Competing with Character

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or find the file at http://traffic.libsyn.com/hopesports/HS27-Jamaican-Olympic-Bobsledder-Winston-Watts.mp3/p>

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About This Episode

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Winston Watts didn’t get his start in bobsledding because of “Cool Runnings”, like you might think. In fact, he was a dedicated, committed member of the Jamaican Military when his natural athletic ability stuck out to a friend looking one more member of the famed Jamaican bobsled team. Put up against a series of physical tests and challenges, Winston excelled at them all and, if he wanted it, the spot was his. But the difficult part wasn’t over just yet. He was plucked from his spot in the army and flown to the training center in Evanston, Wyoming where experienced not only his first winter weather, but his first actual bobsled track. “I asked to go home after the first week,” laughed Winston. A combination between being ill equipped to handle the climate and the relentless nausea because of the unfamiliar G-forces on the track made him miserable. Of his first run he remembers simultaneously wanting to be ejected, stop immediately, and throw up. At the bottom he was so discombobulated that he couldn’t even stand up or unclip his helmet. But he persisted, crediting his military training for the fortitude to forge ahead through immensely uncomfortable situations. Giving up was never an option in the army, so why would it be an option now?

This training also helped him cope with the fear of racing at over 90 miles per hour down a slick track of ice. Before racing he was shown footage of runs and crashed in an attempt to prepare him for what was to come. And the crashes did come. “One time I crashed from curve two all the way down the entire track to curve nineteen!” said Winston. The only strategy is to curl inside the sled and wait until it stops - easier said than done for the world’s largest bobsled pusher of 260 pounds. With time, his experience improved and he tempered the months in Wyoming with seasons of training in sunny Jamaican that focused on time in the gym and the push-start portion of the race.

Winston had the privilege of participating in four Olympics over his career and has experienced the fame and love that the world has for his team. Their positive, feel-good attitudes brighten the Olympic village and the track. They have become a staple race broadcast by every network, whether they make it to the finals or just a preliminary run. But the most difficult part of his career was watching the team continue to struggle for funding. Their athletic abilities were equal and above many other nations, but often they could not afford the same equipment, travel to the same races, train in the same locations, or even qualify for matches due to a lack of sponsors. They still hold track records around the world, but for three Olympics could not even afford to qualify. Winston came out of retirement in 2010 to help bolster the team and rally support to get Jamaica back to the 2012 Games in Sochi. Their absence was felt both from the nation and from the other Olympians, but the president of Jamaica was honest with him; there was no money to pull together a team. Winston began recruiting members on his own, personally funding their travel, clothing, equipment, and visas. Soon the team was fully assembled in Evanston, but still lacked a sled. He reached out to friends on the German team to consider the Jamaica as a part of their “Adopt a Team” program, but unfortunately their two sponsorship slots were filled. That didn’t stop the Germans from taking action, however, and soon a sled arrived as a gift to the Jamaicans, a gift worth more than $350,000. Over the next two years the team trained and traveled, picking away at the necessary races, points, and runs that would qualify them for the Olympics. It would be tight, however, and the week before the elected teams were announced they had nothing to do but wait. Winston, however, didn’t have to endure the anticipation as long as others, as he received a personal call from the office of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, telling him that the team would be welcome at the Sochi Olympics.

Winston was simultaneously elated and defeated. They may have qualified for the Games, but there was not a penny left to get them there. He had depleted all of his personal funds in the pursuit of qualification. Determined, he decided to look elsewhere. Tapping into contacts from year previously, Winston called a friend at NBC in New York City and shared his plight, asking that she consider airing their story in an attempt to draw attention to their GoFundMe page. Without hesitation the story was on the news that day. But not just in NYC. The story quickly gained momentum and spread across the country and soon, around the world. Donations began coming in from every continent, along with well wishes, encouragement, and support. The team needed $80,000 to make it to Russia and back, but within 48 hours over $120,000 had poured in. “It took the entire world to get the Jamaican bobsled team to the Sochi Olympics,” said Winston. Despite cancelled flights, lost luggage, a missing sled, and only two practice runs, the team represented Jamaica in the Sochi Games, but truly, they were racing for the world.

Winston acknowledges bobsled as giving him a chance to see the world, tap into a deeper strength inside of himself, overcome adversity, and relate to others in a new way. He advises younger athletes to train hard and not give in to easy ways of getting ahead like drugs and performance enhancers. “You will get caught and it’s not worth it,” he warns. At the end of the day he wants to be remembered for being a positive, loving individual who spread goodness throughout the world on behalf of his country. He worked hard to be a world class athlete, but also a kind individual. These days he mostly spends with his family, realizing that he will never get back the time he was away from them training and competing. But, of course, he has bigger, newer dreams that include acting, speaking, advertising, and films. He wants to continue to reach the world through a new, different medium, but we all know that it’s the same committed, sunny Winston who can rally the world through the most unusual of circumstances.

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or find the file at http://traffic.libsyn.com/hopesports/HS26-UFC-Champion-Frank-Shamrock-Fulfillment-beyond-Success.mp3

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About This Episode

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Frank Shamrock’s childhood was marked by many things - foster homes, group homes, shenanigans, and trouble. But more than anything and perhaps surprisingly, he would also say that it was marked by unconditional love. He became a ward of the state when he was eleven years old after being removed from a physically and emotionally abusive home. Sometime around age thirteen, he landed in the group home of Bob Shamrock and despite getting removed and into further, more serious patterns of destructive behaviour and trouble, Bob never gave up on Frank. When he was eighteen years old Frank went to prison for three years and Bob visited him often and brought nothing but encouragement, support, and a new narrative for Frank to believe: that he could be something great. Frank committed to a complete life turn-around while in prison. He attended college, started lifting weights, and began to believe Bob’s message. His athleticism was obvious and Bob was convinced that he could turn it into a career that would eventually change the trajectory of his life.

Barely 48 hours out of prison and Frank was already on the steps of a martial arts training center for a try out. After surviving 500 hundred pushups, sit-ups, squats, and leg lifts, he had to survive a fight against a professional for twenty minutes, but not just any professional - they chose his foster brother, Ken, who openly admitted that he didn’t believe Frank deserved to be there. Despite the brutal beating, Frank emerged alive and only partially injured, but also a proud member of the team. After six months of training he was on a plane to Japan for further training and his first fight. Of stepping into the ring for the first time, Frank said, “it was absolutely terrifying.” Although ultimate fighting might seem like the pinnacle of fearless and confidence, he admitted that it took years to get over being scared of getting seriously injured or killed in the ring. The sport was relatively new and virtually ruleless, which added to the intrigue, but also the risk. But when he emerged as the victor of that first fight, he knew that he was onto something. “This was the type of sport that you could put in all of your emotion because it was about you surviving. It was the first time that I felt like I was in total control,” said Frank.

Eventually, he added more tools and skills that made fighting less scary. At one point, he spent more time studying than training, observing his opponents, the systems of strategy, the lineage of styles, and the mechanics of movements. He became a student of every time of fighting imaginable - from mixed martial arts to Judo to Greco-Roman. “I didn’t really want to hurt people,” said Frank. Having coming from a home filled with physical abuse, Frank took no joy in injuring his opponent and would often go the extra mile to discover a way to beat them that didn’t involve hurting them. And it was his commitment to studying his opponents that led to what was perhaps the greatest victory of his career. He was set to face Keving Jackson, who was the UFC tournament champion, undefeated in MMA, and the reigning Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling at the time. But before the fight even happened Frank put in the time and energy to learn his weakness and even told the media his exact plan - to beat him in an armbar. When fight day came he did exactly that; he armbarred him in just sixteen seconds to clinch the UFC Middleweight Championship.

Despite his fair share of disappointing losses and challenges, Frank said that the lowest point of his career was a failure or a knockout; it was how it ended. A series of injuries led Frank to hang up his gloves sooner than he had hoped and retirement came like a shock. “The stress and risk and pressure got really big, but I was still trying to perform at the highest level,” he said. He even tried to go back to training camp, push himself further, and focus even harder, but it only further proved that his body just wasn’t in it anymore. “Just becoming a normal person was the hardest part of my career,” he said. Over sixteen years were dedicated to building skills in a physical sport, but he had neglected to invest the same amount of effort into developing the social and emotional skills that would bring him fulfillment and joy for the following years of his life. “All of the dreams on my list had come true, but I still felt empty and without purpose,” he said. After climbing the mountain and reaching the top, it was time to go back down the other side. He tested out interests in business and entrepreneurship but eventually realized that serving others and giving back to his community brought the most meaning into his life. He started a charity, began strategically supporting issues that he cared about, and joined Hope Sports for several house builds in Mexico. Having been homeless at one point himself, Frank deeply resonated with the ministry and was even able to reconnect with his son during the weekend.

Outside of sports, he says that his greatest talent is to fix things. Whether it’s a physically broken item or issues like investment issues, business problems, or that pesky back ache; his knack for keen observation and careful studying leads him to innovative solutions. In his retirement, he’s pursued opportunities in business consulting and investments in a wide range of products or causes. He also was honored to share in a TedTalk on the subject of fear. It might be obvious that he feared being beat up or hurt, but underneath that was also the fear of not being loved or being abandoned, something Frank says is common for children of abuse. But rather than step away from fear to reposition or re-evaluate, he encourages others to step into the center of it and watch it’s power dissolve. He encourages upcoming athletes to become students of their own lives, tracking their emotions, experiences, questions, and needs. Not only for empirical purposes, but also to help the brain create pathways of curiosity and skills of observation.

But at the end of the day, despite all of his accolades and accomplishments, he just wants to be remembered as a good person. Like his foster father, Bob, Frank wants to leave a legacy of generosity, love, and commitment. Because without a stranger like Bob choosing to see the best in a kid like Frank, then “The Legend” of boxing would have never existed.

Follow Frank on Instagram, Twitter, on his personal website, and through the work of his Charity.

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or find the file at http://traffic.libsyn.com/hopesports/HS25-Olympic-Chaplain-John-Ashley-Null-Whole-Hearted-Competition.mp3

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About This Episode

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John Ashley Null may be known as a prestigious religious scholar, but he’s also known as something else: a source of groundedness, support, and stability in the Athlete Village at the past five Olympics. Where others may see athletes as heroes, inspirations, or competitors, Ashley just sees them as people. Like the rest of humanity they are wired to need connection, relationships, purpose, and value, but more often than not these basic desires get tangled up with their giftedness. “When you are gifted at something, it’s so easy to get your sense of wellbeing from how others respond to your giftedness,” said Ashley. This performance mentality can be true of any vocation like arts or academics, but is especially prevalent in athletics.

Ashley got his start working with competitors in college when he was invited to lead a Bible study for athletes on his campus. Unfortunately, so many individuals look to glean from the popularity and status of athletes and so few are there to help them thrive as individuals and work through their issues so that they can be free to perform to their potential. As he began studying theology, he continued to work with athletes to help them return to their roots: joy in playing sport. He wants them to “hold on to [sport] as an ability to express who they are, not trying to use it to become something that they are not yet.” He finds that athletes who are constantly chasing a medal often, “burn out before their talents give out.”

Of the Olympic Village he says, “it’s like attending ten funerals and one wedding.” More often than not, people’s dreams die at the Olympic, not come to fruition. The range of support for athletes in the village varies; some have a great network of family or friends cheering them on regardless of the outcome, but some are racked with fear and anxiety from the pressure of representing their nation, coaches, and team. “Victory becomes not so much an exuberant realisation of fulfillment, but a desperate relief that the fear of shame and failure has passed this time,” said Ashley. He often starts by asking athletes, “Are you complete now? Or do you have to win something to be complete?” Athletes often live in the allusion that winning a medal will make their lives better, more whole, lacking nothing. But Ashley says, “the greatest day in an Olympians life is the day that they win the Olympics; and the worst day is right after when they realize the medal didn’t solve their problems.” No victory will ever make a person feel complete or fulfilled without meaningful relationships in their lives. When any competitor wins a medal or a championship, where do they look instinctively after they win? They look to the stands, to an important relationship, to the people they are connected to. The affirmation that comes from influential relationships will always be more powerful than a victory. Sports is a great venue for making these deep, withstanding relationships, especially among teammates who sacrifice, suffer, and serve one another. But when the performance and end result begins to take precedence over the relationships then unhealthy patterns begin to emerge.

In his role, Ashley regularly encourages athletes to look at their relationships in and outside of sport as a key component of their performance health. Their ability to be a good friend and teammate will attract others who have the same set of values and expectations of relationships. They also need people in their lives who will treat them like normal individuals, not champions. Friends and family ties can bring immense fulfillment in the present day and they aren’t something an athletes need to chase or achieve. Affirmation is not earned among great friends and this does wonders to bolsters their attitude and confidence. “When you know you’re loved, you can develop resilience to the adversities of the world,” said Ashley.

He is available to all athletes at the games and afterwards for ongoing support. He positions himself as a resource so that when the disillusionment of the victory wears off, when the story becomes old news, and when the anxiety of having to win again sets in, he is there. “Repeating an Olympic victory is incredibly difficult when you’re not the underdog,” says Ashley. And unfortunately, these emotions of anxiety and fear don’t respond to direct orders. Even if 90% of the body can be controlled, emotions can not. Unfortunately, in the past athletes have been taught to block out their emotions in order to concentrate on the task. When rejection, fear, or stress creep in competitors focus on pushing them away in order to manage what is under their control - their bodies. They can escape relational issues by training, pushing themselves harder, and concentrating on their sport rather than tapping into and engaging with emotions that seem threatening. Controlling emotions is not a selective process, if the bad are kept out then so are the good. Slowly, experiences of joy and happiness are dampened to the level fear and pain are, until the person just feels nothing. “Numbness is better than pain, but numbness is not peace, numbness easily becomes depression,” says Ashley. Perhaps they are avoiding the pain of a loss, but they also miss out on the joy of a big win. “Victory becomes not so much an exuberant realisation of fulfillment, but a desperate relief that the fear of shame and failure has passed this time,” says Ashley.

The final element that can help athletes remain grounded is a sense of spirituality, a connectedness to a higher power. It helps when this spirituality also follows a growth mentality; wins and losses both present equal opportunity for development. Ashley says that athletes often express that “victories seem momentary, but the pain of defeat seems eternal.” Changing that internal narrative can release athletes to view their lives and career as a large arc of experiences and growth, not just one goal after another that is either one step forward or backward. In his book Real Joy he elaborates on the false expectations that athletes have of what a particular victory will give them and that, often, their disappointment is due to their own unfair assessment of what winning will provide. He also works with the Caritas Foundation to serve athletes in spiritual and emotional formation that will help them make these mindset shifts.

Of retirement, Ashley says “it will always be a shock.” He recommends beginning an emotional journey years before retirement to prepare as much as possible. Finding a counselor, mending relationships, finding joy in competition instead of identity; it is all essential to ending a career well. If not, the floodgates of emotions that have been kept at bay through training regiments, goals, and mental fortitude will be opened and it will all come barreling down, guaranteeing to be far more than one can handle. His biggest piece of advice for athletes that want a long, healthy career? Cultivate gratitude. He encourages athletes to look around themselves and acknowledge all of the people who have helped them get to the level that they are at - the trainers, coaches, friends, family members, event volunteers, sponsors, agents. Recognizing that, although their gifts have put them in a unique position, they are still a part of a large team of individuals who all have value and meaning and who are serving others. Developing that perspective is incredibly grounding and centering. He also reminds athletes, “there is a community of people who understand and love you and have walked this journey before and who will walk it after you.”

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or find the file at http://traffic.libsyn.com/hopesports/HS24-NASCAR-Racer-Michael-McDowell.mp3

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About This Episode

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From as far back as he can remember, Michael McDowell was racing. Whether it was on foot, on a bike, or in the driver’s seat, he was chasing down the front of the pack, fueled by speed and victory. He raced BMX bikes before he started preschool, and was racing go-carts nationally by age eight. Over the next ten years he would rack up back to back international titles, a world title, and enough of a reputation to be sponsored in Formula One racing. Not long after, however, more opportunities presented themselves in NASCAR and Michael made the shift, picking up a Rookie of the Year award in his first season.

Despite the accolade, Michael remembers that year being incredibly humbling. He came from circuits where he regularly finished in the top of the pack on a regular basis. NASCAR was bigger, fasted, and more frequent leading him to feel lost in the pack at times. It didn’t take long for him to because a household name among NASCAR fans, but as he says, “I got famous for all the wrong reasons.” In 2008 at Texas Motor Speedway Michael hit some oil, skidded, overcorrected, and hit the wall head-on at 190 mph. Spectators cringed and held their breath as first responders pulled him from the wreckage. Miraculously, he walked away completely unscathed and even raced the following day. The crash instantly brought national attention; Michael was on the Today Show, Ellen, and across every sports section. “I had a crossroads,” he says. For some, it would have been the perfect moment to build his brand, highlight his career, and gain sponsors, but for Michael, a recently committed Christian, he chose to use it as a platform for sharing his faith in God who saved his life. “It was a turning point of surrendering the spotlight and refocusing on what I wanted to represent and who I wanted to build a brand for,” he says.

Shortly after his crash, Michael was signing a multi-year, million dollar deal. But the security was only an illusion; six months later with his pregnant wife at his side, he was jobless, sponsorless, and prospectless. But one thing Michael was not was hopeless. “I believe that God works things together for the good of those who follow him,” he says. It wasn’t easy to navigate the unexpected terrain of being cut from his contract, but he never doubted that something good was on the horizon, whether that was in NASCAR or not. In 2010 he went with his family to Monterrey, MX to get some space to discuss and discern their future in the sport. He even felt that perhaps his time with NASCAR was coming to an end, but remembers hearing God nearly audibly say, “Keep doing what you’re doing and I’ll take care of the rest.” When they returned to the States he was released from his team, but that same night was offered a prestigious position with another company. That experience has set the tone for how Michael and his wife navigate the field of professional racing -- with gratitude and open handedness. Each November they re-evaluate whether or not another year of racing is what God has for their family.

Throughout his years racing, Michael has noticed a shift in the way that community is developed. When he started ten years ago he remembers the cold, competitive vibe between driver. Despite seeing the same faces every single weekend of the year, drivers tended to keep to themselves, in their trailers, and out of each others personal lives. In an effort to reach out to other competitors, Michael partnered with Motor Racing Outreach to start a bible study among athletes that he still participates in to this day. Over the years barriers have come down amongst the drivers, but most of the credit is due to their families. Once everyone started getting married and travelling with their kids more community developed as people were pulled from their trailers to chase the kids around the grounds.

Michael continued to diversify his passions as he and his wife began to explore how they could support orphan care and adoption ministries around the world. They always had planned to adopted and started looking into adoption from Ethiopia, but were forced to turn towards Central American as Ethiopian adoption programs were closed. Unfortunately, yet again they were turned away by Honduras who also shut down international adoption options. Eventually, they were put in contact with an agency in China and adopted their son, Lucas, when he was four years old. They love to tell their son that God choose him even before he was born and see their drawn out struggle to adopt as a road directly to him.

For Michael, racing with NASCAR is more than just a privilege, it’s a calling. “I almost tried to ‘escape’ to the mission field at one point because we thought it would be easier,” he says. Racing forty weekends out of the year, traveling all over the country, and being away from his family is never easy. The schedules are a non stop juggling act and it can be difficult to balance all of the elements, but they are in it as a family. “With racing, I just know that I have this year,” says Michael. And as the pages in the calendar turn, they know that they’ll again ask if God is planning another year of NASCAR for their family. But as always, Michael remains grateful, hopefully, and assured that this is exactly where he’s supposed to be. Keep track of Michael and cheer him on this season on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

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or find the file at http://traffic.libsyn.com/hopesports/HS21-Professional-Soccer-Player-Arne-Friedrich-Done-but-Still-Dreaming.mp3

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About This Episode

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Like most young boys in Germany, Arne Friedrich grew up watching soccer, cheering for his favorite teams, and playing the game every chance that he got. At five years old he recalls playing soccer as “pure joy.” As he matured he continued to rise through the ranks with the support and encouragement of his family and coaches. “I was humble enough to know that only a few made it,” said Arne. Recognizing that his chances at a professional career were slim, he continued to play soccer just for the joy that he had discovered as a kid.

