What happens when a group of friends decides to turn a simple weekend get-together into a full-blown quest for a Spartan Race trifecta? You get stories of grit, growth, and leadership you wonโt want to miss!
In Episode 180, host John Gallagher sits down with his brothers in faith and accountability group membersโ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ซโas they share what it REALLY takes to do hard things, how training for a Spartan race can unlock your leadership potential, and why age is truly just a number.
๐ก Highlights: https://youtu.be/RlF-Pa_x334
The power of doing hard thingsโon the course and in life
How setbacks (and sore hips!) become lessons in leadership and discipline
Why having a circle of accountability changes everything
The role of consistency and continuous improvement in achieving long-term goals
How to motivate yourselfโno matter your ageโto chase the next challenge
If youโve ever needed a nudge to take on something daunting, this is your sign. Listen in for inspiration, laughs, and practical tips on becoming an uncommon leaderโboth on and off the racecourse.
๐ง Listen now and let us know: What's your next โSpartan Raceโ in life?
๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ก๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ:
๐ฏ Free 1:1 Strategy Call โ https://coachjohngallagher.com/freecall
๐ More Resources โ https://linktr.ee/coachjohngallagher
๐ Visit โ https://coachjohngallagher.com
#CoachJohnGallagher #TheUncommonLeaderPodcast #LeadershipCoaching #UncommonLeader #ExecutiveCoaching #ValuesBasedLeadership #MindsetMatters #GrowthMindset #LearnLeadGrow #LevelUpLeadership #SpartanRace #ChallengeYourself #BeUncommon
Thanks for listening in to the Uncommon Leader Podcast. Please take just a minute to share this podcast with that someone you know that you thought of when you heard this episode. One of the most valuable things you can do is to rate the podcast and leave a review. You can do that on Apple podcasts, or rate the podcast on Spotify or any other platform you listen.
Did you know that many of the things that I discuss on the Uncommon Leader Podcast are subjects that I coach other leaders and organizations ? If you would be interested in having me discuss 1:1 or group coaching with you, or know someone who is looking to move from Underperforming to Uncommon in their business or life, I would love to chat with you. Click this link to set up a FREE CALL to discuss how coaching might benefit you and your team)
Until next time, Go and Grow Champions!!
Connect with me
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What leadership comes out of that?
What leadership lesson comesout of that is you know you
don't have control overeverything.
You can prepare as best you canand then sometimes there's a
change and you have to pushthrough and you have to continue
to fight and you have to findthe real finish line wherever it
is.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
It's consistency before intensity, right, so it's
the consistency beforeintensity will always get you
there.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
For me.
I think, as leaders, that wesometimes forget that we don't
have to do it all alone.
Right, surround yourself aroundpeople that can help you.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
Hey, uncommon Leaders , welcome back.
This is the Uncommon LeaderPodcast and I'm your host, john
Gallagher, and I've got a greatconversation today, something
different than I've done before.
I've got a group of guys mybrothers in faith, my friends,
my Raise the Averageaccountability group members on
a call here to talk about arecent race, about a recent
(01:07):
journey we've been on.
We've done our first twoSpartan races and we just
finished one up about a week ago, and I wanted them to get back
together to really talk aboutthat experience, and what
started out ultimately as aconversation for us in terms of
saying, hey, we need to figureout how to do something hard,
has turned into a quest for aSpartan trifecta.
So we'll talk about what thatmeans in terms of setting us up
(01:29):
for the next one as well.
But ultimately, when this is theUncommon Leader podcast, it's
about working with leaders andjust like these guys who are
working through life on a dailybasis to get better, either in
their personal fitness, in theirhomes, in their communities or
at their workplaces, ultimatelychoosing to do things that are a
little bit hard and, while itmay be about the medal, which
(01:51):
are really kind of cool as we gothrough this conversation.
It's really about a greaterpurpose for us, for me,
something about being able tolook down the road, especially
from a health standpoint, and beable to do stuff with
grandchildren as we go forwardand making sure that we're
available for our families for alonger time than we thought.
So, guys, dave Campbell, jeffAdams, kevin Gallagher, welcome
(02:15):
to the Uncommon Leader Podcast.
How are you guys doing?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Great Doing, great brother.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Yeah, doing good, john.
Yeah, we've recovered okay.
I think After a few days wetalked about that afterwards in
terms of what some of the painwas after a 5K event, that we
may have thought that was goingto be a little bit easier than
the first one and didn'tnecessarily turn out that way.
But let's just jump in theconversation.
We're going to have a lot offun with this and I'm going
(02:43):
start off with Dave and I'mgoing to move my way around and
you guys can add in as we goforward.
I just want it to be a funconversation.
But, dave, this thing goes allthe way back Really.
I mean, the RTA group goes backa few years, but the
conversation of getting involvedin the Spartan race stem from
one of our regular phone callsRTA group phone calls and we
said you know we're doing thiskind of training but we don't
have anything really to shootfor and we need to try something
(03:06):
hard.
And it ended up being I did aninternet search and came up with
Spartan Race and it was like,for some reason, in five minutes
we kind of said yep, let's doit, we're in, let's go and make
it happen.
As you thought about that onthat journey.
As you think about that, how itimpacts you as a leader and
doing hard stuff, what comes tomind as you look at the journey
we've been on really for thelast 10 months, specifically in
(03:26):
the Spartan world?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
So for me, john, the biggest or most learning I've
gotten from it is that it helpsme take on things that I didn't
think I could do before.
I think doing a Spartan race wasso far out of my realm of
possibilities and I can'tbelieve it's been 10 months
since we started talking aboutthis.
But you know, when you broughtit up, if you remember, this
(03:49):
came from a, a failed attempt tojust have a weekend with the
guys right and we couldn't getrbo's and all these things,
couldn't get everything aligned.
And then I remember aconversation, I think a text
message.
She was like, hey, let's do aspartan.
And it just really got mywheels turning because I'd never
done anything that difficultand I thought, well, this would
(04:09):
be a great challenge.
And then I ended up havingconversations with Jeff and
brought it up and he's like, hey, I've done Spartan races before
and, you know, started lookingat it.
Just an amazing challenge forus to look at and do things that
I thought were impossible.
If you'd asked me a year agoabout doing a Spartan race, I
would have said there's no way.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
I think that is funny in terms of looking back on
that.
We were talking about trying toget together for a fun weekend
to do fun things, you know, morethan kind of the hangout and
sit around a fire and you know,go out and have a good meal, and
for some reason we turned thatinto doing something difficult.
And I know you know, jeff, jeffcame in, you came in the group
(04:49):
just a little bit later in termsof what that was, and I'm so
glad that you did, but he's like, oh yeah, the Spartan thing.
I mean you were, you were a aseasoned veteran when it came to
Spartans, I guess, and what itwas, and helped us out along
that journey.
But what was there for you?
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Kevin and Jeff, were you guys ready for that as well?
Go ahead, jeff.
Yeah, I was going to say so,john.
I guess I'll clarify.
Are you talking about thesprint we just finished?
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Yeah, I mean the sprint and the sprint overall,
Yep, the one we just did.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Was I prepared.
You know, I full transparency.
I think I overlooked this one alittle bit.
Um, I think, um, I, we justfinished the super.
Uh, this one is half of that,so it seemed like it shouldn't
be as difficult, but this one,uh, I don't know if it's because
I'm a few years older than thelast time I did it, but I had
trouble recovering and I'm justnow starting to feel like some
(05:47):
of the soreness is leaving myhips and all those things.
I know we've kind of been goingback and forth on that in the
chat, but yeah, I overlooked ita little bit.
John Overlooked it.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Yep, absolutely, and I think that's a lesson in life
as well.
Kevin, where's that lesson foryou in terms of thinking
something might be a little biteasier because we did something
hard already and it doesn't turnout that way?
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Oh yeah, I definitely thought I was going to breeze
through this, you know, and Iran it with Melissa, so you know
, the biggest, the biggest pushfor her, I just, you know, was
to keep moving.
Know, was to keep moving, and Ididn't think it would be as
crazy as it was.
But when you throw a 60 poundsandbag on your shoulder, and
(06:29):
that course was really hilly, myhips are just recovering, like
last night I was stretching andit was the first time that my
hips didn't hurt since Sundaymorning.
So, um, I wasn't expecting theHills to be nearly as gnarly as
they were.
And after doing the super, youknow we, I don't want to say we
(06:50):
breezed through the super, but Ifelt like we got through the
super really really well.
Um, you know, we, we werepushing each other, um,
constantly on a very walking,constant run, and I felt we got
through that one really well.
But if you look at thelandscape between Fayetteville
(07:15):
and Mill Springs, whoo, yeah,yeah, yeah, it definitely is.
The geography is a hugedifference.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
So yeah.
And again, I think there's somany different things in that,
again, you know thinking thingsare going to be easier than they
are not.
Maybe not prepping as muchUltimately, like the prep, going
into it to understand should we, you know, walk I don't want to
say walk the entire next course, but certainly do a little more
research on the, on the onecoming up in November as well.
That's probably going to be thehardest one yet.
We admit that the hardest oneyet is coming out.
(07:43):
So there are many things again,I still hearken this back to
leadership that recognizes that.
You know, don't ease your wayinto a conversation, don't ease
your way into a project,whatever that is because you
think it's going to be a littleeasier.
We're always going to run intosome of those obstacles that are
going to keep us from beingsuccessful, and even the
discipline required to that.
(08:04):
And here's kind of a questionI'll loft out and maybe, jeff,
you take this one first when Ithink about the hard stuff in
terms of training.
And you mentioned age as well,jeff, you're a little bit older
than you were before.
So three of us are in the 50plus club.
A couple of us are on thecloser side to even the 60 club
here in the near future, right,dave, in terms of where we are.
(08:26):
And then, kevin, by the timeyou join us in November, you'll
be joining that elite club aswell as we get older, okay, as
we look at what's important tous.
I know we don't do this justfor the medal, although it's
kind of fun and, again, I thinkit even motivated us to get the
trifecta completed.
But you know, jeff, what is itthat keeps you inspired and
(08:50):
motivated to do hard things likethat at 50 years old or older,
where some folks are actuallystarting to slow down and say,
man, I got to take it easy?
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Yeah, john, I always think about Clint Eastwood.
You know, when he was asked howdoes he still do it, he said I
get up every morning and I kickthe old man out.
You know, and I'll always likethat, it's always kind of
resonated with me.
But, yeah, I mean, we have todo what we know is right to do
and you know, whether that's interms of our diet, whether it's
(09:20):
in terms of spending time withGod, whether it's in terms of
getting into the gym and pushing, and you know it's mind over
matter, and I think we, you knowwe have to determine what our
goals are, push through.
I've got a 26-year-old son, so Idon't know when grandchildren
are coming, but I'm sure theyare.
We're on vacation this weekwith a younger family and they
(09:43):
have a younger kid, and so I'msure they are.
We're on vacation this weekwith a younger family and they
have a younger kid, and so I'mremembering the energy that's
required.
And then I've got a 13-year-oldson who's now.
He wants to ride dirt bikes andall these things, and I want to
be a part of that.
I want to be all in.
So for me, it's just aboutbeing able to physically do the
things that I want to do and if,whatever price comes to prepare
(10:07):
for that, then I'm in.
