I Could Never Do That

Buckle your seatbelts, because you're in for a treat today. My guest is Pete Ripmaster - adventurer, speaker, ultra-runner and winner of the 1000 mile Iditarod Trail Invitational - ON FOOT. Yes, there is such a thing. You've, no doubt, heard of the Iditarod race across Alaska with dogs and sleds, but did you know they have a race where they run the course on bike and on foot? I didn't either!! Hol...

This is a "girl-crush" episode! When you can't be somebody, you want to be  like  somebody and I want to be like Mallory Brooks.  Mallory and her husband, Jason, are the owners of Spectrum Trail Racing, she's a Rogue Running Trail Coach, she's the Race Director of the Rogue Trail Series, and, oh yeah, she's also the Mom to her son, Paxton.  She's also a BEAST on the trail and, in fact, last year,...

  How many of you have ever met a hero of yours, or someone who has really influenced your life? How many of you are actually friends with that person?  Karl Gruber has been a presence in my life for the last 25 years. In 1996-1997, he took off from his job in radio and successfully ran 52 Marathons in 52 Weeks to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. At the time, he was the 9th perso...

On February 17th, 2018, author, cyclist, father and partner, Andrew Tilin, was struck and killed by a motor vehicle as he was pulled over out of traffic to change a flat tire on his bike. Just like every other Saturday, he was out cycling with a group of friends - doing exactly what he loved to do.  In this special edition of "I Could Never Do That," his partner, Shellie Thompson Oroshiba, along w...

"Our life is what our thoughts make it." - Marcus Aurelius Adrienne Langelier MA, LPC is a Sports Psychology Consultant who helps individuals, teams, and organizations get the absolute best out of themselves.  A competitive runner herself, Langlier, talks about her own battles with performance anxiety and the tools she employed to turn those nerves into a performance enhancement advantage.  We als...

Triathlon Taren is a brother from another Mother! We have a lot in common, as it turns out. We both were once out-of-shape, unmotivated young adults, headed down a path of self-destruction. We also both found the sport of triathlon (it found us, actually) and now make this sport our passion, our hobby, and our careers by helping others find that same joy. Triathlon Taren is a social media guru, wi...

    "I've always had a dream of doing a kid's cookbook," says Green Ninja Cooks Author and Master of Nom, Nikki Castagneto. "Who doesn't want to be a ninja or possess superhuman powers?" Enter our hero, the Green Ninja. Of course, instead of swords, this ninja has kitchen tools and the superpowers are used for exploring the benefits, uses, and tastes of superfoods! Green Ninja Cooks is equal parts...

  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...

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 epitomiz...

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...

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...

  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...

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 me...

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 be...

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...

  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 ke...

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...

  In April 2017, Helen Susannah Webb became the first visually impaired female athlete to complete Ironman South Africa. Born with a genetic condition that results in sun sensitivity and visual impairment, Webb knew that if she ever had the lucky opportunity to race in the United States, she wanted experienced American, Caroline Gaynor, to be her guide. They got their chance this past October when...

From Susan's Website: They were unlikely friends. She was a young, overweight college professor with a pack-a-day habit and a bad attitude. He was her boss, and an accomplished Ironman triathlete. She was a whiner, he was a hardass. He had histogether, she most assuredly did not. Yet Susan and Carlos shared a deep and abiding friendship that traversed life, sport, illness, death, and everything in...

  We hit the triathlon jackpot this with Coach Matt Dixon, Founder and Head Coach of Purplepatch Fitness!  Dixon has worked with professional triathletes and champions like Tim Reed , Meredith Kessler , Jesse Thomas , Sarah Piampiano , Kevin Collington and many more! Do those names sound familiar? Of course they do because these are just some of the pros you see at the top of the podium at major r...

This week's guest is Austin based journalist Pam LeBlanc . I'm not gonna lie, she kinda has my dream gig...getting paid to try new sports, activities, hikes and other crazy adventures.   If you live around Central Texas, you've, no doubt, followed Pam in the Austin American Statesman and her popular "Fit City" Column and Blog.  Pam is the real deal and by that I mean she was actually raised in Aus...

This week, we throw the phrase "I Could Never Do That" right out the window! I'm affectionately referring to this episode as my conversation with the bad and the smart couple, Lesley Paterson and Simon Marshall, PhD . Lesley is a 3X World Champion in off-road triathlon , an Ironman Champion, pro mountain biker and endurance coach. Her husband, Simon, is a former professor of family and preventive...

  In this episode of "I Could Never Do That," I interview singer/songwriters Susan Gibson (who wrote the Dixie Chicks "Wide Open Spaces") and Jana Pochop .  They discuss their craft of songwriting and how, even during the toughest of times, they continue to curate new ideas and songs that inspire, teach and heal. Songwriting is, no doubt, an endurance sport. It takes a tremendous amount of talent,...

Distance Running Legend, Beardsley , is an America hero, having won a string of marathons in the early 1980s, including the London Marathon in 1981 and Grandma's Marathon in both 1981 and 1982. He's most famous ironically, though, for losing a marathon: The infamous "Duel in the Sun" 1982 Boston Marathon, where he and Alberto Salazar went step for step for 26.2 Miles. It was a colossal race finish...

Marcus Cook lives by the quotes, "Do Something New Every Day" because "You Never Know What You're Preparing Yourself For."  Two years ago, inspired by the dying wish of a friend, then 500lb Marcus Cook made a drastic change. He knew if he didn't act quickly, he wouldn't be around to see his kids grow up and have families of their own. In September 2015, Cook had gastric bypass surgery with renowne...