My Favorite Athlete With No Legs - Blake Leeper

Daniel talks to Blake Leeper, a Paralympic world record sprinter with no legs.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's more frustrating being born without legs or being a
black man in America.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Ooh, that's a good win because they actually are close
to being equal.

Speaker 1 (00:12):
Cash Show, Cash Show, to Show. Welcome to Toss Show
another episode. How you doing, Eddie?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
I'm doing great. How are you?

Speaker 1 (00:26):
I'm well? Thank you? You got any cool new VIDs
I need to check out?

Speaker 2 (00:31):
No no videos this week? Huh?

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Your only job is to give me one interesting video
that I may have missed. It has slipped through the
cracks that I didn't see in you and there's none
this week. What that's the beauty of Toss Show. Apparently
some weeks no videos. So anything going on in the
world that I need to know about? Now?

Speaker 2 (00:54):
All right?

Speaker 1 (00:55):
Well I'm caught up. Let's talk sports. Got my favorite
pair of Olympian on today, and I'm excited about that.
Let me tell you something about US athletes that compete
under a different countries flag. This happens all the time
because they're not good enough to compete under the American flag.

(01:16):
They don't make the team, so they go to another country.
I want you to know that you're a trader, okay,
and that I pray that you get injured, and then
you find out how great the US healthcare system really is.
I'm only half joking. I understand why US athletes, you know,
go to other countries. It's a great opportunity. But I

(01:37):
just think it's I don't know, it's not. I'm always
like these they're Americans. Here's what. Here's my stance like
on California. You know how long you have to live
in California before you're supposed to get a California driver's license?
Ten days. Don't look it up, Eddie, I've already done it.
And let me tell you something. These people that come
here live here ten years and refuse to get a

(02:00):
licencause they don't want to pay the high insurance, car insurance,
all of that nonsense, registration. It's a mess. So I
don't really believe the number of the people that the
people that actually live here is way higher. They don't
even get me started on the illegals. For the record,
I love illegals. Oh that's how I feel about tennis players.

(02:21):
All these Russians, they all grew up in South Florida.
They all trained in South Florida at tennis academies in Florida.
I think if you play tennis in Florida for ten days,
you're now a US citizen. This is where I'm just
tired of all these other countries getting credit for these

(02:42):
great athletes that only became great athletes because they trained
in America. I think it's a decent I think it's
a decent point. I think I can actually get some
of my Red State Republican fans to get behind me
on this. In twenty twenty eight, the Olympics are here
in la I kind of excited to see what happens.

(03:02):
Our freeway burnt down last week, so I can only
imagine how flawless building these Olympic villages is going to go.
I also want to compete in twenty twenty eight, I'll
be fifty three. I want to compete in surfing. Now
I'm certainly not a professional surfer, but there's got to
be some you know, Jamaican Bob Sled type scenario where

(03:26):
there's a country that would let me compete. And I
don't know what the qualifying is to get into surfing
in the Olympics, but this is what I need to happen.
So you know, I was born in Germany. McIntosh shortened
to Toash. I was originally. I think my family was
in Ireland. At some point, I think they changed the
name and fled the country. I don't know what they did,

(03:48):
probably something awful. Doesn't matter. Find a country some landlock
hell hole, and then I'll be your flag bearer. Well,
I certainly want to do the opening ceremony. That's my
favorite part of the opening ceremony is the small countries
that have like two people or one person competing. Great.

(04:10):
There's always in some event that nobody gives a shit about.
By the way, the Olympics, the Summer Games should have
two events. It should just have running and jumping the end.
That should be the Olympics. We don't need all the
every year. Oh did you hear that they're adding touch
whiffle ball? No? I didn't hear about touch whiffle ball.

(04:32):
But by the way, and running running fine, I'm running
should be in the Olympics because it makes sense. But
running in general is the dumbest thing on the planet.
I honestly can't think of anything worse. I've never You're
a runner, ready?

Speaker 2 (04:50):
I mean I used your another knees are killing me.

Speaker 1 (04:52):
You ever had you ever got had runners?

Speaker 2 (04:53):
High? No?

Speaker 1 (04:55):
I've never run that far. You can talk about runners
high like it's a good thing. You know what else
gets you high and all? I don't do that either.
Ventanill get you high?

Speaker 2 (05:07):
Right?

Speaker 1 (05:08):
Oh yeah, yeah, running has never been my thing. That's
why I'm so inspired by today's guest. A world class
sprinter would never be something that interests me. But he's
overcome so many obstacles. I mean, I'm a tall, handsome, successful,
straight white male. The only obstacles I've ever had to
deal with our my in laws. Blake was born without legs.

(05:31):
He's a built in excuse to never run. He's going
against God's will. God's plan for Blake was to be
a couch potato or a fancy throw pillow. Enjoy, Pasha,

(05:53):
My guest today is an eight time track and field medalist,
world record holder and my favorite sprinter with no legs.
Please welcome Blake Leaper.

Speaker 2 (06:03):
Thank you so much. Your favorite spitting without legs. I
love that titles.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
I want you to know that I have a lot
of black friends without legs.

Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yes, yes, I'm sure it's like an ample amount. And
I'm your your favorite one out of all level Well, yeah.

Speaker 1 (06:16):
Most of them don't run. I mean, what are the
odds that your name is Leaper?

Speaker 2 (06:19):
I know, right, born without legs, last name Leaper.

Speaker 1 (06:22):
That's just weird. That's always how it is, cisy humor.
My name is John White. By the way, I should,
I should definitely start by thanking you for your service.

Speaker 2 (06:31):
Yeah, our country. No, I'm not military, No stolen down.
I am not military. You didn't serve in Vietnam.

Speaker 1 (06:39):
I did not.

Speaker 2 (06:40):
I was not m You'd be surprised how many how
many people think that I was?

Speaker 1 (06:45):
You were in Vietnam? Well, because I mean, black people
don't age. I don't know. I don't want to guess
how old you were. That's okay, so you were. Our
research is horrible. Blake is my first question. I asked
all my guests. Do you believe in ghosts?

Speaker 2 (06:58):
Yes, I would say I do believe in ghosts.

Speaker 1 (07:01):
Honestly, gun to your head. You believe in ghosts?

Speaker 2 (07:03):
Yes, I do believe in ghosts. Really, yes I do.
I felt them tickle my feet at night. But I'm joking.

Speaker 1 (07:10):
You don't believe in ghosts?

Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yes I do. No, I do. You really don't know spirits.
I don't know if it goes through the spirits. You know,
it's nothing. It's something that's like floating around.

Speaker 1 (07:19):
There's nothing that we can't.

Speaker 2 (07:20):
See, but we feel we don't feel anything, right, don't
you feel something? No? Never, all the stories and everything.

Speaker 1 (07:26):
Could care less about the stories, couldn't care less orry born.

