The Peter Attia Drive
#17 - Mike Trevino: life-lessons from ultra-endurance, mindset, hard work, and removing limitations
Episode guests
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Endurance training requires mental fortitude and pushing past personal limits.
- Rigorous training routines showcase exceptional physical and mental discipline.
- Ultra-endurance activities provide valuable insights on perseverance and adaptability.
- Extreme endurance events serve as meditative reflections despite exhaustion and delusions.
- Transitioning from extreme training to prioritizing family exemplifies life balance and values.
Deep dives
Mike Trevino's Endurance Accomplishments
Mike Trevino is one of the most accomplished amateur endurance athletes known for his legendary feats, such as setting world records in races like the 'Race Across America.' His exceptional endurance abilities have impressed even seasoned athletes, showcasing his outstanding athleticism and dedication to pushing boundaries.
Cherished Weekly Bike Rides
Mike's friendship with Peter Itiya is highlighted through their cherished weekly bike rides, where they bond over a 40-kilometer ride and meaningful conversations. These rides serve as precious moments for them to connect, enjoy outdoor activities, and share experiences, contributing to their close friendship.
Mike Trevino's Remarkable Training Strategy
Mike's unique training strategy involves rigorous routines, like running exceptional distances on his birthday without caloric intake and sustaining impressive paces during endurance runs and cycling challenges. His disciplined approach to challenges showcases his exceptional physical and mental fortitude.
Lessons from Mike Trevino's Endurance Journey
Mike Trevino's endurance journey provides valuable insights for aspiring athletes, emphasizing the importance of mental fortitude, strategic training, and pushing past assumed limits. His experiences highlight the significance of perseverance, adaptability, and redefining personal boundaries to achieve extraordinary athletic feats.
Beginning of Ultra-endurance Journey
The journey into ultra-endurance activities started as a means to escape a beer-laden social environment and cope with a tough breakup, finding solace in running as an excuse not to drink. Starting with marathons like the New York Marathon, a natural talent for running emerged, leading to a move towards serious training in San Diego.
Mental State and Meditative Experience
During long endurance events, the mental state transitions through stages of illusions, hallucinations, and delusions due to extreme exhaustion and lack of sleep. Contrary to boredom, these long bouts of endurance serve as meditative periods for reflection on past and present events, providing a sense of normalcy and comfort in the midst of the challenge.
Rejecting Norms and Embracing Challenges
Choosing the path of extreme endurance activities may seem abnormal to some, marked by rejected social norms and a propensity to challenge assumed limitations. Refusing to view such endeavors as sacrifices, but rather as privileges, exemplifies a unique perspective on pushing boundaries and exploring the unknown possibilities.
The Power of Ultra-endurance as a Comfort Zone
Engaging in ultra-endurance pursuits offers a sense of comfort and fulfillment, contrasting with societal norms and presenting a personal journey of continuous self-improvement and challenge acceptance. The rejection of conventional limitations and pursuit of extraordinary feats symbolize a profound dedication to pushing boundaries and defying perceived norms.
Transition from a Past of Extreme Endurance to Prioritizing Family
The podcast explores the transition in the speaker's life from extreme endurance feats and unwavering focus to prioritizing family. Initially adept at saying no to distractions, the speaker redirected this focus to family and personal life after meeting his wife. Their relationship marked a shift from extreme training to valuing time together, highlighting the importance of family over previous pursuits.
Lessons from Endurance for Family and Work Ethic
The episode delves into the speaker's insights on applying endurance lessons to family life and work ethic. Emphasizing the virtues of perseverance and hard work, the speaker underlines the importance of not giving up in both physical challenges and professional endeavors. By setting an example through hands-on work and instilling values of smart training and dedication in his children, the speaker aims to impart the essence of perseverance, resilience, and a balanced approach to life endeavors.
In this episode, ultra-endurance athlete and entrepreneur, Mike Trevino, discusses the lessons he’s learned from his remarkable athletic feats, and the training required to reach them. Not only is Mike’s advice practical for those looking to take their endurance training to the next level, but his lessons and insight are extraordinarily applicable to living everyday life.
We discuss:
- Mike’s background, his crazy birthday tradition, and his transition from power to endurance [6:30];
- Mike’s breakthrough year: setting a course record, and completing the Badwater 135 [16:00];
- Race Across America (RAAM), perseverance, and extreme sleep deprivation [25:30];
- Mindset, nutrition, fasting, and other advice from Mike for those looking to take the next step in their training [49:00];
- What getting a parasite taught Mike about fasting [59:45];
- The risks involved with cycling [1:03:00];
- Mike setting the trans-Iowa (RAGBRAI) record [1:10:15];
- PEDs, stimulants, and their effect on performance [1:15:00];
- What motivates Mike (and others) to do this extreme stuff? What led him to eventually pull back? [1:22:00];
- Life-lessons learned from training, and how to impart them to his kids, and others [1:35:30];
- The greatest beer in the world remains a mystery [1:46:15]; and
- More.
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