I Could Never Do That

  Do you ever get the feeling you’ve lived a few lifetimes, or that you’re sometimes intuitively and divinely being led to go through difficult phases even though you might not know why at that moment?  That's how Audrey Wright describes her 24 years on this earth so far. It's been an emotional and transformative journey; one about seeking perfection and control through disordered eating, multiple jobs, schools, moves, and career paths. It's a familiar journey that many of us fall into - utter confusion, really, about what we’re supposed to be eating, what’s healthy, what we should be doing with our lives, what path we should take...Life is about seeking, experimenting, and, ultimately, following your gut instinct and sticking to your convictions. After following her intuition through many twists and turns, Audrey has found a love and passion for competing as a vegan bikini competitor. Believe me, we spend a big chunk of time digging into that lifestyle. How do you train for these competitions? What do you eat, especially as a vegan? What is this cutting weight stuff all about? What's with the hair, makeup, and fake tan? When she’s not in the gym, you may also find her at Whole Foods and People’s Pharmacy in the Austin area, promoting her new business venture as a Texas Distributor of CoCo Whip— "The Original Healthy Soft Serve" made with Coconut Water. Audrey Wright is endearing, smart, and passionate.  She’s got a fascinating story and she's just getting started. Follow Audrey on Instagram: @_audrey_wright Follow Audrey's Trainers on Instagram: @solindablakeney @zackblakeney   Theme Music: ”Aitech" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

My guest is Two-Time Track and Field Olympian and Run Gum CEO, Nick Symmonds. Many people have a mindset that “success” is some type of destination. Like, “IF I get this job, THEN I’ll be successful,” or, “If I get this time, or marry this person, or get this job… only then could I be a success.” We know, though, that success is not a destination, but an entire journey that Nick Symmonds epitomizes in the clearest way. He’s been to the Olympics - TWICE - and that alone certainly makes him a “success.” But, rest assured, he’s not done. In fact, as CEO of Run Gum, he’s just getting started. Today, we talk about the similarities in being a high-level athlete and a successful business entrepreneur. He discusses his fears, doubts and commitment to maintain a work/life balance.  We also talk about running. What does he miss most? When did he know it was time to retire? How has the sport changed?  Of course, we talk about his company and product, Run Gum - a no sugar, no calorie, gum that is the perfect and simple energy boost for athletes, business folks and anyone who needs a little caffeine boost without the GI distress of sugary gels and beverages. If you’re interested in learning more- go to rungum.com and become a backer for their Kickstarter campaign to support the launch of their new Extra Strength Spearmint flavor   And while you’re at it...place an order and support this successful start-up.  Run Gum Website Nick Symmonds Website Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved Theme Music: ”Aitech" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

On April 1, 2018, Aaron Gonzales will launch “Paddle for Patriot PAWS” – a 400 plus mile Stand Up Paddleboard trip up the coast of Texas to raise awareness and money for Patriot PAWS Service Dogs.  Patriot PAWS is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Rockwall, TX, that trains and provides service dogs at no cost to disabled American veterans.   Starting at Boca Chica Beach at the Texas-Mexico border, he will travel solo – without a support crew – paddling north until he reaches the Texas-Louisiana border at Port Arthur.  His goal is to travel roughly 30 miles a day, camping on the beach as he goes along...Yes, beaches that are not strangers to coyotes, rattlesnakes and other predators. And, did we mention the 12 different sharks that are swimming in the Texas Gulf? Where did this idea come from? What sparked Aaron's zest for adventure and charity? And, why this event? He tells us his humbling story in this week's "I Could Never Do That." Follow along with Aaron Here: Website Instagram Patriot PAWS is an amazing organization with a passionate following of supporters. Not only do they place service dogs with disabled veterans across the nation, but their innovative volunteer programs are positively impacting people from college campuses to prison cells.  To learn more about Patriot PAWS, please on Twitter Instagram and Facebook.   Theme Music: ”Aitech" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

