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At this year’s American Heroes Run, Kelly Thrush of Arizona by far had the best cheering section, including a couple of adorable tikes, his niece and nephew, holding up a posterboard sign with the message, “From liver transplant to 100 miles, look at what you can do Kelly.” I had the fantastic opportunity to cover a few laps with Kelly and got to hear his remarkable story. An aspiring professional baseball player, Kelly fell instead into the world of college partying. He later worked in restaurants and bars, which fueled his drinking even more. Kelly drank so hard that his boss sent him to the hospital and Kelly eventually found himself on his own deathbed. With perhaps hours to go, Kelly received a new liver, which went against normal protocol because Kelly hadn’t even started getting sober yet. He awoke feeling immense gratitude and has ever since dedicated his life to showing gratitude and giving back. He also started hiking and eventually progressed to running ultramarathons and completing a Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim hike to raise funds to give kids opportunities to get into the outdoors themselves. We cover this gripping journey in two episodes. In this part, I think you will get a lot out of hearing about Kelly’s story up to his transplant and how slim a chance he had of even being around today, getting sober and losing weight, and to be able to make the difference in the world that he now does.

Kelly Thrush
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Bill Stahl
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I’ve brought back Kathy Davis from VegInspired, who was on episode #217 on July 21, to expand on the benefits of plant-based eating, and more importantly, how to make it easy to do. Specifically, she recommends meal planning so as to avoid, when life gets chaotic, reverting to eating out of a box, i.e., reaching for the nearest junk food. Most importantly, she offers tips about making meal planning fit into your own schedule, making it exciting for you by using ingredients you already like, and how to make meal planning and healthy eating an intentional activity. If healthier eating is on your agenda, especially as the Holidays approach, grab a pen and paper and take copious notes because Kathy doesn’t just provide a gold nugget or two in this discussion, but a whole pot of gold. For those who like to have some positive encouragement to get going and/or moving on their meal planning, definitely check out Kathy’s new accountability club to help you along. This is on top of the free meal planner she offered during the previous episode that is available on VegInspired.com/podcast, and her wonderful cookbooks that make plant-based eating quick, easy, and affordable. Kathy and I have fun chatting, but seriously, take a close listen because she really offers a ton of great ideas, and I recommend going back to episode #217 to take a deeper dive into shifting to a healthier eating lifestyle that can benefit your health, those around you, and the other animals that inhabit this planet.

Meal planner:
www.VegInspired.com/podcast

Kathy Davis
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Bill Stahl
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Training most of your life to make the Olympic team and then actually achieving that goal has got to be the crowning achievement of your life, right? For Hannah Halvorsen, it certainly was. It looks so glamorous to march in the Opening Ceremony, competing against the best in the world at the most awesome venues money can build, enjoying an unparalleled experience in the Olympic Village and seeing the sights of the host country with teammates and competitors. We met Hannah back in January, 2021 in episode #113 when, as an aspiring member of the U.S. Cross Country Ski team, she had rebounded from a catastrophic accident getting run over by a car in Anchorage, Alaska to return to the world Nordic Cup circuit and earning racing points. Certainly the kind of comeback story we love to share on the WASP. Hannah’s upward trajectory continued to earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. But as she describes, the Beijing experience was just a bit skewed due to Covid, restrictions on free speech and movement, dietary challenges, and more. All of which she and the other athletes were trained to expect, but certainly quite different from what Olympians will face at the next Olympics in Paris. It was still good, but not exactly what she had dreamt of. We also talk extensively about the different attitudes between the female and male athletes on the team, and among athletes in general. I think you’ll enjoy hearing about this eye-opening trip to the Olympics as well as hearing about her hard-fought journey to get there, including the relentless positive outlook that obviously played a huge role in getting her there. Hannah has now retired from competitive skiing and is embarking on some exciting new challenges, including both studying for a psychology degree and coaching skiing at Harvard University.

Hannah Halvorsen
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Bill Stahl
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First I had a two-week malaise after running the Leadville Trail 100.  Then after receiving yellow fever, typhoid, and polio vaccinations for my upcoming trip to Africa, I went through a host of medical problems including debilitating cramps in my upper trapezius muscle, more fatigue, numbness in my fingers, and double vision.  So now I'm pretty much starting over, as I did after each of my surgeries every year of the 2010s, only this time there's no rehab involved.  I was in shape enough to attempt 100 miles in August, and here I am taking the baby steps to get back into shape just six weeks later.  How do you make a comeback from this kind of layoff?  I'd love to hear your techniques and perhaps discuss that on a future episode!

