For our 200th episode, I’m honored to welcome two legends of the endurance world: Lazarus Lake, the mastermind behind the Barkley Marathons and Big’s Backyard Ultra and author Jared Beasley, whose new book The Endurance Artist dives deep into Laz’s life and legacy. We talk about what it really means to chase the impossible, how pain and discomfort shape us, and why the “Danny’s” of the sport (everyday athletes who rise beyond expectation) are so inspiring.

Laz shares lessons from a lifetime of running, coaching, and creating races that break people down and build them back up, while Jared gives us a writer’s view into the grit, humor, and heart of these iconic events. From dogs as life coaches to the team dynamics hidden in solo suffering, this conversation is a raw and memorable celebration of endurance, resilience, and living life to its fullest

https://8020books.com/product/the-endurance-artist/

Life Coaching with Travis Macy

Are you a middle-aged man looking for a wise and powerful teammate to support your expansive journey in work, family, athletics, and life? Are you ready to finally learn about yourself: what really makes you tick, what holds you back, and what personalized systems will optimize your performance and wellness? Let's work together!

travismacy.com/coaching

In this episode, I’m joined by my friend and athlete Rachel Popelka better known on Instagram as The Trailside Doc. Rachel is a remote physical therapist, an expedition adventure racer, and an ultra runner who’s carved out a life full of bold choices, resilience, and inspired adventure.

We talk about her unconventional path into endurance sports, from starting with a 5K to finishing multi-day expedition races, and how she built a career helping athletes stay strong and recover smarter. Rachel shares candidly about her own health struggles, lessons from navigating chronic pain, and the power of positive affirmations, community, and connection with nature.

We also dive into the unique PT model she’s pioneering working remotely with athletes to blend rehab, strength, and performance training into their everyday programming. I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is to have her integrated on an athlete’s “team,” collaborating with coaches and bringing PT into TrainingPeaks just like a workout.

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A big thanks to our sponsors:

RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Go to www.neuroreserve.com/travismacy and code TRAVISMACY for 15% off RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Core Dietary Nutrients for Lifelong Brain Health

Hagan Ski Mountaineering

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Purchase A Mile at A Time: A Father and Son’s Inspiring Alzheimer’s Journey of Love, Adventure, and Hope

Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify
Check us out: Instagram | Twitter | Website | YouTube

The show is produced and edited by Palm Tree Pod Co

Life Coaching with Travis Macy

Are you a middle-aged man looking for a wise and powerful teammate to support your expansive journey in work, family, athletics, and life? Are you ready to finally learn about yourself: what really makes you tick, what holds you back, and what personalized systems will optimize your performance and wellness? Let's work together!

travismacy.com/coaching

In this episode, I sit down with adventure photographer, filmmaker, and author Cory Richards to talk about his remarkable new book, The Color of Everything, and the very human terrain that comes with chasing big mountains and a meaningful life. We dive into bipolar disorder how the creative “up” can be followed by a paralyzing “down,” why “balance” might be something you measure across a lifetime, and the simple, daily pillars Cory uses to stay grounded.

Cory talks candidly about hypersexuality, shame, and finding value beyond adrenaline and we share vulnerable stories about ambiguous loss, aging parents, and holding on to humor and love when life gets brutally real.

Whether you’re an athlete, artist, or anyone walking through hard seasons, this conversation is raw, practical, and full of heart.

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A big thanks to our sponsors:

RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Go to www.neuroreserve.com/travismacy and code TRAVISMACY for 15% off RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Core Dietary Nutrients for Lifelong Brain Health

Hagan Ski Mountaineering

- - - - - - - - - - -
Purchase A Mile at A Time: A Father and Son’s Inspiring Alzheimer’s Journey of Love, Adventure, and Hope

Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify
Check us out: Instagram | Twitter | Website | YouTube

The show is produced and edited by Palm Tree Pod Co

Life Coaching with Travis Macy

Are you a middle-aged man looking for a wise and powerful teammate to support your expansive journey in work, family, athletics, and life? Are you ready to finally learn about yourself: what really makes you tick, what holds you back, and what personalized systems will optimize your performance and wellness? Let's work together!

travismacy.com/coaching

This week on the show, I’m joined by endurance athlete, educator, and record-breaking peak-bagger Jason Hardrath for a powerful and deeply honest conversation about what it really means to pursue big goals and live with intention.

