144 - Ashton Lunt - Becoming a National Champion

Most people see the moment you win. They don’t see what it cost.

In this conversation, I sit down with Ashton Lunt—national champion in javelin, former BYU athlete, and someone who knows what it means to suffer for a dream. We talk about what it really takes to become elite. From early mornings feeding pigs before lifting sessions, to throwing a javelin with a torn rotator cuff, Ashton’s journey isn’t one of overnight success—it’s a decade-long lesson in consistency, grit, and refusing to quit when everything inside you says to.

She opens up about injury setbacks, mental health battles, and the emotional toll of elite athletics. But she also shares what pulled her through: her faith, her family, and a relentless inner voice that said, “I’m not done yet.”

This is not just an athlete’s story—it’s a story about identity, about rebuilding from the ground up, and about showing up even when no one is watching.

Key Takeaways:

Persistence beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard—Ashton’s story is living proof.

Mental health must be trained like a muscle—her recovery and perspective offer practical tools and emotional insight.

Winning isn't just physical—Ashton’s success came from healing her mindset, redefining her “why,” and learning when to push and when to pull back.

–––––––––––––––––-

Website: Keepgettingafterit.com
Follow on X: @bcrossell
Subscribe on YouTube: @gettingafteritpodcast
Follow on Instagram: @bcrossell
Follow on TikTok: gettingafterit_podcast

I hope today’s episode sparked something within you to pursue your dreams and unlock your true potential. If you found value in it, consider sharing it with someone who might need that same push.

Getting After It is for those who. want to silence their self-doubt. Refuse to be owned by comfort. Understand their limits are man-made and breakable. We live in a time of constant comparison. Social media drowns us in highlight reels and overnight success stories. But what most people don’t see is the grit behind it all. The reps. The quiet mornings. The sacrifices. The failures.

You are just getting started. 

Keep Getting After It. 

Send us a text

Episode Transcript

Brett (00:00):
So did you grow up doing track and all those kind of
things?
Yep.

Ashton (00:03):
I was a three-sport athlete.
My dad was a three-sport.
I was a three-sport athlete.
I come from a small school Okay1A.
Do you know about divisions?

Brett (00:13):
I think so.
What are the divisions?
Because then I could tell youwhat my school was.

Ashton (00:17):
Okay, so are you from Utah.

Brett (00:18):
Arizona.

Ashton (00:19):
Oh, we just said that.
So sorry, it goes 1B, 2b, 1a,2a, 3a, 4a, okay, whereas in
Utah they go up from 1A to 6A.
Yeah.
So technically I would beeither a 2A or a 3A.

Brett (00:32):
Okay, I want to say we were four.
Our school was huge.
Okay, yeah, I graduated withlike 100 people Dang really.
Yeah, Ours was like 800, Ithink so it was massive.
Yeah, it's huge Like the wholefootball field.
It was just our graduatingclass.
It wouldn't go.
It was nuts and it was May inArizona.
So it's like so hot You'rewearing the robe, You're like

(00:54):
this is the worst.

Ashton (00:55):
You're like this is the worst.
Yeah, I graduated.

Brett (00:57):
Okay, sweet, three sports .

Ashton (01:00):
Um soccer, basketball and track.

Brett (01:02):
Dang Okay, so lots of running.

Ashton (01:04):
Always busy.
Yes, yeah, yeah, that's goodyeah.

Brett (01:08):
And then out of there, which one was like okay, well
running's where it's at Like Iwant to do track.

Ashton (01:18):
How'd that come to play Um my dad?

Brett (01:23):
was the track coach.
I was.

Ashton (01:24):
I was, yeah, I guess.
But he was the sprints coach,okay.
And so I was just like thebigger kid.
I was taller.
Um, when I was younger, I was achunky kid, like I really was.
And so my dad's like, hey,you're just going to be my
thrower.
And he saw this opportunity uma lot of, um scholarships.
He's like I, I know you can getone, even at eight years old.
He told me that he's likeyou're going to throw the

(01:45):
javelin.
I was like what the freak's ajavelin.
I'm like eight.
He's like it's a spear.
The biggest thing was he saidI'm going to throw at BYU Hawaii
.
I wanted to go to BYU Hawaii.
Then I think in junior high,they canceled their program.
Really yeah, they canceledtheir program.

Brett (02:01):
Really, yeah, yeah, they don't have a sports team, huh,
no, I know Rexburg, that's whereI went to school.
Um, they don't have one either,and I was like I was really
bummed, yeah, but, um, okay, soJavelin, and you're eight years
old and yeah, I'm sure like someeight year olds would be like

(02:22):
for me if I was eight years oldand my dad was like no everyone
else in our family sprints.

Ashton (02:26):
Like I'm gonna be a sprinter, which I did still.
I was still a sprinter, like Istill did it, which translated
great to javelin oh nice but no,like I knew javelin was gonna
be it, but at at the time I wasdad.

Brett (02:42):
Yeah, not doing that.

Ashton (02:43):
No no.

Brett (02:44):
That's pretty cool though .
So I mean, I kind of got throwninto like I'm just trying to
make a comparison here I gotthrown into volleyball when I
was a kid and I didn't like itfor like the first maybe two
years, but like all my brothersplayed it and I was like I got
to do it, like I want to be likemy brothers they're super cool

(03:05):
and eventually, like I fell inlove with the sport.
Um, I think it was just afteryou know that initial time where
you have to learn so much andthen you have to figure out what
your technique is and thenrefine, like your position in
volleyball and all that stuff.
And then, like once I startedgetting the fundamentals and I
started getting kind of decent,I was like this is fun.
Actually I like this Um, but Idon't even know anything about
training for javelin Um, but Idon't even know anything about
training for javelin.

Ashton (03:25):
So what's that?
Like You're kind of just throwninto it.
Really.
Like I didn't gain a love forit for a long time, because it's
just so.
It's just so hard.
Yeah.
Like all these little thingshave to be put together.
You look awkward doing it,you're pretty much running
sideways.
You're throwing sideways.
It's just so awkward yeah.

Brett (03:46):
The way Michael talked about it was like he talked
about Q bouncing, um, and hesaid, like sometimes you would
do one throw and then you'd belike how did I make it that way?
Like how did I do it that well?
And then you'd go through andyou'd be like, okay, well, maybe
it was my hips, maybe it waslike how I planted, and like you
said all these other terms Idon't remember.
But yeah, I'm sure that's justincredibly difficult, like
finding your technique.

Ashton (04:07):
Yeah, so for a while I hated it.
I'm sure that's true, yeah.

Brett (04:11):
But I mean, you stuck with it though.

Ashton (04:14):
Yeah, the biggest reason I love to lift, and I asked all
my friends or my teammates incollege.
Yeah.
I was like what do you thinksets everyone apart in high
school, Like the good from thegreat, they said.
Whoever lifts the most?
Probably, oh yeah, in highschool it's more about lifting
than technique and I, I nevermissed a day in high school.

(04:34):
Dang, I don't think, yeah,every morning.

Brett (04:37):
What kind of lifts were you doing?

Ashton (04:39):
Um power lifting and then, like I call, vanity lifts,
like people, like you know,like you look nice, oh, like
bicep curls yeah.
Okay, Just to look good.
My biggest motivation.
This is so embarrassing.

Brett (04:51):
Oh, I'm ready.

