We tend to think of high-performance athletes as superhuman—a rare species with extraordinary strength and a preternatural ability to suffer.But if you ask today’s guest what distinguishes the elite athlete and everyone else, she’ll say nothing.For her, the secret to high-level performance isn’t about cutting edge training plans, coaches, or carefully honed nutrition.For her, it’s instead found in seeking out and celebrating the pain cave, that deep place of physical discomfort most go to great lengths to avoid.Meet Courtney Dauwalter, the world’s best female ultrarunner—and when it comes to races 200 miles and longer—arguably the best period.A humble mater of grit and boundary-busting physical prowess, Courtney is universally loved and admired for her winning smile, mental fortitude and intuitive training style (she doesn’t even have a coach).In addition to being named one of the 50 Fittest Athletes in the World by Sports Illustrated and a two-time Ultrarunner of the Year, among her countless accomplishments, Courtney: won the 2017 Moab 240 (including beating all the men) by an astonishing 10 hour margin; won the 2020 Big Dog Backyard Ultra by clocking 283 miles (again beating all the men); won the women’s division of 2018 The Western States 100; broke the Tahoe 200 female course record in 2018 by 18+ hours; and was the fastest female at the 2019 UTMB, considered the world’s most prestigious ultra Not bad for an athlete who didn’t even begin her professional running career until she was 32 years old.The thing about Courtney is that she lives in the moment. She’s a doer. She doesn’t overthink things. She trains on feel, eats what she wants, and does it all with joy and a laudable degree of humility and perspective. But behind it all is a very intentional human—an athlete of unparalleled mental fortitude with the drive required to test the very limits of human capability.Today we get into all of it.Courtney shares the mindset techniques and tactics that have propelled her superhuman accomplishments.She shares her perspective on career longevity. Her evolution as an athlete. How she approaches unlocking unprecedented performance. And the purpose that lives beneath it all.But if you extract anything from this conversation, may it be the importance of having fun. Why taking things lightly is strength and not a weakness.When you reframe pain as a destination rather than an obstacle, truly anything is possible.To read more click here. You can also watch our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.An athlete I’ve admired for many years, I aspire to Courtney’s unique blend of grit and joy. Yes, she is a badass. But she’s also a good sport. A better human. And an absolutely delightful hang.Enjoy!Peace + Plants,RichHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine a day when alternative protein is no longer alternative. Welcome to the moonshot for meatless meat.When it comes to meat, the news is both good and bad. On the one hand, alternative protein innovation is at an all-time high, with ever more options stocked at grocery stores across the country. However, despite the cultural ascension and mainstreaming of all things vegan & plant-based, the unfortunate reality is that globally, meat consumption is actually the highest it’s ever been. And according to the UN, global meat production is projected to double by 2050.So what gives?To address this conundrum and bring us up to speed on the cultivated and plant-based meat state of affairs, I’m once again joined by my friend & resident expert on all things meatless meat, Bruce Friedrich—returning for his third appearance on the show (catch RRP 286 & 402 if you missed them).Graduating magna cum laude from Georgetown Law with additional graduate degrees from Johns Hopkins and the London School of Economics, Bruce is the founder & president of The Good Food Institute, an international non-profit focused on facilitating the reimagination of meat production. He is also a TED Fellow, a Y Combinator alumnus, and a popular food innovation speaker at places like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and MIT. Bruce has been profiled in The New York Times and many other prominent outlets and has penned op-eds for The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Wired, and many other publications.Today we pick up where we left off almost three years ago to assess the current state of the union on all things alternative protein.We discuss advances in both plant-based and cultivated meat. We review how the latest technological breakthroughs in fermentation, 3D printing and funghi (or mycoprotein) harvesting are changing the game. And we cover the political and regulatory landscape that frames the alternative protein movement—and the policy changes we need to realize a better food system for all.In addition we discuss the many problems solved by a global pivot to alternative proteins—including zoonotic disease, greenhouse gas emissions, resource reduction, and animal suffering.Overall, this is an optimistic forecast of food system innovation—how technology, urgency, and popular demand are rapidly converging to create healthy, sustainable, and compassionate solutions to help solve our current food, health, and environmental crises.To read more click here. You can also watch our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.As you will soon discover, Bruce is super smart. This episode is our smartest yet. Enjoy!Peace + Plants,Rich