I met Ward Richmond back in 2011 when we were both at an Ironman training camp in The Woodlands, Texas. We kept in touch via social media and it was obvious that Ward loved being the life of the party. He was livin' large - former professional musician, Ironman athlete, Dad, Husband, a high performer at his work in commercial real estate...You name it and he was doing it and doing it well...or so he thought.  As he writes in an article for Medium, "Back in the day, I believed that 'winning' was my superhuman ability to drink like a Viking, be the life of the party, wake up early, go for a 10 mile run and have (what I thought at the time was) a productive day at work." Yes, he was putting away 10, 15 and sometimes 20 drinks a night.  A series of red flags turned into a big white flag and on December 29th, 2015, Ward checked into rehab. He's been sober ever since and everything about his life has changed. Instead of hammering watts on the bike, you'll likely find him in a yoga studio or reading books from some of his mentors like Tim Ferriss, Tony Robbins, and Rich Roll.  His marriage, career, and life were literally saved by sobriety.  He's come out on the bright side and is standing in his light to be of service to others.  Ward Richmond Instagram Ward's Piece on Medium.com  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Stitcher Subscribe on Google Play   Theme Music: ”Aitech" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved     Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

  In 2006, Courtney Carver was drowning in clutter, debt, and stress. She was also suffering from myriad health problems such as extreme exhaustion, tingling in her hands and face, and vertigo. A diagnosis that very same year sent her reeling. Courtney was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, ironically, as she was training to ride the MS150 charity bike ride for a co-worker who also suffered from the disease. As she says on her website, the diagnosis, while devastating and shocking at first, has actually taught her how to really live.  In order to diminish the symptoms of MS, she had to minimize stress as much as possible. In preparation for that journey, Courtney started a blog to chronicle her efforts to simplify, de-stress and find her way back to health, happiness, and love.  As you can imagine, it has resonated with thousands. Her message is this: "Be more with less means: Be more you. Give yourself all the space, time and love to remember who you are. Living with less clutter, busyness, and stress will help you make the room to do what you need to do." Today, we talk about her new book, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More. In this book, she shows us the power of simplicity to improve our health, build more meaningful relationships, and relieve stress in our professional and personal lives.  BeMoreWithLess.Com Soulful Simplicity   "I Could Never Do That" Facebook Page Instagram   Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Stitcher Subscribe on Google Play   Copyright 2018, All Rights Reserved Theme Music: ”Aitech" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Let's, once again, explore the "whys" and the motivations behind pushing our limits as "normal" human beings. Texas native, Dayna Latham is, by all accounts, an average athlete...and, by average, I mean to say that she doesn't chase speed or podiums. She has done Ironmans and she has completed Ultra Trail Runs. She does it for the love and not for the glory or the ego. As of now, she's also a mere three weeks away from competing in Ultraman Florida, a three-day ultra-endurance triathlon: Day 1: Swim 6.2 miles/Bike 92 miles Day 2: Bike 171 Miles Day 3: Run 52.4 Miles Why? Why? Why? Well, it was definitely something I was asking Dayna and her Coach, Nick Logan of Prime Endurance Multisport during this interview. Full disclosure, Dayna has been a friend for many years and I'm actually part of her crew for this event coming up February 16th-18th. We follow along in a van all three days to provide nutritional, mechanical, and, most importantly, emotional support. Not only will I capture some interview footage, but I'll also help pace her 52.4 mile run on Day 3.  Again. Why? Coach Nick, Dayna and I talk about the details of something so daunting. She discusses the toll it takes emotionally, socially, physically and financially.  How do you begin to train for something like this? What does that coach/athlete relationship look like? How much do you really have to train? What do they hope to accomplish after all is said and done?  At Ultraman, there is no fanfare at the finish line. If you're lucky, there may be a few volunteers and some water. So, you're certainly not doing it for the accolades. Here's what I do know...There will be a loving crew of six waiting to greet Dayna with big wide open arms...and maybe a little champagne. Best of luck to Dayna! Ultraman Florida Nick Logan - Prime Endurance Nick Logan - Twitter Dayna's Instagram I Could Never Do That - Instagram I Could Never Do That - Facebook   Theme Music: ”Aitech" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Here is Part 2 of my interviews from The Running Event!  The Running Event made its way back to Austin this past year and this local gal couldn’t have been happier! As their website indicates, The Running Event consists of more than 250 brands including some of the biggest fitness companies on the planet as well as innovative newcomers. It is, as they say, a great opportunity to see new product before any other channel of distribution and meet with key executives at the best suppliers to the run specialty channel. It’s also the chance for the fitness-oriented companies to discuss industry trends and strategize with each other through changing times and shifting buying habits. For a fitness enthusiast, podcast and writer like me, it’s the chance to go behind the curtains, catch a glimpse and sample what’s to come. I also see it as an opportunity to highlight companies, old and new, who are working diligently to improve our well-being, safety, comfort, recovery and fitness potential. In talking to business owners, marketing gurus and salespeople, you see their true passion for what they do. If we don't invest in the future of our own health and fitness, what can we invest in?  Even though I learned about a variety of products from footwear, to nutrition, to compression, to bras, one thing rings true from all of the vendors and companies - they care about the end user. In fact, these days, so much of their marketing depends on it. Positive word of mouth carries more weight than any ad campaign in a magazine ever will. That’s why I’m honored to share my positive experience with many of the booths I visited at The Running Event. So many welcomed me into their space to share their stories. Big or small, new or veteran, each company had a human element and, on their behalf, I'd like to share their enthusiasm. This isn’t so much a review of products because, the way I see it, every one of those companies is doing good. My only regret is that I didn’t get a chance to visit every one of those 250 companies. There's always next year, right?   Here is Part Two of my Treasures from TRE! Introduction (0:00-4:30) Handful  (2:20-8:40) Rumble Roller (8:40-17:18) Oofos (17:20-28:05) The Pickle Juice Company (28:05-35:05) 361 Degrees (35:05-49:15) Fitter First (49:15-58:40)    Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Stitcher Subscribe on Google Play   Theme Music: ”Aitech" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