I'm willing to do it.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
Amen, dave, you are a grandfather now.
Man, how's that feeling for you?
The Spartan race and agrandfather How's that in a
short period of time?
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Yeah, it's pretty amazing.
But you know, I'm like Jeff,where I'm looking at this going.
I want to be in such good shapein the next decade.
So I read somewhere last year Idon't remember which book it
was, but it was talking aboutthinking a decade ahead what's
it going to be like when I'm 66,76?
(10:43):
And you know, the ease that weall look for in life doesn't
come from ease, right, it comesfrom the suffering and being
able to, and being tointentionally suffer and push
yourself to the limit and findthat limit.
That's the one thing thatSpartan has done for me.
You know, I did a bicycle raceback in 2012 that helped me find
(11:04):
that limit, but then I forgotit and I didn't keep the
discipline.
2012 that helped me find thatlimit, but then I forgot it and
I didn't keep the discipline.
And what I think the Spartanraces are doing for me, or even
just my fitness plan and workingwith the CrossFit gym, it's
helping me continue to redefinethose limits and find them.
And you know, maybe get alittle bit injured and be sore.
You guys are talking about thesore hips.
I've not had my hips burn likethat my entire that first day
(11:25):
after this 5k.
So you know it's kind oflearning those limits.
And then, okay, for the, for the, the race in november.
What does my preparation needto look like?
Right, so that it might beremember.
But yeah, right now it'sexciting.
We got the second grandkid onthe way in september, so it
really is about just ready toget up and down off the floor
and play with the kids and, youknow, enjoy it Right, and really
(11:47):
not be up in the standswatching.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
So I love that and your point about the hips and
even the next level ofpreparation.
I think the continuousimprovement component of that
Right To sit down afterward andreflect on whether we did that
formally or whether we did thatinformally.
With regards to what did we do,well, I love how the Spartan
community frankly creates thatsuch that you can create a
scorecard for yourself.
(12:11):
There's a time that you finish,there's again the medals that
you have that you get through,but there's also how did you do
on each one of the obstaclesthat were out there in front of
you, and they actually let youkind of check in with with those
things.
So it gives you, uh, animprovement glide path going
forward.
You know, dave, you mentionedthat why and there was a picture
(12:31):
of somebody quoted and I don'tknow that I could have said it
any better in terms of that sothat, uh, I'm exercising so I
can take my son on a trip forhis 50th birthday.
You touched on this, jeff, yougot a 26 year old, I've got a 28
and a 26,.
You know, kevin, your son, jack, is going to be graduating here
real soon.
I'm exercising so that I candance at my grandkids weddings,
(12:52):
and that's a pretty ugly scene,but in terms of you know what
that really sounds like in termsof grandchildren's weddings can
be pretty powerful.
As a goal, I'm exercising sothat they can all look after
themselves in 30 years, becauseI can still look after me and I
love that.
In terms of something, and justto make it fun, is that frankly,
(13:12):
I want to be able to get up offthe toilet without having bars
metal bars in the bathroom toget me going there, and if I'm
not prepping for that now, Idon't want to have to hit a
buzzer to call somebody and say,help me, help me stand up off
the toilet here Just kind ofhumiliating and not fair to the
others.
I just don't want to be anuisance to the others.
So it's not just about creatingbigger muscles in our arms,
(13:36):
although that's cool and that'sreally fun.
It's not just about trying toidentify whether or not there
are still abs underneath thebellies that we have, although
that's really cool.
I'm being able to fit intosmaller waist clothes and things
like that and being able to saywe're in better shape now than
we were at 25 years old.
All those kind of things arereally cool, but I love the, so
(13:57):
that that exists inside of theof the statements that you guys
are talking about.
That's to me, that's one of thebiggest, one of the biggest
parts of this, no doubt about it.
You know, we agreed to do thisin part to be examples, though,
for our family as well, to modelwhat good looks like for them,
and hopefully they'll pick upsome of these habits that we're
doing again, whether it'sreading habits Jeff, you talked
(14:18):
about it scriptural reading andbeing involved in reading the
Bible and learning from eachother there being men of faith.
Is there a moment from the raceand I'm going to ask you, I'm
going to quiz you a little bit,maybe I'll come to you first,
kevin so to think about thisthat you can share with your
kids, to teach them a lessonabout leadership or discipline
or, ultimately, finishing whatyou get started you get started?
Speaker 3 (14:54):
That's really a good question, John.
Um, you know, uh, at the whenwe did the super, uh, I felt
that I I missed um threeobstacles and I've had two
shoulder surgeries.
So I always I have a fear foranything above my head Right.
And I went into that race withthat fear and I got through the
first um monkey bar obstacle andI was like, oh, this is, I have
(15:17):
no shoulder pain, this isfantastic, I'm not worried about
this.
And I thought I could musclethrough the rope, the rope climb
.
And I just could not figure outthe rope climb and it
devastated me.
Uh, I don't want to say itdevastated me, but it really got
under my skin that I could notdo the rope climb.
And you know, I went into thisrace saying I'm going to, I
(15:40):
don't care what else happens,I'm doing the rope climb.
And you know, I thought it wasall about strength and
everything else.
And it really, you know, I'mstanding there before the race
starts and they've got the ropewhere you can try the climbing.
And there was a gentleman therewho was maybe 150 pounds and
he's like, well, you couldprobably muscle up, but I
wouldn't suggest it.
He said, just, it's real simple.
(16:02):
He said just, it's real simple.
He said hold the rope on yourfoot, climp your feet and you're
going to climb.
Just use your legs.
You've got really big legs,Just get right up the rope.
And I was like, okay, yeah,sure, and you know I still I was
.
I tried it a couple of times andI could not do it and I got out
on the course and I toldMelissa as we're going through
the whole course and I thinkthat where the leadership really
(16:24):
came in for me with her atleast, was she was she's getting
back into her fitness journey,Right.
So she felt like she had towalk and you know, I said hey,
listen, If you want to walk, yougot 50 feet before an obstacle.
We're going to run nonstop fromone obstacle to the next.
You can stop 50 feet before theobstacle, but you have to keep
(16:47):
your feet at a faster pace thana walk and if you do that, we'll
get through this.
You'll feel like a champion.
Let's keep doing it.
For myself, the leadership piecethat I can bring to my kids was
overcoming that rope.
When I got to the rope, I stillhad doubt in my mind whether or
not I could do it and I'm youknow, you're there.
(17:07):
You were standing at the ropewhen I came up, which was really
cool for me because I was like,oh, somebody's going to be able
to see me do this, I think Icould do this.
And uh, you know, as I'mclimbing that rope, you're
(17:28):
cheering me on, man, and thatwas, uh, it was huge, it was
really huge for me.
So, uh, getting over the rope,proving to myself, hey, you know
, you've, you've got it in thetank still, and uh, that was
just, that was big for me amen,brother, face the fear and do it
anyway, right, Right.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
And uh, you know, I don't want to see me.
I I kind of as waiting on you.
That was my rest period as well, and it gave me a chance to try
it again, Cause I, I was, I wasspent when I first got there
and I couldn't even get myselfonto the rope, and then I saw
you do it again and thatinspired me.
That's the other side of thatinspired me.
I'm like shoot man.
I got to try this thing againand while I still didn't ring
(17:58):
that daggone bell, I'm going toget that next time, no doubt
about it.
I got that shot back in and thatlesson for me ultimately was
you don't get to not try, Okay,Even if you got arrested.
And even your lesson withMelissa you don't get to stop
and quit Like we're going tokeep going.
We're going to keep moving,we're going to push through.
(18:32):
We can probably handle a lotmore pain than we think we're
able to.
And then the last one I heardin you as well, and that's the
reason for to eat like crazy andjust to do it for myself.
Um, and that's a lonely path,but having people in your life
to inspire and encourage you andhold you accountable and really
, you know, through some ofthose training things, to say
you know I could stop doing this, but uh, I'm not going to get
(18:53):
my hashtag number to the guysand say I did my workout today,
so I got to get this thing done.
What about you guys?
Jeff, Dave, anything you wantto add to that?
Speaker 1 (19:04):
I think, that was really cool.
Yeah, one thing that jumped outat me, john, was man.
I really, throughout the race,I was looking at my watch and
it's keeping up with how farwe've come right, and I'm even
saying it out loud so thatothers on the course can hear it
, maybe be encouraged.
Hey, we're two miles in man,but mile four of the 5K really
(19:25):
sort of yeah, right, you knowwhat I mean, that was longer
than a 5K.
Mentally, I had sort of I putsome sort of across the finish
line point up in my mind.
And so when we were beyond thatand we were still running and I
saw a lot of obstacles ahead ofus, still I was like man, this
is, I've underestimated this andI know I didn't run that many
(19:47):
penalty laps.
And then I started to sort ofblame honestly in my mind why
does Spartan do this?
Why would they treat us thisway?
I was trying to beat my sprintfrom 2022.
And, yeah, so for me.
You know what leadership comesout of that.
What leadership lesson comesout of that is you know you
(20:07):
don't have control overeverything.
You can prepare as best you can, and then you know sometimes
there's a change and you have topush through and you have to
continue to fight and you haveto find the real finish line to
continue to fight and find.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
You have to find the real finish line wherever it is,
even if it's uh fluid even ifit's fluid, I mean, it's not
exactly where you think it'sgoing to be right.
No doubt about it, yeah thatwas big for me yeah, cool.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
so there's a couple things I think you know.
Kevin touched on a little bitthat, I think from a leadership
standpoint just remindingyourself that you're never too
old to learn a new skill and youknow, I went into the first
Spartan race going I'm going tolearn how to climb rope Right,
and since then, even with someof the CrossFit things, learning
new skills that, as a 56 yearold, I had no idea how to do.
(20:55):
I hadn't climbed a rope since Iwas in high school and they had
knots all the way up the rope,so it was much easier then.
Right, there's no knots inthese ropes and they're wet and
muddy, so it takes a lot oftraining and practice to figure
out how to get there.
And then the other leadershiplesson you guys touched on as
well is just that encouragementand support.
You know, running with you guyskeeps me motivated.
But then at the end, hearingMelissa talk about kevin
(21:21):
supporting her, that was huge.
Right, that's the.
It's easy for us to tell, hey,this is what we did as a leader,
but then to hear someone elsetalk about how they were
encouraged by somebody elseduring the race is really huge
she's filed divorce papers no,that's not what I heard.
Man like kevin was earlier.
(21:41):
He's playing.
He was the strategist.
He had the vision.
You know, you kept her going,right, you gave her something to
shoot for.
So kevin made the joke.
But you know, I don't knowabout you guys, but when I'm
running something like this andit was the same when I was a
cyclist if someone's in front ofme, whether I know them or not,
they don't know it, but I'm ina race with them, right?
So I remember I was with thesandbag going up the hill and
(22:03):
there's people around me and I'mjust talking to myself going,
you can do this, you can do this.
And then, oh, by the way, yougot to pass this person in front
of you, right?
So there's a little bit of aleadership lesson where you put
yourself and create your ownRight and, uh, you know, just
just trying harder and harderand try to it's gamifying it,
right.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
I mean, look, when we were in this first one and
that's that's a part of it toowe were in the first one, the 10
K, and we came across thatfinish line and we got that they
hand you that metal and go forit, like what's this little pie
piece here?
