#010 - How could a Navy SEAL benefit from meditation. Hack your potential to achieve anything. (With Mark Divine Navy SEAL legend, SEAL trainer, and spiritual warrior)

In today’s episode of the Endurance Cartel, we are joined by Federico Muyshondt, CEO at BODYARMOR Sports Nutrition. After finishing his MBA in Business Administration at Ryce University in Texas, Federico went on to work with titans in the food & beverages industry like Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, and Danone. Friends for years, Federico and Javier reminisce about their childhood memories, the important moments in Federico's journey to becoming the man Coca-Cola trusted to bring down Gatorade, their main competitor in the sports drinks niche, and how Kobe Bryant was one of the most important influences in Federico's career.   In today’s episode:   (02:12) Federico Muyshondt joins the show, reminiscing over his friendship with Javier and his family. (04:50) First reaction of Federico when he received an offer to run Coca-Cola.  (07:30) A dream of taking down the competition in the industry 09.00) The Why behind Federico’s career in the health industry. (11:00) The importance of hydration in BodyArmour’s product conception. (13:00) The changes that Federico wants to operate on PowerAid. (15:10) The proper way to implement sports drinks in our routines. (17:45) BODYARMOR- communication and promises to the consumer. (20:20) The new trendy practice of boosting caffeine in sports drinks. (21:15) The days when Coca-Cola was a sports drink compared to today. (22:40) The importance of picking brands we trust from people we trust. (23:55) The reason behind Kobe’s investment in BODYARMOR. (26:00) Kobe Bryant’s legacy through BODYARMOR’s social initiatives. (27:30) The moment endurance sports made Federico feel superhuman. (31:30) A deeper reason behind hitting the gym and eating healthy. (33:30) The person that inspired Federico to become who he is today. (37:20) Federico’s advice to anyone listening.   Quotes: “This obsession of becoming better, this obsession that becomes a passion and gives you more energy than it consumes. That’s when the magic happens. That’s what the mamba mentality is all about. Kobe used to say we rest at the end, not in the middle.” “More than 50% of the time, sports drinks are consumed while not performing activities...so if you’re going to have a sports drink, make sure that you have one that is better for you, natural, and not loaded with calories and sugar.” “When Kobe was asked how he chooses a business to invest in, he said that the product should be a superior product but most importantly the founder and the passion of the team behind the product. If that passion is really an obsession and he sees that fire within the team.” “This is a brand that carries on in Kobe’s memory, we talk about him all the time. We live the mamba mentality all the time.” “I see myself as a corporate athlete. The job that I have with the time commitments but not forgetting about my family. You have to be physically and mentally crisped all the time”.  “My dad was the person who taught me the mamba mentality before it existed. A week after his death, I get a call to be the CEO of the company that Kobe BRYANT founded.” “Surround yourself with people that are better than you. Be humble enough and don’t be insecure to surround yourself properly...Don’t forget that nobody gets it right the first time, just keep going.” “More than your job, more than your college, by far the most important decision of your life is your partner.”   Links selected from this episode:  The Mamba Mentality-is a way of life and a perspective developed and written about by Kobe Bryant in his book. Bryant defines mamba attitude as continually striving to be our best selves. He said that it refers to people being better each day than they were the day before. Simply defined, the mamba attitude is about facing your anxieties and becoming your best self. BODYARMOR- is a Coca-Cola Company-owned American sports drink brand. Its products include Sports, Lyte Sports, Edge Sports, and SportWater. In 2011, Mike Repole invented the cocktail. The Coca-Cola Firm took a minority share in the company in the summer of 2018 in order to establish BODYARMOR as a premium sports beverage above its own Powerade brand. Then it purchased the remaining 85% share of the firm in November 2021. Gatorade-  Gatorade is an American beverage and food company best known for its distinctive range of sports beverages. PepsiCo now manufactures Gatorade, which is sold in over 80 countries. A team of researchers led by Dr. Robert Cade invented the beverage in 1965. It was created for the University of Florida's Gators to restore the carbohydrates that the school's student-athletes burnt as well as the mix of water and electrolytes that they lost via perspiration during intensive sports activities. Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation: The Mamba & Mambacita Athletics Foundation is a non-profit organization devoted to making a positive difference in the lives of underprivileged athletes and boys and girls via sports. Kobe and Gianna "Gigi" Bryant's vision and loving memories inspired the creation of this organization.  Whole 30: The Whole30 is a 30-day elimination diet that promotes healthy foods while excluding sweets, alcohol, wheat, and dairy. The classic Whole30 also forbids the intake of legumes and soy, although a plant-based variant of the Whole30 permits for the ingestion of those food categories. Wikipedia   Follow Federico: Linkedin Instagram   Follow Javier: Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube Linktree   Join our Patron and support The Endurance Cartel Podcast