Speaker 2 (07:29):
Yeah, I was born in Kingsport, Tennessee, like sixty miles
east of Knoxville, Tennessee. For people who don't know, born
with the congeneral bird defect fibbler him a milia. So
the day that I was born, the doctors basically told
my parents, my mother and father, that I was never
gonna walk or run a day in my life. My
legs didn't develop. I didn't grow anything basically below my knees.
I have my knee joints, but I'm missing my calf
muscles and my and my ankles and my feet.

Speaker 1 (07:51):
Okay, yeah, that's that's that's a blow because this is
how old are you?

Speaker 2 (07:56):
Yeah? I'm thirty three now.

Speaker 1 (07:57):
Okay, So I mean they didn't know this until you delivered.

Speaker 2 (08:00):
Right right, So I was delivered, took me into the ICU,
came back and had the conversation with my mother and father,
mister and missus Leaper I'm sorry, but your baby boy,
Blake is born missing both of his legs. You know,
he's never gonna walk, he's never gonna jump, he's gonna
be bound in a wheelchair his his whole life. And
so like it was, I would say, initially a blow
to my family to be of course. Yeah, yeah, it

(08:21):
definitely was a blow to my family.

Speaker 1 (08:22):
You're a father, yes, I am, I am? And how
old you just three? Three?

Speaker 2 (08:26):
Yeah? God, it's such a crazy ag.

Speaker 1 (08:29):
Let me tell you did a pandemic.

Speaker 2 (08:30):
Yeah, I had a pandemic baby, I did.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
You were just born?

Speaker 2 (08:33):
Oh my god, I had nothing else to do. I
was at home making babies. It was ridiculous or.

Speaker 1 (08:39):
Congratulations, but like you, obviously I assume went to all
these check ups.

Speaker 2 (08:44):
Oh my gosh. Yes.

Speaker 1 (08:45):
And if you would have, like in this day and age,
if you would have found out like oh, at nine
weeks or ten weeks or hey, there's no legs in
your baby, yeah, some people might be like, oh, I
don't want to have this child.

Speaker 2 (08:55):
Right right, And it's a common situation, you know, having
a child with a disability. You know, we don't want
to deal with this. The divorce rate goes up with
the parents like all these things that come with the
stigmatism of having a child missing not only one leg,
but missing both his legs, and so for my parents
to kind of stick into it, right, I asked them
the day that I was born, like, well, what'd you say? Like, mom, like,

(09:16):
who'd you You know? My mom's as a Christian woman, but
she cussed out the you know, who'd you cuss out
with the doctors. But they tell me they did two
things in the moment when they found out that I
was born missing both of my legs. The first thing,
they decided to stick together as a family as a unit,
and the second thing was to keep a positive attitude
towards my situation, specifically being born without legs.

Speaker 1 (09:35):
That's pretty great. Are they still together? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (09:37):
Yeah, they fight every day, but they're still together.

Speaker 1 (09:43):
Where'd you go to college?

Speaker 2 (09:44):
I went to the University of Tennessee, Go balls, go balls. Baby.

Speaker 1 (09:47):
Let me tell you something. I truly love Knoxville.

Speaker 2 (09:51):
Yes, yes, is it a great knock? Do we call
it knox Vegas?

Speaker 1 (09:54):
Were you an athlete at the University of Knoxville or
University Tesnsee?

Speaker 2 (09:57):
No, I wasn't. So I did play basketball in baseball
growing up as a kid. But once I went to
University of Tennessee, I was just kind of focusing on
my studies. I was pre med when applied physics, so
I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. That was altered
obviously once I got the running blades. So I got
the running prosthetic blades in college, started competing competitively and
became one of the fastest Paralympic runners in the world

(10:18):
within a year.

Speaker 1 (10:19):
Yeah that's pretty impressive.

Speaker 2 (10:20):
Yeah, what am I supposed to say? Abled? Yeah? So
it's interesting because I am technically a disabled man. So
I am a man with a disability, and to compare
against people that have their legs, I say, able bodied
runners or you know somebody that is able body. But
it's it's kind of interesting that I am labeled disabled.
But I'm faster than you.

Speaker 1 (10:40):
So you think you're faster, you don't know. I've never
actually exerted like my full course, so I have no
idea how fast I could go.

Speaker 2 (10:49):
I means, as a white man with those type of
glasses in that outfit, I guarantee you that I that
you can't. You can't.

Speaker 1 (10:57):
I'm not bound by a sweater and glasses. I didn't
pick the sweater out the glasses help me read because
I'm old, I'm pretty quick. Yeah, I mean I get
your Your four hundred meters is your special right right? Yes,
still farther than I want to go. I just hate running.

Speaker 2 (11:12):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (11:12):
Does that bother you that people with legs hate running?

Speaker 2 (11:15):
No, it doesn't. I mean to be honest with you,
I hated running growing up as a kid too. I
mean I was missing both of my legs, so I
always came last in all the running events. So as
a kid growing up, I hated running like I couldn't.

Speaker 1 (11:29):
How bad were you at at the beginning of your
life where you're like it?

Speaker 2 (11:33):
It was pretty I mean it was the technology. It
was like sticks. Basically imagine me as a pirate, just
like two sticks, just like walking around.

Speaker 1 (11:40):
Just did your family have money?

Speaker 2 (11:42):
I mean so they did. They had good jobs and
they had My mom was a nurse, So we did
have the whole fight in the battle with the entrance companies.
Because people, for those who don't realize, especially in the
disabled community, certain prosthetic legs like the ones you see
me walk in today, are consider a luxury, of course,
and not a necessity. So you can say, hey, I
want to run, I want to walk. You send your
letter into the insurance you know a company and say

(12:04):
we don't care. Right, figured it.

Speaker 1 (12:06):
Would rame, yes, play video.

Speaker 2 (12:10):
Yes, exactly. So my mom was a big advocate for
me to to get the right prosthetic legs with their insurance,
just to stay active. I didn't get the running blades,
but I had decent legs to play basketball and baseball
as a kid. And then once I got the running legs,
that was the biggest jump in my career to where
I was just an average kid, maybe average disabled kid
that could run up down the basketball court, to now

(12:31):
I'm one of the fastest paralympians disabled men in the world.

Speaker 1 (12:35):
You were born without legs, hit, you're considered an amputee.

Speaker 2 (12:39):
Yeah, So because I had a technically at four or
five years old, I went back, I had a revision
of my legs where I had like two toes on
my left leg and one like baby told my right
leg and they just went in and just just like
cut them off.

Speaker 1 (12:51):
They serve no purpose.

Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah, they serve no purpose. I mean because that was going.

Speaker 1 (12:54):
And whether were their feelings on them.

Speaker 2 (12:57):
I could move them I can, like, and they they
cut my toes off. If you left them on, I
mean I could, but I was getting like blisters and
like callouses and all my toes and so because I
was like pounding on them inside my socket so much
on my stump on that they just cut him off.
And so because they cut them off, technically I fell
into the emputee category. And it's a lot easier to

(13:17):
say emputee than congenital birth defect fiblair million.

Speaker 1 (13:20):
Yeah, yeah, that's tough. I'm never gonna say that. What's
more frustrating being born without legs or being a black
man in America?