That's like a just a partial,what is that?
And they, it felt like withinfive minutes, we're like, okay,
when's the next one?
We've got to get out there andsign up for the second one so we
(22:44):
can do all three of these inone year.
Again, I would have never,without that encouragement Dave,
signed up for one of thesethings on my own, let alone be
crazy enough to try to do threeof them and now maybe four of
them in the same year in termsof making that happen.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
So, and John, if I can just add something real
quick, um, you know, I I did myfirst.
I think my first Spartan was 10years ago.
Melissa and I did it togetherand I was close to 250, 255
pounds, something like that, and, yeah, and I was not a runner
in any way, shape or form, itwas.
It was very ugly to look at,but one of the things that
(23:22):
really made the race for me iswhile I was walking and you know
I'm I'm beat, dripping sweat,and the first one we did was, um
, in Concord, north Carolina,and had dirt and everything, of
course, all over my face and mybody and I'm huffing and puffing
and I remember people runningby me and and the camaraderie of
(23:44):
it, right, and pushing me onhey, you got this.
Just just pick up your feet,man.
Pick up your feet.
It's a hundred yards is thenext obstacle, right, and
without that, excuse me, stillgets me.
It's crazy, man, but I try todo the same thing when I'm
running it, because you seepeople with struggles and you
(24:07):
just want to help them throughit.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
So, yeah, Sorry, no, no, apology, man.
I appreciate you sharing it interms of understanding how you
get.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
We've all been on both sides of that.
Somebody's encouraging me whenI was carrying the bucket,
somebody's encouraging me andthen I'm doing the same thing,
right?
So you don't realize, influenceand impact other people just by
a little bit of encouragementuntil you feel it yourself.
Right, hear?
Speaker 4 (24:32):
it.
Hey, Uncommon Leaders, Hopeyou're enjoying the episode.
So far.
I believe in doing businesswith people you like and trust,
and not just a company name.
That's why a strong personalbrand is essential, whether
you're an entrepreneur or aleader within a company.
Brand Builders Group, the folkswho have been helping me refine
my own personal brand areoffering a free consultation
call with one of their expertbrand strategists.
They'll help you identify youruniqueness, craft a compelling
(24:54):
story and develop a step-by-stepplan to elevate your impact.
So head on over tocoachjohngallaghercom slash BBG,
as in brand builders group, toschedule your free call and take
the first step toward buildinga personal brand that gets you
noticed for all the rightreasons.
That's coachjohngallaghercomslash BBG.
Now let's get back to theepisode.
Look, that community is amazing.
(25:15):
It's contagious.
I mean I don't know how manytotal racers there were in that
one.
I'm going to guess there'sabout 3,000 people who are
racing there.
But then you know thoseindividuals who encourage you
right at the start line, the MCwho was just kind of chuckling
at them, saying, hey, you gotthis, come on, keep going.
Um, it's something that it'ssomething that will help being
(25:47):
encouraging.
Being an encourager is muchbetter than kind of talking down
and beating them up.
Uh, as you go through thatjourney and again back into our
work life, it makes sense, it's.
It's a lot of the reason I dowhat I do with regards to
executive coaching and evenconsulting.
To a certain extent, I'm tryingto teach them and I'm giving
them a hard time to get themthere, but I'm also trying to
(26:07):
encourage them on that journeyas well.
I know that they are capable ofso much more and that
unrealized potential that's inthere, of so much more, and that
unrealized potential that's inthere is in.
And if they're not movingtoward that like, it's something
that I want to be an encouragerto them but help them identify
that blind spot, to say that,look, you weren't, you weren't
(26:31):
called to be average.
Okay, you weren't called to besomeone who just sits on the
sidelines and waits for Fridayto roll around.
You were called for somethingmuch bigger.
And if the Spartan race helpsus from that mindset, I think
that's pretty awesome.
Okay, and again, I, I, I, justI recognize that that a group
like what we have, whether it'sas simple as each day that we
(26:53):
text each other a book thatwe've done our daily reading
habit, or hashtag our numberwith regards to what our workout
was, and even talk about someof those things that were
challenging.
Those are very simple thingsthat are encouraging and
inspiring to say man, I can'tsit on the sidelines today.
I got to be in the game, I gotto make this happen.
(27:14):
I think those are great points.
Look, the final race in thetrifecta is the biggest race the
half marathon.
21k, Jeff, to your point, 5Kthat turned into a 6K or 7K in
terms of how we ended upfinishing it.
This 21K is likely probably toturn into something around I
(27:35):
don't know 25 or 26K by the timewe're done with it.
What are each of you going todo differently to prepare for
this one?
What's, what's the next levelin your training and your
mindset, things like that?
That's going to be different.
I'll start with you, Kevin.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Well, uh, I don't know if you remember or not Um,
I signed up for a half marathonon Sunday the 16th and we signed
up for the Spartan race onNovember the 15th.
And my wife reminded me whilewe were doing this last Spartan.
She said wait a minute, you'redoing what?
And I said that's back-to-backhalf marathon.
(28:13):
So I started Garmin has thisamazing coach, right, the Garmin
coach, and I've been a runnerfor the last couple years but I
might run two times a week and Iput what I wanted to do into
the garmin coach and the garmincoach was like you're silly, you
can't run twice a week.
(28:34):
I'd get ready for back to backhalf marathon.
So I've already um my upping myrunning.
I'm now on a four to five weeks, four to five days a week,
schedule.
For the running side, of course, I'm still lifting, you know,
four to five times a week.
So I would like to get a littlebit better with the overhead um
(28:57):
, like to get a little bitbetter with the overhead um
apparatuses that they have outthere.
But the running piece isdefinitely going to be a tough
part for me, just because of theback-to-back half marathons and
making sure that I can recoupenough to do to get through the
second half half marathon.
(29:18):
So, yeah, um, so running,stretching didn't even know what
that word meant.
Um, stretching is probably myleast favorite thing to do in
the entire world, but thismorning, at four 30, I got up,
did some stretching and I'veincorporated that in my daily
activity.
Now to to, to make sure thatI'm I'm ready for this event or
(29:38):
events, yeah, and, of course,working with you guys, man, I
mean, you know, that's one ofthe beauties of having an
accountability group like you,um, is that we do a fantastic
job of pushing each other dailywith updates on how many
calories are being burned, onwhat you're doing.
So, every day, we send that toeach other, um, and it's a, it's
(30:01):
a motivator.
Speaker 4 (30:04):
I love when people ask about that too.
Like what is the hashtag andthe number of me?
Not, obviously not in our group, but I mean other people.
I'll do that for other peoplesometimes.
Like what does that number mean?
I'm like that's how hard thatwe work today, man, and that's
just how we let each other knowthat, uh, that we're committed
to this and we're committed tothem to make that happen.
Jeff, what about you?
What's your goal for the nextone?
(30:24):
Kind of get ready for that.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
John, I think about my time in the military and I
was like, why are we in the UStraining in the sand?
And they were like, hey, we'retrying to fight because we may
have to fight a war in the sand.
Why did we go down into thejungles of Louisiana?
And they were like, hey,there's a terrain somewhere in
the world we may have to gofight there.
So for me it's going to belearning about what are we going
(30:52):
to come against when we'reagainst from a terrain
standpoint, when we're down inSouth Carolina in November.
How can I mimic that and try toincorporate some of that into
the training, into the running,because a lot of it is running.
And then the upper bodystrength.
I was a little upset in thisrace because, as you know, it
(31:12):
was sort of misting rain andwhen I got to the monkey bars it
turned into a penalty loop.
So I was hoping that myprevious races that wasn't the
case.
So you know, just upper bodystrength hanging and he's
preparing for the terrain andthen putting in the you know the
(31:33):
13.1 miles being able to.
My goal is by two weeks out.
You know, a 12 mile run undermy belt, okay, feel feel good
about it.
Yeah, yeah, so that's, that'skind of like going to be my
approach.
I mean, I hate to run, I hateto run.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
I love having run when I'm done, but I hate to run
.
There's like nothing that Ienjoy about running.
I mean, it's just yeah I'm withyou, john.
It's other than other than thefeeling at the end.
I mean, I try to appreciate it.
I try to get a mindset like putsome music on our podcast,
whatever it doesn't make dude,it doesn't matter.
Running sucks, it really does.
(32:11):
Dave.
What about you?
What do you got go?
What you got prepared, man?
Speaker 2 (32:14):
I got a few things going.
Grip strength is huge too,because I'd love to be able to
do the monkey bars and not blameit on being wet.
That seems to be my excuseright now.
I want to get rid of that.
So I am actually working on thehanging every day.
But I have mapped out the runtoo, because, back to even my
cycling training days, it comesdown to volume and I've run this
(32:35):
far in my entire life, so I'vegot to work up to that.
So the plan I've got mapped out, just like Jeff just said, gets
me at about 12 miles rightbefore.
But I also have another concernthat I've got to work through
and that's really on myhydration and electrolytes,
because the last two races,right within the last mile, I've
been getting calf cramps right.
(32:55):
So now I'm going okay, I can'tafford to get a DNF on this one
six, seven miles into a you know, essentially a 13 mile race
getting cramps.
So I'm going to try to simulate, like Jeff said, doing the 12
mile run as I work up to that,doing some uh, you know, run out
two miles, run back to my house, hydrate again a little bit,
(33:15):
almost similar to what we'll doin the race.
So while I'm putting togetherthat 12 13 miles beforehand, I
am going to break it up a littlebit and make sure I'm hydrating
and getting electrolytes in mybody and make sure that I can
actually handle that, becausethe last thing I want to do is
get to this race in november andget a cramp six miles in right,
because, uh, it's you know,usually you can work through the
(33:36):
cramp, but then it's in theback of your mind, it starts
eating at you.
Right, you're like, okay, if Ido something strange, is it
going to lock up again?
So yeah, that's the main thingis really getting that volume of
running in for me right now.
Speaker 4 (33:47):
I'm so good.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Yeah, Dave, I was just going to say one of the
things that you might want tolook at too, just because you
know from, like, when I'mrunning my half, I am wearing a
vest with water and nutrition.
Um, obviously it's.
You know, it's a little grosserin the Spartan, but, um,
nutrition is definitely going toplay a part.
Calories through the race, Um.
(34:10):
So those are things that weneed to take into consideration
as well.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
You know it's just like it's a great point, Cause I
see people wearing the the.
Well, you know it's just likeit's a great point because I see
people wearing the, the waterdevices, on the 5k, and I don't
need water in 5k, but you know II've spent a lot, right?
So, um, there's no way I needto carry some additional water
with electrolytes in it.
Um, at the very least I wasthinking carrying the packets
and then put it in the littlecups of water they give us every
couple miles.
(34:35):
So I'm gonna play a little bitand try to simulate it.
Speaker 4 (34:39):
Salt pills, potassium , yeah, especially for the
cramping the race, nutrition andthe day of and getting ready
the night before, but againfueling our body.
Look, we can't recover the sameway we did when we were in our
20s either.
That's a little bit different.
We could slug a 12-pack of beeror whatever the number is, and
wake up in the morning and, youknow, make another one to get
(35:02):
the hair of the dog, and thenjust try to get the day going
again.
