always sleeps on top of my office TV’s satellite box to take advantage of the warmth coming off of it, decided to slumber on top of my soundboard late in this chat and pushed to button to stop recording. So I’ve had to fill in a bit of this conversation with Beto where we talked about a short film being made by a Mexican filmmaker about Beto’s inspirational story. You can view an excellent teaser for it on YouTube under the title Tigrana by Pablo Norza Garay. I hope you enjoy this uplifting episode.

Beto Dávalos
Facebook beto.davalos.1
Instagram @betodavalos9
YouTube film "Tigrana" by Pablo Norza Garay

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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A lot of scientific research, that I fully support, backs the concept of periodization, which means alternating your training between hard and easy - whether it's day-to-day, season-to-season, or even year-to-year.  I've also anecdotally seen the value of taking advantage of your personal situation to up your training or tackle a race.  When is it worthwhile to do this?

It has been a year since I resurrected David's We Are Superman Podcast.  Over the past 70 episodes, I have enjoyed bringing you David's brand of stories of transformation and overcoming adversities to achieve epic goals.  In addition, I hope you have been entertained and motivated by hearing from elite athletes, runners fighting for a cause, athletes tackling unique challenges, and learned from expert guests.  Thank you very much for listening and your incredible support!  I look forward to continuing to bring you these types of motivational stories and more.  Always Be Positive!

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As we get into this season of hope, here is a story that should give you plenty of it.  I met Gary Cahill while he was running the American Heroes Run 100-miler in September.  He lives not far away in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado, the gateway town to Rocky Mountain National Park.  While chatting and running with Gary, a very warm, affable, and cheerful man, I learned that Gary is a stage four survivor of cancer in three organs.  For those who are not familiar with the terminology, stage four cancer in just one organ is practically a death sentence.  He was diagnosed 14 years ago, and as you’ll hear, he took a unique and very proactive approach to his treatment.  He even requested, and received, his oncologist’s personal cellphone number.  Along the way, you will hear someone who has rebounded to enjoy his life to the fullest, is eternally optimistic, and even though he didn’t finish all 100 miles, which the 99 degrees temperatures the day of the AHR didn’t help, he’s determined to earn his belt buckle next year.  We like to feature great comeback stories on the WASP, and I hope you’ll enjoy this one of the greatest kind.

Gary Cahill
Facebook @gary.s.cahill

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Join me on a little recap of my trip to fascinating Ecuador, including running up and down volcanoes, running in the cloud jungle, and around beautiful Quito.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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David’s second-to-last podcast was with Dean Karnazes, a household name to most serious runners who know that he won seven of the tough Western States 100s. While the average American might not know him by name, a large percentage know him when I mention that he ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. Dean has a ton of other accolades, including winning the Badwater 135, an ESPY, and being named Competitor magazine’s endurance athlete of the year three times. His best-selling book Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner convinced legions of people to become runners and/or to greater challenge themselves. He has written several other great books like Run: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss. In this episode, Dean and I have a great chat about his latest book, A Runner’s High, My Life in Motion, in which he describes in vivid detail as a now-aging runner, his adventures competing in the Bishop (CA) High Sierra Ultramarathon, returning to Western States, being a running State Department ambassador in the Borat-like world of three former Soviet republics in Central Asia, and getting pulled into the White House as an unexpected guest on one of the most momentous days in U.S. history. His family has supported him throughout his adulthood of pushing himself to his limits, and he describes now wrestling with his relationship with them in ways both real and imagined in his own headspace. I have no doubt this endorphin-fueled book will fire you up to go lace up your shoes and set the bar higher on your goals. I liked one observation in particular when he said, “I didn’t run to live longer, I ran to live fuller.” I think we are all missing out on the deeper meaning to why we run if we strike out on this key point, just as he said, “Reaching the finish is not the ultimate prize, it’s the story that’s lived along the way.” Whether you are a hardcore or casual runner, or not an athlete at all, I think you will enjoy this chat with the Ultramarathon man himself.

Dean Karnazes
ultramarathonman.com
dkarnazes@gmail.com
Facebook @DeanKarnazes
Instagram @ultramarathon

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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I am fascinated by how nutrition can affect our health and the role it plays in many chronic and lifestyle diseases that plague our world, and so when I heard about Kristen Bowen and Living the Good Life Naturally, I didn’t hesitate to reach out. She sent me a bottle of magnesium soak and I tried it with an open mind. I don’t have health issues other than my ever-present orthopedic and running problems, so I wasn’t looking to cure any particular malady. However, I am a notoriously poor sleeper, and I did discover after using it that my sleeping has markedly improved. Obviously, sleeping is a major determinant in our recovery rates and other areas like alertness and productivity, so this is a welcome life enhancement. One of the athletes I coach has told me that she uses magnesium soaks to successfully lessen the frequency and severity of her migraines. This is a really good chat, and Kristen does a great job here of explaining the science behind magnesium in our bodies, what makes it an essential mineral, the issues that can arise when we don’t get enough of it, and the best ways to add to our intake and absorption of it whether through foods or transdermal methods like soaks. Kristen lives in a really beautiful part of the California coast, so I think that also contributes to her upbeat demeanor when discussing magnesium. You can explore many useful ways to get more magnesium into your body at livingthegoodlifenaturally.com

Kristen Bowen
Info@livingthegoodlifenaturally.com
livingthegoodlifenaturally.com
435-213-9048
Facebook @LivingTheGoodLifeNaturally
Instagram @ltgln.health

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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We're heading into the winter months, so here is my best advice to achieve and enjoy getting lazy and out-of-shape before the spring. ;)

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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Many of you know my long history of injuries and surgeries. More than 20 years ago, I had worked with a Feldenkreis practitioner who had noticed that I have a strong tendency to rotate onto the outsides of my feet (which unfortunately is still my tendency today), and favor my left knee due to the four surgeries I’d had to repair its ruptured quad tendon. Therefore, on the supposition that some of these subsequent issues might also be related to my biomechanics and running form, several years back I sought out Douglas Wisoff of Radiant Running in Lafayette, Colorado. Douglas was a strong trail runner in his earlier days, and has dedicated himself to helping runners improve their training and results. I am constantly reminding myself during my runs of the techniques he drilled into me, and I in turn share some of those with the athletes I coach. Douglas happened to be at the American Heroes Run where one of the athletes he coaches, Karen Kay, was running, so we decided to get together to chat. Hopefully there are some tips and ideas in this conversation that will be beneficial to your running. And if you feel this sort of work will help you run better and more injury-free, perhaps this will motivate you to look up a form coach in your community, or give Douglas a call because he can coach you remotely as well. As he says here, it often only takes a few sessions. Funny thing, just prior to Douglas and I recording this, we discovered that we are both from the same town, Huntington, Long Island, New York, and we didn’t even know that about each other before! A once-small whaling village where back in the day at the bar at Finnegan’s you could buy a beer when you were 16 years old without raising an eyebrow, order a hamburger at the Hamburger Choo Choo that would get delivered to your seat on an actual model train, and get slices of pizza at a joint called Village Pizza at 2 a.m. or later. I hope you enjoy joining us for this fun and educational chat!

Douglas Wisoff
303-499-2062
douglas@radiantrunning.com
www.radiantrunning.com
Facebook @radiantrunning

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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As motivational coach and author, and frequent WASP contributor Gary Stotler describes, Halloween was often the beginning for him of two months of losing focus on his goals due to holiday eating and parties, family gatherings, and more.  We discuss ways to be true to yourself during this time of year and maintain the discipline it takes so you will not find yourself self-loathing for falling short of your goals.

Gary Stotler
garystotler.com
Facebook Gary Stotler
Instagram @coachgarystotler
Find his latest book, "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon 

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Get ready to get fired up with Shawn Anderson.  Shawn is a top-rated motivational speaker and bestselling author, who has twice bicycled across America, and walked across Spain, Portugal, Ireland, England, Italy, France, and Japan.  I love that he has gotten the mayors of more than 500 U.S. cities to issue proclamations each year to recognize November 1 as Extra Mile Day, a day recognizing the capacity we each have to create positive change in our families, our organizations, our communities, and ourselves when we “go the extra mile.”  Hopefully getting people to develop an attitude that will carry over all year.  I’ve spent a bit of time on his Web site, shawnanderson.com, which contains his blog posts, quotes, and podcast episodes chock full of great empowering nuggets of wisdom and motivation.  I highly recommend checking it out!  I tremendously enjoyed our fun and spirited chat and hope to have Shawn on the WASP again in the future.

Shawn Anderson
310-402-4826
Shawn@ShawnAnderson.com
www.shawnanderson.com
www.ExtraMileAmerica.org
Facebook @extramileamerica
Instagram @toshawnanderson
Twitter @ToShawnAnderson
linkedin.com/in/gotheextramile

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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The high school cross country team I help coach completed its season this past week at Regionals, and while none of the runners qualified for the State meet, there was a tremendous amount of progress.  Most of all, I enjoyed the opportunity to help provide these kids a positive experience, and that they did was evident at the end of the season.  I've had many experiences like this in 35 years of coaching, as well as operating my own youth sports business for 14 years.  It's something that you can get involved with, too.  There are plenty of opportunities without having to look very far.  Try it, and you'll be rewarded, too!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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As you know, when I’m not running in the Leadville Trail 100, I work at the Winfield aid station at mile 50. That’s where I had a very brief encounter with plant-based endurance runner Robbie Balenger, who was completing his summer-long Colorado Crush. Robbie had previously run the Leadville Marathon as well as the Silver Rush 50-mile. I’ve had runners who don’t run ultras gasp, wow, he did all that? Which kind of cracks me up because lots of people have done that, including me. However, between the marathon and the Silver Rush 50, Robbie also ran the entire 587-mile Colorado Trail in 11 days. And in-between the Silver Rush and the LT100, Robbie climbed all of the Fourteeners, the 58 14,000 peaks in the Colorado Rockies. Now that’s worth gasping over! Rather than put his feet up and light up a cigar, Robbie then headed over to England to help friend William Goodge complete 48 marathons, one in each county in England, in 30 days.

What struck me about Robbie at Winfield was that despite the fact he had to have been massively tired, and like most race competitors, needed to get out of the aid station as quickly as possible, he graciously posed for selfies with aid station volunteers. Robbie lives right here in Denver, so I’m very grateful he stopped by the Hive to chat. His generosity and good nature comes through in this episode. He was driving his very cool wrapped van that he used on his earlier cross-country run. In addition to that feat, Robbie this March set the FKT for running the looped road in New York’s Central Park during its open hours from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., 16 laps and almost 100 miles in total. I’m personally just amazed that he spent that much time in Central Park without getting mugged at least three times! Maybe muggers don’t like to touch vegans. Yes, he does all of this as a plant-based athlete, so listen along if this intrigues you.

Robbie Balenger
www.robbiebalenger.com
Facebook Robbie Balenger
Instagram @robbiebalenger
Twitter @robbiebalenger

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Instagram @stahlor

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It's so easy for us to take on too much in our lives and get overwhelmed.  How much of this is due to us thinking "If I don't do this, no one else will," taking on tasks that simply aren't essential anyway?  How can we delegate instead those tasks in our homes or jobs that don't have to be done perfectly or you don't like to do so that we are not doing everything ourselves, preventing us from raising our stress levels, lowering our performance, and burning us out?  Hopefully this discussion opens your eyes to not be a sucker, and decide what tasks you actually need to do, and what others can do for you.

KoopCast, Jason Koop's podcast
"The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It" by Michael E. Gerber

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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I spent 22 years in the computer industry, made good money, but I found fulfillment earning less while owning my own youth sports business, teaching kids sportsmanship, teamwork, and giving them a healthy outlet, as well as in coaching running.  I find there is a lot more gratification in showing kids that their hard work can lead to positive results and lessons that will last them a lifetime, as well as showing adults that they can achieve their most epic goals.  The Law of Dharma or Purpose in Life: "Everyone has a purpose in life... a unique gift or special talent to give to others.  And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals."

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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I’m excited to return with some ultrarunning royalty, record-setting Zach Bitter.  Zach dealt with the pandemic by lowering the record for 100 miles on a treadmill by 23 minutes to a mind-blowing 12:09:15.  Yes, on a treadmill.  In his house.  I remember well when David Clark ran 77 miles in 12 hours on a treadmill, so Zach bested that by, oh, 21 miles or so.  Prior to this, in 2019, Zach smashed his own world record for 100 miles, averaging 6:48 per mile while running on a 443-meter track for a total time of 11:19:13.  Just for good measure, he tacked on the record for 12 hours, tallying 104.8 miles.  Zach and I chat about how he is able to maintain his high-mileage training, the advantages of his low-carb diet, the mental fortitude needed to achieve these epic feats, and we get into a lot more in this lively conversation that I think you’ll enjoy as much as I did.  I’d also urge you to check out his Human Performance Outliers Podcast, which includes many fascinating stories about how people achieve their own audacious goals.

