Kevin Gillotti talks with Ashley Heller, Kaci Monroe, Emilee Smith about what it takes to race together as a team & the nuances and considerations before a race, and out on the race course, and building a team & working with others to get the job done. TAKE AWAY POINTS: Consider your teammates across several criteria beyond just friends Be sure to train together as a team Know each teammates strengths & exploit them Have a strategy, but be fluid SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit....
Apr 19, 2019•4 min•Ep. 356
Sometimes, as Spartans, we get so caught up in doing more, that we actually work ourselves into the ground. That maximal work pushes you into the red zone. Here’s how to work smarter, not just harder! LESSONS: Identify what you are taking too far (fitness, work, nutrition, etc) to the point that things are actually working against you. Learn from your mistakes and, most of all, learn from the mistakes of others. Are you being productive or just busy? Remove the time wasting activities in your li...
Apr 18, 2019•4 min•Ep. 355
Insecurities can pop up at any time. We all have them and some of us use certain strategies to keep them at bay. One insecurity that can rear its ugly head, especially when we are in a group setting, is that around contribution. Sometimes we may hear our inner critic exclaim, “you’ve got nothing to contribute. Be quiet.” Typically, this is stemming from a fear of rejection or judgment. Working to fight off this insecurity can be hard but it’s essential to do so because we ALL have something to c...
Apr 17, 2019•4 min•Ep. 354
He was a sick young kid who went from doctor to doctor looking for a diagnosis, finally realizing to truly find a solution he would have to become a Doctor himself. Hear his take on fasting, saunas, cold showers and the best food to start the day. His holistic solutions are a hybrid of Functional medicine, Ayurvedic medicine & genetics that uses state of the art lab testing to guide holistic and traditional treatments. Listen to your gut Spartans! LESSONS Understand your digestive system &am...
Apr 16, 2019•27 min•Ep. 353
Our attitudes on how we approach or what we define winning as sets the stage for success across all endeavors. Winning is putting points on the board until the very last second. Being so driven that you constantly seek ways to do better, push harder, find more, etc… This is my attitude towards winning, it does not ever change per scenario or circumstance. Sportsmanship, Tolerance, Balance come into place on the situational level. But never be confused about the mindset that values WIN vs win. LE...
Apr 15, 2019•4 min•Ep. 352
Just when you thought you knew all the reasons why exercise is good for you, a new scientific discovery gives us yet another one. Today on Spartan Health we’re going to talk about something called “brown fat” or “good fat.” WHAT WE TALK ABOUT Recent research has found some possible explanations for why a substance called “brown fat” can actually increase your metabolism. Its beneficial qualities have motivated some people to call it “good fat.” But before we get too deep in the scientific weeds,...
Apr 14, 2019•4 min•Ep. 351
After a solid 2018, Timmie Brann is on the Spartan Pro Team for the first time in 2019. She talks about opening a gym that allows her to help people of all levels. Her gym gives people the opportunity to try a lot of different things. She also discusses why she is an OCR nerd, and keeping her race day look on point. LESSONS: If you want to race fast, train fast. Try a variety of things in training. Race day look is everything. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http:...
Apr 12, 2019•5 min•Ep. 350
Bringing you some fire from a Teddy Roosevelt book in today’s episode! This book is a reminder that our work is a gift. It is something we GET to do, not something we HAVE to do. LESSONS: Reconnect with WHY you started working the job you currently have. Find the deeper meaning behind your work. The deeper meaning might be as simple as your job giving you the ability to put food on the table. Take pride in your work! LINKS: More about Zach https://zacheven-esh.com Read “The Spartan Way” https://...
Apr 11, 2019•3 min•Ep. 349
Imposter syndrome is something we all struggle with from time to time. It occurs when you doubt your own contribution and experience yourself as fraudulent in any given situation. No matter how common this way of thinking is, however, it’s not healthy and if you don’t build resilience around it, your self-esteem can suffer. It’s important to catch yourself when you engage in such thinking and work to challenge the inner critic that is looking to capitalize on your self-doubt. LESSONS: Imposter S...
Apr 10, 2019•4 min•Ep. 348
Pete Tanzilli, a police officer shot in left hip in the line of duty, faced chronic physical issues from the incident, he speaks with us just before taking on his first Spartan Race with the Task Force Sentinel / OEW team. Chris Thorp has served in many uniforms, from EMT to Police Officer. As a public servant he’s had to deal with many tragic and difficult situations. In a small gesture of gratitude he created a patch to say thank you, that small gesture lead the way to Task Force Sentinel - th...
