We Are Superman

Send us Fan Mail

The Leadville Marathon and Heavy Half had rain, wind, mud, and even on June 17, snow!  The race organizers had to modify the course because the top of 13,185' Mosquito Pass was unattainable, but many runners thought this made the race even tougher.  It was a mudfest extraordinaire!  Kudos to the men and women of Team Leadville whose runners not only successfully completed the races, but raised more than $80,000 to support Warriors' Ascent help prevent veteran suicide.  I got to admire them as well as all of the runners who took on this colossal challenge while doing recycling duty as a race volunteer, and have recorded this race recap.

Please consider supporting Warriors' Ascent for which 27 men and women ran the Leadville Heavy Half and Marathon on June 17.  Warriors' Ascent provides a holistic program to help veterans and first responders who are enduring PTS, post-traumatic stress.  We have all heard the staggering number of veterans we tragically lose every single day to suicide.  Warriors' Ascent is saving lives!  Donate at (tax-deductible):
https://give.classy.org/WeAreSuperman through June 23.
Thank you!

Bill Stahl
[email protected]
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

This is the first of a series episodes chatting with some athletes with notable performances at the recent 2023 Colorado State High School Track Championships. We love to find inspiring comebacks on the WASP, and this young man is right there. Brandon Hills of Vista Ridge H.S. in Colorado Springs was already a dedicated track and football athlete when he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. He got caught in the crossfire between two feuding knuckleheads at a party in December, 2021 and was struck by a stray bullet that embedded itself in his chest. A few centimeters over, and the outcome might have been drastically worse. After a surprisingly quick recovery, Brandon returned to training and a fresh outlook on life, which included being grateful for the opportunity to resume doing what he loves, and appreciating every day of his life. His subsequent junior year track season resulted in getting onto the podium in the 100 and 200 meter dashes at the state meet, but with the lost training time he did not succeed in defending the long jump title he’d won as a sophomore, placing second. He then produced a very special football season his senior year, leading the state of Colorado with 1548 receiving yards for an average of 129 yards per game, and scoring 20 TDs as his Vista Ridge Wolves made it to the state playoffs quarterfinals. Even though he's only 5’9” and 160 pounds, his prodigious talent has earned him a football scholarship to Washington State. All that was left after that was to crush the state track meet. He won the 100 in 10.52 seconds, narrowly took second in the 200 in 21.12 seconds, and anchored Vista Ridge’s 4x100 meter relay to a gold medal. It’s fun at the state meet to take it all in and find where there’s extra energy being generated.  That was the case before Brandon’s last high school long jump when he leapt 24’8” to break the state record that had stood for 33 years. It will be exciting to see what this humble young man accomplishes in his career at Washington State, where he plans to study kinesiology.

Brandon Hills
Instagram @bebe.hills
Twitter @BebeHills5

Please consider supporting Warriors' Ascent for which 37 men and women will run the Leadville Heavy Half and Marathon on June 21.  Warriors' Ascent provides a holistic program to help veterans and first responders who are enduring PTS, post-traumatic stress.  We have all heard the staggering number of veterans we tragically lose every single day to suicide.  Warriors' Ascent is saving lives!  Donate at (tax-deductible):
https://give.classy.org/WeAreSuperman
Thank you!

Bill Stahl
[email protected]
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode we re-visit with my favorite running nomad, Tyler Andrews, who is rarely stationary, infrequently in the same locale for any length of time. We last chatted on the WASP in episode 129 in May, 2021. I caught up with Tyler in a rare settled-down moment in Albuquerque. Tyler has a penchant for attempting and setting FKTs, fastest-known times, on both well-known and less-popular routes. Some of these include his recent FKT of Kilimanjaro, which most travelers take many days to hike up and down, but which he ran roundtrip in 6:37; Mt. Fuji, which we talk about here; the Everest Base Camp trail on which he became the first to traverse up and down in less than 24 hours; Aconcagua, the tallest peak in South America, on which he covered the 40 miles roundtrip from 14,435 feet to 22,842 feet in 11:24; Cotopaxi and Ojos del Salado, two of the other tallest peaks in South America, as well as several other routes down there; and Peru’s 40-mile long, high-altitude Salkantay Inca Trail in 6:13. I met Tyler in during a running/tourist adventure I joined that he led in Peru, where he has done extensive work helping kids. I also got hop into another trip with him in Ecuador where among other challenges I got to run up past 15,000 feet on Cotopaxi and with Ecuadorian national hero Karl Egloff, with whom Tyler regularly trades FKT records, and is also a past WASP alum on episode 193 in March, 2022. Tyler spends a lot of time training at altitude, but he’s not a one-trick pony. He attempted an FKT running across Hong Kong, ran the Olympic Trials Marathon in 2020, and set American records for the treadmill half-marathon and 50K. Last year, he obliterated the Leadville Marathon record up and down 13,185’ Mosquito Pass by eight minutes in 3:23. And you heard it here first, Tyler will return to the LT100 in August, where last year he placed fourth. Tyler is a founder of the Chaski Endurance Collective, which brings together some of the best ultradistance coaches in the world to help other ultramarathoners design and tailor their training programs to achieve maximum results. I hope you enjoy this chat with one of the really fun and well-traveled ambassadors of the sport, and for those who follow his social media, you’ll learn here the origin of Steve the Andes bird.

