The Dig Deep Podcast

The coronavirus has changed our routines and also the ways we interact with people right? For instance, I usually do the podcast conversations in person. I really enjoy the interaction with my guests, see their faces and expressions. So after things started getting worse and worse, I stopped doing that, of course. Then I got a little sidetracked with a new series of videos that I started called Road To Kanza, which is a series of weekly videos where I chronicle my journey to completing the Dirty Kanza 200, a 200-mile gravel race that takes place in Kansas this September So if you are curious about what it takes to train for an ultra-distance gravel cycling race, of if you are interested in If you are interested in doing the Dirty Kanza in the future, check out these videos, just go to YouTube, look for the CHASKIS channel, and don’t forget to subscribe. A new video each week For the podcast, my goal is to still bring you engaging and fun conversations with people who embody the spirit of digging deep and chaskiing up. From now on I’m going to do this conversations remotely, until.who knows..so stay tunned! As I previously mentioned, I’m training to complete a 200-mile bike race called the Dirty Kanza. I’ve never done anything like this, so I’m trying to absorb as much information as possible, ask questions, and talk with people who have experience doing this race And my guest this week, Noah Schabacker, is one of them. Noah is a 3-time finisher of the Dirty Kanza One of the main reasons why I wanted to talk with Noah is because, Noah is not a pro, he is not the fastest, he is not training to win the Dirty Kanza, he is an everyday cyclist, like me. So I was very curious to get the perspective, specially from someone who’s finished it several times On this conversation Noah gives such great advice on all things related to the Dirty Kanza, from training, nutrition, lodging, logistics and more Noah and I met at this home several week ago, before we got hit with the coronavirus pandemic. On that conversation, we were still assuming that the race was going to take place in May (original date). Since then, the Dirty Kanza has been postponed until mid- Septeber, which I personally like because I’m having more time to train!

The last few weeks and days have been pretty crazy with all things coronavirus. There is so much uncertainty these days. You get bombarded with negative news pretty much every hour, your plans and routines are changed, races are cancelled or postponed You feel stressed out, overwhelmend and anxious. I know I am Personally,my training for the Dirty Kanza, this 200-mile gravel bike ride that ‘s supposed to take in May, has been less than perfect during the last 2 weeks That’s why I wanted to reach out to my coach Addie Bracy to get advice on how to cope with times like these, how to stay focused, how to put things in perspective, how to keep training. On this conversation, Addie shares really good advice on how to make the best out of uncertain and tough times, like the ones we are living right now. My 2 favorite parts of this conversation are probably when she says that it’s important to acknowledge how you feel right now. It’s ok to be frustrated, it’s ok to be intimidated, but then you need to take action from there. And the other par is when she say that these are times to CHALLENGE YOURSELF

This week’s podcast is part of a new series of conversations that are going to be focused on the Dirty Kanza. The Dirty Kanza is probably the world’s most known gravel cycling race right now. It’s 200-miles long on gravel roads. It takes place every May in the town of Emporia in Kansas. It’s so popular these days that you now have to enter your name in a lottery. Well, I put my name in and I got picked, which is exciting and intimidating because I’ve never done anything like this before. These podcasts are going to be focused on how to get ready for this event, especially from the perspective of a rookie everyday cyclist (like me), from training to bike setup to logistics and more. On this first podcast, I sat down with my friend Brian Hannon. Brian is a super experienced cyclist, bike shop owner and amazing mechanic. Brian has tons of experience on ultra-distance cycling events. He’s also done the Dirty Kanza before (he actually finished 5thon his age group several years ago). I wanted to ask him the things that I need to think about or do to have a great race strategy. This conversation is focused on Race Strategy to successfully complete the Dirty Kanza 200-mile gravel grinder. If you are into all-things gravel cycling or are thinking about doing the Dirty Kanza in the future, I invite you to subscribe to the podcast because I am going to be doing more in the next weeks.  

This week I sat down with my amazing wife, Amy to talk about the January Challenge. If you are not familiar with the January Challenge, well it was about picking one of two options, the first one was called Win The Day, which was basically to get up early and mediate or visualized having a great day for 10 minutes. The other option was called No Booze. Pretty straight forward. No drinking for the month of January Amy picked No Booze, I decided to do both. It’s been almost a week since the challenge ended, so I wanted for both Amy and I to share our personal experiences with you. The things we learned, the things we liked and disliked, the easy parts, the hard parts, and more. We also talk about a little about the upcoming February challenge

