Like A Bigfoot

This week we are welcoming back Jennifer Mabus to hear some stories from her adventure on the Pacific Crest Trail!! While hiking from Mexico to Canada, Jennifer experienced what truly can be described as an epic adventure. In this episode she shares stories from the trail, how she felt to reach the last mile of her journey, how the PCT community supported each other along the way, and what it is like to face down a mountain lion in the dead of night armed only with a rock and a knife. (In my opinion, her week long mountain lion encounters are some of the most intense stories that have been shared through all of our shows!) I really hope you enjoy this episode and use Jennifer's inspiration and positivity to step up to the challenges in your life. Maybe it will even motivate you to take on the unknowns of an adventure!! MORE FROM JENNIFER: Whimsical Woman Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIUPDURNSrgUg96rxhlr5rA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhimsicalwoman/?hl=en Facebook: https://w

This week we are welcoming back my cousin Matt Rackers from one of our earliest episodes!! Back then Matt had just finished his very first half marathon. This time, he is fresh off completing his self made trifecta where he finished an obstacle course race one weekend, a half marathon the next, and his first trail 25k on the third weekend. In this episode we talk all about these experiences, what drives Matt to take on challenges, what kind of goals he sets during the year (including playing golf in a three piece suit), and what he learned about himself when he found himself alone in the woods for a majority of the 25k. I laughed harder and smiled more in this episode than I have in quite awhile! It's always a joy catching up with Matt and I truly hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did!! MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT: Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2 Soundcloud Archives: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464 Facebook Group: https

"That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run." - Forrest Gump I'm extremely excited to welcome Rob Pope, the real life Forrest Gump, to this week's show! Over the last few years, Rob has taken on the EPIC challenge of recreating Forrest Gump's famous run. Over 15,000 miles across the United States 5 times, he tested the limits of his own endurance and experienced the U.S. to the absolute fullest. Over his year and a half adventure he experienced highs and lows, received major support from strangers along the way, and ran through some of the most iconic places in the country. The human connections he made, along with the places he explored were life changing. Completing the challenge was absolutely unprecedented. Today's episode is all about this INCREDIBLE ADVENTURE. Rob shares how one of his last conversations with his mother about "Doing one thing that makes a difference in this world" inspired this challenge. He also chats about the adventures he had along the way, along w

This week I'm honored to share a conversation with Josh Sprague, adventure racer, ultra endurance athlete, and founder of adventure gear company Orange Mud. We chat all about his recent attempt at Leadman, the series where competitors take on every single Leadville, CO endurance event over the summer. Josh also shares stories from his time as an adventure racer and discusses what led him down the path of creating adventure gear. I really enjoyed talking with Josh and I hope you guys take as much away from this episode as I did! MORE FROM JOSH SPRAGUE AND ORANGE MUD: Orange Mud website: https://www.orangemud.com Orange Mud Adventure Channel Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-mud-adventure-channel/id1206428899?mt=2 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orangemud/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orangemud/ MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT: Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2 Soundcloud Archives: https://soundcloud.com/chris-w

This week we are talking with Jay Lund, an athlete who has taken on many impressive adventures and has stepped up to some intense challenges in his life. In this episode we talk about a bunch of different topics; everything from his recent race at the Yeti 100 in Virginia to the joys of east coast trail running to dodging alligators in Florida trail races. We also spend a bit of time talking about underwater cave diving which is an incredibly dangerous sport that Jay explored for quite a few years. The general idea is that you scuba dive into various cave systems. It sounds like the definition of extreme and requires some intense focus and preparation. Jay is really knowledgeable and his stories about cave diving will have you on the edge of your seat! Thanks for coming on the show Jay, I really appreciated hanging and am grateful that you shared your stories with the podcast. Hope you guys enjoy! We'll catch you next week. MORE FROM JAY LUND: Twitter: https://twitter.com/voodoo36?lang=en Desert RAT