Speaker 2 (13:26):
Ooh, that's a good one, because they actually are close
to being equal. I'm not gonna lie. I get judged
double time hard because I get discriminated as a as
a black man on a daily basis, especially growing up
in East Tennessee. But then I also faced discrimination as
a man missing both of his legs and the assumption
of what I can and cannot do.

Speaker 1 (13:47):
So like, emotionally, you're like in a great place. You've
figured life out.

Speaker 2 (13:52):
Yeah, I mean I would say I figured it out
just because all the trials and tribulations that I've been
through in my life that life sucks, life isn't fair.
So either going to cry about it or you're going
to laugh about it?

Speaker 1 (14:02):
Are you one of these people? I assume you are
too positive? But no, where You're like, I wouldn't have it.
If I could do it all over, I wouldn't have
it any other way.

Speaker 2 (14:12):
I am. I am, I am because this is who
I am.

Speaker 1 (14:16):
Who cares? I would change everything about yourself? Yes, would
you change? I mean every decision? Well, that was the
wrong one. I should have done that.

Speaker 2 (14:24):
But the wrong decisions is the lessons that you learned.

Speaker 1 (14:27):
I don't know, right, I mean, yeah, yes, and theory,
but I'm still saying I would be one of these
people that would want to redo and correct almost everything.

Speaker 2 (14:34):
Yeah, I mean, but could you imagine me with legs?
I would just be just a boring black dude.

Speaker 1 (14:39):
Maybe, or maybe you'd be the greatest, you know, most
famous athlete in the history of the world.

Speaker 2 (14:44):
True. Or I could be a tap dancer. That's one
thing I think if I I don't want to be
a tap dancer.

Speaker 1 (14:49):
Right, No, No, I thought the genre of dance that
you want to be great at tap is just fucking annoying,
it's loud, it's this ruining.

Speaker 2 (14:56):
Floors just in there. If I have both my legs,
I'll just be dancing my ass all over.

Speaker 1 (15:02):
Did you have a normal dating life?

Speaker 2 (15:04):
Yeah? I did, Actually I did. You know. I struggled
as a kid right growing up, you know, being judged
because of my legs, and sometimes I even dated girls
and didn't tell them about my legs.

Speaker 1 (15:15):
You could, you could pull it off.

Speaker 2 (15:16):
I could pull it off until you as you know,
we went home and went to bed, and I could
not pull it off. I just like was like, pop pop, Oh,
by the way, I'm missing both of my legs.

Speaker 1 (15:25):
I was with a girl one time and she's like,
I got to tell you something, and I was like,
I was like, I was in my head. I was like,
let's prepare for everything, because I don't. I don't. I
don't want to act like I'm not okay with it.
So I was just preparing what is she going to
tell me? And then she told me that she she
had what's my call it, colsted me bag.

Speaker 2 (15:44):
Oh.

Speaker 1 (15:44):
I was like, ah, that's not bad, so your buttole's
clean was the good part. But I did have I did.
I had to prepare myself.

Speaker 2 (15:53):
Did you think she was going to miss a leg
or you know I did. I didn't.

Speaker 1 (15:56):
I had no idea, but I just remember that was
like a week.

Speaker 3 (15:58):
I know it was what I felt like, this is
weird because she has to have this conversation with everybody
that she's potentially gonna Right, I wear a colostomy bag, right,
so you obviously, if you're hiding your legs, that's a
real conversation.

Speaker 1 (16:09):
But if you're not hiding, it's it's pretty much not right.

Speaker 2 (16:12):
It's out there. And so most times, I like especially now,
I wear shorts that I'm out and about and people
obviously I get the stairs, I get the looks, but
I've kind of now embraced it.

Speaker 1 (16:21):
Were there girls that were into it?

Speaker 2 (16:22):
Actually? Yes?

Speaker 1 (16:24):
Does that make you go like all right, I don't
like that either?

Speaker 2 (16:26):
Yeah, No, I mean I'm kind of into that. Actually,
there's there's a name for that. Yes, They're called devotees.
So devotas are individuals that are into people with missing
like their legs, so like if you take your leg off.
They like the whole nub play in the nub action.
Be Honestly, I've never liked the term nub, I know,

(16:50):
but that's the that's the that's the scientific name for it.
I have like so because I'm missing both of my legs,
I take my legs off in my stumps. Then I
have are my nubs.

Speaker 1 (17:01):
When you're home alone, you don't have do you no
legs or legs?

Speaker 2 (17:05):
It depends. It's just I guess sometimes I keep my
legs on. If I had a long day, I can
just chill. I take my legs off. I can function
completely with my legs off, Like I can climb on
counters and go use the bathroom. I can climb on
the bed, but I get the point A to point
B quicker with my legs on.

Speaker 1 (17:21):
So you're saying, within a year of you getting your
running blade, you became what was like where did you
compete first?

Speaker 2 (17:27):
So I competed in Oklahoma's like back in two thousand
and nine. It was like a local Paralympic event, and
I ran one hundred meters. I qualified for my team.
And then by my second race, they called me and
they invited me to Rio Dejiannaro, Brazil, And my second
race in track and field was in Brazil, competing internationally
for the USA.

Speaker 1 (17:46):
Brazilians scary group of people.

Speaker 2 (17:52):
So you asked, I had fun in Brazil. Rio was
amazing and you can imagine like like bling my eyes,
run two races and I'm on Copa Kabana beach, just
like like as a nineteen year old, and I was like,
you know.

Speaker 1 (18:07):
What, so much thick ass?

Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yeah, I think I like this sport. This is good.
This is gonna be good.

Speaker 1 (18:13):
The categories in the pair of games, yes, are, there's
a lot.

Speaker 2 (18:16):
There's a lot of categories. It gets very very confusing.

Speaker 3 (18:19):
I mean you have because you can't compete against somebody
that's just slightly missing something, right.

Speaker 2 (18:24):
Well, if they're missing a leg, then I compete. I
can't potentially compete against them. They're missing both their legs,
then I definitely would probably compete below the knees. And
then if they're missing their leg above the knee, that's
a different category. You have blind, blind athletes in that category,
you have cerebral palsy athletes, and then you also have
wheelchair athletes too as well, and different categories within those disabilities.

(18:46):
So I mean we're talking one hundred almost metal ceremonies
at a Paralympic Games because there's so many, so many anthems. Yeah,
a lot, it's a lot. It's funny you say that
because you're just constantly just hearing just like certain anthems
in certain countries. It is like constantly popping up. You're
like these guys again, if.

Speaker 1 (19:04):
You take a knee during the national anthem, is it
controversial or is it like, hey, give the guy a break.
He doesn't have any legs.

Speaker 2 (19:11):
I mean, most of the time I do get a
brain because of my disability, But I feel like if
I took that knee, it would cause a little controversy.
Legs or no legs.

Speaker 1 (19:20):
The thing that was very interesting, obviously, is that you
are skilled enough to compete in the Olympics. Yes, yeah,
I'm just calling the Olympics. Your time is fast enough obviously, yes,
And you wanted to yes, And then what happened.

