Sometimes the greatest transformations don't begin with a workout plan or a new diet.

They begin with surviving your darkest day.

In this episode, I'm joined by Kyle Fry, who shares an incredibly honest conversation about living through chronic pain, surviving suicidal thoughts, rebuilding his life after multiple back surgeries, and ultimately losing more than 75 pounds by changing far more than his body.

Together, we explore how mindset, personal responsibility, supportive relationships, and daily action helped Kyle move from simply surviving to creating a life he genuinely enjoys living.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Kyle's battle with chronic pain and multiple back surgeries

• The day he nearly lost his life to suicide

• How one unexpected moment changed everything

• The mental and emotional side of long-term weight gain

• Why rock bottom became the turning point in his journey

• Losing more than 75 pounds through sustainable lifestyle changes

• Food addiction, habits, and rebuilding a healthier relationship with yourself

• The importance of surrounding yourself with people who genuinely want to see you succeed

• Why small, consistent goals often lead to the biggest transformations

• Making peace with your past without allowing it to define your future

This conversation goes far beyond weight loss. It's about resilience, choosing hope during incredibly difficult seasons of life, and recognizing that lasting change begins long before you see it reflected on the scale.

Whether you're navigating your own health journey, struggling with your mental health, or simply looking for encouragement to take the next step, I believe you'll find something meaningful in Kyle's story.

Connect with Kyle Fry

TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@kilofree86

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/kilofree86

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/kyle.fry.9210

Mental Health Resources

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis, please know that help is available.

United States & Canada

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor 24 hours a day.

https://988lifeline.org

If you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately.

You are not alone. Reaching out for help is a sign of strength, and support is available.

Today on the podcast, I am joined by Memo, a runner, content creator, and one of the most genuine people I've had the opportunity to connect with online.

What started as a conversation about running quickly became a deeper discussion about identity, fatherhood, mental health, social media, personal growth, and the moments that change the direction of our lives.

Memo shares how the COVID years led to unhealthy habits, weight gain, and a growing disconnect from the person he wanted to be. After becoming a father, everything changed. Faced with the reality of the choices he was making and the future he wanted for his daughter, he made a decision that would eventually lead him to running.

We talk about the difficult first steps, the lessons learned during his first year as a runner, and how slowing down ultimately helped him make more progress. We also explore the supportive running community on TikTok, the power of documenting your journey, and why connecting with others can make a difficult process feel a little less lonely.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How the pandemic impacted habits, health, and daily life

• Becoming a father and finding a new sense of purpose

• The frightening moment that motivated Memo to make a change

• Why slowing down helped him become a better runner

• Recovery runs, pacing, and avoiding burnout

• Using social media to document progress and build community

• The connection between running, mental health, and self-reflection

• Finding beauty in everyday life and appreciating the journey

• Why consistency matters more than perfection

• The lessons running teaches about patience, growth, and resilience

This conversation goes far beyond running. It's about becoming the person you want to be, appreciating where you are today, and continuing to move forward one step at a time.

To continue following Memo's journey, connect with him on TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@memoruns26

Why did Chad start running?

What began as preparation for a Spartan Race became a complete transformation of his physical health, confidence, mindset, and sense of purpose.

In this episode of Why Did You Start Running, Chad shares how a difficult period following COVID left him struggling with mobility, spasticity, self-doubt, and depression. Living with cerebral palsy, he found himself facing an important decision: continue down a path of inactivity or take a chance on himself and see what was possible.

That decision led to his first 5K.

Since then, Chad has logged more than 1,000 miles, completed dozens of races, earned a first-place age group finish, organized a charity virtual 5K, launched a scholarship program, and become a voice of encouragement within both the running and cerebral palsy communities.

We also discuss the power of community, the mental health benefits of running, navigating grief, overcoming self-doubt, and how one small decision can create opportunities you never imagined.

Whether you're a runner, someone living with a disability, or simply looking for a reminder of what's possible when you take a chance on yourself, this conversation is packed with inspiration and perspective.

In This Episode

• Why Chad signed up for a Spartan Race in 2022

• Living with cerebral palsy and navigating physical challenges

• How running helped improve mobility and confidence

• The mental and emotional benefits of running

• The importance of supportive communities

• Running through grief and difficult life experiences

• Finding purpose through helping others

• Creating a scholarship program and charity 5K

• Building confidence through personal growth

• Why taking one chance on yourself can change everything

Connect With Chad

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chadwillia1/

Learn More About Cerebral Palsy Perspective

Website: https://cerebralpalsyperspective.com

If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who needs a reminder that progress doesn't require perfect circumstances. Sometimes the biggest transformations begin with a single decision to try.