The world we create in our childhood dreams makes us believe that everything is possible. Although most of us outgrow them, sometimes dreams have the power to shape and influence our future. Dumitru Dorin Prunariu, today's guest on the Endurance Cartel is one of those people strong enough to let their dreams guide their path in life. After graduating from the Physics and Mathematics high school in Brașov, Dorin went on to the Politehnica University of Bucharest where he obtained a degree in Aerospace Engineering. In 1978, while working for the Romanian Aeronautic Industry, he was selected for spaceflight training in the Russian Intercosmos Program. After obtaining the highest marks in his three years of training in the program, Dorin became the first Romanian astronaut and the 103rd human being to fly into space. Listen to Dorin’s fascinating story about testing the limits of human endurance and surviving for eight days in outer space, aboard the space station Salyute 6.   In today’s episode:   (01:15) Dumitru Dorin Prunariu- the 103rd astronaut ever to fly into space and the first Romanian astronaut; (02:30) How it all started- graduating from the Politehnica University of Bucharest, with a degree in Aerospace Engineering, getting selected for the Russian Intercosmos program, and training in the Star City for three years; (06:12) Being trained for a short period of  time as a commander for the spacecraft Soyuz 40; (07:57) Physical challenges while getting ready for the flight- combining theoretical and practical training with physical exercises and training in the centrifuge; (13:05) Launching day, May 14th, 1981 - what was going through his mind while preparing for flight and the story of the onions that ended up in space; (19:08) Seeing Earth from out of space- spotting Romania, the Carpathians, and the place where he was born;  (21:46) Life on the Space Station Salyut 6- sleeping on the ceiling of the space station and experiencing weightlessness; (24:13) Waking up on the space station- what is daily life like in space? (29:14) How were the crew members getting along in the enclosed environment of the space station? Un unreported occurrence… (31:45) Sneaking a Canon camera into the space station despite Russians being against the use of any equipment that was not made in the Soviet Union or by one of the countries they had agreements with; (35:16) Facing difficulties while landing back on Earth; (38:11) Readjusting to gravity; (45:13) There’s no political agenda that can interfere between astronauts and detour them from their common goals; (49:12) Elon Musk- a visionary or a dreamer? (51:29) Is there life on other planets in the Universe? (53:59)  Advice for kids wanting to become astronauts; (56:00) Dorin’s foundation, books, and future plans.   Quotes:   “They looked for the resistance in our bodies, not our strength. The resistance to face running many kilometers, to have normal breathing, the heart working normally during our training.”   “The spacecraft was put into orbit, full silence, weightlessness inside, and everything started to float around.”   “Your vestibular apparatus doesn’t work normally on the ground in the first hours (from landing). Even the first day. After about two hours I could walk by myself, but only going straight. If I wanted to turn to the left or to the right, I just felt that my legs turned, but my body was going straight and I was falling down.”   “Before my first space flight, I was a little bit scared. But I said, ok, I have to do it. I was trained for three years and this was the top of my career.”   “Of course, we think that in the Universe there are intelligent beings. Maybe much more developed than we are, maybe less developed. We don’t know yet, and we are still very far to determine where intelligent life could be in the Universe.”   “When you fly into outer space you see the Earth as unity. You see the entire Earth and you understand that it belongs to all humans on Earth. You are not only a citizen of your country, you become a citizen of the planet. You see the beauties of the Earth and you also see the wounds of the Earth.”   “I couldn’t dream at that time to fly into outer space because, for Romania at that time, it was too far. For us, outer space belonged to the Soviet Union and to the United States.”     Links selected from this episode:   Intercosmos program- a Soviet space program, designed to help the Soviet Union's allies perform crewed and uncrewed space missions.   Star City-an area in Moscow Oblast, Russia, which, since the 1960s has been home to the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC).   Soyuz (spacecraft)- a series of spacecraft that has made more than 140 flights into outer space.   Salyut 6- a Soviet orbital space station, the eighth station of the Salyut program;   Leonid Popov- former Soviet cosmonaut;   The Association of Space Explorers-  is a non-profit organization with a membership composed of people who have completed at least one Earth orbit in space.   Follow Dorin:   Linkedin- Twitter Facebook Dumitru Dorin Prunariu’s Wikipedia Page   His Foundation- Cosmonaut Dumitru Dorin Prunariu’s Foundation     Follow Javier: Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube Linktree   Join our Patron and support The Endurance Cartel Podcast    

“There are certain folks who are just born with what I like to call a worrier DNA. That is who they are, whether they are a protector or a fighter, but it doesn’t mean that you’re bloodthirsty or that you hope for war”, says today’s guest of the Endurance Cartel.   Mike Scotti joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves while still an undergraduate at the University of Miami, Florida. After graduation, Scotti attended the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant and served four years on active duty as an artillery officer and platoon commander in the First Marine Division. He was among the first American troops into both Pakistan and Afghanistan in the Fall of 2001 and was deployed to Iraq in early 2003. He was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal with Combat “V” for actions under fire and then was honorably discharged.   But, his fighting days were not over yet, as he found himself struggling to survive his post-war darkness. He found solace in helping others get through their own traumas, and while he was attending NYU Stern, Mike founded the Military Veterans Club. Later on, he was a founding Board of Directors member for the military charity Reserve Aid, which has raised over $5 million and assisted over 4,000 veteran families in need.   In hopes of letting go of the past, he decided that the best thing to do is to openly talk about his experiences. He co-produced and starred in the award-winning documentary Severe Clear, using his personal combat footage to chronicle his time in Iraq, and wrote The Blue Cascade: A Memoir of Life after War.   Join Javier Pineda on this new episode, and listen to Mike's story of surviving the real battle, the one raging inside.     