Apr 09, 2019•31 min•Ep. 347
Perfection is a wonderful ideal. But when we take it out of balance it can stagnate efforts and become an impediment to the essential action of ‘start’. If we keep in mind that the ideation and planning phases that are only equal parts to the phases of rehearsal, execution, follow up, assessment, redesign & reiteration we might allow ourselves to just build momentum by getting started. You will spend more time stuck in trying to design perfect than you will by executing and staying invested ...
Apr 08, 2019•4 min•Ep. 346
One in three adults in the U.S. don’t get a good night’s sleep. Some reasons might be physical problems (like apnea) or mental distress. But for many, it’s simply bad habits. Here are five easy ways to improve your chances for restful sleep. WHAT WE TALK ABOUT Number 1: You’re Using Electronics Right Before You Fall Asleep We’ve all done it – spending minutes or even hours scrolling through social media before bed. Researchers have found that people who used electronics before bed saw a signific...
Apr 07, 2019•3 min•Ep. 345
We learn a little about Spartan Pro Team racer Ryan Kent. He talks about his running background, how he trains during the offseason, and finding a balance between strength and speed. He also has some tips for larger runners. LESSONS: Stay consistent for a higher fitness level Less volume on race week, maintain or increase the intensity Find things that suit your strengths on each course. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http:/...
Apr 05, 2019•4 min•Ep. 344
A long time ago a friend of mine and mentor told me that he kept specific books on his work desk, just so he could see the title. He told me how the title of the book alone would fire him up to do work, to set bigger goals and to get after it. I remember a book that did it for me was Jump In!: Even If You Don't Know How to Swim by Mark Burnett Here and there I would flip open the book to a random page and read a page or two. The stories inspired me to think bigger and go bigger. THESE are the ty...
Apr 04, 2019•3 min•Ep. 343
We may wish it weren’t true but it is: You can’t control how you feel at any given moment. You CAN however, control your response to how you feel. And you can absolutely learn to control your emotions. When we don’t control our emotions, we run the risk of letting them control us by impacting our choices, decisions, and next moves without our consent. Learning how to control your emotions is a key element of having a tough mind and shifting your mind into the position of driver rather than passe...
Apr 03, 2019•4 min•Ep. 342
Joe DeSena interviews Charlie Rocket at the Fenway Park Spartan Race. “CEO Charlie” was successful in business, he managed the artist 2 Chainz to a Grammy! But he found himself overweight and seriously ill with a brain tumor, none of that so-called success mattered anymore. Charlie made a massive pivot from “CEO Charlie” to “Charlie Rocket!” In an honest, human and incredibly energetic and optimistic way Charlie Rocket is sharing his journey. Everyone told him it was impossible, but he’s now a N...
Apr 02, 2019•23 min•Ep. 341
If you say you are going to do something, then do it. Not a version of it. Not some approximation. Do exactly it. Not to is to set the new lowest standard or to invite confusion. Look for those tiny simple things that you might do that create inconsistency with communication and action. It could be using the word ‘try’ or ‘maybe’ when establishing a performance metric. It could be punching the snooze button which suggests you either didn’t really mean what you said or that you can change your tu...
Apr 01, 2019•4 min•Ep. 341
Magnesium has some amazing properties for your brain and body. It also makes important contributions to many important processes in the human body. Two things that many of us have experienced are stress and muscle cramps. First, let’s look at magnesium and its impact on stress, especially in relation to cortisol. Cortisol is the body’s principal stress hormone. This hormone helps to keep us alert during stressful moments or emergencies. But when stress becomes chronic, cortisol levels can stay h...
Mar 31, 2019•4 min•Ep. 341
Kevin Gillotti talks with John Yatsko, an athlete not often seen on the OCR circuit but one who has the historical results & credentials to put worry into his competitors when he does show up. Kevin & John talk about staying elite level fit while living a nomadic lifestyle. LESSONS: Be resourceful If you are creative & dedicated, you can train anywhere Be disciplined with your time Consider phases - mountain, speed, etc. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube:...
Mar 29, 2019•4 min•Ep. 340
The 4 AM club is something that Cory Gregory runs out of his gym in Ohio. You can create ANY type of “club” & it doesn’t have to be at 4 AM! LESSONS: Building a club will build accountability for yourself and everyone else Pick specific days & times with a group and lock them down for whatever it is you want to improve: fitness, business, sports skills, etc. Make sure this group of people are people you do NOT want to let down. This will motivate you to always show up, even during tough ...