Zach Bitter
www.zachbitter.com
Facebook Zach.Bitter
Instagram @zachbitter
Twitter @zbitter
Human Performance Outliers Podcast

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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I hope you’ve had a chance to listen to Cole Chlouber and Adrian Macdonald on the last two episodes discussing the Leadville Trail 100. Like Adrian, Annie Hughes was a relatively unknown rookie winner of this year’s race. At age 23, many might have dismissed her as one of those cute stories of a youngster taking on too steep a challenge. When I began running ultras many moons ago, it was the realm of old goats who were getting slower, so we ran further. In fact, I believe in the 90s when I first ran the Leadville 100, there had never been a finisher less than 23 years old. It was considered too much discipline for so-called youngsters to be able to train for races that rigorous. Then along came young studs like Kilian Jornet who broke that mold and became something of the Michael Jordan of ultrarunning and opened the door to many more younger ultra specialists. But even when Clare Gallagher entered Leadville, who I had watched as a very strong high school cross country runner at Cherry Creek High School here in Denver, I thought it was cute that Clare would attempt it. Then she not only won, but she ran the second-fastest time ever, behind only the legend herself, Ann Trason. However, Annie Hughes has some serious cred. She was third woman a year ago at her first 100 in Bryce Canyon, Utah, and set the FKT for the Collegiate Loop of 160 miles, which she completed in 61 hours. In 2021, she won the Collegiate Peaks 50-miler outright, including beating all of the men in the race. She followed that up by finishing second overall in Mace’s Hideout 100, a great tune-up for Leadville just two months later. One cool part about watching her run Leadville was the amount of local support she got. Yes, she is well-known there because she manages the Leadville Race Series store on Harrison Street, Leadville’s main drag. She is also well-known for her ebullient personality, which does come through in our spirited conversation, and she has a deep love for getting up into the mountains. By the way, her Instagram handle of outdoorableannie is among the best and appropriate ones I’ve ever seen. Annie has her sights set on the Moab 240 in October, where she will likely take on the current queen of ultrarunning, recent UTMB winner Courtney Dauwalter.

Annie Hughes
Instagram @outdoorable_annie
Strava

Bill Stahl - contact me to join the American Heroes Run Challenge!
silly_billy@msn.com
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The United Nations recently issued a new stamp honoring Mother Teresa with the quote from her, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”  Please join me in this discussion of how small impacts we make can collectively add up to big changes in the world.  And please tell me how small things you've done are creating impacts that can collectively lead to a better world.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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I’m excited to welcome Adrian Macdonald to the Hive. The leaves are now turning in Leadville, but a few weeks ago, Adrian won the Leadville Trail 100. Some of you might be legitimately asking, “Who is Adrian Macdonald?” At Winfield, 50 miles into the race, he was dueling for the lead with Hoka athlete Tyler Andrews, who appeared on WASP episode #129 in May, and Tyler said to me, “Who is this guy? He’s tough.” Adrian wasn’t yet a household name in Leadville, in fact, he’d never run a 100-mile race before. In the race preview articles, he didn’t garner the attention of names like Anton Krupicka, making his return to ultramarathoning after a long hiatus, or multiple time Leadville winner Ian Sharman. Adrian was lumped into the paragraph of “dark horse contenders.” Although he wasn’t without credentials, having placed second in last year’s Austin Rattler 66K and winning the Antelope Island Buffalo Run 50-miler in March in a very respectable time. Adrian ran a bold race at Leadville, especially for a rookie, and crossed the finish line in 16:18, only just more than a half-hour off of Matt Carpenter’s legendary course record, and with a 41-minute cushion ahead of runner-up Matt Flaherty, and 49 minutes over Krupicka. Adrian tells the story here that I hope you’ll enjoy about his impressive Leadville win. For a complete and entertaining rundown of the race, be sure to check out last week’s episode with Cole Chlouber, and also listen next week for our episode with 23-year old women’s winner, Annie Hughes. Also be sure to catch my recap earlier this week on the power play of the American Heroes Run.

Adrian Macdonald
Facebook Adrian Macdonald
Instagram @macdonaldadrian
Twitter twitter.com/#!/MacdonaldAdrian

Bill Stahl - contact me to join the American Heroes Run Challenge!
silly_billy@msn.com
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It was truly an honor to host the American Heroes Run.  I was awed by all of the runners and other supporters who came out to honor first responders, our military veterans and servicepeople, the lives lost on 9/11/01, and David Clark, and also endured brutal heat during the races.  I am so inspired by many of the stories of those who ran, as I hope you are as well.  Even if you didn't participate, you will be amazed and inspired listening to the stories of those who did.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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It’s always a can’t-miss episode when you have Cole Chlouber in the Hive, and I always appreciate Cole making time for me.  Cole and I recount the recent Leadville Trail 100, including his own race on his bike, as well as the entire race series, what the Leadville series has coming up yet this year and beyond.  You’ll hear an update on Ken and Merilee.  And Cole will also get you fired up in Ken-like fashion to Dig Deep and keep discovering that you are better than you think you are and that you can do more than you think you can.  BTW – upcoming episodes will have my recent chats with 100-mile run winners Adrian McDonald and Annie Hughes.  But right now I hope you enjoy this fun and lively chat with the face of the Leadville Race Series.
Register for the American Heroes Run!  https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Bill Stahl - contact me to join the American Heroes Run Challenge!
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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Cole Chlouber
www.colechlouber.com
Facebook Cole Chlouber
Instagram @ccolego

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I have never, ever completed a run, no matter how difficult it was to get out the door, and said afterward, "I wish I hadn't done that."  I guarantee that.  No matter how I felt, how bad the weather was, etc., I have always been glad afterward that I got in that run.  As I explain, there is always a value - or several of them - to every run I've completed, and usually you don't have to look very far to find it. 

You can register for the American Heroes Run at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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Today I’m bringing into the Hive Rich Greene, someone who went through his own personal transformation when he got the news from his doctor that his unhealthy lifestyle, which included smoking 2½ packs of cigarettes a day, was getting him perilously close to having a major stroke. That was his wakeup moment to clean out his fridge and replace his food with healthier options. He also returned to the pool, where he hadn’t been since his teen days, and began the process of transforming his body into that of an athlete. His coach persuaded him, much to Rich’s astonishment, to begin biking, and then running. All of this led him to begin training for the triathlon and eventually completing seven Ironman triathlons. By the way, he began that part of his journey when he was 51 years old, demonstrating that it’s never too late. Rich had also spent several decades in the dog-eat-dog world of sales, where he gained many unique insights into what it takes to succeed in that world. His desire to transfer this knowledge to others spawned his coaching business, where he advises business executives, small business owners, aspiring authors, and anyone looking to make a bold change. Rich shares a lot of great personal-action ideas here that you can apply to help move you forward to achieve your goals and increase your level of satisfaction and happiness in your life. In Rich’s business, he provides one-on-one coaching and what is really cool, he is generously offering WASP listeners on his Ironcode Success Web site several no-charge, no-obligation personal success tools that he has developed. The link to those tools is below. Seriously, don’t miss out on these, they are very likely to spur you to think differently about how you are going to achieve whatever goals you have been pursuing but haven’t quite achieved.

Register for the American Heroes Run! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Bill Stahl - contact me to join the American Heroes Run Challenge!
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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Rich Greene
www.ironmindsuccess.com
Instagram @ironmindcode
The freebie, Winning in Life and Business can be found here: https://ironmindsuccess.com/winning

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Why not do something epic in your life?  Whether it is taking on a new challenge in your life, something you might have thought was unattainable, starting a new business, or even a whole new athletic endeavor, why not try something new and exciting, and... EPIC?

You can register for the American Heroes Run at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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I thought it would be fun hearing from Simone about her adventures this summer running the Salomon Golden Trail series in Europe, as well as the travails of spending two weeks quarantined upon her return with no human contact in a small hotel room in Melbourne - at her own $3000 expense!

Simone appeared with David back in episode #93 in September, 2019 she has a quite remarkable story.  Once a depressed, traumatized, overweight teen, Simone set a deadline for herself to either change or commit suicide!  In the meantime, she spent long stretches institutionalized while battling mental health issues.  The woman she is today is nearly unrecognizable from that.  She has won both the Australian and New Zealand mountain running championships, and is a bundle of energy with endless optimism.  Definitely listen to that episode with David if you have not already, or listen to it again.  It’s quite jaw-dropping.  Simone chatted again with David and me in episode #104 in April, 2020, and with me in episode #136 in May, 2021.  I always love chatting with Simone.  I hope her energy will fire up your own training and daily lives.

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Recapping the always intriguing, always eventful Leadville Trail 100 run.  I volunteered at the Winfield (50-mile) aid station and got to see and co-mingle with many of the runners, staff, and volunteers of this iconic race.

You can register for the American Heroes Run at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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Gary had gotten lost in the wilderness, so to speak, following his last Leadville Trail 100 run finish, not having the passion to followup with further ultramarathons.  But getting on a mountain bike and completing the Leadville Stage Race, and then winning a coin for the actual 100-mile mountain bike trail race set the stage for him to Dig Deeper, as they say in Leadville, and find satisfaction in pushing through and earning a finisher's belt buckle.  It's a great story with lots of useable life lessons, so please enjoy this conversation.

Register for the American Heroes Run!  https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Bill Stahl - contact me to join the American Heroes Run Challenge!
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

Gary Stotler
garystotler.com
Facebook Gary Stotler
Instagram @coachgarystotler
Find his latest book, "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon

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David often talked with me about rising from the ashes while running ultramarathons.  He called this The Switch.  I read from his book Broken Open about his finding The Switch while running the Leadville Trail 100 where he was perilously-close to getting cutoff at mile 60 to making a miraculous turnaround and finishing.  An inspiring and worthwhile lesson for us all in every aspect of our lives.

Find David's books "Out There," "Broken Open," and "Eat Sh*t and Die" on Amazon.

You can register for the American Heroes Run at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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I had actually been trying to get Colin Lyons on for some time to talk about athlete’s mental performance training, so it’s fortuitous to get him right at the time that they’re calling these the Mental Health Olympics following Simone Biles’ well-documented travails with the so-called twisties.  Colin was a middling high school and collegiate runner but has found his niche in helping athletes develop their mental focus, find personal excellence, and  achieve their goals.  He breaks it down to TAPE, an acronym for the four controllables: trust, attitude, preparation, and effort. Colin is also a high school track and cross country coach at Castle View High School in Castle Rock, CO.  You will find this conversation interesting and useful whether or not you are an athlete trying to elevate your game on the race course, the court or fields, or in the office. 

Register for the American Heroes Run!  https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Bill Stahl - contact me to join the American Heroes Run Challenge!
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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Colin Lyons
colin@omptraining.com
omptraining.com

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Athletes' mental health has been in the news a lot lately following the competition withdrawals of world number one-ranked tennis player Naomi Osaka and gymnastics GOAT Simone Biles.  Old friend of the WASP Gary Stotler and I discuss the issues and, most importantly, ways to help.

Gary Stotler
garystotler.com
Facebook Gary Stotler
Instagram @coachgarystotler
Find his latest book, "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon

You can register for the American Heroes Run at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Impressive running improvements can come from building mileage.  What are the reasons and the best ways to do so?  A staple of runners seeking to get better and extend their limits is long runs.  Here is my advice for doing these as well as how to get these long enough to meet your goals.

You can register for the American Heroes Run at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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I had a great chat with Mandy Podlesny, who is a keto coach. Mandy suffered a freakish knee injury that sent her life spiraling downward for more than a decade. She had surgeries, tried all sorts of meds, went through the whole frustrating healthcare system mill that some of us have become all too familiar with. And none of it worked. Been there, done that, too. She was miserable and found herself entering some dark places in her head, too. She felt like shit, looked like shit. Until one day she got a wakeup call of sorts from her father of all people, and she finally resolved to take control and find the way to get better and she found out about ketones. The results were almost immediate and rather astounding. She focused on eating meat, vegetables, and healthy fats. Her inflammation drastically diminished and her energy skyrocketed, leading to a complete turnaround in her outlook on life. You’ll hear her infectious enthusiasm and ebullience in our chat. Mandy has made sharing her journey her life’s mission so as many others as possible can enjoy the same benefits she does. It was very interesting, I learned a lot in our really fun chat. For those of you who are whole-food, plant-based and/or endurance athletes, I also asked her how to fit keto into your worlds. And you’ll hear she’s not pushing this on anyone or imposing dauntingly strict standards on anyone who wants to experience similar transformations. She’s all about being, as David Clark always strove to be, a Happiness Warrior.

Bill Stahl - contact me to join the American Heroes Run Challenge!
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

Mandy Podlesny
mandyp.com
ketoclubwithmandy.com
Facebook @MoreMandyP and @himandyp
Instagram @moremandypodlesny
To order ketones, go to justdrinkthestuff.com

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Consistency is the key to success whether it is sports, overcoming addiction or alcoholism, improving your eating habits, or your quest for self-improvement.  You can plan consistency into your schedule to set yourself up for success, and avoid counterproductive "cheat days" and any other excuses to take you off-track to achieving your goals.

You can register for the American Heroes Run at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Sign-up now for the American Heroes Run Challenge to achieve your summer training goals.  For only $76 per month, you’ll receive personal coaching from me, 50% off any of the AHR races, which is worth anywhere from $25 to $87.50, and a copy of your choice of one David Clark book, either Out There, Broken Open, or Eat Shit and Die.  A great value for sure.  But I will take only 10 runners, so reach out to me ASAP to join the challenge.  