In today’s episode:   (01:14) Meet today’s guest, Mike Scotti, author, filmmaker, speaker, philanthropist, and U.S. Marine veteran; (02:38) Joining the Marines and getting the sense of belonging to something bigger than himself; (07:09) When 9/11 happened he was among the first American troops in both Pakistan and Afghanistan; that’s when he shot the footage that later on was used in Severe Clear- a documentary that explores the Marine drive to Baghdad during the 2003 invasion of Iraq; (18:09) There’s no place for doubts and fear when you’re a Marine- the realities of training for combat and people he would lay down his life for ; (39:25) Finding the right outlet to help him let go of the past, and helping other veterans face their demons and talk about what they've gone through; (48:12) The real endurance test- staying focused when knowing that he was responsible for everyone around him going home alive; (54:51) His father- the man that set the standard in going the extra mile to help others; (01:01:18) Mike’s advice- “Look back through your life and understand that sense of perspective, understand the current problems through that lens, and harness the power of discipline”; (01:03:39) Working on releasing a new book and a tv/ streaming series called "Tailspin Finland"; (01:08:53) Are TV shows trying to depict boot camps and endurance training a hoax?   (01:13:18) True family and brotherhood and mottos that marines live by “Esprit de corps” & “Never Above You, Never Below You, Always Beside You”.     Quotes:   “You train how you fight and you learn your lessons very quickly(...) (Marines) train over and over and over again with live fire, with marines who are their brothers and sisters, who they love. (...) That’s one of the reasons why the marine corps are absolutely vicious in combat.”   “You’re not thinking about politics when you’re there. When the bullets are flying, you think about winning the battle which means neutralizing or destroying and killing the enemy shooting at you.”   “A good leader leads from the front, a good leader walks the lines and meets the men, no matter where it is.”   “For me, the will to fight and do all these other things just comes from a love for fellow veterans. It first started with seeing young marines and young soldiers coming back from the war, and there was that little bit of an echo. There’s a whole generation of young marines and soldiers who have seen sustained combat that need to talk about it.”   “She died violently. She was at work (...) young, in her 20’s, living her life, and somebody flew a plane into her work.(...) I was there to get some payback. People had nothing to do with it but I didn’t know that at the time.”   “The movie was my outlet so I didn’t blow my brains out, it was my therapy, and I just needed to get it out there.”     Links selected from this episode:   Gen. Jim Mattis- a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 26th US secretary of defense from 2017 to 2019. During his 44 years in the Marine Corps, he commanded forces in the Persian Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War.   Full Metal Jacket- a 1987 war drama film directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick.   Special Operations Capable Forces (SOCS)   The Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation System (MCCRES)     Follow Mike:   Website Twitter Facebook Wikipedia IMDb   Website- https://www.mikescotti.com/ Twitter- https://mobile.twitter.com/mikescotti Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/TheBlueCascadeBook/ Wikipedia- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Scotti IMDb- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3390267/   Founder of the NYU Military Veterans Club and of the military charity organization Reserve Aid.     Mike’s book: The Blue Cascade: A Memoir of Life after War     Severe Clear - a documentary starring and using footage shot by First Lieutenant Mike Scotti which explores the Marine drive to Baghdad during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.   Tailspin Finland Trailer- tv/ streaming series Mike’s currently working on developing;   Linktr.ee for Tailspin Finland     Follow Javier: Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube Join our Patreon and support The Endurance Cartel Podcast

Paul DeAngelis joins today’s episode of the Endurance Cartel Podcast to talk about the attitude and mentality one should have to engage in endurance sports such as mountain climbing or triathlons. He shares a great deal of knowledge and wisdom based on his experience and teaches us what to avoid when challenging ourselves.    Paul DeAngelis has committed his life to the promotion of health, well-being, and, most importantly, performance. Paul has prioritized training and education in his performance objective. He began coaching over 20 years ago because he is a firm believer in the POSE method's life-changing effects. His purpose as a coach is to motivate people to make positive changes in their lives, and he discovered that the POSE technique is ideal for people of all ages and abilities.   Paul believes in sport psychology; perceptual development and psychical training are critical to the success of any program. He fosters a positive environment to assist individuals in overcoming self-doubt or perceived limits and reaching their full potential. Paul has also travelled the world with the CrossFit Endurance certification team, teaching other coaches about good running mechanics, nutrition, injury avoidance, and programming. In addition, he uses the power of his motivational speeches to encourage and influence people in the health and wellness sector.   He is a skilled mountaineer with prior experience leading and handling tough logistics. He has an extraordinary capacity to inspire various groups and bring about constructive change. Never one to rest on his laurels or get comfortable in his pursuits, Paul has added designations to his name and has taken several disciplines to guarantee he can provide premium quality teaching to his pupils.   In today’s episode: (01:35): Our guest Paul Deangelis coach, professional climber, and endurance enthusiast. (03:45): What brought Paul back from Canada to Costa Rica? (07:00): Javier goes down the memory line with Paul and remembers some amazing moments they had together. (09:50): Where do we have to start to engage in activities such as mountain climbing? (15:00): How mountain climbing can complete an athlete’s form and enhance their performance. (17:00): The difference between risk-taking and risk management. (20:00): The mindset that made Paul Deangelis and the mental component necessary for Mountain Climbing. (25:00): The importance of training in nature when the conditions are harsh. (31:00): The real purpose of training for Mountain Climbing and how it should outweigh the climbing itself. (34:55): Paul’s experience as a guide on Mount Everest and the critical situations he witnessed. (40:15): Paul shares with us the attitude and mentality of a good coach and guide. (46:30): The process with which Paul trains his apprentice hikers. (51:00): The importance of group dynamics in mountain climbing. (57:40): How Paul handles stress and panic when hiking with a group. (01:03:30): How to deal with mistakes and failures. (01:08:20): The moment endurance sports made Paul feel superhuman. (01:13:05): The person that inspired Paul to go the extra mile in his journey. (01:17:17): Paul shares a good piece of advice with us.   