Bill Stahl
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There were stories galore at the 2022 American Heroes Run, David's tribute to first responders, military service people and veterans, and the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. We also had a lot of record performances, perhaps due to a sudden 40-degree drop in temperature plus a steady dose of rain. Please listen to hear some of these impressive and inspirational tales of endurance and perseverance.

Bill Stahl
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I hope you enjoyed part one of the great storytelling with one of running’s legends, Roy Pirrung. Last episode I detailed some of Roy’s many incredible running achievements at a wide array of distances, and he and I talked about some of his many-varied experiences. In part two of this conversation we talk more about how the Italians tried to stop him from finishing a race, getting married in the Vatican, competing in the famous Spartathlon, running across the Gobi Desert with seven broken ribs, and how crazy a race is too crazy for Roy Pirrung. If things go according to his plan, he expects to outlive his centenarian aunt, and no doubt he’ll be running that entire time. I hope you’ll be entertained again in this episode by this tremendous ambassador of the sport of running.

Roy Pirrung
roypirrung.com
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Bill Stahl
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When I first began running long distances, I subscribed to this obscure black-and-white magazine called Ultrarunning. It was nothing but race results and a few articles and letters to the editor. The community of ultrarunners was very small in those days, and there were a couple of names I’d always see standing out in the results. One of them was Roy Pirrung, a legend of the sport, now 74 years young, who has run 105,000 lifetime miles, set 99 national records and counting, been named USATF Ultrarunner of the Year five times, and voted to the USATF Masters Hall of Fame. He has run 157 marathons and 219 ultramarathons. Roy is currently top-ranked in the world for 100 miles in the 70-74 year old age category. Some of his jaw-dropping marks include 90 miles in 12 hours, 100 miles in 13:15:50, 154 miles in 24 hours, and 243 miles in 48 hours. Roy thinks of himself not as an ultrarunner but as a runner, the kind of guy who will complete an ultra one day, and jump into a 5K the next day. He’s also the extraordinary individual who’ll eagerly jump into helping a cause like the American Cancer Society or to develop and support the sport. Roy shares global running experiences as diverse as Italy, Greece, and Asia’s Gobi Desert. Roy is so full of great stories and vigor that our chat is going to span two episodes. Even at 74, Roy is looking to join previous WASP guest Dean Karnazes to again run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. Roy shares some of his ideas about longevity, which inspires old guys like I am to keep pursuing goals and dreams, and hopefully will you as well. I hope you enjoy this very entertaining chat with one of running’s legends.

Roy Pirrung
roypirrung.com
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Bill Stahl
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It’s taken a bit to process everything from my Leadville Trail 100. The race for me ended at Twin Lakes, mile 40. My plan to fuel and hydrate better by going out at a conservative pace was obviously too slow and might have worked better had I not expended so much mental and physical energy dealing with a lighting system that wasn’t bright enough and my dicey depth perception and balance that led me to being too cautious navigating the rockier, uneven trail sections. I was moving ok but with a thin margin for error when my left hamstring cramped ¼ mile from Halfpipe aid station, mile 33. Despite eating salted mashed potatoes, salted watermelon, and a banana, the hammy continued to cramp up for the next 2-3 runnable miles. I got 250 mg. of salt from a fellow runner that immediately helped, but I’d lost too much time. I bombed down into Twin in a desperate attempt to beat the cutoff and have a shot at Hope Pass, but missed by about 15 minutes.

Aside from the disappointment, I’m left with a few bright spots. I proudly represented Team Leadville and Warriors Ascent, which is a great organization supporting veterans experiencing PTS. I also had an amazing crew led by Brian Farrington, who had also paced me to the finish in 2015. My sister Ellen and nephew Matthew came out from Charlotte, NC to experience the magic of Leadville for the first time. Gabby Penaflor, who paced me to the finish in 2010, flew out last-minute from KC, and was responsible for the giant duck and other decorstions on top of the crew vehicle for easy spotting. Super appreciate 19-year old upcoming ultrarunning star Josh Taylor being there the whole time. Huge thanks as well to long-time supporters and all-around nice people Shelley, Scott, and Shane Miller. It’s so amazing having all of those folks ready to give up their weekend while this old guy pursues his dreams in the mountains and tries to inspire younger folks to follow in my footsteps.