Jay Ferrane, is the founder and lead designer at Angry Bovine, a creative studio in Boulder, Colorado that helps companies and businesses be better businesses, through thinking, designing and doing. Growing up in a military household, Jay lived a big part of his formative years in Hawaii where he discovered his love for skateboarding and surfing. When moving to Japan, he used the experience of living abroad as an opportunity to explore and learn more about the local culture...and skateboarding too. Skateboarding has always been a key part of his life.  Like Jay says, skateboarding became his "medicine" (it helped him channel all this energy he had when growing up, especially growing up with ADD). Skateboarding and Punk Rock music became a portals to learn more about design, photography and a self expression. He still use these learnings these days As a designer, he would tell you that his job is to be more like a carpenter and to present a case, than being an artist. He finds inspiration in different places, but mostly the outdoors. Jay's pillars of his work include to be objective and act as a catalyst. Jay's work include all kinds of projects that are mostly in the tech, education and outdoor industries.  If you ride or run and use the Strava app, well..he's the one who created their logo. How cool is that!

This week, I talk about the January Challenge If you are not aware of what I’m talking about, well, we are doing a challenge for the whole month of January. People have 2 options: one is called "Win The Day", which basically means that you get up early, you then meditate or visualize having a kick ass day for 10 minutes. The other option is called No-Booze January. Pretty straight forward, no drinking during the month On this episode I talk about why I decided to start the challenge, how it’s going, why I think that the concept of Winning The Day is critical to not only having a more productive day but also help you achieve your short and long term goals. I also share some ideas I have for a Februrary challenge. I think you are gonna like them

I first met Joshua when he came to the podcast more than a year ago. On that conversation we talked about his background as a marketer and entrepreneur, his races and how he found in running a way to cope with drug and alcohol addiction, and a way to re-direct his energy and anger.  One year later, you can tell that Joshua’s perspective in training and racing has changed, more than that I would say, it has evolved. He’s definitely more methodical in his approach. He’s changed his nutrition, has incorporated other elements like conditioning and strength training, and more. His perspective on sobriety has also morphed in the past year. Some of his life priorities have also changed as well. Maybe that because of the fact that he is turning 30-years old soon? He talks in more detail about that during our chat. But his love and passion for running and giving his best have not changed, actually they have increased. Joshua keeps getting better and better as an ultra mountain runner. 2020 is gonna be a a big year for him We also talked about him living as a mountain man , his current projects with his company scheme running and more

One of my main goals in 2019 was to finish the year running a 50-mile trail race.  After finishing a half trail marathon and a 50k ultra in the last couple of months, I felt that I was ready to go after the 50-mile distance again (the only other time that I did a 50 miler was in Leadville in 2012) But after looking for races in Colorado and other states in the Rocky Mountain area I just couldn’t find one that I thought was worth doing or driving to.  “What do I do now? What do I do with this fitness and desire to keep pushing and digging deep? I need one more big challenge to finish 2019 feeling accomplished!” And then, one day I thought: What if I do my own run? Here in Boulder  Enter The CHASKI Challenge. On December 7th I will be challenging myself to run 12 hours on a 5-mile loop at the Boulder Reservoir.  My goal is to run 100K (62+ miles) On this episode I talk in more detail about the motivation behind this, my training so far, logistics and more Save the date. Let’s all challenge ourselves to do something hard on 12.7!

Just wanted to give you un update on how my training and racing's been going lately, especially during these last few months. Hint: I feel excited and look forward to have a kickass 2020!

This week’s guest is my friend Liubov Lomonosov (aka Luba) Luba is this amazing and inspiring runner and coach who in just few years has achieved incredible goals, including qualifying for the Boston Marathon She recently got a personal best at the marathon distance in Chicago last weekend. She ran it in 3hrs 4mins (10 minutes faster than her previous best time) Luba doesn’t have a running background, actually she used to hate running not that long ago But One day she decided to give this running thing another chance. She decided to follow a training plan with a very simple goal: completing a 40 minute run After seeing success. She then decided to work towards bigger goals, like running a 5k, a 10k, a half marathon and of course, a full marathon Luba has ran only a handful of marathons, but she is very goal driven and super disciplined. And that discipline didn’t happen overnight. It took several years of trying different approaches and surrounding herself with the right people One of my favorite things on this conversation is when she talks about the origins of her kickass hairstyle. Talk about what motivates you to make drastic changes in your life. We also talk about what she does to work on her mental strength and who’s coaching her these days (a familiar name, you’ll see) And trust me, she is just getting started  

