On the surface, the cover art shows a calm, sunlit morning: two paddlers on Flagstaff Lake, the Bigelow Range rising in the distance. But as serene as that image looks, it only hints at the story behind it.

In the summer of 2021, I joined my great adventure buddies Chris, Mindy, George, Emily & Elizabeth for a single-day, 50-mile human-powered traverse of Maine’s Carrabassett Valley: a paddle across Flagstaff Lake, a mountain bike leg on the Maine Huts & Trails carriage roads, and a full traverse of the rugged Bigelow Mountain Range. It was the Maine meeting of the Adventure Society—a group born out of the chaos of 2020, when races disappeared, plans evaporated, and adventure became our measure of endurance.

Along the way, we encountered haunting history in the shallow waters of Flagstaff Lake, overgrown trails blocked by unresolved land access disputes, and the unexpected presence of trail running legend Scott Jurek—quietly attempting a southbound Appalachian Trail fastest known time. Jurek slowed to chat, listened to our story, and then continued on his monumental journey, leaving us in awe of his humility, curiosity, and kindness.

Our day ended on the summit of Cranberry Peak under a sky so clear, so full of stars, that it literally stopped us in our tracks. Goosebumps, silence, shared awe—what psychologists call frisson. A moment of intense beauty and emotion that none of us will ever forget.

This episode is a story about adventure without a finish line, about wilderness and history, about unexpected encounters, and about the moments that make us feel truly alive.

For more information about our work with athletes, recreationalists, and business leaders head over to www.ascendhumanperformancecoaching.com.

What if the starting line isn’t the beginning of the race—but the end of the work?

In this episode of Rise & Shine, we explore a powerful mental reframe that emerged from a conversation with an athlete training for her first Boston Marathon. When asked to imagine standing on the starting line, she didn’t describe pressure or fear—she described gratitude and deep satisfaction for the work already done.

This episode challenges the idea that training is about chasing outcomes and instead invites athletes to see preparation as a process of arrival. We unpack why visualizing how you want to feel—not just what you want to achieve—can be one of the most sustainable sources of motivation, especially when there’s no time goal attached.

You’ll learn why the starting line can serve as a psychological handoff from effort to trust, how emotional visualization supports consistency during hard training blocks, and how redefining success can bring calm, confidence, and meaning into your performance.

The episode closes with a guided visualization designed to help you rehearse arrival—so when your moment comes, you don’t feel pressure. You feel peace.

To learn more about the work we're doing with athletes, recreationalists, and business leaders visit us at www.ascendhumanperformacnecoaching.com.

Some seasons don’t reward effort right away.

Justin Rose began his pro golf career at 17—and then missed 21 straight cuts. No paychecks. No weekend rounds. No reassurance. Just long flights home and the pressure to keep showing up.

What kept him going? He treated failure as feedback, reflected without judgment, and focused on small, controllable improvements—long before results arrived.

In this episode, we explore what it really means to persevere when the scoreboard keeps saying not yet. You’ll learn how to turn setbacks into lessons, trust the process over outcomes, and keep showing up even when success feels invisible.

Key takeaways:

• Perseverance is the work, not the reward

• Failure is evidence, not a verdict

• Reflection creates clarity and drives growth

• Focus on process, not outcomes

• Staying in the game matters more than proving yourself

Where in your life can you keep showing up, even without immediate proof it’s working? That’s where real victories happen.

To learn more about working with us please visit our website at www.ascendhumanperformancecoaching.com.

One of the most profound dilemmas an athlete faces is deciding when to "white-knuckle" through the pain and when to listen to the body’s plea for rest. In this episode, we dive deep into the tension between Grit—the relentless pursuit of passion and perseverance—and Grace—the practice of psychological self-compassion and kinetic efficiency.

While we often view these as opposing forces, we explore how they actually function as two sides of the same coin. We break down the dangers of "Grit in Isolation," which can lead to overtraining, injury, and mental burnout, as well as the pitfalls of "Grace in Isolation," which can result in compassionate passivity and a lack of accountability.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The Definitions: How to view grit as consistency of interest and grace as a tool for self-kindness.
• The Resistance Matrix: How to distinguish between "Resistance of Character" (fear, boredom, or hesitation) and "Resistance of Biology" (maladaptation, injury, or central nervous system fatigue).
• The Decision Framework: Practical markers—from Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to emotional volatility—that signal whether you should lean into an intentional push or a strategic pause.
• The "Sweet Spot": How to achieve a state of "relaxed alertness" where you are subjectively determined yet objectively responsive to your body’s needs.

Join us as we bridge the gap between William James’s "extremity of distress" and Jonathan Edwards’s "glory of grace" to help you find a sustainable path to peak performance.

Want to learn more about us? Visit us today at www.ascendhumanperformancecoaching.com.

If resistance training isn’t the "Fountain of Youth," it’s the closest thing we have to it. But are you getting the maximum return on your physical investment? In today’s episode, we move beyond just "showing up" and dive into three high-impact strategies you can implement tomorrow to radically improve your results. First, we break down the critical role of Mobility as the cornerstone of functional aging and injury prevention, explaining why 10 minutes of active range-of-motion work is a non-negotiable for long-term health. Next, we get technical with Tempo, introducing the "Double Down-Odds" hypertrophy routine—a structured 5-set method designed to manipulate concentric and eccentric phases to force new muscle adaptations. Finally, we explore the psychology of the weight room. We discuss the power of the Ignition Cue—a performance-biased signal used by legends like Michael Phelps and LeBron James to trigger a flow state—and why "doom scrolling" between sets is siphoning away your physical gains. Whether you are training for sport or the "long game" of life, it’s time to stop the mindless activity and start training with deliberate intention.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Mobility Matrix: Why using your own muscle strength to move your joints is the key to preserving meaningful tasks as you age.
• Tempo Mastery: A deep dive into the four phases of a lift and the "Double Down-Odds" protocol to spark new growth.
• The Science of Ignition: How to create a personal ritual—like the famous Notre Dame "Play Like a Champion Today" sign—to flip the switch into a focused state.
• The Digital Drain: Why your phone habit is causing mental fatigue and splitting your attention when it matters most.