We took the "I Could Never Do That" podcast on the road to Bicycle World Austin for an expert Coach Discussion on "Planning the Perfect Triathlon Season." Our panel was moderated by Host, Carrie Barrett and featured: Natasha van der Merwe - Pro Triathlete, Coach and Director of Team Programs for Bicycle World Paul "Barney" Matthews - Pro Triathlete and Coach Steve Blackmon - USAT L1 Coach and Dave Scott L1 and L2 Coach   Show Notes: 0:00-4:55 Introductions of Coach Panel: Steve Blackmon, Paul 'Barny' Matthews and Natasha van der Merwe 5:00 What Does It Mean to Plan the Perfect Tri Season? An Overview 8:15 Coach/Athlete Meetings- When you sit down with an athlete for the first time, what do you want to know? What are you asking them? 11:15 Building Strategies for the New Year -Coming off of holidays, gluttony, etc…While we need to build slowly, races do seem to be approaching quickly. Do you have any advice on how you build people this time of year? 13:45 What Happens if You Get Sick? Should we make up workouts? Should we train anyways? 16:35 Goal Setting - How should we set goals for the season? 21:30  Benchmark Testing - What does it mean? How often do you do it? 28:05 Structure and Periodization to your season and training - What is training periodization and how important is this structure? How important is base training? 31:55 Block Training - Do any of you do any block training where you focus on one discipline for an extended period of time? 35:30 Nutrition Strategies - Are carbs evil? Coach Natasha and Paul discuss their nutrition rules and strategies for success. Hint: It starts with fueling your workouts!  45:30 Recovery and Strength - If you don’t eat correctly and sleep at least 7-8 hours, you’re not helping yourself in the long run. How do we fit it in?   How important is strength and what types of exercises should we be doing? What are the best forms of recovery? Hydration - how much do I need to fuel my workouts? 54:30 Q&A/ Facebook Live How important is spousal support? How much should you spend on a bike?   Special Thanks To: Bicycle World Austin Austin Triathlon Club Frontyard Brewing Cycle Chauffeur Texas Beef Council Christoper Reynolds for Sound Engineering and Photography  "I Could Never Do That" is available on: Itunes Spotify Stitcher IHeartRadio Please Rate, Review and Share!   All Rights Reserved Photo Credit: Christopher Reynolds Theme Music: ”Aitech" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  