Speaker 2 (19:34):
Yes, that was my goal is to compete to be
the fastest man in the world. Once I competed in
Paralympics and did that, took a silver and a bronze
in the twenty twelve, that's when I kind of knew
could I could be the fastest running the world legs
or no legs? So I started training because you know,
setting everything up.

Speaker 1 (19:48):
But they did. They say that you you cannot do this.

Speaker 2 (19:50):
No, not initially at first. So at first they say
it's okay. I went out there, broke a few world records,
I went to national championships, qualified it for nationals. And
then in twenty nineteen is when I took fifth at
the usa TF National Championships against the able bodied runners.
And when I did that and broke my own world
record ran forty four seconds in the four and a meters,
that's when the sanctions started to come and they said,

(20:12):
you have an unfair advantage in your prosthetic legs. Do
you know? Are you kidding me, Daniel, I'm boring without
legs like.

Speaker 1 (20:20):
You're preaching to the choir on this one. Yeah. Now,
the height was the biggest.

Speaker 2 (20:24):
Was the issue. That was the biggest issue. And so
you have to understand.

Speaker 1 (20:27):
People tall, are you from stump to head.

Speaker 2 (20:29):
On my knees, I'm like four foot four foot and
a half on my knees and so my and my
stumps are like a foot each. So I would say, oh, coffee.

Speaker 1 (20:37):
So they said that the height advantage was the issue.

Speaker 2 (20:41):
Yes, because I missed my legs. They was trying to
dictate my height and tell me how tall I would
have been if I had my legs.

Speaker 1 (20:48):
That seems like there can be a computer program out
there that could figure that.

Speaker 2 (20:50):
Out, I know, right, And so they try to create
a formula, but you know, we feel like the formula
is off.

Speaker 1 (20:56):
Like what was the problem with the formula?

Speaker 2 (20:58):
I know the problem with the formula Asians.

Speaker 1 (21:01):
And white people.

Speaker 2 (21:02):
Yes, it was the only Asian and white men in
the formula.

Speaker 1 (21:06):
Right, the formula only used Asian and white men. Yes,
to determine your height, yes, yes.

Speaker 2 (21:11):
And me as a black man, I felt like I
got missed out on the poppet the test population, Like
it wasn't considering my body democratic what my body structure
could potentially be.

Speaker 3 (21:22):
Right, So but no one, no one goes, oh, hey,
I want to know how tall I'm going to be?

Speaker 1 (21:26):
Well, how tall are Asian?

Speaker 2 (21:27):
Yeah? Yeah, that was that was the issue. So when
you implement me, you know into this formula that this
only has a representation of it was like fifty white
Australian men and fifteen Japanese Asian men and I come
out not six two, but I come out a little
bit under five nine, So five point eight feet I
know I lost six inches.

Speaker 1 (21:46):
No one, you don't want to ever be under six feet.

Speaker 2 (21:48):
Oh my god, it's horrible. I have Little Man syndrome,
like like, I'm just pissed off at the world every
time I put them on.

Speaker 1 (21:55):
So it's done, it's over.

Speaker 2 (21:57):
Yeah, technically it is done. I'm back running at five
point eight five eight point eight feet competing in the Paralympics.
I'm still kind of confessed.

Speaker 1 (22:05):
So you're doing it in the Paralympics because well.

Speaker 2 (22:07):
Yeah, I'm doing the Palympics two as well. So I'm
back running in the Paralympics.

Speaker 1 (22:10):
No, no, but at five eight why wouldn't you Because
they didn't have a problem with you running at six two.

Speaker 2 (22:14):
The Paralympics had a problem me running Ye. Yeah, yeah.
It was a new rule in Paralympics two. It was
both a combined rule that just started within the last
two to three years.

Speaker 1 (22:22):
It seems like some crazy big wig Llowier a law
firm here in Los Angeles, but hear this story and
be like, you know what, I feel like taking his
side and let's figure a way around this.

Speaker 2 (22:33):
Yeah. Well, I mean I've took it to the quarter sport.
It's the highest quarter sport in Switzerland Geneva, Switzerland, huh
twice and out of two times we both lost the case.
And at this point, I mean Tennancy could continue to
keep fighting it. But at this point in my career,
I'm thirty three, I got like four or five years left.
I'm still doing things, you know on the outside, you know,

(22:54):
still talking about it. I have a documentary coming out
about it. But for the most part, I want to
I want to beat him at their own game. I
want to just like accept the unfair rule and just
like shoving in their face.

Speaker 1 (23:05):
Right, But I wanted you in the Olympics.

Speaker 2 (23:07):
I know me too. I'm watching, like so the World
Championships is happening right now with the able body and
I'm seeing guys that I used to run with and
like beat and compete with, and they're like fighting.

Speaker 1 (23:19):
It'd be great just to hear all the people like
shit talking.

Speaker 2 (23:23):
Right, controversy, like I mean, I mean, it'd be a
great conversation for track and field, of course, Like it'd
be a great topic to go back and forth. Is
it fair? Is it not fair? Can this guy without
legs become the fastest man in the world and it's
like it challenges society of being a disabled man and
being the best in the world.

Speaker 1 (23:41):
Yes, I agree. I mean track and field is interesting
without this for two minutes every four years, Yeah, exactly,
and everybody thinks like, oh, the legs are getting better,
so you're getting faund it. But that doesn't matter. In general,
athletes over time have always evolved faster.

Speaker 2 (23:59):
Yeah, we're just learning anymore. We're just knowing more about
Like the technology hasn't changed. We're just starting to understand
the carbon fiber a lot better and understanding how to
use it and getting it in hand of the user
at an early age to perform and better users.

Speaker 1 (24:11):
So about the weight, is it supposed to be comparable
to weight or no.

Speaker 2 (24:15):
Yeah, it's a little bit lighter with the carbon fiber. Lighter, stronger, faster,
springier is always better when it comes to sprinting, and
so then it is an advantage I mean, I mean,
so it's interesting because things on the able body side,
for like running materials, the spike plates, the surfaces that
you run on has enhanced over the past twenty thirty years. Okay,

(24:35):
so if these things are making able body runners faster,
then the things that's making a disabled runner faster should
have the same increase in development.

Speaker 1 (24:45):
Right, right, Well, that's tough to say that it's completely
even I don't how would I know.

Speaker 2 (24:52):
Right, right, right, right, and so, but at the end
of the day, it's just like it all has the
lens that you look at it like some people are
going to look at it and say, you know, dude,
you clearly have an unfair advantage you wear in prosthetic
wearing technology against able body runners. And some people be like,
there's no way you have an unfair advantage. You're missing
both of your legs.

Speaker 1 (25:10):
What's your stance on a transgender people performing in sports?

Speaker 2 (25:16):
That's a tough topic.

Speaker 1 (25:17):
It shouldn't be. It shouldn't be tough. It should be
you should be you should say. Here's what I'm gonna
tell you what you should say. You should say, I'm
fine with it. Yes, I have no issues.

Speaker 2 (25:26):
I I am fine with that. I have no issues.
I know it's a huge controversy.