Double Down Odds (Hypertrophy-Biased)

Example: Chest (machine or Smith)

Set #1: 7 reps @ 65% max effort (or ~3 RIR) with 4 count concentric action (ie. pushing) + 60 second recovery

Set #2: 7 reps @ 65% max effort (or ~3 RIR) with 4 count eccentric action (ie. lowering) + 90 second recovery

Set #3: 5 reps @ 70% max effort (or ~2 RIR) with 4 count concentric action (ie. pushing) + 90 second recovery

Set #4: 5 reps @ 65% max effort (or ~2 RIR) with 4 count eccentric action (ie. lowering) + 2 minute recovery

Set #5: 3 reps @75%+ (or ~1 RIR)

Rotary Mobility®To learn more about the work we are doing with athletes, recreationalists, and business leaders visit us at www.ascendhumanperformancecoaching.com.

We’ve all said it with a smirk or a sigh: "Just living the dream."  But what if that throwaway sarcastic idiom is actually the secret to elite performance? In this episode of Rise & Shine, we move past the satire and explore "Living the Dream" as a powerful psychological construct known as Resonance.

Drawing on the principles found in Jim Murphy’s Inner Excellence, we discuss how to stop chasing trophies and start cultivating a state where your performance becomes effortless because your internal values and external actions are in total alignment. As an exercise physiologist, I’ve seen that the best "data" comes from an unburdened heart. Today, we break down how to build the foundation for your own resonance.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Power of Resonance: Why extraordinary results are simply a byproduct of an extraordinary experience.
• Defining the Feeling: Shifting your perspective from external societal markers (wealth/status) to internal alignment.
• The Daily Excellence Mission: How to identify the specific feelings of "walking the walk" and the deliberate practices required to evoke them daily.
• The Necessity of Dissonance: Why adversity, stress, and failure are not roadblocks, but essential mechanisms to help you revise and strengthen your core values.
• Living by Design: How to stop "auto-piloting" your life and start actively piloting it through real-time quality improvements and value evaluation.

• Key Quote: "Extraordinary performance is merely a subset of extraordinary experience; great results are the by-product of resonance." — Jim Murphy, Inner Excellence

Connect with the Show:

• Work with me: Learn more about integrated mind-body training at Ascend Human Performance Coaching. Visit us at www.ascendhumanperformancecoaching.com.

• Share your story: What does "Living the Dream" feel like to you? Leave a review or reach out on social media.

A few years ago, a Christmas gift fundamentally changed my daily routine and performance philosophy. That book was Robin Sharma's The 5:00 AM Club, a powerful narrative that provided the intellectual framework for my "Daily Hour of Excellence" and deepened my lifelong connection to endurance sports. But the real pearl of wisdom isn't just about waking up early; it's about a fascinating cognitive neuroscience phenomenon. In this episode of Rise & Shine, we dive deep into Transient Hypofrontality, a term popularized by cognitive neuroscientist Arne Dietrich. This is the state where the rational, overthinking part of your brain gets a temporary break, allowing creativity, focus, and effortless action to dominate. Discover how to leverage this state every single day to silence your inner critic, boost dopamine and serotonin production, and unlock altered states of consciousness that enhance every aspect of your life.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The "Hypofrontality" Explained: What happens when your prefrontal cortex temporarily "shuts off," and how this frees up mental resources.
• The Science of Daybreak: Why solitude, silence, and stillness trigger powerful neurotransmitters that fuel inspiration and pleasure.
• The Hour of Excellence: Crafting a consistent, early morning ritual (including meditation and gratitude) to routinely induce this peak state.
• Nature’s Performance Boost: How endurance exercise in nature lights up older brain regions, fostering deep presence and insights.
• Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life: Actionable steps to leverage this state and bring effortless action into your 2026 performance goals.

Connect with the Show:

• Work with me: Explore advanced coaching at Ascend Human Performance Coaching by visiting us at www.ascendhumanperformancecoaching.com.
• Share your insights: Have you experienced this runner’s high or deep flow state? I want to hear about it! Leave a review on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ or ⁠Spotify⁠.

Have you ever considered not feeling motivated is not the absence but rather the presence of something?Understanding what this 'thing' is may be the key to leveraging motivation.

An ageless story of purpose, vision, and mission as relevant now as ever before.

What if every limit you've ever accepted... was a lie? I'm Chris J. Dunn. For four decades, I’ve navigated the world of human performance as an exercise physiologist. I understand the data and the scientific theory behind why we move. But in that same time, I've seen ordinary people do extraordinary, seemingly impossible things that the textbooks just can’t explain. Rise & Shine is the show for anyone who believes their potential has no preset. This is where we stop following the script and start authoring our own Epic Hero's Story. In short, easily consumed episodes, we break down the 'keys' that unlock that next level of performance. This isn't just about fitness; it's about breaking ceilings. It's time to find your 'extraordinary'. It’s time to Rise & Shine. Subscribe now, wherever you listen to podcasts.