Ashton (04:52):
I had a crush on a guy Like my dad was like my dad.
He tells everyone everyinterview.
He's like my daughter was somotivated Like she'd be up
before me She'd have the pigsfed she would have breakfast
made so we can get out the doorto get lifting, because she just
loved lifting so much.
I'm not kidding.
I just had a crush on a guy andit got me into lifting and ever

(05:14):
since then I've been obsessedwith lifting.
Less about the guy, more abouthow I looked.
But yeah, that's kind of how Igot it.
I fell in love with it.

Brett (05:23):
You got to draw motivation from somewhere, so
hey, if that gets you started,why not?
That's awesome, though.
Okay, so you're lifting bigtime and I mean that's something
that, like I think everyoneshould be doing is lifting, and
it doesn't have to be like Idon't know.
You don't have to go and belike Arnold Schwarzenegger and
do crazy weights and all thatstuff.
Do crazy weights and all thatstuff, but just for

(05:46):
functionality and mobility andstrengthen to your later years,
like that's.
One thing that's beenfascinating to me is is learning
about the science behind likelifting and how it helps with
longevity.
Yes, like it's superinteresting.
The more muscle mass you have,I think, the better it is of
like a what's the word?
Mortality marker, not that, butlike it, something like that
yeah, I can't remember what it'scalled.

Ashton (06:06):
You look younger, you do .

Brett (06:07):
You just do so it's crazy , yeah, but um did they have any
certain types of lifts that,like they would prescribe in
javelin?

Ashton (06:15):
yeah, so a lot of the like, like power lifting, so
snatches, cleans, um, did um.
We did some weird ones, likeyou know, um snatching, but we
do a split snatch.
So it's like a split jerk butsplit snatch.

Brett (06:29):
Oh, where you're doing the splits.

Ashton (06:30):
Yeah, and then we have like box snatches and box cleans
, where you start at your kneesso you don't get that momentum
down.
Um a lot of quick Twitch stuff.
Dang Loved it.
That's crazy.
Yeah, I loved it.

Brett (06:42):
And then what was like a, a regular training day, like
like, how were you guys running,cause you had to stay fit
somehow?
Um, although Michael told methat when he was training he,
his, uh, his dietician orsomething like, gave him a bunch
of like different foods to eatand then he gained, I think 20
pounds is what he told me so bad.

Ashton (07:01):
I mean we've we've both been to that person and multiple
people have, and I was likeI'll never go to them again.

Brett (07:09):
Really.

Ashton (07:09):
Yeah, I worked with someone else at BYU.
His name's Dan Amazing.
I love him.
He's like.
I just want to start out bysaying you are a beautiful
daughter of God, but what do youwant?
What's?
Going to make you happy, and hewas great about that.

Brett (07:21):
That's awesome.

Ashton (07:23):
But yeah, mike is right, but the typical training, we
would have outdoor practicefirst and we would obviously
throw or do med balls, which isgreat for the core Like I've
never had a core in my life.

Brett (07:36):
Med balls.
Is that the thing where you'relike twisting to the side?
Yes, and like around the head?

Ashton (07:40):
and helping with our cues, like knee down, just
random javelin things, and thenwe'd have sprints some days.
My coach he's Finnish and hewas all about long muscles and
he wanted me to run at least twomiles every other day, but he'd
say every day he was more onthe extreme end.

(08:00):
Sometimes he'd say six miles.
I'm like I'm not doing that, Idon't run, I do not run.
And then we would lift and itwas like it took about an hour
to lift right after practice,and we would do that as a team.
So fun, like the vibe is insane,like everyone's screaming that
in your face on peak week Loveit.

Brett (08:22):
Oh yeah, you got music going.

Ashton (08:23):
Yeah.

Brett (08:24):
Yeah, that's the best.
That's so fun.

Ashton (08:25):
And then the crazy thing is or what I did and my coach
probably hated that I did this,but I did it and I loved it, me
and my husband he'd come homefrom practice, from football,
and we would go to Vasa for likean hour at least an hour and a
half at night, so I would trainan extra hour to an hour and a
half a night.

(08:46):
And then on weekends we hadweekend practices and we would
run stairs until someone splittheir knee open.

Brett (08:53):
Really.

Ashton (08:54):
Like, gashed it open.

Brett (08:55):
That was the rule.

Ashton (08:58):
Well no, my coach was like we're never doing that
again.
Yeah, that's fair.

Brett (09:02):
Dang, that's insane.
Stairs are brutal, but man,that's fair.
Dang, that's insane.
Stairs are brutal, but man,that's a lot of training volume,
yeah.
So like average week, what isthat?
Like three hours a day, itseems like.
So, putting in 21-hour weeks.

Ashton (09:15):
I think most practices went over an hour and a half to
two hours and then lifting.
I say I trained almost four tofive hours a day.
That's insane.
And lifting.
I say I trained almost four tofive hours a day.

Brett (09:27):
That's insane, and that was on top of how much recovery
we had to do.

Ashton (09:28):
Yeah, I was just about to ask what was that like the
recovery?
I mean I think we could havedone it faster, but we were all
just like talking the whole time.
But we would at least do anhour before practice.
Oh, okay.
Um, we'd have to heat up.
Do stretches like an hourbefore and then an hour after
usually as well, dang okay.

Brett (09:46):
So time management Just stretching and all that kind of
stuff and mobility exercises, Iassume.

Ashton (09:50):
At least at BYU.
We had a huge.
It looked like a hot tub, butit was an ice bath.

Brett (09:55):
No way it was as big as a hot tub.
It was cool.
I want to go there.

Ashton (09:58):
Yeah Sounds nice and then there was like four feet
and there's a hot tub, and soyou contrast.
They had every machine youcould think of.

Brett (10:09):
That's amazing.
Yeah, it's cool.
Yeah, I mean their facility.
They bring out some amazingathletes.
Yeah.
That's what's fun to watch.
I've gotten into running, Idon't know, for the past four
years.
I've like really gotten a bugand it's cool to see like, oh,
there's another great athletefrom BYU and there's another guy
who's going to the Olympics.
Like it's crazy, there's twopeople from BYU and the Olympics

(10:30):
this year on the marathon.
I think, um, I don't know whatother sports, but um, it's just
amazing like to see and I'm surethat comes down to like the
leadership and the coaches andeverything like that and um,
what was your coach like?

Ashton (10:43):
Um, he was pretty cool.
He's Olympian as well.
Um no, sadly no.
Um, he knew every other sport,or throws.
Really Um so his name was Nickhe w.
He was great for the the throwshe did throw and he would help
as much as he can.
I do believe that and sorry,nick, if you're watching this,

(11:07):
but it's true Like I got to apoint, and I think Cam and Mike
got to a point, where it's likewe, we, we based it on like
feeling.
Yeah.
Um, and he couldn't understandthat.
So I'm glad he was there, Causehe'd always have to say there
because he'd always have to sayashton, pull back, like pull the
reins back on me saying youneed to slow down, like you're
doing enough work smarter, notharder, which I needed, um, and

(11:31):
me and him would butt headssometimes.
Really, yeah, because I justwas like go, go, go like yell at
me.
Tell me how it is.
My dad was my freaking coach inhigh school.
Like my dad would make me cry.
Oh yeah, every practice I see,that's the thing is.

Brett (11:45):
I can't imagine like my dad being my coach or like me
being my son's coach, cause Iwould just push him.
Yeah, it's like a horse, youjust keep pushing them until,
yeah, yeah, it's rough.

Ashton (11:54):
So I mean, was that good though, in a sense like having
that contrast of like someonetrying to pull you back and a
hundred percent, like I am sothankful for him, like in that
way, because I did have otherpeople that are like, hey, let's
do more.
And then Nick was like no, guys, you need to pull back, you
need to pull back.
Sometimes I'm like, no, I'mgoing to do my abs.
Like I'm going to do my core.
I'm going to do extra core.