Congrats to all of the finishers! There is seriously not much more inspiring than being at the Leadville finish line during the last two hours and seeing beaten-up warriors trudging the last of their 100 miles with their families and friends in tow. It was also cool seeing well-known runners like Hellah Sidibe and Harvey Lewis totally out of their elements and acknowledging what a beast the Leadville course is, yet still finding ways to get to the line. It was also inspiring to see Tyler Andrews, who’s taken me on amazing journeys in South America, bravely fighting in obvious distress to a fourth-place finish.

Finally, what a special treat getting to spend time with the amazing Simone Brick, and conversing with legends Ken Chlouber, Merilee Maupin, Cole Chlouber, and Travis and Mark Macy, joking around with the cutoff king and queen Mike and Sandy Monaghan as they followed me around, and chatting with some of the sport’s luminaries like Robbie Balenger, Scott Jurek, Courtney Dauwalter, Hellah, Harvey, and more. And seeing tons of old friends along the course. I’ve got some things to adjust and then I’ll be back!

Bill Stahl
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It's here!  Time to run the fabled Leadville Trail 100 for 700-800 intrepid runners and for me for the ninth time.  Here's a quick preview before heading to beautiful, magical Leadville. 

Bill Stahl
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Get ready for a super-exciting and motivational episode with legends of ultraendurance racing, Mark Macy, known to many as Mace, and his son Travis. Mace is an adventure athlete extraordinaire, including competing in every one of the Eco-Challenges during its original iteration from 1995 to 2002. I would take up an entire podcast if I were to read off all of Travis’ racing honors. He set the record for the Leadman, which comprises the Leadville Marathon, 10K, 50-mile bike, 50-mile run, 100-mile bike, and 100-mile run. Podiumed the Adventure Running World Championships spread out over 5 to 8 days including running, mountain biking, skiing, winter mountaineering, orienteering, ocean sailing, canyoneering, and spelunking. The Wulong Mountain Quest and Ordos Adventure Challenge: 5-day stage races in China through ancient villages, rice paddies, limestone canyons, caves, cities, deserts, and mountains. Two podium finishes at Primal Quest, America’s top adventure race. He completed the 24 Hours of Moab and 24 Hours of Leadville, non-stop mountain bike races on difficult terrain. The Rock and Ice Ultra, a week-long, self-supported winter journey through the Canadian Arctic on foot and on snowshoe. If that’s not exhausting enough, Travis is involved in so many areas it’s mind-boggling. He penned a book called, “The Ultra Mindset: An Endurance Champion's 8 Core Principles for Success in Business, Sports, and Life,” and produces a monthly newsletter to supplement the lessons he teaches in it. He runs Macy Endurance Coaching to help athletes achieve their goals, works with Team U, an intercollegiate fundraising endurance team dedicated to improving global health and alleviating poverty.  He hosts the Travis Macy Show podcast, which I highly recommend you find and listen to.  And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that he’s also gotten into Colorado’s official outdoor sport of pack burro racing. We are far from done here. Travis is now helping Mace battle early-onset Alzheimer’s. As you might guess, that doesn’t mean either one of them is slowing down. When first diagnosed, Mace wrote into a spiral notebook, “My name is Mark Macy, I am 56 years old and today I was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. My doctor told me to get my affairs in order and not spend time worrying about this diagnosis. He urged me to take vacations instead, maybe go on a cruise with my wife Pammy. I told him the diagnosis was bull.” Macy subsequently wrote: “Then my wife reminded me that I am 65 not 56, so maybe the diagnosis isn't completely bull.”  Later he added, “I finished day one of my Alzheimer's diagnosis with a significant decision: I didn't cause this disease. I'm not embarrassed to be one of many who has it. Instead of hiding from it, I'm going to share my story with anyone who wants to listen. My family and I are dedicated to fighting this horrible disease that kills people all over the world.” Not surprisingly, Mace and Travis competed on the same team in the re-boot of the Eco-Challenge in the compelling World’s Toughest Race Fiji broadcast on Prime Video hosted by Bear Grylls. Why stop there? The Macys have a new book chronicling this journey titled, “A Mile at a Time: A father and son’s inspiring Alzheimer’s journey of love, adventure, and hope." They are also just super-nice and engaging people. But when you hear Mace say that he’s going to beat Alzheimer’s, it’s not a stretch at all to believe him.

Next book, "A Mile at a Time: A father and son’s inspiring Alzheimer’s journey of love, adventure, and hope” is now available for pre-order on Amazon

Mark Macy
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Travis Macy
travismacy.com
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Bill Stahl
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