His hopes became a reality when he turned 21 and signed with a professional team in Germany. He had always been able to set aside the pressure of games and his performance until he stepped onto the field for his debut with 60,000 fans analyzing his every move. For the first time, the fear of making a mistake and the pressure to avoid criticism became real factors. The expectation only mounted when he was one of only 23 players chosen to represent Germany in the World Cup in 2006. Rivals became teammates, new coaches took the reigns, and Arne strode on onto the pitch in front of 1 billion viewers for the home opener against Costa Rica. “Fear sets in when you face the unknown,” said Arne. Germany won that game 4-2, but both of the goals by Costa Rica were a result of mistakes that Arne had made. The media wildly scrutinized his abilities, questioned his place on the team, and really stole the joy out of his first World Cup experience. But thanks to a good friend and Olympic chaplain Dr. John Ashley Null and his close friends and family, he was able to maintain perspective through the waves of critiques. He remembers his team as supportive and encouraging, even if the fan weren’t and, thankfully, games come and go quickly in soccer and his mishaps were soon old news in the face of the next round matches. Choosing to learn from it, instead of pity himself, Arne took the opportunity to redefine himself throughout the rest of the tournament and celebrated as Germany placed third that year. That World Cup was special because it was his first, but also represented his first experience with the intense ups and downs of victory, defeat, and public perception. When it came time for Arne to play in his second World Cup in 2010, he was more mature, experienced, and relaxed, giving him the freedom to enjoy the tournament and be proud of another third-place finish for Germany.

With two World Cups under his belt and ten years of playing professionally in Germany, Arne was ready to make a change and fulfill another dream of his -- to play soccer in the United States. He originally hoped to play in New York or Los Angeles, but his agent strongly encouraged him to check out Chicago. It only took one day touring the city and one trip up the Hancock Building to view the skyline for Arne to fall in love with Chicago and commit to playing for the Fire. His year in the US was filled with learning English, sightseeing, playing soccer, and discovering the stark differences between the two countries. In American strangers were friendly and chatty, the media was less involved in the world of MLS, and preparation for games was less intense. He enjoyed hitting the beach in the morning before games, learning new English words on his daily commute to the stadium with his teammates, and the beauty of the city. There were differences in the league as well. In Germany each and every game counts towards points that determine whether or not a team makes it to the championship, so even pre-season games are taken incredibly seriously. But in the US the regular season just determines who gets into the playoffs and that’s where the real crunch starts. Each format has its pros and cons, but it definitely made for a different pace throughout the season. Arne laughed that there was one more difference he was surprised to discover -- that media was permitted in the locker room after games. He learned that the hard way after his first game when he emerged from the shower in just his towel to be greeted by a room full of shocked female reporters.

Unfortunately, during the pre-season of his second year in the States, he suffered a slipped disc in his back. He tried to recover in time for the season, but nothing was relieving his pain. Out of desperation for his discomfort to subside, he decided to retire and return to Germany to undergo surgery and recover with his family. The decision wasn’t easy, however, as he had just started feeling at home in Chicago. But Arne also realized that he had achieved incredible success during his twelve-year career and was proud to shut that chapter of his life. The surgery was successful, but the recovery required five weeks of laying flat on his back with no movement. Without the regular rhythms of training, teammates, and matches, he felt almost listless and without direction. “All of a sudden I had to find a new purpose,” said Arne. As he emerged from his bedrest he began to explore potential options and eventually committed to coaching Germany’s U18 Men’s team. He served in that position for a year, but eventually decided that it wasn’t for him and went on to start a soccer school for youth, study marketing, and use his experience to work as an international soccer analyst. He discovered that there wasn’t necessarily one specific thing that he liked best, so he has remained open to a variety of opportunities since his retirement. Most recently he has developed the Arne Friedrich Foundation which seeks to support children in hospice, refugee youth integration into schools, and education initiatives. The work is both exciting and fulfilling, providing an opportunity for him to give back to a community that supported him for so many years. During his retirement he also discovered the work of Hope Sports and has participated in home builds in Mexico on several occasions and now serves on the Board of Directors for the organization.

In addition, he has started a podcast of his own called “From Done to Dare” where he interviews professionals from all different spheres about how they have coped with times of transition, changes of directions, and career setbacks. Because of his own journey to discover purpose and vocation, Arne is keenly aware of the challenges involved. Be sure to follow Arne on Instagram and Twitter to keep up with the work of his Foundation and to catch the stories of other professionals we are dreaming even after they are “done”.

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About This Episode

Like a lot of kids, Michael began swimming at the age of seven. But what started as splashing in the pool quickly became club meets, and what started as winning a few races in a row became breaking multiple youth age group records by the age of ten. When politics on the local club team began to threaten his enjoyment, Michael’s fathered stepped in as his coach. He researched the sport, attended a few conferences, and eventually stumbled upon their unique methodology - Ultra Short Race Paced Training (USRPT). It wasn’t just how he trained that was nontraditional, but also where he trained. At one point his father built a four lane pool in a condemned night club in their hometown in South Dakota and when they moved to Kansas and lacked a proper training facility there, they built a two-lane pool in their backyard. It wasn’t all for Michael, though; his father also taught private lessons, hosted training clinics, and supported the swimming community in each town they lived.

Michael continued to use USRPT which promotes training at the speed of a race to build the muscle memory of repetitive movements at high speeds. Rather than swimming thousands of yards in a given practice and subjecting his body to high levels of fatigue, Michael approaches each training session mentally and physically as if it’s a competition. The results speak for themselves as Michael has broken over 100 National Age Group records and the methodology is starting to spread throughout the sport. At age 14 Michael became the youngest swimmer ever to sign a professional contract. He sacrificed his opportunity swim in high school and his NCAA eligibility -- a move that launched a wave of scrutiny. Critics vilified his parents for “forcing him” into the decision and lamented at all he would lose out on in the college sports arena. But for Michael, giving up his NCAA eligibility was an easy choice to make. Both of his parents had immigrated to the US from South Africa where the trajectory of professional athletes does not mirror the American standard. Instead of competing in high school and college before hoping to have enough love of the sport to go pro, athletes pursue their dreams at a much younger age. Michael knew that no university would follow the training style that he clearly excelled with and attending college just because “that’s what everyone did” was of no interest to him. That’s not to say the situation was taken lightly, though. “We gave the decision a lot of thought and prayer,” says Michael. But still, the comment sections of swim blogs imploded and their family philosophy was picked apart. Thankfully, through exposure on the pool deck, time together at meets, and the development of personal relationships with the Andrew family, members of the swimming community have come to realize they are all just working together to support Michael’s dreams.

If anything was difficult, it was the step up in pressure that Michael felt when he arrived at a meet. “Because I was sponsored and I felt like had something to prove,’ he says. He began to struggle with feeling anxious and nauseous before events. “I felt like I had to impress everyone,” he says. It wasn’t until he was invited to a professional athlete retreat in Texas with Olympic Chaplain John Ashley Null that he realized how much of his identity he was placing on his results. He knew that he could never thrive if he continued in a performance based mindset; what he needed was a shift towards purpose. He began by revolutionizing his mental game. He reminded himself that he has worth and value regardless of the outcome of a race. More investment was put into passions outside of swimming, like his friends and family, and he developed a more well rounded attitude toward the sport. This shift gave him freedom to show up to a meet, do his best, and not have his identity tied to the outcome. “I am not defined by what happens in the pool,” says Michael.

A lot of the credit for his mature attitude comes from his father, Peter. Critics often wonder if their relationship becomes strained as Peter juggles being a parent and a coach while Michael navigates being a son and a competitor. Michael remembers clearly when his father realized that he didn’t have to choose roles. “He heard a message called ‘Coaching Like a Father Loves’ and it changed our relationship,” he says. Rather than putting on the coach hat and then the dad hat, Peter wears both at once and coaches from a place of encouragement and edification. This has allowed Michael to take more ownership of his performance and doesn’t carry the worries that other athletes shoulder about whether or not their coach likes them or is proud of them; he knows that his dad loves him no matter what.

Heading into the 2016 Olympic Trials, Michael was aware that no one expected him to make the team. “I was awesome because I could be the underdog,” he says. Despite not making the team by a mere .64 seconds, he was proud of his performance. He was the only swimmer to progressively get faster as the meet continued and he broke a World Junior record. Those Trials put him on the map in the professional and Olympic world and the momentum still carries into today. In 2018 he picked up national titles in the 100M butterfly and 50M breastroke as well as several other big wins. “I put in the work and got up on the blocks and knew that I was capable,” says Michael. The confidence in his training, his coach, and himself have paved the way for swimming to remain fun; and that clearly shows. He openly shares the ups and downs of navigating professional swimming with fans through his YouTube channel. Filming, editing, and storytelling are all hobbies of his that he keeps up with, giving his followers a vulnerable peak into an elite athlete’s world.

Not only is Michael putting in work at the pool, but with his mindset. He says, “I have to constantly remind myself that I am more than swimming.” At the 2020 Olympic Trials, all eyes will be on him to post amazing times, but he says, “I work so hard for a result, but in the end, I have to be able to give it up.” Because he knows that a single race can last less than a minute, but he is Michael Andrew for a lifetime.

Be sure to follow Michael on his Vlog, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to cheer him on to victory.

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About This Episode

Growing up, Ryan Hall trained for hours upon hours on his swing, his pitching, and his catching; he dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player. Unfortunately he could practice all he wanted, but it would never change his physical build enough to be a viable candidate for baseball. But, as he would soon learn, practice would indeed make him faster. His dad had always been a distance runner, but Ryan didn’t share the same passion for hitting the pavement. In fact, he didn’t enjoy it at all. But one day while sitting on the edge of a lake near his home in California, Ryan says, “I felt God tell me to run around it.” With no training or preparation, he and his dad ran the slow and painful fifteen miles around the lake. It was from that day forward that he says that he knew he would run in an Olympic Games.

He dedicated himself to training and was an all star high school athlete. Despite his reservations about attending a trendy, powerhouse running school, Ryan signed with Stanford University after he graduated. He had always been a decent student in high school, but was utterly unprepared for the rigors of college and wasn’t cut any slack for being an athlete as well. His undergraduate years were brutal. At one point his professors weren’t even confident that he would pass his classes, injuries plagued his racing, and his entire sense of identity was compromised because of it. “I looked in the mirror and didn’t like what I saw because I wasn’t performing well,” says Ryan. He wrestled with relentless negative self talk and depression that drove him home midway through his sophomore year. Knowing that he needed to confront his destructive performance mindset, Ryan began pursuing his faith in God to rebuild his identity. “I needed to see myself how God saw me,” he says. He returned to Stanford with a new confidence in his self worth; what started as an inward transformation began to work its way outward, resulting in faster and faster times.

He signed with ASICS right out of college and continued his running career on a whole new level. He had always dreamed of running alongside the very fastest individuals in the world, and now he was training, traveling, and racing his dream alongside his wife, Sarah, who was also an elite runner. Ryan soon realized that his 5K times were simply not competitive, which led him to up his race length. This proved to be the perfect move for him. In 2007 Ryan made history at the Houston Half-Marathon as the first American to break the one hour mark for a half marathon with a time of 59:43. He describes that race as feeling enfortless, a “mountaintop experience.” Unfortunately there is no half marathon at the Olympics, so Ryan upped his distance once again to the marathon length. That same year he logged the fastest debut marathon ever by an American at the London Marathon, where he took seventh place. He followed that up with a first place finish at the US Olympic Trials and qualified to race at the 2008 Beijing games.

Of the Olympics, Ryan says it “completely lived up to its hype.” From the athlete village, to running with some of his heros, to the ceremonies - it was a dream come true. His dream also included him running the race of his life, which unfortunately isn’t what happened. Three months prior to the Olympics fatigue caught up with him, his times lagged, and he couldn’t overcome feeling sluggish. He mixed up his training, nutrition, and sleep rhythms in hopes of breaking out of the slump, but, in his opinion, his fitness wasn’t as good as it could have been. Feeling the weight of the difficult journey to that starting line, he decided to hand over the outcome to God knowing that it didn’t change anything about who he was. “I told myself that I’m still of worth and value even if I don’t have my best performance on the day that I want it more than anything else,” says Ryan. During the first half of the race he fell behind the pack, carrying burden of the heat, humidity, and his own discouragement. He prayed as he ran and felt God prompt him to start encouraging others athletes along the way. So as he caught up with another competitor he would encourage them, pray for them, or run with them until they caught a fresh wind. “As I turned my thoughts out to other people, I wasn’t focused on my own suffering or pain,” says Ryan. This perspective shift worked; his splits improved and he picked his way up to a tenth place finish, something he is still very proud of.

A year after the Beijing Olympics, Ryan and his wife, Sarah, ran the Chicago Marathon to raise money for World Vision. Following the race, they had the opportunity to travel to Zambia to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for the clean water well that was built from what they helped collect. At the event a community member shared with Ryan that the availability of clean water would add ten years to the life expectancy of the 90,000 people in their village. It was in that moment that he realized the impact that running could have on people who truly needed it. The following year Ryan and Sarah founded the Hall Steps Foundation, which raises money for a variety of projects around the world - from foster care development in Ethiopia, to microloans for widows across a variety of countries, to health clinics in Kenya. Runners can fundraise for a race and all of the proceeds go directly to the programs through this volunteer-run organization.

As their foundation grew, Ryan and Sarah continued to run professionally, but unfortunately, a domino effect of injuries afflicted Ryan. He qualified to run in the 2012 London Olympics, but had to step off mid-race because of a pulled hamstring. The injuries didn’t relent and after four years of nursing one after another Ryan decided to step away from the sport. Despite his love of running, his body made it clear that it was time to retire and honestly, he was ready for it. “It was kind of a relief,” says Ryan, “I had a powerful realization that my journey wasn’t all about me.” He looked forward to a new season of teaching, coaching, writing, and speaking, finding it incredibly fulfilling to pour into others and see them succeed, almost more than his own successes. He also took time to heal his body from almost fifteen years of elite running.

During this time the Hall family also grew in numbers. After spending time training in Ethiopia, Ryan and Sarah grew to love the people and culture, while simultaneously feeling convicted by the poverty and growing orphan crisis. They were originally interested in adopting an infant from Ethiopia, but while serving at an orphanage there, were confronted with the need for adoptive families for older children and sibling groups. When they returned to the US they switched adoption agencies and were matched with a group of four biological sisters who needed a home soon to avoid being seperated. Overnight they went from a family of two to a family of six. “It was almost an easier transition than the traditional route,” jokes Ryan, “I have never changed a diaper and have probably only been woken up twice in the night.” It may have seemed like a big move, but they were ready. “If everyone chooses to take their own personal step, then we can see big change,” says Ryan. He hopes that their work can encourage others to look around and find ways to have a positive impact in their own communities. Ryan shares more of his journey in his upcoming book, Run the Mile You’re In: Finding God in Every Step that releases this month. Packed full of insights on identity, purpose, and calling, he writes about how to pursue a relationship with, and direction from, God, no matter a person’s journey.

Ryan’s personal race has come full circle; he heard from God on the side of the lake in California that someday he would help others through running, and that vision has come to fruition. He has traveled the world, grown his family, competed with his heroes, and yet still realizes that the best race is the one run not for himself, but for God and those around him. Keep up with all of the amazing things that Ryan and Sarah are doing around the world on Instagram, Twitter, their website, and through the Hall Steps Foundation.

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Laura:

[00:00:06] Welcome to the Hope Sports Podcasts where we believe the best way for you to unlock your full potential is by

living into your purpose. We believe discovering your purpose is the only way for you to live a meaningful life. I'm your host

Olympic gold medalist Laura Wilkinson. And each week I have the privilege of connecting with a different elite athlete to

discuss how they win big in and out of their sport. We want you to compete better and live into your purpose. So stick around

to hear about an amazing opportunity that we have for you. But first, let's talk about today's episode. This week we're joined by

Olympic marathon runner Ryan Hall. And it was such a treat to connect with him on the show. You'll hear about his incredible

accomplishments throughout his career and his mountaintop experiences as an athlete. But what I hope you really take away is

how he overcame seasons of immense struggle in his life. He has so much wisdom to share with each of us as we run our own

race and his message is so encouraging. So let's go ahead and dive on in. Ryan Hall thank you so much for coming on the Hope

Sports Podcast today.

Ryan:

[00:01:07] My pleasure. Thanks for having me.

Laura:

[00:01:09] OK For those listening to that may not know your background. Can you kind of take us through how you got into

sports in the first place and how that led you to running?

Ryan:

[00:01:16] Yeah. So my dream growing up is to play professional baseball. The problem was I was you going into high school

like 100 pounds and 5 ft tall. So it's not the ideal frame it turns out for baseball. So you know like I was training really hard and

remember I would throw pitches against a backstop. My daddy built for me in our backyard for hours and hours and pretend

like I was like we need to make the World Series or what not you know. So like I had the dream I had the drive but I just didn't

have like the physical makeup to make that reality you know. And I was grateful that like I learned that at a really young age

because if I would've kept going down that road I probably would've felt like I said my head against the wall for a long time.

You know that's just not how God designed me so it happened one day when I was going down to basketball game and I never

played. I always sat on the bench and basketball was gonna get on the team but that was about it. And I remember looking at it

like in my hometown Big Bear Lake in Southern California. And I just felt like I'd just kind of planted this little seed of a

desire to try and run around the lake which is 15 miles around the lake.

Laura:

[00:02:26] That’s a big lake!

Ryan:

[00:02:25] So it's a big first round. For a first time runner, it's not a good starting point usually. But that's just kind of who I am

is like I'm a dreamer I love to dream big dreams. But I felt like this one was like there's something different about this dream?

Because I hated the run like I didn't like it at all. Like every time like as in P.E. class and kids have to run the mile like I'd be

just like all my classmates go No I don’t wanna run the mile today. But then I'd go and I'd run hard and I'd run well but it

wasn't my passion I didn't enjoy it. So there's hope to any listeners out there that maybe think you're not ever going to get into

running coz you hate it. That can change. That can change for me that day. So you know I went out and I ran the 15 miles

around the lake with my dad the following Saturday and.

Laura:

[00:03:15] Wait. So like there was no preparation for this? You just went out and ran it with him?

Ryan:

[00:03:19] Yeah yeah yeah. So I got home from the basketball game and told my dad what I wanted to do and then the next

weekend we went out and did it. And it was a long slow painful effort. I feel like I was out there for days and days like it was

just like I just went I'll just breeze through it no problem. You know it wasn't that way at all. It was like really really

challenging. So I came home and I collapsed on the couch and super tired super fatigue. And I felt like I was like he'd give me

a gift to run with the best guys in the world. But he gave me that gift so I could help other people. And I think that was the

launching point my entire career you know. And I knew what it means around with the best guys in the world like I'd seen the

Olympics. So like right off the bat like I was like that's where I'm going. You know I always had that belief from that moment

was 13 but I didn't understand how you can help other people around you. Now it happened you know come on down the line

actually right after the Beijing Olympic swim. I learned how powerful and impactful sports can be to change people's lives on

the other side of the globe from us.

Laura:

[00:04:26] Yeah. I love that. I do have to ask though. Is your dad a runner?

Ryan:

[00:04:30] He was. Yeah yeah. And he still is. He's actually like the only one still running our family. We all ran like all the

kids stopped and he's still going. I think that run took a lot of patience on his end because he was a bit like running marathons

and so he felt like we were out for a walk a long long walk.

Laura:

[00:04:39] That's awesome.

[00:04:50] We'll that’s call father-son bonding right? That’s good.

Ryan:

[00:04:53] Yeah. Exactly.

Laura:

[00:04:54] Awesome. Well so you ran through high school then and it led you to Stanford. Like what made you decide to go to

Stanford?

Ryan:

[00:05:01] Yeah it's like I feel like God does this to me all the time to the one squad ruled out is like I'm not going to Stanford.

At the time they were like the running powerhouse school on like the trendy place to go in. And like I have never been one of

those people who likes to follow trends you know. So it was like all pride you know like all my pride is like I'm not going

everyone goes there. And then there is also like the academic piece because you know I got good grades in high school. But I

took a very basic level classes like it and take like on a research a P.E. stuff in high school. So I wasn't prepared for the

academics at Stanford at all. So I knew that was going to be a stretch for me if I end up going there.

[00:05:44] But then one of my friends Drew Ryan he introduced me to the coach we're up there a cross-country meet during

my senior year in high school. And the coach like Hey we should just go around I'll show you the campus and stuff. I talked to

my really like the coach and then I did go on like four more recruiting trips to different schools. And ultimately I remember I

sitting in the church at Stanford. Have you been to the church?