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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On the heels of a great sports weekend, I have a challenge for some of you. We are approximately two months away from the American Heroes Run, races that were begun 12 years ago by David, which I took over directing last year in Longmont CO, just east of Boulder. We had a great turnout despite Covid, and we’re expecting an even more awesome event this year. David began the American Heroes Run to honor first responders, military servicepeople and veterans, and those lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. The splendid motto of the races is “Patriotism without Politics,” something I think we can all embrace. In true David fashion, there are 9/11 tie-ins with the race distances as well as the start times. For instance, the half-marathon begins at the time the first tower of the World Trade Center was struck, the 9.11-mile run begins when the second tower was struck, and the 5K begins when one of the hijacked planes plowed into the Pentagon. Distances include 5K, 9.11-mile, half-marathon, marathon, 9 hour and 11 minutes, 24 hours, and 100 miles. There is also a virtual option. Sign-up for any race and get a race shirt, finisher award, and certificate. You can register for any distance at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

So here’s the challenge. Let’s get your summer running goals in gear! I’m looking for 10 runners to do the American Heroes Run Challenge. There will be two categories. The first is Couch to American Heroes Run. You can be starting from ground zero up to being capable of completing a 5K run. Our goal will be to get you to complete the 9.11-mile run or half-marathon, either in-person or virtually. The second category is Couch to Marathon or more. Not literally from the couch, but getting you to ramp up to completing either the AHR marathon, 24-hour, or 100-miles. Since we’re starting this right after Independence Day, the cost is only $76 per month. You’ll receive personal coaching from me, 50% off any of the AHR races, which is worth anywhere from $25 to $87.50, and a copy of your choice of one David Clark book, either Out There, Broken Open, or Eat Shit and Die. A great value for sure. But I will take only 10 runners, so reach out to me ASAP to join the challenge.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

American Heroes Run registration:
https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

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In this episode we are going to explore Colorado’s own unique endurance sport, pack burro racing. I had a great visit with Alicia Shearer on her ranch spread in Lafayette, Colorado, just east of Boulder, where she has her burros, horses, ponies, chickens, and more, some of whom you’ll hear as we recorded. I had a chance to walk with Alicia and her burros Pepper and Nestor, who are incredibly sweet and intelligent animals. In races, each burro must carry a miner’s pick, pan, and shovel, a nod to the mining heritage behind this decades-old Colorado tradition. There is a series of races here, including a Triple Crown in Leadville, Fairplay, and Buena Vista. There are now burro races in other states as well. Distances vary I believe from roughly 10K to 15 miles, typically on pretty rugged mountain terrain. Handlers do not ride, but they must run alongside tethered to their burro. The races are really a lot of fun to watch. I won’t go into a lot more detail because Alicia does a great job of explaining the sport, training for it, where the burros come from, and the vital burro conservation programs run by the Bureau of Land Management. I’m sure this is new to a lot of you and you’ll be entertained, and maybe even want to try it yourself. I would definitely recommend checking out the Web site of the Western Pack Burro Ass-ociation, yes, that’s what it’s called, which of course is filled with ass puns, but it has a tremendous amount of interesting facts about the sport.

American Heroes Run registration: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=85175

Western Pack Burro Ass-ociation: www.packburroracing.org

Alicia Shearer:
Facebook
Instagram: @mtnmamma.miers

Bill Stahl - contact me to join the American Heroes Run Challenge!
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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On July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig, despite having just been diagnosed with ALS, often called Lou Gehrig's Disease, gave one of the most inspiring speeches in sports or almost anywhere else.  The 'Iron Horse' had played in 2130 consecutive games, and led the New York Yankees to six World Series championships, but would die of this terrible disease in less than two years.  However, the Hall of Famer would give a farewell speech that showed amazing gratitude and humility, calling himself, "The luckiest man on the face of the Earth."  I hope you enjoy hearing this inspiring speech.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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I have witnessed an incredible number of amazing athletic feats in the past week alone.  The eight-hole sudden death playoff in the PGA Traveler's event; Jim Walmsley leading the way in the blistering hot Western States 100 that saw an amazing number of Golden Hour finishers; the U.S. Olympic track and field trials that has seen a large contingent of Colorado-connected qualifiers; the 10 Warriors in Leadville last weekend; and the record-shattering and inspiring individuals and teams I watched this weekend at the Colorado State High School track championships.  How you can use these amazing performances to inspire your day, week, and more!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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The 10 Warriors, first brought together by David Clark, took on the Leadville Heavy Half and Marathon in a triumphant return to racing for everyone in the Leadville family.  All of the Warriors, may of whom come from near sea level, conquered 13,200' Mosquito Pass, a sizable achievement in its own right, but also reached deep inside themselves to continue their life transformations to Superman-sized endurance powerhouses.  Best of all was the support and camaraderie over the course of the weekend.

I personally urge you to look yourself in the eyes in the mirror and ask yourself whether you like the person you see.  If that is a person you want to change, please get in touch with me.  You can also be a Warrior achieving audacious goals like these instead of repeating the same patterns that have made you unhappy, and disappointed your family, friends, co-workers and more.  The supportive 10 Warriors might be the place that can help you transform yourself.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Well I have certainly met my superior for positivity. And energy. And inspiration. And amazingness. You name it. Today you are going to meet Stan Cottrell, who is running across the country from L.A. to Washington DC. He already set the record for the fastest transcontinental run 41 years ago in 1980 in 48 days. Now he’s doing it for the third time at age 78. Yes, I said 78 years old. Stan was the real-life inspiration for Forrest Gump. His background includes being a college instructor, pharmaceutical executive, International VP of Business Development, and CEO of an international bio-technical/environmental firm with offices in 35 countries.

Stan was invited to appear last week at a high school track meet in the small town of Bennett CO, out on the plains about 25 miles east of Denver and we recorded this episode in his RV in the stadium’s parking lot, so you’ll hear a lot of voices and other noises, not to mention some interruptions. It was very hot that day, and there is no shade on the plains, yet Stan is out there pumping out 30 miles every day for 100 days on what he calls the Amazing Friendship Run. Some other running facts about Stan: he has been running for 73 years and racked up more than 270,000 lifetime miles. He has run across 40 countries. Not just IN 40 countries, ACROSS 40 countries. Including some like China before it opened up to the West; Vietnam before it re-normalized. Cambodia during the reign of the ruthless, genocidal dictator Pol Pot. Cuba, where as you’ll hear he met Fidel Castro. I wonder if he’ll run across North Korea with Dennis Rodman someday! He ran across Europe in 80 days. And a lot more. You know what, go to his Web site, friendshipsportsassociation.org, and see more of his amazing feats, and the charities he is supporting, including ones for kids and veterans. But more notably, you’ll see its tag line Positivity. Kindness. Unity. Stan runs to promote health and fitness, and to show how running can cross cultural and political boundaries. And you will hear through his rural Kentucky twang an incredibly powerful and motivational speaker. If you are like me, you’ll find yourself repeatedly rewinding this conversation to absorb the nuggets of wisdom Stan has garnered through the equivalent of running around the Earth more than 10 times.

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Ten Warriors, the Unfuck Your Fridge Challenge, or about editing for your book project at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Stan Cottrell:
friendshipsportsassociation.org
e-mail: tarfwithstan@gmail.com
Facebook: Stan Cottrell, Cottrell Stan, The Amazing Friendship Run 2021
Instagram: @runstanrun2021

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In this Power Play, I continue the discussion about transition phase workouts, describing fartlek and tempo runs you can do to bridge your training from base building to speedwork and lessen the chance you will incur injuries in the process.  Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions.

Workouts - start all with 10-15 min. warm-up jog and end with at least 10 min. cooldown:

2x12 min. with 60 sec. rest interval comfortably hard (10-15 sec. slower than 10K race pace, or 10 sec. faster than half-marathon race pace, or 80% of max. HR or 2-5 bpm slower than lactate threshold HR)

3x8 min. with 75 sec. RI at 5-10 sec. slower than 10K race pace

3x6 min. almost full effort with 2-3 min. RI

3/1 tempo: alternate 3 min. easy with 1 min. at one-mile race pace

5/2 tempo: alternate 5 min. easy with 2 min. at 20-30 sec. faster than 5K race pace

8/3 tempo: alternate 8 min. easy with 3 min. at 5K race pace

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
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In this Power Play part two, ultra endurance coach Jason Koop and I discuss getting over your fear of returning to racing in 2021.  Jason is the host of the very entertaining and informative KoopCast podcast that I would highly recommend if you are an endurance athlete.  Enjoy!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

Jason Koop:
jasonkoop.com
trainright.com
Facebook
Instagram and Twitter @jasonkoop
YouTube

Also mentioned:
Black Men Run
blackmenrun.com

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In this Power Play part one, ultra endurance coach Jason Koop and I discuss the state of ultramarathoning, its future direction, and returning to races, building on my recent episode with Simone Brick.  Jason is the host of the very entertaining and informative KoopCast podcast that I would highly recommend if you are an endurance athlete.  Enjoy!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

Jason Koop:
jasonkoop.com
trainright.com
Facebook
Instagram and Twitter @jasonkoop
YouTube

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We are bringing back an old friend of the WASP all the way from Melbourne, Australia, Simone Brick. Simone and I were on with David last year in his next-to-last episode, right after lockdowns had begun and we discussed the psyche Down Under and in the world as pandemic-related events began to unravel. I listened again to that episode, and it was actually interesting to hear how we expected things to unfold versus what has actually occurred. We were certainly wrong about some things, although we were not predicting Covid would just go away by Easter! This time, Simone and I talked about how things are now in Australia where they had much stricter lockdowns than we had in the United States, plus, with their summer now ending, how their racing season proceeded, which is instructional for us in the Northern Hemisphere as racing now opens up for us. She is now preparing to travel to race in mountain running events in Europe this summer. For those of you who don’t remember Simone when she appeared with David back in episode #93 in September, 2019 she has a quite remarkable story. Once a depressed, traumatized, overweight teen, Simone set a deadline for herself to either change or commit suicide! In the meantime, she spent long stretches institutionalized while battling mental health issues. The woman she is today is nearly unrecognizable from that. She has won both the Australian and New Zealand mountain running championships, and is a bundle of energy with endless optimism. Definitely listen to that episode with David if you have not already, or listen to it again. It’s quite jaw-dropping. I always love chatting with Simone. I hope her energy will fire up your own training and daily lives.

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Please join Nico Brooks and me having an emotional talk about the ongoing and future legacies of David Clark one year after he left us.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Today I’m having a discussion about training principles, team dynamics, and career progression with Coach Adam St.Pierre. Adam is a very accomplished ultramarathon runner and coach, including for Carmichael Training Systems and his own ASTP Coaching. He’s made a significant mark in the world of skiing. He was until recently the driving force behind the Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team here in Colorado, teaching young cross-country skiers, and turning dozens into All-Americans and sending many onto the U.S. Ski team and onto many collegiate teams. He is the Cross Country Sport Coordinator for U.S. Ski & Snowboard. After a long time in Boulder, Adam is currently moving his young outdoorsy family to Bozeman, Montana, where he took over an underperforming Montana State University Nordic ski team this year and led them to a 5th-place finish in the NCAA Championships this past March. Adam attributes a lot of the Bobcats’ success to transforming a subpar team culture into a positive one, something that comes rather naturally given his easy-going nature. I think there is a lot for everyone to learn from this great conversation, whether you are a coach, athlete with aspirations, or are part of any kind of team. Adam previously appeared on the WASP with David in episode #91 in early 2020 talking about mental toughness versus physical strength, so that’s an episode in these pandemic/post-pandemic days definitely worth going back to have another listen to. Please enjoy!

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Ten Warriors, the Unfuck Your Fridge Challenge, or about editing for your book project at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Adam St.Pierre:
adamstpierre@msubobcats.com
Facebook
Instagram: @coachadamstpierre
Twitter: @adamstpierre

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In this Power Play episode, I discuss how to use hill training to make the transition to speedwork, as well as how to train on hills to make you a stronger hill runner in trail races and ultramarathon distances.

In coming weeks I’ll be making an announcement about the Unfuck your Fridge Challenge to help you adopt a better eating lifestyle and improve your health.  Also, please contact me if like many people during this pandemic, you have written a book and are looking for editing or proofreading services to ensure that it goes to press perfectly-written without typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors.  Nothing destroys your book’s credibility more than poor writing and editing!  

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Kim Welk came to me several months ago because she’d heard I had edited David Clark’s last two books to see if I would proofread the manuscript for the book she is writing called Why (Not) Me about Brad Kelley.  While reading this very easy-flowing draft, it immediately hit me that Brad’s story would be well worth telling as a WASP episode.  Brad was stuck with an autoimmune disease called Guillaume-Barré Syndrome, and his doctors gave him the devastating news that he might not walk again.  You know how this is going to turn out.  Brad stopped saying, Why Me?, and flipped that into Why Not Me?  Brad went on to complete various Ironmans, and eventually the Kona Ironman World Championships.  He has since completed Double Ironmans and longer events, and does a lot of heart-warming work to inspire and encourage kids with disabilities as well.  I think you’ll find this episode to be very inspirational as well as the book Why (Not) Me when it is available.

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Ten Warriors, the Unfuck Your Fridge Challenge, or about editing for your book project at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Brad Kelley:
Book "Why (Not) Me" on Amazon and elsewhere
bradkelleyspeaks.com
Facebook
Instagram: @ironmanbradk

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In this Power Play episode, I talk about some recent examples of resilience and how it can be part of having a positive outlook on life.

In coming weeks I’ll be making an announcement about the Unfuck your Fridge Challenge to help you adopt a better eating lifestyle and improve your health.  Also, please contact me if like many people during this pandemic, you have written a book and are looking for editing or proofreading services to ensure that it goes to press perfectly-written without typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors.  Nothing destroys your book’s credibility more than poor writing and editing!  

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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With almost no races happening, running FKTs, or Fastest Known Times, has become a really big deal during the pandemic. Today’s visitor to the Hive, Tyler Andrews, is a Hoka-sponsored athlete, a 2:15 marathoner, and 50-mile national champion, who I first met in 2017 in Peru when he led a group of us on a magical journey running on the Inca Trail up the beautiful Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World. Tyler’s running career has bounced through many precipitous ups and downs, but he always has managed to find a way to quickly rebound from the lows to hit new highs, literally. Immediately after running a disappointing race in the 2020 Olympic marathon trials, he headed to Nepal and set the FKT for running up and down the Everest Base Camp trail, which tops out at about 17,900 feet. He became the first ever to cover the approximately 65 miles in less than 24 hours. It certainly helps that Tyler bases himself in high-altitude locales like Flagstaff, AZ, and Quito, Ecuador.

In 2018, Tyler set the world record for 50K, running 125 mind-numbing laps on a track in 2:46:06, breaking by two minutes a record that had stood for 38 years. And listen you high school and newbie runners, this comes from a guy who didn’t break 18 minutes in high school cross country, a time achieved by most of the women runners at the Olympic trials.