(12:15):
That's what I needed as a jobat the time to protect my back.
But then I had my, my Finnishcoach.
So, nick, he's from his dad's,from Sweden.
Okay.
Okay, and then the volunteercoach Johanny, he is, he's
Finnish, he's Finnish.
Okay.
So they kind of I don't want tosay butted heads.

Brett (12:31):
They never butted heads with me yeah, is there a rivalry
?
I don't even know.

Ashton (12:34):
No, no but in a sense, yes, there is A fun rivalry,
serious about it.
Um, I remember they did buttheads a little bit my, my
national championship year theydid.
And I remember Mike like comingin and saying hey, hey like
stop.
Really, you guys are um.
They would pull me differentways and I was kind of getting

(12:56):
confused.
I'm like I don't want todisrespect my head coach, like
he is my coach, but you'll,honey.
I've been working with himsince I think I was in junior
high.
Oh, wow.
Yeah.

Brett (13:05):
A long time he was my Yoda.

Ashton (13:06):
Him and Mike are my Yodas.
I've always said that that's agood title to have yeah, yoda
right.
So Mike came and he's like hey,hey, guys, stop.
Yeah.
I still remember that day.
I was like I'm so thankful forMike.
We call him dirty, so callinghim Mike's kind of weird for me.

Brett (13:25):
Like we're talking about the same Mike right.

Ashton (13:27):
Michael.
Okay, yeah, michael, we callhim dirty, yeah, dirty Mike.

Brett (13:30):
I'm going to call him that now I only called him dirty
, so every time.
I'm like hey, uh, yeah, mike,I'm going to change his name in
my phone after this to dirty andjust keep it going.

Ashton (13:40):
It's in my phone.
Yeah, why not yeah?

Brett (13:43):
That's awesome, though I mean, obviously, like the
coaches, they knew, like, whatto look for in technique and and
how to refine that a little bit.
But what was it like?
Like we'll bring Mike into thepicture now, we'll talk about
him.
Um, what was it like liketraining with people like him,
who obviously were also reallygood at what they did?
Um, was it motivating?
Was it kind of like competitive?

(14:04):
Like what was it?

Ashton (14:06):
Um, it was competitive, but not with Mike.
Um, I love that we got to trainwith the guys, cause I was
always someone that, um, Ialways trained with guys.
I'm not gonna lie in highschool.
Yeah.
I'm a girl's girl, but I love tocompete with the guys, like I
love to be up there.
Um, mike and I always kind ofbounced ideas off of each other.

(14:26):
We would film each other Likehe is just so amazing and like
technical.
He's a technician, so havinghis eyes there was amazing, like
I having another set of eyes toknow like what to?
You can't see yourself exceptin the videos, but still like
you show them the video to knowlike what to?
you can't see yourself, yeah,Except in the videos, but still

(14:47):
like you show them the video andsay, okay, what do you think?
Because this is what I felt andthis is what I see, but what do
you see?
It was fun bouncing ideas offof them.
We had another guy named Cam.
He was the best job.
He holds the record right now.

Brett (14:59):
At BYU.
Yeah, still Wow.

Ashton (15:05):
And yeah, still, wow, and I think so.
Yeah, no, he definitely does.
He holds the record and me andhim would just bicker at each
other.
It was so fun, like the rivalrybetween us.
It was fun, so I love trainingwith them.

Brett (15:15):
Yeah.

Ashton (15:16):
It's great.

Brett (15:17):
I think it's also important not saying that girls
are bad, but training withpeople who are better than you.
Yeah, when I was going back tovolleyball and that thing like I
would always train with varsity, I always play with them I'd
always get smacked in the faceor like I'd have to chase balls
and fall on the ground Like allthe time it was brutal.
And then, like even now withrunning, like I try and find

(15:38):
people who are better than meand then run with them because
yeah, it always like pushes meto want to be better and, um, I
think there's a lot behind thatLike.
And then also, with you seetheir example, you see what
they're doing, you can learnfrom them and then ask for
feedback.
Um, yeah, I mean it comes downto the team piece, like having a
strong, solid team.

Ashton (15:57):
Yeah, exactly, um, even like, um, what's it called
Collegiate basketball andvolleyball, their practice squad
.
They have guys, they have guysplaying.
One of my best friends.
He was on the practice squadfor the girls' team.
Really yes, because they alwaysplayed against guys.
Because, let's be real, guysthey're more athletic, they're

(16:18):
bigger, they're stronger in mostcases.
In most cases they just are,and that's how you get better.

Brett (16:24):
I mean get a get better.
Yeah, I mean get a biggeropponent.
Exactly, it's scary.
So you're a national champion,right?
That's amazing, thanks, I mean.
I think it would be cool tohear what it was like to first
get to BYU and then all the wayup to that point, and what that
was was like.

Ashton (16:46):
Yeah, so getting to BYU, got recruited.
I had some really good marks Umfreshman year.
It was great.
I had a great year.
I think I placed 11th, which asa freshman, that's really good
at nationals Um just makingnationals as a.

Brett (16:59):
so you went to nationals your freshman year.
Okay Dang.

Ashton (17:05):
Um that year I struggled because I'm from washington,
yeah, I had no family, um, so Ireally struggled.
Um I used javelin and liftingas my coping mechanism for that.
Like once I'm there, I don'tthink about anything else, so
that was super nice.
Sophomore year very first throwarizona um, I tore my ucl same
thing that mike did yeah the uclright.

Brett (17:25):
Isn't that right there?
Yeah, yeah, tommy john, yeah,everything okay yeah.

Ashton (17:29):
So I tore it very first meet and I was like, oh my gosh,
my, my career's over yeah, howdid what does it feel like?
It's like a pop yeah, there'slike a pop and like a pole and
like you grab your arm and ithurts really bad.
Oh yeah, so, geez, instantly mytrainer came over and he like
felt it and like he felt minecompletely gone, like you can
kind of feel it.
He does this weird thing.
He was like yeah, this iscompletely torn.

(17:52):
I was like great, Call my dad,I'm bawling.
Yeah.
Well, I think actually I did notcall my dad.
I think I called someone else.
No, I called my mom.
My dad kept calling.
I was like I don't want to talkto him.

Brett (18:02):
I can't talk to my coach.

Ashton (18:03):
Yeah, well, no, and I felt so bad, like he's put
everything into this and I feellike I owe him something.
Yeah.
And I feel like I just likecrushed his dream.

Brett (18:13):
And I mean you always want to make your parents proud,
Exactly.
It's like, yeah, got to live upto that.

Ashton (18:19):
Exactly Dang Um, but my dad did a ton of research and I
met with the doctors and they'relike you come back stronger.
Actually, you come back a lotstronger, which is true, Um, I
came back a lot stronger.
I actually came back in recordtime, so it was my.
So we're coming into mysophomore red shirt year.
Yeah.
Um, a week before, it was likethe week of our first meet.

(18:42):
Covid happens and they shutdown school.
Yeah, so everyone's likebawling in the locker room.

Brett (18:48):
Yeah, everyone's just sad .

Ashton (18:50):
I'm like calling my mom, I'm like I just completely
rushed my, my um recoveryprocess.
It's usually like like fullrecovery, I'd say over a year, a
little over a year, which minewas not even close to a year.
I was throwing.
I think I was like throwing afull jab at nine months.

Brett (19:06):
Jeez Okay.

