Welcome to Taking Chances - Why not you? where we dive deep into the minds of the world's best athletes, thinkers, and visionaries. Today, I had the absolute privilege of sitting down with a true legend in the world of ultrarunning—Michael Wardian.

If you’ve ever glanced at the leaderboard of an ultra-distance race, chances are you’ve seen his name at the top. Michael holds too many race records to list here, but if you’re curious, you can find the staggering details at Michael Wardian's Results.

From dominating the U.S. National 100 km Championship to claiming multiple U.S. 50 km and 50-mile titles, Michael has pushed the boundaries of human endurance time and time again. But how did he get here? What drives someone to run—sometimes for days on end—through pain, exhaustion, and every obstacle imaginable?

In this conversation, Michael takes us on a journey through his incredible career, sharing insights into his training, his mindset, and what it truly means to be one of the greatest ultra runners in the world.

Stay tuned—you won’t want to miss this.

I had the privilege of sitting down with Curt Johnston, a 2018 Leadville 100 Trail Race finisher, for a conversation packed with grit, determination, and a whole lot of heart. We reflected on his early days playing basketball in high school and college, his quest to break 46:00 at the Bix7, and—most importantly—his incredible comeback from a DNF in 2016 to crossing the finish line at Leadville in 2018. Curt shared his physical and mental approach to preparing for that redemption race, and trust me, you won’t want to miss it.

Oh, and today’s a special day—Curt turns 49! So be sure to send him a birthday shoutout. And what’s next for him? Maybe a big buckle in Leadville. IYKYK. Tune in!

Hey everyone, quick heads-up—this episode’s audio is a little rough. I got a new camera, and somehow the recording defaulted to the computer’s mic instead of our fancy setup. Rookie mistake, but the conversation is still top-notch.

Pat and I sat down to chat about Memorial Day, growing up in Bettendorf, Iowa, and the role of sports in shaping our lives. We talked about his journey from playing football as a kid to competing at the University of Iowa, then making the leap to the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts. We also covered his experience with the NFL Combine, the grind of training, and the challenges of transitioning between different stages of his career and life.

Despite the audio hiccup, this one’s a great listen—let’s get into it.