Earlier this year, Tyler teamed with other runners to attempt to break the world record for 100K. Tyler’s day didn’t go as well as hoped as Jim Walmsley came within a mere 9 seconds of the mark. So Tyler headed back down to South America to set several FKTs on some of the highest Andean peaks, higher than 5000 meters, and in some cases active volcanoes, in an ongoing project he is calling the Los10FKT. It’s definitely worth a follow as he conquers those challenges.

Tyler has also founded the Chaski Endurance Collective, an online community with coaches from around the world empowering athletes to reach new heights in their training. They have a running retreat coming up in Flagstaff in June, and Tyler will also be leading a trip in late summer on the famous UTMB race route in Europe. We had a great chat, so please enjoy!

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Ten Warriors, the Unfuck Your Fridge Challenge, or about editing for your book project at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Tyler Andrews:
Facebook Tyler Andres Andrews
Instagram and Twitter: @tylercandrews

Chaski Endurance Collective:
www.chaski.run/linktree
Instagram: @chaski.endurance

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In this Power Play episode, I talk about the Power of Positivity and why it always pays to have a good attitude!

In coming weeks I’ll be making an announcement about the Unfuck your Fridge Challenge to help you adopt a better eating lifestyle and improve your health.  Also, please contact me if like many people during this pandemic, you have written a book and are looking for editing or proofreading services to ensure that it goes to press perfectly-written without typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors.  Nothing destroys your book’s credibility more than poor writing and editing!  

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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Today we are going to go as high as we can. Literally. Dr. Jon Kedrowski and I recorded this episode a few weeks ago when he was in a hotel room in Kathmandu, Nepal, but I’ve released this episode following his trek to Everest base camp and as he is preparing to climb Mt. Everest. We also talked about Dr. Jon and fellow adventurer Colin O'Brady’s January attempt to achieve the first winter ascent of K2, the second-tallest peak in the world and one where notoriously the ratio is one climber death for every 5.5 successful ascents versus one in 33 on Everest, so it is about six times more deadly! And most of those attempts in those counts were in the summer. Brutal winter weather conditions, like -50F and hurricane-force winds, prevented Dr. Jon and Colin to attempt the summit, although 10 Sherpas did reach the K2 summit themselves. Yet at about the same time five other very experienced climbers lost their lives on what is known as the “Savage Mountain.” I strongly encourage you to follow his and Colin O’Brady’s absolutely riveting social media posts, especially during their current push to the summit of Everest, and what will be Colin's subsequent attempt to summit Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest peak, both without oxygen! The Sherpas and other mountain guides and porters are truly amazing, among other things hauling a stunning amount of gear to the base camps at very high elevations literally on their backs. Dr. Jon has created several initiatives to support them and their families, especially since much of their income has evaporated due to the pandemic, so you can also find links on his social media to help them out. Dr. Jon has written books about his successful quests to sleep on top of all 55 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks, and ski and sleep on the volcanoes of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest, and has a new book in the works. Along the way, he speaks, leads clients on treks and on skis, and more. He definitely has a few irons in the fire! I think you’ll enjoy and be motivated by this chat.

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Ten Warriors, the Unfuck Your Fridge Challenge, or about editing for your book project at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Dr. Jon Kedrowski:
jonkedrowski.com
Facebook
Instagram: @drjonkedski

Very worthy support (and raffle) for the Sherpas: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/support-sherpas-porters-and-teahouse-owners-in-need-everest-2021-expedition

Colin O'Brady:
colinobrady.com
Instagram: @colinobrady

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You’ve heard the old bromide that on any given day, you might get hit by a bus.  Well this guest has.  Leon Gray, who was 65 years old at the time, not only survived getting hit by a bus that put him in a coma for two months and broke just about everything on one side of his body, but he advertises it on a shirt he wears!  He had a lot of great support from his local running club, and he progressed from a wheelchair to using a walker to eventually resuming his life as an ultramarathon runner.  Leon and I were able to share a lot of laughs as fellow old coots trying to rebound from broken bodies, but his tale outstrips my history of surgeries and other assorted injuries.  I think you’ll enjoy and be motivated by this chat.  

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I have often said that just when you think you’ve heard about someone doing something extreme beyond comprehension, someone is doing something even sicker.  Well today I’m talking with a guy who fits that category, Walt Handloser.  How many times do you think would be the limit for finishing 100-mile races?  One a month?  Two a month?  Right now Walt has set the bar really high at 50 of them in one year!  That’s basically running a 100-mile race somewhere in the country every single weekend for a year.  Not bad for a 5’6” guy who used to weigh 275 pounds, right?  Plus, just think of the logistics.  Walt is an absolute master of data analysis and using Excel spreadsheets, and he dialed that in for this project, too.  Now he has his sights set on loftier goals.  But he has also added a fun wrinkle to his quest.  If you have ever ached to earn that magic 100-mile belt buckle, keep listening.

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Walt Handloser:
Facebook

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In this Power Play episode, I share tips for race pacing you can use as you get back into racing in 2021.  Feel free to contact me with questions, I'm happy to help you succeed in your upcoming races!

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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We have three members of the We Are Superman Leadville 10 Warriors group who in March participated in our run at the Land Between the Lakes race in western Kentucky, all with inspirational stories to tell.

First is Packer Wilson of Oklahoma. Packer is waiting for a kidney transplant. In the meantime, he hooks up to a dialysis machine for eight hours every night. Despite that, Packer completed the half-marathon wearing a shirt that reads “Running for a Kidney.” He is blood type O+ and you can help him on Instagram at #gotakidney Packer is planning, transplant or not, to run the Georgia Death Race in 2022, much to the, ahem, delight, of his wife Danielle. Definitely don’t count out this tough hombre…

Next we have Marian Cosgrove, who hosted and organized our Land Between the Lakes event, housing and all, and one of the genuinely nicest people you’ll want to meet. Marian is our connoisseur of all things meditation, and she will tell you her amazing story about losing her way but eventually getting sober and grabbing an opportunity to join the police force in Murray, Kentucky, where she has received multiple awards for the her compassionate approach to law enforcement.

Last but not least we have one of our newest, and more effusive, members, Taby Rubio-Moulier, who drive to Kentucky all the way from York, Pa. As you’ll hear, Taby finally decided it was time to make a change in her life, joined the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors, and having never run more than a 5K before, completed the half-marathon. An incredible feat! We are looking forward to seeing what she accomplishes moving forward!

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Packer Wilson:
Facebook
Instagram #gotakidney

Marian Cosgrove:
Facebook
Instagram @marian1030

Taby Rubio-Moulier:
Facebook - Seven Moulier

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We have another really great Monday power play episode to rally you to have a terrific start to your week.  Once again in the hive is Gary Stotler, motivational coach and speaker, and author of the book “Success is Spelled Action.”  Today we talk about purpose, how to establish it, how to keep your life’s purposes in balance, and how to keep moving yourself forward toward your goals when life gets complex.  Enjoy!

Gary Stotler:
garystotler.com
Facebook Gary Stotler
Instagram @coachgarystotler
Find "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon

Bill Stahl
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

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I talk with southern Louisiana-based, former 400-pound guy-turned-distance runner, advocate for better health, and now crusader for Black people’s rights, Josh LaJaunie. Josh made a name for himself by losing 200 pounds, becoming plant-based, running marathons, and founding the Missing Chins group to support others navigating the same journey. He has appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America, the Rich Roll podcast, and numerous other shows and wrote an excellent guidebook toward healthier eating called “Sick to Fit.” Along the way he also connected and formed a bond with David Clark and appeared on WASP episode #64, definitely worth a re-listen. Josh has since re-focused his energy toward advocating for Black lives, and examining his own connection to racism in the world he grew up in with the good ol’ boys in the bayou. So we discuss Ahmaud Arbury, George Floyd, the racism he still sees in New Orleans, and the Black Men Run group which encourages health and wellness among African-American men and has chapters all over the country. I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation with this energetic dynamo for social change.

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Josh LaJaunie:
joshlajaunie.com
Facebook
Instagram @joshlajaunie
"Sick to Fit" on Amazon
Black Men Run: blackmenrun.com and on Instagram @blackmenrun
504th Run Crew on Instagram @the504th

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This is what I feel is a really great Monday power play episode to rally you to have a terrific start to your week.  Once again, I’m having a conversation with friend of the WASP, Gary Stotler, motivational coach and speaker, and author of the book “Success is Spelled Action.”  Today we talk about perfection and imperfection, and how to prevent these feelings from getting you to commit to use just 1% of your day to move yourself forward toward whatever goals you have.  Enjoy!

Gary Stotler:
garystotler.com
Facebook Gary Stotler
Instagram @coachgarystotler
Find "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon

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Honoring those tragically lost in the massacre at the King Soopers store in Boulder, Colorado.

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This is the first of what we will be calling power plays.  We will still be having the long-form conversations as before, but these power plays will be short topics, slap shots to keep the hockey imagery going, to help energize the start of your week.  For the first few, I’ll be having conversations with an old friend who’s been on the WASP before, Gary Stotler, motivational coach and speaker, and author of the book “Success is Spelled Action.”  Today we talk about grace, an important topic in this time when it’s important that we be nicer and more forgiving to one another.  Enjoy!

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors.  Bill is also requesting stories about how David impacted, changed, or saved your life to compile into a book for all to share and learn from.  Reach Bill at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Gary Stotler:
garystotler.com
Facebook Gary Stotler
Instagram @coachgarystotler
Find "Success is Spelled Action" on Amazon

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Dakota Jones made his debut as a teenager, and he wasn’t just a feel-good finisher, he was winning races.  He has competed and won, or finished on the podium, in races as diverse as the Hardrock 100 in Silverton, CO, the Lake Sonoma 50 in California, and the Transvulcania Ultramarathon in the Canary Islands.  He began directing his own race, the Telluride Mountain Run, at age 22.  He is now at the forefront of promoting Protect Our Winters, in which many notable athletes are using political activism to help attack the threat of man-made climate change.  Putting actions behind his words, in 2018 Dakota rode his bike 250 miles from Durango to Colorado Springs and then won the Pikes Peak Marathon, before loading up his bike again and riding back to Durango.  He has even resumed his schooling so he can better speak to the critical issues of climate change with the goal of earning a mechanical engineering degree at Montana State University in Bozeman.  I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation with this fascinating young star of trail running.

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Inspirational speaker Marc Mero is in the hive having an energetic talk with Bill about positivity and a lot more.  Marc is a former WWE world wrestling champion and amateur boxer who for the past 15 years has toured the world presenting before packed auditoriums speaking in a deeply personal and emotional way about his message of dreaming big, forming better relationships, and living a life filled with passion and purpose.  In 2007, Marc founded the nonprofit organization Champion of Choices, empowering youth to make positive choices, and after thinking he was done traveling hundreds of days a year, he has now spoken to more than a million people in the ensuing years from schools to Fortune 500 companies, made TV appearances galore, and written a book entitled, “How to be the Happiest Person on the Planet.”

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors.  Bill is also requesting stories about how David impacted, changed, or saved your life to compile into a book for all to share and learn from.  Reach Bill at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Marc Mero:
Facebook
Instagram @marcmero
YouTube: themarcmero
marc@thinkpoz.org

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Jason Romero won the 100-mile race in the American Heroes Run in Longmont, Colorado this past September in roughly 20½ hours. Oh yes, and Jason is severely sight-impaired. This was actually one of Jason’s lesser achievements. Years ago, Jason found himself divorced, unemployed, and in a deep depression with a degenerative eye condition that has left him with limited light perception. Feeling a calling out of the blue to run across America, he dedicated the next two years of his life to prepare for, and ultimately run, more than 3,000 miles from California to New York in less than 60 days, averaging 51.5 miles per day, to log the 7th fastest transcontinental foot crossing ever. It was, and remains the only transcontinental foot-crossing by a blind person. He wrote about the run and his other struggles in his book, Running into the Dark. For more on his story, Jason was also on the WASP episode #61 with David.

Jason and I talk about struggling with adversity, learning to not give up or give in, to accept one's self for all that one is, and is not. Jason has a new book coming out, the Success Cycle, and he’s started a non-profit business called Inspire Connection, which provides motivational speaking opportunities.

OK, we’re getting down to it. I’m already working on the project to write what I’m calling David’s fourth book. Some of you have told me you thought you might have missed the submission deadline, but that’s not true. Yet. How about jotting down your David Clark story and getting it to me by mid-March? If you’re unsure about length, shoot for 200 to 500 words. Don’t worry about exact length, you’ll probably get into the flow and write more before you know it. My contact info is in the show notes, silly_billy@msn.com, I’m on FB, and on IG as @stahlor. I can also do a phone interview with you if you prefer.

Jason Romero:
www.jasonromero.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jason.romero.5283
Instagram: @romeroruns

His book, Running Into the Dark:
https://www.amazon.com/Running-into-Dark-record-setting-America-ebook/dp/B077V8X889

A good Denver Post article about his run across the country:
https://www.denverpost.com/2016/03/19/jason-romero-first-legally-blind-runner-to-win-an-ultra-race-aims-to-run-from-los-angeles-to-boston-in-64-days/#:~:text=Jason%20Romero%2C%20first%20legally%20blind%20runner%20to%20win,from%20Los%20Angeles%20to%20Boston%20in%2064%20days

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Cole Chlouber truly grew up with the Leadville Race Series, so the race series couldn’t be in better hands as it heads into the 2021 races and beyond.  Cole and I have a spirited chat about the Leadville Trail 100 past and pandemic present, including the years of the Tarahumaras, David’s integral connection to the series, our own race experiences, the City of Leadville itself, co-founders Ken and Merilee, and a lot more.  We actually recorded this on Feb. 5, David’s 50th birthday, so it was especially poignant.  If you love Leadville, or plan to become part of the Leadville family, which is what every participant becomes, or are just curious about what draws people to this magical place at two miles high in the Colorado Rockies, then you’ll thoroughly enjoy this episode.