Ashton (19:06):
Yeah, which I think Mike did his first.
I think he had two surgeries,right.

Brett (19:12):
Did he yeah, yeah.

Ashton (19:13):
Um the second one, he didn't rush which.

Brett (19:16):
I think he got it after he went to nationals Cause like
he threw with it torn but youcan, but it hurts.

Ashton (19:22):
so bad and it's not as strong like you.
Yeah, you really cannot throwum.
My shoulders are also alreadyhurting by that time, like super
bad.
They kept saying it wasimpingement, come to find out it
wasn't.
Like I've completely fully tornmy rotator cuff like it's are
you serious?
Completely gone.
I didn't find that out until mysenior year, though is it still
torn?

Brett (19:41):
yeah, I never got surgery .
That's insane.
I just didn't want it.

Ashton (19:43):
Yeah, they're like oh, you're going to have to stop
lifting.
I was like that's not happening.

Brett (19:47):
Sorry, yeah, I'll take it .
Yeah Dang Okay.

Ashton (19:50):
So I mean it's like setback after setback, like it
was insane, like so many lockerroom yeah, it was actually.
You know, on SpongeBob, whenthere's a fire and all of them
are running like that yes.
It kind of felt like thatEveryone's throwing their papers
.
Yes.
Yes.
It's chaos.

(20:11):
And another funny thing aboutthat was my husband.
He was my boyfriend at the time, yeah, We'd been dating for
three months.
He was sick in bed and asleepwhen all the news broke and like
hey, byu's shutting down.
So I call him.
I'm bawling.
He's like what's going on?
I'm like do you not knowthey're sending everyone home?
We cannot be here.

(20:32):
He's like what.
He's like what are you talking?

Brett (20:33):
about.
He's like waking up to theworld ending.
Yeah, he thinks it's a feverdream.
He's like this is weird.

Ashton (20:38):
So that was awful.
And then they said, hey, we cancome back to school yeah that
next year, and so we startedtraining again, but we were
still I was still training inthe off season, right um man,
what's like?

Brett (20:49):
because that's I.
I think anytime you have somekind of setback like that, it
makes you question like ifyou're going to be able to keep
doing it yeah, it's so hard likewhat?
What kept you going?
How'd you push through in thattime?

Ashton (21:02):
because that's hard yeah , I've put way too much like
time and energy into it.
I wanted to quit.
I'm not gonna lie so many timesum my husband.
He was like no you have to keepdoing this like you have to.
Um, my mom was like my mom's,so sweet and she was just like
okay, if you want to be donelike, you totally can.
But then there's my dad.
You're not done like, don't bea baby.

(21:25):
Yeah, use some choice words wehave very similar parents.
It sounds like yeah, like he'slike don't be baby, you're fine.
Yeah, you're fine.
Oh my gosh, my body hurts.
Like is this worth it?
Yeah like, mentally, is thisworth it?

Brett (21:37):
people have no idea um the like, the load it puts on
you mean that type of commitmentand that type of consistency,
dedication, like not only is itphysically tiring but it's
emotionally draining, and likeit takes up a lot of your brain
space, like you're thinkingabout it a lot.

Ashton (21:53):
Exactly, and other people have like a team to rely
on, which I did have a team, butit's so individual track is so
on you.
Like it's all on you at the endof the day, Totally is.
So you can't rely, or you like,oh well, they didn't.
They kept throwing away passesor stuff like that, like I, have
no one to blame but myself.
Right so it was even a biggerload on you because you have no
one else to blame but yourself.

(22:14):
Oh, man, that's tough.
And then so then again we cometo another sophomore.
Like I should be at my junioryear and I'm at a soft, almost
like senior year.
Right, okay.
I should be like almost mysenior year and I'm not.

Brett (22:33):
So did they reopen pretty soon.
Like I can't remember, so ithappened in March, it was like
March 20th.
Yeah.

Ashton (22:40):
And then they let people come back to school, but it was
like half remote, half not.

Brett (22:47):
Okay.

Ashton (22:47):
They only let so many people on the campus at the time
, were athletes.

Brett (22:50):
One of them.

Ashton (22:51):
Yeah, we can always well .
No, sorry, like so many classeshad to be online a day and so
many could be in person, which Ionly had online, which was
amazing.
Yeah, that's what I did.

Brett (23:02):
It was great Online school was like amazing.
Yeah, that's what I did.

Ashton (23:04):
Online school was like amazing.

Brett (23:06):
Yeah, it was the best.

Ashton (23:07):
Yes, Um, yeah, so we came back.
We all had to wear masks, sostupid.
Um, I remember my athletictrainer kept pulling me in cause
.
I didn't get the vaccine, likeI didn't get the shot.
I didn't.
I was like I don't need it, I'mgood, I'm healthy, I'm fine.
And they kept like trying toforce me to do it because you
had to test every day.
Really.
Yeah, like every other day togo to practice.

Brett (23:29):
That's insane.

Ashton (23:30):
And wear masks.
So that sucked.
I'm like dude.
I don't want to be practicing.
Wait, you had to wear a mask inpractice, my husband was on the
football team and they had towear a mask under they're.
They're serious.

Brett (23:40):
Yeah, it's like times like that when I don't know I
like look at the some of thethings we did during COVID and
I'm like that was all sounnecessary, so stupid.

Ashton (23:48):
It was so stupid.

Brett (23:49):
Yeah, that's amazing, though Football players and
masks.

Ashton (23:52):
Yeah, wow, I feel like that was worse than you can't
breathe.
Yeah, that's tough, that's,that's terrible.
So, yeah, that was awful.
Um, and so we get to that year.
I'm also getting married thisyear I get on birth control.
Yeah, I'll be.
I'm I'm not weird about it.
I got on birth control and itlike screwed me up like screwed

(24:12):
me over.
It was so bad.
Um, a lot of people get likepsycho.
I got numb, like I had nofeeling whatsoever.
Um, I also.
And then then I had thisnegative mentality my junior
year, or it was like red shirt.
Sophomore year, right, doublered shirt, whatever COVID year
Um, I had this really negativementality, like my very first

(24:34):
throw I threw 57 meters, whichwas amazing, like I think I was
like top, like one, like one ortwo that year, yeah.
And then I had this thought likesomething's going to happen bad
, like nothing goes well, thisgood for this long, yeah.
And I just kept having thatmentality and I stopped eating.

(24:56):
I completely stopped eating.
I was having like 500, 700calories a day.
My dad kept saying, oh, it'sbecause you want to look skinny,
you're ready to dress?
No, I literally just did notcare.
I had no emotions, except allthe runway had no emotion.
So by the time by the end ofthe year so beginning year I was
throwing 56 meters.
By the end of the year I wasthrowing like 40, I think I

(25:18):
ended at like 46 meters.
So I didn't make nationals.
I went to regionals and Icompletely choked.
I didn't make nationals.
It was so embarrassing for me.
It was like, so embarrassing, Iwas like I'm done, like I don't
want to do this anymore.
Right.
It's so like traumatizing.
Talked to my coach.
He's like why didn't you tellme I was?

(25:45):
Like I didn't care, like yeah,to be honest.
Um, so that sucked, and then myhusband's like okay what are we
going to change?
Like, let's change some stuff.
So we changed everything like Ihad.
I made a whole routine.
I got on creatine, love,creatine the best everyone.
I tell 100.
I coach high schoolers and I'mlike, honestly, get on creatine
yeah people are feeding theirbabies creatine, which I don't
know.

Brett (26:02):
I don't know about.
Yeah, I don't know.