This week we are talking with Alfredo Garcia Huerta, an incredible athlete from Virginia, about the ups and downs he experienced taking on his very first Ironman triathlon. An Ironman is something most endurance athletes have on their bucket list with a training that seems incredibly time consuming and intense. It's something I've always wanted to dig deeper into for this podcast! In this episode Alfredo shares how he juggled real life with long training sessions, how being 100% committed to the plan leads to no excuses or regrets on race day, the ways in which an Ironman is different than a regular marathon or ultra, and his experience swimming, biking and running his way on the big day. Enjoy the episode! MORE FROM ALFREDO: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/run_alfredo_run/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alfredo.h.garcia MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT: Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2 Soundcloud Archives: https://soundcloud.com/chr

This week we are reconnecting with Thad Burkamper to talk about his recent Spartan Race Trifecta, what it was like training and running a race with his wife Rachel, his concept of FOCUS- the things that stop us from reaching our goals, and the lessons he learned from his longest run to date! Hope you guys enjoy this one!! I absolutely loved chatting with Thad and hearing about his adventures! MORE FROM THAD: TB Mentalism: https://www.facebook.com/tbmentalism/ Previous LABF episode: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464/59-thad-burkamper MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT: Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2 Soundcloud Archives: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464 Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/likeabigfoot/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/likeabigfoot/

This week we welcome back Ryan Esdohr to the show to talk about his recent 48 hour GoRuck Challenge....we end up mostly talking about why we take on these extreme ultra endurance events- all the positives and all the negatives. What follows is one of my absolute favorite conversations I've had in my two years of doing this podcast. Check it out! MORE FROM RYAN: Superhuman Lab: https://www.mysuperhumanlab.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/superhumanlab/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanesdohr/ MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT: Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/like-a-bigfoot/id1160773293?mt=2 Soundcloud Archives: https://soundcloud.com/chris-ward-126531464 Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/likeabigfoot/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/likeabigfoot/

This week I'm very excited to welcome Jay Lee back to the show! Jay is an ultra runner and one of the best crew leaders around. Over 54 and a half days in 2017, he crewed Sandra Villines through her world record setting transcontinental run in which she ran from San Francisco to New York City. Through all of her 3,127 miles Jay spent his days driving a little ways up the road, running back to her with her nutrition and supplies, getting back in the car, and doing it over and over again up to 100 times a day. He was extremely organized, detailed, patient, and hard working through the whole endeavor. On this episode Jay shares his experience. What does it take to be a good crew member? How do you support a self-sponsored event like this? What's it like to crew all the way across America in a tiny Toyota rental car? How do you chase a bear away on the down low so your runner isn't freaked out? It takes someone truly special like Jay to be the wingman in an event like this and I'm super pumped to share

This week's show features an amazing photographer and awesome ultra runner Zandy Mangold! Zandy started ultrarunning after being hired as the photographer for the Racing the Planet series. Since then he has been all around the world and has participated in a wide variety of races- everything from week long stage races in Chile to the Badwater 135 to the Georgia Death Race and so much more!! In this episode Zandy explains the journey of turning his passion for photography into his career. He also gives us a rundown of the 4 desert races, talks about the conundrum of watching people suffer through an ultra marathon only to think to yourself "I think I should do this!" and describes the extreme heat he faced at Badwater this year. Hope you guys enjoy the show! I really loved chatting with Zandy. I always think it's super inspiring when someone is living their life guided by their passions! Be sure to check out all of his photos by following run_n_shoot on instagram https://www.instagram.com/run_n_shoot/?h

On this week's Like a Bigfoot Podcast, former Indianapolis Colts Linebacker Pat Angerer shares lessons he learned from his journey to the NFL. Pat talks about the unexpected path his football career took him down, the moment he went "all in" to become the middle linebacker for the Iowa Hawkeyes, his experiences as a rookie in the big league, and how his mindset evolved through each phase of his career. This is a really enjoyable episode and I hope you guys take as much away from the lessons Pat shares as I did! Thanks Pat for coming on the show! I wish you the absolute best on everything you take on in the future! Also....football season is about to start!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!!!! MORE FROM PAT ANGERER: Twitter: https://twitter.com/PAngererUSA QC Times Article: https://qctimes.com/sports/college/big-10/iowa/former-hawkeyes-angerer-and-greenwood-still-fighting-together-as-a/article_226b71f0-d2de-5c9b-80d6-9e5338b3e9a2.html MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT: Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/u

