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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
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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
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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
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Jerzy Gregorek and his wife Aniela survived a perilous journey living behind the Iron Curtain in Poland while it was subservient to brutal Soviet Union domination. He describes the darkness of living there in the 1970s and 80s, and how it led to him becoming an alcoholic at age 15. He had a mentor who pretty much dragged him into weightlifting at the time of the rise of Solidarity, the movement that led to the fall of the repressive Communist regime and to the free Poland that exists today despite constant threats from Putin’s Russia. Escaping that destructive, alcoholic path shaped his understanding of resilience and personal responsibility. He rebuilt his life — becoming a political exile in the USA, then a four-time world champion weightlifter, and later a mentor, poet, and a student earning his PhD in Humanistic Psychology. His core philosophy — “Hard Choices, Easy Life; Easy Choices, Hard Life” — comes from lived experience and years of guiding people through transformation. Jerzy founded the weightlifting program at UCLA, and Aniela herself is a five-time world weightlifting champion with six world records.

What sets Jerzy apart is his ability to integrate physical training, creative expression, and psychological insight into a holistic approach to health and resilience. He emphasizes that emotional intelligence is a crucial element in overcoming life’s adversities, and that it can be practiced, cultivated, and mastered. His three books, titled “The Happy Body: Mastering Food, Exercise, and Rest Choices,” are designed to help people embrace this path of strength, wisdom, and balance. The poetry book “The Happy Body: Food For Your Soul” helps with emotional eating. “The Happy Body Virtues: Daily Practices for the Modern Stoic” helps with emotional eating and self-regulation, while “I Got This: The Art of Getting Grit” helps with integrating the stories that contribute to building the skill of living a good life. Listen closely to the wise lessons Jerzy shares here and strongly consider getting deeper into The Happy Body to learn to apply the “Hard Choices, Easy Life; Easy Choices, Hard Life” philosophy to your own life. This might be one New Year’s resolution for change that I can heartily endorse.

Jerzy Gregorek

thehappybody.com

jerzygregorek@gmail.com

The Happy Body book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N21PL3D

Facebook The Happy Body

YouTube @thehappybody

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerzy-gregorek-ab87475/

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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This is an absolutely don't-miss episode listening to the incredible wisdom of two former fat guy alcoholics who became sober endurance beasts. I promise you will gain more insights from listening to this pair than you would from reading an armful of self-help books. And make sure you stay for the song at the end! Enjoy this very special blast from the past - David's last Christmas.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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Running on trails in the winter takes different sets of preparation and skills. As a long-time trail runner in all seasons, I share some of my insights to help keep you comfortable, on your feet, and enjoying the benefits and special beauty of getting off of the roads and into challenging yet peaceful trails to enjoy the next few months.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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You can’t beat the trail running community for positivity, and during so many of my races I have randomly met the most interesting and often inspiring people, many of whom have become lifelong friends. During the descending miles of this year’s Leadville Heavy Half, I started chatting with a fellow runner and before long discovering Scott Tish’s inspiring story that included his experiences as an air ambulance helicopter pilot and as a five-time cancer survivor. Scott’s battles led him to some dark places, but he emerged on the other side with a reinvigorated view on life and gratitude for the mere opportunity to go out and run every day, much less complete races as challenging as the Heavy Half. He attributes a lot of his rebound to his wife, Pam, who gave him the tough love needed to move forward with his life and find again how running is some of the best medicine anyone can take. Scott’s journey in the Army also gave him the very rare privilege of being a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Combine that with being a survivor of very rare forms of cancer and being an ultrarunner, Scott’s one-of-a-kind story will certainly inspire you.

Scott Tish

Facebook @stish162

linkedin.com/in/scott-tish-tus162

TikTok @millieandtesspapa

tombguard.org

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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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.

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Dealing with my dad's serious illness has reinforced the value of one of my core philosophies: It Will All Work Out. Anytime I have faced adversity, just as all of you have numerous times, it's a great tool to keep in your arsenal.

Bill Stahl
silly_billy@msn.com
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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