You know our bodies just don'trespond to that kind of stuff
and we're probably living someof those challenges right now
overall.
But I think you know for methere is that nutrition
component.
You know I found myself 21K, 30obstacles, so I'm dividing 21
by 30.
What's the longest run going tobe in a half marathon?
(35:25):
And I mean, ok, I got to atleast prepare for that whether
it's zone two, training and justlearning, I mean I love the
component of continuous learningand I think about this even
again.
Back to the leadership, even inthe day and age we're in right
now is utilizing artificialintelligence to help us with
that.
Kevin, I think it was you thatyou put it in the chat GPT and
(35:46):
it generate a plan for you,right, in terms of putting that
together and getting ready forthe race.
I'm like, wow, it's justamazing what we have at our
fingertips as leaders, if we'rewilling to continuously grow and
I'm not suggesting that AI getsus through the 21K Spartan race
, but as leaders, there arethings we've got to do that are
(36:06):
tough, and we've always got tobe on a learning journey and
don't think we've arrived by anystretch of imagination so far.
Just two more questions.
Honor your time in terms offinishing this up, guys.
This has been a greatconversation.
One fun question and then onelittle help having you inspire
our listeners as well in termsof what's going on.
That we'll finish up with I'llgive you the last word.
(36:27):
I think one had 25.
So you know, we've had thechance to hit 46 obstacles.
Some of them were repeats, someof them new.
I want each of you to share theone that you wished Spartan
(36:50):
never invented.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
Okay, but still how you're able to overcome that
obstacle and run through it,okay for me it's the spear throw
.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Put some effort into the spear man.
Don't give me a garden hoe withthe hoe off.
Speaker 4 (37:06):
Come on, I hate that thing it kind of reminds me that
I don't know if we'll show myage here.
I don't know if you guysremember the movie revenge of
the nerds and they and they werein that decathlon or whatever
against other fraternities andthey had the javelin throw and
the one guy designed one that itwas flexible and he was running
(37:27):
with it and it was kind of like, well, you've got to figure out
how to take our own javelin orsomething there to really nail
that dart.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
I'll take.
Anything over the spear throwthere, I'll take anything over
the spear throw.
Speaker 4 (37:38):
There you go, all right.
So you got to practice thespear throw.
What about you, jeff?
What's?
Speaker 1 (37:43):
the one you hate the most.
You know I'm sitting here, john, trying to think of what the
name of it is.
It looks like something fromthe medieval era.
It has chains and balls andholes and you have to get your
legs really high upon it.
But I think that thing I'venever.
I've run a seven Spartan races.
I've never conquered it.
Um so, and it's, it's difficultto train for it Like it's, it's
(38:07):
hard to replicate it back here.
So yeah, that's the one I I'mstill angry.
Speaker 4 (38:13):
It's got a Greek name to it.
I don't know if it's Olympus orsomething like that.
It's got an odd name.
I know it's the one you'retalking about.
That was in the first.
That was in the 10K that we did.
It wasn't in the 5K but it wasin the 10K and I bet we're going
to see it in the in the uh 10or 21K here coming up.
Dave, anyone that you justdislike, you hate it.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
There's none that I hate or that I wish they hadn't
invented.
There are a few that I wish Icould do better.
That z wall I seem to gethalfway, and then I that's where
I got to work on the gripstrength.
Uh, that one's challenging forme.
I keep trying to figure out ifI can set something up like that
in my basement I know right?
um, so there's none that Ireally don't like.
You know what I mean.
(38:51):
It's like I just want to getthrough them.
I'll be able to do them at somepoint.
Um, yeah, but that one thatjeff mentioned, that one to me
that I don't know how youreplicate, that I don't know,
that's some kind of maybe it'srock climbing or something like
that right.
Speaker 4 (39:04):
Well, that's what I feel about the z-wall, because
that was my answer as well.
Like I hate that z-wall, justlooking like to try and balance
on a two by four and hold on toa two by four at the same time
and try to keep your weightagainst that wall.
So you, I mean like what thewho thought of something like
this.
But rock climbers got to dothat all the time in terms of
keeping themselves.
Although I don't see my, my sonJoseph, he's a rock climber, no
(39:26):
doubt about it, but I don't seemyself trying to hug any the
side of any cliffs, trying toclimb up or hoping that I'll
never be stuck on one one day,uh, in terms of making that
happen.
So I would.
I again.
What I like about what to hear,too, is like screw it.
I can still hate it, um, but Ihave to do it, right, I mean,
it's not.
I don't have a choicenecessarily.
If I don't want to do the uhspear throw, what are my options
(39:49):
?
I can choose not to do it andstill do the 30 burpees anyway.
That is the penalty for that,or the 15 that I did, cause we
teamed up.
30 burpees may be worse thananything.
Man, goodness, who inventedthat as a penalty?
But I think there's so manythings again in life that we
don't like but we have to do andwe still got to get ready for I
(40:11):
think that's a great message,guys.
This has been fun.
I'm looking forward to the nextone, looking forward to the
next three months on thedevelopment journey as well, and
likely ending up in thisconversation again with regards
to what that feels like andprobably what's in mind for us
for 2026.
I know Kevin's been thinkingabout that already and he's
thrown a couple challenges thatI've ignored so far,
(40:32):
successfully ignored and notreplied to.
But I will have to eventuallyreply to that, but I'll wait
till after the big race we gotcoming up here in November.
Look, we're talking to leaderswho are listening.
I mean really trying to learnthe mindset of doing hard stuff
and, going back 10 months, wenever would have thought of
doing something like this andI'm so glad that we did.
(40:53):
And so, for those that arelistening, in that you know,
doing something hard and reallychoosing to get something better
, what's, what's aninspirational message you have
for them or what's, you know,one step they can take tomorrow
or today to get going on thatjourney and doing something
(41:13):
really hard.
Um, I'll throw it out, dave,we'll start with you and then go
to Jeff and Kevin and I'llfinish this out.
Speaker 2 (41:20):
John, you've heard this one before, but it's
consistency before intensity,right.
So it's the.
You throw that goal out therethree months, six months out.
You know, don't get caught inthat trap.
We got plenty of time to train,but it comes down to showing up
and starting small if you haveto, and then putting a plan
together so that you're puttingthe consistency in place that
(41:41):
can compound so you can be readyfor any challenge.
Right, consistency beforeintensity will always get you
there and so many times we'veprobably we've all done it right
when we've tried something hardthat we shouldn't have done and
then we hurt ourselves or we do, you know, we do some work that
didn't work out because wedidn't build in the discipline
and the consistency first sothat we've got the skill to
(42:02):
actually follow through.
So, yeah, it's always going tobe consistency right, build that
in first.
I love it.
And James Clear he talks aboutyou want to go to the gym, even
if you just drive to the gym andspend five minutes there, right
, start with the five minutesand get yourself to where you
just start showing up, and so itstarts to feel unusual when you
don't do it.
That's, I think, kind of thetrick right.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
Get that consistency built in Great.
What about you, jeff?
Get folks going.
Yeah, I think you have to zoomout a bit For me.
I tell my team that a lot Zoomout, plan your work and work
your plan.
I think it's really big to havesome milestones that are
tangible as you can point toafter you plan your work and you
have some sort of check-inpoints with the team and really
(42:50):
celebrate sort of get themomentum going.
I really like what David wassaying about the plan Make sure
that you have the plan, that theplan is scaled, that it's
doable, that it's built to sortof get more intense as we go and
people have to believe.
(43:11):
And I feel like that that's abig obstacle is getting people
to start number one and thenbelieve.
And I think celebrating thosemilestones is key to helping
them sort of gain that momentum.
Speaker 4 (43:23):
So good, jeff.
Thank you, kevin.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
For me.
I think, um, I think, asleaders, that we sometimes
forget that we don't have to doit all alone.
Right, um, surround yourselfaround people that can help you.
You know, if you're struggling,reach out.
Um, you know, you see somebodywho's who's crazy fit.
(43:48):
Well, they're putting work in.
If they're crazy fit, right.
And how can I, if your desireis to look crazy fit, go to
somebody who's crazy fit and saydo you mind helping me?
Would you mentor me?
How can I get down this journey?
And maybe they're going to puttogether a plan for you.
But I don't think we have to doit alone.
(44:10):
I think that's probably one ofthe biggest things you know.
Um, I I don't know if, if Iwould be 217 pounds right now
and feeling healthier than Ihave in a long time if I hadn't
had a good group surrounding meand pushing me to do what I've
done and continue to want to do.
(44:31):
I enjoy it now.
Right, getting up at 4.30, 5o'clock in the morning is my
routine.
That's where I really want tobe, and if I don't do it, I feel
like I haven't done something.
And reaching out and gettingthose people around you that can
help, and if you don't havesomebody that's that's willing
to do that?
Look me up, kevin Gallagher,more than happy to have a
(44:53):
conversation.
I'll get out and go runningwith you, john, if you need
someone to come to Myrtle beachand run with you.
So you want to run more, let'splan it, brother, but that's
that's where I'm at.
You know, I I hate running, butto have a group of people that
are going to say, kevin, getyour butt off the couch and
let's go run, it's huge for me.
So I think I think, uh,surround yourself around people
(45:16):
who can help you get there.
Um, if you don't know whereyou're, where you need to go,
don't be afraid to ask for help.
Speaker 4 (45:25):
Yeah, so many good tips, and I'd love that, in
terms of I mean, that's the,that's the name of this group
raise the average right In termsof being in a group with others
and raising our our at theaverage of each of us.
Jim Roan's famous quote you arethe average of the five people
you hang around with with themost, and I'm pretty grateful to
be hanging around with you guys, and I know Michael's in this
group as well.
He's not able to run this racewith us, but he's there, you
(45:48):
know, for us to kick him in thetail as well, uh, and I'll make
sure to share this with him.
Look for me and you touched onit, kevin I might've chosen that
raise the average in thatcircle, but I'll have another,
different one that's been on mymind Too many times in my life.
I chose not to do something outof fear and wondering what was
going to happen, and I thinkthere's a way for us to face
(46:08):
some of those fears andrecognize, you know, is this
really a fear of being injuredor hurt or worse, or is this
really a fear of failure and amindset that keeps us?
You know, we've read a booktogether the Seven Shadows.
What are those things that arekeeping us, in our mindset, from
creating that?
(46:28):
We need to have a positivemindset.
We got to face that fear andthen ultimately do it anyway, in
spite of that fear.
I never would have imaginedtrying to climb a rope and kind
of 20 feet or whatever thatheight is, uh.
Just looking up and beingafraid of heights, uh.
But again, being around in agroup, guys like this, having
goals and training and what thatreally means, and ultimately
(46:51):
stepping up and saying I'm goingto do this, uh, is something
that's been very important.
So look, listeners, I hope youfound some value in this
conversation today.
I'm grateful for Kevin and Daveand Jeff and for the wisdom and
light that they've shed in thisconversation and been a part of
in my life as well.
I hope that you heard somethingthat inspired you today to be
(47:14):
the uncommon leader that youwere called to be, and I also
probably think that you knowsomeone else who needs to hear
this message and I would askthat you share it with them so
that they can hear it.