On this week's episode of the show, I sat down and had a wonderful talking to one of the most influential people in my life, my dad Randy Ward. We chat about a wide variety of topics but mostly focus on how his experiences growing up in a small southern Iowan town influenced his love for nature and the outdoors. We also share stories from our father/son trip to Vanuatu, a small chain of islands in the South Pacific where my grandpa served during World War II. This includes our leaky kayak ocean adventures and when we canyoneered, climbed, and swam our way back into a cave deep in the jungle. (Spoiler ALERT: It was the time I most felt like Indiana Jones!) Lastly, he tells stories from rafting the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area- one of the wildest places in the U.S. Hope you guys enjoy this episode! It was really important for me to understand how and why I developed a love for adventure and exploring the outdoors. I've realized it's all about the opportunities my parents gave me when I was younger. I

This week’s Like a Bigfoot Podcast features our last Desert RATS episode. These folks are absolutely amazing athletes and incredible human beings with stories that are intense, motivating, and will hopefully inspire you to step up to your own challenges. In this episode we start by focusing on some veteran Desert RATS Sue Heineman and Jeff Knackal who were returning for more punishment after a brutally hot 2017 race. Sue, after winning the whole thing last year and Jeff who, along with his wonderful wife Theresa, was back for his 3rd time! Then we feature, Jay Lee, a newbie (but legend at crewing ultra endurance athletes) who managed the challenges like a pro in his first big time ultra event. And finally, we chat with John Graham, the most positive, awesome volunteer who spent his time providing the runners with aid, water, food, and lots of laughs. This will wrap up the Desert RATS experience for this year! Thank you guys for listening! I hope you enjoyed my attempt at telling the story of one incre

This week I get the opportunity to talk with sports writer, runner, and even more awesome human being Amy Donaldson Brass! I met Amy during the Desert RATS stage race and although we intended to record a brief 20 minute recap for episode #101 (which was an episode you guys should totally check it out!), she was so open, honest, and raw about her mindset and self-discoveries through the event that we ended up chatting for an hour and a half!! This episode is for everyone out there who is pushing themselves to see what they truly could accomplish. What stories are we telling ourselves about our abilities? Could we set higher expectations for ourselves? What kind of adventures could we have by taking on something completely out of our league? If we don't hold ourselves to a higher standard how can we ever achieve to our highest abilities? These are the questions that one faces in the desert while running multiple ultra marathons day after day. Throughout her unforgettable adventure, Amy and her sister Mi

This week we are chatting with Kompas Design's Ana Popovic, John Pelkey and Ali Watson! All three of them recently took on a 30 day challenge that was meant to better their health, their art, and their knowledge. Along the way they became closer, more successful communicators and discovered the key to creating new healthy habits- CONSISTENCY. In this episode we have a great conversation about how to stay consistent on a new goal and why forming a short daily practice (in anything) can be so powerful. We talk about all things yoga, teaching, design, and collaboration. They also explain why Vermont is such a wonderful state when it comes to exploring the outdoors. I really enjoyed chatting with all of three of them and hope they keep striving to better themselves day by day! MORE FROM KOMPAS DESIGN: Website: https://www.kompascreative.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kompascreative/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kompasdesign/ MORE LIKE A BIGFOOT: Subscribe and Review on iTunes: https:/