Jason is best known for completing 100 FKTs (Fastest Known Times), including the legendary Bulgers List in Washington and the Infinity Loop on Denali. But in this episode, we go beyond the records. We talk about ADHD, the stories we tell ourselves, and the role movement plays in healing and growth.

Jason opens up about his journey from a life-altering car crash to finding purpose through endurance pursuits, how teaching kids helps him become a better athlete (and vice versa), and why nuance, structure, and mentorship are key to doing hard things well.

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A big thanks to our sponsors:

RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Go to www.neuroreserve.com/travismacy and code TRAVISMACY for 15% off RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Core Dietary Nutrients for Lifelong Brain Health

Hagan Ski Mountaineering

- - - - - - - - - - -
Purchase A Mile at A Time: A Father and Son’s Inspiring Alzheimer’s Journey of Love, Adventure, and Hope

Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify
Check us out: Instagram | Twitter | Website | YouTube

The show is produced and edited by Palm Tree Pod Co

Life Coaching with Travis Macy

Are you a middle-aged man looking for a wise and powerful teammate to support your expansive journey in work, family, athletics, and life? Are you ready to finally learn about yourself: what really makes you tick, what holds you back, and what personalized systems will optimize your performance and wellness? Let's work together!

travismacy.com/coaching

This week on the show, I’m joined by former pro cyclist, Grand Tour veteran, Olympian, NBC Sports analyst, and now mental performance coach, Brent Bookwalter.

We had a great conversation about life on and off the bike. Brent shares his unforgettable experience helping Cadel Evans win the 2011 Tour de France, reflects on the evolution of team dynamics in pro cycling, and breaks down how the sport is shifting with the rise of data and the emergence of the next generation of riders.

He also opens up about his own transition from elite racing to coaching, the role of mental fitness, and what it really means to support athlete well-being, especially during pivotal life and career transitions.

Big thanks to my producer and friend Anthony Palmer of Palm Tree Pod Co. for joining in on the conversation as well.

Be sure to catch Brent daily on Peacock throughout July as he covers the Tour de France, and check out his website to learn more about his coaching services.

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A big thanks to our sponsors:

RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Go to www.neuroreserve.com/travismacy and code TRAVISMACY for 15% off RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Core Dietary Nutrients for Lifelong Brain Health

Hagan Ski Mountaineering

- - - - - - - - - - -
Purchase A Mile at A Time: A Father and Son’s Inspiring Alzheimer’s Journey of Love, Adventure, and Hope

Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify
Check us out: Instagram | Twitter | Website | YouTube

The show is produced and edited by Palm Tree Pod Co

Life Coaching with Travis Macy

Are you a middle-aged man looking for a wise and powerful teammate to support your expansive journey in work, family, athletics, and life? Are you ready to finally learn about yourself: what really makes you tick, what holds you back, and what personalized systems will optimize your performance and wellness? Let's work together!

travismacy.com/coaching

What does it really mean to accomplish something and why doesn’t it always feel the way we think it should?

This week, I’m joined by my good friend, longtime pro mountain biker, and mindset coach Sonya Looney for a deep and honest conversation about something a lot of us wrestle with, perfectionism.

Sonya and I dive into what it means to strive with purpose, how to redefine accomplishment through contribution instead of comparison, and why feeling like we matter isn’t always about metrics. We also talk about big transitions, like Sonya’s move from full-time bike racing to trail running and mental performance coaching—and the freedom (and fear) that comes with letting go of old identities.

If you’ve ever been stuck chasing numbers, doubting your worth, or wondering if it’s okay to want something new, I think you’ll find a lot to chew on here. Sonya brings her usual clarity, research-backed wisdom, and vulnerability to the table and I’m always grateful to learn from her!

