Choose the Hard Way

For Mary Lemmer, improv was initially a means to recalibrate and reconnect to her life. Now, the fundamental response of "yes and" has become a guiding principle that changes the way she moves through the world.

As the founder of Improve, she has led workshops for tens of thousands of people around the world - to individuals, companies, Fortune 500s, universities, and nonprofits - and she even gave a TED talk about the impact of improv on leadership.

We talk about what she learned on her professional path from the gelato cart, to tech and investing, and even to an Airbnb for vegetable gardens - and how she ended up studying at The Second City and The Annoyance in Chicago, Upright Citizen's Brigade in NYC and The Groundlings in LA. Go to www.chooseimprove.com and @chooseimprove on Instagram to learn more.

In This Episode:

Improve Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Mary Lemmer Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

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Andrew Vontz LinkedIn

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Choose The Hard Way is a Palm Tree Pod Co. production

American professional cyclist Scott McGill seemingly came out of nowhere to win not only two stages, but also the points jersey at the Volta a Portugal this summer. On this special collaboration episode with Andrew Vontz and Beyond the Peloton host Spencer Martin, Scott talks about the framework that has enabled him to produce breakthrough performances around the world.

Currently riding for Wildlife Generation Pro Cycling, Scott's uniquely adaptive approach to racing won him a spot on the American World Championship squad and a leadership role of the USA Cycling Team at the Maryland Cycling Classic. As he announced on this episode for the first time, he will join the Human Powered Health team in 2022 and race a full schedule in Europe.

Scott is a paradigm on the road and in training. He shares insight into his nutrition protocol and how he is more likely to rely on whatever he can find in his parents' pantry for fuel before a race. Plus, other insights into his experiences on tour, and why he chose road cycling over gravel. To learn more about Scott, go to @scottmcgilljr on Instagram.

Beyond the Peloton is a podcast with in-depth pro cycling race previews, analysis, and rankings, hosted by Spencer Martin. You can find the podcast and subscribe to Spencer's newsletter at www.beyondthepelotonblog.com.

In This Episode:

Scott McGill Instagram

Beyond The Peloton

Andrew Vontz LinkedIn

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Ian Dille has always been someone who questioned the status quo. He's a freelance journalist and former pro cyclist who thinks social media can actually broaden our worldview - if used correctly.

His long-form writing appears in outlets like Outside magazine and Texas Monthly, and his stories have been reproduced by This American Life and featured on Longreads. Perhaps even more impressive, he went viral on TikTok at age 40.

Previously, Ian was a senior producer for the streaming service FloSports where he helped launch a cycling content platform, FloBikes, which broadcast most of the world's biggest bike races, including the Tour de France. We talked about his formative years in the cycling world and the types of stories that exist within the sport.

In this episode, Ian shares insight into how his writing process has evolved, and how he's become invested in stories about social justice, racial justice, and gender equity. You can find Ian's writing at http://iandille.com/ and on Twitter and Instagram.

In This Episode:

Ian Dille Instagram | Website | Twitter

Andrew Vontz LinkedIn

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Dr. Kevin Sprouse keeps high-performance athletes at the top of the podium with training and recovery - but often, it's on the bus rides, in the hotel, and on the road where he learns the most about how people thrive in life. Trained and certified in both Sports and Emergency Medicine, Dr. Sprouse now serves as the Head of Medicine for EF Education-EasyPost Cycling.

In his private practice, Podium Sports Medicine, he works with elite and professional athletes across numerous sports and disciplines, including professional cycling, triathlon, PGA golfers, NFL and MLB players, Olympic track and field athletes, and many more. He shares insights into recovery, training, and the future of performance, as well as how exercise, diet, and recovery affect the health and well-being of all active individuals at any level.

Dr. Sprouse is also the host of The Podium Podcast where he dissects the principles of performance. You can visit www.podiumsportsmed.com to learn more about his practice.

In This Episode:

Kevin Sprouse Instagram

The Podium Instagram | Website | Podcast

Andrew Vontz LinkedIn

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This week, we are digging deep on the relationship between humans, plants, animals and profit with Bart Elmore, who explains the necessity of a fundamental respect for nature.

Bart is an associate professor of environmental history and core faculty member of the Sustainability Institute at the Ohio State University. He's also an award-winning writer who investigates the impact of big business on our environment. His most recent book Seed Money: Monsanto's Past and Our Food Future traces the path from Agent Orange to Roundup and the impact it has had on public health, the environment and more. Bart is also the author of Citizen Coke: The Making of Coca-Cola Capitalism. In this episode, Bart shares about the false starts and the forces that shaped his professional path including basketball, electronic music and a failed attempt at a cross-country cycling trip. You can find out more about Bart at www.bartelmore.com.

In This Episode:

Bart Elmore Website | Twitter | Books

Andrew Vontz LinkedIn

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Can human movement be used to repair the damage technology has created? Jason McCarthy thinks it can do much more than that; it can be the glue that holds our communities together. Jason served as a Green Beret and is the founder and CEO of GoRuck. After running 1,000 events a year and managing 500 GORUCK Clubs all over the world, now he's launched Sandlot Technology with the goal of democratizing and uniting fitness. Jason first joined us on Choose the Hard way to talk about his path from the Special Forces to entrepreneurship. In this episode, he shares what he learned from hosting the inaugural GoRuck Games with the Sandlot JAX festival in Jacksonville, Florida, and more broadly how those lessons connect to community building and social health. We talked about tactical patience, how an active lifestyle is the foundation for our future and the power of bringing people together. To learn more about Jason, visit www.goruck.com and www.sandlot.fit.