Mar 28, 2019•3 min•Ep. 339
For better or worse, life is filled with struggle and challenge. We, as humans, were built with a wide emotional range and often experience a variety of feelings, both joyful and painful ones. Nevertheless, we are bombarded with the message that one’s life goals should be a constant state of happiness; that the pursuit of happiness should trump all. The problem with this goes back to that first sentence, life is filled with struggle and challenge. And it’s normal for us to experience hardship. G...
Mar 27, 2019•3 min•Ep. 338
The Youngest GM in baseball history, Theo Epstein took the Red Sox to the World Championships after 86 years then did the same for the Chicago Cubs after a 108 years! What techniques did he use to change the culture of his organization? In this interview he explains how he chooses players (it has a lot to do with their mindset and resilience!), his theory on taking and giving credit, and the three things you should do if you want to improve your team culture. LESSONS Understand foundational elem...
Mar 26, 2019•38 min•Ep. 337
Highly Competent: know your job, do your job, be quick to develop and eager to assume responsibility. Competence is acquired through training, practice, time under tension, experience - for sure. Let’s just not keep making the same mistakes over and over, being told to do things repeatedly, and be happy with minimum standards. Low Maintenance: don’t require a lot of special handling or attention. At times, things will come up that need to be handled or addressed in order to not distract us from ...
Mar 25, 2019•5 min•Ep. 336
Today, we’re going to clear up a misconception about muscle and metabolism. It’s become common knowledge that muscle burns so many more calories than fat. If you put on more muscle, the story goes, more calories just burn along with it. So increase your muscle mass! Right? In this episode of Spartan Health we’re gonna’ look into that… WHAT WE TALK ABOUT While it’s true that muscle does burn more calories than fat, the importance of this difference may be quite exaggerated. As it turns out, resis...
Mar 24, 2019•4 min•Ep. 335
Kevin Gillotti talks with Kirk Dewindt, a personal trainer (PT), a collegiate All-American in track, a handsomely popular “The Bachelorette” contestant, and a strong & respected member of the Spartan Pro Team about common injuries amongst endurance athletes. LESSONS: Overuse & repetitive injuries are most common Work on hip stabilization Wear a properly fit shoe For grip, improve your holds by adding weight SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/Spa...
Mar 22, 2019•3 min•Ep. 334
We all go through times in our life where we second guess ourselves. The way to get out of that phase is to do the work. The work will remind you what you’re capable of. The mere fact that you’re doing the work will help you put “points on the board” and build confidence again. LESSONS: Get out of your normal environment and demonstrate your expertise. Staying in your same environment builds complacency. Complacency kills your confidence. Get out there and DO something to share your expertise. L...
Mar 21, 2019•3 min•Ep. 333
Feelings can be powerful and even more so when they create discomfort. Anxiety, worry, and concern are three feeling states that can initiate a way of thinking that can very quickly create a barrier to you moving forward with whatever task is at hand. How you feel today is not necessarily a marker of how you will feel in the future but we can sometimes fall into the mind trap of believing this to be true. Think about it, if signing up for a Spartan race induced a tremendous amount of anxiety you...
Mar 20, 2019•4 min•Ep. 332
Angel Sanz is humble, hilarious and always smiling mastermind and Country Manager of Spartan Spain whose up each day by 3:30 am. Sport has always been an integral part of his life, from playing basketball at University of Houston to teaching physicality and obstacle racing as a perfect analogy for entrepreneurship. Sport is what drives his pedagogy in education, with how he interacts with his family, how he gets better at business, how he to made his new business and now how he makes people bett...
Mar 19, 2019•28 min•Ep. 331
The complex, flashy, super sexy solution rarely survives substantial contact with any situation less than the ideal it was created for. It’s safe to say that ‘The Basics’ are just that, basic. The reasonable extension of this conversation then suggests also timeless. Let’s look at the lever, wedge, wheel… half of humankind’s inventions wouldn’t work without these simple machines. There’s a saying that goes somewhat like: “Why use an expensive whatnot when a hammer will suffice?” When faced with ...
Mar 18, 2019•5 min•Ep. 330
When things run well, we often assume, they run regularly. From the pistons in a car to the daily changes in the tide, we often expect that processes run optimally when they progress or move forward in the same or a uniform way. Or if they change, the change is gradual and moves slowly from phase to phase – like the seasons or the way the sun rises and sets. One important body function is an exception! WHAT WE TALK ABOUT: While it may seem crazy at first, it turns out that all this variability …...
Mar 17, 2019•4 min•Ep. 329