Ashton (26:03):
Hold on hold on, hold on , but people say it stunts your
growth yeah, I have no ideawhere that's coming from.

Brett (26:09):
I had one of my buddies on the podcast um, he's a doctor
or he's going, he's in medicalschool, but like he's also just
a monster and he's like 240pounds something like that.
Okay, he's like my height, buthe snatches like 315.
He's a monster yeah and he wastalking about like creatine,
it's like it helps literallyeverything and he's like the

(26:30):
reason why is because it putswater into all your cells and
when that happens, you justperform better, exactly like
your brain, your body,everything.
Yeah, it's crazy so I don'tknow.
So you got on creatine.
Yeah, I got on creatine.
It, yeah, I got on creatine itwas great.

Ashton (26:43):
And my lifts I remember I was like my max squat for
three was like 185.
By the end of the summer I wassquatting like 300 pounds.
I'm not kidding when I say Imaybe it wasn't three, I don't
know.
That's still pretty good.
I mean, I really don't know.
It was like insane, though.
I was 225, that's all I know.

(27:09):
But then my max I think it waslike 280.
I'll say that's still prettygood.
Yeah, that's amazing by the endof my, my career.
I was actually scoring like, ohman, I don't even know, it was
over like three something.
That's pretty good it was.
Yeah, um, I was.
I was cleaning over 200 pounds,dang, snatching over 70 kilos,
which I don't know what that isin pounds um, I think it's like
100 someone's gonna get mad atme for this but like 150.
Okay, yeah, which is reallygood for me.

Brett (27:26):
That's probably more than that, 175 maybe yeah.

Ashton (27:28):
I have no idea, but like my weights were going up, it
was crazy good.
And then I fixed my like mentalhealth as well.
Craig Manning Don't know ifyou've heard about him.

Brett (27:38):
That sounds familiar.

Ashton (27:39):
He's like this great sports psychologist, he like
helps.

Brett (27:43):
Michael's talking about him.
That's why yes.

Ashton (27:45):
Craig Manning, your brain doesn't process negatives
so you always have to do it in apositive Anyways.
Great year.
And then that's the year I wonnationals.
It was great.
And then it was almost like,and then it was yeah, it was
pretty much like my body shutdown after that day.
It was crazy.
I went to go compete, for itwas like USA's, I don't know

(28:10):
what it was, and I placed likefourth.
It was great, but like I still,like my body wasn't functioning
at all.
Like I could not throw.
After that it was pretty muchmy body was like okay, you did
what you did and you're done,yeah, so it's pretty much my
body's like, okay, you did whatyou did and you're done yeah.
So I was debating.
I was like do I want to comeback the next year?
I do kind of regret it.
People ask they're like do youregret your last year?
I said yeah, everything hurt.
I had tears in my labrums andmy hips.

(28:33):
Really.
That's the year I found out myrotator cuff was completely torn
, dang MRI like three yearsprior, and they never told me
the results.
Really, it was impingement.

Brett (28:43):
What the heck I was like.
The results were there.
Obviously it was torn For threeyears.
That's insane.
They never told me the heck.

Ashton (28:50):
Which I'm happy they didn't, because I feel, like
that would be an excuse to tellmyself.
And I didn't.
I will say, every time I threwI was like on 1,000 to 1,200
milligrams of ibuprofen.

Brett (29:01):
Really.

Ashton (29:02):
It was so bad.
Dang it like killed me.

Brett (29:05):
Yeah, that's insane.
I have had my fair share ofshoulder things from volleyball
and they keep me up.
Yeah, it keeps you up at night.

Ashton (29:13):
Yeah, it really does.
People have no idea it's theworst, but yeah.
So I won nationals.
I came back, I made regionals,which was great, but I was just
like stuck.
It kind of felt like I had nopull on my shoulder.
There was nothing likeconnecting which.
I'm going to find out therewasn't.
There wasn't.
So I mean, I still went tonationals that year, which is a

(29:35):
great accomplishment, yeah.
But then I didn't know this atthe time I was pregnant at
nationals.
Really, I didn't know this atthe time I was pregnant at
nationals Really.
Yeah.
I had no idea, but some peoplewere like, okay, are you going?
To still compete and at thetime I wasn't telling anyone I
was pregnant and I don't think Iwas going to compete either way
.
Yeah, my body was just kind oftelling me I'm done.

(29:57):
But, yeah, got pregnant and itwas funny because my goal was
the Olympics right.
Yeah, first 2020.
I found out my daughter's duedate was March 10th.
Dang, okay.
And then they said I got anemail like the next day saying
hey, registration for theOlympic trials.

(30:17):
Its due date is March 10th.

Brett (30:20):
Oh, okay, so you're like.
So I was like what the freakyeah, that kind of stinks.

Ashton (30:24):
I was like, okay, yeah, no, it's not happening.

Brett (30:26):
So yeah, hey, I mean that's okay, but you kind of
just breezed over the deal thatyou won nationals.
What is that like?
Like that must've been insane.
Cause that's, you work fromwhen you're eight years old and
you refine your technique overthe years.
You have these, like hiccupshappen.
You know COVID shuts you down,you tear your UCL, all these

(30:48):
things and then, like you stillmade it to the top and you won.

Ashton (30:52):
Yeah, I did.

Brett (30:53):
Like that's huge.

Ashton (30:55):
It was huge.
Like even at the time it didn'tfeel real.
Yeah, Like there was so muchleading up to that year I had
like an anxiety attack.
I'm not going to lie Rightbefore regionals because I was a
year.
That was just so bad.
I'm LDS, so my husband came andgave me a blessing right before
I competed.
And then right before nationals.

(31:16):
Oh my gosh, sorry, right beforenationals.
He gave me a blessing as welland I felt this peace and
comfort.
Yeah, but yeah, at nationals.
I stepped on the runway and Ihad this sense of you're going
to make it, you're bad A, you'rejust going to throw.

Brett (31:35):
You got this.

Ashton (31:35):
You got this and I hit that first throw and I was like,
okay, I don't know if it'sgoing to be enough.
Like 58 meters, Everyone'sthrowing pretty good this year.
Um, luckily no one beat thatfirst throw.
It was my very first throw atnationals that won it.

Brett (31:50):
Um that's impressive.
That's like, yeah, you justshow up toss it, and then that's
like a mic drop yeah, that'ssweet.

Ashton (31:57):
Um, and then once I won, like I I cry, like it was like
like shock yeah he turned myfamily and they were freaking
out and that was the best partfor me, like my whole family was
there my aunts, uncles, cousinslike it was such a good feeling
, and my dad isn't allowed tosit by them, so there's like my
family right behind me where Ithrew, and then you could see my
dad pacing up and down oh manon, like on the sides while I

(32:18):
was throwing.
I was like dad, you are like soanxious I would probably be the
same, though, to be fair, yeah,I mean, yeah, he put, he put so
much into this as well, and likeI think it was more like he
didn't want me to bedisappointed yeah so, um, yeah,
and then I go and hug my coachand there's my dad.
He hugged me and it was justlike I'm not kidding, a thousand

(32:39):
pounds like off my shouldersthat's amazing um, and then it
took me like three hours.
You have to go take a drug test.

Brett (32:48):
Oh, really Right after.
Um, that makes sense.

Ashton (32:50):
Yeah, Um, I took some pre-workout like I don't like to
drink water right before yeah,Cause I just have to pee the
whole time and you're not reallyallowed to leave.
Um, so I just didn't drink anywater and so and I had stage
fright.
They're like I'm going to get,I'll tell you.
They literally like, kneel downand watch you pee.