We need to continue to inspire,encourage and equip each other
on this journey ultimately thatwe call life so that we can have
the impact that we want to have.
(47:34):
Guys, thank you for joining metoday on the conversation.
I look forward to our journeyin the next few months.
Let's do this.
Thanks, john, thank you, John.
Speaker 3 (47:43):
We're grateful for you as well.
Speaker 4 (47:47):
And that wraps up another episode of the Uncommon
Leader podcast.
Thanks for tuning in today.
If you found value in thisepisode, I encourage you to
share it with your friends,colleagues or anyone else who
could benefit from the insightsand inspiration we've shared.
Also, if you have a moment, I'dgreatly appreciate if you could
leave a rating and review onyour favorite podcast platform.
Your feedback not only helps usto improve, but it also helps
(48:09):
others discover the podcast andjoin our growing community of
uncommon leaders.
Until next time, go and growchampions.
What leadership comes out of that?
What leadership lesson comesout of that is you know you
don't have control overeverything.
You can prepare as best you canand then sometimes there's a
change and you have to pushthrough and you have to continue
to fight and you have to findthe real finish line wherever it
is.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
It's consistency before intensity, right, so it's
the consistency beforeintensity will always get you
there.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
For me.
I think, as leaders, that wesometimes forget that we don't
have to do it all alone.
Right, surround yourself aroundpeople that can help you.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
Hey, uncommon Leaders , welcome back.
This is the Uncommon LeaderPodcast and I'm your host, john
Gallagher, and I've got a greatconversation today, something
different than I've done before.
I've got a group of guys mybrothers in faith, my friends,
my Raise the Averageaccountability group members on
a call here to talk about arecent race, about a recent
(01:07):
journey we've been on.
We've done our first twoSpartan races and we just
finished one up about a week ago, and I wanted them to get back
together to really talk aboutthat experience, and what
started out ultimately as aconversation for us in terms of
saying, hey, we need to figureout how to do something hard,
has turned into a quest for aSpartan trifecta.
So we'll talk about what thatmeans in terms of setting us up
(01:29):
for the next one as well.
But ultimately, when this is theUncommon Leader podcast, it's
about working with leaders andjust like these guys who are
working through life on a dailybasis to get better, either in
their personal fitness, in theirhomes, in their communities or
at their workplaces, ultimatelychoosing to do things that are a
little bit hard and, while itmay be about the medal, which
(01:51):
are really kind of cool as we gothrough this conversation.
It's really about a greaterpurpose for us, for me,
something about being able tolook down the road, especially
from a health standpoint, and beable to do stuff with
grandchildren as we go forwardand making sure that we're
available for our families for alonger time than we thought.
So, guys, dave Campbell, jeffAdams, kevin Gallagher, welcome
(02:15):
to the Uncommon Leader Podcast.
How are you guys doing?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Great Doing, great brother.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Yeah, doing good, john.
Yeah, we've recovered okay.
I think After a few days wetalked about that afterwards in
terms of what some of the painwas after a 5K event, that we
may have thought that was goingto be a little bit easier than
the first one and didn'tnecessarily turn out that way.
But let's just jump in theconversation.
We're going to have a lot offun with this and I'm going
(02:43):
start off with Dave and I'mgoing to move my way around and
you guys can add in as we goforward.
I just want it to be a funconversation.
But, dave, this thing goes allthe way back Really.
I mean, the RTA group goes backa few years, but the
conversation of getting involvedin the Spartan race stem from
one of our regular phone callsRTA group phone calls and we
said you know we're doing thiskind of training but we don't
have anything really to shootfor and we need to try something
(03:06):
hard.
And it ended up being I did aninternet search and came up with
Spartan Race and it was like,for some reason, in five minutes
we kind of said yep, let's doit, we're in, let's go and make
it happen.
As you thought about that onthat journey.
As you think about that, how itimpacts you as a leader and
doing hard stuff, what comes tomind as you look at the journey
we've been on really for thelast 10 months, specifically in
(03:26):
the Spartan world?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
So for me, john, the biggest or most learning I've
gotten from it is that it helpsme take on things that I didn't
think I could do before.
I think doing a Spartan race wasso far out of my realm of
possibilities and I can'tbelieve it's been 10 months
since we started talking aboutthis.
But you know, when you broughtit up, if you remember, this
(03:49):
came from a, a failed attempt tojust have a weekend with the
guys right and we couldn't getrbo's and all these things,
couldn't get everything aligned.
And then I remember aconversation, I think a text
message.
She was like, hey, let's do aspartan.
And it just really got mywheels turning because I'd never
done anything that difficultand I thought, well, this would
(04:09):
be a great challenge.
And then I ended up havingconversations with Jeff and
brought it up and he's like, hey, I've done Spartan races before
and, you know, started lookingat it.
Just an amazing challenge forus to look at and do things that
I thought were impossible.
If you'd asked me a year agoabout doing a Spartan race, I
would have said there's no way.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
I think that is funny in terms of looking back on
that.
We were talking about trying toget together for a fun weekend
to do fun things, you know, morethan kind of the hangout and
sit around a fire and you know,go out and have a good meal, and
for some reason we turned thatinto doing something difficult.
And I know you know, jeff, jeffcame in, you came in the group
(04:49):
just a little bit later in termsof what that was, and I'm so
glad that you did, but he's like, oh yeah, the Spartan thing.
I mean you were, you were a aseasoned veteran when it came to
Spartans, I guess, and what itwas, and helped us out along
that journey.
But what was there for you?
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Kevin and Jeff, were you guys ready for that as well?
Go ahead, jeff.
Yeah, I was going to say so,john.
I guess I'll clarify.
Are you talking about thesprint we just finished?
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Yeah, I mean the sprint and the sprint overall,
Yep, the one we just did.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Was I prepared.
You know, I full transparency.
I think I overlooked this one alittle bit.
Um, I think, um, I, we justfinished the super.
Uh, this one is half of that,so it seemed like it shouldn't
be as difficult, but this one,uh, I don't know if it's because
I'm a few years older than thelast time I did it, but I had
trouble recovering and I'm justnow starting to feel like some
(05:47):
of the soreness is leaving myhips and all those things.
I know we've kind of been goingback and forth on that in the
chat, but yeah, I overlooked ita little bit.
John Overlooked it.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Yep, absolutely, and I think that's a lesson in life
as well.
Kevin, where's that lesson foryou in terms of thinking
something might be a little biteasier because we did something
hard already and it doesn't turnout that way?
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Oh yeah, I definitely thought I was going to breeze
through this, you know, and Iran it with Melissa, so you know
, the biggest, the biggest pushfor her, I just, you know, was
to keep moving.
Know, was to keep moving, and Ididn't think it would be as
crazy as it was.
But when you throw a 60 poundsandbag on your shoulder, and
(06:29):
that course was really hilly, myhips are just recovering, like
last night I was stretching andit was the first time that my
hips didn't hurt since Sundaymorning.
So, um, I wasn't expecting theHills to be nearly as gnarly as
they were.
And after doing the super, youknow we, I don't want to say we
(06:50):
breezed through the super, but Ifelt like we got through the
super really really well.
Um, you know, we, we werepushing each other, um,
constantly on a very walking,constant run, and I felt we got
through that one really well.
But if you look at thelandscape between Fayetteville
(07:15):
and Mill Springs, whoo, yeah,yeah, yeah, it definitely is.
The geography is a hugedifference.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
So yeah.
And again, I think there's somany different things in that,
again, you know thinking thingsare going to be easier than they
are not.
Maybe not prepping as muchUltimately, like the prep, going
into it to understand should we, you know, walk I don't want to
say walk the entire next course, but certainly do a little more
research on the, on the onecoming up in November as well.
That's probably going to be thehardest one yet.
We admit that the hardest oneyet is coming out.
(07:43):
So there are many things again,I still hearken this back to
leadership that recognizes that.
You know, don't ease your wayinto a conversation, don't ease
your way into a project,whatever that is because you
think it's going to be a littleeasier.
We're always going to run intosome of those obstacles that are
going to keep us from beingsuccessful, and even the
discipline required to that.
(08:04):
And here's kind of a questionI'll loft out and maybe, jeff,
you take this one first when Ithink about the hard stuff in
terms of training.
And you mentioned age as well,jeff, you're a little bit older
than you were before.
So three of us are in the 50plus club.
A couple of us are on thecloser side to even the 60 club
here in the near future, right,dave, in terms of where we are.
(08:26):
And then, kevin, by the timeyou join us in November, you'll
be joining that elite club aswell as we get older, okay, as
we look at what's important tous.
I know we don't do this justfor the medal, although it's
kind of fun and, again, I thinkit even motivated us to get the
trifecta completed.
But you know, jeff, what is itthat keeps you inspired and
(08:50):
motivated to do hard things likethat at 50 years old or older,
where some folks are actuallystarting to slow down and say,
man, I got to take it easy?
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Yeah, john, I always think about Clint Eastwood.
You know, when he was asked howdoes he still do it, he said I
get up every morning and I kickthe old man out.
You know, and I'll always likethat, it's always kind of
resonated with me.
But, yeah, I mean, we have todo what we know is right to do
and you know, whether that's interms of our diet, whether it's
(09:20):
in terms of spending time withGod, whether it's in terms of
getting into the gym and pushing, and you know it's mind over
matter, and I think we, you knowwe have to determine what our
goals are, push through.
I've got a 26-year-old son, so Idon't know when grandchildren
are coming, but I'm sure theyare.
We're on vacation this weekwith a younger family and they
(09:43):
have a younger kid, and so I'msure they are.
We're on vacation this weekwith a younger family and they
have a younger kid, and so I'mremembering the energy that's
required.
And then I've got a 13-year-oldson who's now.
He wants to ride dirt bikes andall these things, and I want to
be a part of that.
I want to be all in.
So for me, it's just aboutbeing able to physically do the
things that I want to do and if,whatever price comes to prepare
(10:07):
for that, then I'm in.
I'm willing to do it.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
Amen, dave, you are a grandfather now.
Man, how's that feeling for you?
The Spartan race and agrandfather How's that in a
short period of time?
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Yeah, it's pretty amazing.
But you know, I'm like Jeff,where I'm looking at this going.
I want to be in such good shapein the next decade.
So I read somewhere last year Idon't remember which book it
was, but it was talking aboutthinking a decade ahead what's
it going to be like when I'm 66,76?
(10:43):
And you know, the ease that weall look for in life doesn't
come from ease, right, it comesfrom the suffering and being
able to, and being tointentionally suffer and push
yourself to the limit and findthat limit.
That's the one thing thatSpartan has done for me.
You know, I did a bicycle raceback in 2012 that helped me find
(11:04):
that limit, but then I forgotit and I didn't keep the
discipline.
2012 that helped me find thatlimit, but then I forgot it and
I didn't keep the discipline.
And what I think the Spartanraces are doing for me, or even
just my fitness plan and workingwith the CrossFit gym, it's
helping me continue to redefinethose limits and find them.
And you know, maybe get alittle bit injured and be sore.
You guys are talking about thesore hips.
I've not had my hips burn likethat my entire that first day
(11:25):
after this 5k.
So you know it's kind oflearning those limits.
And then, okay, for the, for the, the race in november.
