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We’re going back Down Under for a really impressive comeback story. Olli Bryers was what we Americans would stereotype as a young, carefree, adventurous Australian who liked to surf, backpack, travel, and occasionally party. Usually, that youthful bliss only gets interrupted when the real world says that maybe you need to find a job to finance this lifestyle, or get serious about a long-term career path. But in Olli’s case, that jolt came in his early 20s from the discovery of a spinal tumor that necessitated a surgery that could rob his ability to ever walk again. Fortunately, the doctors were successful in removing the tumor and it was benign. Improbably, just six months later, Olli toed the starting line of his very first triathlon, in his hometown of Newcastle in the state of New South Wales. But that wasn’t the end of this amazing comeback story because Olli never would have completed the race without the generosity of another competitor. His finish time was 1:27:16, placing him 114th out of 304 who completed it. But I have a feeling that this is only the beginning for this young Aussie, who as you’ll hear in this interesting chat has a lot of gratitude and a very mature attitude about the meaning of his surviving this ordeal intact, including how to approach life and being kinder to those around you. Plus, I’ve got to say that Olli told me I’m “cruisy,” which I took as a compliment. You’ll have to look that one up in your Aussie slang dictionary.

Olli Bryers

Instagram @olli.bryers

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Many of us have complicated relationships with our parents and then wonder how much of our inherited traits we are passing to our own children; it’s left up to us whether to nurture and grow those traits, or to discard them entirely. In his new book, “The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports,” Nick Thompson describes how his dad one day taking him to watch the New York City Marathon led him to a lifelong love of running. Nick, the CEO of the nationally renowned publication The Atlantic, and his dad followed similar paths through New England prep school and then Stanford, and both pursued running to varying degrees, but there their paths diverged. His dad’s life devolved from being a Rhodes Scholar and working inside the Reagan administration to a baffling, hedonistic life overseas. All the while, Nick’s journalistic career blossomed and he became the Editor-in-Chief of Wired magazine, and running became an anchor of stability. He consistently cranked out speedy marathons in the 2:40s, sandwiched around his own serious health scare. Then an opportunity to train under Nike coaches led him to breakthrough marathon times and a greater awareness of his importance as a husband and father. “The Running Ground” also includes stories about pioneers such as Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, and Suprabha Beckjord, a multiple-time winner of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon, a 3100-mile race run on a half-mile concrete sidewalk loop in Queens, New York. Nick has now ventured into the ultramarathon world, including breaking the previous 50K American 45-49 age group record previously held by the legendary Mike Wardian, running a 3:04:36. “The Running Ground” is a riveting read that deeply explores as only a career journalist can the complexities of why we run – the joys as well as the challenges and frustrations – and exploring that part of our life cycle that includes unraveling the mysteries about our parents. You can order both print and audiobook versions on Amazon. I also highly recommend subscribing to The Atlantic if you, like I do, want to read great in-depth reporting about the people and events that are shaping this world.

Nick Thompson

nickthompson.com

theatlantic.com

Instagram @nxthompson

“The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports" is available on Amazon

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

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Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.

Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8

Register for the American Heroes Run: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133138

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As many of you are planning your 2026 race schedule, you might be considering traveling out of town. Of course, that’s very different than waking up in your own bed, throwing your gear and some nutrition into the back of your car, stopping at a coffee shop along the way for some caffeine, and making a leisurely drive to a local race when few others are on the road. For answers about what and how to pack when the race is in another state, how to deal with not being able to bring big bottles of your favorite liquids on a plane, and more, I thought I’d turn to travel warrior Karen Smidt. Karen was featured in episode #186 four years ago as she was navigating her way toward an impressive goal of completing a 50-miler in all 50 states while in her 50s. She is now only six states short as she approaches her 60th birthday later this year. She not only finishes these races, but she is often a top placer in her age group or even overall in them. As Karen’s husband and crew chief Dan says, the only thing that she likes more than running is talking about it, so we have a fun time as she breaks down the gear she takes (hint: less), how she packs it, and how she achieves her need to drink pickle juice during races. Plus, we share many stories we’ve had at ultra races in far-flung locales. Definitely listen closely so you have smooth sailing at your next travel race, until you kick a rock and do a Superman on the trail!

Karen Smidt

@cairnrunner

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
Facebook Bill Stahl
Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast
YouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Subscribe to the We Are Superman Newsletter!

https://mailchi.mp/dab62cfc01f8/newsletter-signup

Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.

Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8