Brett (33:08):
Really.
Yeah, that's so weird.
I was like what the freak youthink I'm going to swap it out
with someone else's?
Yeah, see, that's tough.

Ashton (33:15):
Yeah, and then my family was at home waiting for me Not
at home, they had an Airbnb andthey like, did this little
tunnel thing.

Brett (33:22):
Oh, that's so cool.

Ashton (33:23):
Yeah, it was so fun.
And then I didn't sleep allnight long.
I probably wouldn't.
No, I had a breakfast with theAD and all the coaches, because
when you win, you kind of havelike a celebratory, just dinner
with your parents and then allthe head coaches.

Brett (33:36):
Oh, that's cool.

Ashton (33:36):
Yeah, it was really special.
Shout out to Liz Darger Love toLiz Darger, love her so much Um
yeah, I didn't it was like ateight, 30 morning and I didn't.
I did not sleep.
I was on Twitter, I was onInstagram.
I was replying to everything.

Brett (33:51):
See, that's so cool.
Yeah, that's like everythingthat you work for in like one
moment finally came through.
It was so overwhelming but it'slike I mean you said it
yourself along the path like youwanted to quit, like you had
many opportunities to throw inthe towel, um, but I think
that's like the importance ofjust one dedicating yourself to
something yeah and like givingin your all.
yeah, and it's just a tool thatI always say like or not a tool,

(34:16):
but it's, it's a habit thatbleeds into like every other
part of your life.
Yeah, like you're able tofigure out discipline in this
one area, whether it's likephysical fitness or like a sport
, whatever that is, it'll teachyou how to be disciplined in
like your relationship and yourjob and really anything else,
and like your faith, like I'malso a member of the church, um,
but like yeah, I think it'simportant just to take those

(34:39):
lessons and bring them into yourlife.
And I'm curious if, like, youhave had, um, any lessons either
from a coach your dad, who wasa coach or like anything during
your javelin, where you're like,I'm going to keep this for
forever.

Ashton (34:52):
Yeah, um, obviously, persistence, um consistency I'm
a big believer in consistency Um, anything you do, just keep
doing it, even if it gets hard.
Yeah, my biggest like quote ishard work beats talent when
talent fails to work hard.
Yeah.
I love that quote.

(35:14):
It's a great one If, like mybiggest.
I think I got that from myoldest brother.
He's the oldest of eight kidsDang, he's a doctor now.

Brett (35:24):
So he's applied it.

Ashton (35:26):
Yeah, if you know him, you're like he's a doctor, like
no one.
He's just Colton, his name'sColton.
He's like an adrenaline junkie,like crazy.
But he kind of taught us, likeall his seven siblings, that
just work hard and and andyou'll make it.
And so I mean me and him aren'tthat close.

(35:47):
I mean we have like 10 years inbetween us but I really do look
up to him a lot.
If colin can be a doctor like I, I guess I can win a national
championship and hey, you didyeah, that's huge yeah that's
awesome.

Brett (36:00):
I mean, it really is like the truth and I think about
that all the time.
Like I'm in sales and that'slike my job.
Um, and it's so funny becauselike there's definitely people
who are way better than me, Likethey're, they're the silver
tongue people who are able totalk to anyone and like persuade
them to do anything.
And then here I am, just like,hey, what's up?
Would you like to?

(36:20):
I always can beat everyone interms of like hitting quota.
If I just like sit down and work, it's like it's a numbers game,
you just figure it out.
And it's like that consistencypiece that you said too.
And with anything I do withwhether it's sales or it's

(36:41):
running or the podcast likeconsistency plays a huge role,
just because a lot of peoplejust stop doing it.
And I've committed to it.
And then I told my wife I waslike I'm going to do the podcast
for at least 10 years.
If it doesn't work, then allright.
That's when I could say I gaveit a good shot.
But it's like if you don't,you're not giving it enough
chance.

Ashton (36:59):
Exactly.

Brett (37:00):
So I mean, how old were you?
When you started, you wereeight right.
And then when you won nationals, um, it was 2020.

Ashton (37:08):
Oh, I think I was like 23.
Okay.
Yeah.
I didn't start when I was eight.
It was just like the concept,like my dad like put that in my
head.
Yeah, um, I think I started injunior high.
We were throwing like littlenerf things.
So I think, what are you like?
14, 13, 14, 14.

Brett (37:23):
Yeah.
So yeah it was like 11 years,yeah, yeah.

Ashton (37:31):
Yeah yeah, that's insane .
Oh yeah, no, you're right.

Brett (37:32):
My math is wrong.
I was 14 years old when, Iguess, I started.
Okay, um, that's crazy thoughthat's amazing and, um, I mean,
what was the thing that made youthe most proud about your?
Your effort, I guess, and likeyour whole experience?
Obviously, like without thenational championship can't use
that one, um, but like somethingelse, like what?
What made you proud about?
Like the work that you did andyour journey overall?

Ashton (37:52):
Honestly, my mental health.
How much like my mental healthhas improved?
I had a really bad eatingdisorder.
I still like struggle with itevery day.
It's something like I want tohelp other people with, yeah,
but like my mental health wasreally struggling and that's
something that I took out ofjavelin, like I want to be big
and I want to be strong andthose are my strengths, um, and

(38:15):
I I put those strengths to work,um.
Another one is, yeah, thenational championship.
One was really good.

Brett (38:25):
I mean that's, yeah, that's the kind of crowning
moment.
But I mean, like mental healthis a huge thing too.
Yeah, um, I mean we all kind ofstruggle with it within in our
own different ways, and a lot ofit's like silent battles and
people don't know how to ask forhelp, and that's, like I think,
the biggest thing.
Um, I mean, I've gone throughdepression a few times, like, I

(38:47):
think the first time I actuallyexperienced it was when, uh, I
had like had no idea what wasgoing on, but for two years,
like all my health was just in acrisis mode.
It was terrible, um, and at thetime I was like 210 pounds when
, like this, this first startedhappening and then, like two
years later, I was 135 and solike oh my, oh my gosh yeah, I'm

(39:08):
six, three like oh my gosh, 135wow um, yeah, I'll have to show
you a Tik TOK after this.
I made it so, comparing me thento me now, and it's like it's
pretty insane, but, um, reallylike a pretty tough moment in my
life Cause like I thought I wasdying, like it was two years
where doctors couldn't figureout what was going on.
Um, and at the time, like I wassuper into like bodybuilding

(39:31):
which is ironic because I'm alittle tiny twig um, 135.
And so, like I started lookingup all these guys and, um, like
I would watch all these videosof them on peak week where, like
they're prepping and they'reeating like 1200 calories a day
and working out four hours a dayand all these crazy things.
And they were all talking abouttheir symptoms and I was like

(39:52):
that sounds like what I have.
Like let's test my blood andthen it turns out like my
testosterone was 53.
And like, yeah, so I have atumor in my pituitary gland that
like shuts off my hormones andstuff.
But during that time, like Iwas like the most depressed I
ever was and I would go to work.
I'd come home from work andjust go straight to bed.

(40:14):
Yeah, Like wouldn't really eatanything because it was like I
had no appetite.
It was nuts.

Ashton (40:19):
That's insane.