What does my preparation needto look like?
Right, so that it might beremember.
But yeah, right now it'sexciting.
We got the second grandkid onthe way in september, so it
really is about just ready toget up and down off the floor
and play with the kids and, youknow, enjoy it Right, and really
(11:47):
not be up in the standswatching.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
So I love that and your point about the hips and
even the next level ofpreparation.
I think the continuousimprovement component of that
Right To sit down afterward andreflect on whether we did that
formally or whether we did thatinformally.
With regards to what did we do,well, I love how the Spartan
community frankly creates thatsuch that you can create a
scorecard for yourself.
(12:11):
There's a time that you finish,there's again the medals that
you have that you get through,but there's also how did you do
on each one of the obstaclesthat were out there in front of
you, and they actually let youkind of check in with with those
things.
So it gives you, uh, animprovement glide path going
forward.
You know, dave, you mentionedthat why and there was a picture
(12:31):
of somebody quoted and I don'tknow that I could have said it
any better in terms of that sothat, uh, I'm exercising so I
can take my son on a trip forhis 50th birthday.
You touched on this, jeff, yougot a 26 year old, I've got a 28
and a 26,.
You know, kevin, your son, jack, is going to be graduating here
real soon.
I'm exercising so that I candance at my grandkids weddings,
(12:52):
and that's a pretty ugly scene,but in terms of you know what
that really sounds like in termsof grandchildren's weddings can
be pretty powerful.
As a goal, I'm exercising sothat they can all look after
themselves in 30 years, becauseI can still look after me and I
love that.
In terms of something, and justto make it fun, is that frankly,
(13:12):
I want to be able to get up offthe toilet without having bars
metal bars in the bathroom toget me going there, and if I'm
not prepping for that now, Idon't want to have to hit a
buzzer to call somebody and say,help me, help me stand up off
the toilet here Just kind ofhumiliating and not fair to the
others.
I just don't want to be anuisance to the others.
So it's not just about creatingbigger muscles in our arms,
(13:36):
although that's cool and that'sreally fun.
It's not just about trying toidentify whether or not there
are still abs underneath thebellies that we have, although
that's really cool.
I'm being able to fit intosmaller waist clothes and things
like that and being able to saywe're in better shape now than
we were at 25 years old.
All those kind of things arereally cool, but I love the, so
(13:57):
that that exists inside of theof the statements that you guys
are talking about.
That's to me, that's one of thebiggest, one of the biggest
parts of this, no doubt about it.
You know, we agreed to do thisin part to be examples, though,
for our family as well, to modelwhat good looks like for them,
and hopefully they'll pick upsome of these habits that we're
doing again, whether it'sreading habits Jeff, you talked
(14:18):
about it scriptural reading andbeing involved in reading the
Bible and learning from eachother there being men of faith.
Is there a moment from the raceand I'm going to ask you, I'm
going to quiz you a little bit,maybe I'll come to you first,
kevin so to think about thisthat you can share with your
kids, to teach them a lessonabout leadership or discipline
or, ultimately, finishing whatyou get started you get started?
Speaker 3 (14:54):
That's really a good question, John.
Um, you know, uh, at the whenwe did the super, uh, I felt
that I I missed um threeobstacles and I've had two
shoulder surgeries.
So I always I have a fear foranything above my head Right.
And I went into that race withthat fear and I got through the
first um monkey bar obstacle andI was like, oh, this is, I have
(15:17):
no shoulder pain, this isfantastic, I'm not worried about
this.
And I thought I could musclethrough the rope, the rope climb
.
And I just could not figure outthe rope climb and it
devastated me.
Uh, I don't want to say itdevastated me, but it really got
under my skin that I could notdo the rope climb.
And you know, I went into thisrace saying I'm going to, I
(15:40):
don't care what else happens,I'm doing the rope climb.
And you know, I thought it wasall about strength and
everything else.
And it really, you know, I'mstanding there before the race
starts and they've got the ropewhere you can try the climbing.
And there was a gentleman therewho was maybe 150 pounds and
he's like, well, you couldprobably muscle up, but I
wouldn't suggest it.
He said, just, it's real simple.
(16:02):
He said just, it's real simple.
He said hold the rope on yourfoot, climp your feet and you're
going to climb.
Just use your legs.
You've got really big legs,Just get right up the rope.
And I was like, okay, yeah,sure, and you know I still I was
.
I tried it a couple of times andI could not do it and I got out
on the course and I toldMelissa as we're going through
the whole course and I thinkthat where the leadership really
(16:24):
came in for me with her atleast, was she was she's getting
back into her fitness journey,Right.
So she felt like she had towalk and you know, I said hey,
listen, If you want to walk, yougot 50 feet before an obstacle.
We're going to run nonstop fromone obstacle to the next.
You can stop 50 feet before theobstacle, but you have to keep
(16:47):
your feet at a faster pace thana walk and if you do that, we'll
get through this.
You'll feel like a champion.
Let's keep doing it.
For myself, the leadership piecethat I can bring to my kids was
overcoming that rope.
When I got to the rope, I stillhad doubt in my mind whether or
not I could do it and I'm youknow, you're there.
(17:07):
You were standing at the ropewhen I came up, which was really
cool for me because I was like,oh, somebody's going to be able
to see me do this, I think Icould do this.
And uh, you know, as I'mclimbing that rope, you're
(17:28):
cheering me on, man, and thatwas, uh, it was huge, it was
really huge for me.
So, uh, getting over the rope,proving to myself, hey, you know
, you've, you've got it in thetank still, and uh, that was
just, that was big for me amen,brother, face the fear and do it
anyway, right, Right.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
And uh, you know, I don't want to see me.
I I kind of as waiting on you.
That was my rest period as well, and it gave me a chance to try
it again, Cause I, I was, I wasspent when I first got there
and I couldn't even get myselfonto the rope, and then I saw
you do it again and thatinspired me.
That's the other side of thatinspired me.
I'm like shoot man.
I got to try this thing againand while I still didn't ring
(17:58):
that daggone bell, I'm going toget that next time, no doubt
about it.
I got that shot back in and thatlesson for me ultimately was
you don't get to not try, Okay,Even if you got arrested.
And even your lesson withMelissa you don't get to stop
and quit Like we're going tokeep going.
We're going to keep moving,we're going to push through.
(18:32):
We can probably handle a lotmore pain than we think we're
able to.
And then the last one I heardin you as well, and that's the
reason for to eat like crazy andjust to do it for myself.
Um, and that's a lonely path,but having people in your life
to inspire and encourage you andhold you accountable and really
, you know, through some ofthose training things, to say
you know I could stop doing this, but uh, I'm not going to get
(18:53):
my hashtag number to the guysand say I did my workout today,
so I got to get this thing done.
What about you guys?
Jeff, Dave, anything you wantto add to that?
Speaker 1 (19:04):
I think, that was really cool.
Yeah, one thing that jumped outat me, john, was man.
I really, throughout the race,I was looking at my watch and
it's keeping up with how farwe've come right, and I'm even
saying it out loud so thatothers on the course can hear it
, maybe be encouraged.
Hey, we're two miles in man,but mile four of the 5K really
(19:25):
sort of yeah, right, you knowwhat I mean, that was longer
than a 5K.
Mentally, I had sort of I putsome sort of across the finish
line point up in my mind.
And so when we were beyond thatand we were still running and I
saw a lot of obstacles ahead ofus, still I was like man, this
is, I've underestimated this andI know I didn't run that many
(19:47):
penalty laps.
And then I started to sort ofblame honestly in my mind why
does Spartan do this?
Why would they treat us thisway?
I was trying to beat my sprintfrom 2022.
And, yeah, so for me.
You know what leadership comesout of that.
What leadership lesson comesout of that is you know you
(20:07):
don't have control overeverything.
You can prepare as best you can, and then you know sometimes
there's a change and you have topush through and you have to
continue to fight and you haveto find the real finish line to
continue to fight and find.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
You have to find the real finish line wherever it is,
even if it's uh fluid even ifit's fluid, I mean, it's not
exactly where you think it'sgoing to be right.
No doubt about it, yeah thatwas big for me yeah, cool.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
so there's a couple things I think you know.
Kevin touched on a little bitthat, I think from a leadership
standpoint just remindingyourself that you're never too
old to learn a new skill and youknow, I went into the first
Spartan race going I'm going tolearn how to climb rope Right,
and since then, even with someof the CrossFit things, learning
new skills that, as a 56 yearold, I had no idea how to do.
(20:55):
I hadn't climbed a rope since Iwas in high school and they had
knots all the way up the rope,so it was much easier then.
Right, there's no knots inthese ropes and they're wet and
muddy, so it takes a lot oftraining and practice to figure
out how to get there.
And then the other leadershiplesson you guys touched on as
well is just that encouragementand support.
You know, running with you guyskeeps me motivated.
But then at the end, hearingMelissa talk about kevin
(21:21):
supporting her, that was huge.
Right, that's the.
It's easy for us to tell, hey,this is what we did as a leader,
but then to hear someone elsetalk about how they were
encouraged by somebody elseduring the race is really huge
she's filed divorce papers no,that's not what I heard.
Man like kevin was earlier.
(21:41):
He's playing.
He was the strategist.
He had the vision.
You know, you kept her going,right, you gave her something to
shoot for.
So kevin made the joke.
But you know, I don't knowabout you guys, but when I'm
running something like this andit was the same when I was a
cyclist if someone's in front ofme, whether I know them or not,
they don't know it, but I'm ina race with them, right?
So I remember I was with thesandbag going up the hill and
(22:03):
there's people around me and I'mjust talking to myself going,
you can do this, you can do this.
And then, oh, by the way, yougot to pass this person in front
of you, right?
So there's a little bit of aleadership lesson where you put
yourself and create your ownRight and, uh, you know, just
just trying harder and harderand try to it's gamifying it,
right.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
I mean, look, when we were in this first one and
that's that's a part of it toowe were in the first one, the 10
K, and we came across thatfinish line and we got that they
hand you that metal and go forit, like what's this little pie
piece here?
That's like a just a partial,what is that?
And they, it felt like withinfive minutes, we're like, okay,
when's the next one?
We've got to get out there andsign up for the second one so we
(22:44):
can do all three of these inone year.
Again, I would have never,without that encouragement Dave,
signed up for one of thesethings on my own, let alone be
crazy enough to try to do threeof them and now maybe four of
them in the same year in termsof making that happen.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
So, and John, if I can just add something real
quick, um, you know, I I did myfirst.
I think my first Spartan was 10years ago.
Melissa and I did it togetherand I was close to 250, 255
pounds, something like that, and, yeah, and I was not a runner
in any way, shape or form, itwas.
It was very ugly to look at,but one of the things that
(23:22):
really made the race for me iswhile I was walking and you know
I'm I'm beat, dripping sweat,and the first one we did was, um
, in Concord, north Carolina,and had dirt and everything, of
course, all over my face and mybody and I'm huffing and puffing
and I remember people runningby me and and the camaraderie of
(23:44):
it, right, and pushing me onhey, you got this.
Just just pick up your feet,man.
Pick up your feet.
It's a hundred yards is thenext obstacle, right, and
without that, excuse me, stillgets me.