Laura:

[00:06:06] I haven't.

Ryan:

[00:06:07] Oh, it's amazing! And the quad there's this beautiful beautiful church like something that you'd see in like Italy or

something. And I remember sitting in there and then I was trying to decide where to go to school. And again I felt like kind of

the prompting of God to go to Stanford and again like it was not an easy road at Stanford. I struggled hard like in every aspect

of life. The only thing that was really stable for me during my four years at Stanford was my relationship with Sarah who's

now my wife. But we dated all throughout my time at Stanford and her time at Stanford. And without that like literally like

nothing would have been going well for a long long time. Just academically like my teachers were very very very concerned

that even like make it through. Just so far behind everyone else. And then you're trying to just juggle so much as a student-

athlete and at Stanford, they don't cut you any breaks. You know in the same classes same expectations as we're not getting any

special treatment. So it was a real struggle.

[00:07:10] And then there's like all these injuries that came up into that point like early on in my career at Stanford. My whole

identity was kind of wrapped around how I perform. And so when I looked in the mirror like that's what it was all about. And it

worked out when I was in high school except performing at a really high level. Like set a state record in 1600 my senior year

and not a very good high school career. But then when things are going downhill that just totally it's like someone took the rug

out from under me because now I know it's in there. I didn't like that I wasn't performing on the track. So that was a huge shift

that happened. Actually, I got really depressed in my sophomore year at Stanford left school. I thought that I could change

what was going on inside of me by changing the circumstances of my external situation. So I went home back to Big Bear after

winter quarter in my sophomore year. I didn't know if I didn't come back.

[00:08:07] I didn't know what I was going to do but I knew I had to sort stuff out inside me. So I could just feel this like real

happiness. And this really kind of like lack of love for myself you know. So I ended up choosing to go back to Stanford and

just spend a lot of time with God. And in really like learning to see myself how he sees me. And as I kind of was able to adopt

that view was super powerful. And like getting away from that performance burden that I'd been carrying around my whole life

really. And in sports kind of started become fun again because I was OK with family and messing up and getting it wrong you

know. And it wasn't an instant change you know. It's not like I went back and got all this figured out in like a week. And then a

week later it was running fast like there's a long slow gradual shift that kind of happened and started from the inside. Then it

slowly started to come out externally and then start performing better and better in cross-country and track. And I was able to

sign a contract with these six come out of college. And I run professional for 10 years and got a Campbell Olympic Games and

some pretty cool experiences. But you know it was a tough road getting there and I learned through so much through it all.

Laura:

[00:09:22] I love that. I love that you said it wasn't just an overnight thing like that stuff does take time and a lot of times you

just get frustrated we try to run away. Just I mean just like what you were saying I had just resonates so much with me and

athletes that I know. Yeah and I love that you just stuck with it and you knew the change was coming because it had to. You

had to start from the inside to make any kind of difference. That's awesome. And your wife Sarah who is your girlfriend at the

time was your stability I guess through college. So what was it like kind of you know I mean your dating her then you get

married. And you guys are both runners you know is that a good thing or is there some conflict there? I mean what is that

dynamic like?

Ryan:

[00:09:57] I definitely think it's a good thing. You know like to be a professional runner it's not just like a sport or hobby it's

like an entire lifestyle. So if you're married to someone who's not willing to allow you to live that lifestyle? Like you're running

wouldn't work at all. Like you'd have to like stop running to make that work you know. Or you just have to sacrifice and not

like to develop your talent to the full level and the running round. But for Sarah and I nice because we were both going after

the same thing the same lifestyle. I mean I feel like sometimes I was like you're constantly like eating healthy, sleeping a ton,

going to bed at like 8:30 at night, getting up at 7, taking afternoon naps and stuff. So it was a blessing for us because we got

spent so much time together. We're both literally like she's out training and then at home together. So it's a really cool season of

life. And even now still like I'm retired but my lifestyle hasn't shifted a whole lot. You know I don't take as naps in the

afternoon or sleep as much anymore. But we're still together all the time and I coach her. So I don't even out there when she's

running and only I'm on a bike now. It's only going to be alongside.

Laura:

[00:11:11] Nice change of pace there. That's cool. Well in 2007 you won the Houston Half Marathon in a time of 59 minutes

and 43 seconds. The first American to break the one hour mark for a half marathon. And you still hold the American record for

the fastest half marathon. Was that the event that you had to record. That's so cool. So what was that race like?

Ryan:

[00:11:32] Yeah. That was you know telling the story of like running with the best guys in the world. That was kind of the first

time that that was an actual reality. I had competed at the World Championships in track and competed in Europe on the track.

But I was never really in the race like I can remember running five games against the best guys in the world and I'm like

watching on the jumbotron. There's Ching and I like on the other side of the track you know. So like this isn’t really running

with the best guys in the world. Maybe in the same race I'm not really the same race. But as I moved up to the longer stops

things just really started to click and see at the time when I ran that time 59:43. That was one of the top ten times like ever run

for that distance. So like now it's more commonplace to see a lot of guys under an hour. But at the time that was kind of their

territory so that was kind of the moment whereas woah like you have the vision for a long time you're kind of chasing the

vision. And then you have that moment where you realize it and you're in it and you're kind of like at the top of the mountain.

That was kind of the experience there.

[00:12:37] But it was the same as what you hear most athletes talk about their greatest performances. It was it felt really easy

you know I felt like I could have done another one afterwards. And you finished the race and you're like oh I can definitely run

faster than that. And then you know I never even got within a minute of that time after that. As an athlete you have those

mountaintop experiences. And with athletes I'm working with now I'm like guys like soak it in because you may think you can

run faster and you might. I hope you do. You know I hope I'm wrong. But even if you don't like let's make sure we enjoy this

moment for what it is because we don't know what the future holds.

Laura:

[00:13:17] Exactly. Well just a couple months after that in April you placed 7th and the London Marathon and it was your first

ever marathon on 208 and the fastest debut marathon by an American. I mean that's pretty insane. Had you been planning on

doing marathons for a while? What made you kind of graduate to these longer distances?

Ryan:

[00:13:37] Yeah. There's actually the experience I was telling you about being on the track in Europe and watching guys finish.

That the moment where you know for a while as an athlete you're kind of developing. You don’t really know where your gifts

and talents really truly are. You know especially in the running realm you don't know how fast your foot speed is and that kind

of dictates a lot with the elite distance running. But it was at that time where I realized like 5 game I was not gonna be

competitive. So I need to be humble enough to move up even though I didn't necessarily want to. And then like I said it seems

like you moved up like things just really really clicked. And so I was actually training for my first marathon when I ran 59

minutes and a half marathon. So I just changed my training up and is running more than I had ever run before doing harder

workouts. And that's when things really really clicked in my body and took off.

[00:14:31] And I was planning on running the Los Angeles Marathon actually was my first one. And then Houston happened

and then the doors kind of opened for me to get to go to London. That was such a cool experience because I got to race against

guys like how they gave us slots. You know these are guys who were the greatest runners of all time in that era. And it was just

really surreal to be running next to them at mile 14 going across Tower Bridge. You know with all my heroes of running and

stuff. Another one of those moments were like this is what what I pictured you known when I was 13 on that couch.

Laura:

[00:15:06] That’s so cool. So epic. I love it. You paint such a good picture of that. Well at that same year in November you won

the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the marathon in 209. I mean that's pretty insane. You just started running marathons that year

and you made the Olympic team. I mean what was that like? I mean I know you said you wanted to run against the best guys

in the world. Was the Olympics always part of that dream? Or did not just kind of come up as you ran these longer distances?

Ryan:

[00:15:33] Yeah yeah. That’s part of the dream you know. They still don't have a half marathon in Olympic. So if you're going

to run longer than 10K it has to be the marathon distance.

Laura:

[00:15:43] So what was it like at the Olympics? I mean was it everything you dreamed of? Was it totally just for you kind of in

shock or at all? Like what was your race like? Was it what you expected or what you hoped for?

Ryan:

[00:15:56] Yeah. You know it lived up to its expectations in many ways like the hype being in the village like you know I'd

watch Cool Runnings a million times.

Laura:

[00:16:06] I love that movie.

Ryan:

[00:16:08] Yeah. It’s so good. And you always wondering was it actually like Olympic Village and stuff you know. And like

that part of the experience was I remember like walking out of the closing ceremonies next to Yao Ming you know he's like

super tall who we're in China. And so like all the people are just going crazy on and stuff. So there is moments like that. Was

like wow this is like really really amazing experience and like I feel so honored to get to be here. But then in terms of you

know what I dreamed of as a kid I didn't necessarily have to win the gold medal or even podium. But I just really wanted to

have my best stuff on that day. You know like be the best version of myself be as fit as I'd ever been like. Like have my

Houston day but at the Olympic games like that's what I wanted the most you know. But what I've learned in sports is

sometimes like no matter how much you want it. No matter how well you prepare. No matter how good of a coach you have.

You have everything in place. Like sometimes things just don't click. Like I haven't figured it out completely you know.

[00:17:15] But I've certainly just experienced that it's like I didn't change anything up on the same person. I'm training the

same way. I'm eating the same way. I'm sleeping. Doing everything same. And having two very different results you know like

one just effortlessly floating through a race 6 months before that. And then 6 months later I'm just struggling in my fitness. So

that was kind of my story leading up to the race. My fitness wasn't quite as good as I wanted it to be. Training had been rocky

kind of up and down and just been kind of kind of struggling you know. So on starting line I was nervous but I still had like the

outside hope of trying to grab a medal you know. Like I just run the London marathon again for my second time and personal

best in 206 and finish 5th. And so you know those are the the best guys in the world we all go to London. So it’s like in

London. You know maybe I could pick up a couple more spots and grab a medal in Beijing.

[00:18:11] But that was him I my experience unfortunately you know. I wasn't at my best upon Bigfoot. But still such a great

experience to immediately grow through. I remember doing a warm up run the day before a marathon. We always just jog like

30 minutes, do some drills and strides. And during that time I like to sometimes do it by myself and just have a little

conversation with God and be like What do you have for today? You know like for tomorrow? Like what do you want to tell

me? And you know I was always like hoping you can give me some like verse about David and Goliath or something like that

you know. Or soaring on wings of eagles and effortlessly flying through the race. But you actually reminded me of this story

during that moments Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego. Which there were the guys who were being thrown into a fiery

furnace. And the king because they wouldn't worship the king's idols. Nebuchadnezzar idols and this is in way back in the day.

And I just love their response to the King.

[00:19:11] They're like even if God doesn't show up we're not gonna bow down to worship. And I think that was really like the

word God had for me for my race the following day. Was like you need to set your heart in such a way. So even if you don't

perform how you hope dreams, planned it out, drew it up in your head. It's not going to change your heart towards me. Or even

like my heart towards myself you know. Like finding that I'm still a worth I'm still a value even if I don't have my best

performance. On the day when I want it more than anything else you know. I could order on one day be today. But how might

you respond if that's not the case. So it really helped me during that race. Nothing to help me because I found myself about

halfway into the Olympic marathon back way way back. So I went out really fast even though it’s super hot and humid in

Beijing. Now it's back in like 30th-60th I don’t remember what place I was in. It was way back and it's kinda pouting myself

like what's going on? I'm so frustrated and how come I'm so far back. You know these are the thoughts are gone through my

head.

[00:20:18] And again I felt like God was gonna tell me like I want you to start encouraging people around you. Which is really

odd because in our sport that doesn't happen you know. Usually guys aren't cheering for each other when they're running which

is fine you know. I get it. But I just started to do that. I started just I’ll catch a guy and it's been okay good job man you're

doing great. Let's work together and try to catch a group in front of us. Rather say a couple of words. You know just try and

encourage them a little bit. But again it was like getting to my heart and it was making me get outside of myself. And think

about other people and trying to help and encourage other people. And as I did that I stepped out on that I found that I started

to gain courage. I started to feel better about my situation. I think it was because whenever you're internal and you're in a lot of

pain and suffering like you are in a marathon. The more internal you are the more you're aware of all this pain you know.

[00:21:11] I found thinking about other people other things I'm outside myself in things I'm able to push harder. Coz I'm not as

aware of the pain. Coz I found like whatever you focus on it's going to increase the sensation. So just really let me go outside

of myself and start encouraging some other people. And I started to work my way up and ended up finishing intense position.

Which still wasn't what I hoped for but it was the best that I could do on that day. And you know I'm still very proud of that

performance even though it wasn't everything I dreamed of.

Laura:

[00:21:47] I totally get that. We had a guest on one of our first episodes is a performance scientist Dr. Ben Houltberg. And he

talks about purpose based identity and performance based identity. And just like what you were saying just having that purpose

beyond yourself makes such a big difference. You know for the people around you but also for you. That's really really cool.

You could walk away even though it wasn't maybe the finish you wanted like you walk away with that amazing experience. So

cool. So a year after Beijing you and your wife Sara co-founded the Hall Steps Foundation. I would love for you to tell us

about your foundation.

Ryan:

[00:22:22] Yeah. So this actually happened kind of in the wake of Beijing. Sara and I became spokespersons for Team World

Vision. And their goal for the Chicago Marathon that fall after the Olympics was to have about 500 runners come together.

Fundraise to bring clean water to a community in Zambia 90,000 people didn't have access to clean water. So we are just like

spreading the word about it like just trying to tells me people as we could. And just a part of that team. And so we have

opportunity after the Beijing Olympics to go to Zambia. And watch them like cut the ribbons of these boreholes that had just

been poured you know. And they had access to clean water for the first time in their life. And I'll never forget I was at a ribbon

cutting ceremony just like way out mistakes in some old tiny village. And this guy this village guy and they all speak English

there. It's like the business language you know so they learn in school. Which was really cool because I didn't think I'll talk to

anyone going over there. But he is telling me is like hey because you guys brought clean water to us like everyone in my

community their life expectancy is going to go up by 10 years.

[00:23:38] And that was kind of the moment for me where going back to my 13 year old self and hearing that like I'd been

given a gift to help other people. That was kind of moment like this is how you help other people through running. It's like I

was a part of a team of people that did some fundraising ran a race. And as a result now 90,000 people in Zambia are getting to

live 10 years longer. Like you're actually adding years to people's lives because you ran a race you know. And I was just such a

powerful moment for both me and Sara like I went back home and I'd start training. And I'd just be thinking about these kids

that I interacted with ran with over there. That are in tattered clothes which is the biggest smile on their face you know. I guess

a very interesting interaction whereas like I wanted to help them in terms of like health, wellness, school, education,

empowerment, all of that.

[00:24:32] But they also had something that like I think we're lacking here in the States which is a real sense of community.

You know it's like when things are tough over there like they have to rely on each other. And that just builds a really really

strong community. And as a result at least this is my opinion they're just super happy people. Like I hadn't seen Joy like that

anywhere else in the world. Despite such like amazing poverty you know. So were able to help on bringing clean water to

them. But they really challenged me to find joy in my life and find joy through community. So you know we came back home

from that trip and Sara and I knew we wanted to do more. And we knew we wanted to continue to support World Vision and

the work they're doing which is amazing work they're doing all over the world. But we also wanted to support other kind of

local organizations. And some of our own projects that we were excited about doing so we started the Hall Steps Foundation.

[00:25:30] And so it's basically set up the same as like Team in Training or something like that. Where you can run any race in

the U.S. you just go to our website thestepsfoundation.org sign up and create a fundraising page. And then every single dollar

that you fundraise for your race goes towards our projects so we're 100% volunteer run. So that's a really cool thing about our

organization is you know every single dollar is going towards the projects we're supporting. And we've gotten to support some

really cool projects along the way. Like we partner with one of my friends in Kenya we helped to build a health clinic in his

community that didn't have access to hospitals or health clinics. People have to take like buses for like 8 hours at a time. Like

his brother actually died of a snake bite that shouldn't have taken his life you know. But you just didn't have access to the

medicine he needed to to fix the problem.

[00:26:46] So we partnered with my friend Wesley Korir he's actually Boston Marathon Champion. And we built this health

clinic and now people in that community have access to meet their medical needs. Things like that. We love doing stuff with

empowerment as well. So we partner with Cuba leading microloans to women in developing countries. Help them start their

own businesses so that they can work themselves out of poverty. And then we're doing a lot in Ethiopia as well with mainly

with child care and trying to help them. Kind of get going a foster care system actually because they just closed down

international adoption which really kind of changed things in their country. They still have a ton of orphans in their country but

now they're trying to figure out how they can take care of all those orphaned kids within the country. So we're kind of

partnering with local organizations there to help bring those kids into families.

Laura:

[00:27:31] That's awesome. So many great things that you guys are doing through your foundation I love it.

[00:27:37] At Hope Sports we know that you want to be the best athlete that you can be. And in order to do that, you train hard

and dedicate yourself to performing at your peak. But sometimes it can feel monotonous. Every day has a similar routine and

when you win well no victory feels as good as a loss feels bad. It doesn't have to be this way. We believe athletes can compete

at their full potential and reach their dreams while feeling lasting satisfaction from their accomplishments. We understand what

it's like when you've dedicated your life to something. But you feel like you're never living up to people's expectations and you

don't feel satisfied with your achievements. Hundreds of athletes have told us that they've discovered how to compete at their

best while finding lasting fulfillment in their achievements during our interactive international service trips. Our next trip is

coming up June 7th-10th in Rosarito Mexico and we want you to be there. It's so easy to get involved. Just go to

HopeSports.org sign up for the June 7th-10th home build and build hope for a family and win like never before. So sign up

today. It could be the key you need to find success in your career.

[00:28:44] The running side of things now I know in 2011 you set a new PR the Boston Marathon. You made the 2012

Olympic team like things were looking good. But then you had to drop out of the marathon at the London games around the 11

mile mark because of a hamstring injury. You've dealt with injuries you dealt with not feeling good. What was that like how did

you do that at the Olympic Games?

Ryan:

[00:29:06] Yeah. It was definitely like one of those surreal moments where you feel like you're in a movie or a dream like that

just really happened. I'd never dropped out of any race in my entire life you know. Like I never even stopped and walked in

any race and my entire life. So like that was never an option in my mind. But just having this sharp pain was out running and I

just decided after having a little conversation with God is better to live to fight another day. So you just stepped off the course

almost started running again just did it felt so wrong I was like this isn't right you know. Not at all what I was picturing

happening but I stepped off and it was hard you know. But I've been through so much discouragement and hard times before

that. It really kind of prepared me for that moment. So I was down as disappointed afterwards for a couple of days. But I like to

do something that actually my wife's kinda taught me. Like she allows herself to be really down to disappointed for a certain

amount of time. So it could be a day could be two days whatever she feels like she needs. And then after that it's like OK now

moving forward and like I'd grieve the loss now I’m moving forward.

[00:30:25] So I kind of did that you know I had a couple of days or maybe a couple weeks I don’t know exactly how long it

was. I was really down and bombed out. But then I started moving forward and the good thing about running is there's always

big races look forward to you. Whether it's the Boston marathon, in New York City Marathon, Chicago, London. You know

there's all these big great opportunities for runners to get to try and win a title. So I just kind of kept moving forward but we

kind of started this nasty string of injuries. So the hamstring thing started because when I was running actually training for the

2012 Olympic trials I developed plantar fasciitis on my foot. And so I had to just run through it coz there's like no instant cure

for plantar fasciitis like usually just last a while and then eventually get better. So I was running through it and just like very

small alteration of my stride caused an injury on the opposite side of my body. So with the hamstring and then I heard my

hamstring and then literally it was almost comical how ridiculous it was. I was always really hard didn't have a lot of injuries

before that. Then I tore my right quad and tore my left quads and I got all sacral stress fractures on my right side. And it was

just like this ridiculous string of like compensation injuries. So I learned a big lesson there about running through injuries and

how detrimental that can be to your body. I did eventually come out the other side of that were stopped getting hurt.

[00:31:59] But then I kind of started of struggle with just I call it extreme fatigue. So I'd been running at that point for 16 17

years and running like 100 miles a week see running like 15 miles a day. And that's a long time to be running that much and

not just easy running. It's all a pretty high quality not all but we have three high quality workouts for weeks. Just demanded a

ton of my body and it is kind of at that point where my body is like there's nothing on the left side. So I'm free to start slowing

down and start giving back to your body. So after about that it was 4 year time and you cramps at my injury at the London

Olympics all the way. So I was training for the 2016 on big trials and still just like having really bad fatigue issues. And I tried

everything I could think to try. I work with a whole bunch different coaches and tried mixing up my nutrition. Tried rest. I tried

everything and I think to try nothing was working. My body was just clearly like tired and fatigue can ready to for me to get

back to it. So that's when I ultimately ended up deciding to retire from running. And I kind of move on into this next season of

life.

