TRIBEathlon Podcast
Season 5, Episode 4 – Ian Adamson: Prepare for an exhilarating journey as we traverse the captivating world of adventure racing, obstacle course racing, and ninja competitions with none other than Ian Adamson, a Guinness World Record holder and the reigning Ninja World Record holder. We’ll immerse ourselves in the adrenaline-filled tales of global competitions, and the triumphant victories of Team Nike. From the formats of endurance events, the world’s top races, to Ian’s incredible story of transformation – this conversation promises to be nothing short of riveting.
Next, we’ll venture into the breathtaking landscapes of New Zealand as we inspect one of the world’s toughest adventure races, Godzone. Let’s unravel its evolution and understand why this region has become a hotspot for such daring escapades. We’ll also have an in-depth discussion about the critical role of sleep in endurance racing, taking cues from Ian’s 2006 Adventure Race World Championship experience. The importance of safety guidelines, the necessity of an international governing body, and the onus on event producers for competitors’ safety will also be addressed in this enlightening discussion.
Lastly, we’ll demystify the complexities of fuelling for endurance events. From the benefits of stored body fat, the limitations of carbohydrates, to the intriguing insights from Timothy Noakes’ revolutionary book, ‘The Big Fat Surprise’ – we leave no stone unturned. And before we wrap up, we’ll explore the health benefits of adventure racing, the importance of posture, and even touch upon the impact of daylight savings on mortality rates. Brace yourselves for an engaging, informative, and enlightening dialogue with Ian Adamson!
What I’ve Been Reading
The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté unpacks why chronic disease and mental illness are on the rise. Western medicine focuses on individual pathologies, but what if the key actually lies in our culture? Things we consider normal – like stress, adversity, and trauma – are often toxic and breed disease. The pathway back to health rests in identifying and addressing these underlying conditions. For example, in the 1990s, the Cleveland Clinic was witness to a strange phenomenon. Despite having fairly brief contact with patients, the nursing staff could often predict who would develop MND, a degenerative autoimmune disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spine. They would write comments in each patient’s chart like, “Probably has MND, she is too nice,” or “No way, he is NOT nice enough.” To the astonishment of the neurologists, these predictions were almost always correct. In the decades since, research has supported the nurses’ observations. Drawing on his decades of experience as a physician, Dr. Maté has set out to debunk common myths about what makes us sick and, whilst heavy going at times, it will really make you think. He says that people with illness are a “living alarm,” calling attention to the fact that what passes as normal in this culture is neither healthy nor natural, whilst things that are abnormal – addiction, mental health, and illness – are actually a reasonable response to the conditions of trauma and stress that many of us live in. Definitely food for thought.
What I’ve Been Watching
Professor Greg Whyte OBE is one of the world’s leading sports scientists and endurance experts; an Olympian himself, he is also the man the BBC turns to in order to get celebrities like David Walliams, Davina McCall and Zoe Ball through their extreme fundraising challenges. Unstoppable – Inside the mind of the extreme triathlete looks at how the secret of success in endurance challenges goes beyond the physical to become a battle that is fought and won in the mind. Developing the right mindset is not a chance event – preparation and planning are central to achieving what we at first consider impossible.
Greg provides an insight into the mental strategies he uses to develop the mindset of success, whilst taking on an extreme solo challenge that goes beyond performance and becomes a battle for survival. Through telling this story, during an unprecedented time in the world, this film provides anyone facing a major challenge, the mental tools to overcome adversity, and create the belief that with the right mindset, we can all become Unstoppable. It is also an interesting insight into the need to endure and/or compete that some of us seem to be afflicted by!
TED Talk I’ve Found Interesting
Dave McGillivray has served as the race director of the Boston Marathon since 1988. He run ran across the United States in 1978 and has completed 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents at the age of 62. Dave ran his 47th consecutive Boston marathon in 2019, just 6 months after having had open heart triple bypass surgery. In his TED talk, Defining Moments, Dave discusses lessons learned over his long career and the defining moments which have led him to where he is today. A great storyteller with some brilliant and important messages.
Quote of the Week
“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
– Vidal Sassoon
The Trusted Team
A crucial stride towards success in any business, sport, or life aspect is tracking what is consequential. In sport, you cannot hope to win if you don’t know the score, so why would business be any different?
To thrive and attain more, we need to manage the manageable, but without measurements we lack insight into how to manipulate the success-driving variables. This underscores why every business and department needs The Successful Business Scorecard to position themselves for success. When used consistently, The Successful Business Scorecard is an incredible tool for keeping your finger on the business pulse, and ensure you end up on the winning team. If you want to download an example template for this, you can here.