It's crazy, man, but I try todo the same thing when I'm
running it, because you seepeople with struggles and you
(24:07):
just want to help them throughit.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
So, yeah, Sorry, no, no, apology, man.
I appreciate you sharing it interms of understanding how you
get.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
We've all been on both sides of that.
Somebody's encouraging me whenI was carrying the bucket,
somebody's encouraging me andthen I'm doing the same thing,
right?
So you don't realize, influenceand impact other people just by
a little bit of encouragementuntil you feel it yourself.
Right, hear?
Speaker 4 (24:32):
it.
Hey, Uncommon Leaders, Hopeyou're enjoying the episode.
So far.
I believe in doing businesswith people you like and trust,
and not just a company name.
That's why a strong personalbrand is essential, whether
you're an entrepreneur or aleader within a company.
Brand Builders Group, the folkswho have been helping me refine
my own personal brand areoffering a free consultation
call with one of their expertbrand strategists.
They'll help you identify youruniqueness, craft a compelling
(24:54):
story and develop a step-by-stepplan to elevate your impact.
So head on over tocoachjohngallaghercom slash BBG,
as in brand builders group, toschedule your free call and take
the first step toward buildinga personal brand that gets you
noticed for all the rightreasons.
That's coachjohngallaghercomslash BBG.
Now let's get back to theepisode.
Look, that community is amazing.
(25:15):
It's contagious.
I mean I don't know how manytotal racers there were in that
one.
I'm going to guess there'sabout 3,000 people who are
racing there.
But then you know thoseindividuals who encourage you
right at the start line, the MCwho was just kind of chuckling
at them, saying, hey, you gotthis, come on, keep going.
Um, it's something that it'ssomething that will help being
(25:47):
encouraging.
Being an encourager is muchbetter than kind of talking down
and beating them up.
Uh, as you go through thatjourney and again back into our
work life, it makes sense, it's.
It's a lot of the reason I dowhat I do with regards to
executive coaching and evenconsulting.
To a certain extent, I'm tryingto teach them and I'm giving
them a hard time to get themthere, but I'm also trying to
(26:07):
encourage them on that journeyas well.
I know that they are capable ofso much more and that
unrealized potential that's inthere, of so much more, and that
unrealized potential that's inthere is in.
And if they're not movingtoward that like, it's something
that I want to be an encouragerto them but help them identify
that blind spot, to say that,look, you weren't, you weren't
(26:31):
called to be average.
Okay, you weren't called to besomeone who just sits on the
sidelines and waits for Fridayto roll around.
You were called for somethingmuch bigger.
And if the Spartan race helpsus from that mindset, I think
that's pretty awesome.
Okay, and again, I, I, I, justI recognize that that a group
like what we have, whether it'sas simple as each day that we
(26:53):
text each other a book thatwe've done our daily reading
habit, or hashtag our numberwith regards to what our workout
was, and even talk about someof those things that were
challenging.
Those are very simple thingsthat are encouraging and
inspiring to say man, I can'tsit on the sidelines today.
I got to be in the game, I gotto make this happen.
(27:14):
I think those are great points.
Look, the final race in thetrifecta is the biggest race the
half marathon.
21k, Jeff, to your point, 5Kthat turned into a 6K or 7K in
terms of how we ended upfinishing it.
This 21K is likely probably toturn into something around I
(27:35):
don't know 25 or 26K by the timewe're done with it.
What are each of you going todo differently to prepare for
this one?
What's, what's the next levelin your training and your
mindset, things like that?
That's going to be different.
I'll start with you, Kevin.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Well, uh, I don't know if you remember or not Um,
I signed up for a half marathonon Sunday the 16th and we signed
up for the Spartan race onNovember the 15th.
And my wife reminded me whilewe were doing this last Spartan.
She said wait a minute, you'redoing what?
And I said that's back-to-backhalf marathon.
(28:13):
So I started Garmin has thisamazing coach, right, the Garmin
coach, and I've been a runnerfor the last couple years but I
might run two times a week and Iput what I wanted to do into
the garmin coach and the garmincoach was like you're silly, you
can't run twice a week.
(28:34):
I'd get ready for back to backhalf marathon.
So I've already um my upping myrunning.
I'm now on a four to five weeks, four to five days a week,
schedule.
For the running side, of course, I'm still lifting, you know,
four to five times a week.
So I would like to get a littlebit better with the overhead um
(28:57):
, like to get a little bitbetter with the overhead um
apparatuses that they have outthere.
But the running piece isdefinitely going to be a tough
part for me, just because of theback-to-back half marathons and
making sure that I can recoupenough to do to get through the
second half half marathon.
(29:18):
So, yeah, um, so running,stretching didn't even know what
that word meant.
Um, stretching is probably myleast favorite thing to do in
the entire world, but thismorning, at four 30, I got up,
did some stretching and I'veincorporated that in my daily
activity.
Now to to, to make sure thatI'm I'm ready for this event or
(29:38):
events, yeah, and, of course,working with you guys, man, I
mean, you know, that's one ofthe beauties of having an
accountability group like you,um, is that we do a fantastic
job of pushing each other dailywith updates on how many
calories are being burned, onwhat you're doing.
So, every day, we send that toeach other, um, and it's a, it's
(30:01):
a motivator.
Speaker 4 (30:04):
I love when people ask about that too.
Like what is the hashtag andthe number of me?
Not, obviously not in our group, but I mean other people.
I'll do that for other peoplesometimes.
Like what does that number mean?
I'm like that's how hard thatwe work today, man, and that's
just how we let each other knowthat, uh, that we're committed
to this and we're committed tothem to make that happen.
Jeff, what about you?
What's your goal for the nextone?
(30:24):
Kind of get ready for that.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
John, I think about my time in the military and I
was like, why are we in the UStraining in the sand?
And they were like, hey, we'retrying to fight because we may
have to fight a war in the sand.
Why did we go down into thejungles of Louisiana?
And they were like, hey,there's a terrain somewhere in
the world we may have to gofight there.
So for me it's going to belearning about what are we going
(30:52):
to come against when we'reagainst from a terrain
standpoint, when we're down inSouth Carolina in November.
How can I mimic that and try toincorporate some of that into
the training, into the running,because a lot of it is running.
And then the upper bodystrength.
I was a little upset in thisrace because, as you know, it
(31:12):
was sort of misting rain andwhen I got to the monkey bars it
turned into a penalty loop.
So I was hoping that myprevious races that wasn't the
case.
So you know, just upper bodystrength hanging and he's
preparing for the terrain andthen putting in the you know the
(31:33):
13.1 miles being able to.
My goal is by two weeks out.
You know, a 12 mile run undermy belt, okay, feel feel good
about it.
Yeah, yeah, so that's, that'skind of like going to be my
approach.
I mean, I hate to run, I hateto run.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
I love having run when I'm done, but I hate to run
.
There's like nothing that Ienjoy about running.
I mean, it's just yeah I'm withyou, john.
It's other than other than thefeeling at the end.
I mean, I try to appreciate it.
I try to get a mindset like putsome music on our podcast,
whatever it doesn't make dude,it doesn't matter.
Running sucks, it really does.
(32:11):
Dave.
What about you?
What do you got go?
What you got prepared, man?
Speaker 2 (32:14):
I got a few things going.
Grip strength is huge too,because I'd love to be able to
do the monkey bars and not blameit on being wet.
That seems to be my excuseright now.
I want to get rid of that.
So I am actually working on thehanging every day.
But I have mapped out the runtoo, because, back to even my
cycling training days, it comesdown to volume and I've run this
(32:35):
far in my entire life, so I'vegot to work up to that.
So the plan I've got mapped out, just like Jeff just said, gets
me at about 12 miles rightbefore.
But I also have another concernthat I've got to work through
and that's really on myhydration and electrolytes,
because the last two races,right within the last mile, I've
been getting calf cramps right.
(32:55):
So now I'm going okay, I can'tafford to get a DNF on this one
six, seven miles into a you know, essentially a 13 mile race
getting cramps.
So I'm going to try to simulate, like Jeff said, doing the 12
mile run as I work up to that,doing some uh, you know, run out
two miles, run back to my house, hydrate again a little bit,
(33:15):
almost similar to what we'll doin the race.
So while I'm putting togetherthat 12 13 miles beforehand, I
am going to break it up a littlebit and make sure I'm hydrating
and getting electrolytes in mybody and make sure that I can
actually handle that, becausethe last thing I want to do is
get to this race in november andget a cramp six miles in right,
because, uh, it's you know,usually you can work through the
(33:36):
cramp, but then it's in theback of your mind, it starts
eating at you.
Right, you're like, okay, if Ido something strange, is it
going to lock up again?
So yeah, that's the main thingis really getting that volume of
running in for me right now.
Speaker 4 (33:47):
I'm so good.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Yeah, Dave, I was just going to say one of the
things that you might want tolook at too, just because you
know from, like, when I'mrunning my half, I am wearing a
vest with water and nutrition.
Um, obviously it's.
You know, it's a little grosserin the Spartan, but, um,
nutrition is definitely going toplay a part.
Calories through the race, Um.
(34:10):
So those are things that weneed to take into consideration
as well.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
You know it's just like it's a great point, Cause I
see people wearing the the.
Well, you know it's just likeit's a great point because I see
people wearing the, the waterdevices, on the 5k, and I don't
need water in 5k, but you know II've spent a lot, right?
So, um, there's no way I needto carry some additional water
with electrolytes in it.
Um, at the very least I wasthinking carrying the packets
and then put it in the littlecups of water they give us every
couple miles.
(34:35):
So I'm gonna play a little bitand try to simulate it.
Speaker 4 (34:39):
Salt pills, potassium , yeah, especially for the
cramping the race, nutrition andthe day of and getting ready
the night before, but againfueling our body.
Look, we can't recover the sameway we did when we were in our
20s either.
That's a little bit different.
We could slug a 12-pack of beeror whatever the number is, and
wake up in the morning and, youknow, make another one to get
(35:02):
the hair of the dog, and thenjust try to get the day going
again.
You know our bodies just don'trespond to that kind of stuff
and we're probably living someof those challenges right now
overall.
But I think you know for methere is that nutrition
component.
You know I found myself 21K, 30obstacles, so I'm dividing 21
by 30.
What's the longest run going tobe in a half marathon?
(35:25):
And I mean, ok, I got to atleast prepare for that whether
it's zone two, training and justlearning, I mean I love the
component of continuous learningand I think about this even
again.
Back to the leadership, even inthe day and age we're in right
now is utilizing artificialintelligence to help us with
that.
Kevin, I think it was you thatyou put it in the chat GPT and
(35:46):
it generate a plan for you,right, in terms of putting that
together and getting ready forthe race.
I'm like, wow, it's justamazing what we have at our
fingertips as leaders, if we'rewilling to continuously grow and
I'm not suggesting that AI getsus through the 21K Spartan race
, but as leaders, there arethings we've got to do that are
(36:06):
tough, and we've always got tobe on a learning journey and
don't think we've arrived by anystretch of imagination so far.
Just two more questions.
Honor your time in terms offinishing this up, guys.
This has been a greatconversation.
One fun question and then onelittle help having you inspire
our listeners as well in termsof what's going on.
That we'll finish up with I'llgive you the last word.
(36:27):
I think one had 25.