Laura:

[00:33:15] Was that a hard transition? Or were you just kind of ready at that point?

Ryan:

[00:33:20] Yeah. I was always nervous about the day I was gonna retire you know. Because like running had been my craft, my

passion, everything for 20 years you know. So I didn't know how’s gonna react when I hung up my shoes. But with how it

ended and just having it be kind of a long slow gradual four year process of coming to this realization. That I'd gotten

everything out of my body and there's nothing else there allowed me to make the decision. And actually feel a kind of a sense

of relief with it which I was surprised by I wasn't expecting to feel relief. But it kind of felt like I could finally look back on my

career and be thankful for what I got to experience and the performances I did have. And then stops striving to try to get back

to those you know I could finally just like fully appreciate it. And then also during that time and actually while I was writing

my book kind of powerful realization came to me that my journey wasn't all about me you know. And now like I needed to

take the things I learned in that season in my life and pull them into my next season of life. Which is in writing, speaking,

coaching, and trying to help other people along on their own journeys that they're on.

Laura:

[00:34:43] Since retiring you've transformed your body gaining what like 40 pounds of muscle? I'd love to hear about this.

Ryan:

[00:34:51] Yes. It's funny cause I feel like there's a big theme in my life where I don't enjoy doing something and then it kind

of becomes like my passion in crafts. So before like I do weight training for running but never upper body. I just always try to

get through it as fast as I could because it just wasn't specific for running really. Like I didn't see the correlation between lifting

more weight running faster. Which was a wrong way of seeing it in hindsight. But all that to say like I didn't enjoy the weight

or not. And so when I retired from running I retired at about 3 1/2 years ago has 5'10” and 127 lbs which was too light for me. I

just needed to find something to get back to my body. And running is so cattle bollock in nature just strips your body of

everything it doesn't need to run fast. So I kind of got into that weightlifting as a way to give back to my body as a way to build

it up and make it strong. And then also to just because I was curious like any time I'd be around some big strong person I was

always really curious. Just like know what that would feel like to be big and strong.

[00:36:02] So I kind of started the journey and it was really really fun. Because one of the things I love about sports is seeing

results and seeing progress. And I wasn't seeing that in running for 4 years and then finally with the lifting. Like I was so bad at

it I had nowhere to go. So I was encourage people like if you want to find a sport that's fun try something you're really bad at.

And then it's me so much fun coz it gonna grow and get better and better and better. So that's kind of the journey I've been on

it's just fun. You know the other day I was squatting I hit three 90 for the first time. And it's just fun to see growth. It's fun to

get underweight you could just failed at it like 100 times in a row. And then finally be able to give it up is just such an amazing

sensation. It kind of feels that I need to see personal growth and to see physical growth in my body.

Laura:

[00:37:00] I love your. I love your attitude. I love how you always try stuff that you really don't want to do. And so cool. So

cool. There’s so many things that I just love and admire about you and your wife. But there's one especially that's near and dear

to my heart because I'm also an adoptive mom. I have girls from China and Ethiopia. And I know you and Sara adopted four

girls from Ethiopia. And I wanna know all the things. What made you want to adopt? Why Ethiopia? What was that process

like? And how in the world did you survive going from childless to parents of four girls overnight?

Ryan:

[00:37:32] Yeah. I love telling the story because again like I just didn't see adoption at all growing up. So it wasn't so much like

I was opposed to it. It just wasn't on my grid so I didn't have any desire to adopt until I met Sara. But then Sara's story is very

much the opposite of that where there is adoptive kids and your extended family. And she'd been around it seen it and always

wanted to adopt ever since she was a little girl. So she actually mentioned it on our first date. And I was like oh well I've never

even thought about that you know. So it's kind of like when the ball started turning on my mind started considering it. And then

you know fast forward years and years later after we're married and training professionally. One of the things I loved about

running was you got to train all over the world. And go to beautiful locations to train and train with just you really inspiring

incredible people from every different culture. And so we would go to Kenya and train. We ended up going to Ethiopia to train.

[00:38:34] And there was just something about Ethiopia that just kind of grabbed us and gripped us. Where we just fell in love

with the people and the culture and the country and this food and the music just kind of everything about it. The running was

fabulous. So just kind of like really grabbed us by one of the things that also grabbed us was being on the streets in Addis and

driving around. And seeing all these kids out on the streets orphans and in tattered clothes and shining shoes. And kids would

come up to me and asked to shine my shoes for like 10 cents. And they'd be so stoked if I gave them like equivalent of a dollar

you know. So that really pulled on our heart and we're like with our foundation you know we're all about just taking our step

you know. It's like we can't force other people to take their step but if everyone chooses to take their own personal step we can

see big change and big results. So our step was moving into the adoption phase of our life where we felt ready to take on

Parenthood. And so being in Ethiopia and seeing orphans and having opportunity to adopt from there. We decided we'd try and

adopt an infant just one in fact was our original plan. And so we're number like 76 on a waitlist it was going to be a couple of

years before we'd have our our infant.

[00:39:55] And then what happened is we're overtraining in Ethiopia and we went visited the orphanages. And we noticed that

there is all these older children in the orphanages that were waiting for families. And so I was like this doesn't make sense I'm

like number seventy six on the waitlist all these kids are waiting for families. And after it was the face to face interaction that

really broke my heart and made me decide to adopt older children. Because after meeting the kids, playing with the kids,

hangout with the kids I was like man I take anyone's these kids home you know. So we went home we changed up all of our

paperwork how to change agencies even. And became aware of our daughters through like a friend in Facebook page is kind

like around about what they're really looking for a family for these four biological sisters. They'd been looking for a family for

3 years weren't able to find a family. And they're talking about maybe sending two of them with one family in like Australia

and to another family in Italy or something like that.

[00:41:02] And so you know coming from a big family I'm in the middle of five kids is like you know separate siblings like

you know. They've already been through so much and they don't need to lose each other. So you know we just felt kind of love

in our heart for our girls. And I always like to tell people like there is a very real fear that was involved with adopting and

mainly a fear of my own inadequacy. You know like for example our social worker. She wouldn't even approve us to adopt the

4 girls because she didn't believe we could do it. So you talked about something that shake your own confidence you know.

But instead of following that fear I just followed like the love that God had put in my heart for my girls. And I knew if I had

that love in my heart that's what I needed. I chose to follow the path of loving when I'm at my best and making decisions based

on love not based on fear. And so that's what we did is a leap of faith you know. But it's just been such an incredible road. The

girls have blessed us so much.

[00:42:08] And you know actually going from 0 to 4 was I think it a lot of ways easier than like the normal round that you

could take. Because so like for example all we knew previous to this was just like Sara and I in empty house you know. And

then our normal just changed just once. It changed from 0 kids to 4 kids. It didn't change like four separate times or is like

you're getting used to 1 kid and you get used to 2 and then 3 and then 4. It's like every time you kind of shift your normal

there's always like a stirring and shaking that's like kind of like initially hard you know. But we just kinda have like one. One

and done. So in a lot of ways I feel like I'm going to cheat the system. And also our kids when we adopted them were 5, 8, 12

and 15. So I've never changed a diaper I've gotten woken up in the middle of the night maybe like twice in my life. So a lot of

ways like I have it pretty easy like our kids are already like almost like you know babysit each other, home and stuff. So we

could go out for training and stuff and they would be totally fine.

Laura:

[00:43:22] Now you also have a new book out this month as if you're not busy enough with those four girls and it's called Run

the Mile You're In: Finding God in Every Step. Please tell us about it.

Ryan:

[00:43:32] Yeah. I'm really excited to share the story you know like Tom Dean at Zondervan. He's a runner and he had

approached me about writing a book you know years and years ago. But I still like very much in the middle of it telling them

my story. And then once I retired he reached back out again and the timing just felt right you know. I felt a sense of closure

with that chapter of my life. And I felt ready to share this story with people. And I found it to be a really therapeutic process for

me to go through to sit down and write every morning. It's kind of like make sense of my entire career and try and pull out all

the biggest lessons from my career and share those with other people. Just in the hope of helping people on their journey. Like

I kind of wrote it from the perspective of how’s my 13 year old self getting in to sports. Like what things would I wanna

become aware of. And like I remember being super curious like what does it take to get to the Olympics you now. And so like

a lot of this is like my story of like learning what it does take to get to the Olympics. Or just for you to develop your own

potential and your hobby, your craft, as a dad, at work. Like just for you to become the best version of yourself. And these

were just like kinda lessons that I've been learning in all my journey and continue to learn as I continue on my own journey.

Laura:

[00:44:58] I love it. It sounds so good. Where can we grab a copy of it?

Ryan:

[00:45:02] Yes you can get it on Amazon and then also Barnes and Noble. And whatever else fine books are sold I believe.

Laura:

[00:45:12] All right. Run the Mile You're In: Finding God in Every Step. Well Ryan where else can we follow you online to

just continue to be encouraged by you? To learn more about the Hall Steps Foundation. All of the thing.

Ryan:

[00:45:22] Yeah. So you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram my handles @ryanhall3 on both of those. And then our

foundation is thestepsfoundation.org And then my wife now we also have a website ryanandsarahall.com So those are all good

places to track us down.

Laura:

[00:45:41] Awesome. Ryan, thank you so much for coming on the podcast for just sharing your absolutely incredible story

encouraging us and just inspiring us.

Ryan:

[00:45:50] My pleasure. Thanks for having me Laura.

Laura:

[00:45:53] Wow. There is just so much powerful stuff in there. I know I've said that before but these athletes are just sharing

truth bomb after truth bomb. What I love most are the two strategies that Ryan shared that got him through difficult moments

in his life. The first, is solidifying his identity the regardless of the results he still has value and worth in the world. And

second, is turning his gaze outward. Remember when he ran a marathon and encouraged other people along the way? Not only

is that an incredible blessing for those other people but in turn it shifted Ryan's own attitude and improved his morale and his

results. Sometimes we can get stuck in a rut and just by lifting up our eyes and looking to those around us that need help it

frees us. And all the work with the Hall Steps Foundation is so compelling. It has me wanting to strap on a pair of running

shoes and raise money to 5K. Maybe that'll be a great warmup before I go dive in the pool. You should definitely check it out

too and get involved. How awesome would it be to have a group of hope sports listeners mobilized to do amazing work in the

world just by running. Drop a comment on our Instagram or tag us at your next 5K. We want to shout it from the rooftops. And

if you want support in ways that you can grow as a competitor to overcome obstacles or to rock that 5K? Head on over to

LauraWilkinson.com/performance to grab my free guide 5 things that you can do today to become a more confident

competitor. Again that's LauraWilkinson.com/performance

[00:47:20] Thanks to Ryan for joining us today and I hope you tune in next week for our chat with Olympic Cyclist and hope

sports founder Guy East. As he shares about his journey through professional cycling. What caused him to hang up his bike for

a few years and what eventually led to the conception of Hope Sports. Be sure to hit that subscribe button because you do not

want to miss that episode on behalf of Hope Sports I'm Laura Wilkinson. Thanks again for tuning in and have a great week.

This podcast is produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media. For more information on Hope sports and to access the complete

archives please visit HopeSport.org

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About This Episode

Hardly any kids grow up bobsledding regularly or even dreaming of reaching an elite level in the sport. The same was true for Elana Meyers Taylor. As a kid she played all sorts of sports before focusing on softball, which she went on to play for George Washington University. Throughout college it was her goal to play with the Olympic team, but tryouts did not go as she hoped. “I literally had the worst tryout ever,” Elana recalls. She swung over balls, misthrew relays, and bumbled catches, all of which solidified the disappointing end of her softball career.

Hanging up her cleats didn’t just signify the end of softball, it felt like letting go of her Olympic dreams. In the midst of the post-graduation listlessness, her parents saw bobsled on television and encouraged her to check it out. A quick google search and an email to the coach of the US National Team landed Elana an invitation to give bobsled a try. After a few shorts months on the track, she attended the Olympic Trials for the 2010 games in Vancouver and a selection committee chose her for the position of brakeman for a two woman team. In light of the immense pressure to simply make the American team, the actual Olympics were like a dream. She took time to be present, enjoying the celebration of diversity, athletics, and sportsmanship. With her bobsled partner she took bronze and will forever remember the bliss of her amatuer games.

But now that she had one Olympics and one medal under her belt, the pressure was on to go for gold. She increased her training and the frequency of competition. She took silver at the 2013 World Championships, but didn’t just head home with her medal, she walked away with a ring as well. Her boyfriend and fellow bobsledder, Nic Taylor, popped the question in front of her friends, family, and fans as she got down from the podium and broadcast their love story around the world.

Elana stepped into 2014 prepping for the Sochi Olympics and for her April wedding; a welcome distraction in the midst of such rigorous training. These games felt different, however. In Vancouver she was there to experience the Olympics, soak in the culture, and participate in the celebration of nations -- in Sochi she was there for gold. Rather than being selected for the role of brakeman, she earned a spot as the driver. Focused and competing well, they held onto their gold medal standing through three of the four cumulative heats. But a mental mistake early in the final heat cost them the gold. “We almost lost some of the fun of it because it was all about the medal, and maybe that’s why we didn’t get it,” Elana says. She walked away devastated and disappointed, truly more upset over not competing to her full potential than missing out on a gold medal.

Post Sochi she took a much needed reprieve from bobsled. She got married in April, and that summer trained in California at the same facility as the US Women’s Rugby Team which, like bobsled, is also known for attracting crossover athletes. Elana was invited to practice with the team and went on to play in two tournaments with the National Women’s Rugby Sevens team. “I found a community of really enthusiastic, encouraging women,” says Elana. It was the perfect change of pace after a disappointing Olympics, but she knew that her heart was still with bobsled. She returned to the track that fall, albeit in a slightly different scenario. 2014 marked the end of a 75 year ban on women in four-man bobsled competition. With the right to drive secured Elana was immediately keen to give it a try, but she was having trouble getting anyone behind her in the sled. Her husband, Nic, was the first to volunteer to compete with her and his presence encouraged several more athletes to join. She became the first woman to compete in international mixed gender competition for the United States.

In 2018 both Elana and her husband represented Team USA in bobsled at the Olympics in PyeongChang. She was enlisted as a driver, while her husband was selected to the men’s team as an alternate. He may have been disappointed for a minute, “but he is the most positive person that I know,” says Elana. They were looking forward to experiencing the games together that year, but a week before competition Elana partially tore her achilles in a training exercise. Determined to compete, she arrived in PyeongChang in a wheelchair and had to radically alter her pre-race training to account for the injury. Oscillating between training as much as possible to be sharp, but as little as possible to recover, she needed to manage the pain and try to not do further damage. Her husband jumped on board with the trainers to quicken her recovery. He pushed her around the games in a wheelchair to cut back on walking and even refashioned her shoes to alleviate pressure on her ankle. She went on to win a silver medal that year, but wasn’t dampened by the disappointment she felt with the previous second place finish. Focused more on the experience and her efforts, rather than the outcome, left Elana feeling proud of what she offered and the medal she got to bring back with her. “I wanted it to be fun for the people, and for the games,” Elana recalls.

Through the ups and downs of competition and injury, it’s her faith and her family that keep her grounded. Her father was a professional athlete and she credits him with instilling in her the importance of having other hobbies and passions. Even in her marriage the presence of sport is limited. “We have to ask permission to use the ‘b-word’ at home,” jokes Elana. With two professional bobsledders in the house, it would be easy to allow critiques of training, debates on strategy, or stress about upcoming races overshadow their relationship. “I have always managed to work or volunteer outside of my sport to make sure I don’t get too inundated with bobsled. ” she says. Most notably for Elana is her recent work with the Women’s Sports Foundation. The Foundation aims to encourage and advance the lives of girls and women through sports. Started by tennis legend Billie Jean King, the organization encourages professional athletes to be ambassadors to their communities, supports programs that involve young girls in a variety of sports, and advocates for sports equality for all. In 2018, Elana was named President of the Women’s Sports Foundation and awarded an honorary doctorate in Public Service from George Washington University.

Through it all she continues to train and fully intends to race in Beijing, but her regimen looks different now. Accounting for her injury and her age, she’s no longer pounding out intense workouts or testing her strength in the weight room. Her experience, self-awareness, and confidence allow her to craft a program that works for her and gives space in her life for things that matter more than another medal: service and family. Elana continues to be recognized for the inspiring woman that she is, so be sure to follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and at the Women’s Sports Foundation as she looks ahead to the 2022 Olympics and advocates for uplifting work around the world.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_toggle title="Read Episode Transcript" admin_label="Transcript" _builder_version="3.21.1" saved_tabs="all"]

Laura:

[00:00:05] Hello and welcome to the Hope Sports Podcast where each week amazing athletes share their personal stories of

overcoming obstacles and conquering fears. To encourage you in your unique journey towards purpose. I'm your host Olympic

gold medalist Laura Wilkinson. This week we have such an influential and inspiring guest Elana Meyers Taylor is a three-time

Olympian and an incredibly decorated bobsledder. But if you've ever felt like your dreams were dashed with one blundered

opportunity then Elana is your girl. Hear about how she navigated a failure so big that it seemed her Olympic aspirations

would never come to be. Elana also uses her success to advocate for others. She serves as the president of the Women's Sports

Foundation and will surely stir you to find ways to give back to those around you. All right. Let's dive on in. Elana welcome to

the Hope Sports Podcast! I am absolutely stoked that you're here with us today.

Elana:

[00:00:58] It's great to be here.

Laura:

[00:00:59] Now ok. You did not start off in bobsled for what you are so well-known for now. Can you kind of give us your

background? How you got started in the sports and how that eventually led to bobsled?

Elana:

[00:01:10] Yeah so just as a process most people given a bobsled through a variety of ways and nobody grows up bobsledding.

With the exception of where do you live in Lake Placid New York or Park City Utah you might grow up doing it but for the

most part nobody grows up bobsledding. So I grew up playing a lot of different sports softball, basketball,l track, soccer, you

name it I played it. I really love softball and I went to college played softball. Played professionally with the intention of going

to the Olympics. And I did everything I could but have an Olympic tryout and had the absolute worst tryout in the history of

tryouts.

Laura:

[00:01:45] Oh no.

Elana:

It was really bad like swinging up balls over my head. It was horrendous. And then softball sticking out of the game. So I

thought my Olympic dream was over but I still had it. So I was like well what sports can I try. And it was at that point that my

parents actually saw Boston on TV and were like why not try this one? they're looking for a woman. And I was like OK sure

why not. And I just google it emailed the coach and got invited to a tryout.

Laura:

[00:02:12] Oh my gosh I love it. You just google that right? Ey! let's give it a whirl!

Elana:

[00:02:16] Yeah. I have no idea what I would have done if I was pre-google. You know I couldn’t have found it.

Laura:

Google saves the day! I love it. Oh, that's insane. And so I mean it was like what? Less than three years from when you started

to when you were standing on the podium at the Olympics right?

Elana:

[00:02:33] Yeah it was crazy. That was a little bit of a whirlwind. I never would have imagined that. I knew I had a shot to

make an Olympic team but that was all I thought. I didn’t have intentions of medals.

Laura:

[00:02:46] Oh man that's so great. So what was making that first Olympics in 2010 like? I mean was it just a dream but just in

a different sport? Or I mean was it just surreal? Describe that to us.

Elana:

[00:02:57] It was absolutely a dream. I mean the first thing is for bobsled for women's bobsled. We have 2 men is our

traditional Olympic event and there's 2 of us in the sled. So I was in the back and I was a brakeman and now I'm the pilot. The

brakeman position is largely dependent on a selection committee. So it's a group of people who select you to be on the team.

Whereas the pilot the role I'm in now you actually raced races and earn points and you make the team based off of your

performance. So brakeman, it's a much more nerve-racking position. So all the way up until like 2 weeks before the Olympics

when the team is actually announced. You're battling it out and you're sweating you're nervous as a brakeman because you

have no idea what this committee is going to select. And fortunately, I was selected so that moment was just the most

incredible. Because you know it was. Truly I wasn't sure what was going to happen. And at that moment when they named me,

it was like oh my gosh this is what I've been working for my entire life. And actually, at that moment I actually could relax a

little because I feel like I can go and enjoy these Olympics. I made the team. And that seemed a lot harder than actually

competing at the Olympics.

