In September of 2022, at 39 years old, Chad Vanags was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal lung cancer. Chad is a surfer, runner, and all-around athlete. In the year and a half since his diagnosis, Chad has been living his wildest most authentic life as he faces his own mortality. Cancer isn't the message, but it's been the vehicle that's pushed him to become what he calls physically and mentally elite.

Becoming Mentally and Physically Elite with Chad Vanags

High-impact interviews for those who love adventure and the outdoors. Host and journalist Shelby Stanger interviews world-class explorers, athletes, authors, scientists, health experts and entrepreneurs about how they’ve taken their own wild ideas and made them a reality, so you can too. Some of the wildest ideas can lead to the most rewarding adventures.

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Wilderness

Five years ago, Jeff Jenkins decided he wanted to become a professional traveler. His goal was to make a living traveling around the world and helping people. Today he's doing exactly that. After years of hard work building an online platform called Chubby Diaries, Jeff is now the host of National Geographic's TV show, Never Say Never.

Becoming a Professional Traveler with Jeff Jenkins

Oriana Poindexter is a professional artist whose work weaves together photography, science, and marine life. She uses seaweed and light-sensitive chemicals to make stunning, almost haunting prints.

Merging Freediving and Art with Oriana Poindexter

In 2013, Thor Pedersen left his home in Denmark for the trip of a lifetime. His goal was to travel to every country in the world. He had three rules for his journey. He had to spend at least 24 hours in each country. He couldn't return to Denmark until he had crossed off every nation on the list. And last but not least, no air travel.

Traveling to Every Country Without Flying with Thor Pedersen

Lael Wilcox is known as one of the world's best ultra-endurance cyclists. She's ridden over 150,000 miles in more than 50 countries. Now, Lael is going after her wildest idea yet: to break the record for cycling around the world. Her goal is to ride more than 18,000 miles in 110 days.

Cycling Around the World with Lael Wilcox

Glen Van Peski is known as the king of ultralight backpacking. While backpackers will hit the trails with a pack that weighs upwards of 20 pounds, Glen's pack usually only weighs around 12 pounds. Glen is also the founder of the functional lightweight backpacking and hiking gear company, Gossamer Gear, and the author of Take Less. Do More.: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker.

Becoming Mentally and Physically Elite with Chad Vanags

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