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors.  Bill is also requesting stories about how David impacted, changed, or saved your life to compile into a book for all to share and learn from.  Reach Bill at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Cole Chlouber:
Facebook
Instagram @ccolego

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A short, impromptu remembrance of David Clark, We Are Superman, on his 50th birthday, and a bit of what he means to this day to so many people who he touched.  RIP Sober Warrior.  Go Yanks!  Let's Go Rangers!

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors.  Bill is also requesting stories about how David impacted, changed, or saved your life to compile into a book for all to share and learn from.  Reach Bill at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

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Hannah Halvorsen, a 22-year old from Truckee, CA, had just earned her way onto the World Cup skiing circuit when she was hit by a car while walking in a crosswalk in downtown Anchorage in November, 2019. She suffered serious injuries, including a broken tibia, her MCL and PCL were torn away from the bone, plus skull fractures and severe brain injuries that caused a temporary loss of vision, taste, and smell. After surgeries and a long, arduous rehab process, Hannah has incredibly already returned to the World Cup circuit, and in a race this December in Dresden, Germany scored her first-ever World Cup points.

What struck me about Hannah is her attitude. For one thing, she literally has a broad smile in every photo, whether she was digging deep doing rehab exercises or at the end of a race where most of us are looking like we are about to die. You’ll hear more about how this young woman feels gratitude with every step she has taken. She has also been an outspoken advocate in addressing body image issues that many people feel, not just limited to skiers who paradoxically have to build tremendous strength to succeed in their sport, yet wear skintight kits. I think you’ll enjoy this conversation I had with this remarkable rising US skier.

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors. Bill is also requesting stories about how David impacted, changed, or saved your life to compile into a book for all to share and learn from. Reach Bill at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Instagram @hannah.g.halvorsen
Facebook: Hannah Halvorsen

Ian Lawton's Workshed Podcast and Running for Hank (10 marathons in 10 days beginning on Jan. 23):
workshedpod.com
runningforhank.com
Instagram: @workshedpod #runningforhank
linktr.ee/workshedpod

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This inspirational episode is a very special simulcast with Ian Lawton's Workshed Podcast in Ireland!  Ian went through profound sadness following the passing of his 1 day old son Hank in 2011, which led to him exceeding 350 pounds.  Ian eventually found a support group, dropped to around 200 pounds, and began running, eventually completing ultramarathon distances.  Beginning on January 23, Ian will run 10 marathons in 10 days to honor Hank on what would have been his 10th birthday.  Plus, due to Ireland being in a Level 5 lockdown, he will complete these runs on a 400-meter track!  He's raising funds for bereaved fathers, so if you can help, there are links below to direct you to where to donate.

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors.  Bill is also requesting stories about how David impacted, changed, or saved your life to compile into a book for all to share and learn from.  Reach Bill at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Ian Lawton's Workshed Podcast and Running for Hank (10 marathons in 10 days beginning on Jan. 23):
workshedpod.com
runningforhank.com/10ten10
gofundme.com/f/10ten10
Instagram: @workshedpod #runningforhank
linktr.ee/workshedpod

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Entrepreneur and best-selling author Frank Fiume and I talk about his motivational quest for purpose, which didn’t hit him until after he’d already begun his career in medical sales. Frank saw an opportunity to transform men’s softball on Long Island, NY from a rag-tag amalgamation of disorganized leagues and created the largest sports organization on Long Island by simply giving players what they wanted: excellent service and product. Frank then spun that into i9 Sports, which is the largest private youth sports organization in the country with 170 franchises in 30 states with 2 million players participating.

As Frank says, progress isn’t a straight line, it’s a zig-zag, just as it is if you’re trying to lose weight, achieve sobriety, or keep your New Year’s resolutions. Frank hit one of his hardest ones when he got introduced to diet pills as an easy means to counter his workaholic lifestyle. Frank became a devotee of motivational superstar Tony Robbins, who helped him see that his life needed a new purpose. So Frank sold i9 Sports in 2017, and wrote a book called “Running with my Head Down: An Entrepreneur’s Story of Passion, Perseverance, and Purpose.” Frank shares how you can succeed if you have a vision and make it your mission to achieve it. Hopefully you'll enjoy his inspirational story.

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors. Bill is also requesting stories about how David impacted, changed, or saved your life to compile into a book for all to share and learn from. Reach Bill at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Frank Fiume:
frankfiume.com
frank@frankfiume.com
Instagram: @frankfiumeii
Twitter and LinkedIn: frankfiume

Ian Lawton's Workshed Podcast and Running for Hank (10 marathons in 10 days beginning on Jan. 23):
workshedpod.com
runningforhank.com
Instagram: @workshedpod
linktr.ee/workshedpod

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Julia Beckley completed 40 miles of the American Heroes Run in a wheelchair with her friend Peter Garza as her crew.  She has a rare genetic disorder called hypophosphatasia, which has caused her bones to soften to the point where any attempt to run will cause a stress fracture.  In fact, she has experienced 38 stress fractures.  Julia now competes in a wheelchair and aspires to complete a 100-miler.  On top of that, Julia does comedy, so hopefully you’ll enjoy and be inspired by our engaging conversation.

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors.  Bill is also requesting stories about how David impacted, changed, or saved your life to compile into a book for all to share and learn from.  Reach Bill at silly_billy@msn.com, on Facebook, or Instagram @stahlor

Julia Beckley:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/beckleyjulia3

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Gary Stotler and host Bill Stahl reprise the Sober F*cking Christmas 2019 episode #102 with David where we talked about dealing with the holidays.  This time of course we added in dealing with 2020 as well as 2021 ahead.  Gary once weighed 400 pounds and had serious issues with alcohol and depression, but has transformed into an elite ultra endurance athlete.  Gary is a motivational coach and speaker and has just completed his latest book, "Success is Spelled Action."   Hopefully our discussion motivates you to keep moving forward!

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors.  Bill is also requesting stories about how David impacted, changed, or saved your life to compile into a book for all to share and learn from.  Reach Bill at silly_billy@msn.com or Instagram @stahlor

Gary Stotler:
garystotler.com
Facebook - Gary Stotler
Instagram - @coachgarystotler
We Are Superman Podcast episode #39, July 2018

Check out his books on Amazon, including his new one, "Success is Spelled Action" plus "Corner of Sunshine & Hope" and "Songs of a Mountain Man"

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Ed Barnette had visited Buffalo Wild Wings in 48 states and was teetering on the outer edges of unhealthy living.  Introduced by his brother to David, he declared that he would never weigh that much again.  David replied, "I believe you."  That faith has led Ed to drop a substantial amount of weight, become a plant-based powerhouse who has finished the Leadville Heavy Half, and be a key member of the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors group.  You'll undoubtedly be inspired by his story.

Please contact Bill for more info about the We Are Superman Leadville Ten Warriors.  Bill is also requesting stories about how David impacted, changed, or saved your life to compile into a book for all to share and learn from.  Reach Bill at silly_billy@msn.com or Instagram @stahlor

Ed Barnette:
Facebook - Ed Barnette
Instagram - @ed.barnette

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In the Hive, David's good friends Nico Brooks, Chad Prichard, and host Bill Stahl share memories, laughs, and tears as we talk about the wisdom of, and stories about David Clark.

Reach Bill at: silly_billy@msn.com, Facebook, Instagram @stahlor or @coach_stahl

You can find both Nico and Chad on Facebook

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The WASP returns!  Host Bill Stahl re-boots David Clark's podcast for listeners who want to be inspired by stories of people transforming their lives and accomplishing audacious goals as we honor David's legacies of love, happiness, and positivity! #wearesupermanpodcast #wearesuperman

Reach Bill at: silly_billy@msn.com, Facebook, Instagram @stahlor or @coach_stahl

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In The Hive this week is UltraMarathon Man, Dean Karnazes. David and Karno talk about staying active, living a fear free live and how running is art. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comDean Karnazes Instagram @ultramarathon

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In The Hive this week is National Trail-Running Champion, Simone Brick to discuss how Australia is handling the COVID-19 Pandemic and what you can do to maintain your mental health during this tough time. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comSimone Brick Instagram @theflyingbrick_https://linktr.ee/simonebrick

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In The Hive with David this week are Emergency Room doctors, Vas and Khoshal to talk about the COVID-19 Pandemic. The boys talk about China, what's really happening in America's Emergency Rooms, how COVID-19 can be treated and what are the myths and realities of the virus. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comLinks from Dr VASS:Stem cell videos - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dNxg1GjfmM&t=2s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxrKr9AzSbsPeptides for COVID-19 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADLoWZUvMsg&t=1sOxidative Therapy for COVID - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gon74zzREmQ&t=4s

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In The Hive this week is inspirational ultrarunner Gary Stotler who went from 400 lbs to multiple Leadville 100 finisher. Together Gary, David and Bill Stahl talk about the meaning of Christmas, why people get depressed around the holidays and how we can be more happy. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.com

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In The Hive this week is Dr. Vas from Rocky Mountain Regenerative Medicine and also elite endurance coach Jason Koop. Stems cell therapy, sports medicine science, injury treatment and nutrition, all on the table in this fun and informative chat. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comDr Vaswww.rmrm.comKoophttps://trainright.com/coaches/jason-koop/

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In The Hive this week is BJJ World Champ, Former UFC fighter and bestselling author, Elliott Marshall. David and Elliot talks about the snowflake mentality, picking yourself up from rock bottom and the state of the union. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comElloit: www.elliotmarshall.com

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In The Hive this week is Dr. Matthew Nagra to shed some light on the science behind the plant based diet and to show how the movie Game Changers got it all correct. If you saw the Rogan/ Kresser podcast debunking the Game Changers film, you do not want to miss the flip side to the argument.Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comDr Nagra: IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.matthewnagra/?hl=enFB: https://www.facebook.com/dr.matthewnagra/TW: https://twitter.com/drmatthewnagra?lang=enMentions: http://plantbaseddocs.comhttps://www.plantbaseddoctors.org@micthevegan video: https://youtu.be/_Se9H1Hk8K0

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In The Hive this week elite ultra-runner Don Reichelt and Bill Stahl join David for a fun and raucous conversation about Badwater, Spartathlon, the history of the marathon and other stupid stuff to keep you company on your long ride, run or drive. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.com

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In The Hive this week Jason Koop and Bill Stahl join David for a fun and raucous conversation. The three coaches talk sports performance, the criticism of The new Game Changers Movie, Nike’s 2 Hour marathon and Transgender in sports. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.com

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96 WE ARE BUZZ BURRELL - THE ROOTS OF ULTRARUNNING, HYDRATION AND GEAR by David Clark

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In The Hive is bestselling author, musician and comedian Mishka Shubaly. Don’t miss this whirlwind conversation hitting on such things as how LSD works for sobriety and when is it appropriate to to tell inappropriate jokes. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comMishka: www.mishkashubaly.comIG @mishkashubaly

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In The Hive this week is NYT Bestselling author and ultrarunning legend Scott Jurek. David and Scott talk about the ground breaking film, Game Changers and why plant based living makes us stronger, faster and more evolved humans. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Scottwww.scottjurek.comGamechangers:www.gamechangersmovie.com

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WE ARE SIMONE BRICK - FROM MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTIONS TO NATIONAL MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPION. In The Hive this week is runner Simone Brick. She comes in fresh off winning the national championship after a 15 week layoff from running. She also shares her inspirational battle overcoming severe mental health struggles and past trauma. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comSimone Brick Instagram @theflyingbrick_For help with addiction:www.wearesuperman.com

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In The Hive this week is utrarunner, zen yoga teacher and MMA trainer David Lewis. The Davids hit on the spiritual aspects of running and fighting. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comDavid Lewis Instagram @pb_fitness_zen_yogawww.perfectbalancefitness.co.ukFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is athlete and coach Adam St Pierre. David and Adam hit on the balance between mental toughness and physical preparation. And other random Boulder shit. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFind Adam Inta @coachadamstpierrewww.trainright.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is athlete and author, Grace Ragland. Grace shares her journey of battling Multiple Sclerosis, becoming a badass mountain biker and finishing the Tour Divide race while fighting Cancer. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFind Grace here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grace.raglandBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733310908/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_DXhzDb3Y814KKFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is coach Bill Stahl, owner of i9 sports Colorado and a three decade Leadville runner. This is a raucous and light hearted look at the state of Leadville, why we run and all things life related. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.com

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In The Hive this week is Danny Abshire Co-Founder of Newton Shoes and author of the book Natural Running. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.com

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In The Hive this week is former UFC champion and MMA Pioneer Jens Pulver. Jens shares about his depression, his abusive relationship with his father and how he was able to turn his pain into his new life. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Jens at IG @jens_pulverwww.twitch.tv/jenspulver

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In The Hive this week is filmmaker, visionary and outspoken Vegan advocate, Bobby Sud. This conversation hits on the hard reality of why we all should consider adopting a plant-based lifestyle, delivered with no judgement and some New York humor. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is the one and only John Joeseph of the Hardcore band The Cromags. John is a 10x Ironman Athlete, best selling author and plantbased advocate. John and David go plant based and spiritual in true New York style in this fun episode. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is the one and only Tom Arnold. This conversation is a fun and inspirational bounce around divorce, fatherhood, weight loss and how we can all do better as people. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comIG @thetomarnold Twitter @tomarnold