Laura:

[00:04:06] I feel like that too. Our Olympic tryouts on diving are sometimes more intense than being at the Olympics. Because

if you don't make the Olympic team you can't try and achieve your dreams. You know that home making the team part that's so

critical.

Elana:

[00:04:18] Yeah. Yeah. US is tough for that too. So.

Laura:

[00:04:22] Oh yeah for sure. Now at the 2013 world championships, you won a silver medal and as exciting as that is

something else happened on that award stand that I'm willing to bet was maybe even a little more exciting than the medal. Can

you tell us about that?

Elana:

[00:04:36] Yes it was one of the most exciting days of my life. So funny enough I had been dating my now husband for two

years at the time and use a bobsledder too. And we had had the conversation. I thought he was going to propose to me at

Christmas. So I was a little disappointed with it. And we had the conversation I was like absolutely do not propose to me at

World Championships. I want championships to be about worlds. I want our proposal to be about that because we had talked

about getting married. But lo and behold doesn't listen to me and propose to me while I was on the medal stand. But actually

it's one of the coolest moments of my life and I'm so glad he did it. And now we have footage and now we have like all these

photos from around the world of people who are covering the event. Because you just got down on one knee got some roses for

me. Which end up because it was so cold and save from Switzerland. This rose is actually frozen. Which is kind of funny? My

hands were so swollen from racing. The ring did not fit but still that the proposal was changed so much better than any real

championship medal could ever be.

Laura:

[00:05:46] Oh that's so epic. I love it that all the photographers are there. Everybody covered it. That's so cool. It's a good thing

he didn't listen to you that one time. Right?

Elana:

[00:05:54] Yeah that one time.

Laura:

[00:05:55] you let him sneak by. Well, so how was going into the Sochi Games in 2014 different from your first Olympic

experience?

Elana:

[00:06:04] It was very different because my first Olympic experience I went in just happy to be there. You know you just oh

everything's the most wonderful thing possible. But in Sochi I actually went in with the intention of winning a gold medal. And

that was where everything was focused on. And I felt like we had a great team in place. And I felt like my driving and my

understanding of that particular track in Sochi was in a place where we could actually go to the gold medal. So that was all the

focus. And as some part, I think we actually lost a little bit of the fun during that experience. It came about the gold medal and

I think that's actually why we didn’t end up with the gold medal because that's all the focus was on.

Laura:

[00:06:45] Wow. So I guess. I mean do you guys still got a silver but was that disappointing then because you were so focused

on the gold?

Elana:

[00:06:53] It was a little disappointing because we were leading in the race for 3 heats and.

Laura:

[00:06:58] You did 4 right?

Elana:

[00:07:00] Yep yep we did four heats. And then it's total combined time. And so I was in a really good position after the first

three heats. I’m still leading the race by over a 10th of a second at least. Which is a pretty large margin bobsled to start off

with. And then I made a mental mistake and ended up making a pretty costly mistake in its curve at the top of the track. And

that cost us a good amount of time. Which ended up costing us the gold medal essentially. And I think because I put the

pressure on myself and because I had actually questioned myself whether or not I could do it. You know that's what eventually

cost us. And because I was so focused on that gold medal and because we were so close it really changed how I looked at that

race.

Laura:

[00:07:46] Oh wow. So how did you feel after that? Like walking out the games like after that?

Elana:

[00:07:51] Oh I was pretty devastated. And you know I feel like you still win silver medal. You know it's still a huge

accomplishment. At the same time and knowing that I could have done better. That's the hardest thing to deal with. Four years

later the same result but a totally different experience. So after that Olympics you know I knew I could do better I could be a

better driver I could be a better athlete at that point. And that's why I felt like I'd let myself down and my team down. So I

knew I had to make changes going into the next quad.

Laura:

[00:08:25] That's cool. And you and Nic tied the knot shortly after Sochi right?

Elana:

[00:08:29] Yes.

Laura:

[00:08:29] so was the wedding planning distracting at all going into that games? Or was it you were able to separate and

compartmentalize?

Elana:

[00:08:35] It's actually you know I wouldn't necessarily recommend this but it actually gives you something else to focus on. I

feel like as athletes sometimes we get so caught up in what we're doing. And live in these little bubbles of you know you got to

do every single thing in my sport. We're trying to fight for every hundred. So what that comes down to is what you eat, how

much you're sleeping, what exact time you're doing your workouts, and you spend so much time in that focus. It's sometimes

nice to have things outside to focus on. And the wedding planning was kind of in that regard. And I didn't really know what I

was doing. My mom helps me fit a lot of it. She called me up one day she's like so what color do you want for your wedding? I

said pink and she's like OK what shade of pink? I was like there are different shades of pink? What are you talking about? I

don't know pink shades. It is a good distraction in some regards.

Laura:

[00:09:26] It's awesome. I love you're like laid back attitude. That's great. Okay, so 2015 was another huge year for you where

you made history. You became the first woman to earn a spot on the U.S. national team competing with the men as a 4 man

bobsled pilot. You went on to become the first woman to win a medal in international competition in a men's event. And if

that's not enough you also won the 2015 World Championships in the women's two main event the first woman in history to do

so. I mean what? How are you doing these things? And what separates you from everyone else?

Elana:

[00:10:03] I don’t know. Grace God that's all I could say. Fortunately, you know I've got really good people around me my

husband being one of them. And that was the biggest thing is when I wanted to take on 4 men in traditionally women's bobs

but it's just been too personal. We've actually been banned from driving for man sleds for most of history all the way from

1939 to 2014. Women were actually banned from driving for men sleds you know. Because I don't know it'll hurt our ovaries

or something like that. So we finally got the right to drive sleds and I really wanted to take it on. But it was something I when I

initially went to take it on you know I couldn't get anyone to get behind me in the sled. Couldn't get a brakeman and I was

having a lot of a hard time really making this happen. And my husband being a bobsledder volunteered to be the first one in

my sled. And then, fortunately, I was able to get other guys to join him really join him join me to join him after.

[00:11:02] So like I said I've been fortunate to have his support and the support of other people around me to really do some

incredible things and have some incredible experiences. And in that season, in particular, it was not only my husband but my

coaching staff as well to try and work together to develop a plan. Allow me to do both 2 man and 4 man races and still compete

at a high level. So it took a team literally in order to be able to accomplish those things.

Laura:

[00:11:29] That's so cool. And that kind of leads in really well because I was gonna ask you. What's it like having a husband

that's also an elite level bobsledder?

Elana:

[00:11:38] Most of the time is pretty awesome. He understands me better than I understand myself and he knows what I need

before I know I need it. And it's just great having him there with me and having him to help out with whatever I need at the

Olympics this year. There's no chance I would have won a silver medal without him. So he's the instrumental part of my team.

At the same time I want him to win more than I want myself to win. So it is very I can imagine me because you have children

so maybe it's like that way for having had kids. You get so nervous when they're competing and just it's hard for me to actually

watch. And like not want to do something but there's nothing you do. You just did the sidelines and just hope and pray because

you can't do anything. That is the most nerve-racking thing I think ever.

Laura:

[00:12:32] Well I heard I read somewhere that you guys try to minimize your shop talk at home no. Like at home you say it's

the B word or something. Isn't there some like rule about it? What’s the rule?

Elana:

[00:12:43] We have to ask permission to talk about the B-word. Just because we really want to make sure you know this day

and age there are enough distractions out there. And we want to make sure that our marriage is secure and we're really engaged

with each other. So we want to make sure we're not sitting at home talking about bobsled all day. Because at one point we're

not going to be bobsledder anymore. We're not going to be able to do this anymore. And it's important that we don't spend

however many years you've got only focus on the bobsled. And what would we talk about in our marriage later? We're just

going to sit around and tell all bobsled sort of stuff? It is important to develop ourselves outside of sport.

Laura:

[00:13:21] Oh that's great! I love it. And you did mention that your husband got in with you to encourage others to get in the

sled with you. But you also got to compete with him didn't you?

Elana:

[00:13:30] Yes. Yep.

Laura:

[00:13:31] Okay. So were you as nervous for him when he was in your sled? Or are you not as nervous then because you were

driving?

Elana:

[00:13:37] No I was less nervous because I was driving. I had control. So I could actually do something about it. So actually

that was the most fun stories. But with other drivers like I’m a nervous wreck.

Laura:

[00:13:49] I love it. You guys work well together it's perfect.

[00:13:52] I'll continue my conversation with Elana in just a minute but first I want to tell you more about what we do here at

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[00:15:09] And now back to the last half of my conversation with Elana. Now you mentioned getting really nervous when he

goes and he was an alternate on the 2018 men's Olympic bobsled team. And you made your third Olympic team. I'm guessing

there was a huge mix of emotions there. Can you kind of walk us through that?

Elana:

[00:15:26] Yeah. So actually most people I feel like come off the Olympics and are pretty disappointed to be named in an

alternate spot. But you know my husband is one of the most positive people you would ever meet. And as soon as he was

named to the alternate sport yes he was disappointed that he wouldn't be racing but same time our alternates travel with us.

They stay right if they're not in the village they stay right outside the village. There are training sessions every day. They have

full access to the village. So they're there with us and they're an integral part of the team. So for him as soon as they named the

alternate selection he spent maybe a minute being bombed and then he just took it. What do I need to do to help this team win a

medal? And not only did he do that to the men's team but he also did that for me as well. As is what is my role now and how

am I going to support my wife in trying to win this medal. So before that Olympics, I actually ended up tearing my Achilles.

So he was an instrumental part of me being able to even compete. And he'd be an alternate being able to be there every single

day helped me through that was huge.

Laura:

[00:16:36] When did you tear it?

Elana:

[00:16:38] We had a training camp a week before the Games. We were at opening ceremonies and I was doing an uphill Sprint

and came down wrong on it. And immediately felt like a shot in the leg. It was not great.

Laura:

[00:16:41] Oh my goodness.

[00:16:52] OK. Yeah. So how did you go on to be OK enough to do it at the Olympics? I mean had a tear that's pretty

significant. That's tough.

Elana:

[00:17:03] Yes. So it was a partial tear. Luckily it wasn't a full rupture. And then at that point, we had MRI and everything and

we realized you know this is pretty bad. But if I could manage the pain there's a chance I might do some worse damage. I

definitely did. But the main thing was dealing with the pain and figuring out creative ways to train as much as possible. But

also train as little as possible to get to the actual races. And so it was even to the point where I had medical treatments every

single day multiple times a day. I couldn't walk in opening ceremonies. We literally had to limit my walking as much as

possible. I actually rolled up to the games in a wheelchair. Came off the plane and was going through Pyeongchang in a

wheelchair for a little bit. Which is pretty interesting. And then my husband recrafted my shoes to make it more comfortable.

To allow me to get his sled. And we just really got creative with our training.

Laura:

[00:18:04] Wow! That's impressive. I mean I know most athletes are at some level of injury going in but to have a significant

tear like that. That's something else. I mean you are battling team Germany and Pyeongchang right over for heats of

competition back and forth and you just miss out on the Gold Medal by seven hundreds of a second. But you said this is totally

different from Sochi. So what was that experience like?

Elana:

[00:18:27] Yeah. Going in with the Achilles I knew we were at a significant disadvantage I knew that would hurt us

significantly. And also we're having some equipment issues as well so I knew the cards were against us. So I just went in and

tried to drive the four best heats of my life and I really felt like I'd put together a race that could be proud of. And that's why

regardless of whether or not we had won a medal I would be happy with that race because we really went out there and put on

a show me and my brakeman Lauren Gibbs and I think we put on a great performance. And at the end of the day, I think that's

where my career's kind of shifted. It started off as all about me and what's going on and inside my head and my hands and

really wanting to win all this hardware. But it became more about the performance and going out there and putting our show. I

mean that's what people want to see you know working out there to perform in front of you at the Olympics millions of people.

They want to see a show. They want to see a close race 700th of a second they don't want to see somebody winning by half a

second. So if I can give people a good entertaining show that's what I'm out there to do.

Laura:

[00:19:33] I love how you connected that to like you understand the change and just having that different attitude. Like I'm just

going to put on my best song and be happy with what I can do and just getting the same result. Like you said you're walking

away with a totally different feeling and emotion and memories from it. I mean that's pretty awesome. I think that's a great

takeaway for all of us listening to your story here. But do have to back up because right before Pyeongchang didn’t you try a

different sport randomly? What? What? Like how did that happen? And why did that happen?

Elana:

[00:20:08] Yes. So during the summers in bobsled you can train anywhere in the world. There's no ice so we're just doing

running and lifting. So right before Sochi I was into a Vista California at the Olympic Training Center out there where the U.S.

rugby team trains. And the rugby coach saw me and of course, I'm pretty much rugby player size and my dad is running back

to the NFL. So he saw me as like Hey! Why don't you come over here and throw this rugby ball around and come on in and

practice with us? And I was like you know what I'm kind of busy right now not to of risks. But afterward you know I came

home from Sochi I was pretty disappointed and I just wanted to be away from bobsled for a little bit. And rugby gave me a

perfect outlet.

[00:20:51] So I was fortunate enough you know rugby looks for a lot of crossover athletes. So I was fortunate enough to go

right with the U.S. team and start training with them and go to two tournaments with them. Which was a really cool experience

and really helped me get over I guess your “Post-Olympic depression that you kind of suffer”. Especially when you're really

disappointed with a performance like that you know. I was inundated with a group of girls who were so energetic about the

sport rugby. Which at that time was just going Olympic and they were just trying to navigate this Olympic pathway and

everything. And the girls were so welcoming and everything. It was a nice breath of fresh air right after those games.

Laura:

[00:21:31] That's cool. Be careful because we just talked to

Alev Kelter

a few weeks ago and that's how she got sucked right

in. So we might be needing to watch for you in the next Summer Games but I think I'm hearing.

Elana:

[00:21:41] Good now! Me and Alev actually came in at the same time. So she's a joy. She's awesome person.

Laura:

[00:21:48] Yeah. She is she is fantastic! Now I have to ask this because I don't know much about the bobsled process and how

you get your teammates. Cause I know each Olympic Games you've had a different teammate. And you said the pilot is based

off of like points and results and how you're doing. But the brakeman is always selected so is that hard for you? Are you

having to constantly work with different people throughout the season then? Like how does that dynamic work? So

complicated.

Elana:

[00:22:14] Yes. Yeah. They do constantly rotate throughout the season. They used to be in bobsled that the pilots used to

choose their brakeman. But in order to make sure they had the most competitive sleds possible they changed it to a selection

committee. It's six people coaches and some of the upper-level executives who sit down and decide the brakeman for each sled.

And they look at numbers they look at physical testing numbers. They look at results of races over the season and how they've

done. And really try and dig into the numbers and choose the best brakeman for each sled. So I have a little bit of input but

usually. It doesn't really it goes with whatever they see best. And as a pilot, you kinda just have to trust that they know what's

best for your sled. Because this pilot I feel likes you can have blind spots. You could feel more comfortable with one person or

another. But if they see something that's gonna make you faster down the hill then you have to trust them. So it's nerve-

wracking for the brakeman to know. And in the past 2 Olympics 3 Olympics, I think the difference between making and not

making the team for brakeman over all the data we had is like 200th of the second. So it's very narrow margins and it's very it's

a crushing decision. But fortunately, I don't have to make it.

Laura:

[00:23:34] That's so tough. Well OK, so your life is so intertwined in your sport. I mean when you train you earn a living.

You're sitting on the boards of directors. You're getting proposed to at an event. You're training with and competing with your

husband. Like all of these things with bobsled. Like how do you separate Elana and your worth as a person from your

performance and your results as an athlete?

Elana:

[00:23:54] Yeah. I think part of it is my faith. Part of it is staying up with my faith and realizing that there's more to bobsled

than you know. God gave me a gift to be a bobsledder but that's not the only thing I'm going to do. And that's the only thing

I've done. So there's much more I have to accomplish and in that regard. My father being a professional athlete always made

sure that we had other interests because you never know when it's going to end. I hope that I get the chance to choose when I

retire. But at the end of the day, you don't know. So we've seen with plenty of athletes. They have to retire before they would

like to so I have to be prepared. I've always managed to work or volunteer or do whatever I can outside my sport. To make sure

I don't get too intimidated in the day and day bobsledding and that's my only life. Because at some point it's gonna end and I

need to be prepared for that.

Laura:

[00:24:48] So wise. I love it. Now last year at George Washington University honored you with an honorary doctorate degree.

And now you're the current president of the Women's Sports Foundation. I mean does this kind of all just seem surreal? Or

These things you were hoping for and getting for one day like Long long ago? How is life taken this turn for you?

Elana:

[00:25:09] It is very surreal. I always wanted a doctorate but I thought I actually have to go to school. And so.

Laura:

[00:25:15] Most people do.

Elana:

[00:25:16] Yeah. You know. I so might do that. That's in the cards. But as far as the Women's Sports Foundation and being the

president of that it's. Every day it's such an honor to be at the helm of that organization. It's for me it's an organization that's

paid such a powerful role in my life. As far as even just giving me some of the basics I needed to be able to become an elite

level Bobsledder. So whether it's in the form of grants or whether it was in the form of support you know. Being able to go to

events and meet the most incredible female athletes in the world and being able to sit down and pick their brains. And be how

are you successful? How are you able to do this? You know it's just been such an incredible organization towards me. So to be

able to be in this position it's such an honor and a privilege. Like I do have to pinch myself because you know to be able to

impact girls and women in sports it's more than I could ever ask for.

Laura:

[00:26:12] So cool. What are some of the coolest things you've done since being president?

Elana:

[00:26:16] The coolest things by far are the Athlete Ambassador events. The events we put on. We have Athlete Ambassador

events around the country and if anybody's interested listeners interested we're always looking for athlete ambassadors. And

basically, we would run events at people's hometown. And we'd have athletes at those events Women's Sports Foundation

athletes. And so those events have been the most incredible events I get to. Because it's girls from a variety of backgrounds

whether different socioeconomic status different racial status it doesn't matter. All different backgrounds and we're working

with them in one common task and that's learning a sport. And so to be able to see the smiles on their faces to be able to see

100 kids run up to Billie Jean King you know. Billie Jean King is 75 years old and you've got 6year olds running up to her

asking for the autograph. And being a part of that it's the coolest thing I could ever imagine. And it's just being surrounded by

kids who are so enthusiastic just to be able to get out and play a sport. Like with them it's not about winning Olympic medals at

that point. It's just getting out there and playing. It's really really incredible experience.

Laura:

[00:27:27] I love it. That's so awesome. Now you fully intend to return to the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022 right?

Yeah? Once again going for gold? How's the training going right now.

Elana:

[00:27:37] Yeah. So actually on that regard you know I'm learning that I do I am getting older I have to train differently. This

year itself coming off the Achilles injury I've really struggled to be healthy whether it's you know illnesses or injuries itself. I

tend to think I'm still 22 but I'm realizing this year that I'm not. So we have to learn how to train differently and adapt things.

And that's really been the story of this season is struggling through that and finding out what our new limits are and defining

what that is. So I feel like we're starting to get a handle on it and go to the next three years. We're really going to have a plan so

I can get to Beijing 2022 as healthy as possible and still competitively.

Laura:

[00:28:31] I love it. So are you gonna take up another sport for cross training in between?

Elana:

[00:28:35] Absolutely.

Laura:

[00:28:37] You are totally welcome in the pool with me I could use a synchro partner. Just gonna throw that out there. You're

always welcome.

Elana:

[00:28:43] I could belly sucks so.

Laura:

[00:28:45] I don't want to do that from 10 meters. That's not going to feel good.

Elana:

[00:28:49] Ahmm you know. I'll do different types of training than I've done. A little bit more yoga a little bit more a lot less

pounding and a lot less time in the weight room. So it'll be a little bit different but I actually was thinking about this like about

a week ago. And I sat down with my husband was like you know what I think I'm done with sports. Like I'm at the point in

time where I'm just if I haven't played before we're not picking it up. Because in bobsled a lot of people do crazy ideas where

they're going to try all these other sports because they tried bobsled and it worked so why not try something else. I was like No

I'm done. You know I wouldn't mind throwing a softball around again. But as far as new sports nah were good.

Laura:

[00:29:34] Well, you are still always welcome at the pool. So I'm just keeping that offer on the table. So where can we follow

you online to keep in being inspired and encouraged by you and to cheer you on toward Beijing?