Insane feats of endurance. Space-traveling billionaires. Dystopian musical comedy specials. Record-breaking freediving depths. And of course, UFOs. Today is a little bit of everything, all of the time.Welcome to another edition of ‘Roll On’, wherein myself and my podcast co-pilot Adam Skolnick break bread on matters high-minded and mildly entertaining.For those new to the show, ‘Roll On’ is about stories that deserve a brighter spotlight, buttressed with a bit of show and tell, wins of the week, and rounded out with answers to questions posed on our voicemail, which you can ring up at (424) 235-4626.Aside from serving as my magnanimous sidecar hype-beast, Adam Skolnick is an activist and veteran journalist best known as David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me, co-author. Adam writes about adventure sports, environmental issues, and civil rights for outlets such as The New York Times, Outside, ESPN, BBC, and Men’s Health. He is the author of One Breath and is currently using the ‘new dad’ excuse to avoid working on his novel.Some of the many topics covered today include: Richard Branson’s successful spaceflight and the billionaire race to space; the Pentagon’s efforts to de-stigmatize reporting UFO sightings and their recent release of unclassified reports on aerial phenomena; Our summer must-watch list; Robbie Balenger’s Colorado Crush & Timothy Olson’s PCT FKT attempt; Lachlan Morton’s Alt-Tour; a 2021 Tour de France wrap-up; and Vertical Blue freediving records In addition, we answer the following listener questions: How do you adjust to post-pandemic parenting? How do you create a healthier body image? Will there be future RRP gatherings and events? Thank you to Eric from South Bend, Zach from West Virginia, and Chris from Rockland, California for your questions. If you want your query discussed, drop it on our Facebook Page or better yet leave a voicemail at (424) 235-4626.FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll616YouTube: bit.ly/rollon616Peace + Plants,Rich

What happens when one of—if not the—greatest restaurants in the world suddenly goes 100% plant-based?For perspective, out of the 132 three-star Michelin star restaurants around the world, not a single one is vegan. Suffice it to say, most would say such a move is tantamount to financial suicide.But Chef Daniel Humm—the world-renown chef and owner of Eleven Madison Park—sees it as the greatest purpose-driven, creative challenge of his lifetime.Like most restaurants, when the pandemic hit Eleven Madison Park closed its doors and grappled with bankruptcy. But it was during this time that Daniel started thinking more deeply about purpose. What he stands for. How he could leverage his talent and resources to meaningfully participate in solutions to food insecurity and the inherently unsustainable nature of food systems more broadly.Bold leaps followed. He converted the EMP kitchen into a commissary to provide free meals to food-insecure New Yorkers. He kitted out a food truck to distribute those meals. He partnered with Rethink Food, a non-profit committed to creating sustainable and equitable food systems, to work on solving food inequality at scale. But his coup de grace involved re-opening the most revered restaurant in the world with a completely plant-based menu—and ensuring that every EMP meal enjoyed pays for five meals freely distributed to those in need.It’s a move that sent shockwaves throughout the food world. But Daniel’s bet is more than paying off, denoted by a waitlist that currently exceeds 15,000 people.On the very day Eleven Madison Park announced its new menu, I committed to making this podcast happen. My friend, past podcast guest, and former Esquire magazine Food & Drinks editor Jeff Gordinier connected the dots. In turn, Daniel agreed to do the show. But there was a condition: first I must dine at EMP. Deal. I immediately booked a flight to NYC. I joined Jeff for said dinner—an exquisite experience like no other—and the day following convened with Daniel for this exchange.This conversation is about why cuisine at the highest level—food as art—plays a vital role in moving culture forward. It’s about what makes a great chef. What pursuing a passion truly entails. And the magic of embracing constant reinvention.It’s also about the role that art, minimalism and essentialism have played in the evolution of Daniel’s craft and life philosophy.But more than anything, this is a deeply personal tale of evolution. It’s about the