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In The Hive this week is Steven Sashen founder of Xero Shoes and entrepreneur from ABC’s Shark Tank. Steven is a world masters champion sprinter and advocate for the healing power of natural movement. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comwww.xeroshoes.com@XEROShoes For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is Dray Bullard a rock climber, BMXer and owner of Boulder County’s famous Junkyard Ink. A variety of topics hit on including how a Plant-Based diet can effect our artistic output, why we chose fear and climbing with no rope. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comDray: @stanleydraytonbullard IG/FBFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is Misty Deiparine, a female bodybuilder from Boulder, CO. Misty has a no nonsense hard-work attitude and will inspire you to be a better athlete. She’s also shares how kindness and compassion help save her live after a fatal car accident. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is Jim Copeland a United States Marine veteran who shares his inspiring story of addiction, trauma and ultrarunning. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is Kristin Gablehouse. Kristin talks bout how a terrible accident and traumatic brain injury didn’t stop her from becoming an Ultrarunner. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is Nico Brooks. Nico has been with me for almost my entire ultrarunning journey and he finally sits down with me to talk about Badwater, Leadville and ultra-madness from the pacers point of view. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is Casey Baum. This episode is one of my personal favorites and most inspiring to date. Casey shares how a chance occurrence landed him in the Leadville 100 with no ultra experience and how he is using the run to spread hope for his daughter with a rare genetic disorder. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comCasey’s Infohttps://chuffed.org/project/run-inspiredhttps://www.clarainspired.orghttps://iambuddy.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=notes&utm_campaign=WeAreSupermanFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is Kerrie Bruxvoort. Kerrie is an accomplished ultra-runner that has set many course records and has accumulated many wins in her amazing career. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is WASP regular Jason Koop. This entertaining and fun conversation hits on drugs in sports, the crazy state of politics and the Leadville Race Series. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is health expert, raw food chef and nutritional supplement entrepreneur, Tim James. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comTim JamesIG @chemicalfreebodyguyhttps://www.chemicalfreebody.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is Gabriel Cordell talking about his documentary “Roll With Me” and his 3100 mile journey across the USA in his wheelchair. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/73-gabriel-cordell-a-3100-mile-trek-across-the-us-in-a-wheelchairFollow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comGabriel Cordell https://www.rollwithmethemovie.com/For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is Avery Collins and Sabrina Stanley, an ultrarunning power couple from Steamboat Springs Colorado. Between the two of them they have 27 ultramarathon wins including The Hardrock and HURT 100 for Sabrina, and The Death Race and Colorado 200 Mile Run for Avery. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is Joe Rose to share one of the most incredible stories you’ve ever heard. From living with a gun in hand, trafficking thousands of pounds of Cocaine, doing hard time in prison, getting clean and eventually coming full circle back to jail. You don’t want to miss this amazing story of redemption. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is ultrarunning legend, Karl Speedgoat Meltzer. Karl owns the record for most 100 mile wins (40) as well as the most holes of golf played in 12 hours (230). Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Karl hereIG @meltzerkarlTwitter @speedgoatkarlwww.karlmeltzer.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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Perhaps the most important episode of the WeAreSuperman Podcast to date. Lifelong conservative Republican, Corey Dillon is in The Hive to share the story of Rivena, his transgender daughter who took her own life. If you think you know about this issue, you’re probably wrong. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/70-corey-dillon-if-you-cant-change-your-mind-change-your-heartFollow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFind Corey hereUnlikely Advocate Blog:https://theunlikelyadvocateblog.wordpress.com/2017/11/14/an-unlikely-advocate/For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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WeAreSuperman is back to what he does best- one on one face to face conversations with those that have an amazing story to share. In The Hive this week is UFC legend Pat Miletich talking about how crashing his SUV into a tree saved this life and got him SOBER. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Pat Twitter @patmiletichInsta @pjmiletichFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive with David is the UFC’s Jared Gordon to share his amazing story of finding sobriety after dying on Christmas Day in 2015. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Jared Twitter @jflashgordonmmaInsta @jaredFlashGordon For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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Filmmaker Sanjay Rawal is in the Hive this week to shatter your idea of what being spiritual is. We talk abut the warrior mindset, how running connects us to who we are and how a 3100 mile footrace around a city block in New York can be more beautiful than a mountain trail.Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Sangay hereInsta/ Twitter @MrSanjayR Film: @3100Filmwww.foodchainsfilm.com For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com“Spirituality came from people that had peak physical condition and peak spiritual conditioning, people who knew you couldn’t have a strong mind and a weak body...”

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In the Hive this week is Chavet Breslin. Chavet talks about the ups and down of life and how she managed to unlock her hidden potential for ultrarunning success. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/myga-66-chavet-breslin-finding-what-worksFollow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Chavet hereIG/Twitter @ultrarunnerChicFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In the Hive this week is former WWF wrestling champion, amateur boxer and founder of Champion of Choices and the "Make It Stop" movement, Marc Mero. This is an amazing conversation about changing the world around us, making an impact and living a vibrant life. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/myga-65-marc-mero-make-it-stopFollow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Marchttps://thinkpoz.org/For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In the Hive this week is Josh LaJaunie. David and Josh go out at break-neck speed in this call to action for those wishing to lose weight or conquer destructive behaviors; the laughs are plentiful and the love is tough. Josh also talks about his new book “Sick to Fit” where he hits you with his personal 200lb weight loss journey and also shares his secrets to long term success. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/myga-64Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Josh hereIG/Twitter/Strava @joshlajauniewww.wellstarthealth.comThe Book:http://a.co/d/0m7Dv7WFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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David chats with Tim Kaufman about his amazing rise from the brink of death to climbing the peaks of the Adirondack Mountains. Sentenced to a life of barely being able to move his body due to his debilitating disease, Tim plunged deeper and deeper into gluttony, alcoholism, and drug addiction. Listen to how the power of plants saved him from death, restored his health and brought him all the way to the finish of a 50 mile ultramarathon. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Timwww.fatmanrant.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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The We Are Superman Podcast launched in October 2017 when David sat down with his own brother Chase Clark at day one of sobriety. That episode is still one of the most popular episodes to date, and now over one year later Chase comes back to talk about hitting the wall, defying death, finally making into to treatment and getting 90 days of sobriety. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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Jason Romero joins David in The Hive for an amazingly inspiring talk about facing our deepest fears and becoming strong in the process. Jason also talks about his book "Running Into The Dark" and hie record breaking run across the United States as a blind runner. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFind Jason herehttps://www.facebook.com/jason.romero.5283www.jasonromero.netJason's Book: http://a.co/d/39gbyc2For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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Broken bodies make strong minds. A funny and inspirational episode recorded in The Hive just a day or so before David’s Achilles surgery. Ultra runner and legendary Colorado track coach Bill Stahl chats about dealing with injures, letting go of mental road blocks and how to be happy when things aren’t going your way. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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Ultrarunning champion Hillary Allen talks about almost dying in a terrible accident during a race and how she managed to comeback and return to racing a year later. Side Note: Hillary won the NorthFace Endurance challenge in Chile just days after this recording. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/myga-59Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comHillary: Instagram @hillygoat_climbsEmail: hallen@trainright.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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Iraq War veteran and ultra-runner Chad Prichard sits down with David and talks about, bravery, PTSD, addiction and coming home after battle. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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David chats with nutritional expert Tim James talks about healing the body, curing cancer, and losing weight without changing what you eat. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Tim James www.chemicalfreebody.com Free book from Tim: https://chemicalfreebody.com/freegift-davidclark/?ref=31&campaign=freegiftFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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David talks with Roberto Duran Jr, son of the legendary Roberto Duran about how he motivates himself on his quest to become champion and to create his own legacy.Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFollow Roberto Duran JrTwitter @duranjr88Insta @Robert.duranjrFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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David and Jason Koop talk UTMB, UFC, the new Nike campaign and Serena Williams. Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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Omar Pinto and David Clark dig deep into how a mediatative and spiritual practice can help everyone in all walks of life. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/wearesuperman-54Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comThe Shair Podcast https://theshairpodcast.com/For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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An epic story of perseverance. Jason Bousilman talks about coming up short 8 consecutive times at Leadville before finally getting his buckle! Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.comIntro, Phoenix Flame by The Ghost Inside Outro Music, Aha Cover by Death of Aleriony

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In this face to face podcast, sober athlete Nick Nisbet shares his heartbreaking, inspiring and funny story of being disqualified at the 2018 Boulder Ironman. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/wearesuperman-52David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comReach Nick here: https://www.facebook.com/nick.nisbet.50/about?lst=1429757021%3A1575217221%3A1535569531For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.comIntro by The Ghost Inside Outro Music by Zak Wilde from Sirius Radio

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An incredible conversation with Dr Thomas Kline MD, PhD. The medical understanding of addiction, the scientific causes and why we missing the target on treatment. David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comReach Thomas Kline here:Twitter @ThomasKlineMDwww.thomasklinemd.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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Vegan ultrarunner Harvey Lewis talks about running 2198 miles in 49 days on the Appalachian Trail and then just 5 days later completing The Badwater 135 in Death Valley, arguably one of the toughest ultra-marthons in the world. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/wearesuperman-50David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comReach Harvey here: www.runquesttravel.comInstagram @harveylewisultrarunnerFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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Gordon Ainsleigh is the grandfather of ultra trail-running being the very first man to complete The Western States 100 mile horse race on foot and giving birth to the modern world of ultra marathons. David and Gordon talk about the early days of ultra, how the human machine evolved to run longer but less frequently than we'd think, how nutrition can beat cancer and much more.Follow David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com email David@wearesuperman.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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Red Bull Athlete and Mountain Bike Champion, Payson McElveen talks about two consecutive podiums at the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike. David and Payson also talk about the pain of racing the bike vs the run and what is was like riding alongside 100 wild-horses during the epic 6 day Mongolia Mountain Bike Challenge.https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/wearesuperman-48David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comPayson is on Instagram @PaysonMcelveenwww.paysonmcelveen.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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In The Hive this week is Pauline “Pita” Macias. After a long career in Judo, Pita became an MMA fighter after her good friend Ronda Rousey encouraged her to step into the octagon. Now coming off her first pro MMA win Pita opens up about all her battles in and out of the cage and her quest to become world champion. David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comReach Pita here: www.sabrinastanley.com Instagram @paulinepitamaciasFacebook : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=73004707For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.comOutro Music by RHCP

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WeAreSuperman Radio today hosts Spencer Newell to talk about his book "Appetite For Addiction" David and Spencer take the conversation all over the stratosphere hitting on social media, how drugs and alcohol are just the vehicle for hidden addictions and why rock bottom isn't just for addicts.

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WeAreSuperman Radio presents a special conversation between David and "Caller X". An anonymous Facebook message turns into an impromptu call-in interview and what follows is an honest and open conversation about actively using drugs and alcohol while being a competitive ultra-runner. soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/wearesuperman-45 David is @wearesuperman on all social media www.wearesuperman.comNote: Caller X asked for us to share his information after the interview. Caller X is Stephen Walker: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephen.walker.7

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In The Hive this week is 2018 Hardrock 100 Champion, Sabrina Stanley. David and Sabrina dive deep into her rise from missing the cutoff at the 2015 Leadville 100 to winning arguably the most difficult trail 100 mile race on the planet. Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comReach Sabrina here: www.sabrinastanley.com Instagram @SabrinaLeannStanleyTwitter @altraSabrinaFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.comOutro Music by Kid Rock

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Spartan Pro Athlete, Ty Clark talks about the crazy competitive nature of Spartan Racing vs. Triathlon, the winning mindset, how overtraining effects the body, the stomach and the brain and finding balance in it all. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/wearesuperman-43David is @wearesuperman on all social media www.wearesuperman.comTyAnn Clark Email tyclark_ut@yahoo.comInstagram- @runTyrun32

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WeAreSuperman #42 This week in The Hive is UFC Veteran, BJJ Blackbelt, and motivational coach Elliot Marshall. David and Elliot talk about everything from taking “The Walk”, raising kids to be great humans and fighting a lifelong battle with anxiety. Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comReach Elliot here: https://www.facebook.com/eliot.marshallInsta: @firemarshall205Elliots Podcast: The Gospel of Fire by Eliot MarshallFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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WeAreSuperman Radio #41 Swimming from Africa to Europe, cycling the entire coast of Spain and running the full coast of France. This week David talks with Luke Tyburski, an amazing endurance athlete and adventurer that takes jumping into the unknown to a whole new level. David is @wearesuperman on all social media www.wearesuperman.comWatch Luke's Doc: https://ondemand.dreamracer.tv/#!/browse/film/3419/the-ultimate-triathlonTwitter- @LukeTyburskiInstagram- @luketyburski

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WeAreSuperman Radio brings you an exciting episode of PUNCH LINE with David Clark, the show that features the funny side of sports, politics and all things combative. This week Koop and David have fun with UFC#226 and dive deep into the weight cutting issues plaguing the sport. They also touch on the bullying nature of politics today before rapping it up with some fun celebrity fight match ups.

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WeAreSuperman Radio is happy to bring you another exciting episode of MONSTERS OF RECOVERY with David Clark. This week Gary Stotler and David talk about major weight loss, wrestling with the idea of being an addict and finding rock bottom. Gary shares with amazing honesty how he continued to spiral downward even after losing over 200lbs, slipping into acloholism and almost taking his own life after the 2017 Leadville 100. Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com David@wearesuperman.comReach Gary here: https://www.facebook.com/garystotler78Insta: @outrunyourexcusesFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.com

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Recorded from David Clark’s "WeAreSuperman Radio Hour" David talks with endurance warrior Jan Krista about winning a 1000 mile foot race across Alaska. Then Plant Based addict, Adam Sud shares an amazing and touching story about how the love for his twin brother and a “Whole Food Plant Based Diet” helped him beat drug addiction, diabetes, high blood pressure and erectile disfunction. Adam Sud:Insta: @plantbasedaddicthttps://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/wearesuperman-38

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Just before the release of his children’s book “Fly With Me” Tracy Byarlay sits down in The Hive with David to talk about his rocky upbringing, a crazy set of circumstances that kept him from Nashville and how losing a child wrote a whole new story for him and his family. Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com superman100@me.comReach Tracy:https://www.babydragonpublishing.comhttps://www.facebook.com/babydragonpublishing/Twitter: @kalham_Britton https://www.facebook.com/babydragonfoundation/https://www.babydragonfoundation.orghttp://www.breakthroughsportstherapy.comhttps://www.facebook.com/fascialrestoration/For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.comMusic by Ghost Inside and Tracy Byarlay Outro "Fly With Me"

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Recorded from David Clark’s "WeAreSuperman Radio Hour" UFC Fighter Mike "The Truth" Jackson talks about the controversy surrounding his win over WWE superstar CM Punk and 2018 Western States 100 champion Courtney Dauwalter talks about mental toughness and winning the ultimate ultra prize.