Speaker 1 (25:32):
Well here's my thing with here's my take on this
that I'm gonna bring it back to you, because it's
like when people say, oh, they have an unfair advantage,
or what if a man then just pretends or says
I'm trans and just to compete and make all this
money in this sport that's dominated by women, you know,
And I say that, good, Let that person do that.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
Fine.

Speaker 1 (25:54):
That person wants to be a woman to compete and
make some money, great, I don't care. First of all,
it's a game. I don't care entertainment bringing it to
you or do you have the same fear in the
para Olympics. What if somebody's like, oh, I'm just gonna
cut my leg off just so I can compete against people.

Speaker 2 (26:11):
Yeah, it would never happen in Paralympic games. I don't
think somebody would would deliberately.

Speaker 1 (26:15):
Think they wouldn't. But what if somebody's like, no, like
like let's say Bolt, it's like, you know, the under
my career, I'm going to see if I can do it. Yeah,
I'm gonna cut myself off from the knees down and
I'm gonna compete. And that's not fair. He did it
on purpose?

Speaker 2 (26:26):
Yeah, well, it Bolt cut his legs off, it would
try to compete. I would. I would dust Usain Bolt
with his legs cut off, with his legs cut off.

Speaker 1 (26:33):
Sure, well, I mean that's that's a big claim. That's
a big claim.

Speaker 2 (26:36):
But I just you know, as somebody that does get
discriminated against, you know, I really true. I do believe
in equality and just like a fair chance. So so
like I'm in a face of discrimination on a daily
basis as a black disabled man, So I like seeing
that it is a very unfortunate.

Speaker 1 (26:51):
How much longer do you have at that kind of
the top of the game. That's a good thirty.

Speaker 2 (26:56):
Three thirty three, Danuline, And you know the Olympics and
Paralympics will be in La I know, eight twenty twenty eight,
so I'm gonna be thirty eight in twenty twenty eight,
so god, I can pull it off.

Speaker 1 (27:09):
I mean, that's a that'd be exciting to run in
your own.

Speaker 3 (27:12):
Back, right, I mean, look at Tom Brady made it
to like Tom Brady wouldn't do shit.

Speaker 1 (27:18):
Tom Brady might as well not have legs. He stands
back there and he dinks and dunk down the field like, oh.

Speaker 2 (27:26):
Tom can make it. Lebron's still out there ying.

Speaker 1 (27:28):
Look, fine, Lebron's an example that I accept.

Speaker 2 (27:30):
Okay, look at Lebron.

Speaker 1 (27:32):
But when people talk about Tom Brady is the greatest athlete.
I just I'm like, what are you talking about? There's
nothing athletic about what he does.

Speaker 2 (27:38):
He dropped back three steps. It has one of the right.

Speaker 1 (27:42):
He throws that he can throw a ball good and
he and it can move a little bit, but barely.
That's not that's not the greatest athlete. That's absurd.

Speaker 2 (27:50):
True. True, you've seen his forty before. Yeah, it was.

Speaker 1 (27:53):
Like sad dad body bouncing down the road. By the way,
when when you race, whatever crosses the finish line first.

Speaker 2 (28:02):
No, when you race, it's your torso that crosses, so
your head, not your hand, but it has. That's why
you see runners lean.

Speaker 1 (28:08):
I always saw lean. I just like whatever.

Speaker 2 (28:10):
Whatever nos, No, is from your from your shoulders to
your to your to your basically your torso, your shoulders
to your hip so you can dive across the line.
If that crosses your good to go.

Speaker 1 (28:19):
Has your leg ever flew off during a race?

Speaker 2 (28:21):
It has? Yes, twenty sixteen national championships. I'm running one
hundred meters, sprinting all out. I go to step at
meter ninety five, I look down, leg is gone, and
when I fell down, just like tucked and rolled over
the line.

Speaker 1 (28:34):
Well, what place did you come in.

Speaker 2 (28:35):
It's a second, So it worked. It worked out, but
it does happen every so often.

Speaker 1 (28:39):
I don't want to make you speak for an entire
race of people and the sex of people that you're not,
but I'm going to ask you this question regardless, because
I've always thought about this.

Speaker 2 (28:48):
Running.

Speaker 1 (28:49):
Yeah, in the Olympics, obviously, I'm talking to sprints, Yeah,
dominated by black athletes. Fine, okay, well now I'm talking
about females. If you watch swimming, winning and losing is
within a point second or whatever, the tiny fraction of
a second, swimmers shave every bit of their body everything

(29:09):
because it gives them a slight bit of advantage. Female
black racers will have so much hair, jewelry and everything
and all of that.

Speaker 3 (29:23):
Why wouldn't Why wouldn't there be ones like, no, no,
I'm shaving everything that I'm doing, no rings, I'm doing,
no doing, because all of that is a weight. Technically, yes, yes,
but no one ever says no, I'm not gonna have
you know, running though, you'll have facial hair you shouldn't.

Speaker 2 (29:39):
Yeah, yeah, the facial hair, the beards, the you know,
the chains, like anything that goes into it because it
is scientifically proven that if you look good, you run faster.

Speaker 1 (29:48):
I don't Yeah, that's what this insanity. I'm just saying.
I just can't believe there's not one athlete. It's like, no,
I'm gonna streamline to nothing.

Speaker 2 (29:57):
I mean, I think with the force and the power
to technically that you're that you're producing on the track.
It doesn't Yes, it doesn't matter.

Speaker 1 (30:04):
That's wait, if you're if you have all this hair
and you didn't have it you are now lighter, Lighter
makes faster.

Speaker 2 (30:13):
Yeah, I mean technically, I guess, yes, lighter is is
faster in theory.

Speaker 1 (30:18):
If I tell you to drag a garden hose, you're gonna.

Speaker 2 (30:21):
Be slow, true, true, But if you're going to win
it anyway, you want to cross the line, look good
with your hair.

Speaker 1 (30:27):
Yes, you know, I just I just am I I'm
amazed that I feel like there could be some time
shaved off. Nobody cares about this, just my thing that
I sit at home and go I could make them faster.
I'm gonna be the old man going to put your
jewelry away, put your hang away faster. Talk about the
booger sugar ah.

Speaker 2 (30:48):
Man, Yes, that was that was a crazy time in
my life, right.

Speaker 1 (30:52):
Okay, so you were just a partier?

Speaker 2 (30:54):
Yeah, man, I was. I was partying. I was hanging
around the wrong people. You know.

Speaker 1 (30:58):
Sounds like you're hanging on the right.

Speaker 3 (31:01):
According to the Living Committee, and you got you got
suspended for a year for doing yes positive for cocaine.

Speaker 2 (31:08):
Yes, I was in you know, coming from Tennessee moving
to California.

Speaker 1 (31:11):
I don't blame California for.

Speaker 2 (31:13):
Your crazy California cocaine to Tennessee. Are you kidding me?
These have a moonshine and that's it. But you know,
moving out to California, just training, you know, it was
a part of my life where I just couldn't say no,
I was. I was, you know, partying, you know, hanging
out with the wrong people, you know, just people in general.
I go to a track meet and I test positive

(31:34):
for cocaine crap like, and then I get suspended for
a year, which.

