Welcome back to The Victory Degree Podcast! There are plenty of podcasts out there and so I thank you for choosing The Victory Degree today - the podcast where my mission is to dive into the minds of high performers, in sports and related fields, to uncover their long road to success and the tools & strategies they picked up along the way.  Today’s guest is Alex Hutchinson - Alex is the New York Times bestselling author of Endure, a longtime columnist for Outside covering the science of endurance, and a National Magazine Award–winning journalist who has contributed to the New York Times, The New Yorker, and other publications. A former long-distance runner for the Canadian national team, he holds a master’s in journalism from Columbia and a Ph.D. in physics from Cambridge, and he did his post-doctoral research with the National Security Agency. He lives in Toronto with his familyIn this interview, Alex reveals some hidden truths about the world of endurance and human performance including: optimal hydration levels, the importance of VO2 max and how to increase it, what really determines your endurance limits, various studies on peak human performance, and much more... As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode. And if you do, please consider leaving a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find this episode. It helps the show more than you know. With that, let’s get to the episode…Episodes You May Enjoy:Josh DobbsSpotify: spoti.fi/4cmtQXuApple Podcasts: apple.co/4e9hmVBGeorge MumfordSpotify: spoti.fi/4bIywaRApple Podcasts: apple.co/45ltHBRDr. Jim LoehrSpotify: spoti.fi/3yyddu8Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3AcnX21Connect with Alex:Twitter: https://x.com/sweatscience Website: https://alexhutchinson.net/Connect with Nik: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikatanackovic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nik_AtanackovicYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVictoryDegree

Welcome back to The Victory Degree Podcast! There are plenty of podcasts out there and so I thank you for choosing The Victory Degree today - the podcast where my mission is to dive into the minds of high performers, in sports and related fields, to uncover their long road to success and the tools & strategies they picked up along the way.  Today’s guest is Brian Dickinson - Brian served for 6 years as a US Navy air rescue swimmer before he moved to the Pacific Northwest to pursue his passion for extreme sports and mountain climbing. He has climbed expeditions on the highest peaks of the seven continents, including Kilimanjaro, McKinley, Elbrus, Kosciuszko, Vinson Massif, Aconcagua, and Everest. He is the author of “Blind Descent”, a book that highlights Brian’s journey to the summit of Mount Everest and then his descent back down, which he did blind and alone.  In this interview, Brian and Nik discuss Brian’s experience mountain climbing, why he chose to climb Everest, the logistics of climbing Everest, the challenges involved with the summit, how he managed to climb back down blind and alone, the importance of resiliency, and much more…As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode. And if you do, please consider leaving a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find this episode. It helps the show more than you know. With that, let’s get to the episode…Episodes You May Enjoy:Josh DobbsSpotify: spoti.fi/4cmtQXuApple Podcasts: apple.co/4e9hmVBGeorge MumfordSpotify: spoti.fi/4bIywaRApple Podcasts: apple.co/45ltHBRDr. Jim LoehrSpotify: spoti.fi/3yyddu8Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3AcnX21Connect with Brian:Twitter: https://x.com/BrianCDickinsonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/briancdickinson/Connect with Nik: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikatanackovic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nik_AtanackovicYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVictoryDegree

Welcome back to The Victory Degree Podcast! There are plenty of podcasts out there and so I thank you for choosing The Victory Degree today - the podcast where my mission is to dive into the minds of high performers, in sports and related fields, to uncover their long road to success and the tools & strategies they picked up along the way.  Today’s guest is Ian O’Connor - Ian is the author of his sixth book, “Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers.” His previous five books include four consecutive New York Times bestsellers — "Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski,” “Belichick: The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time,” "The Captain: The Journey of Derek Jeter," which the Library Journal called "excellent" and "the most complete account" of Jeter's iconic career and "Arnie & Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf's Greatest Rivalry." O'Connor is a former ESPN.com, New York Post, USA Today, and New York Daily News columnist who has finished in 1st place 20 times in national writing contests.In this interview, Ian & Nik discuss Ian’s latest book “Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers.” Everything from Aaron’s upbringing to the 2005 NFL Draft to Aaron’s relationship with Brett Favre & even Aaron’s falling out with his family, this conversation sheds light on one of the more polarizing sports figures we’ve ever seen. Ian reveals all sides of an all-time great and delivers a portrait of a complex man and four-time NFL MVP that will forever shape the way football fans view him.As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode. And if you do, please consider leaving a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find this episode. It helps the show more than you know. With that, let’s get to the episode…Episodes You May Enjoy:Josh DobbsSpotify: spoti.fi/4cmtQXuApple Podcasts: apple.co/4e9hmVBGeorge MumfordSpotify: spoti.fi/4bIywaRApple Podcasts: apple.co/45ltHBRDr. Jim LoehrSpotify: spoti.fi/3yyddu8Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3AcnX21Connect with Ian:Twitter: https://x.com/Ian_OConnorWebsite: https://www.ian-oconnor.com/Connect with Nik: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikatanackovic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nik_AtanackovicYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVictoryDegree

