The Extra Mile - The Official Charity Miles Podcast

Team, a few weeks ago, I had the honor of running the NYC Marathon as a guide for a young woman named Justine Galloway who ran the entire race backwards. Yes, backwards!

Justine has a rare disorder called runner's dystonia, which impairs her ability to run forwards. But since she loves running so much– she ran D1 for Rutgers University, and was a very accomplished marathoner– she taught herself to run backwards!

This interview is recorded on Staten Island, morning of the NYC Marathon, less than an hour before we started running. And I have to say this was one of the most meaningful experiences I've ever had running– or otherwise.

If you'd like to read more about Justine, here are some articles written by Runner's World and Vice. Huge thanks to Justine for sharing this day with me. srettaMeliMyrevE#

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The post Justine Galloway: Conquering the NYC Marathon Backwards! appeared first on Charity Miles.

Team, for my final interview of my journey to the Spartan World Championships #Podfest, I was fortuitously introduced to Luis Escobar. Luis Escobar is a photographer, race director and high school cross country coach.  He is perhaps most known for his All We Do Is Run race series in California, and his photos of the Tarahumara... Continue reading

Team, when I was in Squaw Valley for the Spartan World Championships, I had the distinct honor of meeting Colonel Tim Nye, Spartan’s liaison with the military community. Colonel Nye served over 32 years of combined service in the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army. Over the course of his career, Colonel Nye completed... Continue reading

Team, when I was in Squaw Valley for the Spartan World Championships, I had the honor of meeting Kristen Ulmer who, for 12 consecutive years, was the world's top female big mountain extreme skiier. (My dream job!)

From Wikipedia:

Ulmer was on the US Ski Team for moguls in 1991. She also starred in over 20 ski movies, and was called by the ski media the best woman big mountain extreme skier in the world from 1990-2001. In 1997 Ulmer was also voted in a Powder Magazine ski industry survey to be the best overall female skier in the world, beating even Olympic gold medalists. She was known for jumping off up to 70-foot cliffs, throwing flips, and for ski mountaineering feats such as the first female ski decent of Wyoming's Grand Teton in 1997.

An avid rock and ice climber, paraglider pilot, adventure cyclist, and kiteboarder, Ulmer was also voted by the outdoor industry in a 2000 Women's Sports and Fitness Magazine poll to be the most extreme woman athlete in North America, beating women in all sports disciplines not just skiing. She retired from professional athletics in 2003.

Kristen has since written a book, The Art of Fear: Why Conquering Fear Won't Work and What To Do Instead. So I could not pass up the opportunity to walk with her and ask her to share her story and big mountain wisdom with all of us.

On a personal note, I'm really looking forward to staying friends with Kristen. And I'm definitely looking forward to joining her on the slopes! Every Mogul Matters!

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The post Kristen Ulmer, the World's Top Female Extreme Skiier (1990-2001): Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid appeared first on Charity Miles.

Team, when I was in Squaw Valley for the Spartan World Championships, I had the honor of meeting Kristen Ulmer who, for 12 consecutive years, was the world's top female big mountain extreme skiier. (My dream job!)

From Wikipedia:

Ulmer was on the US Ski Team for moguls in 1991. She also starred in over 20 ski movies, and was called by the ski media the best woman big mountain extreme skier in the world from 1990-2001. In 1997 Ulmer was also voted in a Powder Magazine ski industry survey to be the best overall female skier in the world, beating even Olympic gold medalists. She was known for jumping off up to 70-foot cliffs, throwing flips, and for ski mountaineering feats such as the first female ski decent of Wyoming’s Grand Teton in 1997.

An avid rock and ice climber, paraglider pilot, adventure cyclist, and kiteboarder, Ulmer was also voted by the outdoor industry in a 2000 Women’s Sports and Fitness Magazine poll to be the most extreme woman athlete in North America, beating women in all sports disciplines not just skiing. She retired from professional athletics in 2003.

Kristen has since written a book, The Art of Fear: Why Conquering Fear Won't Work and What To Do Instead.  So I could not pass up the opportunity to walk with her and ask her to share her story and big mountain wisdom with all of us.

On a personal note, I'm really looking forward to staying friends with Kristen.  And I'm definitely looking forward to joining her on the slopes! Every Mogul Matters!

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The post Kristen Ulmer, the World’s Top Female Extreme Skiier (1990-2001): Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid appeared first on Charity Miles.