Speaker 1 (31:38):
Was just like because they thought it was a steroid.

Speaker 2 (31:40):
Yeah, well well I was running so fast that it's
a it's technically not not a performance and hands and drug.
But it cannot be in your system at a tract meat.
So I'm like, edit, tract meat, you know.

Speaker 1 (31:52):
You obviously knew this, so you were trying to get
away with it. You know.

Speaker 2 (31:55):
I wasn't trying to get away with it. I just
thought it would be out of my system, like before
I got to the track meet. But I was like,
at the track.

Speaker 1 (32:01):
Did it last night?

Speaker 2 (32:02):
No? I was like, Oh, the problem was I was
like at the track meet, like looking like Bobby Brown,
just like my jaw was to the left and I'm jogging.
But and they was like, we got to test this guy.
Do they not test everyone? And I don't test everyone,
so it's like just.

Speaker 1 (32:15):
The black people with the chains, right D. So that
was bad. So when you got tested, you were like
you didn't think you were going to fail.

Speaker 2 (32:24):
No, I didn't think I was going to I think
I was going to be out of my system. I'd
be good. They actually caught the medical bollicle breakdown of cocaine,
so they actually didn't find cocaine. They find like what
cocaine breaks down into your system. And then with finding that,
they say you've taken it.

Speaker 1 (32:38):
Before and you denied that.

Speaker 2 (32:39):
Man, I mean like, the ain't no way that. I
was like, yes, it was me that had to go
into a like an Olympic Paralympic like drug program and
I had to take like three drug tests for a
full year clean up.

Speaker 1 (32:51):
Was it easy to clean up?

Speaker 2 (32:52):
It was because I really wanted to really do this.
I knew I had a special opportunity. Obviously, I was
like having fund in that part of my life. Kind
of goes back to the conversation we had earlier, Like
I said, I don't regret, you know, a few things
in my life I kind of regret. I regret that
I just skip that race, I just gift that race.
But I finally got to tap into my true potential,
like you know, cleaned up my life, you know, putting

(33:14):
down the party and and then I made the decision
I wanted to be great and then put everything down
just like focus on track. And by doing that, that's
when things started happening for me.

Speaker 1 (33:22):
See that's good. Good. I like the idea. I've always
been just kind of like I don't want to focus
too hard because I don't want to find out that
I'm not great.

Speaker 2 (33:29):
Right, right, that's the fear too right, Like I'm not
good enough for it. I'm not the man that I
tell people that.

Speaker 3 (33:37):
Well, so it's nice to be like Oh, if I
tried harder, I could be right.

Speaker 2 (33:41):
Right, and that's what I was doing. Like, well, I
didn't try that harder. Well, I stayed up late party
and hanging out hang and then once I did that
and gave it everything, I mean, like dedicate my life
to this.

Speaker 1 (33:50):
Like are you faster right the second than you've ever been?

Speaker 2 (33:53):
No, I'm not because I'm shorter. Because yeah, I'm in
the best shape I've ever been in my life right now,
and like so to years ago, I was the fifth
fastest for heady meter run in the world.

Speaker 1 (34:04):
I mean I assume everyone was doing the hight thing.
Yeah as well, So it's interesting even playing field.

Speaker 2 (34:10):
Yeah, it was an even playing field. Paralympians across the
board lost their height, but because I was a black
man implemented into this formula that did not represent me,
I became the shortest out of everybody. For example, the
average emputee doubleg emput lost two to three inches. I
lost six inches.

Speaker 1 (34:27):
I know, I know, but that seems this versus this
seems yes, I mean it seems fair.

Speaker 2 (34:34):
You gotta get it back somehow, right.

Speaker 1 (34:37):
I think we all know what I was referring to.
He's give him six inches. All right, fair enough. Hey,
by the way, that that's a bathroom behind that door.
I was gonna go, but I'm worried that if I'm
in there, that you would potentially shoot through the door.
I don't want to. I don't want to lump you

(34:57):
guys all together. But talk about Oscar. Yeah you've raced
against him.

Speaker 2 (35:04):
I again, Yes, he is a white guy. It's interesting
because he's a white South African and I'm a black American.
But once the whole controversy went down and I'm walking
through the airport with my running blades and people just
heard this, you know, African blade runner. Ah, so a
lot of people like initially thought I was the you know,

(35:26):
I was the guy you know.

Speaker 1 (35:28):
So you shot Oscars white?

Speaker 2 (35:29):
Yeah, they thought they they thought that legit, Like wait,
I heard an African guy missing both of his legs
and I was like, no, no, no, he's he's a
white South African. So it's like, you don't have to worry.
But yeah, I competed. I was actually the last person
to compete alongside of Pastorius in twenty twelve at the
Paralymic Games.

Speaker 1 (35:47):
They weren't the last.

Speaker 2 (35:48):
One, yeah, yeah, yeah, someone else was.

Speaker 1 (35:50):
Trying to run.

Speaker 3 (35:52):
Sorry, that's not that's insensitive. Was he was he faster
than you? Yes he was at the time. So at
the time we competed, he was faster than me. But
I ended up breaking all of his world records. So
I went forty He went forty five three five, it's
his fastest fourmeter. I went forty four thirty eight, so
I ran about almost a whole second.

Speaker 1 (36:09):
He's still in jail. I had to look it up.
Yes he is, but for some reason he still didn't
get what he was supposed to get.

Speaker 2 (36:14):
Yeah, he got. I think it ended up with thirteen
I think thirteen years for culpable homicide. Do you think
he'll run in la I don't think so. I think
he might. I mean banned. No, he's not banned. I mean,
to my understanding, he's not banned from the year.

Speaker 1 (36:28):
What do you have to do to get banned cocaine?

Speaker 2 (36:34):
You just a little bit of bookisher, You're out. You're
right out of here.

Speaker 1 (36:37):
You fire four blind land your bathroom. You're fine. Do
you have a lot of friends now because of the
in the pair of community, like from the Olympics and stuff,
I do Do you need that or do you go
enough already?

Speaker 2 (36:51):
Like, I mean, I like it. It's just like we're
a community. Like so like we all get together and
we like go to dinner or whatever, and can you
imagine like four dudes, like we're all missing our legs, right,
So like we hop out the car and just like
there's four dudes missing both of their legs.

Speaker 1 (37:04):
The servers like, oh, this is gonna be a shitty tip.

Speaker 2 (37:07):
These guys, that's just gonna be terrible. They expect half
off or something. I don't know what's going on. So
I was going for but it works out, and it's
just like it's it's cool to like to build that community.
And that's what's honestly, that's exciting too about the LA
twenty twenty eight. It's gonna be the first time the
Paralympic Game is going to be in LA. The Games

(37:27):
have been in LA twice, but the first time for
the Paralympics to be in LA.

Speaker 1 (37:31):
How great is your parking situation at the Olympic Village?