Welcome back to The Victory Degree Podcast! There are plenty of podcasts out there and so I thank you for choosing The Victory Degree today - the podcast where my mission is to dive into the minds of high performers, in sports and related fields, to uncover their long road to success and the tools & strategies they picked up along the way.  Today’s guest is DeShone Kizer - a former NFL QB who doesn’t need much of an introduction. DeShone was a 4 star HS recruit and was ranked the 9th best dual threat QB in his class. But for DeShone, making it to the NFL wasn’t his only passion. He loved the idea of starting his own business one day which is why he ultimately chose to play at Notre Dame - a school that offered him a perfect blend of academics and athletics. DeShone was a highly touted prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft and ended up getting picked by the Cleveland Browns in the 2nd round. DeShone’s NFL career didn’t go as planned, as he struggled from the start. After a few years in the league, he decided to hang up the cleats and pursue entrepreneurship by starting his own company: One of None which he still runs today. In this interview, DeShone reveals his journey to the NFL, experience playing at Notre Dame, take us behind the scenes of the NFL Draft process, explains why he struggled in the NFL, highlights his experience playing with Aaron Rodgers, gives his best tips for aspiring entrepreneurs, and much more…As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode. And if you do, please consider leaving a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find this episode. It helps the show more than you know. With that, let’s get to the episode…Episodes You May Enjoy:Josh DobbsSpotify: spoti.fi/4cmtQXuApple Podcasts: apple.co/4e9hmVBGeorge MumfordSpotify: spoti.fi/4bIywaRApple Podcasts: apple.co/45ltHBRDr. Jim LoehrSpotify: spoti.fi/3yyddu8Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3AcnX21Connect with DeShone:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deshonekizer/Twitter: https://x.com/deshonekizerOne of None: https://oneofnone.io/Connect with Nik: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikatanackovic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nik_AtanackovicYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVictoryDegree

Welcome back to The Victory Degree Podcast! There are plenty of podcasts out there and so I thank you for choosing The Victory Degree today - the podcast where my mission is to dive into the minds of high performers, in sports and related fields, to uncover their long road to success and the tools & strategies they picked up along the way.  Today’s guest is Eddie Lack - Eddie is a former professional NHL goalie whose playing career involved stints with the Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, and New Jersey Devils. Eddie’s hockey career started in 2004 in Sweden but it took 5 grueling years for Eddie to finally make it to the NHL. Although he went undrafted in the 2009 draft, his tenacity & hard work ultimately paid off as he became both a starting goalie and fan favorite in Vancouver. Eddie’s playing days came to an end in March, 2020 as he hung up his skates one last time. Next for Eddie was a career in real estate which is what still keeps him busy nowadays. In this interview, Eddie reveals his journey to hockey, the grind of an NHL season, how he remained focused and present during a game, how he managed his money while in the NHL, the power of consistency, why goalies take longer to develop, why he chose real estate, and much more…As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode. And if you do, please consider leaving a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find this episode. It helps the show more than you know.Episodes You May Enjoy:Josh DobbsSpotify: spoti.fi/4cmtQXuApple Podcasts: apple.co/4e9hmVBGeorge MumfordSpotify: spoti.fi/4bIywaRApple Podcasts: apple.co/45ltHBRDr. Jim LoehrSpotify: spoti.fi/3yyddu8Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3AcnX21Connect with Eddie Lack:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eddielack31/Twitter: https://x.com/eddielackWebsite: https://www.eddielack.com/Connect with Nik: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikatanackovic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nik_AtanackovicYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVictoryDegree