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In The Hive this week is Ironman warrior, Will Turner. Will is on a mission to complete 60 full length Ironman Triathlons this year to celebrate turning 60 years old. He and David have a fun talk about being crazy in a world of crazy people, not letting age define you and “Living Your Bold”. Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com superman100@me.comReach Will here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/will.turner.5891For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.comMusic by Ghost Inside and Gregory Porter for the Outro “Insanity”

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In The Hive this week is speedy world class runner, Sage Canaday. He and David talk about why overall health is the most important reason to do anything and the differences between running the marathon and running the mountains. They also drop some bombs on the Keto diet and on why Whole Foods Plant Based is right for everyone. Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com superman100@me.comReach Sage here: Twitter/ Instagram @sagecanadayFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/SageCanadayFanPage/Website www.sagecanaday.comFor help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.comMusic by Ghost Inside and Sound of Silence cover by Disturbed

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Ultra Cycling legend and RAAM Hall Of Fame inductee, George Thomas in The Hive this week with David to talk about the grueling 3100 mile RAAM event, how life is like ballet and tips on avoiding getting hit by animals and vehicles. Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com superman100@me.comReach George here: Instagram @RAOgeorgeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/george.thomas.714RAAMhttp://www.raceacrossamerica.org/For help with addiction:Mountain Peak Recovery www.mountainpeakrecovery.comMusic by Ghost Inside and Mamas Gun (Queen Cover)

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In The Hive this week is ultramarathon legend and New York Times Bestselling Author, Scott Jurek.Reach David hereTwitter / Insta @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.comScott Jurek Twitter/ Insta @Scottjurek

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In the Hive with David is Dr. John Heiss talking consciousness, restructuring life, riding bikes and falling off skis. Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach John here: Twitter @jprolongphdInstagram @johnheiss24Sponsors:Dray @ JunkYard Ink720-536-5945www.junkyardink.comDrayCTS Coaching www.trainright.comCODE wearesuperman Music by The Ghost Inside, Alyona

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Pro Skateboarding legend and Sirius XM radio host Jason Ellis is in The Hive this week. Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach Jason here: Twitter @ellismateInstagram @wolfmateSponsors:Dray @ JunkYard Ink720-536-5945www.junkyardink.comDrayCTS Coaching www.trainright.com

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In The Hive this week is Abby Mcqueeney Penamonte. Abby is a former winner of the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning, a registered RD and a now competitive power-lifter. In the discussion is adrenal fatigue and how high carb diets compare to keto diets in endurance vs. power sports. Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach Abby here: Twitter/ Instagram @abbymcpabbyFacebook www.facebook.com/100001355631245

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In The Hive this week is UFC’s Cat Zingano, one of the toughest and most celebrated MMA fighters of all time. Cat is also the only fighter in UFC history to be a mother. In addition to the many wars she has fought in the cage she has faced devastating battles outside the cage as well. Zingano is everything I love about the human race- you don’t want to miss this conversation. -David.Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach Cat here: Twitter @catzinganoInstagram @alphacatzinganoFacebook www.facebook.com/catzinganommaCat's Documentary https://youtu.be/6cjPipGpCTcBuy Her Book: http://a.co/gn087hy

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In The Hive this week is Jonathan Vigil, lead vocalist for the metalcore band The Ghost Inside. After five albums and multiple world tours the band was living the dream until a horrible bus crash in late 2015 retired the band to hospitals and rehabs centers. Now over 2 years later, they are finally able to start crawling back into the light. Earlier this month all the band members met in Baltimore to practice for the first time since the accident. Don’t miss this epic talk about the future of the band, about life, alternate universes, making peace with the uncontrollable and fighting like hell against the voices telling you to quit. Reach David hereTwitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach John here: Twitter @jonathanvigilInstagram @jonathanvigilwww.theghostinside.comSponsors:Dray @ JunkYard InkDray Instagram @stanleydraytonbullard720-536-5945www.junkyardink.comDrayCTS Coaching www.trainright.comCODE wearesuperman

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From David Clark’s radio show "WeAreSuperman’s Lactic Acid Trip" on #AM1300XtraSports: Mountaineering: from your first 14er to Everest with Marshall Ulrich. Also, how Missy Seyler redefined what it means to put one foot in front of the other while losing a leg and still bringing gymnastics to her community.https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/waslat-4282018

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In The Hive this week is Don Reichelt. He and David have a fun conversation about life, music and how ultrarunning is like baseball. Don't miss the deep dive into human performance as these two talk Leadville, Badwater, Sparthalon and how Don went from barely finishing Leadville to running a 16 hour 100 miler. You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach Don here: Instagram @runwithdonwww.boundlessendurance.com

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From "WeAreSuperman’s Lactic Acid Trip" on #AM1300XtraSports: Jason Koop in the Studio with David to break down the Boston Marathon and talk about why Overtraining is a myth, what it takes to win and about a new crazy ultra event coming to Bailey, Colorado. Also joining via phone is former Olympian Mike Aish and Platte Canyon Track coach, Bill Stahl.

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Here comes Mike! An Olympic track runner turned Leadville legend talks about risking everything to be great, diving with great white sharks and finding the new when the old is gone. In The Hive with David this week is former Olympic runner, and Leadville legend, Michael Aish. The two chat about Mike’s epic 2nd place finish in Leadville (still the fastest time ever to not win) why pacers can be angels or demons and why Mike left New Zealand to chase the American Dream.You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach Mike here: Instagram @mraish1

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From "WeAreSuperman’s Lactic Acid Trip" on #AM1300XtraSports: Talking Boston Marathon with some super inspiring guests. Neal Ridley shares how getting shot in neck in the line of duty couldn't stop him from getting back to Boston. Henry Ward talks about doing Boston 4x in a row (in one day) and Ray Jarauld and David hit on the healing powers of running.

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How CrossFit, Ayahuasca, Shamans and New Jersey all conspired to help me finish 7th place at Leadville for my first 100 miler. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/richard-airey-the-wasp-24In The Hive with David this week is Richard Airey. These two go psychedelic, scientific and politically incorrect all in one episode. They discuss in great detail DMT, Rich’s own deep journey to Peru for an Ayahuasca ceremony and how he was able to achieve amazing ultrarunning success on a CrossFit regime. You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach Richard here: Instagram @runningwod and @BlackSheepEndurance www.facebook.com/richaireyTo Support the podcast and try NON THC CBD Oil Go to:http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.html

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From David Clark’s radio show "WeAreSuperman’s Lactic Acid Trip" on #AM1300XtraSports: NASCAR’s Doug Barnette joins me for a special tribute to ultrarunning’s Bill Dooper and then the gloves come off on Connor and UFC 223 with UFC Champion Pat Miletich.

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From David Clark’s radio show "WeAreSuperman’s Lactic Acid Trip" on #AM1300XtraSports: It’s Barkley Marathons Week and in studio with David is John Kelly, one of just a handful of finishers in the history of this iconic and insane race. The two recap this year’s Barkley that once again didn’t produce a single finisher. Also on the show is Greg Ellis with an inspirational story of overcoming hip replacement surgery and still competing in ultra marathon running.

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From "WeAreSuperman’s Lactic Acid Trip" on #AM1300XtraSports: Gary Stotler opens up with David and shares his emotional journey of battling depression and going from 400lbs to a marathon finish. Charles Vest talks about non THC Cannabis (CBD oil) benefits, medical realities and WADA competition rules.

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In The Hive this week is one of the toughest human beings you will ever meet, Courtney Dauwalter. On the exterior you see the fun, friendly, light hearted and unassuming girl, but inside is a beast that knows how to grind out win after win, even against the men. From her first DNF to winning a 240 mile race by over 10 hours, and then winning the gnarly 100 mile Run Rabbit Run after going blind 10 miles from the finish, there is something in here for every type of runner or athlete. Courtney and David not only revisit these epics runs they also touch on some of the lighter side of running and life. www.soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/expect-to-win-with-courtney-dauwalter-the-wasp-23You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach Courtney here: Twitter @courtdauwalterInstagram @courtneydauwalterwww.facebook.com/courtneydauwalterTo Support the podcast and try NON THC CBD Oil Go to:http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.html

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In The Hive this week is Rich Roll, best selling author of “Finding Ultra” and the host of the iconic Rich Roll Podcast. Rich has been named one of the fittest people on the planet as well as one of the most influential people in fitness today. David launched his own book on Rich’s Podcast in 2014 and the two have been friends ever since. One thing you can be sure of when these two get together, the topics will be deep, the responses will be brutally honest and the laughs will be loud. The two touch on the nature of being driven, who is Rich Roll, what would happen if the world collapsed and how our stories sometimes tell us. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/what-our-stories-tell-us-with-rich-roll-the-wasp-22You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach Rich here: Twitter/ Instagram @richrollwww.richroll.comTo Support the podcast and try NON THC CBD Oil Go to:http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.html

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From "WeAreSuperman’s Lactic Acid Trip" on #AM1300XtraSports: David welcomes former UFC bad boy Chris Leben to talk getting clean after years of being out of control. And a decorated US Soldier shares how battlefield injuries took him into the insidious world of opiate addiction.

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In The Hive this week with David is ultra marathon champion Heather Simon. One year ago Heather reached out for help. She wasn’t at what most people would call rock bottom. She hadn’t wrecked her car, wasn’t facing jail and she didn’t have any pending legal or personal crisis. She was just tired. Tired of the constant internal debate. Tired of asking herself over and over “Do I have a problem?” David and Heather spoke on the phone for quite some time from his hotel lobby in NYC where he was booked to speak. Now, almost exactly a year later, as fate would have it, the two met in NYC at the very same hotel to talk about the amazing journey Heather embarked on after she hung up. A journey that among many things included becoming a world class ultra runner, achieving 1 year of sobriety, and standing in the light to help others. The conversation they share is relevant not just for those with substance issues, but for anyone tired of losing the internal battle to change. This is the episode you want to hear if you or anyone you know has ever wondered if maybe, getting out early might be a good option. get-out-now-with-heather-simon-buonocre-the-wasp-21You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com To Support the podcast and try MyClub8 NON-THC CBD Oil Go to:http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.html

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From "WeAreSuperman’s Lactic Acid Trip" on #AM1300XtraSports: David and 5x UFC Champion and Hall Of Famer, Pat Miletich hit on the correlation between nutrition, powerful mood stabilizing drugs and youth violence. David answers some listener questions.https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/waslat-332018-drugs-guns-and-gluten-with-pat-miletich-listener-questions

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In The Hive with David this week is comedian, athlete, vegan and the most famous amateur boxer of all time, Cam F. Awesome. Cam has amazingly lost almost 100 pounds by switching to the vegan diet and has been featured in the hit documentaries COUNTERPUNCH and FROM THE GROUND UP. When not fighting for a spot on the USA Olympic Boxing team Cam speaks all over the country in schools, conferences and at Vegfests. David and Cam hit it off like old politically incorrect friends and will likely make you laugh out loud while thinking twice about what is possible. Make sure you check out the epic "SUPERFIGHT" battle at the end when David and Cam go wit for wit and hit for hit.You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach Cam here: Instagram @camfawesomeTwitter @camfawesomeWebsite: https:http://www.celebritysportsspeaker.com/

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From "WeAreSuperman’s Lactic Acid Trip" on #AM1300XtraSports: David and Josh break down weight loss from a mental, spiritual and physical point of view. Honorable mentions include, Rich Roll, David Goggins, Scott Jurek and Jimmy Moore.

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In The Hive this week is the real life fighter who’s life the hit movie Bleed For This was based on. You may have seen Miles Teller on the big screen but it was Vinny Paz that lived this amazing story in real life. Just two days after becoming World Champion this boxer was in a horrible car crash that left him in the hospital with a broken neck. Told he may never walk again, Vinny showed the world what true heart is. David and The Pazmanian Devil himself relive this incredible true life journey from total rock bottom to regaining the world championship belt.https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/bleed-for-this-with-vinny-paz-the-wasp-19You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com To Support the podcast and try MyClub8 NON-THC CBD Oil Go to:http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.html

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Have you ever DNFed? Have you ever asked yourself what happens internally to cause you to fail? Ever found yourself questioning who you are after quitting? Has running been a part of something bigger for you? Has running helped you fight addiction, depression, obesity? Have you ever thought that it might be time for a new paradigm or shift in your running?If so you’ll want to tune in as I let elite ultramarathon coach, and director of coaching for Carmichael Training Systems, Jason Koop to dive deep into my recent DNF’s. I open up my heart and expose my deepest fears and doubts to help myself and anyone else listening separate mental break down from physical limitation.

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“You can’t scare me, I was born in Hell” In the Hive this week with David is Navy Seal, James Olson. Listen to James talk about how being born into a hellish reality couldn’t stop him from going all the way to the most elite fighting force on the planet. Find out the mindset he cultivated that allowed him to move past a childhood with a mother lost to addiction and prostitution. How he survived Navy Seal training, tours of combat and how becoming a loving father brought him full circle in life. We also touched on the recent school shooting in Florida, the care of Veterans and why kids seem so lost today. https://soundcloud.com/wearesuperman/born-in-hell-with-james-olson-thewasp-18You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com To Support the podcast and try MyClub8 NON-THC CBD Oil Go to:http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.html

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In The Hive this week: An honest chat with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Master, Amal Easton about how money shapes the future of sports and how the impact of the circumstances we are born into effects our lives. You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach Amal here: Instagram @amal_eastonTwitter @amaleastonWebsite: https://eastonbjj.com/To Support the podcast and try NON THC CBD Oil Go to:http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.html

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From "WeAreSuperman’s Lactic Acid Trip" on #AM1300XtraSports: Recap of USATF National Trail Championship with 2017/ 2018 winner, Ultrarunning risks for youth and using meditation in endurance training. In studio with David- Jason Koop, Ronnie Delzer and Luke Sanchez.