Speaker 2 (37:34):
Oh it's I mean I park right in the front
is handicapped parking, which, by the way, you don't have
to pay for handicap parking in LA. So I have
a handicapped sticker.

Speaker 1 (37:44):
Wait, wait, in LA, you don't if if you have
the street a handicaps, you don't have to pay meters.

Speaker 2 (37:48):
You pay meters, you don't pay meters, which is like gold.
That's best.

Speaker 1 (37:52):
That becomes every spot becomes a handicaps. Right. How come
we say handicapped spot but we don't say handicapped people?

Speaker 2 (37:58):
No, that's so interesting, right, It's like you say the
word handicap, right, because it's like, technically it's very inappropriate
to call somebody handicap. We're kind of working on the
whole the word disabled, right, We're trying to change the
word disabled because you're done. You're not doing nothing to
the word disability where you're living with this and you're
moving with this, and it's just like the word you

(38:18):
know what I mean, what it comes with. But yeah,
handicap spot is appropriate, but handicap person is definitely.

Speaker 1 (38:25):
No non acceptable. I knew that. Seventy five and Sonny out,
you go with shorts or you go with.

Speaker 2 (38:30):
Pants seventy five and sunny shorts.

Speaker 1 (38:33):
I mean I feel like shorts are always technically pants
for you.

Speaker 2 (38:36):
Yeah, I know, right, my legs if my legs do
not get cold. So it can be like thirty or
it can be negative twenty. I could be in Minnesota
and I can wear shorts in it and it wouldn't matter.

Speaker 1 (38:47):
How long have you been married?

Speaker 2 (38:49):
I'm engaged. Oh yeah, I'm not married yet.

Speaker 1 (38:51):
Okay, are you're definitely going to do it?

Speaker 2 (38:53):
Yes?

Speaker 1 (38:54):
Are you going to drag your feet? It never gets old.
It gets Where'd you meet your uh, your partner.

Speaker 2 (39:07):
Back home in Tennessee. We grew up together.

Speaker 1 (39:10):
It's a mistake. That's a mistake.

Speaker 2 (39:13):
She was the girl next door.

Speaker 1 (39:14):
I don't do that. No way. You meet the girl
in l A.

Speaker 2 (39:19):
Oh gosh, the girls in LA. They're nice. They just
I'm a country boy from Tennessee. It was it was
too much. We're no longer a country's boy. Those days
are gone. They're gone.

Speaker 1 (39:29):
Oh you have a sponsorship?

Speaker 2 (39:31):
I do. I do have a sponsor, Yes, I did.
The crazy thing is I do have a shoe sponsor.
I'm sponsored by Nike's great. Yeah you should be sponsored
y shoes? Yeah, because what better endorsement to be. Like, Listen,
if I had feet, I would want to wear Nike.
These are the ones I would wear, right, And so
I get the question, what's your most comfortable Nike shoe

(39:53):
that's out there in the market that you like to wear.
And I'm like, I don't know, I don't feel nothing.

Speaker 1 (39:57):
Okay, Yeah, whoever pays me that feels the best. By
the way, you were on a game show on Netflix
two hundred grand on Away, Yes, which I didn't even
know was a show at first.

Speaker 2 (40:11):
Me and neither or they just torture you, oh my god,
which we didn't know what the show was until like
we got there. They locked us in a room and
took our cell phones and then they told us what
the show was, and then we had to make affery.

Speaker 1 (40:23):
How did you sign up to that?

Speaker 2 (40:25):
Just random stuff in the off season when I'm not training,
I like to just like be anywhere and everywhere, And
I signed up for the show. I booked it, and
I freaking won it. It was It was pretty cool.

Speaker 1 (40:35):
It was that's great. Yeah, yeah, you actually got the
money and I actually.

Speaker 2 (40:38):
Got the money. It was like two hundred grand, So
it's like.

Speaker 1 (40:41):
Is that more than you make running?

Speaker 2 (40:43):
Yes, I mean at the time, it definitely, it definitely was.
It lasted me like a year's worth of La rent,
So it was it was pretty cool.

Speaker 1 (40:49):
You make money as a runner, yeah, you can, you can,
you can.

Speaker 2 (40:52):
I mean you have sponsorships, you have metal money, you
have prize money, metal money. So metal money is like
the metal the money that you win when you win
a medal from the federations.

Speaker 1 (41:02):
Oh, I thought you had to pawn off the metal.

Speaker 2 (41:04):
I know. I mean the gold that comes into the metal,
you take it to the pawn shop and whenever they
get you like ponzars, it's just.

Speaker 1 (41:11):
Like all right, so you get a chunk from that
as well.

Speaker 2 (41:14):
Yeah, and of course me too, like you know, I
do other stuff. I try to, you know, be versatile,
just not be a runner. So I do motivational speaking.
I do a little commercial acting too as well. I'm
trying to get more into acting too as well, just
like trying to be that representation just with the for
the disabled community.

Speaker 1 (41:28):
Would you be like one of these people that if say,
there was a famous person that was being portrayed in
the movie that didn't have legs, would you be like, well,
then you can't put an actor in that has legs.
That's not fair.

Speaker 2 (41:42):
I mean it's so interesting because there's so few of us,
and I guess in the business or in the industry,
it's like missing both their legs or with the disability.
So I mean there are more calls for actors with disability.
So I'm trying to like step up so when they
do need an actor missing both their legs, I can
be I have the reels and enough you know, talent
to step up into that role.

Speaker 1 (42:02):
Could you be in the NFL? Why can't you be
in the NFL?

Speaker 2 (42:05):
No, I think I can. But if I get tackled
and my leg comes off, like that might not look
flag football?

Speaker 1 (42:12):
You keep going.

Speaker 2 (42:13):
Yeah, it's just like with that count, can I just
like keep running? My leg is like.

Speaker 1 (42:19):
Shit, what's the what's the smell situation? Underneath the sock at.

Speaker 2 (42:23):
The end of the man it gets it gets bad.
That That's how I knew that my fiance was the
one when she like took them off and washed them
for me. And just like because it gets atrocious.

Speaker 1 (42:34):
Like like it's faces like a watch band. Yeah, like
that type of smell.

Speaker 2 (42:37):
Imagine because there's no air that's getting in, so it's
like all the sweat and I'm like, I would say
I'm one of the most active amputees in the world.
Do you swim I cannot swim, I know, I mean
I won't drown. I'm not a swimmer.

Speaker 1 (42:52):
I mean swimming for exercise is the only thing on
the planet worse than running for exercise.

Speaker 2 (42:57):
Yeah, like sledding in the pool. That sounds that sounds terrible.

Speaker 1 (43:01):
You ever had a day job I did? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (43:04):
Yeah, my day job was selling shoes a chance or
at a shoe store. I sold shoes at a shoe store.

Speaker 1 (43:12):
You ever wear dress shoes?

Speaker 2 (43:13):
I do wear dress shoes every song, but they have
the heels on them, and it's just like they thick
at the heels on a dress shoes just like throw
me completely off. So I just wear sneakers most of
the time.