Elana:

[00:29:46] So my Instagram handle is @elanameyerstaylor my Twitter handle is @eamslider24 and I'm on Facebook. But as

always you can always go to womenssportsfoundation.org. Find more about me and the organization and all the work we're

doing.

Laura:

[00:30:04] Awesome Elana! Thank you so much for coming on our podcast and sharing your incredible story and just inspiring

all of us.

Elana:

[00:30:10] Oh, Thank you. Please talking to you.

Laura:

[00:30:15] Isn't she incredible? I feel like so many can relate to her story. Sometimes there are experiences like her tryouts that

just don't go as we hope or plan and it feels like it derails our entire lives. But she was able to step into something new without

having to abandon her dreams entirely. They just took shape in a different way. I hope that you're encouraged today that no

matter if you're an athlete trying to make it to the top or an entrepreneur or a person with a big vision for your future. Your

dreams are still attainable even if it's not the way that you originally envisioned it. And if you want support in ways that you

can grow as a competitor and overcome obstacles just like Elana did? Head on over to LauraWilkinson.com/performance to

grab my free guide. Five things that you can do today to become a more confident competitor. Again that's

LauraWilkinson.com/performance. Be sure to tune in next week as we have another incredible woman a

Alev Kelter

who plays

for USA women's rugby. On behalf of Hope Sports, I'm Laura Wilkinson. Thanks again for tuning in and have a great week.

This podcast is produced by Evo Terra and Simpler media. For more information on Hope sports and access the complete

archives please visit HopeSports.org

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or find the file at http://traffic.libsyn.com/hopesports/HS11-In-the-Ring-Unafraid.mp3

Listen with your favorite podcast app:

About This Episode

Matt Lindland always dreamed of competing at the Olympic level, but maybe not in the sport you’d expect. Having grown up in the country, his notoriety as a athlete was in equestrian events, not mixed martial arts. Matt was one of the best riders in his state and desperately wanted to compete nationally, but his family could not financially swing such an involved sport. When one of his high school gym teachers encouraged him to wrestle, he decided to give it a try. He finished his first season and had fallen in love with the sport. Soon after, he was invited to compete in a Greco-Roman Invitational and, with no experience in that style, enrolled in four different categories. He finished 0-8 that weekend and walked away knowing that he would need both a coach and a lot of work if his dreams were to come true.

Matt found his way to a local club where it just so happened that the 1984 Olympic Wrestling team coach worked. Lindland wasn’t heavily recruited after high school, so took time to attend a junior college and continue his training. The hard work paid off, as he went on to win Nationals and soon had a contract with the University of Nebraska. He made a name for himself his first year as a Cornhusker, going 38-0 through the regular season. Despite his stellar record that year, he lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Whether it was due to dropping too much weight or training too hard, he didn’t peak at the right time to snag a podium spot. After his eligibility was up, he returned home to Oregon with his wife. He trained and coached in the Portland area before accepting an offer to move to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs just two weeks after his daughter was born.

He spent the next four years getting a diverse training experience with the other 24 wrestlers at the center. They traveled internationally and competed around the world - something Matt credits with expanding his style, tactics, and relationships in the wrestling world. After four successful years at the center, he was invited into a coaching position by the University of Nebraska. Excited about the opportunity to pour into younger athletes while continuing to train himself, Matt accepted the position. He was a coach, mentor, competitor, and father during his years in Nebraska. Doors began opening for him to pursue MMA fighting, but he put those on hold to focus on the Olympics - one of his ultimate dreams.

His road to the Olympic team wasn’t easy, however. A misjudged match during the Olympic trials led to a long, drawn out legislative battle. After he was given a re-match and defeated his opponent 9-0, he was finally appointed to the Olympic Team by a Federal judge at the Supreme Court level. But the controversy was not over. Even as he walked into the Opening Ceremony at the 2000 Olympics, the case was being re-arbitrated in International Court. Through the entire process Matt could have been removed from the team at any moment, but continued to train as though he was headed to the mat in Sydney. His hard work and focus paid off as he was not only given the green light to compete, but walked away with a silver medal at the games. His nickname “The Law” was born from the unprecedented judicial intervention required.

On the heels of a successful Olympics, Lindland went on to medal at the World Championships in Japan. Knowing what he was capable of and with the pressure removed, he was able to simply enjoy competing. He transitioned to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) with the UFC and navigated the ins and outs of a sport that was developing and implementing new rules as well as growing rapidly. Seeking to make a career out of wrestling, Lindland expanded to stunt driving and coordinating fight scenes for movies, opened his own gym in Portland, and continued coaching on the side.

Matt has never been one to back down from a fight, even outside of the ring. In 2008 he discovered that no one from his district was running for the seat in the State House of Representatives. Committed to his community, he stepped up and registered as a candidate. Though he lost in the general election, he appreciated support from his district and the opportunity to invest in it.

As if he couldn’t diversify his talents anymore, while in Oregon a white water rafting team approached him about using space in his gym to train in the off season and invited him to try out the sport sometime. What began as an adventurous outing became “my favorite sporting experience,” Matt confides. The team went on to win seven tournaments and went to the National Championship. Through juggling multiple professional sports, a business, coaching, a horse ranch, and a family, Matt credits his wife with being his steadiness through the storm. “Whatever you want to achieve, you need someone who is a partner with you to navigate the rough waters,” he says.

In 2014 he welcome another new opportunity: coach of the National Greco-Roman Wrestling Team. At this stage in his career, more than anything, Matt appreciates the privilege and responsibility of being a coach. His focus isn’t solely on developing strong athletes, but strong characters, leadership, and integrity. Despite being tough on the mat, Lindland recognizes the crippling struggle with identity, emotional issues, and relational security of so many young athletes. “It’s hard to go through life scared,” he says. “I want young people to know that they are loved and matter more than their sport.” And his coaching style reflects this. He takes his athletes on team building trips, develops retreats that don’t include actual wrestling at all, challenges them in areas outside of their comfort zones, and pursues building one on one relationships aside from training. “Every time you challenge yourself you get less fearful,” says Matt. Whether that is a new training regimen, a new job, a new relationship, or a new level of honesty with oneself, in testing the bounds we become less fearful of what could happen, less focused on our limitations.

Matt’s life has always reflected the magic of chasing what is possible, of confronting new obstacles bravely, and of facing challenges with fists ready.

Follow more of Matt Lindland on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and be especially inspired by his Leadership Series on his YouTube Channel.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_toggle title="Read Episode Transcript" admin_label="Transcript" _builder_version="3.20.2" saved_tabs="all"]

Laura:

[00:00:06] Welcome to the hope sports podcast where each week we have the privilege of hearing from an elite athlete about what made them fall in love with their sport. What parts of their journey were the most challenging and how they find purpose and meaning in their lives outside of medal counts and competitions. This week we not only have an amazing athlete but just one of the most multitalented individuals that I know of. You may know Matt Lindland as a UFC fighter but like me. You may not know about the original sport he wanted to pursue. Or how he owns multiple businesses or that he once ran for political office. Or how it took a Supreme Court ruling to get him on the U.S. Olympic team. Seriously, I can't make this stuff up. You're in store for a fascinating episode as Matt shares his journey and how he kept pursuing dream after dream as they came his way. Thanks for joining me. Now let's dive on in.

[00:00:56] Alright Matt Lindland thank you so much for joining us at the hope sports podcast.

Matt:

[00:01:00] Absolutely. My pleasure. I'm excited.

Laura:

[00:01:02] Well let's just get right to it. So for those that are listening to that may not be as familiar with your background. Can you tell us a little bit how you got started into sports?

Matt:

[00:01:10] Well I got started in the sports because I was rural a boy I lived in the country and I grew up you know as an equestrian athlete. I thought I was gonna.

Laura:

[00:01:21] Really?

Matt:

[00:01:23] Yes really. I thought I was going to compete in the Olympics and either eventing or showjumping or steeplechase or I just. All I ever did from that time I was. From my first memory, I was on a horse and I was probably one of the bus rides. I was one of the best riders in my state and looking to go to the regionals and hoping to go to the Nationals. And my parents informed me that we were poor people and find a new sport. And so I discovered wrestling in high school. And it was very interesting because our gym coach you know he had wrestling and part of the curriculum is the gym class. And so you know of course they're like oh man you're great. You should come out for the team you know. So I was a 98 lbs freshman in high school going out for the wrestling team and I just really fell in love with the sport. And after the season that year when one of our head coaches handed us a fire and was like Yeah there's this freestyle and Roman Greco. And I asked my assistant coach if he knew anything about this Roman Greco thing and he was like I do know that it's called Greco Roman. And I could probably help you prepare for it but that wasn't his expertise. And so I went to the tournament and I don't know if many people have ever done this and gone 8 and 0 and one weekend. Because I entered both the freestyle and both the Graco and Junior and cadet age groups. So. And I.

Laura:

[00:02:58] All in one way. How did you have the energy for that?

Matt:

[00:03:00] Well you know some of the masters were pretty quick. I just got thrown on my back and then.

Laura:

[00:03:07] Wow. Amazing.

Matt:

[00:03:07] But also I went on at 8 and I realized that I needed to find a club that had some more lead training. Lo and Behold I show up at this club and the coach at the club was the 1984 Olympic wrestling coach. And I had amazing coaches at this club every one of my coaches. The head coach there Marc Sprague was an incredible mentor still a mentor of mine to this day. And I owe him a call because I'm working with one of his athletes now. He's 75 and still coaching wrestling.

Laura:

[00:03:49] That's awesome.

Matt:

[00:03:50] Yeah but you know it took a lot of years to figure out how to do this sport and to get to the level that I wanted to so. Coming out of high school I wasn't a big recruit or anything. So I ended up going to a junior college and I ended up winning a national title. And I did get recruited to a college finally and I went to the University of Nebraska. I had some success there. I was the number one ranked athlete in the country and I was 36-0 going into the national tournament. I lost that first round.

Laura:

[00:04:23] Oh my gosh!

Matt:

[00:04:23] And so I was not an all-American I wasn't even a placer that year

Laura:

[00:04:29] Was OK OK. So you win the junior college like nationals then you go to a D1 school. You're 36-0. You're ranked number one and you lose in the first round at the NCAA. Like what. I mean were you shocked? Like were you. I just. I mean how did you handle that like what was that like?

Matt:

[00:04:47] It was a culmination of a lot of things I think it was a long season. They didn't recover me well. They didn't trust me. They wanted me to cut 158lbs and I was probably about 170ish you know? And it was a long season and they didn't pick me at the right time. And that's you know partially my fault but I was a young athlete and still trying to figure this out. And you know change some things up. And so after my eligibility my wife and I and our son we moved back to Oregon which is where I'm from. And she was. She's from Oregon too and she wants to move back there and. I was want to stay in Lincoln and possibly finish up my degree at that time. And you know keep wrestling at the college. But she was ready to move back to Oregon. And I was there for a year I was a coach to three different clubs. I was trying to squeeze training in between. And I actually got invited to move to Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center. And we waited till my daughter was born and then two weeks later we moved to Colorado Springs.

Laura:

[00:05:54] Wow! Wow! So how? OK. How long had you been wrestling at that point when you got invited to Colorado Springs?

Matt:

[00:06:00] So I started in 85 and this was 94

Laura:

[00:06:06] OK. Wow! So that's very cool. Now. OK. For your age, cause you seem to start late and you started in high school. And that seems kind of was that kind of late?

Matt:

[00:06:13] I think it is pretty late for you know a lot of guys. But you know in my experience I think there's like a really good 10year window. You know like you know. And you can be really good in high school or college and then you're kind of done. And since I started late it allowed me to continue on. And I didn't win my first medal till I was 30

Laura:

[00:06:38] Oh wow. That's awesome. So what. OK. What was training at the Olympic Training Center like? I mean that's something people just dream of you know. What was that like?

Matt:

[00:06:46] It was exciting. I was moving out to Colorado Springs and you know I got out here. And at that time you know things have changed here in Colorado Springs with the amount of athletes they actually will how is it. That time I think we get over I think it was like 24-26 of us. Lots of training partners lots of opportunities to travel internationally and compete all over the world. And just you know chase our dreams and do what we love to do. And it was a credible opportunity but it was also very difficult. And so after 3 years 3 and a half years of doing that my former coach at Nebraska offered to hire me for a job. And I wasn't quite sure because I needed to have you know I needed training. I needed to get to international tournaments I needed training partners and he offered to do all those things. And so I ended up moving to Lincoln and my last four years of wrestling right up to the Olympics was that whole quad I was training out of Nebraska. And at that time getting to mentor other athletes.

Laura:

[00:07:56] OK. Now, this is awesome. So you are coaching, your training, you have a wife, you have two children, and didn't you also start doing MMA stuff around this time?

Matt:

[00:08:07] I did. Yeah.

Laura:

[00:08:10] How did you do all this stuff?

Matt:

[00:08:12] I took three flights in MMA in 1997 right after I moved in Nebraska. And I realized that I was going to be a lot of fun but it was gonna be you know pretty much the same kind of journey. And so I took those three flights all relatively close. I think two of them were on one night the other one was like a month away. And I put that on hold because I knew that to reach my goals and wrestling and get on the podium it was gonna take a lot of sacrifices. A lot of discipline. And I couldn't really split my time between doing MMA. So I really put that on hold. But the games were in October that year and December I started the fight in the UFC.

Laura:

[00:08:55] Wow. OK. So the Olympics were the big goal the big dream. Like what was it like finally getting there and being in that environment. Like, take us through that.

Matt:

[00:09:04] Well Laura it was quite the process. I don't know how much research you did but there was a court case too for me to get on the Olympic team.

Laura:

[00:09:15] Oh wait isn't this right? You got your nickname through this, didn’t you?

Matt:

[00:09:17] I did.

Laura:

[00:09:19] So what. OK. [00:09:20] What was that all like? But that was part of qualifying for the team?

Matt:

[00:09:23] The shows only you know half hour 40 minutes. That longer time. But I'll give you the really short version. The Olympic trials were misjudged. They didn't apply the rules properly at the Olympic trials. And then they didn't allow me to protest. They said it was a judgment call and I said it was a misapplication and there was just you we're splitting hairs there. You know it's judgment its a misapplication. And so they refused to give me due process at the Olympic trials. And so my only recourse was to go to the Greco-Roman sports committee and have my case heard in front of my peers and the Greco-Roman sports committee there. They make a committee up and then they started pulling members off of the committee that may have had bias. Well, that's why you have a committee is because everybody has bias. And so you have multiple people but you can't pull people off the committee that you think may vote one way or the other because they may have a bias. So again I was denied due process I went to an arbitrator and this was my last chance. The arbitrator ordered the match be re-wrestled. I beat the opponent 9 to 0. Now if you beat your opponent by 8 the match is over. But at that time it was 10. So it was pretty close to know to technical superiority. And then the real fun happened. They didn't make me to the team.

Laura:

[00:10:55] Even after you beat him in the rematch?

Matt:

[00:10:57] Yeah. They were they did not name me to the team. And so we had to go to a federal judge and they forced the United States Olympic Committee and USA wrestling to put me on the team. And then once I got on the team they allowed the case to be radically arbitrated. And that is the oddest thing because arbitration is final and binding.

Laura:

[00:11:20] Right. Oh my gosh. That’s super sad.

Matt:

[00:11:20] The case was arbitrated. See I tell you this a long story. It's crazy. The other day the case while ultimately went to the United States Supreme Court. And they upheld the ruling of the federal judge and I left for processing that same day. I got the ruling and we processed in San Diego that year.

Laura:

[00:11:43] So when were your trials? And then what was the timeline with all of these cases up until we left? Because like it was in September. We left it was like the end of September when the Olympics started. So when were your trials?

Matt:

[00:11:56] Elsewhere in June.

Laura:

[00:11:57] OK. Wow. How did you keep your head straight during all of that?

Matt:

[00:12:02] You know I. It was difficult. It was very difficult but I had a vision I had goals and I have faith. Oh, a lot of Arizona. And just you know to stand strong. I mean there were definitely moments where I wasn't sure. And I just kept training through the whole process.

Laura:

[00:12:24] Did you have like I mean support around you? Did you kind of feel all alone at that point?

Matt:

[00:12:29] Well I feel pretty alone. But I you know I have a wonderful life that I've been married to for 27 years and I have two children that love me. And I have some great coaches that that supported me. But you know nobody could tell me Hey you for sure you're gonna get this spot. You know we just kept praying and hoping that that was the case and you just kept training through this whole process. And then when I got to Australia we went to a city a couple of hours away in Canberra and had our acclimation camp. The day I walked in opening some ceremonies they were gonna be arbitrating the case in the International Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Laura:

[00:13:11] Are you serious?

Matt:

[00:13:12] Yeah. The day I was walking opening ceremonies. So this thing was like never gonna end. And fortunately, they woke a federal judge up in Chicago at like 3:00 in the morning. You know they were calling from Australia and he said you know what you guys won you beat me. Just know that if you plan on coming back to the United States we'll have air marshals waiting for you in contempt. And so if you guys choose to do this you know go ahead. But they ended up not going forward with that last case and I wrestled the games and made it to the finals and got a silver medal that year.

Laura:

[00:13:52] Which is amazing. Amazing. I mean what. Ok. What was the experience like to be in the Olympics? You walked in the opening ceremony is greeted with this cloud hanging over you. But like were you able to at least enjoy that and soak in that Olympic spirit or what was that like? Take us through that.

Matt:

[00:14:06] Now it was. You know what I had some great training partners. I had one of my best friends dearest friend. He was an alternative. He did not make the team that year. He was away class below me. He was one of my training partners at every camp. And he left camp early went to Sydney and got an apartment right next to the venue that had saunas and a place to recover. And relax in between rounds and before the weigh-ins. And so you know I just really kind of pulled myself away and just surrounded myself with loved ones and people that really cared about me and supported me. I didn't really get into the whole Olympic thing. My kids were pretty young. They were four and six at the time and my wife was there and they were staying there. And I just remember the one night though. My daughter and my son and my wife came to visit me and my daughter says you're going to go home with us tonight. And I was like yes. Yes! So excited.

Laura:

[00:15:16] They were things in real perspective, did they?

Matt:

[00:15:18] You know they do and they help us keep things in perspective. And a lot of what's really important and that was really what was important to me. It wasn't the after parties it wasn't the opening ceremonies in the village. And I mean those things are great. And I met Muhammad Ali in the village and I mean that was cool things that happened at the games. But ultimately it was just you know being able to have that opportunity to compete and you know try to try to pursue my highest goals for the for my career.

Laura:

[00:15:51] That's awesome. That's awesome. And the next year you got a silver at the World Cup and I think that's when you retired after that, right?

Matt:

[00:15:57] Next year was the World Championships.

Laura:

[00:15:59] World Championships. OK.

Matt:

[00:16:00] And I moved up a weight class because I was almost done. I started fighting right after the Olympics. The games were in early October and I fought early December in the UFC in Japan that year. And I started fighting throughout that year and the World Championships were going to be held in New York City in September of 2001. And so I had a great training camp and I was getting ready to go to the World Championships and somebody crashed some planes into the World Trade Center. And so they cancelled the worlds they postponed it till December. So I had a new training camp and new preparation and really enjoyable process honestly even through what was going on in the world and everything. The fact that I was just having fun and enjoying it because I really at that point didn't care of I made the team. I just wanted to go compete and have fun and I didn't carry all that pressure of wanting to win wanting to win and. I was able to put things in a better perspective. I was a little older. I've already won a medal at the Olympics. I knew what I was capable of doing but I wasn't sure that I knew weight class. I was moving up you know from 76 kilos to 87 kilos. It was quite a jump.

Laura:

[00:17:27] Oh wow. Mm-hmm. That's cool. That's cool. So following that you went kind of full time into UFC staff right? And that was kind of new at that time wasn’t it?

Matt:

[00:17:37] It was pretty new. It was not owned by the current owners at the time. And the current owners you know the Fertitta brothers and Dana White. Those guys weren't involved back then. But after my first fight they had purchased the company and started making some big changes. And you know with a lot of the rules were just coming into place. You know my first fights were there was like three rules no biting no eye gouging and I think you can attack somebody in the groin. And I was like.

Laura:

[00:18:08] And that's it. Those are the only rules.

Matt:

[00:18:10] That was it you know. And as things progressed they started putting in more rules and made it more of a sport. And now it's a worldwide sport.

Laura:

[00:18:19] that's so cool to be part of something like it's inception like that. Well I guess. Why did you decide to be done with wrestling and go into more of this mixed martial arts kind of arena?