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From David Clark's Endurance Sports show on XtraSports 1300 AM. This week’s episode is ‘Lactic Acid Trippin’ at its finest!! Join David and in studio guest Ferg Hawke for an in-depth at the history of this 135 mile run across Death Valley, the process to get into the race and two EPIC battles with Dean Karnazes and Scott Jurek.

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David welcomes to The Hive ultra-marathon champion, Avery Collins. These two chat open and honestly about marijuana and PED use in the ultramarathon world, why people cheat at races and how seeking adventure is better than following a rigid training plan. Don’t miss the epic “SUPERFIGHT” battle at the end where the boys square off in a ridiculous debate over who wins in an imaginary street fight. You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman https://www.wearesuperman.com Reach Avery here: Instagram @runninhighFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/avery.collins.77Website/ Coaching: https://www.sabrinastanley.com/coachingTo Support the podcast and try NON THC CBD Oil Go to:http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.html

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From David Clark's Endurance Sports show on XtraSports 1300 AM. David talks with 5x UFC Champ, Pat Miletich about UFC220, Camille Herron and David share a fun talk about running and world records. And finally 14 year old Luke Sanchez talks about his upcoming 100 mile debut at The Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Trail Run.

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In The Hive this week David sits down with Stone Cold Steve Austin. These two laugh loud and swing hard for the fences hitting on the Homeless problem in LA, action movies, metal music and how you can still shape your destiny in a predetermined world. Don’t miss the end of the conversation when Stone Cold drops the hammer on you to wake the Fu#k and get to work on your dreams. You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com Reach Steve here: Twitter/ Instagram @steveaustinBSRSteves Podcast: https://www.podcastone.com/Steve-Austin-ShowFor CBD Oil Go to http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.html

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In The Hive this week David sits down with bestselling author, musician, and comedian, Mishka Shubaly to talk about what happens when your nutritional practices conspire to destroy you. They also touch on what sobriety looks like without AA, why writing is black magic and how a life well lived is a life worth dying for. You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com Reach Mishka here: Twitter/ Instagram @mishkashubalywww.mishkashubaly.commishka's Writing workshop: https://summer.yale.edu/academics/yww-workshopsBook Link: http://a.co/iuG5ARF Mentions:@steveaustinbsr@richroll

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From David Clark's Endurance Sports show on XtraSports 1300 AM. David talks about Camille Herron and Jim Walmsley, the female and male recipients of the 2017 Ultrarunner of the Year. Then joining David on air is Bill Stahl winner of The Leadville 100 "Last Ass Over the Pass" award, and finally a segment on how plant based diets are taking over the sports world.

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The much anticipated launch of David Clark's Endurance Sports show on Xtra Sports 1300 AM. In the studio with David is Jason Koop, director of coaching for Carmichael Training Systems. Koop and Clark share some laughs as they hit on a few of last year's highlights from world of running and endurance.

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In The Hive this week is world class runner, Cat Bradley. David and Cat have an amazing talk about running, happiness, DNF and what it takes to make your dreams come true. Cat also opens up about hiking the Appalachian Trail at just 19 years old, dealing with injury, finishing dead last place in a 100 mile race and eventually shocking the world by winning on the biggest stage in ultrarunning- the Western States 100. This conversation has everything you need to feed your inner warrior. Last Things First THE WASP 13You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com Reach Cat here: Instagram @catberadFacebook www.facebook.com/catberad/For CBD Oil Go to http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.html

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From David's radio show "The DC Perspective" on AM1460 and FM101.1 The Answer, comes a talk about not losing ourselves in political debates and how to cultivate an attitude of respect.

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From David's radio show "The DC Perspective" on AM1460 and FM101.1 The Answer, is a lighthearted and fun chat about going nuts on the holidays and how to make sure you keep your holiday spirit all year long.

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Today David gives a very personal and heart felt talk specifically for the person out there struggling during the holidays. David relives his worst Christmas moment, his ideas on where strength comes from, why he believes in Santa Claus and why he believes in you. You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com For CDB Oil Go to http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.html

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From world champion of the MMA octagon to running the Leadville 100 Mile Trail Run, 5x UFC Champion Pat Miletich is in The Hive to share how being committed is the only secret you need to live your ultimate life. WASP 11 “I Will Not Die Today” You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com Reach Pat here: Twitter @patmiletichFor CBD Oil Go to http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.htmlOutro by Parkway Drive “Writing’s On The Wall

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From David's radio show "The DC Perspective" on AM1460 and FM101.1 The Answer, comes a very important conversation about how opiates are making their way into middle schools all over America and what we can do to prevent our kids from falling prey. In studio is David's 16 year old daughter Emily Clark and Colorado high school Track coach, Bill Stahl.

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In The Hive this week is Blu Robinson, founder of Addict To Athlete, a program helping people turn broken lives into broken records. David and Blu share a powerful, emotional and inspirational conversation about what happens when we connect to our community and train ourselves to become spiritually strong. Even if you have never struggled with addiction this episode will move you, inspire you and motivate you to become your ultimate self. TO Check out All Natural CBD click Here:http://www.wearesuperman.com/we-are-superman-podcast.htmlYou can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com Reach Blu here: Instagram @addictToathleteFacebook @addictToathleteAddict To Athlete www.addicttoathlete.orgEnding Music: The Lost Boy by Greg Holden

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In The Hive this week is 3x Barkley Marathons Finisher and Hardrock 100 champion, Jared Campbell. Tune in to hear David and Jared explore how hard The Barkley Marathons really is, how being positive can win races, how DNF stokes the fire for future success and an impromptu political talk on how The Barkley idea could in fact save the USA. WASP 09 Jared Campbell The Barkley is worse than your bite. You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com Reach Jared here: Twitter @derajslcInstagram @derajslcNotes and Mentions: Hardrock 100http://hardrock100.com/Nolans 14http://mattmahoney.net/nolans14/Barkley Marathons Moviehttp://barkleymovie.com/My boys at The Ghost Inside (Intro Music) www.theghostinside.com/ Superman Theme, by John WilliamsOutro by Kid Rock Tennessee Mountain Top

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In The Hive this week is Brain Remington and he is gonna blow your idea of perseverance outta this world. From laying on the street dead next to his motorcycle, to returning to earth to find the love of his son, Brian’s story has it all. Months of surgeries, rehab and a gut wrenching search to find sobriety and the finish line of a 100 mile run. Follow David:Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com Special that to the Sponsor of The WASP MyClub8Music On Podcast The Ghost Inside Phoenix Flame(Intro Music)Bat Outta Hell Meatloaf (Outro) John Williams Superman Theme

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A bowhunter and and a vegan together in “The Hive” this week for WASP episode 07. Meet endurance athlete, adventure racer, author and coach, Travis Macy. Travis shares his journey from being a young child watching his dad compete in ultrarunning to becoming a father himself as well as a world champion, ski mountaineer and Leadman course record holder. David and Travis also engage in a surprisingly honest and frank exchange about bowhunting, vegan ideas and compassion for animals. Follow David:Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com Follow Travis:Twitter @TravisMacyInstagram @TravisMacywww.travismacy.comNotes and Mentions: Books:The Ultra Mindset by Travis Macy Why Buddhism Is True by Robert WrightThe Rise of Superman by Steven KotlerMusic On Podcast The Ghost Inside Phoenix Flame(Intro Music)Live Like a Warrior Matisyahu (Outro) John Williams Superman Theme

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What happens when life punches you in the face? Some people turtle up and take the beating, but some start to swing back. This week’s episode of The WASP is about taking control of your destiny when your future falls apart. Meet Jim Riley from the legendary metal-core band, The Ghost Inside. After years of grinding out shows at small clubs and back alley venues, TGI finally made it. With multiple world tours, playing to thousands of fans every night and four epic albums in the bank, the band was on the way to the top, but fate had other plans. On a terrible November night in Texas the band’s tour bus took a head on collision that changed their lives forever. Don’t miss this amazing conversation about how we all burn, we all break and we can all rise. PS: We increased the volume for you guys- we got some suggestions that we were flying a little low. Follow David:Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com Follow Jim:Twitter @SpartaDTDInstagram @thejimrileyNotes and Mentions: The Ghost Inside http://www.theghostinside.com/Music On Podcast from The Ghost Inside Phoenix Flame(Intro Music)White Light Mercy (Outro) www.theghostinside.com/ Rocky Balboa Quote Columbia Pictures John Williams Superman Theme

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We have all had bouts of darkness, despair and anxiety. In today’s world pharmaceutical companies tell us they can make it better with just one pill... But many people find themselves more lost, less happy and addicted to prescription drugs on a never ending psychiatric hamster wheel. So the question becomes, "Is what I’m feeling a mental disorder, or just a part of life?" This episode of The WASP is a powerful conversation that everyone should hear before they or a loved one starts the long road of treating mood disorders with prescription medication. Meet Matt Samet, rock climber, editor of Climbing Magazine, and author of his chilling memoir Death Grip, in it he shares how his introduction to Benzodiazepines, made him an addict, stole 12 years of his life and left him for dead- all while under the care of his doctors. You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com Notes and Mentions: Death Grip by Matt Samethttp://a.co/byAcvxd Benzo Help https://www.psychmedaware.org/groups.htmlMy boys at The Ghost Inside (Intro Music) www.theghostinside.com/ Superman Theme, by John Williams

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In the weeks episode of The WASP, Koop and David sit and talk about being the best athlete you can be, what drives ultrarunners and what you can learn from this bizarre sport. All aspects of running, elite level training and coaching and a little dive into the MMA octagon vs. the ultramarathon world. You’ll hear the latest cutting edge concepts on nutrition, training practices, developing mental toughness and much, much more. Even if you are not an athlete this conversation will challenge you to work harder and believe in yourself more, and will have you laughing along for the ride.  You can reach David here: Twitter / Instagram @WeAreSuperman www.wearesuperman.com Notes and Mentions: Jason KoopTwitter/ Instagram @jasonkoopCarmichael Training Systems   http://trainright.com/Pat Miletich Twitter @patmietichBarkley Marathons Moviehttp://barkleymovie.com/My boys at The Ghost Inside (Intro Music) www.theghostinside.com/ Superman Theme, by John Williams

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In this episode of The WASP David sits down with the incomparable, Ken Chlouber, race director of the iconic Leadville Trail 100. In this fun, inspiring and uber-motivational conversation David and Ken talk everything from politics, running, life as a hard-rock miner and how a 100 mile footrace across the Colorado Rockies saved an entire community. In a rare exchange Ken also shares how his own running journey began and what motivated him along the way to 14 Leadville finishes of his own. You can reach David here:Twitter @WeAreSupermanInstagram @WeAreSupermanwww.wearesuperman.comKen Chlouber Leadville Race SeriesInstagram/ Twitter @LTRaceseries http://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/Life Time Fitness http://lifetimefitness.com/Twitter @lifetimefitnessInstagram @lifetime.lifeNotes and Mentions:My boys at The Ghost Inside (Intro Music) www.theghostinside.com/Superman Theme, by John Williams

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An amazing conversation with world class endurance athlete Marshall Ulrich. This one will be sure to fire you up and have you ready to go to the next level in your life. The ultimate endurance athlete, Marshall Ulrich has run more than 120 ultramarathons averaging over 125 miles each, completed 12 expedition-length adventure races, and climbed the Seven Summits all on his first attempts. David and Marshall hit on many topics that will inspire and motivate you including running across the USA, finishing the Badwater 146 over 20 times, struggling through dark places, overcoming pain, dealing with failure and finding outstanding balance in life.You can reach David here:Twitter @WeAreSupermanInstagram @WeAreSupermanwww.wearesuperman.comMarshal Ulrich Twitter @marshallulrich www.marshallulrich.comRunning On Empty by Marshall Ulrich, Avery by Penguin BooksNotes and Mentions:My boys at The Ghost Inside (Intro Music) www.theghostinside.com/Jackson Browne Running On Empty (Outro Music)Man of Steel, Warner Brothers Pictures

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David starts off the WeAreSuperman Podcast running at light speed with one of the most poignant and relevant conversations you'll ever hear about addiction, rock bottom and starting over. On his 4,444th day of sobriety he sits down with Chase Clark, his younger brother and former drinking buddy. Chase is sitting across the table with less than 24 hours of sobriety and in the wake of divorce and pending legal charges all brought on by his drug and alcohol use. From drinking at age 13 to shooting heroin and living on the streets, this is an absolute stunning look at what its like to have a conversation with a loved one who is standing at rock bottom without a clue on how to move forward. If you struggle with addiction or have stood by helplessly as someone close to you falls farther and farther down the dark path of self destruction, this amazing, emotional and inspirational conversation is a must. You can reach David here:Twitter @WeAreSupermanInstagram @WeAreSupermanwww.wearesuperman.comNotes and Mentions:Chase Clark @chaseiphone746 Instagramhttps://www.facebook.com/chase.clark.3914?ref=br_rsMy boys at The Ghost Inside (Intro Music) www.theghostinside.com/Riitz (Outro Music) @riitz on instagram Rich Roll www.richroll.comThe Herren Project www.theherrenproject.org/Back On My Feet https://nyc.backonmyfeet.org/The Phoenix https://thephoenix.org/

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Introduction to the We Are Superman Podcast. Buckle up and get ready for the ride!