Brett (40:23):
And so, like it's just, I don't know, I mean, from the
outside I look fine, I think,facial wise, like not my actual
body, but like the way I was,like you know, interacting with
my family, like I was talking tothem, and, um, people at work,
like I'd try to keep it, like ohyeah, I'm fine, and all these
things and, um, I don't know,it's just a tough thing and,
interestingly enough, likerunning has provided that outlet

(40:45):
for me.
It's like an opportunity for meto think and to kind of clear
up my thoughts and get to thebottom of like, okay, well, why
am I feeling this way?
Yeah, and I don't know how, howhave you, um, kind of gained
more reins on your mental healtha little bit?
Um, or like what are somethings that you've done that
have helped?

Ashton (41:05):
Yeah, Craig Manning.
I've watched all like all ofhis classes.
That was a big thing for me.
Another thing is I'm more thanjust my body.
Yeah.
That was a really big thing.
How do I want to feel aboutmyself Do?
I want to be thinking aboutfood 24-7?
.
I hated that.
And then my biggest one.
I have a daughter now and Inever want her to feel what I

(41:29):
feel and I wanted to get thatworked out before I have a
teenage daughter.
When they have this, thesethoughts like social media sucks
.

Brett (41:36):
it's the worst like oh my gosh if I didn't have to do it,
I would be off of it.
I know like that's the thing.
Yeah, I'd totally be off of ityeah, um.

Ashton (41:44):
So I really wanted to have like a really healthy um or
mental health yeah um, so Icould help my kids someday,
because I know it's it's justgoing to be there, yeah.
And so, like every time I likeget in the slumps or I'm like my
husband's like what did youeven eat today?
I'm like nothing, like I just Idon't, yeah, I don't care, like
I don't really care.
Um, I think like what's my why?

(42:05):
and I always have a why in theback of my mind now always I
feel like a lot of people thatstruggle, they're like they
don't have a why.
In the back of my mind now,always I feel like a lot of
people that struggle, they'relike they don't have a why or a
purpose.
And my why is my daughter andmy kids someday, and I want to
be healthy for them and mentallystrong, and so my kids will be
my everything.
Yeah, that's huge.

Brett (42:23):
I love that.
I mean kids.
They're definitely bigmotivators.
We don't have kids yet, buthoping to one day.
Um, yeah, and that's that's thething.
You said it like.
You have to have a strong whywith anything that you do,
whether it's Javelin or if it'slike I need to get my mental
health in order, whatever it islike having a strong why.

(42:44):
Behind it is almost yourcompass, like it leads you back
to where you need to keep yourfocus.
Um, yeah, and I think that'sreally like you.
You explained it perfectly likehaving a why.
Um, but yeah, I mean, I thinkone thing that could be cool is
like to understand what you dofor decompressing, because it

(43:05):
seems like you go a lot likewhat is your um, I guess your
recovery protocol now, or like,what do you like to do, is just
like take your mind off things Igo home to washington, well,
okay, well, do you mean like?

Ashton (43:20):
so what I do is I go work out, like that's what I
love to do yeah but people arelike okay, but that's not like
that's not relaxing, but to meit is yeah, no, that makes sense
like you said, running, youlove to think and like kind of
you're in your own space.
I think that's like my mostselfish part of the day, because
I have a daughter again.
My everything goes towards her.
Um, that's that's where Idecompress.

(43:41):
But um, even going back tojavelin and um, being a
collegiate athlete, sometimesI'm like my, my coach's name's
nick.
I'm like nick, I need to gohome.
It's like a week before a meetright I went home between
regionals and nationals there'slike a week and a half between
between and I was like nick, Ineed to go home.
Like, please send me home.
That's my outlet.

(44:01):
I feel like it doesn't matterhow old you are.
When you step inside yourchildhood home and your mom and
dad are there, it's like okay,I'm a child again.

Brett (44:09):
Yeah, I can go to the fridge.
There's going to be food there.

Ashton (44:12):
Like I just think about it.
I just had right now a sense ofrelief.
I'm like, oh, like my happyplace, so home, yeah, yeah.

Brett (44:18):
That's awesome.
I think that's cool and, um, Idon't know what makes home so
special.

Ashton (44:23):
Um me, and I have seven siblings um 19, nieces and
nephews 19, 19.
I love my babies.
Um um, I live on a like a farmin the country.
It's just so relaxing I feellike improve everything's like
go, go go.

Brett (44:41):
Yeah, oh, that's insane.

Ashton (44:42):
Yeah, and then I go home and there's nothing for miles
like miles.
And it's just so relaxing and Idon't have to think about
anything cause my mom's just sorelaxing, yeah, and I don't have
to think about anything becausemy mom's there.

Brett (44:52):
Yeah, yeah, you did say that you got up and you fed the
pigs before you went and lifted,so you guys actually have like
livestock and we used to.

Ashton (44:59):
yeah, Um, we did a 4-H and FFA.

Brett (45:02):
Oh nice.

Ashton (45:02):
Okay, yeah, and then my grandparents owned a farm,
that's that's cool.

Brett (45:12):
Yeah, love that.
Yeah, that's awesome.
I, awesome, I uh, took care ofgoats for a summer love that.
Yeah, that was one of the worstthings I've ever had to do in
arizona because like you goaround, you like milk the goats
and then you're just sweaty,there's flies everywhere and
then you have to go and likeclean out the milk and all that
stuff.
But, um, yeah, no, it's, itteaches you how to work oh yeah,
that's impressive, I loved itum, no, that's, that's, I think,
like that's kind of unique foreveryone, is like figuring out

(45:35):
what your outlet is, um, but I Ifeel like if you're going to
succeed, like, you have tofigure out what it is.
You have to know what gets youcalmed down.
Um, you have to know how tocontrol your mind, like you were
saying, with mental health andjust everything in general, like
being that, I guess, advancedin a sport and that, um,

(45:56):
technical, with everything thatyou're doing.
You have to be so focused.
Yeah, how did you build thatfocus over the years?
Like, and what's it like toeven be in that moment where
you're about to throw thejavelin?
Like, what are you tellingyourself?

Ashton (46:09):
Yeah, so, um, first I kept a journal, okay, Um, it was
in my notes or on my phone.
Like in my notes, I had likeanother journal and I would, I
would write everything positiveand I would just embrace it all,
like I am this, like I am, I am, I am strong, I am powerful,
like all this stuff.

Brett (46:29):
I see, I love that Because, like, that's so
important to do.
Yeah.
I caught myself the other daylike I was just talking bad
about myself, like really bad.

Ashton (46:40):
Which is common.

Brett (46:41):
Yeah, it's super common.
And then, like I was, like Ithought about Heavenly Father.
I was like he would not want metalking about a kid like that.
So why would I talk aboutmyself that way, like it's just
bad?
And so like I tried immediatelyreframing and be like okay,
what do I know I'm good at, andlike things like that, so glad
to hear other people do it too.
That's good, it's like thegratitude thing.

Ashton (47:00):
They're like I feel so grateful or I'm like down and I
list of all the like theblessings I have in my life.
Yeah.
I'm like wow, I am rich Like.
I am so rich?
Um so yeah, then what was thesecond?
Oh, getting on the runway right.

Brett (47:15):
Yeah, like what?
What goes through your mind asyou're stepping onto it, like
are you walking through?
Okay, I need to do this, thisand this or that, yeah but sure
whatever you know, um, I did dothat.

Ashton (47:29):
I was like, okay, I need to do this, this, this, this um
.
But yohani and mike, they bothtaught me that, um, that's what
practice is for.
Like you did, you've donethousands and thousands of
repetitions, like your bodyknows what to do.
Now it's your mind and saying,like I know what to do, I don't
even tell myself what to do.
Um, if it's one cue, that'sfine, but, um, you just kind of

(47:51):
say, I've practiced hundreds ofhours for this.
Your body knows what to do.
All you need to do is bringenergy to it.
And I step on the runway andlike I take a deep breath and I
I do say this is so like cheesy,but I'm like I'm Ashton,
freaking Reiner dude.
Like I'm a.
Reiner.