This week’s episode is focused on all things swim-bike and run and more specifically How To Train For Your First Ironman Triathlon And to lead that discussion, I’m super pumped to have triathlon coach Eric Kenney back on the show On this episode, Eric gives great advice on what triathletes should think about when considering racing their first full-Ironman And we are not talking about expensive bikes or fancy gear, we are talking about consistency, efficiency, being dynamic and more. Eric summarizes his advice in 4 KEY THINGS during this conversation. Also, towards the end of this episode, Eric and I talk about a training camp that we are doing early next year that will be focused on How To Train For Your First Ironman. I can’t wait! If you are considering doing your first 140.6 mile race, I strongly recommend you listen to today’s episode and also sign up for updates. You can contact coach Kenney on his website ekendurancecoaching.com and also on Instagram and Facebook, (@ekendurance)

My guest this week is the one and only legendary running coach Brad Hudson Brad has decades of experience trainining all kinds of elite and professional runners, including a few olympians as well If you are not familiar with him , I invite you to listen to podcast episodes number 6, and two episdoes called the Q&A sessions #1 and #2..or just google him and you’ll find plenty of information about him This episode is focused on How To Train For A Marathon Whether you are thinking about training for your first one or if you have a particular time goal, like set a PR, qualify for the Boston Marathon, etc Brad shares great knowledge that’s includes things such as goal setting, how to start working towards that goal, making lifestyle changes, other elements that are key for a great performance (like sleeping, nutrition, etc He also talks about the mental aspect, how to train your mind, how to visualize while training and when not training, how to learn to push yourself, and more Now, image learning all the things that you will listen on this podcast, but in person, and getting individual and customized advice from coach Brad Hudson himself Brand and I are working on a training camp that will be focused on marathon training. This camp will be for runners of ALL abilities who want to have a great marathon experience in 2020. Like Brad says, this is going to be a Training Accelerator. We talk about this project in more detail towards the end of this conversation So if you are interested, for now go to CHASKIS.US, look for the retreat section and sign up to learn more about it. You are going to learn from the BEST!  

My guests this week are the amazing Addie Bracey and Corey Conner Both Addie and Corey are professional trail runners, coaches and partners. Corey and Addie have similar stories, they both have a strong background in professional road running, they found success, but then got burned out, to a point where they stopped or almost stopped running all together, and not just because of the stress that came from training and racing at such competitive level but also because of the burden that they were carrying within themselves: struggling with their own identity and sexuality Addie almost quit running. Actually, Weeks after a disappointing performance at the 2016 olympic trials in the 10k she entered her first ever trail race, the US Mountain Running Championships, which she won. That experience gave her a different perspective about her future in running. She also decided to come out to her friends and family, and also publicly in a blog post, lifting a burden that had weighted her down for so long. Corey stopped running for 4 years and it was after reading that blog post that she reached out to Addie, they reconnected, Corey moved to Colorado and they’ve been together since then. Corey has also found in trail running the passion and drive that she thought she lost years ago. Both of them are building amazing careers as professional trail runners and coaches. Actually they are my coaches! I started working with them a few months ago. I’m really enjoying working with them. They are helping me to find back the joy in training, setting goals and racing as well. They also recently launched Out Run, a new initiative meant to empower and connect LGBTQ+ individuals within the running community to create an environment that is encouraging, supportive and inclusive to all individuals

Rob is a regular person, like you, like me.  He is a dad, he has a full-time job, he has responsibilities, but he has a strong passion for running long, really long distances on trails.  How long?  How about doing 200-mile ultras? And he is not just doing one, he is attempting to complete 3 in a three-month period (one of these races is 240 miles long!) Rob’s life before running was very stressful, he worked 80-hr weeks, he was unhappy, he didn’t exercise at all. One time at a doctor’s visit, he was told that he had such high blood pressure and high cholesterol that he was seriously considering him to start taking Lipitor. One day, Rob got a “wake up call” when his dad told him that he almost died of a heart attack. Rob needed a change, so he started running. That was about 4 years ago When he first started running, he couldn’t complete a mile, but that didn’t deter him, instead he focused on goals, on reading as much as possible about running, on taking it one step at a time, on making changes like eating healthier. And it paid off  Rob’s mission is not just to push himself to see how far he can run, he also wants to inspire people, make them realize that if a “normal” person like him can run these distances, anybody can too. He shares this mission on several platforms like Instagram, his podcasts, he even recently released his first book where he shares his personal journey. I can’t wait to see him crush his “Triple-crown of 200s” attempt which starts on August 9ththrough October 17th. GO ROB! Follow Rob on Instagram (@trainingforultra). You can visit his website (www.trainingforultra.com)where you cn buy his book and contact him.

