The Clinical Athletes Podcast

In this episode, I interview Niels Ringma from the Netherlands.  Niels received an LVAD in 2023 and has improved his fitness over the two years as he waits for a heart transplant.

In Episode 7, in speak with Vang Her.  Vang received a heart transplant in 202 and has been training for endurance sport ever since.  The chat with Vang contrasts the previous chats I have had with heart transplant ironman in that he talks about the road to get there and talks about things Dwight, Derek and Elmar may have forgotten.

Well, this is my first attempt at a podcast so I thought the best way would be to interview myself.  That is a lot of taking on my end, so I had my little brother, Timothy Riess, do the interview.  Tim is a retired but longtime radio DJ in the Edmonton area. You never realize how boring your life is until someone interviews you about it.  Enjoy!

In this episode of the Clinical Athletes Podcast I interview Roderick Sewell.  Roderick is the first above knee amputee to complete the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.  In this interview we discuss Roderick's transition from active kid to world class Paralympic swimmer and triathlete.  We talk a little about training and also what is in the future for Roderick and racing.   Some information on Roderick's social media: Roderick's Facebook Roderick's Instagram Challenged Athletes Foundation   Also, A big shout out to Kurt Bordeaux for allowing me to use his awesome music for my podcast.  Give him a listen at: kurtbordeaux.com Kurt is also great story teller.  Be sure to subscribe to his newsletter for the inside scoop on these stories.  

In this episode I chat with Ross Wilson, a 3 time Paralympic Medalist and World Champion / World Champion medalist road and track cyclist.  Ross a started as a competitive bagpiper to cyclist after a diagnosis of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a hereditary neurological disease affecting the nerves in the extremities.  Ross tell us about his bagpipes, diagnosis. training and racing in this episode and his Paralympic fundraiser with a virtual "Everesting" ride.

In the final episode of the heart transplant ironman series I interview Elmar Sprink, a German triathlete and heart transplant recipient.  Elmar discusses his triathlon career before and after the heart transplant, his fitness levels and how he raced Ironman Kona World Championships with the help of a 2 time Ironman World Champion.

In this episode we talk to Derek Fitzgerald the first Cancer Survivor, Heart Transplant Recipient to complete an Ironman Triathlon and also a finisher at the Ironman World Championships in Kona Hawaii. Mr. fitzgerald talks about his treatments, the beginnings of his transition to an athlete and some stories of his race performances.

In this second episode of season one I focus on the amazing feats of heart transplant recipients.  My guest in this podcast is Dwight Kroening, the first individual to complete an Ironman Triathlon after having a heart transplant.  We'll talk to Dwight about his life before the transplant, around the transplant and his experience training for and competing in Ironman Canada in 2008.