Brett (48:09):
I'm a.

Ashton (48:10):
Reiner, which is like a huge saying when I grew up, and
then I would go and I'd put thatenergy towards it.

Brett (48:15):
I love it, it's confidence, it's huge.
Yeah, confidence, there you go,that's the word, confidence is
huge, but it only comes from,like what you said, with the
repetitions in and you trainyour body how to do it.
Yep, it's the same thing I tellpeople when they want to start
running.
I'm like, just get out thereand start doing it, and the more

(48:37):
you do it, the better you'llget and like all these different
things.
And then I'm like, on race dayyou'll know that you can do it
because you've built up thisbase that shows that you can.
It's the evidence and it comesfrom the practice and the
repetitions and everything.
So that's awesome.
I mean, yeah, I'm alwayscurious about, like what goes
through, like people who have avery technical sport, like if

(48:57):
they're thinking about it or ifthey just go and I think it
sounds like it's the latter Justgo.

Ashton (49:03):
Yeah.

Brett (49:03):
Just go Like.
You know how to do it.

Ashton (49:04):
Yeah.

Brett (49:05):
So I think that's cool Going back to your kids, because
you said you know, or you haveone kid, but like you hope to
have more.
What's a lesson that you hopeto teach them through your
example?

Ashton (49:17):
Um, consistency, obviously.
Um, you're not going to begreat at anything at first.
Yeah.
Um, that's like a big one, um,and then something like I'll
have huge in my, my permanenthome one day, which we already
have, like a small one saying.
It says um, comparison is athief of all evil or of all joy,

(49:38):
sorry.

Brett (49:38):
Yeah, comparison is evil.

Ashton (49:41):
Um, um.

Brett (49:42):
I'm very familiar with that quote.

Ashton (49:43):
Love that quote Cause I compared myself to everyone.
Going back to social media.

Brett (49:47):
Yeah, it's the worst for that.

Ashton (49:48):
I'm like okay, I know, this is fake, I know this person
doesn't actually look like thisbut, I, compare myself right
and that's like something bigthat totally switched my mindset
from my terrible season to mynational championship season was
I stopped comparing myself toanyone and I said I'm my own
unique self.
And that's what I want to teachmy daughters and my sons as
well that you are your ownunique self, and what works for

(50:12):
you might not work for someoneelse, but it's working for you.
Yeah 100%.

Brett (50:16):
I try to make that very clear with anything that I post
about running or anything onsocial media.
It's like, hey, this has workedfor me.
Yes, it might not for you.
Yes.
But yeah, that comparison is theThief of Joy.
Quote is ingrained in my head.
For the same reason, there'sall these amazing runners on
social media who make it lookeffortless like.

(50:38):
I always bring up the exampleof truett haynes um I don't know
if you know who he is, but he'sjust like he's just this kid
who he's.
He's really good, he's not akid, um, but he broke the world
record.
Pull-up record like okay, wowthis year and then he ran a
marathon in jeans.
The Boston Marathon, yes.

Ashton (50:53):
Okay, yes, 236.

Brett (50:56):
He's just insane, but he's been doing half marathons
since he was six, oh, so it'slike I can't compare myself to
him.
I don't have that backgroundthat he does, but it is.
It's such an important thingand I love what you said.
It's like, hey, you are yourown unique self.

Ashton (51:17):
Yeah, own that, yeah, like be proud of that.
Yeah, another thing geneticscome like into play.
Huge genetics are huge.
Yes, like hard work.
But some people can only workso hard.

Brett (51:22):
Yeah, like you can't sorry, you can't work hard
enough to grow six inches and goto the nba.
Yes, so I can't do that.
I'm not going to be in the NBAanytime soon.

Ashton (51:30):
You've got to know your limits as well, yeah 100% you do
, but no, I love that.

Brett (51:34):
That's huge, I think it's .
Yeah, that's how you make agood kid teaching those things
yeah.
Let them be unique.
Exactly, just don't let themburn things.

Ashton (51:51):
Like you know.
No, he's like mom.
I love to burn stuff.
That's who I am like.

Brett (51:53):
No, you can't do that like I can nothing good with
that.
Yeah, that's nothing's gonnaget.
Come.
Come from that, um, but yeah, Imean I, I think just, yeah, my,
my last question for you, um,it's a big one.
I mean, it's the getting afterpodcast yeah is what does
getting after it mean to you?

Ashton (52:09):
Okay, yeah, I was.
I was like thinking about this.
Um, getting after is liketaking, like taking an idea and
like going for it witheverything you got, like getting
after it.
Take something.
Okay, I want this.
I'm going to do everything Ihave like within my capabilities

(52:31):
and.
I'm going to do everything Ihave within my capabilities and
I'm going to go after it.

Brett (52:34):
That's what I think it means.
I agree I love it.
I mean there's a lot that I saygetting after it means, but
really I think it's just likewhat you said you get an idea
and then you dedicate yourselfto it.

Ashton (52:45):
Yeah put everything you have.

Brett (52:46):
It's like with Javelin you dedicated yourself to it,
you literally got after it andyou won the national
championship or the nationalchamp.

Ashton (52:54):
Nationals National championship yeah, is it the
championship?
Yeah, I guess it is.

Brett (52:56):
Um, but that all came from work.
Yeah, came from getting afterit, like being consistent, like
doing all these things thatwe've talked about, um, and it
is just like it really doesapply to every other area in
your life.
If you do like make the time forit, like if you, want to be
better at your job, thendedicate yourself to it, like if
you want to learn something new, you want to learn a new

(53:17):
language.
Dedicate yourself to it and getafter it Like it really is.
It it's going all in and it'shuge, so I love it.
Anything else you want to shareor leave the audience with?

Ashton (53:30):
I think we covered a lot .

Brett (53:30):
I think we have we covered it?

Ashton (53:32):
I think so.

Brett (53:34):
Well, I really appreciate you coming on and talking.
I feel like it's always good forme to talk to people like you,
who are literally elites in whatthey do, but then also just
like to hear what got you thereand to hear that, like you're
not some person who was bornthis way, like it took work and
you've also had to overcomechallenges.
Like that's the thing I thinkpeople don't see on social media

(53:57):
.
Yeah, is that all the peopleyou're comparing yourself to
also have things that they'rebattling, and it's just it's.
It's refreshing to see that andlike, actually have these kind
of conversations.
Um, because it doesn't comeeasy and no matter how much you
think it, it does come easy tosomeone else.
Guarantee you it doesn't.
Yeah.
So I think it's awesome and,yeah, I think you're going to do

(54:21):
great things for your kids.
Teach them and the high schoolkids that you're teaching.
I think that's awesome.
Um, that's getting after it inits own sense.
You're you're teaching them.
Yeah.
Um, because I think that'sactually like part of the
definition.
For me, is is like you arecommitting to get better, but
you're also committing to helpothers do the same.

Ashton (54:40):
Yeah.

Brett (54:40):
So you're doing it.

Ashton (54:41):
Thank you.

Brett (54:42):
Yeah, I think it's awesome.
So, yeah, I appreciate youcoming on.
This is awesome, thanks forhaving me.

Ashton (54:46):
I love it.

Brett (54:48):
As uh, everyone else listening, as always keep
getting after it.