Matt Daniels recently had one of the best race performances that the ultra trail running community has seen in a while. He finished 4that the most competitive 100-miler in the US: The Western States 100. This was his 100-mile-ultra debut. Matt’s running journey began when he was 11 years old. He first started running track, then started running longer and longer distance, all on road.  While in college, Matt ran a sub-4-minute mile. He also qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials in the marathon. The guy is fast! But after years of focusing on roads and dealing with burnout and life, Matt realized that running trails is what he was meant to do, it’s where his passion is.  On this conversation, Matt talks about his first trail races and how his training and racing philosophy and mindset changed when he started working with his current coach David Roche. It’s very inspiring to see the positive influence that David has had on Matt’s perspective and attitude; you can see that reflected on his performance. And Matt is in no rush. He’s being smart, he’s building a solid foundation, he wants to do this for a long time. Trust me, you’ll hear more from him in the future. Follow Matt on Instagram (@mattdaniels480). You can also contact him at  mattdaniels480@gmail.comor visit his coaching website (www.mattdanielsrunclub.com) …he’s taking on new athletes!

Ryan is a content creator, story teller and YouTuber with a strong passion for exploring Colorado, the US and the world; and he does that by riding his bike or on his feet. 100% human powered! Ryan chronicles his adventures on his YouTube Channel called Duzer TV where you can see him supporting local causes in Boulder one day, then going on a bike ride across the country the next one, to then interviewing his favorite professional runner the next one. I’ve been wanting to interview Ryan for a while. His personality and positive attitude are contagious. He is a super nice dude! On this conversation, Ryan talks about growing up in Boulder, his first adventures, how he started travelling abroad and bikes..specially gravel bikes! We also talk about endurance sports. Ryan is a strong runner and cyclist. He’s ridden his bike across the country 4 times, he’s done popular races like the famous Caballlo Blanco 50-mile trail run a couple of times and the Javelina Jundred 100 miler twice as well, he’s done the rim-to-rim-to rim across the grand canyon, he has ridden his bike to Burning Man, and so much more! Follow Ryan's adventures on YouTube and also on Instagram (@duzer) 

Alli is a well-known local hiker, who’s personality, charisma and weirdness (in a good way) has made her become a local legend in Boulder, Colorado She is the co-founder of a group called The Boulder Hiker Chicks(BHCs), a group of hikers who go on all kinds of adventures, mostly in the Boulder area. I’ve really enjoy following them on Instagram; they always go on epic adventures, they like to challenge themselves and also have fun, not to mention that they do crazy things, like wearing funny costumes when hiking, and other funny stuff. They don’t take themselves seriously at all; that's one of the reasons why I think they rock. When I think of  how the BHCs operate, them I think of the following: set a big goal push yourself have fun while doing it achieve celebrate big time On this conversation, Alli talks about how she discovered her passion for hiking and the outdoors, how moving to Boulder, moving away and then moving back to helped her realize that she was meant to start something like the Boulder Hiker Chicks. One of my favorite parts of this conversation is when she talks about that one time when she carried a 15 lb. block of ice on a hike just to surprise a good friend on her birthday. And what was the ice for? Well..you have to listen to this episode to understand more about her personality. But Alli is not just about hiking and having fun. One of her roles as one of the leaders of Boulder Hiker Chicks is to empower women, especially everyday hikers, like she would say; make them feel welcomed and feel that they are part of a special group of strong and badass women who can do anything that they set their minds to.  

As part of the Global Running Day activities that took place a couple of weeks ago, my friends at the Boulder Running Company and New Balance hosted a Q&A session with professional track athlete Cory McGee. They invited me to join and record this conversation. On this short Q&A (about 20 minutes), Cory talks about several things such as:  How moving to Boulder has helped her to take her training and racing to another level. What are her short and long term goals Her experience training with runners like world champion Emma Coburn and also being coached by Joe Bosshard, etc. My favorite part is probably when she talks about what she thinks or focuses on before a big race. Most of us like to get pumped up. Not Cory, she does something else.

IRONMAN BOULDER | Coach Eric On How To Execute A Great Race

My guest this week is professional ultrarunner Joshua Stevens This is the second time that I have Josh on the show, he was actually my very first guest, back in February of last year This time we talked about 2018, not only the races that the participated in..but also crazy stuff like him running 24 hours on a treadmill to raise awareness for a non for profit organization called the Herren project We also talked about 2019, the races that he’s done so far and the ones that he has ahead, like running the grueling Badwater 135 miler in July, and then running the prestigious Leadville 100 miler a month later, in August One of my favorite parts is when Josh talks about this idea that a good race has to tell a good story. He’ll talk more about that