Matt:

[00:18:30] The living and an athlete.

Laura:

[00:18:32] I wish you wouldn’t do that. Come on.

Matt:

[00:18:35] There wasn't a lot of prize money in wrestling and you know. You know it's in the name price fighter you know so I was like OK I'm going to go fight for a prize. And I just. I had a different perspective on things it was like Yeah I want to be the best in the world but I also want to make a living doing what I love to do. And that allowed me to do that.

Laura:

[00:18:58] That's awesome. We don't have much of that opportunity in diving like now. A lot of people go into kind of Cirque du Soleil type stuff. That's kind of our diving after they're done with their Olympic runs or their college runs. They're all kind of going into the circus shows now our performances on back of cruise ships and things. It’s kinda crazy.

Matt:

[00:19:16] Make a decent living such thing? Okay.

Laura:

[00:19:17] Well yeah. Well not quite that much I don't think. But they make a living. So yeah I hear you. So now I heard you also were a stunt man in some TV shows and films. Like what was. As an acrobat I've always wanted to do that. I always thought that would be so awesome. Is as cool as I think it is.

Matt:

[00:19:36] Honestly. Yes if you prefer.

Laura:

[00:19:40] Yes! I love hearing that.

Matt:

[00:19:41] I got to do some fight scenes. I had some opportunities to drive cars in New York City when they shut the streets down and use some different things like that on leverage. I did this one show called The tap out job. And it was great because they asked me to actually coordinate the fight scenes throughout. It was a television show that one but I've done some film as well. And I brought a lot of guys from my gym was like oh we need backup guy we need background people hidden bags and in the gym. And you know we need some preliminary fights so you know I got to hire you know a lot of people and coordinate some stuff. But that really was a lot of fun. But I never wanted to be famous. That was never a goal of mine. I enjoyed the work. I enjoyed doing the stunt work and being on camera and be on set. That was fun. But then it was never a goal of mine to be famous. So I just didn't continue to pursue that as much as I probably could have if that was really what I was driven to do. I was still fighting at the time. So it was in between fights. It was just an opportunity to make some extra cash and do some fun and exciting.

Laura:

[00:21:05] Well you did a lot of fun and exciting things. I love how one thing keeps taking you to the next thing and you also took a little dip into politics. So I have to ask was that fighting rougher than like being in the octagon?

Matt:

[00:21:16] Oh my gosh. Politics so annoying. And you know I ran as a conservative and I'm barely a conservative. And I'm leaning way more conservative than I do liberal. But I'm like this like almost anarchist libertarian. I'm like that far right? I'm farther right than most conservatives but in a more freedom kind of way. So it was interesting. I won a primary a very heated primary. And the thing was you know they didn't have anybody running for my seat in my district. And I was running for a State House seat. And so the last day of filing I've put my name on the computer and I started getting all these calls like why are you doing this? Who are you? What do you do? I was like well I'm going to represent my community and my people and what we got.

Laura:

[00:22:12] So was this not really like thought through? Like you just kind of on a whim nobody's running I should run or haven’t thought about this?

Matt:

[00:22:17] It was my strength coach and I we talked about it for months. Like you know I wonder if anybody's going to fill that seat. You know like you know and then like that morning after a workout I went home got on my computer and registered to run for the seat. And then all of a sudden they're like oh we've got somebody. I said well that's great if you got somebody you know let me out and I'll support them if I get on board. But you know I wasn't into I don't know how to put this any other way. But you know that the opponent was running against me was really pro-abortion. And that was kind of one of my big issues was I'm pro-life I'm very pro-life. So that was a hard thing for me to get over I said I can't support this individual and I'm going to have to try to run against her. So I did that and then I lost the general election on a two point margin.

Laura:

[00:23:22] Wow.

Matt:

[00:23:22] Yeah I did my whatever into politics a little bit.

Laura:

[00:23:30] Well I love that you stand up for what you believe in and you are not afraid of a fight whether it's in the ring or in the office. That's awesome. I love it.

Matt:

[00:23:37] You left out my probably my most favorite sport that I took up after this. You know what it was?

Laura:

[00:23:42] Oh no. What?

Matt:

[00:23:45] I raised professionally Whitewater.

Laura:

[00:23:48] Whitewater. OK. How did that happen?

Matt:

[00:23:51] OK. This is a great story because I have a gym. I have a martial arts school in Portland and it's also a fitness center. And this team of Whitewater racers asked me if I would donate some space for them to train in the offseason. While they couldn't do whitewater training if they could get in my gym and do strength and conditioning. And so I gave them some space and some time. We have a pretty big martial arts studio we have like two different mat rooms. Like we can have a kickboxing class going on in one room and a jiu jitsu or grappling class and the other and then I have a fitness area. And our fitness classes run 4 or 5 and 6 and so our martial arts classes go till like 9:00 o'clock at night. So I gave the the raft team my space and said Yeah come on in we're still training and nobody's in the fitness area you guys can use that. And then they invited me to go watch a race and then they convinced me to get in the boat with on that day and.

Laura:

[00:24:56] Of course. I'm guessing you are not hard to convince.

Matt:

[00:24:59] No no no. I was like I lost my whitewater sir. Let's go. And then the next weekend I start racing with that team. And I won seven regional titles which is the western region. Which is like basically the entire West Coast Washington, California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana that whole area where there is water.

Laura:

[00:25:25] And so how long had you been doing it when you started winning all the titles?

Matt:

[00:25:29] I got on a really good team and we just started winning but we never won the nationals we were second one year in third twice.

Laura:

[00:25:41] Man! So is this why you were coaching full time so you weren't still also fighting or were you still.

Matt:

[00:25:47] Still fighting MMA.

Laura:

[00:25:48] Of course you were.

Matt:

[00:25:49] And I was coaching and I had a ranch with 16 horses and.

Laura:

[00:25:57] Wow. And I'm starting to think your wife must be pretty incredible too. To like hold down the fort and the kids and everything else. I'm sure.

Matt:

[00:26:06] My wife is amazing she she surprises me every day you know with her. Just her kindness and generosity and her love and we're just down Oregon for the holidays. We live in Colorado Springs now because I'm the national coach for the Greco-Roman Olympic team. And my kids they still live in Oregon. They're 24 and 26 now. We went back there to visit our kids and my wife's father's dying and. He's just not a not a nice person at all and never was a great father but she is like an amazing daughter. Like she was just out there every other day we were driving two hours to the coast. And she was taking care of his affairs and his nurses and his hospice and his bills. And just being patient and kind and loving and I was just. She just impressed me more and more every day. So yeah she is a wonderful person. And you need that kind of support when you're whatever you're doing in life. I mean whatever you want to achieve in life you need somebody that's a partner with you and can help you navigate the rough waters.

Laura:

[00:27:20] Definitely. Definitely. And now like you mentioned you are now the head Team USA wrestling coach since like 2014 right?

Matt:

[00:27:28] Yes I took the job in 2014 right before the World Championships. And now I served on one Olympics in Rio and that was a lot of fun. But we didn't come back with any medals that year. And last year we got a silver medal at the World Championships and we've got two other bronze medals from one individual. And now it's a lot of team building. I mean you're dealing with. You've dealt with a lot of young men that they're not you know like they don't trust people they don't. Because I think there's this a huge father crisis. I just think there's a lot of dads that have abandoned these young men and they're like tough guys. But they're really not tough. The tough men on the mats but in life they just have a lot of difficulties because they don't trust people. They don't know how to be loved because they've never been loved necessarily and they don't know you know just as. It's hard. It’s hard working with some of these young guys nowadays. Because there's a lot of guys that just come from these broken families. And they all seem to end up in the sport of wrestling or MMA.

Laura:

[00:28:49] Alright. Well I guess it's a good outlet that way at least. But I mean do you find yourself when you're coaching. Is it more than technique and stuff that you're having to work on their their hearts and their minds more?

Matt:

[00:28:59] That's exactly what you know that was part of the reason I wanted to take our guys down to Mexico to build homes with the hope sports. And I just want to understand that they're more than just an athlete. They’re you know there are people that are valued. They’re you know God loves them and. But it's you know it's tough to share that message you know all the time with guys. You just gonna do it by example and by showing them that you care about them. But yeah we work on a lot of character strength stuff. We have a lot of different times where we're meeting about this camp that's coming up. I mean we identified five areas that my athletes identified. I know I put them in a room and I sat him down and I put them into small groups I said come back. You know there's got to be some things that we can get better as a team. And I'm not talking about wrestling I'm not talking about conditioning or skills or techniques. I'm talking about what do we need to get better as a team and our athletes did a really good job identifying the five areas. And one of them was first of all was communication. And then it was trust and respect for a sense of urgency, professionalism, and image. Because they know that they're not always doing the right things. So we talk about these things but it's like we've got to leave these things and we've got to day in day out. And so we're working on some things this camp that's coming up. Every day has got a different theme. One day is communication and we're going to have morning briefings we're gonna have the evening meetings. And in the middle of the day we're going to train wrestling.

Laura:

[00:30:40] Mm-hmm. That's great. So I guess you're working with the coaches too on hitting kind of those those things as well is that right?

Matt:

[00:30:47] Yes.

Laura:

[00:30:48] Awesome. Well and I love on your Web site. As I was stalking you for this podcast. That's what my favorite things to do with really cool people. You had this really cool blog post titled A coach's prayer. And I love your heart to serve and to raise up your athletes and your kids I imagine. It's just awesome. And so since we're on this podcast you know we strive to get to kind of the heart of purpose in people's lives either through or beyond their performance. And I'd love you to address that specifically for us? Like how do you help the athletes that you coach or the coaches that you coach even? Like know that their identities not just wrapped up in their results at the end of the competition. Like how do you help them find that purpose beyond their performance?

Matt:

[00:31:28] Well I think a lot of those. You know every year since I've been the coach we go out to Oregon for our base camp. After the team is made I'll get the guys recovering for a week and resting up. And then we were gonna say like we're going to jumpstart things with conditioning. So I tell him we're going to go out and do a lot of strength conditioning we're not going to do a lot of mat work going to stay off the mat. But during those times you know we go take him whitewater rafting you know. I take him out in nature and we would do hikes. I mean I just think it's so important to get out and see what God created and just be in his. Because most of my athletes are urban men. They come from you know Chicago and New York and you know bigger cities. And so it's a really unique experience to get them out there. And I just had Ellis Coleman one of my athletes and his wife over for dinner and as his young daughter she's three and. I mean it's just I think it's just those type of things you know building relationships with your athletes one on one, small groups, small teams. But you know I mean as a national team coach I mean I've got 30 guys that are on national team. So it's hard to have those one on ones when you have those camps. So you've got to Ellis lives and down and I just invite them over a couple weeks ago. It’s like Hey what day it is when I come over dinner it's like I'm looking forward to this. Great! You know? And so it's stuff like that I mean I bought some lawn furniture that came from amazon I had to put it together. It is like Ikea put together stuff.

Laura:

[00:33:08] Oh yes. Like everything in our house.

Matt:

[00:33:11] This is basically like Ikea lawn furniture. You know I asked one of my guys you know hey you come over and I hand them a little screws. And he's putting them in and we're just having conversations. It's finding those times just where it's not scheduled is not planned. It's just you know how we put my furniture together come over for dinner. You know let's go for a hike. It's those things. And I did take a small group down in Mexico and that was great. And they got to see me interact with my daughter and her boyfriend. And every year when we go to camp in Oregon my daughter comes over. And they she brings the board games and we have a board game night with the team. And those things are really important. I think they go a long ways.

Laura:

[00:34:04] Yeah definitely. And I know you mentioned the hope sports builds a couple of times. If you guys aren't familiar with that hope sports is a great organization. They bring down athletes to build homes for the poor in Mexico. And it's really cool because you do this amazing thing for this family who you know has nothing. And it's just going to really completely change their lives their children's lives everything. But it impacts the athletes so much and a different type of relationship is built a different outlook on life is built. And it's just huge and I love that you took your whole team out there because that's an amazing way to bond as a team going through such a life changing experience together like that.

Matt:

[00:34:39] Yeah. And I do. I mean I love whitewater rafting you know and I don't take these guys down when I go down. But you know I'll get them out on a class three run and it will splash and giggle and have fun and you know. So I mean these guys like I said these guys they're most of them are scared of stuff like that. They're fearful. They're frightened. And going through life scared as is would have to be difficult. It would have to be really hard. I don't know why there's so much fear in young men these days. But I try to fix that somehow by creating these different opportunities to where they have to face their fears. Every time you challenge yourself you get stronger and you get less fearful of whatever it is. I think all those things carry over life.

Laura:

[00:35:33] I think you just hit the nail on the head. I think to face a fear that's outside of maybe your sport or where you during all the time is a great way to begin to learn how to do that. Because I've met so many people who try to put their fears off and pretend they don't exist and push them away. But then it just it's almost like it gets bigger you know. But when you face it and you deal with it and you begin to confront it it loses its power right. And so I think what you do is brilliant. Like getting them kind of over that and maybe something outside of their normal realms. So they learn that they can face these things like can overcome these things. Because you can't be brave unless you're first afraid. Right? I mean we're not fearless we're terrified people but we choose to be brave and like confront that. I think that's awesome.

Matt:

[00:36:11] Yeah. And you know we climb a couple of 14 hours here in Colorado that for the listeners that's a 14000 foot mountain. And I think there's like 50 of them and we've done a couple real easy ones you know. But I've had these guys talk about you know like I started the character development leadership and character development show on YouTube. So I'm doing a podcast as well. And it's on my coach Matt Lindland YouTube channel. But you know and that was really. I did that because one of the guys said coach you'd never give us a leadership training. I was like OK let's see. I sent you out to the Marines for their leadership training course. When I walked to the top of a 14000 ft mountain together with me leading the way the whole way let's say. And I just kept going through these things. But you know what I'll do more stuff for you than help you with leadership. And that's what we're going to tackle in this next week coming up in our camp. Is we're going to talk about some some different ways to become a leader. And I think those five areas that are athletes identified are five areas that we can really hone in on and develop leadership through those areas for sure.

Laura:

[00:37:23] Oh yeah. Be great. Well, where can we follow you online to kind of continue to be inspired and encouraged. And led by you because you're just awesome.

Matt:

[00:37:33] MLinland just @mlindland. My first initial last name on Instagram. That's part of the one that I can deal with the most. But I think the best thing would be in coach Matt Lindland YouTube channel. That's where I'm doing a leadership show. I'm putting up some clips.

Laura:

[00:37:49] So awesome. I'll make sure to link all those things in the show notes so people can find you there. But I do have to ask you one thing before we go. You've tried so many different things. Have you ever jumped off a 10 meter platform?

Matt:

[00:38:00] Yeah of course.

Laura:

[00:38:01] OK. Well good. So we can do synchro now.

Matt:

[00:38:03] I did. OK. So I did it. I did it gainer off it.

Laura:

[00:38:06] Oh you see. I love it. Not only do you jump you do a gainer off of it. This is awesome.

Matt:

[00:38:11] Then I did a full game where I landed on my feet. Then I was like OK I'm going to do a one and a half. And I landed on my side and lost like all my life. Puerto Rico at the Olympic Training Center in Puerto Rico. You ever get that one.

Laura:

[00:38:28] No I haven't.

Matt:

[00:38:29] Oh my gosh it was. I barely got to the side of the pool because I couldn't breathe. But not quite went out but yeah. And then in Lincoln when my first year as a coach it was so fun. I'll tell you the story and then we'll go. So there's the platform up there in Lincoln in their pool. And so I got one of those folding mats that you know like the gym issues and they fold?

Laura:

[00:38:53] Oh no. Did you set up a slip and slide?

Matt:

[00:38:55] Aaaah! You know what it is!

Laura:

[00:38:58] Of course of 10 meter?

Matt:

[00:39:00] Oh yeah!

Laura:

[00:39:01] Oh nice. So what did you. Did you just dive or did you flip?

Matt:

[00:39:04] Oh yeah. We did everything. We got. You could get a up way across the pool side of that 10 meter. And the security guard pulls me in the next day and said Matt we need to talk. Because he pulls me in his office he shows me the video he goes my eyes only no worry.

Laura:

[00:39:26] Oh my God. OK. Next time I come up to Colorado Springs I'm calling you. And we are going diving together or you're taking me whitewater rafting or climbing a mountain or something.

Matt:

[00:39:35] Let me know. I would love to take you down the Royal Gorge. I've got a boat here. I've got a I've got a raft. I got a couple of kayaks and.

Laura:

[00:39:42] I'm not going to lie. I would probably be scared but I think it would be awesome.

Matt:

[00:39:45] It is scary. And like you can do it. It's the most rafting section in America. Everybody does it. But. Not everybody does it my style.

Laura:

[00:39:58] Well I'm sure that would be exciting. So I will take you up on that hopefully one day soon. That's really cool. Well Matt thank you so much for coming on for sharing all your wisdom, your heart with us, your stories. We really appreciate it.

Matt:

[00:40:10] My pleasure thank you so much.

Laura:

[00:40:13] Isn't he just incredible. I mean aside from all the things that I learned about his career I think it's just amazing how through all of it he remains unwaveringly committed to the character and leadership development of his team. To be so accomplished yet to still have the humility to find his worth and his integrity. It's just amazing. So many thanks to Matt for joining us today and I hope you get a chance to check out his youtube channel. Coach Matt Lindland. Matt is doing amazing things in the leadership development of athletes and he just has so much wisdom about how we not only grow as competitors but as people. Looking to improve their athletic performance with purpose? I'm offering a free live masterclass where I'll teach you how to improve your athletic performance without spending more hours in the gym. If you're ready for change and you want to take your performance to the next level then I want you to go and sign up at LauraWilkinson.com/masterclass. That's LauraWilkinson.com/masterclass to sign up for my free live masterclass on improving your athletic performance. I'll see you there. Be sure to join us next week as we have Olympic sprinter and bobsledder Lauren Williams joining us. On behalf of hope sports. I'm Laura Wilkinson. Thanks again for tuning in and have a great week. This podcast is produced by Evo Terra and simpler media. For more information on Hope sports and access the complete archives please visit HopeSports.org.

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About This Episode

David Boudia started his athletic career as a gymnast. Although he progressed quickly and showed potential, by age 11 he was already looking for something different. When a friend won diving lessons at an auction and invited him along, he didn’t expect that after just a few dives he would be hooked. It only took a few years before his Olympics dreams began to seem tangible in platform diving. He worked harder than ever before and, in every area of life, had goals to be the best, be known, and be favored.

At only 19, Boudia was bronze at the World Championships and made the 2008 Olympic team. He set the bar even higher for himself - he was fixated on gold. Unfortunately, he took 5th in synchronized diving and completely bombed his individual competition. He went home disillusioned with the whole experience. The Olympics hadn’t produced a medal, glory, or the fulfillment that he craved. He had dedicated every day for twelve years to that experience and came home empty handed and disheartened.

That fall he started at Purdue University and scoured his existence for something to fill the void inside. He chased popularity, partied excessively, and drank heavily, but none of it brought him peace of mind. After a year and a half, Boudia fell into such a deep depression that, at one point, he considered ending his own life. He turned to a friend who recommended approaching his coach, Adam Soldati and his wife, Kimiko. David went to them looking for tactics to beat depression and a clear strategy out of his current state, but instead, he was surprised that they expressed simply support for him at this stage. His self-destructive, self-centered behavior had, in his words, “brought me to the end of the pursuit of myself.” With their mentorship, he began a journey back to faith in God. He grew up “using” God for things he needed or wanted, but that he always placed himself at the center of his world. He began asking questions about his purpose: if life isn’t about my glory and always winning, then what is it about? As he reevaluated his priorities, sports started to take a back seat and almost seemed pointless. He considered quitting so that he could dedicate himself to serving others more practically, but realized, that his abilities could actually become a platform for him to share openly about how his faith saved him.

He went back to to the sport a changed person. “I wanted to be different around the pool deck,” shares Boudia. He continued training and competing, but viewed it as an arena to serve others, be a mentor, and have fun. The 2012 Olympic Games “were a roller coaster,” he tells Laura. “When you’re low, you have to learn to ride back up. And when you’re on top, you have to learn to stay grounded.” He won bronze in synchronized diving and went into the preliminaries for the individual event ranked second in the world. But he completely botched his dive and barely scraped through to the semi-finals, snagging the very last qualifying spot. He focused on his mental game, put his pride in check, and reminded himself that regardless of the outcome, he could walk away proud of his performance. With his perspective in line, content no matter the result, he stepped on to the platform and rose from last place to win gold in the individual event.