search for purpose beyond accolades—and what it means to devote your talents in service of a better world.Special Thanks to Daniel’s team for arranging this dining & podcasting experience and to Joseph Hazan at Newsstand Studio in Rockefeller Center for allowing us to record in his facility. Also, gratitude to photographers Sebastian Nevols (kitchen portrait) and Craig McDean (black & white portraits) for permitting use of their images.Now one of the most important and influential figures in the plant-based movement, it was a privilege to experience Daniel’s talents and company. And it’s an honor to share this fascinating exchange with you today.FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll615YouTube: bit.ly/danielhumm615My hope is that his words inspire you to deeply rethink your personal capabilities—and to see that the answers you seek lie within.Peace + Plants,Rich

Our time is defined by a crisis of consciousness and broken spiritual connection. Driven by a materialist, zero-sum approach to everything, we seek answers in ego, money, power and consumption. It’s an addiction that’s wreaking havoc on the planet—and ultimately leaves us empty.Short of a spiritual reconciliation or outright revolution of the heart, I fear for the future well-being of humanity.It is this terrain that today we tread with spiritual psychologist, historian, philosopher, and the world’s only rabbi with a black belt in jiu-jitsu, Rabbi Mordecai Finley, Ph.D.The co-founder of Ohr HaTorah Synagogue in Los Angeles, Rabbi Finley holds a doctorate in Religion and Social Ethics from the University of Southern California. He’s taught Holocaust Studies, Talmud, Rabbinic Literature, Jewish Law and Ethics, and other courses at USC, USC School of Law, and Loyola Law School. And he is a founder and the former president of the Academy for Jewish Religion.Rabbi Finley’s gift lies in wisdom counseling, and today we are gifted just that.This is a rather extraordinary deep dive into the teachings of moral philosophy, spiritual psychology, skepticism, and stoicism. We deal with anger & fear, the relationships that divide ourselves and others, and what Rabbi Finley calls The Inner Pharaoh, the internal oppressor who keeps us trapped with the crushing persistence of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. In addition, Rabbi Finley helps answer questions like: what does it mean to pursue a life of virtue, wisdom, depth, purpose, and meaning beyond the material? how do we parse our inner voice from the ego? how do we connect our inner consciousness to the divine? how do we end cycles of anger, disappointment, and dissatisfaction?  and most importantly, what is the role of spirituality in 2021? But the most powerful lesson imparted is the importance of thinking well. Exploring the depths of your motivation. And understanding that only you can heal yourself.FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll614YouTube: bit.ly/rabbifinley614Rabbi Finley is a beautiful soul. I sincerely hope you find this conversation as powerful and fascinating as I did.Peace + Plants,Rich

For too long, talking about mental health has been a social taboo.Shame prevents confronting our struggles. The pressure of our daily lives exacerbates the problem. Compound that with society’s lack of mental health education and you create an epidemic of mental health disorders ranging from chronic stress and anxiety to loneliness and depression. PTSD. And of course, suicide.The solution to these problems is complicated. But it always begins with talking about them.Today we do just that. Introducing a masterclass on all things mental health, my second in a new ongoing series of compilation-based deep dives.The conversations excerpted for this episode feature some of the best, most inspiring exchanges I’ve had on the topic of mental health, with practical takeaways and bite-size chunks of advice that you can apply in your life today.The full episodes for guests featured in this episode can be enjoyed here: RRP 464: Lori Gottlieb: Stories From A Therapist In Therapy RRP 416: Johann Hari: On Lost Connections RRP 579: Alexi Pappas Is Bravey RRP 468: Quelling Stress With Rangan Chatterjee, MD RRP 565: Caroline Burckle On The Power Of Vulnerability RRP 584: Steven Pressfield On The War of Art RRP 330: Drs. Dean & Ayesha Sherzai RRP 393: Guru Singh On Disrupting Depression RRP 424: Sarah Lee On The War Inside RRP 557: Hakim Tafari On Reinvention FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll613YouTube: bit.ly/mentalhealth613Note: If you missed our first deep dive, a masterclass on all things microbiome, click here.Final Note: This conversation traverses difficult emotional terrain. If you are struggling, please raise your hand and reach out for help. For a catalog of resources, you can visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness and if you are experiencing suicidal ideation, know you’re not alone. I encourage you to