Why did Jeremy start running?

What began as a challenge inspired by David Goggins eventually became something much bigger. In this episode of Why I Started Running, Jeremy shares how running and fitness became tools for improving his mental health, processing emotions, and showing up as a better father, husband, and man.

Our conversation explores the connection between physical fitness and emotional well-being, why so many men struggle to talk about what they're feeling, and how bottling up emotions can affect every area of life. Jeremy also discusses his "How Are You, Man?" series, where he encourages men to move beyond automatic responses and have more honest conversations about what's really going on beneath the surface.

We also talk about fatherhood, breaking generational cycles, emotional intelligence, and the importance of teaching the next generation of boys that it's okay to feel, communicate, and work through difficult emotions in healthy ways.

Whether you're a runner, someone working on your mental health, or simply trying to become a better version of yourself, this conversation offers practical perspective and a powerful reminder that growth often starts with being honest about where you are.

In This Episode

• Why Jeremy started running after years of avoiding it

• The influence of David Goggins and embracing discomfort

• How running helps process thoughts and emotions

• The connection between fitness and mental health

• Why many men struggle to communicate their feelings

• The dangers of bottling up emotions

• Breaking unhealthy cycles through fatherhood

• Teaching emotional intelligence to children

• The importance of asking, "How are you, man?" and meaning it

• Building healthier ways to deal with life's challenges

Connect With Jeremy

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremygrap22

If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who could benefit from hearing it. Sometimes the most important conversations are the ones we avoid having.

What happens when a simple goal to lose weight turns into a running journey that changes how you see yourself, your work, and the people around you?

In this episode of Why Did You Start Running?, I sit down with Jeremy Lundmark to talk about how a daily walking habit during the early days of COVID eventually led him into running, endurance events, content creation, and building the Uncredible community.

What started as a practical attempt to burn calories and lose weight quickly became something much bigger. We discuss consistency, identity, efficiency, work ethic, social media, authenticity, family, leadership, and why ordinary people are often doing extraordinary things every single day without getting any recognition for it.

Jeremy also shares the story behind his Uncredible project, his podcast, Substack, and why he believes regular people deserve a platform to share their experiences.

This conversation goes far beyond running and explores what it means to show up, stay curious, and build something meaningful while balancing work, family, and life.

Topics Covered:

• Why Jeremy started running

• Weight loss and habit building

• Running during the COVID years

• Walk-to-run progression

• Half marathon training and endurance running

• The concept behind Uncredible

• Leadership and workplace culture

• Efficiency, problem-solving, and manufacturing

• Family, parenting, and personal growth

• Social media authenticity

• Why regular people deserve a voice

• Building community through running

Guest Links:

Jeremy's Substack:

https://jeremylundmark.substack.com/

Jeremy on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jeremylundmark/

Thank you for listening to Why Did You Start Running?

Every runner has a story. Sometimes that story starts with a goal to lose weight. Sometimes it starts with curiosity. Sometimes it starts with simply taking the first step. Jeremy's story is a reminder that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things when they consistently show up and keep moving forward.

Welcome to the very first episode of Why Did You Start Running?

Before hearing the stories of runners from all walks of life, I wanted to share my own. In this episode, I talk about how I started running in college despite not enjoying cardio, how walk/run intervals helped me get started, and how running became less about performance and more about community, connection, and staying active for life.

I also share my experience of running with cerebral palsy, leading Couch to 5K and 10K training groups, completing races, finishing last more than once, and why none of that ever mattered as much as the people I met along the way.

This podcast isn't about pace charts, shoe reviews, or chasing personal records. It's about stories. It's about the moments that convinced someone to take that first step, and the lessons they learned after they did.

Whether you've been running for years, you're thinking about starting, or you're simply looking for a supportive community, I hope these conversations encourage you to keep moving forward.

Links Mentioned:

Your Level Fitness Podcasts:

https://yourlevelfitness.com/podcasts

Email Daryl:

mailto@yourlevelfitness.com

Website:

https://yourlevelfitness.com

Thank you for listening to the first episode of Why Did You Start Running. I'm excited to start sharing the stories behind the first step.