So you know, we've had thechance to hit 46 obstacles.
Some of them were repeats, someof them new.
I want each of you to share theone that you wished Spartan
(36:50):
never invented.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
Okay, but still how you're able to overcome that
obstacle and run through it,okay for me it's the spear throw
.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Put some effort into the spear man.
Don't give me a garden hoe withthe hoe off.
Speaker 4 (37:06):
Come on, I hate that thing it kind of reminds me that
I don't know if we'll show myage here.
I don't know if you guysremember the movie revenge of
the nerds and they and they werein that decathlon or whatever
against other fraternities andthey had the javelin throw and
the one guy designed one that itwas flexible and he was running
(37:27):
with it and it was kind of like, well, you've got to figure out
how to take our own javelin orsomething there to really nail
that dart.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
I'll take.
Anything over the spear throwthere, I'll take anything over
the spear throw.
Speaker 4 (37:38):
There you go, all right.
So you got to practice thespear throw.
What about you, jeff?
What's?
Speaker 1 (37:43):
the one you hate the most.
You know I'm sitting here, john, trying to think of what the
name of it is.
It looks like something fromthe medieval era.
It has chains and balls andholes and you have to get your
legs really high upon it.
But I think that thing I'venever.
I've run a seven Spartan races.
I've never conquered it.
Um so, and it's, it's difficultto train for it Like it's, it's
(38:07):
hard to replicate it back here.
So yeah, that's the one I I'mstill angry.
Speaker 4 (38:13):
It's got a Greek name to it.
I don't know if it's Olympus orsomething like that.
It's got an odd name.
I know it's the one you'retalking about.
That was in the first.
That was in the 10K that we did.
It wasn't in the 5K but it wasin the 10K and I bet we're going
to see it in the in the uh 10or 21K here coming up.
Dave, anyone that you justdislike, you hate it.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
There's none that I hate or that I wish they hadn't
invented.
There are a few that I wish Icould do better.
That z wall I seem to gethalfway, and then I that's where
I got to work on the gripstrength.
Uh, that one's challenging forme.
I keep trying to figure out ifI can set something up like that
in my basement I know right?
um, so there's none that Ireally don't like.
You know what I mean.
(38:51):
It's like I just want to getthrough them.
I'll be able to do them at somepoint.
Um, yeah, but that one thatjeff mentioned, that one to me
that I don't know how youreplicate, that I don't know,
that's some kind of maybe it'srock climbing or something like
that right.
Speaker 4 (39:04):
Well, that's what I feel about the z-wall, because
that was my answer as well.
Like I hate that z-wall, justlooking like to try and balance
on a two by four and hold on toa two by four at the same time
and try to keep your weightagainst that wall.
So you, I mean like what thewho thought of something like
this.
But rock climbers got to dothat all the time in terms of
keeping themselves.
Although I don't see my, my sonJoseph, he's a rock climber, no
(39:26):
doubt about it, but I don't seemyself trying to hug any the
side of any cliffs, trying toclimb up or hoping that I'll
never be stuck on one one day,uh, in terms of making that
happen.
So I would.
I again.
What I like about what to hear,too, is like screw it.
I can still hate it, um, but Ihave to do it, right, I mean,
it's not.
I don't have a choicenecessarily.
If I don't want to do the uhspear throw, what are my options
(39:49):
?
I can choose not to do it andstill do the 30 burpees anyway.
That is the penalty for that,or the 15 that I did, cause we
teamed up.
30 burpees may be worse thananything.
Man, goodness, who inventedthat as a penalty?
But I think there's so manythings again in life that we
don't like but we have to do andwe still got to get ready for I
(40:11):
think that's a great message,guys.
This has been fun.
I'm looking forward to the nextone, looking forward to the
next three months on thedevelopment journey as well, and
likely ending up in thisconversation again with regards
to what that feels like andprobably what's in mind for us
for 2026.
I know Kevin's been thinkingabout that already and he's
thrown a couple challenges thatI've ignored so far,
(40:32):
successfully ignored and notreplied to.
But I will have to eventuallyreply to that, but I'll wait
till after the big race we gotcoming up here in November.
Look, we're talking to leaderswho are listening.
I mean really trying to learnthe mindset of doing hard stuff
and, going back 10 months, wenever would have thought of
doing something like this andI'm so glad that we did.
(40:53):
And so, for those that arelistening, in that you know,
doing something hard and reallychoosing to get something better
, what's, what's aninspirational message you have
for them or what's, you know,one step they can take tomorrow
or today to get going on thatjourney and doing something
(41:13):
really hard.
Um, I'll throw it out, dave,we'll start with you and then go
to Jeff and Kevin and I'llfinish this out.
Speaker 2 (41:20):
John, you've heard this one before, but it's
consistency before intensity,right.
So it's the.
You throw that goal out therethree months, six months out.
You know, don't get caught inthat trap.
We got plenty of time to train,but it comes down to showing up
and starting small if you haveto, and then putting a plan
together so that you're puttingthe consistency in place that
(41:41):
can compound so you can be readyfor any challenge.
Right, consistency beforeintensity will always get you
there and so many times we'veprobably we've all done it right
when we've tried something hardthat we shouldn't have done and
then we hurt ourselves or we do, you know, we do some work that
didn't work out because wedidn't build in the discipline
and the consistency first sothat we've got the skill to
(42:02):
actually follow through.
So, yeah, it's always going tobe consistency right, build that
in first.
I love it.
And James Clear he talks aboutyou want to go to the gym, even
if you just drive to the gym andspend five minutes there, right
, start with the five minutesand get yourself to where you
just start showing up, and so itstarts to feel unusual when you
don't do it.
That's, I think, kind of thetrick right.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
Get that consistency built in Great.
What about you, jeff?
Get folks going.
Yeah, I think you have to zoomout a bit For me.
I tell my team that a lot Zoomout, plan your work and work
your plan.
I think it's really big to havesome milestones that are
tangible as you can point toafter you plan your work and you
have some sort of check-inpoints with the team and really
(42:50):
celebrate sort of get themomentum going.
I really like what David wassaying about the plan Make sure
that you have the plan, that theplan is scaled, that it's
doable, that it's built to sortof get more intense as we go and
people have to believe.
(43:11):
And I feel like that that's abig obstacle is getting people
to start number one and thenbelieve.
And I think celebrating thosemilestones is key to helping
them sort of gain that momentum.
Speaker 4 (43:23):
So good, jeff.
Thank you, kevin.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
For me.
I think, um, I think, asleaders, that we sometimes
forget that we don't have to doit all alone.
Right, um, surround yourselfaround people that can help you.
You know, if you're struggling,reach out.
Um, you know, you see somebodywho's who's crazy fit.
(43:48):
Well, they're putting work in.
If they're crazy fit, right.
And how can I, if your desireis to look crazy fit, go to
somebody who's crazy fit and saydo you mind helping me?
Would you mentor me?
How can I get down this journey?
And maybe they're going to puttogether a plan for you.
But I don't think we have to doit alone.
(44:10):
I think that's probably one ofthe biggest things you know.
Um, I I don't know if, if Iwould be 217 pounds right now
and feeling healthier than Ihave in a long time if I hadn't
had a good group surrounding meand pushing me to do what I've
done and continue to want to do.
(44:31):
I enjoy it now.
Right, getting up at 4.30, 5o'clock in the morning is my
routine.
That's where I really want tobe, and if I don't do it, I feel
like I haven't done something.
And reaching out and gettingthose people around you that can
help, and if you don't havesomebody that's that's willing
to do that?
Look me up, kevin Gallagher,more than happy to have a
(44:53):
conversation.
I'll get out and go runningwith you, john, if you need
someone to come to Myrtle beachand run with you.
So you want to run more, let'splan it, brother, but that's
that's where I'm at.
You know, I I hate running, butto have a group of people that
are going to say, kevin, getyour butt off the couch and
let's go run, it's huge for me.
So I think I think, uh,surround yourself around people
(45:16):
who can help you get there.
Um, if you don't know whereyou're, where you need to go,
don't be afraid to ask for help.
Speaker 4 (45:25):
Yeah, so many good tips, and I'd love that, in
terms of I mean, that's the,that's the name of this group
raise the average right In termsof being in a group with others
and raising our our at theaverage of each of us.
Jim Roan's famous quote you arethe average of the five people
you hang around with with themost, and I'm pretty grateful to
be hanging around with you guys, and I know Michael's in this
group as well.
He's not able to run this racewith us, but he's there, you
(45:48):
know, for us to kick him in thetail as well, uh, and I'll make
sure to share this with him.
Look for me and you touched onit, kevin I might've chosen that
raise the average in thatcircle, but I'll have another,
different one that's been on mymind Too many times in my life.
I chose not to do something outof fear and wondering what was
going to happen, and I thinkthere's a way for us to face
(46:08):
some of those fears andrecognize, you know, is this
really a fear of being injuredor hurt or worse, or is this
really a fear of failure and amindset that keeps us?
You know, we've read a booktogether the Seven Shadows.
What are those things that arekeeping us, in our mindset, from
creating that?
(46:28):
We need to have a positivemindset.
We got to face that fear andthen ultimately do it anyway, in
spite of that fear.
I never would have imaginedtrying to climb a rope and kind
of 20 feet or whatever thatheight is, uh.
Just looking up and beingafraid of heights, uh.
But again, being around in agroup, guys like this, having
goals and training and what thatreally means, and ultimately
(46:51):
stepping up and saying I'm goingto do this, uh, is something
that's been very important.
So look, listeners, I hope youfound some value in this
conversation today.
I'm grateful for Kevin and Daveand Jeff and for the wisdom and
light that they've shed in thisconversation and been a part of
in my life as well.
I hope that you heard somethingthat inspired you today to be
(47:14):
the uncommon leader that youwere called to be, and I also
probably think that you knowsomeone else who needs to hear
this message and I would askthat you share it with them so
that they can hear it.
We need to continue to inspire,encourage and equip each other
on this journey ultimately thatwe call life so that we can have
the impact that we want to have.
(47:34):
Guys, thank you for joining metoday on the conversation.
I look forward to our journeyin the next few months.
Let's do this.
Thanks, john, thank you, John.
Speaker 3 (47:43):
We're grateful for you as well.
Speaker 4 (47:47):
And that wraps up another episode of the Uncommon
Leader podcast.
Thanks for tuning in today.
If you found value in thisepisode, I encourage you to
share it with your friends,colleagues or anyone else who
could benefit from the insightsand inspiration we've shared.
Also, if you have a moment, I'dgreatly appreciate if you could
leave a rating and review onyour favorite podcast platform.
Your feedback not only helps usto improve, but it also helps
(48:09):
others discover the podcast andjoin our growing community of
uncommon leaders.
Until next time, go and growchampions.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Law & Order: Criminal Justice System - Season 1 & Season 2
Season Two Out Now! Law & Order: Criminal Justice System tells the real stories behind the landmark cases that have shaped how the most dangerous and influential criminals in America are prosecuted. In its second season, the series tackles the threat of terrorism in the United States. From the rise of extremist political groups in the 60s to domestic lone wolves in the modern day, we explore how organizations like the FBI and Joint Terrorism Take Force have evolved to fight back against a multitude of terrorist threats.