call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1(800) 273 – TALK.I sincerely hope you find this experiment helpful, instructive, and inspiring.Peace + Plants,RichHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you stay committed to your goals when sh*t gets hard?There’s an entire industry built on answering this question—and a litany of #lifehacks meant to assuage intolerance for hard work and discipline.But if you ask today’s guest, he’ll tell you the answer is found in consistently doing what you feel called to do—and doing it for something greater than yourself. It’s about making friendships along the way. And seeing the process of pursuing your dreams as a privilege—not just a self-serving opportunity.Meet Hellah Sidibe.Born in Mali, Hellah emigrated from to the States from West Africa when he was a teen, becoming a professional soccer player and now, a U.S. citizen and the first Black person to ever run 3,000 miles across America. It’s a truly extraordinary feat eclipsed only by his incredibly inspirational positive vibe and another noteworthy accomplishment: a 4+ year run streak.Hellah has run every single day, without missing one single day, for over 1500+ days in a row.I first came across Hellah’s story when my friend Robbie Balenger joined Hellah for a segment of his transcontinental run through the Navajo Nation. Captivated by Robbie’s Instagram Stories documenting the experience, I was immediately taken by Hellah’s energy. I followed his journey through the conclusion of his run in New York City, and immediately got to work trying to book him here as soon as I could.And so, here we are.We talk running of course, but this conversation is about so much more. It’s about reimagining your own personal potential. It’s about chasing dreams, taking risks, putting yourself out there, and of course, what it takes to accomplish seemingly outlandish goals.We also discuss Hellah’s decision to go plant-based. The impact this lifestyle has had on his running and, beyond that, his broader awareness.In addition, we talk about his work with Soles4Souls, a non-profit that provides repurposed shoes to empower the developing world. We discuss his relationship with social media, his growing YouTube presence, and the impact Casey Neistat has had on how he shares his personal perspective online.But mostly, this is about mindset. It’s about living with intention—and the beauty of sharing the journey to self-actualization unfiltered, in real-time.FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll612YouTube: bit.ly/hellahsidibe612Hellah’s energy is infectious. It rubbed off on me. It will rub off on you too.Peace + Plants,Rich

A cornerstone of this podcast is the power of sport to catalyze personal and societal change, cultivate confidence, and ultimately transform lives.But what happens when sport breaks you?If you’ve listened to my conversations with Lindsay Crouse and Lauren Fleshman, you know this story is all too familiar within athletic institutions—particularly Nike. Today’s guest is busting this paradigm.Meet Mary Cain.Established as the fastest girl in a generation by the time she reached high school, Mary was only 16 when she qualified for the Olympic Trials. At 17, she became the youngest American track and field athlete to make a world championship, competing in Moscow in the 1500 meters.Olympic glory seemed a foregone conclusion. Until that is, she joined Nike’s elite Oregon Project team run by infamous coach Alberto Salazar.And that’s when everything changed.Under severe pressure from Salazar and others to lose weight, her mental and physical health began to crumble. Ultimately, her body collapsed—and her running career behind it. Then she just disappeared.Until November of 2019 that is, when Mary broke her silence on what happened and why, bravely exposing the abusive system that derailed her in a New York Times Video OpEd entitled, “I Was the Fastest Girl in America, Until I joined Nike”.Here’s the thing about Mary: she’s emerged from this whole experience stronger—both as an athlete and as an advocate resolute on creating positive change for the next generation of female athletes.Now 25, she continues to run while serving as the New York Community Manager for the running apparel brand Tracksmith.In addition, this podcast announces her new role as CEO of Atalanta, a new NYC-based elite running team & community non-profit Mary founded with the dual mission of promoting running community, inclusivity & diversity, while also rewriting the rule book on professional women’s athletics.Today we get into all of it.FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll611YouTube: bit.ly/marycain611I have a ton of respect for this young woman. Her story is powerful. It’s instructive. And I’m proud to help share it.Peace + Plants,Rich

