Athena Ojeda / Her Journey from Couch to Extreme Endurance

Joe sits down with Rachele Pojednic, PhD, EdM, CSCS who is an Associate Professor at Norwich University and a research associate at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School.     Dr. Pojednic has been a nutrition and strength and conditioning coach for Olympic, Division I, sports and tactical athletes for over 20 years.   Stay tuned to the end for a special partnership announcement. 

In its first year, the Death Race was a complete mystery.  What intrigued Katherine was that the flyer, and her husband at the time, told her she wouldn’t be able to finish. She tells Don and Yancy about some of the most difficult and ridiculous challenges she faced. Including the fact that she did not see another competitor for the first several hours of her race. Her journey began with a random flyer picked up at the Original General Store, that said in no uncertain terms; Doubt You will Finish, a non-existent gear list, and a supposed change in start time and it’s still not over. She was the first-ever female Death Racer and the first-ever female Death Race finisher.   Note: memory can be a mysterious thing, especially when it comes to Death Race challenges. What a racer perceives is not always what the race actually entails. One small note of correction - the 2007 race was closer to 12 hours than 24. Katherine participated in 2007, 2009 and 2012 Death races  Key Points: Be prepared to be unprepared  Be grateful for what you have, not what you should have  Doubts and fears are a motivator, use them as such.  You can and will do more than what your resume suggests.  Find the joy in the task at hand.  Fulfillment isn't about what you get out of it, it's about what others get from you.  Be humble, be gracious, be grateful, be joyful, be helpful.   You will never know what you can accomplish, till you show up.  Grit where is it born from.  You are not the sum of your past experiences, you are what you have become.   Sign up, show up, move forward inch by inch.    CREDITS:   Producer: Marion Abrams Host: Don Devaney, Yancy Culp  Sound recording: Korey Smerk Editing: Carrie Arick Synopsis: Don Devaney, Marion Abrams    © 2020 Spartan

A four time death race finisher, and two time race director Robin will partner with Peter Borden to direct the 2020Death Race.  Robin is matter of fact about his endurance background, but between you and me, it includes things like barefoot trail ultras. This episode includes many of the Death Race’s most legendary stories. What do $50 of Pennies, an Onion King at the top of the mountain, and a Greek textbook have in common?  The 2010 Death Race. What about 1,000 sets of stone lifts, Slosh pipes, and a Broken foot? Those all happened in Robin’s 2011 Death Race. Betrayal, carrying kayaks over Bloodroot, and hours of rolling? Those are all part of Robin’s 2012 Death Race.   From Cradle to Grave, Death Race In everyday Life from a four time finisher.   See photos of Robin in action http://peakraces.com/death-race-podcast/   Lessons:  Age is just a number  Challenge your children by example  Working your body and mind, for a balance in life.  Finding the Death race ( be inquisitive).  The themes embedded within the Death race have life long meanings.  As in life these themes are part of the challenge.  Think past the obvious, sometimes what you hear or see is only a part of the story.  Challenge yourself to be your best, when you are at your worst.  Don't fail to recognize your failures as potential success.  There are times, when what is left unsaid, can be as important as what has been said.  Achievements are meant to be celebrated, and learned from.         CREDITS:   Producer: Marion Abrams Host: Don Devaney, Yancy Culp  Sound recording: Korey Smerk Editing: Carrie Arick Synopsis: Don Devaney, Marion Abrams    © 2020 Spartan

Forget couch to 5k, Athena Ojeda shares her journey from couch to Death Race winner! Join co-hosts Yancy Culp and Don Devany as they follow her perfectly executed Spartan inspired six-year journey. From couch, smokes and sodas to multi-year Death Race finisher. This inspirational conversation reaffirms that you can choose to shift purpose, and overcome obstacles externally and internally imposed.  Become resilient in the face of any adversity. Athena’s story will captivate you and inspire you to do more and be better in every aspect of your life. With the Spartan Mindset firmly entrenched in all she endeavors to accomplish.    2018 Death Race finisher 2019 Death Race Finisher and First Female overall winner  Peakraces.com   Lessons :  The time to start is now. Nothing is going to be solved overnight. Fear is a liar, it only tells you what it wants you to hear.  Fortitude, each step up the mountain is there for a reason.  It's not always what is said, it could be what is left un-said.       CREDITS:   Producer: Marion Abrams Host: Don Devaney, Yancy Culp  Sound recording: Korey Smerk Editing: Carrie Arick Synopsis: Don Devaney, Marion Dame Abrams    © 2020 Spartan