In this episode of the Chasing Summits Series, Mark Alfaro and Eric Chrisman sit down with San Diego chef, entrepreneur, and outdoorsman Phillip Esteban to explore the connection between culture, leadership, and chasing big mountain goals.

Phillip shares how reclaiming his Filipino identity through food led to White Rice—and how a craving for arroz caldo after summiting Mount Baker inspired him to create Base Kamp Meals. The conversation dives into entrepreneurship, mentorship, building teams, and the leadership lessons that transfer between high-pressure kitchens and the mountains: communication, trust, preparation, boundaries, and knowing when to turn around.

Tracy didn’t grow up thinking of herself as an athlete. After losing her mother, she found running as a way to process grief—and it became the beginning of a life defined by resilience, adventure, and refusing to quit.

In this episode, Tracy shares how she went from a first-time marathoner at age 40 to completing more than 150 marathons, 19 Ironmans, races in all 50 states, and the World Marathon Challenge: seven marathons across seven continents in seven days. She and Mark talk about training through life’s hardest seasons, embracing the beginner mindset, finding joy in the process, making time for the people and experiences that matter, and the powerful example she sets as a longtime elementary-school teacher.

Her message is simple but lasting: you can do hard things—and if you keep moving forward with gratitude, you can keep moving forward for life.

In this special episode, I sit down with my good friend and “godfather” of my triathlon journey, Ryan Lastimosa—Ironman World Championship (Kona) finisher, lifelong creative, and leader in the gaming industry. We talk about how a Christmas party, a sleep apnea diagnosis, and a moment with his Uncle Rudy living with Parkinson’s lit the spark that took Ryan from martial arts and game development to 13 Ironman finishes and a legacy spot in Kona.

Ryan shares how he balances big races with shipping major games, why endurance sport became his therapy, the inner dialogue on days he doesn’t want to train, and what it means to chase goals for people who can’t toe the start line. We also dive into fatherhood, burnout, coaching, and why “winners make the time” has become part of his long game.

If you’re leading at a high level and wondering how to stay healthy, present for your family, and still chase something massive—this episode is for you.

In this episode, we talk to Pat Ketcham, a true Long Game endurance athlete who recently competed in Ironman Oregon 70.3 and will be toeing the line at the Ironman World Championship in Kona this year. We talk about her entrance into the sport at 50 and why being part of a community is important to stay in the game for a long time.

This episode explores how to stay in the long game of endurance sport by managing imperfect training seasons rather than obsessing over perfect race prep. Coach Joe walks through his two‑year path to Boston, including a gritty winter build in Bend and a rare “almost perfect” marathon where pacing, taper, and execution all clicked. From there, he explains why Oregon 70.3 is a B race for him, focused on fun and maintaining fitness after Boston instead of chasing a PR or forcing more peak work. You both dig into life factors—Little League duties, family trips, work—and how to keep moving with flexible structure instead of shutting down or racing all‑out every weekend. Joe lays out a coaching framework of one to two true A races a year, then returning to a higher baseline fitness, and you add real‑world examples like “hero workouts” and past chronic fatigue. The episode closes with practical talk about heat, electrolytes, and the importance of partner support in making serious training sustainable over years

In this episode of The Long Game, Mark sits down with San Diego cyclists Andrew and Maribel Gavin to explore how a surprise tandem bike has grown into the core of their shared lifestyle, marriage, and mindset. From nervous first rides and learning to communicate in sync, to century events, European adventure routes, and big climbing days across Poway and Rancho Santa Fe, they unpack what makes tandem cycling uniquely challenging and deeply rewarding. Along the way, they share how trust, patience, and real-time communication on the bike have strengthened their partnership off the bike, why they chase miles and adventures together, and how they keep pushing hard while still making the sport fun and sustainable for the long game.

The Long Game Episode 13 explores the mental side of aging in sport with psychotherapist and former elite gymnast Laura Collins, focusing on how changing bodies, injury, and life transitions reshape an athlete’s identity. Through Laura’s story—from 1980s elite gymnastics and career-ending injuries to her current work with high performers—we also dig into anxiety, comparison traps, and practical ways athletes can reframe self-worth, process old wounds, and “play the long game” in both performance and life

After seeing the scale go up despite doing everything right, Mark breaks down why weight is one of the most misleading health metrics. This episode dives into the power of sleep, HRV, and recovery data as true indicators of performance and long-term health. If you’ve ever let the scale dictate your mood, this conversation will help you shift from chasing outcomes to tracking what actually drives progress.

In this episode of The Long Game, Mark sits down with endurance coach and multi-time Boston Marathon qualifier John Bermudez to talk about fitness, purpose, and playing the long game in life. John shares his journey from growing up in Southeast San Diego, navigating corporate careers in music and entertainment, to building a coaching business centered around helping everyday athletes chase big goals. Together they dive into Boston dreams, balancing family and health, controlling the controllables, and why fitness isn’t just about race medals—it’s an investment in being around for the people who matter most. This conversation is a reminder that health isn’t optional, and the work you put in today determines the life you get to live tomorrow.

Mark sits down with longtime friend, former business partner, and endurance coach Joe Beckerley to revisit their shared history in triathlon, Performance Strength Lab, and the endurance community. Joe shares how a Crohn’s disease diagnosis pushed him out of an unhealthy corporate routine and into boxing, running, triathlon, and eventually coaching. The conversation explores the mental and physical power of endurance sports, the importance of strength training for athletes, and why community, patience, and consistency matter when building a lifestyle that lasts well beyond race day.