Tyler Andrews:
Facebook Tyler Andres Andrews
Instagram and Twitter: @tylercandrews

Chaski Endurance Collective:
www.chaski.run/linktree
Instagram: @chaski.endurance

Bill Stahl
[email protected]
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

David used to give out rubber bracelets, one of which I still wear, that say “Happiness Warrior.”  This episode’s guest, Rob Dubin, should probably also be called a happiness warrior. Rob had already chosen a career that made him happy making outdoors-themed films, getting to kayak, heli-ski, and climb mountains for work. Long before he started a business teaching people how to be happy, Rob, his wife, and a party of skiers became lost in the Colorado backcountry during one of the worst blizzards in the state’s history. That led to a massive search that made international headlines and a pronouncement from the local sheriff that they had only a 10% chance for survival. To Rob and his wife, they had a 90% chance, and that sense of optimism was instrumental in their return to civilization, where they were greeted by a phone call from President Bill Clinton. It also re-framed their outlook on life, which then included spending 17 years sailing around the world learning about other cultures and studying human happiness and fulfillment while visiting 100 countries. Following retirement and seeing the effects of the pandemic, Rob decided to start his company to train others to achieve the kind of happiness he and his wife have experienced. He works with many companies that are battling employee retention in this post-pandemic world in which workers are seeking more fulfillment in their jobs and thinking less about longevity. During a conversation he had many years ago with motivational superstar Tony Robbins, Robbins expressed to Rob that we can all be the stone that hits the water and creates outward ripples that influence others, a concept that resonates strongly to me. That sparked Rob to now do public speaking and he recently completed a TED talk. Rob shares on this episode a lot of terrific actionable advice to help you be happier, be present, and live with gratitude. He also shares with WASP listeners his first lesson that you can receive by simply texting “Happier” to 33777 on your phone. My goal in listening to a lot of speakers is to find that one gold nugget that makes my time worthwhile. With Rob, I found quite a few, and I hope you do, too.

Rob Dubin
robdubin.com
[email protected]
Instagram @dubinrob and @robdubinspeaks
text "happier" to 33777 for his first lesson on finding happiness

Please consider supporting Warriors' Ascent for which 37 men and women will run the Leadville Heavy Half and Marathon on June 21.  Warriors' Ascent provides a holistic program to help veterans and first responders who are enduring PTS, post-traumatic stress.  We have all heard the staggering number of veterans we tragically lose every single day to suicide.  Warriors' Ascent is saving lives!  Donate at (tax-deductible):
https://give.classy.org/WeAreSuperman
Thank you!

Bill Stahl
[email protected]
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

Imagine crashing into a wall in your car while traveling at 30 mph. That could certainly leave some ugly marks. Let’s take away the seat belts and airbags and imagine careening down a hill on a bike or on skis and hitting an object at that same speed. That will probably hurt quite a bit, perhaps a trip to the hospital. Now imagine skydiving and smacking into the side of an immovable building. Jason Dennen of Boulder, Colo. experienced that extremely tragic scenario, and the results were predictably catastrophic. For starters, Jason broke 10 of 12 ribs on one side, his pelvis, his arm, his leg, and suffered damage to multiple organs. Most significantly, his heart was ripped from one side of his chest to the other. The doctor who performed the surgery to move it back into its proper place later told Jason that no one at the trauma hospital had done it before; he had studied the procedure in med school, but no one there had ever seen a patient survive such an injury, so this was a first-time type of surgery. Jason spent eight days in an induced coma, hence the name of his new book, 8 Days Till Sunrise. I think you’ll be riveted listening to Jason’s amazing journey of awakening to that doctor in awe that Jason had even survived, his family and friends getting the shocking news of his accident, his numerous months of mind-challenging healing and determined rehabbing, his many highs and lows in hospitals, and how his deep faith in God and desire to see the Colorado mountains again carried him through that emotional rollercoaster. Of course, it wouldn’t be quite right on the WASP if this saga doesn’t end with Jason completing an astonishing athletic achievement, a triathlon less than a year after his near-death accident. This is also a compelling story of someone who felt that he had lost his way in life while working impossibly long hours in his career, and then trying to understand why his life had been spared and discovering a new purpose for himself on this Earth. His mission now is to inspire and empower people to get through their toughest hardships by using their own life’s lessons and inner strength. His book is a fantastic read and is available on jasondennen.com and on Amazon.

