Awake Athlete Podcast

Ultra-endurance athlete Kyle Powers shares his incredible journey through Ultraman, a race that demands mind, body, and spirit alignment over three grueling days. On day one, nothing went as planned, and the conditions were the exact opposite of every prediction. But Kyle didn’t break. Instead, he leaned into his mindfulness practices, found presence in the chaos, and turned the unexpected into an opportunity for growth.

In this episode, Kyle reveals:
✨ What drove him to start dedicated mindset training
✨ How yoga nidra helped regulate his maxed-out nervous system
✨ His advice for aspiring Ultraman athletes
✨ How presence brought him into a Zen state during the most challenging moments

Kyle reminds us that when the mind is off, the body can't perform at its peak. This is a story of resilience, transformation, and the power of embracing what is.

🎧 Listen now to hear how Kyle became his greatest teacher through the unexpected.

This season kicks off with a bold new format: interviews! For the first time in Awake Athlete history, I’m sitting down with some of the most inspiring minds in endurance sports and beyond—entrepreneurs, professional athletes, ultra-endurance legends, and everyday age-groupers—delivering their wisdom in binge-worthy, 20-minute episodes.

But first, let’s talk about you.

What are you waiting for?
“Want” is a state-granted immediately, but the issue isn’t wanting—it’s the courage to act.
Desire without action leaves us stagnant, forever dreaming. Only when we step forward do we begin to fulfill the want.

As your guide, I’m committed to walking the talk because authenticity and confidence come from doing, not just dreaming. Together, let’s awaken to the opportunities waiting for us.

Since the last time I fired up the mic, I published Awake Athlete: When Mastery Is Your Only Option, and in this episode, I let the book decide the teaching, so tune in and let's learn together. 

As we dive in, we find that the work is always the same; it's zooming out and seeing that there are limitless solutions for every problem and that every turn in life gives us opportunities to grow. And that dedication trumps motivation as it lends longevity to our experiences.

The overarching message is that in a world where most will support you going back to sleep, I urge you to stay awake and lean into robust neutrality that allows for more ease in life.  

Yoga Nidra, often referred to as "yogic sleep," is a deep relaxation and meditation practice that promotes profound physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. 

It's typically done in a comfortable, lying-down position, and the aim of Yoga Nidra is to reach a state of conscious awareness between wakefulness and sleep, where you can access deep inner peace, reduce stress, and unlock your subconscious potential. 

It's a powerful tool for relaxation, self-discovery, and healing. Enjoy the healing benefits of this 20-minute practice. 

In this episode, I offer an expanded perspective on the roots of disease and injury as learned through many years of studying the body and mind and training and racing as an endurance athlete. 

I share about my struggles with slowing down and how difficult it was for me to "chill" when injury or sickness showed up. For many years, I pushed through, and that only brought me more of the same. 

But in 2004, it all began to change when I embarked on an educational journey that led me to an undeniable understanding of the inherent power of the body to heal itself and the influence that our minds have over our healing.

So come with me along this episode and open your mind to a new perspective on injury and disease as healing.

Get comfortable and ready for deep relaxation with this 15-minute guided meditation using the Ho'oponopono mantra.

Ho'oponopono is a Hawaiian meditation and forgiveness practice. It involves repeating four phrases: "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "Thank you," and "I love you" to promote healing and reconciliation, both within oneself and with others.

This meditation is a powerful tool to use anytime you are feeling off center with yourself, or within a circumstance in your life or a relationship with another. This sacred mantra has assisted me countless times over the years, and I am grateful to now share it with you.

All dis-ease begins in the mind; when it is not healed or fully processed, it will realize itself in the body. 

I love riding my bike. And I am not afraid, but that is not how it's always been for me. I used to be scared, and in this episode, I share about a time when I felt fearful every time I got into the car and how I overcame that fear.

I share a technique to heal fear and to make things right because the safety we desire comes from within first. And don't be afraid to look within; we have to let the trauma shake out, and when we do this, we shift our point of attraction and take control of the energy we are living and creating from. 

Be sure to stick around for the next episode, a guided meditation using this healing technique.

Life can get hectic, and we all deserve a break. Join me on a journey to serenity through this soothing guided meditation.

No experience is necessary for this brief respite from life; find a quiet space (closets and cars are perfect for this type of break if nothing else avails itself) and get ready to be transported to your happy place.

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it's essential to remember the value of taking a mental vacation. Just as we need physical rest, our minds crave moments of escape.

A mental vacation is a planned break devoid of the distractions of everyday life. It can look many ways, but it is a powerful technique to be at your best and to know when you're at your best. 

In this episode, I share a profound experience from the past when I was moving very fast from the energy of anger and how I terrified someone because of my actions. Combined with other things that I was learning at the time, this moment woke me to a commitment to slow down. 

Everything uses bandwidth, even the joyful days, so mental vacations are not just for hectic times; they are for every time you remember to give to yourself.

In this episode, I take you through a breathwork practice that many athletes have said saved their race day performance. I give a few universal tips on meditation and meditative posture to assist in stillness practice.

These are a series of tried and true, time-tested, practical breath exercises to physically prep the muscles of breathing for performance, balance the nervous system, and soothe feelings of anxiety while grounding us in the present moment.

You will feel calm, connected, and powerful after practicing this meditation, which is the perfect state for walking back into your day.