Ep. 42 - Wilson Horrell - Lifting heavy, running long

 

Have you ever caught yourself thinking that you could solve the vast majority of your problems if you somehow won £$1 million / £$5 million / £$x million in the lottery or playing the slots in Las Vegas? I think we've all been there. 

This being a show about risk and randomness, let's talk some probabilities. Here in the UK, the odds of winning the jackpot in the Lotto is about 1 in 14 million. In the USA, the odds of winning the jackpot in the Powerball lottery are 1 in 175 million. The odds of winning millions in the Megaslots in Vegas are 1 in 49.8 million. In other words, you could play the lottery every week, or the slot machines every day, and it would still take you many lifetimes to win the jackpot.

Now, what would happen if you did win? What if, instead of solving your problems, winning millions simply magnified them several thousand times? This could precipitate your downfall, but also your recovery, if you survive that is. Indeed, salvation in this form may not be all that it's cracked up to be.

That's exactly what happened to my guest the week.  Meet business owner, cross-fitter, runner, power lifter, and co host of Lift Heavy Run Long Wilson Horrell.  In 2002, while passing the time during a visit to Las Vegas, Wilson decided to play the slot machines.  In what many would consider to be a dream scenario, he hit the jackpot for $2.3 million. Wow, right?

For many years, Wilson struggled with addiction, and the experience of winning all that money actually served as an accelerator to his downward trajectory, but also his recovery. That is what he is grateful for, and it makes for a fascinating story and conversation about chance, struggle, redemption, endurance and community.  In it, we get into:

• Winning all that money;
• Wilson’s struggle with addiction and depression,
• Recovery and gratitude;
• Endurance sport and cross fit;
• The community and podcast Wilson co-hosts Lift Heavy Run Long;
• Inclusiveness and community;
• Loads of other great stuff!

Show notes:

Lift Heavy Run Long: www.liftheavyrunlong.com

Lift Heavy Run Long on Twitter: https://twitter.com/liftrunlong

Lift Heavy Run Long on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liftheavyrunlong/

Wilson’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/bulldawggy123

Lift Heavy Run Long on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4F94BKyCdYH-m1KmA6VdXw

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