I am incredibly excited to bring you this week's episode with Colorado mountain athlete Justin Simoni. Last summer, Justin created a challenge he dubbed the "Tour De Highest Hundred" which was a self powered journey to and up the 100 tallest mountains in Colorado. Over 60 days he did something no one else has even attempted as he biked to trailheads, summited the mountains, ate an astonishing amount of food, and slept in the wilderness. It truly was an extraordinary feat of human endurance! In this episode we hear the tale of the Tour de Highest Hundred. What is it like to take on an adventure of this magnitude? What sort of misadventures did he have along the way? How does one train for something this intense? Justin also shares the story of his first known traverse of the Mosquito to Ten Mile Range from Trout Creek to Mt Royal. That's a total of 91 hours, 87 miles, and 30,000’+ of elevation (which are numbers that my brain can barely comprehend!!) I really hope you enjoy the episode as much as I

This week I'm super pumped to chat with Catra Corbett, one of the most accomplished ultrarunners I've had the pleasure of sharing a few miles with. Catra is a wonderful human being and an amazing athlete. When you meet her you instantly know that she absolutely loves running and expresses her joy for the sport by taking on gigantic challenges. Just to give you an idea here's some of her summer schedule- Beyond the Limits 72 hour run, Desert RATS stage race, FKT on the 310 mile John Muir Ramble Route, and then the Triple Crown of 200s (where you run all three of Candice's 200 mile races)!! And that doesn't include crewing for Badwater, the a handful of other races she's signed up for, and her current running streak! In this episode Catra shares stories from her early running career before we get into her recent FKT (Fastest Known Time) on the John Muir Ramble Route- 310 miles from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park. It sounds like it was a really challenging adventure that led her and her crew throug

This week we are chatting with the incredible Hoka One One athlete Pete Kostelnick. In 2016 Pete ran from San Francisco to New York City in 42 days, 6 hours and 30 minutes, shattering the previous record set in 1980. That's an average of 72 miles each day! He also holds the fastest time for Badwater 135 which is commonly known as one of the hardest endurance races in the world as it traverses Death Valley in July. In this episode Pete talks a bit about those accomplishments but mostly we dig into his next challenge. Starting in August, he will run self supported from the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska all the way to Key West, Florida, while pushing a stroller full of his supplies the entire 5,000 miles. What exactly is his strategy going into this thing? How does a supported 2,000 mile journey compare to a self supported 5,000 one ? What concerns does he have running through Alaska and Northern Canada? This is the kind of adventure that is a must follow over the next few months! Watching Pete as he makes

This week's Like a Bigfoot Podcast features stories from some of my fellow racers from the Desert RATS stage race. These folks are absolutely amazing athletes and incredible human beings with stories that are intense, motivating, and will hopefully inspire you to step up to your own challenges. It was great to reconnect because, after our experience traversing the desert, we bonded into a tight knit, super positive community. This was the most surprising aspect of the race- Random strangers relying on each other and rooting for each other's success. After recapping, the power of this was something all of us felt. It is something every single person needs to experience. Desert RATS taught me why we should ALWAYS give other people the absolute best of ourselves, because WHY NOT?? In this episode we reconnect with the awesome Phil Pinti as he shares his thoughts on the race and his experiences pushing through one of the hardest race days he's ever faced. We also chat with Micky Sederburg about Hypernatre

This week’s episode is my race report from Gemini Adventures Desert RATS stage race. Desert RATS is a 6 day stage race on the Kokopelli Trail from Fruita, Colorado to Moab, Utah. This was one of my absolute favorite adventures I have ever experienced and I am extremely excited to share this race report for the special episode 100 of the podcast!! Throughout this episode, I recap the event to my buddy Brady Manriquez and share a few audio clips I took during various stages of the race. We talk about the incredible group of people involved, the power of supporting each other through hard times, the bizarre thoughts you get while running a long way, how the little things add up, and the power of having a WHY and running with intention. I hope you guys enjoy and take something away from this show. This one was not easy to record as it gets pretty personal, but I feel strongly that if it helps or encourages just one person get through a hard time it was absolutely worth it. Next week, I’m putting togethe