Sonya Looney Website | Podcast | Instagram | LinkedIn

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A big thanks to our sponsors:

RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Go to www.neuroreserve.com/travismacy and code TRAVISMACY for 15% off RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Core Dietary Nutrients for Lifelong Brain Health

Hagan Ski Mountaineering

- - - - - - - - - - -
Purchase A Mile at A Time: A Father and Son’s Inspiring Alzheimer’s Journey of Love, Adventure, and Hope

Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify
Check us out: Instagram | Twitter | Website | YouTube

The show is produced and edited by Palm Tree Pod Co

Life Coaching with Travis Macy

Are you a middle-aged man looking for a wise and powerful teammate to support your expansive journey in work, family, athletics, and life? Are you ready to finally learn about yourself: what really makes you tick, what holds you back, and what personalized systems will optimize your performance and wellness? Let's work together!

travismacy.com/coaching

I’m stoked to introduce you to three incredible athletes and good friends from the Colorado endurance scene: Josiah Middaugh, and his sons, Porter and Sullivan. You’ve probably heard Josiah on the show before — he’s an XTERRA World Champion and one of the most respected voices in endurance sports. Now, his sons are stepping up and following in his footsteps, and it’s pretty inspiring to see.

We dive into what it means to fuel like a pro — both in racing and in everyday life. From training in the snow-packed streets of Colorado to chasing PRs in hot Arizona marathons, these guys are doing the work and bringing a ton of wisdom to the table. We cover:

• Why ultra-low-carb diets might work for Arctic expeditions (but not your next triathlon)
• The importance of keeping your fueling simple, consistent, and dialed
• How elite athletes balance performance with real life: work, parenting, and yes — mac & cheese leftovers
• Tips for training your gut, staying flexible on race day, and using fueling as a performance enhancer, not an afterthought

Whether you're chasing a podium or just trying to make your long runs suck a little less, there's a lot here for you. Let's go!

Life Coaching with Travis Macy

Are you a middle-aged man looking for a wise and powerful teammate to support your expansive journey in work, family, athletics, and life? Are you ready to finally learn about yourself: what really makes you tick, what holds you back, and what personalized systems will optimize your performance and wellness? Let's work together!

travismacy.com/coaching

This episode is a special one. I’m joined by my friend Nickademus de la Rosa—ultra runner, coach, and mental performance consultant—for a powerful, real, and deeply personal conversation. Nick takes us through his journey from being an ego-driven, results-focused athlete to someone who’s learned, through some incredibly hard life experiences, how to lead with compassion, for himself and for others.

We talk openly about the tough stuff: performance pressure, mental health struggles, identity, and healing. Nick shares his story of how navigating a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and undergoing open-heart surgery reshaped his approach to life, coaching, and endurance sports. If you’ve ever felt stuck in a perfectionist loop, battled internal critics, or wondered how to truly support the people you care about, this episode is for you. Nick’s insights on unconditional love, emotional resilience, and the power of being your full, authentic self are something I’ll carry with me—and I think you will, too.

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A big thanks to our sponsors:

RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Go to www.neuroreserve.com/travismacy and code TRAVISMACY for 15% off RELEVATE by NeuroReserve: Core Dietary Nutrients for Lifelong Brain Health

Hagan Ski Mountaineering

- - - - - - - - - - -
Purchase A Mile at A Time: A Father and Son’s Inspiring Alzheimer’s Journey of Love, Adventure, and Hope

Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify
Check us out: Instagram | Twitter | Website | YouTube

The show is produced and edited by Palm Tree Pod Co

Life Coaching with Travis Macy

Are you a middle-aged man looking for a wise and powerful teammate to support your expansive journey in work, family, athletics, and life? Are you ready to finally learn about yourself: what really makes you tick, what holds you back, and what personalized systems will optimize your performance and wellness? Let's work together!

travismacy.com/coaching