In This Episode:

Jason McCarthy: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn GoRuck

Sandlot Technology

Sandlot Jax - Fitness Festival

Andrew Vontz LinkedIn

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Whether river surfing on the Snake River or capturing base jumping off of Half Dome, Lyndsey Dyer is committed to her overall mission of inspiring people to get outside. Lynsey is a legendary big mountain skier, filmmaker, photographer, activist and mom. In this episode, Lynsey invites us to explore the power of fun and the alchemy of community when we're in pursuit of going big. She's the founder of Unicorn Picnic and the host of Showing Up, a podcast about people who seek to live beyond limits. Lynsey's nonprofit, SheJumps, opens the door for more girls and women to unearth potential through outdoor play and as you'll hear in this interview, she continues to expand the scope of her activism. We talked about pushing the limits, checking in with our instincts, and being who you are and not who the world wants you to be. To learn more about Lynsey, visit www.lynseydyer.com.

In This Episode:

Lynsey Dyer Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube Showing Up Podcast

Andrew Vontz LinkedIn

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In 2022, the women's Tour de France is back. What most people don't know is that there was also a women's Tour de France from 1984-1989. Uphill Climb is a documentary film that tells the story of that race and the legendary cyclists who competed in it.If you enjoy this episode, please give it a five-star rating on Spotify or Apple podcasts, subscribe and share it with a friend. My guests are the filmmakers behind Uphill Climb. Director Jill Yesko is a journalist, author and Fellow at the Center for Sports Communication & Media at The University of Texas. She represented the United States in cycling at the 1983 World University Games and competed in the Olympic trials. Jill's previous films include Tainted Blood: The Untold Story of the 1984 Olympic Blood Doping Scandal and Broken Trust: Athlete Abuse Exposed. She is the host of the podcast The Bounce: Sports Talk With a Spin on WYPR and NPR. Uphill Climb's executive producer, Ally Davis, is a life-long serious cyclist, an entrepreneur who has started up three companies and an award-winning veteran of television, sports production, global marketing and brand partnerships, athlete marketing and brand development. Ally has held senior leadership roles at Fox Sports, E!, NBC Universal Sports and Red Bull. Go to www.uphillclimbfilm.com and @uphillclimb.film on Instagram to learn more and support the film. This episode is part of Life Cycles, a new series I've launched within Choose the Hard Way. Conversations in this series cover the topics you've come to expect from Choose the Hard Way with guests whose lives and careers have been shaped by cycling or whose lives and careers have shaped the world of cycling. To suggest a guest or say hello, hit me at [email protected] or @hardwaypod on Twitter or Instagram. Choose the Hard Way is the podcast where guests share stories about how doing hard things build stronger, more resilient humans. Share it with a friend and subscribe to the newsletter at www.choosethehardway.com.

Casey Glass is a strength and conditioning coach who works with special operators in the United States military including special operators preparing to screen for Tier One units, the most elite military units in the world. We talk about training and stress management techniques from the world of special operations that anyone can use to improve mental and physical performance in work, in life and in sport. Normally I would steer you to a guest's social media or website. While Casey graciously shares her knowledge in this interview, due to the nature of her work, you won't find her on the internet. Casey got her start working in collegiate strength and conditioning for Olympic sports before shifting to work with tactical athletes. This marks the 50th episode of Choose the Hard Way and I want to say thank you to everyone who listens to the show and shares it with their friends. When I started out three years ago, I had no idea there would be such an overwhelming response to the show or that it would get this big. Thanks for listening, thanks for helping Choose the Hard Way grow, and I'm excited to keep growing it with your help. If you enjoy this episode, please give it a five-star rating on Spotify or Apple podcasts, subscribe and forward it to a friend who likes doing hard things. If you want to suggest a guest or be in touch, hit me at [email protected] or @hardwaypod on Twitter or Instagram. Links mentioned in this conversation:Casey's appearance on the Building the Elite podcast.Pavel Tsatsouline's 2004 essay outlining tactical periodization.

Danny Way, Rob Dyrdek, Paul Rodriguez, Laird Hamilton, Gabby Reece, Jeff Emig, Ai Sugiyama and Michellie Jones are some of the world-class pro athletes that human performance coach Alex Laws has worked with in her practice during the past 25 years. Her athletes have won World Championships, Olympic Medals, X-Games gold medals, Ironman Championships, victories at Wimbledon and the French Open and have set numerous World Records. A former pro triathlete who earned four World Championship medals, Alex now coaches executives and corporate teams to reach their full potential using the same high performance techniques and technologies she applied in her work with the world's best athletes. You can learn more about Alex at https://performancelaws.com.au/ and reach her directly at [email protected]. I met Alex in 2005 when she was revolutionizing the way action sports athletes trained and working with Danny Way as he prepared to jump the Great Wall of China and have been learning from her ever since. If you enjoy this episode, please give it a five-star rating on Spotify or Apple podcasts, subscribe and forward it to a friend. That helps the show surface higher in search so more people can find the inspiring stories of my guests, and I really appreciate the support. Go to www.choosethehardway.com to sign up for the newsletter and never miss an episode. To suggest a guest or be in touch, reach out to [email protected] or DM @hardwaypod on social.