Last week, I had the honor of attending the Spartan World Championships in Squaw Valley, California. I was invited out by Spartan founder, Joe De Sena to participate in their Spartan PodFest, where I interviewed a bunch of really cool people for our podcast. The highlight of my weekend was getting to interview Spartan founder,... Continue reading

In this episode, I walk with my good friend, Iron Jack Chen on the High Line of New York City. Jack is a blind Ironman triathlete who has completed two Ironman races, as well as a number of other endurance challenges. (I have had the honor to be his guide.)

Jack and I are now training to participate in the Race Across America, an annual bike race across from Seaside, California to Annapolis, Maryland. We'll be doing the race next summer, as part of a team of four blind cyclists (and four sighted pilots).

Our team, Sea to See, is racing to change the way sighted people see blind people. (And the way blind people see themselves.) The team will be the first team of blind cyclists to do this race, which is one of the most difficult endurance challenges in the world.

I'm tremendously honored to be on this team with Jack and our other teammates, all of whom are incredibly accomplished– both athletically, professionally and otherwise. Thanks to Jack to inviting me to be part of this epic journey– and for walking with me to share some of his story on the podcast. –#EveryMileMatters

P.S. Here's a link to learn more about Lime Connect.

P.P.S. I didn't have time to record an intro and outro to this one because I had to jet to Lake Tahoe for the Spartan World Championships where I'll be recording a number of awesome interviews for the podcast. So stay tuned for that!

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The post Iron Jack Chen: On a Vision Quest with a Blind Triathlete Racing Across America to Change How We See Blind People (And The Way They See Themselves) appeared first on Charity Miles.

In this episode, I walk with my good friend, Iron Jack Chen on the High Line of New York City. Jack is a blind Ironman triathlete who has completed two Ironman races, as well as a number of other endurance challenges. (I have had the honor to be his guide.)

Jack and I are now training to participate in the Race Across America, an annual bike race across from Seaside, California to Annapolis, Maryland.  We'll be doing the race next summer, as part of a team of four blind cyclists (and four sighted pilots).

Our team, Sea to See, is racing to change the way sighted people see blind people.  (And the way blind people see themselves.)  The team will be the first team of blind cyclists to do this race, which is one of the most difficult endurance challenges in the world.

I'm tremendously honored to be on this team with Jack and our other teammates, all of whom are incredibly accomplished– both athletically, professionally and otherwise.  Thanks to Jack to inviting me to be part of this epic journey– and for walking with me to share some of his story on the podcast. –#EveryMileMatters

P.S. Here's a link to learn more about Lime Connect.

P.P.S.  I didn't have time to record an intro and outro to this one because I had to jet to Lake Tahoe for the Spartan World Championships where I'll be recording a number of awesome interviews for the podcast.  So stay tuned for that!

Subscribe on iTunes / Subscribe on Stitcher / Subscribe on Google Play

 

The post Iron Jack Chen: On a Vision Quest with a Blind Triathlete Racing Across America to Change How We See Blind People (And The Way They See Themselves) appeared first on Charity Miles.

In this episode, I walk with Bart Yasso in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. Bart has been the Chief Running Officer of Runner's World for thirty years! He has completed races on all seven continents, including the Antarctica marathon, the Mt. Kilimanjaro marathon, Badwater 146 and 5 Ironman races. He has also cycled across the country twice, unsupported and by himself.

As the Chief Running Officer of Runner's World, Bart travels for 40 weekends a year to races around the world where he gets to not only share his story to inspire others, but also gets to hear and witness others' inspiring stories. He has become the custodian and voice of the running community. And, when he retires at the end of this year, there will be some very big shoes to fill.

On a personal note, I have admired Bart for years, ever since I started running and first started reading his columns in Runner's World. Bart's message, "You never know where running can take you," has inspired me, and is at the heart of what we do at Charity Miles. I'm very grateful to Bart, not only for taking the time to walk with me in this interview, but for all that he has meant to the running community for thirty years. Thanks, Bart– for everything. #EveryMileMatters

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The post Bart Yasso, Chief Running Officer of Runner's World: Never Limit Where Running Can Take You appeared first on Charity Miles.

In this episode, I walk with Bart Yasso in Emmaus, Pennsylvania.  Bart has been the Chief Running Officer of Runner's World for thirty years!  He has completed races on all seven continents, including the Antarctica marathon, the Mt. Kilimanjaro marathon, Badwater 146 and 5 Ironman races.  He has also cycled...