Speaker 1 (43:22):
Is there any advantages to uh, you know, not having
the bombyl I would assume a disadvantage. Bathtub, I assume
you already slide down.

Speaker 2 (43:31):
Yes, So what I do is I found a little
quick like you know and hack right, So you put
it like either a towel or like a washcloth or
something just like you know, tears something down and it
gets wet on but yeah, on your butt and then
you sit on your butt, so you don't you don't
slide right.

Speaker 1 (43:46):
And then and the next time that your fiance is
in the shower washing their face, Like, wait a second,
is this your ass slipper?

Speaker 3 (43:53):
Just like it's like a butt print, just like, but
you probably do have quite a few hacks.

Speaker 2 (43:58):
Yeah, yeah, if you. I mean, the handicap parking is
just like a huge hack for me, just like I
pull up. I mean Trader Joe's.

Speaker 1 (44:05):
You like Trader Joe's. I do their produces ship. I mean,
but it's produce all the snacks. You're right, because you're
a big druggy.

Speaker 2 (44:15):
I got the munchies. I'm just do you eat healthy?
I do eat healthy? I do. I'm always in a
well in season. I try to stay in a Calgary season.
So season is just like where I'm about to get
ready to like ramp up to compete.

Speaker 1 (44:27):
Right, but what is the actually like.

Speaker 2 (44:29):
Say, from December all the way up to August September,
so right now, I mean I'm technically an off season.

Speaker 1 (44:35):
Do you gain weight?

Speaker 2 (44:36):
I do? I do gain weight. I gain like five
to ten pounds. I've been eating. You can't tell I've
been eating good?

Speaker 1 (44:42):
You look I mean look like an apple.

Speaker 2 (44:43):
Yeah yeah, I mean, I'm like I'm like five pounds
heavy right now, like five ten pounds heavy and then
I shred up as we get closer to the do
like my biggest race of the year. So I was
in Paris a month ago for like three weeks for
my World Championships.

Speaker 1 (44:56):
You like Paris, I love Paris.

Speaker 2 (44:57):
Paris. Paris was cool. Everybody was just like sitting around
eating like you so late. Yeah, they eat eat for
three hours, like each meal is like and a half hours,
which is crazy. And everybody smoking cigarettes just like smoking
and eating and happy.

Speaker 1 (45:11):
Yeah, it just had in New York City if it
was only four stories high. Yeah, You've seen the world.
That's pretty exciting.

Speaker 2 (45:16):
I have. I have. I've seen the world. You know.
I've been to like and this all came from running.
So I've been to like, you know, Brazil, you know,
New Zealand, Czech Republic, you know, all through Europe. You know,
I even went to Latviia.

Speaker 1 (45:29):
You ever been to China?

Speaker 2 (45:31):
No, I still haven't been in China yet. No, I
haven't been in China.

Speaker 1 (45:34):
To go and talked Japan to the people that have
measured your heights.

Speaker 2 (45:37):
Yeah, I got something for you. Yell at them.

Speaker 1 (45:43):
You guys got it wrong. Do you ever run a marathon?

Speaker 2 (45:45):
Hell? No, are you kidding me? Like that is twenty
six point two miles? Are you kidding? No? Absolutely, I
would never.

Speaker 1 (45:51):
I held a marathon once, all on treadmills.

Speaker 2 (45:53):
Oh really?

Speaker 1 (45:54):
How did that gos funny? I had like like like
fifty treadmills out on the pier in Hermosa Beach?

Speaker 2 (46:02):
Was it professional runners?

Speaker 1 (46:04):
I put a few ringers in, like a couple of
guys like you know, Kenyons that like just kill it. Yeah,
two hours, twelve minutes or something.

Speaker 2 (46:13):
They're sprinting the whole time, which is just ridiculous.

Speaker 1 (46:15):
Yeah, I mean, how is that just some people just
can run? I just I get my chest wants to explode.

Speaker 2 (46:21):
Yeah, it's just like genetically speaking, just like some people
just like have that sprinter runner you know just look
or just you know, build about them. So that's why
I look at you and just know that I would
destroy you.

Speaker 1 (46:33):
I mean, now I'm over the hill. Now I'm hold
as shit. So it doesn't it's you know, it's easy.
But all right, well listen, Blake, we appreciate you. We're
gonna we'll be cheering for you, and then h I
don't know, just I'm just I just want to see you,
I guess in twenty twenty eight. Yes, here in our
own backyard.

Speaker 2 (46:48):
It's gonna be awesome. Daniel, Man, I really appreciate just
like taking the time to hear my story. I had
so much fun. This is awesome, Thanks, buddy, Yeah, I
appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (46:55):
All right, Pasha, how was that one, Carl? I'll tell
you what bothered me. How quickly Blake profiled me. The
thing that he says people do to him constantly, he
immediately does it to me, judges me by my glasses
and a sweater, assuming that I'm not an athlete. People

(47:19):
always underestimate how quick I am. I'm gonna have to
teach him a lesson. He said he could raise me anywhere,
anytime and smoke me. Oh okay, all right, well let's
see how that gobot does on the beach. I'm not
even asking for a head start today, No head start.

Speaker 2 (47:36):
I mean you do have me on that.

Speaker 1 (47:37):
You do have me on the beach. I mean, this
is where it's at. Besides, what's better than the feeling
of sand between your toes?

Speaker 2 (47:45):
Yeah, that's my It's actually my favorite. All right, let
me do my drills.

Speaker 1 (47:49):
You do your drill. God, I'm gonna do my drills.

Speaker 2 (47:51):
Are We're going all the day down there?

Speaker 1 (47:53):
You see the end fifty yard dash.

Speaker 2 (47:56):
I talked a lot of shit. I talked a little
bit too much shit.

Speaker 1 (48:00):
I'm wearing all white, just so you know what you're
racing against.

Speaker 2 (48:05):
Should we do this day?

Speaker 1 (48:06):
Listen, I'm ready whenever they are.

Speaker 2 (48:15):
I can't move. I did not move in this sad
I did that with a necklace. What good raise a
dude doesn't?

Speaker 1 (48:27):
Doesn't don't beat yourself up. No, don't, don't do it.
Don't look at as a loss. Look at it as
a milestone or at the end of your career. I
don't know, was there ever any doubt. I'd like to

(48:49):
dedicate my victory to able bodied people everywhere. I hope
I've inspired you. Representation matters. I've got some stand up
dates coming up in San Diego and Rena boys wear
Pink dot com And don't feel bad for Blake. As
a consolation prize, I gave him a gift. Every guest
on our show will receive something from me. I don't

(49:11):
purchase anything. I just find something in my home that
I think they would appreciate. Also, it's an easy way
to declutter. All right, I'll see you guys next week.
All right here, I got you skateboard, but I don't.
This isn't for you to ride. You give it your daughter,
she could ride. I don't want you like going around
Venice Beach.

Speaker 2 (49:29):
No, my legs off and just like I don't want it. No. Okay,
thanks Mabe. I appreciate it. I'm gonna write this all
the time.

Speaker 1 (49:38):
Not in the sand.