Welcome back to The Victory Degree Podcast! There are plenty of podcasts out there and so I thank you for choosing The Victory Degree today - the podcast where my mission is to dive into the minds of high performers, in sports and related fields, to uncover their long road to success and the tools & strategies they picked up along the way.  Today’s guest is David Kilgore - David may be one of the world’s greatest endurance athletes, but his route to the top is perhaps not what you would expect from an ultra-runner. While David did compete in traditional competitions during his college years, he also spent much of his youth chasing alligators through swamps in his home state of Florida. And it’s this fearless nature that has helped him achieve some incredible results. A four-time Florida state track and cross country champion and All-American runner, David soon began to compete in more challenging events and push his body to the limit. Now part of the US World Trail and Ultra team, he’s used to covering huge distances. In 2020, he ran 100 miles in a single day to raise money for charity, and the following year ran the entire circumference of Manhattan. But perhaps his most remarkable feat to date was participating in and winning the World Marathon Challenge. This saw David and 34 other hand-selected runners compete in seven marathons in seven days across seven continents.In this interview, David reveals his journey to running, how he pushes himself past his own limit, his training regimen for ultramarathons, the life changing insights he had from running 7 marathons in 7 days across 7 continents, and much more…As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode. And if you do, please consider leaving a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find this episode. It helps the show more than you know. With that, let’s get to the episode…Episodes You May Enjoy:Josh DobbsSpotify: spoti.fi/4cmtQXuApple Podcasts: apple.co/4e9hmVBGeorge MumfordSpotify: spoti.fi/4bIywaRApple Podcasts: apple.co/45ltHBRDr. Jim LoehrSpotify: spoti.fi/3yyddu8Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3AcnX21Connect with David Kilgore:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidkilgore/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.kilgore.98/Connect with Nik: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikatanackovic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nik_AtanackovicYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVictoryDegree

Welcome back to The Victory Degree Podcast! There are plenty of podcasts out there and so I thank you for choosing The Victory Degree today - the podcast where my mission is to interview the most influential people in sports both on and off the field. Today’s guest is Dr. Jim Loehr - a World-renowned performance psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, Co-founder, & Coach. Dr. Loehr has worked with hundreds of world-class performers from the arenas of sport, business, medicine and law enforcement, including Fortune 100 executives, FBI Hostage Rescue Teams, and military Special Forces. Dr. Loehr’s sports clients include 17 number ones in the world in their respective sports, multiple clients from professional tennis, golf, basketball, football, hockey, boxing, race car driving and the Olympics. He has applied his methodology to both individuals and entire teams. From his more than 30 years of experience and applied research, Dr. Loehr believes the single most important factor in successful achievement, personal fulfillment and life satisfaction is the strength of one’s character. Dr. Jim Loehr is a world-renowned performance psychologist, whose ground-breaking, science-based energy management training system has achieved worldwide recognition. Dr. Loehr has been chronicled in leading national publications, including: Fortune, Harvard Business Review, US News Report and has been featured on NBC’s Today Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show. In this interview, Dr. Loehr reveals his journey to sports psychology, what mental toughness is and how to increase it, how the best tennis players in the world stay mentally tough during a match, the power of your inner voice and how to harness it to achieve greatness, how to build up your resiliency, the idea of an ideal performance state, and much more…As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode. And if you do, please consider leaving a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find this episode. It helps the show more than you know. With that, let’s get to the episode…TIMESTAMPS(00:00) The Gift of Sport(04:16) Sports Psychology in the 80's(13:10) The Psychological Struggles of Tennis Players(21:07) Learning From Athletes(25:15) Inner Voice(42:31) The Perils of Competition(45:54) Dan Jansen(54:50) Modern Day Struggles of Athletes(59:09) How To Become More Resilient (01:01:25) Ideal Performance State(01:06:06) Novak Djokovic: GOAT?(01:13:17) Athletes Dr. Loehr Wishes He Worked With(01:17:51) Proudest Moments(01:22:23) Life AdviceConnect with Dr. Jim Loehr:Website: www.jim-loehr.comLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jim-loehr/Connect with Nik: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikatanackovic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nik_Atanackovic