Jason Dennen
[email protected]
JasonDennen.com
Facebook Jason Dennen
Instagram @jwdboulder
linktr.ee/dennenj

Bill Stahl
[email protected]
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor and @coachstahl
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

Send us Fan Mail

It's the height of track season and we are starting to see the action heating up even if the temperatures outside aren’t quite there yet here in Colorado. I’m actually pretty jealous of the following guest, Andrew Simmons, the owner and founder of Peak Performance Running in Golden CO. It is a club for high school and middle school runners, and is probably similar in many respects to others around the country. The reason the club exists in the first place is that many kids get substandard coaching in their own school programs, so they turn to Peak Performance Running and its team of coaches, athletic trainers, and physical therapists to try to achieve the results they hope to achieve. I’m certainly not knocking all school coaches, one of whom I have been. I know many, many great coaches who truly care about the kids they coach and have developed the knowledge and techniques to deliver superb experiences to them. I’ve also observed schools that don’t put any effort at hiring a coach with any relevant track experience. The school at which I recently coached is one of two in the league that simply gave the head track coach job to the football coach; ours admitted he knew nothing about track, but he was learning about it by watching YouTube videos! What are we doing here? Unfortunately, that is way too common in our schools, especially in sports outside of football, basketball, volleyball, and baseball. So that’s where clubs like Andrew’s come in. I’m jealous as I said because he can run the Peak Performance the way he likes and doesn’t have to deal with bureaucratic school administrators. What he has built is truly extraordinary. It’s a club that not only coaches, but also emphasizes character development. It hosts meets and camps, too, that showcase the fun these young runners have whether they are just starting out or have moved to more competitive levels. If you are a taxpayer with kids in school or not, this is an interesting discussion about how someone like Andrew has a vision to serve others and fill a gaping need. I think the lesson here also is that there is a strong argument for these clubs that operate outside of the school coaching realm, just like there are similar youth clubs in sports like soccer, volleyball, and more.

GoFundMe to buy a new racing chair for Julia Beckley.  Thank you!
http://bit.ly/3ZGigAb

Andrew Simmons
[email protected]
peakperformrun.com
Facebook Peak Performance Running
Instagram @peakperfomancerunning

Bill Stahl
[email protected]
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

Send us Fan Mail

This is a very cool Power Play. I’ve been telling you since the fall about my work with Ixcela to use their nutritional testing and counseling to counter the breathing and energy issues I had been experiencing right from the beginning of my runs. I started with them with a simple at-home blood test that I mailed back. They analyzed 11 metabolites, and my awesome Ixcela certified nutritionist Shelby Burns then recommended supplements and foods I should eat. One of their goals for most clients is to battle bloating and cramping during runs, which were not big issues for me, but I definitely never had any GI issues on my runs or otherwise after starting my program. I have always been a poor sleeper, infrequently getting more than 6½ hours a night, and one very pleasant added benefit was that I was suddenly sleeping better and for up to eight hours. I also had a spike in my energy levels all day long. I normally spring out of bed because I can’t wait to get the day started, but now I am feeling fired up all day and evening, and with much better focus I was also getting lots more done. Shelby recommended among other things that I add more Omega-3 and fermented foods to my diet. There are Omega-3s in many foods that I didn’t realize. For instance, I began adding walnuts to my smoothies, a simple and inexpensive way to boost my Omega-3 intake. I’d also never emphasized fermented foods, so I started topping vegan sausages and some other foods with sauerkraut, and experienced kimchi for the first time, including making a kimchi soup that was really delicious. The Ixcela website was chock full of advice for more of these foods, plus lots of terrific recipes that were well-indexed so I could find ones that would address my needs. Shelby was great and always available for chats and e-mails and ready to provide me articles and more suggestions. I then took another easy at-home blood test, and in my analysis of this you’ll hear about areas in which I had metabolite improvements and Shelby’s recommendations for what I should do to continue the gains that I made while working with Ixcela. If after listening to this you are interested in exploring whether this kind of personalized nutritional expertise might be desirable for you, Ixcela is offering a complimentary 15-minute consultation with one of their expert nutritionists. Schedule that appointment at ixcela.com/Superman. This is a great opportunity if you have ever wondered whether nutrition counseling would benefit your training or how you feel every day. If you decide you’d like to use their products or services they have also provided the order code Superman10 to give you 10 percent off.