Success in all forms demands mental fortitude—a capacity honed through consistently placing yourself beyond comfortable confines. When practiced with daily rigor, an increasingly sturdy mindset becomes a superpower—and the foundation for the purpose-driven life you aspire to inhabit.Welcome to another edition of ‘Roll On’, wherein myself and master of pen, keyboard and dictaphone Adam Skolnick explore the concept of mental fortitude in contexts athletic and political through the lives of two individuals, James Lawrence (aka the ‘Iron Cowboy’) and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.Beyond RRP hype-man duties, Adam Skolnick is an activist and journalist best known as David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me, co-author. He writes about adventure sports, environmental issues, and civil rights for The New York Times, Outside, ESPN, BBC, and Men’s Health. He is the author of One Breath and is currently awash in his umpteenth draft of an untitled novel—slowly losing his mind in the process.This episode unfurls in a fashion unique.The balance of today’s discussion focuses on James Lawrence—the undisputed king of mental fortitude wrought in physical form—and his mind-bending completion of 101 iron-distance triathlons in 100 days.In addition, we cover a few notable stories, including The Woman Who Fell 2 Miles To Earth,  The Great Lakes Jumper and The Great Pacific Race. We also discuss the recent Supreme Court decision backing payments to NCAA student-athletes, wherein I go on a tear against the college-industrial complex.It is here that we depart from standard Roll On protocol and instead segue into my conversation with a man notable for a very different kind of mental fortitude, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. The most accomplished runner currently holding elected office (he’s a 2:16 marathoner!), it’s an exploration of the demands, discipline and disposition required to lead a fractured city through the treacherous terrain of social upheaval in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll610YouTube: bit.ly/rollon610Final Thought: this episode marks the one-year anniversary of ‘Roll On’ (and on-air bromance with Adam Skolnick). What started as an experimental but intentional response to the many historic moments that greeted us in 2020 has turned into an important RRP mainstay—and a success due in no small part to the incredible work that Adam has and continues to bring to the series. So thank you Adam. Show him some love on Instagram @adamskolnick.Enjoy the show!Peace + Plants,Rich

A mysterious artist on the cusp of breakthrough success walks away from it all. Beyond the public’s gaze, he spends the next decade pursuing purity, beauty and truths both personal and universal.Then, like a Jedi returning from parts unknown, the artist resurfaces as ‘The Spirited Man’. And this ‘Spirited Man’ goes by the name Van.Van Neistat to be precise.The elder half of The Neistat Brothers, it’s a name that will ring familiar to many, a name typically associated with a superstar YouTuber, OG vlogger, and friend of the pod, Casey Neistat.In the Neistat Venn Diagram, Van and Casey overlap on many traits. Both are artists with an utterly distinct aesthetic. Both are exceptional filmmakers who honed their skills in the days before YouTube even existed. Both have a preternatural aptitude for storytelling, perfectionist dispositions, an appreciation for the analog, and extreme respect for detail. The list goes on.And yet, Van and Casey are also very different artists with disparate sensibilities.Back in 2010 after the Neistat Brothers HBO show wasn’t picked up for a second season, Casey went on to become, well Casey Neistat. Van on the other hand, embarked on a very different journey. An artistic journey of self-discovery—outside the public sphere—until recently.Now re-emerged by dint of his recently launched YouTube Channel, ‘The Spirited Man’, Van muses philosophical and explores questions large and small with a curious, introspective flare that is totally unique, utterly compelling, and just-so-perfectly Van.I was (and continue to be) thoroughly entranced by this series—and so curious about Van—that I reached out to Casey to connect us.Today Van shares his story, and it is wild.My plan was to unfurl ‘The Story of Van Neistat’ in a relatively linear fashion.That’s not at all what happened. And this exchange is better for it.Fluid and conversational, this is an excavation of the artist life. It’s as much about hardship and survival as it is about creativity and productivity.We discuss curiosity, sobriety, discipline, the value of being meticulous, and his commitment to preserving an analog life.We talk about why he didn’t continue making films with Casey and Van’s many collaborations with artist Tom Sachs.Finally, Van spins a few epic yarns featuring Werner Herzog, the Safdie Brothers, and the lore of 368 Broadway—a building in lower Manhattan that birthed many an amazing creative career in the early 2000s.FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll609YouTube: bit.ly/vanneistat609Van is super awesome. I love this one. Hope you do too.Peace + Plants,Rich