  The Running Event made its way back to Austin this past year and this local gal couldn’t have been happier! As their website indicates, The Running Event consists of more than 250 brands including some of the biggest fitness companies on the planet as well as innovative newcomers. It is, as they say, a great opportunity to see new product before any other channel of distribution and meet with key executives at the best suppliers to the run specialty channel. It’s also the chance for the fitness-oriented companies to discuss industry trends and strategize with each other through changing times and shifting buying habits. For a fitness enthusiast, podcast and writer like me, it’s the chance to go behind the curtains, catch a glimpse and sample what’s to come. I also see it as an opportunity to highlight companies, old and new, who are working diligently to improve our well-being, safety, comfort, recovery and fitness potential. In talking to business owners, marketing gurus and salespeople, you see their true passion for what they do. If we don't invest in the future of our own health and fitness, what can we invest in?  Even though I learned about a variety of products from footwear, to nutrition, to compression, to bras, one thing rings true from all of the vendors and companies - they care about the end user. In fact, these days, so much of their marketing depends on it. Positive word of mouth carries more weight than any ad campaign in a magazine ever will. That’s why I’m honored to share my positive experience with many of the booths I visited at The Running Event. So many welcomed me into their space to share their stories. Some of the products are fairly new, like family-owned maple syrup producers, Untapped. Others are larger companies like this year’s Kona shoe juggernaut, Hoka One One, who seem to have found “their time to fly” as their slogan suggests. Big or small, new or veteran, each company had a human element and, on their behalf, I'd like to share their enthusiasm. This isn’t so much a review of products because, the way I see it, every one of those companies is doing good. My only regret is that I didn’t get a chance to visit every one of those 250 companies. There's always next year, right?   Here is Part One of my Treasures from TRE! Introduction (0:00-4:30) Hoka One One (4:35-23:50) Untapped (22:50-34:30) Headsweats (34:30-40:52) Safety Skin (40:55-48:36) Ultimate Direction (49:00-59:55) Runderwear (1:00:00-1:05:15) Feetures (1:05:20-1:09:45) CurrexSole (1:09:45-1:16:30) Tailwind Nutrition (1:16:30-1:22:00)   Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe on Stitcher Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved Theme Music: ”Aitech" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This week, we take the theme quite literally because my guest is Fr. Rich Andre from St. Austin Catholic Parish here in Austin, Texas.  Yes, a Catholic Priest. Quite literally, I could never do that! But, here's the thing. For much of his adult life, Fr. Rich never thought he could either. He tells us about the moment that the call to priesthood literally crossed his mind even though he was well established in his career as an Engineer. We're all called to serve each other. In fact, I think that's the recipe for happiness and fulfillment.  Ever since "I Could Never Do That" started, I've wanted to have Fr. Rich as a guest for a few reasons. First, he's very funny and quite engaging! I want to dispel the myth that even I had of priests who are just a bunch of old men that are "out of touch" with the real world. Fr. Rich is the opposite. He talks about his recent multi-day hiking adventure in the Grand Canyon with several of his engineering buddies. Plus, he was also recently selected to speak and mentor at the upcoming South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference! He's definitely NOT out of touch! The other reason I wanted to hear Fr. Rich talk was perhaps a little selfish. 2017 has been a tumultuous year, certainly with political discourse, mass shootings, hurricanes, wildfires and more. My faith has been shaken and I suppose I just wanted and needed some reassurance that we're all going to be ok...as long as we remember to, you guessed it, be of service to those in need.  This isn't at all a conversation about Catholic conversion. However, if you've been feeling a little lost, angry, or disillusioned, I think you'll take away some beautiful insight on finding faith, forgiveness and personal fulfillment regardless of your calling.  I hope you'll share it with others this holiday season and carry his messages into 2018. Rich Thoughts Podcast SXSW St. Austin Catholic Parish     All Rights Reserved Theme Music: ”Aitech" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/