GoFundMe to buy a new racing chair for Julia Beckley.  Thank you!
http://bit.ly/3ZGigAb

Ixcela.com/Superman - use discount code Superman10
[email protected]
Facebook and LinkedIn Ixcela: The Internal Fitness Company
Instagram @ixcelaperformance and @ixcelawellness
YouTube @Ixcela
Twitter @ixcelawellness

Bill Stahl
[email protected]
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

Send us Fan Mail

Today I bring back into the Hive one of my favorite people from the Leadville 10 Warriors group, Ed Barnette.  Ed’s backstory is that he was once a rather hefty guy, a smoker and drinker, too.  He probably consumed more Buffalo Wild Wings than any person on the planet. Ed had a random meeting with David and felt compelled to tell him that David would never see him that large again, and David told Ed that he believed him. That conviction led Ed to quit smoking and drinking, go vegan, and become a runner, too. He posts every week about his runs along the Gulf Coast beaches, and has worked his way up to races like the Leadville Heavy Half and other long-distance challenges. Ed also crewed for David during his epic fat tire bike ride from Chicago to New York in January, 2020 through six NHL cities to support the NHL Fights Cancer campaign. Ed appeared previously on WASP episode #108 in Dec., 2020, one of the most popular ones I’ve ever recorded, and it would be worthwhile to go back and hear his stories about reforming his ways, overcoming opposition from those close to him, and the great support from his wonderful wife Colleen, who among many great traits, whips up some incredible plant-based meals. I brought Ed on again because it seems like a lot of people I’ve talked with have spun their wheels trying to build new habits and progress toward goals they’d hoped to reach. Ed has impressed me so much in how he’s pivoted when the going has gotten hard, including when the pandemic effectively shutdown his business relationship with NASCAR. Ed has since greatly expanded his representation of mixed martial arts fighters with his company, ECB Management, and has dived into the real estate game in his condo association in Panama City Beach, Fla. He’s even now an agent for a top ultrarunner who will be competing this summer at the Badwater 135 in Death Valley. Ed’s motto/hashtag is #juststart, and it’s a great reminder to all of us to take those important first steps toward meaningful goals in your life. It’s always tons of fun chatting with Ed, someone who thanks to David I have had the enormous privilege of getting to know, so I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

GoFundMe to buy a new racing chair for Julia Beckley.  Thank you!
http://bit.ly/3ZGigAb

Ed Barnette
Facebook Ed Barnette
Instagram @ed.barnette

Bill Stahl
[email protected]
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor

Send us Fan Mail

Here we have part two of our lively conversation with Creigh Kelley, someone who is synonymous with running in Denver and well beyond. Starting a few years before I arrived in the Mile High City more than 40 years ago, this graduate of Virginia Military Institute, Vietnam War Army veteran (where he was awarded two Bronze Stars), Colorado Running Hall of Famer, and Road Race Management Lifetime Achievement Award recipient has directed more than 1000 races through his company BKB Ltd. Creigh has been the start/finish line voice of hundreds of races, including the Walt Disney World Marathon races, the Chicago Marathon, four Olympic Trials Marathons, the Cherry Blossom 10-miler in DC, which he just got back from, the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, the Hospital Hill Run in KC, and been a TV analyst for track and field and the triathlon at the Sydney Olympic Games. Let’s add a little more. He’s also been an agent to elite runners, helped found Running USA, and is currently the race director for the Colfax Marathon, which is Denver’s only marathon, and also includes two days of races and relays of varying distances. In this week’s episode, we talk about how racing evolved from its primitive days to its current state, including the inclusion of women, the rise of swag and giant medals, how he started his race management company, our opinions of novelty events like bubble runs, where the sport is heading, his impressive work with the Kipture Primary School Foundation in Kenya, and much more.

GoFundMe to buy a new racing chair for Julia Beckley.  Thank you!
http://bit.ly/3ZGigAb

Creigh Kelley
[email protected]
Facebook and LinkedIn Creigh Kelley
Instagram @creighvmi

Bill Stahl
[email protected]
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram @stahlor