Quotes:   “Some people contact me to climb the highest mountains and that becomes a trophy case to them…In our consumer work here it’s the more things I achieve, the better it makes me feel. That’s a troublesome group because they are not doing it for authentic reasons so to speak…”   “Part of the journey in mountain climbing is finding who you are in the middle of a journey.”   “There is a second group of people that contact and want to do it because they want to know who they are…and that’s amazing…They come to me with something not going right in their life and with a need to be exposed to nature so they can think.”   “My process was: When the shit hits the fan I would get myself up and I would go outside and train…I always love to train when the weather is harsh because…We have these perfectly heated gyms with perfect machines to work with while the world is not that perfectly adjusted.”   “If anyone has ever climbed at altitude, it’s almost like you’re drunk or hangover. We tried to simulate that when we trained with a 150-pound backpack on Olympic stairs by drinking mixed shots of liquor.”   “We wanted to stop, curl up and go to sleep all the time, we puked all the time, but that’s how we trained and enhanced our performance.”   “We have to recognize when to call it a day in front of danger…When all of these bad things happen in mountain climbing I bring my clients down. So instead of having that trophy on his belt, he has his life now as opposed to 20 people that died that year.”   “People today use their technology to swipe and scroll and mindlessly go through things, and that’s why they want this immediate gratification when engaging in a challenge. People born in the era of the 60s or 70s had to work hard to achieve anything….We need to mix that mindset with the abundance of technology today.”   “You have got to be authentic to your why as it goes back to your vision as a coach and guide. If I would have taken anybody into the group just because of a price tag, how would my business have succeeded macro-wise?”   “Everybody has a plan until you get punched in the face, and it’s all about how you still manage to get up and keep moving forward.”   “When making a mistake, It’s only over when you choose to stop. If you keep moving forward, you’re not failing man. You keep learning about yourself.”   “We all go through points in our life when we have to rely on people, and that’s where mentors and friends come into play. When you can find your tribe, you can be a stronger person.”   “It all comes down to simplicity in life. When you reach for simplicity, you have clarity.”   Links selected from this episode Ironman: An Ironman Triathlon is one of the World Triathlon Corporation's (WTC) series of long-distance triathlon competitions, consisting of a 2.4-mile (3.9 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.2 km) bicycle ride, and a marathon 26.22-mile (42.2 km) run conducted in that sequence, for a total of 140.6 miles (226.3 km). It is commonly regarded as one of the world's most demanding one-day sports events.   The Edge: Movie with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin stranded in the wilderness and trying to survive.     Follow Paul:   Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube   Follow Javier:   Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube Linktree   Join our Patreon and support The Endurance Cartel Podcast

Mark Divine is a former United States Navy SEAL. He is the founder of the Divine SEAL training system, which focuses on getting people to their goals in life by focusing on the journey, not the destination.   Mark's story began when he was just 14 years old. He had already been taking martial arts since he was 7 years old and had started training in karate and tae kwon do at a young age. He became interested in the world of martial arts because he saw how it could help him achieve his goals in life. He also attended Colgate University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics and competed on the men's swim and crew teams. [4] Divine joined PricewaterhouseCoopers (formerly Coopers & Lybrand) as a senior consultant after graduation, while studying for a Master of Business Administration at New York University Stern School of Business (graduated 1989) to become a Certified Public Accountant. [5] Divine began a parallel journey into zen meditation and Seido karate under the instruction of Grandmaster Tadashi Nakamura, where he chose to shift tracks and seek a career as a US Navy SEAL Officer.    His military career spanned 20 years (1989-2011), during which he led missions in Asia Pacific, Africa, Bahrain, and Iraq[3]. In 2011, he retired with the rank of Commander. He now mainly focuses on helping other people reach their ultimate potential, through programs such as the SEAL fit, or books like “Unbeatable Mind”.   In today’s episode:   (1:05) Our guest Mark Divine Military leader, and distinctive mentor for SEAL trainees through SEAL fit. (4:15) Mark’s childhood, his interest in meditation and endurance sports, and how he became a military leader. (9:00) Mark’s decision to break the white-collar cycle and build his health. (11:30) Mark’s interest in the ZEN culture and martial arts. (16:00)  The benefits one can reap off meditation. (18:10) Mark Divine’s search for purpose. (21:15) Mark joins the navy SEAL. (25:00) How to deal with codependency conditioning in families. (28:20) The power of visualization. (32:00) Mark’s leadership changes how Navy Seals train. (35:00) The ego trap on the road to success. (38:16) The learning curve in meditation. (42:30) Definition of box breathing meditation and how it works. (45:30) The witness state of consciousness is achieved by meditation. (47:15) The way Mark implemented what he learned in SEAL training. (48:10) Growing up in trauma can make you a Navy SEAL. (50:00) The importance of presence Durant Mark’s combat experience. (53:03) A key moment when endurance proved to have made Mark superhuman. (56:30) The inspiration that pushed Mark to become the Cyborg. (01:02) Mark Divine’s book ‘Unbeatable Mind’ (01:05:00) The Cyborg’s advice for everybody. (1:08:00) The teachings of practising Kokoro.     Quotes:   “What I found is things are happening through us, not by us. Consciousness makes us alive, flows through us, and is us…We’re wired to develop an ego through all these layers of conditioning and then to think that we’re the doer.”   “ When it’s the fuck up we berate ourselves and judge ourselves which does no good whatsoever. And when it’s the glorious success our ego is super inflated and we become arrogant and pretend to be humble about it which makes it worse.”   “Meditation alone won’t get you there, this is why some of the great meditation teachers said that after enlightenment, you have got to take out the trash”.   “Concentration is the ability to harness your mind to be able to focus on just one thing is a prerequisite for meditation. In fact, Zen training is the concentration path.”   “Meditation is turning the light of your attention inward, looking for that pure awareness that is beyond ego constructs.”   “It’s a state of mind that is radically present, where time becomes almost under your control…These 4 skills that I talked about if trained can help develop the flow state where everything slows down and get a sense of everything around you.”   “Any endurance athlete can use their sports to train their mind, that’s why I’m not a fan of listening to music or e-books or anything. You should be managing your breath, your mind, and working on your mantra, visualising victory until you can activate flow on demand.”   “ Slow down and stop doing so much. Decommit, declutter, slow down and begin the practice of box breathing and your life will change.”     Links selected from this episode   Unbeatable Mind is a comprehensive online training program that teaches you step-by-step tactics for improving your mental clarity, attention, physical fitness, and awareness.  Unbeatable Mind Book Box breathing is a strong yet easy relaxation method that tries to restore regular breathing rhythms following a stressful encounter. It may aid in the clearing of the mind, relaxation of the body, and improvement of attention.   Box breathing consists of four fundamental stages, each lasting four seconds: breathing in holding the breath breathing out holding the breath breathing in   Follow Mark:   Website Book Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube   Follow Javier:   Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube   Join our Patreon and support The Endurance Cartel Podcast   Produced by: www.sawandsine.co.uk 

Leanda Cave joins today’s episode of the Endurance Cartel Podcast to talk about the reality of doing high-intensity endurance sports, and how running triathlons with her severe condition taught her a lot about handling the many aspects of human experience.   Leanda is a former British triathlete who was born on March 9, 1978, in Louth, England. She is the 2002 World Triathlon Champion, as well as the 2012 Ironman Triathlon and Ironman 70.3 World Champion, making her the first woman in history to win both championships in the same year. She represented Wales and the United Kingdom at the international level.   Cave won the European Under-23 title in 2001. A year later, she made her international senior debut by winning silver in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. She earned another silver medal at the European Championships before going on to win gold and the World Championship in Cancun, Mexico in November 2002. She was nominated for the Welsh Sports Personality of the Year Award in 2002. She was unfortunately injured in 2003 and was unable to defend her world title, although she did appear in the BBC program Superstars.     In today’s episode:   (1:02) Our guest Leanda Cave Professional triathlete, coach, and Ultraman enthusiast. (2:28) Brief explanation of what an Ultraman challenge is. (4:30) The motivation behind Leanda’s ambition to do an Ultraman. (7:00) Leanda shares that she has an unpublished book waiting to be published. (8:30) Training, racing, and competing at a high level with injuries. (10:12) The way Leanda dealt with her injuries to allow herself to compete. (11:55) Signs of athletes overtraining themselves and exceeding healthy limits. (13:45) The relationships between knowledge and athletic performance. (16:40) The role of technological monitors in athletic performance. (21:45) The body type stereotype in the athletic world. (27:10) The Norwegian success in endurance sports. (28:20) The moment endurance sports made Leanda a superhuman. (30:45) Leanda’s competitive side. (32:13) The role models behind Leanda’s inspiration. (34:50) The impact of endurance sports on emotional intelligence. (36:25) Advice from Leanda to the listeners. (38:08) Javier extracts some wisdom from his experience in triathlons. (40:50) Leanda shares her next projects regarding Ultraman and coaching.   Quotes:   “Sometimes we’re not built the same way as other people and we have to accept that things in our bodies break down…There should be a constant revolving door of maintenance where we work on our issues in a way that lets us compete”   “It’s hard often for an individual to recognize that they need to train within their personal parameters because most athletes, especially with the mindset that I have, want to do more than they should”   “Knowing your biological data when racing is probably more of a cue than it is anything else. I don’t think it’s a huge advantage seeing that data, it only gives you a cue to eat or drink water when you need to”   “It’s not all about body type. You can be an athlete and be on the bigger side and not fit into this fitness stereotype. You don’t have to be a certain body type to be a fantastic athlete”   “When we are kids boys and girls are basically the same, and then adolescence happens and boys become stronger. However, the endurance side never shifts, and as I got older…I did fine in long-distance runs and I could easily keep going when everybody was falling behind me. That’s when I knew at a young age that I had more ability in endurance sports than short distance”   “The inspiration is not only in major sports like Baseball and Basketball. In these other small sports, a lot of kids take their role models from them too, and I think that’s why I had this opportunity in Australia to find role models in sports that I wanted to and I enjoyed”   “I never gave up, and there were many times when I could have. I just kept going, and it doesn’t just apply to sports, it applies to everything. Everything is so fast now and they see the here and now and forget about the process. There is a process to everything and good things take time.”   Links selected from this episode   Ultraman: The Ultraman World Championships is an athletic odyssey of endurance challenges. Covering a total distance of 320 miles (515 kilometres), on the Big Island of Hawaii, it requires that each participant complete a 6.2 mile (10 K) open ocean swim, a 261.4 mile (421 K)  bike ride, and a 52.4 mile (84 K) ultra-marathon run, the distances being determined by the size of the Big Island.   Follow Leanda:   Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube   Follow Javier:   Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube Linktree   Join our Patreon and support The Endurance Cartel Podcast