Welcome back to The Victory Degree Podcast! There are plenty of podcasts out there and so I thank you for choosing The Victory Degree today - the podcast where my mission is to interview the most influential people in sports both on and off the field. Today’s guest is Frank Fleming aka Frank the Tank. If you follow Barstool Sports, then you know Frank as the diehard Mets, Dolphins, Devils, and recently converted Knicks fan. His over the top rants combined with his insane knowledge of sports history have earned him a huge base of loyal supporters online. Before Barstool, Frank was a court clerk, substitute teacher, and frequent user of the New Jersey Transit System. Little did Frank know that a viral rant about NJ Transit was about to change his life forever…In this interview, Frank reveals his journey to Barstool, how he built one of the largest sports history websites in the world, the crime that was the 02’ Lakers/Kings playoff series, his insane weight loss journey, an array of stats and facts about the 4 major North American sports leagues, a rant about the Miami Dolphins, and much more…As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode. And if you do, please consider leaving a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find this episode. It helps the show more than you know. With that, let’s get to the episode…TIMESTAMPS(00:00) US Soccer(05:00) Pre Barstool Days(08:36) SportsEcyclopedia.com(12:46) NBA in the 80's & 90's(19:46) 02' Kings Lakers Playoff Series(23:09) Sports Conspiracies (25:56) Hard Rock Stadium(28:00) Becoming a Dolphins Fan(31:32) Working at Barstool(36:01) Frank Walks(38:15) Sports History(54:56) Insane Dolphins Story(58:55) How to Fix the Dolphins(01:01:29) Life AdviceConnect with Frank:Twitter: https://x.com/NjTank99Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/njtank1975/Connect with Nik: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikatanackovic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nik_Atanackovic

Welcome back to The Victory Degree Podcast! There are plenty of podcasts out there and so I thank you for choosing The Victory Degree today - the podcast where my mission is to interview the most influential people in sports both on and off the field. Today’s guest is Merril Hoge. Merril was a running back in the NFL for 8 seasons for both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears. Hoge’s NFL career saw him amass 3139 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns before having to retire due to a concussion misdiagnosis. Merril went on to have a successful career as a sports personality on ESPN before being laid off in 2017. Merril’s journey has been full of ups and downs: from losing his mother at the age of 19 to being diagnosed with cancer in 2003 to having open heart surgery in 2015. Despite all these challenges, Merril has always been able to “find a way.”  In this interview, Merril reveals his journey to the NFL, how he deals with moments of self-doubt, how he’s been able to navigate tragedy and life’s toughest challenges, his abysmal draft combine experience, what he has learned from hunting with Big Ben, and much more…As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode. And if you do, please consider leaving a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find this episode. It helps the show more than you know. With that, let’s get to the episode…TIMESTAMPS(00:00) Intro (02:08) Johnny Manziel (03:59) Find a Way(13:13) How To Defeat Self-Doubt(18:57) How Merril Dealt With His Mother Passing Away(24:45) Merril's Draft Combine(30:00) Concussion Misdiagnosis (39:01) Cancer & Open-Heart Surgery (47:58) Happiness (54:01) Hunting With Big Ben (01:00:06) Life AdviceConnect with Merril:Twitter: x.com/merrilhogeInstagram: www.instagram.com/merrilhoge/Connect with Nik: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikatanackovic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nik_Atanackovic

Welcome back to The Victory Degree Podcast! There are plenty of podcasts out there and so I thank you for choosing The Victory Degree today - the podcast where my mission is to interview the most influential people in sports both on and off the field. Today’s guest is TeeTee Terry. TeeTee is a 2 time track and field world champion who specialized in the women’s 100 and 200 meter sprints. She’s a 2 time gold medalist in the 4x1 relay, set a school record at USC, and recently qualified for the Paris Olympics representing Team USA. TeeTee made Junior Olympics her first year in track and field and is quickly becoming one of the fastest women in the world. TeeTee is easily recognizable from her signature double ponytails, loves DIY projects, and has a passion for working with kids.In this interview, TeeTee reveals her journey to track and field, what she’s looking forward to in the Paris Olympics, the reality of being an olympian, how she gets her mind right before and during a race, the power of discipline, her takeaways from working with George Mumford, and much more…As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode. And if you do, please consider leaving a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find this episode. It helps the show more than you know. With that, let’s get to the episode…TIMESTAMPS(02:01) Who is TeeTee?(03:39) Relationship w/Parents(09:07) Is Passion Real?(11:21) TeeTee's Relationship w/Track(13:06) Motivation (15:15) Behind the Scenes Look at the Olympics(19:14) Difficulty of Competing in 100m Sprint(21:30) Pre-Race Routine(23:07) Experience at USC(26:11) Discipline (30:17) Priorities (31:07) Intention(32:06) George Mumford(39:06) Mindset During a Race(41:01) Is Winning as Fun As It Seems?(46:06) Criticism (49:38) Role Models(52:09) Paris Olympics(54:12) Sports Broadcaster(55:16) Advice to Kids(57:06) Plans After Track(57:22) Life AdviceConnect with TeeTee:Twitter: https://x.com/TeeTeeTerry_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canonlybeme__/Connect with Nik: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikatanackovic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Nik_Atanackovic