There are many factors that influence the quality of our lives. At some point in time, we’ve all felt the pressure of work-related stress and the effects of poor time management, and an unbalanced and unhealthy lifestyle. Even if we don’t realize it at first, in the long term all these can be harmful to both our physical and emotional health.   In today’s episode of The Endurance Cartel, we are joined by Dr. Laurie Boge, an army veteran and ER physician, who shares her thoughts on how aging and stress impact our lives. Laurie used her love for endurance sports as a healing mechanism for the traumatic experiences she’s been through while serving in the Iraq war as an emergency medicine physician. During the Covid pandemic, she created “Green Cloud”, an apparel line and the first “girls club” dedicated to supporting women working in the medical field.   In today’s episode:   (01:04) Meet Dr. Laurie Boge, ER Physician, Iron Woman athlete, and founder of Green Cloud Apparel; (02:05) When things don’t go as planned- what went wrong in her latest endurance competition; (04:36) Going through menopause; (06:43) Finding the ideal work-life balance- life as an ER Physician and dealing with work-related stress; (12:41) Serving in the Army as an intern in emergency medicine when 9/11 happened- spending her first year after medical residency in the busiest combat hospital in all of Iraq; (25:19) Getting addicted to endurance sports; (29:08) When Covid hit…; (32:01) Creating Green Cloud, the first "girls club” in the medical field; (39:04) Menopause- how do you deal with aging and physical changes as an endurance athlete; (44:02) The Endurance exchange- feeling like a superhuman; (46:01) Her husband, Burke- the most inspirational person in her life; (49:47) Laurie’s advice on productivity and time management;     Quotes:   “More and more I just prioritize what’s important for me. I say yes to things that have meaning and I say a lot of no’s. I really won’t meet friends anymore to go out to dinner at 8 p.m. cause that’s when I like to go to bed (...) and then it looks like I’m very productive because I’m accomplishing my goals a little bit easier because that’s all I’m focusing on.”   “Most people say they are running from something or towards something. I just love running, nothing makes me feel so good. I mean, that's like when I kind of solve my problems, I solve the world's problems. I feel my most beautiful self when I'm sweaty and finishing hard intervals. It's still a struggle to get out the door, but I love running.”   “My first year after finishing residency, I was in Baghdad, in the busiest combat hospital in all of Iraq, and it was insane. Those were the worst and best days of my life. That sounds so weird, but to be able to take care of thousands of soldiers and marines was incredible, but also really hard (...) you're used to like, 30 to 50 victims of IEDs so it changes your whole perspective in life for sure.” “When you get there, you're scared for the first week that you're gonna die, and then the last week you're worried cuz you wanna get back home. But in between, you just kind of have to live and you can't live in that fear 24/7. But parents back home, I can't imagine. I mean, my mom was living in fear the entire time.” “I'm 49. Around this age, even a few years before we go through this crazy thing called menopause, and it's like wild hormones and your sleep gets disrupted and your mood gets disrupted and big changes start happening and you kind of have to learn to just go with it rather than fight it. (...)” “Always start with the basics. You gotta get your sleep, you gotta nourish your body. So eat real foods, you know, mostly plant-based, but real foods, one-ingredient items. Try to stay away from the processed stuff (...) and then exercise. (...) You may not be able to do what you used to do, so be okay with that.”   Follow Dr. Laurie Bogi:   Twitter- https://twitter.com/swimcruiserun Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/laurie_boge/?hl=en     Green Cloud Apparel:   Website- https://greencloudapparel.com/ Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/greencloudapparel/   Follow Javier: Website- https://endurancecartel.com/ Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/endurancecartel/?hl=en Linkedin- https://www.linkedin.com/in/javierpineda1975/ Twitter- https://twitter.com/endurancecartel Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/javier.pineda2015/ Youtube- https://rb.gy/4iru19     Join our Patron and support The Endurance Cartel Podcast

Robert Verhelst joins today’s episode of the Endurance Cartel Podcast to talk about the importance of inspiring others through inspiring ourselves to do the impossible, and the impact it can have on our mental health.   Robert Verhelst, famously known by the name of Fireman Rob, is a powerful storyteller with a one-of-a-kind story. From multiple years in the fire service to achieving a Guinness World Record, surviving on Discovery Channel's show Ultimate Ninja Challenge and doing search and recovery following the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, his belief in doing the impossible keeps him moving forward in life. Becoming a firefighter for Robert came naturally, as he always wanted to help people through a dynamic job that needed perseverance and endurance.     We talk about how his firefighting career gave him the right mindset to achieve bigger goals, and how these goals in turn became a beacon of inspiration for the next dreamers to carry on. We also cover how to identify mental health issues and how to tackle them through endurance sports.     In today’s episode:   (01:04) Our guest, Rob Fireman, keynote speaker and endurance athlete with a crazy record. (2:00) The reason behind becoming a firefighter and the passion for helping others. (4:18) Having expectations before getting into firefighting and how they changed with time. (5:35) Accumulating unprocessed traumatic events and how it adds up to affect our mental health (8:00) Rob Fireman considers endurance sports like triathlons a therapy and a great way to enhance mental health.  (11:00) Finding our passions in our strengths and how it can effectively inspire others (13:00) The first man to ever do an Ironman with his firefighting gear. (16:15) How did firefighting training help in achieving great success in endurance sports? (20:00) The high levels of stress that come with Rob Fireman’s lifestyle and challenges. (22:00) The importance of a support structure in achieving goals and objectives. (25:25) Working for a greater good and the need to give back to the community after the 9/11 event (30:05) What role does therapy play in our life and how unique is everyone’s mental health situation? (40:20) Endurance sports can make us feel superhuman sometimes and give us the mental resilience to tackle life’s problems (43:17) Who inspired Robert to become Rob Fireman? (47:00) Advice from Rob Fireman to start your journey (50:00) The requirements and sacrifices needed for a firefighting journey (53:00) Rob Fireman considering another endurance challenge   Quotes:   “If you have to ask why you’re doing something, you’ll never truly understand. Do it yourself!”   “Our limitations are not time, our limitations are beliefs…. I wasn’t out there to finish on time, I was out there to help people believe that everything is possible…You have to feel it to truly believe in yourself”.   “Everybody thinks I must have such mental strength. Yeah, I do but I’m also human! There are moments when I think why am I doing this, this is dumb!”   “ Everybody on that scene was going for the ultimate purpose of helping humanity, helping other people. It didn’t matter what, you asked for a task, whether it was being a tunnel rat or mapping out search and rescue… it didn’t matter as nobody hesitated to say yes I’ll do that….That to me is something that we’re missing right now”.   “Realizing the perspective of what you’re capable of is probably the most important thing to do before engaging in something…And perspective change…You can change your perspective,”.      “In an endurance event, I always say my finish line is a mile out because that’s where you feel the power of what that day was”   “You get one chance at this thing called life and trust me it is something that will beat you to your knees, but also something great. You have the opportunity to make the journey that you want”   Links selected from this episode   Ironman- a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a 2.4-mile (3.9 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.2 km) bicycle ride, and a marathon 26.22-mile (42.2 km) run 9/11 attacks – a series of four plane suicide attacks on the United States in Washington DC.     Follow Rob Fireman: Website LinkedIn Facebook Youtube   Follow Javier: Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube Linktree   Join our Patron and support The Endurance Cartel Podcast

Dr. Mickey Witte joins today’s episode of The Endurance Cartel in a discussion about the impact of food and eating habits on the quality of our lives. Mickey is a Florida State University graduate with a PhD in nutritional neuroscience and a passionate endurance athlete. As a multiple triathlon competitor and two times Ironman racer, she was always dedicated to better understanding the importance of a healthy, balanced diet in relation to our bodies' performance. We talk about how she discovered her passion for racing, how to identify what’s detrimental to your health in a world where processed food is already an addiction and how to listen to your body and its warning signals.     In today’s episode:   (00:50) Our guest, Dr Mickey Witte, a nutritional neuroscientist, university lecturer and endurance athlete; (02:53) Concentrating her studies on the mechanisms of obesity and metabolism after being an overweight teenager; (04:45) Finding her passion for running- competing in numerous triathlons and in two Ironman races; (07:20) Applying her knowledge in nutritional science to her performance as an athlete- why there is so much confusion about nutrition and the detrimental effect certain foods have on our health; (11:31) Paleo, keto, fasting, veganism- can your diet affect your health? Why do diets usually fail? (17:36) How do you know when you’re hungry or full? Training your body to listen to your hunger cues. (19:54) Every cell in our body has a circadian clock- does sleep deprivation influence our diet? (23:33) Understanding the science behind your body’s performance- glucose monitoring; (26:56) Do your research before deciding what diet best suits you; (32:44) There’s a difference between body positivity and being complacent about your health- companies take advantage of the overweight models' trend; (36:01) Blue zones- healthy habits in communities with the highest life expectancy; (41:28) When endurance played a major role in her life- Mickey’s first Ironman race; (46:34) Who inspired her to go that extra mile- leaning on her friends; (49:48) Advice from Dr. Witte- how to be better prepared for life; (52:44) Launching “Eat So Simple”- a program meant to help people with food addiction       Quotes:   “I trust experts, I have friends that are exercise physiologists.(...) I'm always asking those science questions because to me, that's truth (...)  science is meant to be unbiased.”   “There’s so much nutrition confusion out there as a result of many factors (...)  I’m not going to blame one given entity on the fact that we’ve got rising rates of overweight and obesity in this country and in the sport, but there are so many factors at play that make sure people continue to eat how they eat.”   “I've been for many years (an adept) of a whole food, plant-based diet and I’ve been that way for decades (...) The amount of fiber that we get from legumes, from plants which is the only place we can get fibre, is tremendous, is off the charts and is so good for us to consume that in a state where 60 % of people’s plate is ultra-processed food (...) I am scared for the state of our nation, for the chronic disease rates that continue to skyrocket, because ultra-processed means exactly that.”   “Intermittent fasting has been shown to be beneficial in various ways when it comes to metabolism, body weight regulation, blood sugar control, but people don’t apply it the way it was done in the studies (...) it’s frustrating because it’s misapplied and then it’s not effective because it’s not being utilized properly.”   “We have stretch receptors in our guts that actually detect fulness physically and they send a signal to the brain to say like you’re physically full and then chemical receptors as well that detect the influx of macronutrients, you know, carbohydrates, lipids and proteins (...) If we start ignoring those cues, we’re lost.”   “Every single cell in our body actually has a circadian clock, it functions in a circadian cycle (...) when you mess with that, every cell in your body gets confused. It craves that 24-hour synchronicity in order for everything to function optimally.”    “Everyone deserves to feel good in their own skin and not feel ashamed, (but) there’s a line between feeling positive about who you are and living in your own skin (...) and promoting it. (...) I think (companies) see it as a marketing opportunity and consumers that they miss out on if they don’t target them.”     Links selected from this episode:   Lou Gehrig's disease- a neurodegenerative disease that results in the progressive loss of motor skills   Ice Bucket Challenge- activity involving the pouring of a bucket of ice water over a person's head to promote awareness of the disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Ironman- a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a 2.4-mile (3.9 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.2 km) bicycle ride and a marathon 26.22-mile (42.2 km) run   Carbohydrates, Glucose, Fibers   Circadian rhythm- ​​a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours;   Whole foods- are generally characterized as foods that have not been processed, refined or had ingredients added to them   Veganism, Fasting, Keto, Paleo- types of diets   Chuck Carroll- also known as The Weight Loss Champion;   Instagram | Twitter | Podcast   The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from People Who’ve Lived the Longest- novel written by  longevity expert Dan Buettner   Website | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin | Instagram   Follow Dr Mickey Witte:   Website Linkedin Twitter Instagram   Follow Javier: Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube Linktree   Join our Patron and support The Endurance Cartel Podcast  

In today’s episode of The Endurance Cartel, we are joined by Terry Tucker, a sought-after motivational speaker, former SWAT negotiator and cancer fighter who believes in the power of a good story to inspire people to live their uncommon and extraordinary lives to the fullest.   After a cruel diagnosis of cancer that robbed him of his legs, Terry started his true story of endurance. In 2019, he created the “Motivational Check” website, a membership program meant to help others face and work through their fears, and later on in 2020 wrote “Sustainable Excellence: Ten Principles To Leading Your Uncommon And Extraordinary Life”, a book meant to answers the three basic questions that can lead people to live their best life: "What is excellence, how do you achieve it, and most importantly, how do you sustain it?"   In our conversation, Terry shares some unique experiences from his time in the SWAT team of the Cincinnati police department, what drove him to become a motivational speaker and use his story to empower others and how his love for his family became the incentive in his fight for life.      In today’s episode / Timestamps:   (00:51) Meet our guest, Terry Tucker, a sought-after motivational speaker and author of Sustainable Excellence: Ten Principles To Leading Your Uncommon And Extraordinary Life; (02:02) Growing up in a loving family with a predestined passion for basketball; (03:40) Enrolling in law enforcement despite his father's opposition; (06:30) Joining the SWAT team for the Cincinnati police department as a hostage negotiator; (18:20) What drove him to become a motivational speaker, his fight with cancer, and starting his own podcast; (24:06) “You would fight harder for the people you love than you would fight for yourself”- a moment when endurance played a role in making him superhuman; (32:18) His parents set the foundation for who he is today; (37:39) Having his leg amputated during the Covid pandemic- the definition of courage is not the absence of fear but facing your fear and working through it; (45:08) Terry's advice on striving for a perfect life: “Don’t wait for life to come to you, go out and find the reason why you were put on the face of this earth”; (49:23) How to contact Terry,  get a copy of his book or get enrolled in his membership.   Quotes:   “My parents showed us the value and the importance of family. My parents did what I used to call divide and conquer parenting, where they would, you know, Terry's got a game over here on this day and you know, Larry's got a game over here on this day so, you know, mom's going in this game, dad's going to this game. We were always running in a million different directions, but we were always there to support and care for each other and love each other.”   “When I graduated from college, my father was dying of cancer and I could have said, sorry dad, I'm gonna go blaze my own trail and do my own thing, or out of love and respect for you, I will do what you want me to do. And so if you look at my resume, my first two jobs are basically corporate life (...) I sort of joke I did what every good son did. I waited until my father passed away, and then I followed my own dreams and I got into law enforcement.” “In the end, it was up to the person how this was gonna end. And like I said, 90% of the time we got the people out, and 10% of the time, the person decided (...) to end their life. And while that was always tragic, I don't mean to sound cruel about this, but I never lost any sleep over it because I knew I did the very best I could to get the person out.” “There's a great joke that goes like this: when we talk to God, it's called prayer, when God talks to us, it's called schizophrenia. So God never told me to write a book by any means, but I think what God does is he puts people in your path who start making the same suggestion, and I think I'm smart enough to realize that maybe I had to buck up and pay attention when people start making that suggestion.”     Links selected from this episode:   SWAT- police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics   Tombstone- American Western film starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer   Wyatt Earp- American lawman and gambler in the American West famous for participating in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which lawmen killed three outlaw Cochise County Cowboys   Doc Holliday- an American gambler, gunfighter and dentist, close friend and associate of lawman Wyatt Earp       Follow Terry:   Membership Blog Linkedin Twitter Facebook Instagram Youtube     Terry’s book:   Sustainable Excellence: Ten Principles To Leading Your Uncommon And Extraordinary Life     Follow Javier: Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Youtube Linktree Production By Saw And Sine: Website   Join our Patron and support The Endurance Cartel Podcast