Despite the fact that his happiness no longer hinged on winning a medal, it was a dream come true. Keeping to his word, David used his victory to share his faith with others. He released a book entitled Greater Than Gold that chronicles his personal redemption as well as his professional one. Before the 2016 Olympics he got married and welcomed his first daughter, Dakoda. He learned to be a husband and a father while being a competitor and a mentor. Discovering passions and purpose in areas outside of diving brought him to Rio de Janiero feeling even more grounded, confident, and prepared. He walked away, proudly, with bronze and silver medals. After welcoming his second daughter, Boudia took some time off from the sport and worked in real estate. It didn’t take long for the itch of competition to return. Soon in to training, however, he experienced an accident on what he considered a comfortable, standard dive and was sent to the emergency room. He was forced to reevaluate the emotional and mental load he was carrying as he tried to be a husband, father, provider, and competitor.

In June of 2018, he chose to walk away from the 10m platform and focus on the 3m springboard. He hasn’t competed in this event since a short stint in 2014, but the shift has rejuvenated his love of the sport and heart to mentor younger teammates. The Boudia’s will welcome their third child in April of 2019 and he is excited to see his family and athletic aspirations grow at the same time. Regardless of how his 3m career compares to that of his years on the platform, David knows that he dives for God’s glory and not his own.

To keep up with David follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_toggle admin_label="Transcript" title="Read Episode Transcript" _builder_version="3.19.18"]

Laura:

[00:00:06] Welcome to the hope sports podcast where each week we are chatting with elite athletes about their pursuit of purpose beyond their sport. I'm your host Olympic gold medalist Laura Wilkinson. This week I'm especially excited to have a fellow diver on the show here with us. I feel like I've watched David but I grow up in the sport as our careers overlapped. I competed alongside him in his first Olympic Games and then I interviewed him on the pool deck after his fourth Olympic medal. David is an incredibly decorated platform diver many would say he's already a legend and he's earned eleven Olympic and world medals in his career. But his journey isn't over and it hasn't always been easy. Today he opens up about his battle with depression. The mentors who helped him through it and the mental shift that got not only his career but his life back on track. If this conversation resonates with you and you're looking to dig deeper into exploring purpose and performance then I have a really great resource for you that I'll tell you more about after we hear from David. I'm so glad you're here. Now let's dive on it.

[00:01:04] Welcome David Boudia! I'm so excited to have another diving athlete onto the Hope Sports Podcast.

David:

[00:01:10] Hey Laura thanks for allowing me to be on it and I'm excited to jam with you.

Laura:

[00:01:15] I love your background by the way to a little Beijing Olympic poster there. Yeah. Now as we were on that team together so.

David:

[00:01:21] We were. We were.

Laura:

[00:01:23] Bringing back memories there. Well now not everyone in our audience is divers like we are. So give us a little bit of your background so we can be familiar with you because I know you didn't just start out in diving. So how is your sports beginning?

David:

[00:01:33] So sports beginning was more of the dream of going to the Olympics so 96 I wanted to watch. I was watching the Olympic Games. And that's something I wanted to do. So I was involved with a lot of different sports and gymnastics was a big one. So it kind of is what ignited the dream. That's the highest teaching me you can do in that sport morphed over time in 2000 or 2001 I began diving and from that point it was kind of a transition from gymnastics to diving. And now this dream can become a reality in this sport. After four years doing it.

Laura:

[00:02:16] Well how did you switch from gymnastics to diving? How'd that work out?

David:

[00:02:20] It was more of a burnt out in gymnastics so I went from 5 to 11 years old and did a lot of gymnastics and.

Laura:

[00:02:29] You're pretty good were you?

David:

[00:02:31] It wasn't bad. For 11 years old I don't know what's good what's bad. But I was able to I had body awareness I was acrobatic and I was progressing in those levels quickly. But it was just I did it too much and I was looking for something else. So actually one of my friends their parents bought diving lessons in an auction and they knew I was looking for something else. The friend said Hey why don't you come with me and join along and I started with one little trial and I I started doing it a little bit more and I fell in love with the sport.

Laura:

[00:03:04] Well that's cool. I love that. So just buy some lessons at an auction and you never know you might tear your dream there.

David:

[00:03:10] You don't. You never know.

Laura:

[00:03:12] That's cool. Well in your book which we're going to get to a little bit later but I just finished reading it so I'm very excited about that. You mentioned that you're a pretty active child and a pretty mischievous child. So I want to give your parents Sheila and Jim a big hug next time I see them. But what were you. Were you the instigator of all this trouble?

David:

[00:03:30] Well first I can't tell you how many times I've apologized to my parents. Like Man Mom Dad I'm so sorry. You know it's funny I have a 4year old little girl named Koda. And I can see like glimpses of me and then I'm like trying to shut down like assassinate and sort the end it. But God bless my parents. But I don't know it was kind of a friend group and so everyone played off of each other and. You know the human nature at heart is corrupt. And so. I didn't know God at that time. And when I was growing up this was something my friends did. This is something that I thought was normal and I enjoyed it. So I think Cindy's is fun in the season right. But at that time that was everything that I live for. I wanted to be that popular guy I wanted to be good looking and I wanted everyone to think that I had it all together. So to do that I would give in to peer pressure I put peer pressure on somebody else. And it turned out to you know there weren't total train wrecks but there were just little pieces that turned into some destructiveness later on life.

Laura:

[00:04:41] Gotcha! Gotcha! Well, I remember you as a little rug rat back in the 2004 Olympic trials. And then at the 2005 world championships. Because I was too at the end of my career and you were just kind of coming on the scene. But by 2008 I mean you were 19. You were you know you're kind of getting it together. You won a World Cup bronze medal earlier that year and then you made that Olympic team. So kind of take me through what that experience was like? Because I thought you were kind of you know an outside you’re a young guy but I thought you were an outside shot at a medal for us. So kind of take us through your very first Olympic experience.

David:

[00:05:15] Yeah. So it kind of more so I guess like you said in 2004 that was kind of the maybe ignition to this dream could become reality get to the games. And there was no pressure at that trials because there was no expectation of myself from anybody including myself. But I merge onto the scene international scene in 2005 and then it kind of took off there. And I looked back and every single year leading up to those 2008 Games I progressively started to work harder. I progressively started to look at my mental game as something that was crucial. And started to see progress and competition and finally got to the 2008 Games. And this was a possibility to medal so why am I shooting so low on just trying to make the Olympic games why don't I shoot to possibly winning an Olympic medal. And at the Games it came close and synchronized I was fifth with my senior partner Thomas Nelson like 10 points from Silver. Maybe 3-5 points from bronze and it tastes good. I loved it. I craved it and so I was hopeful glowing in individuals and then individual I just was a total bust.

[00:06:27] So finished and did not perform anywhere close to my ability and I think that's what looking back after those games I think that's why I went bankrupt with a couple of things. I didn't live up to what my potential was so I did not reach the greatest attention but I knew I could. And a second I bought into the lie of this is going to fulfill me on every single level of who I am. So I have success at the Olympic Games. That's going to bring everything that I've ever wanted in life. That pursuit of happiness is going to be built.

Laura:

[00:07:00] Well so I guess yeah. And from there I mean you went to Purdue you started going University at Purdue and I guess that carried into a kind of a sound like a bit of a depression. And like a lack of purpose like kind of walk us through that. So you didn't realize all those dreams like what is that like walking that out?

David:

[00:07:18] It's kind of like what you said it led to depression. And I think it's very common with the Olympic athletes. I don't know if it's spoken about enough and people are aware of it. But you get off of this high roller coaster where you're exalted above everything else. Where you are the man or the woman in that particular week of the Olympic Games. And it's something that you crave it's what you want more after we came home from the games just kind of like that door shut. And I looked around like that was it? Everything that I've wanted from my 7years old to 19 when I made my personal big gains was evolved around this experience of the Olympic Games. And once I walked through at those kinds of an eye-opener. No this can't. This can't be right. This can't be where the purpose is found. And so I left with a mouthful of sand with the hope that it would bring me something better. But that's what it left me went into my college trying to just push this side like oh that’s no big deal I got another 4 years. And went hard on the college scene trying to make friends. Trying to be the popular guy again and heavily drinking. And just these little things that I thought would fulfill me and they did for a while. Until it was just wasn't satisfying anymore. So it led to some deep depression and I could not have been at a better place to go through depression than that Purdue University.

Laura:

[00:08:50] Why is that?

David:

[00:08:51] There's a particular coach here name Adam Soldati and his wife Kimiko Soldati. And at the time I think I would mock Christianity. For me, my religious background is kind of like I need something God so I'm coming to you and I want you to give it to me now. And I'll do some good things that are on the side. And then when things are going well I'm going to put you back up on the shelf. And so I was trying to play God and started to realize like this wasn't working. And Adam Kimiko who Adam is my coach just lived something differently and it was enticing. I looked at his life. I looked at their life and it wasn't like they had it all together. It was they have something different that I don’t have. And eventually after a year of college at Purdue University I started to fall deep into depression to the point of wanting to commit suicide. And you think of that like that's crazy. You went throughout the games you've had so many accomplishments you have a family that loves you and affirms you and encourages you. Like how did you get to that point? And think when you bowed down to something that is never gonna fulfill you eternally it leaves you bankrupt leaves you without a purpose. And so the thought freaked me out. I immediately contacted another diver that I saw that same change in and she recommended that I speak to Adam.

[00:10:20] The next day I went over to Soldatis and it was kind of this going into like ah this is gonna be great. They're gonna give me this like quick fix that's gonna get this go get it, David. That pursued this first Olympic Games back up on its feet. And things are gonna be great and they did the total opposite. They were talking about how they were super encouraged and excited that I was at this point in my life and I'd like you are absurd. I'm depressed. I'm miserable. Nothing. I think my life is going the way that I wanted to. And you're saying that you're excited that I'm in at this point my life. And looking back at it now I would say that to anybody on that point because you're coming to the pursuit or the end of the pursuit of yourself. And from that point, they began to teach me what my purpose was what. I was created for. And it was kind of just eye-opening. I grew up in the church but it was like something I haven't heard before because my eyes are blind. My ears were plugged and that was just not something that quite frankly I wanted to hear because things were going well. After that, I started to investigate this myself and I started to see the Bible for what it was. Evidence of who God was and his promise and love story of Jesus. And since 2009 my life has been completely changed from who I was at 19.

Laura:

[00:11:53] Oh that's so beautiful. And I have to say just knowing Kimiko and personally Kimiko used to be a teammate of mine. And she's actually the matron of honor and my wedding and Adam coached alongside my coach Kenny Armstrong. So I love them dearly and it's not surprising to me at all that they did that. But I loved hearing it from your side and getting the full story is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. So what happened after that? I mean you kept diving and you're going for another Olympics like was your head in a totally different place? Well, I mean what was that like? I mean things must have changed.

David:

[00:12:25] It's interesting that once I came to know who Christ was and accepted him into our lives and just acknowledge that. I'm living a life that's only centered around David. Recognizing my rebellion against him. Recognizing that he came to take that place so that I can have a union relationship with God. It looked completely different. So I was like I was learning life again. And initially when I found the purpose of my purpose is to pursue God and to love him. And through that I'm able to look at others and how I can serve and love them and so that was foreign to me. It was almost meaningless. My sport was almost meaningless. I remember going into practice just after this conversion or my new life of in Christ started and I was like What's this? This is pointless. Like what am I. Why am I diving? Why. I need to be doing something else for the gospel for Jesus and.

Laura:

[00:13:21] It’s like a complete 180.

David:

[00:13:23] It was. And it was interesting. It was David as a baby again. And I had to learn how to live life. I had to learn how to reorganize my thoughts that wasn't centered around what David was syncing but it was centered around what God was syncing. And we can do that through his word in the Bible but. So it was a big transition. It was a lot of sitting down with Adam and Kimiko who just mentored me through that disciple me through it. So going into kind of that first year was a whirlwind of how do I function. How do I live a life that's pleasing to God? I'm not saying I've figured it out but I've started to learn just different attributes of God and what God sees as pleasing. And so that morphed into I can use my sport as a platform to show his glory. And that's not to say God's going to let me win. I very well think that God is able to put you in a position to win in order that he can get the glory. But just my contentment level was different. I had more of peace. I wasn't anxious all the time. But I started to see that diving can be used as a position where I can promote the name of Christ. And just be different around the pool deck. In that perspective change was dramatically different in 2008 and I think really it just changed my whole experience in 2012.

Laura:

[00:14:53] Well so tell us about 2012. I mean you have this kind of second chance you're like a new person. But it didn't exactly start off. I don't think the way you were planning or expecting.

David:

[00:15:04] Yeah. So 2012 was I think every Olympics and I think you can attest to this. Every Olympics or every big experience is a rollercoaster. And something I learned in 2008 is he had to learn how to ride that rollercoaster. So just like life just like the Olympic Games. It's it's a rollercoaster and learning how to when you're down low how to ride that backup. But when you're on that high how do you stay grounded. But having the experience from 2008 I went into the 2012 games the best shape of my entire life diving the best that I've ever dove before. And just the perspective that I've changed and so I was hopeful going into those games. And right off the bat Nick McCroryand I my secret partner we won bronze. So I won my first Olympic medal ever and was ecstatic. I was over the moon and then it was this flip of a switch like all right I got one more event to let's keep this going. Went into the prelims ranked second in the world going into the Olympic Games. One of the prelims and totally that just barely made it 18th place going in the semifinals. But I live to fight another day.

Laura:

[00:16:15] And only 18 people make it in the semis too. See you were the last spot to make it into the next round.

David:

[00:16:20] The last qualifying spot. But I. Honest I look back on that I like man that's that's a tremendous amount of grace. Because at that moment God is allowing me to fight again tomorrow to see what else I can accomplish for his kingdom. But also to he was it was kind of like a wakeup call. Like I wanted this prelims kind of with this old David thinking in 2008 like I'm just going to dominate. I'm going to obliterate my competition and I had this narrow focus of this is David's path this is everything he's ever wanted let's get in there and accomplish it and he shook me up. He made me realize that I was going into this sort of thinking and I'm super thankful that it happened. I don't want to walk through it again. But it was a wakeup call that I needed. But going into the next day it with that perspective change I kind of just got in the rhythm. I worked with Adam a lot on just what my thinking looked like. You know I think a lot of times it's easy to get into competition the more It's easy to get in the thick of life. And starting to listen to what your mind is saying to yourself. And that's a scary place to be when you start listening to what your thoughts are saying. To the sense of if you start listening then you're going to live by how you feel all the time.

[00:17:40] And one of the things I had a start to do is combat that instead of listening I need to talk to myself I need to speak the truth and the lies that I'm believing constantly both in competition and outside of the pool. But I took my thoughts captive and went on a path where you know at the end of this it was interesting a really good friend pastor at our church and disciple me a little bit. He put it in great perspective. I was extremely nervous going into the finals and he like David what is there to worry about. And I was like what do you mean? I'm going in front of millions of people diving in the biggest competition that I will ever dive in and you're asking me what is there to worry about. He was like well God's already walked through this year he knows the end of this chapter. This particular event what you get to do is go into this Olympic final and be a vehicle for his glory. And it was like man it's something so simple and so small but it was just a huge wisdom bomb that I held on to. And I think because of that encouragement along with Adam and his perspective changed from the day before. You know if it turned out great.

Laura:

[00:18:54] I would say so.

David:

[00:18:55] That's not going to happen every time. But I'm thankful to be sitting here being named as an Olympic champion. Something that you can attest to as well.

Laura:

[00:19:04] Well and I love it. I got a chance to sit there and watch you. I was in London with NBC and I kind of snuck into the event. Was sitting behind the booth watching and it was very cool. And I love hearing the story behind it now. But just seeing it in action it reminded me a lot of when I was in Sydney at my first Olympics when I went to. But it was just cool to watch somebody else walk that out and now know the story behind it. It’s just so beautiful. I just appreciate you opening up and sharing all that with us.

David:

[00:19:32] It's an incredible moment that I'll get to cherish for the rest of my life.

Laura:

[00:19:36] It's so cool. So tell us about your book Greater Than Gold From Olympic: Heartbreak To Ultimate Redemption. Because I just got done reading it and it's awesome and I want people to know about it.

David:

[00:19:45] So the book came out right before the 2016 games. It's exactly what it says in the titles. It illustrates my life some of the heartbreak to the ultimate redemption of not Earthly redemption but eternal redemption. So I look at this book as a tool to be able to share and be vulnerable with my life for who I was. And how drastically and how alive God's Word and His gospel can move someone's life. From someone who is dead and living only for himself and Dowling down to idols other than God. And showing what that looks like with all these bumps in the road and coming out still with hope and still with peace. Still with contentment and all these things that are super sweet gifts from God. When you live for him and live for your purpose by him.

Laura:

[00:20:44] Yes that's great. And it's not the whole story to me. You do talk a lot about your relationship with Sonnie your wife now. And that kind of happened between London and Rio you married Sonnie and you have sweet little Dakoda. And so I'm guessing going into Rio which is not in your book because this came out before Rio. But I'm guessing that Rio was a little bit different experience. Your third games I mean each one of your games seems like a totally separate experience. So what was Rio like compared to London?

David:

[00:21:12] Like you said totally different. So 2008 I was just David solo and only had a.

Laura:

[00:21:18] David solo that has a nice ring to it.

David:

[00:21:21] Yeah. In 2012 I was now engaged to my soon to be wife Sonnie in 2016. Fast forward 4years I'm now married for 4years and have a 2year old daughter. So you can live or attest to this as well where the all experience is different when you have that different life-changing stages. But I would say 2016 was a huge learning curve. I was learning how to be married. You see marriage on Hallmark cards or Hollywood movies that's just complete bliss. Amazingness. And Sonnie would sit next to me and say the first six to eight months was not last. You put two people in the same house together and with all their baggage and there's conflict. So we had to learn how to live life together and realize. I'll tell you just a little wisdom nugget that I've started to learn through a man named Paul “Triple H”. I started to believe what he said when he said I'm the biggest problem in my relationship. When I started to actually live by that I started to see like you know Sonnie's problem is huge but it's not as big as mine. And so kind of the principal Matthew 7 talks about take the speck. Don't take the speck out of your spouses or that your friend's eye. Why don’t you look at the log in your own eye? But you know.

[00:22:50] Anyways. It was a learning experience. I had a daughter named Dakoda. And again just a learning experience so we had to learn how to do life as a married couple as a family as mom and dad. And I look at the 2016 Games and honestly I look at it and I'm like I think I'm way more prepared than any of my competitors going into this game. They're worried about training. I'm worried about training but also how to be married and how to change a diaper and be exhausted with having a newborn. So I go into these 2016 games like fired up like this is exciting for me. Again I'm in the best shape even better than I was in London. Dives everything but one dive is going extremely well. And I was fired up and I grew my walk with God a little more had some more wisdom. And going into those games I look back and it's I would. There's not a lot of things I would relive in my life but going into the 2016 Games I would relive.

Laura:

[00:24:01] That’s cool. That's why you came away with a bronze and a silver medal from Rio which is awesome. You've got four Olympic medals. That is just awesome. You became our diving legend. Now after Rio you took some time off deciding whether you're going to retire or move on. I know you got a real estate a little bit. You had a second daughter but ultimately you decided that you were coming back. But in this past February, you took a pretty bad crash. Can you tell us kind of what happened here? And I know that kind of has changed the whole focus of your story going forward. So please tell us about that.

David:

[00:24:36] So we introduced our second daughter Mila into the world just after those 2016 games. And initially I was done and I just started getting this itch and wanting to go back into the sport. And so I sat on that for a while about six months and decided all right this is what we should pursue again after a lot of counsel from the circle that's around me. And then I started getting back into full time on the platform. At the same time, I was doing real estate carrying a heavy load with a lot of clients which I wasn't expecting. I was expecting to kind of dabble around have a slow start into it. And it took off in February 2018.

Laura:

[00:25:14] It’s a good problem.

David:

[00:25:16] It is. It was. But February of this year in 2018 I went up to the platform was doing my stable dive. The dive that I was the best at. The dive I felt most comfortable with. And a dive that I depended on the competition because I knew that it could bring me back into contention to be top three took off. Normally I see three things and that's one spot, two spots, three spots? This one it was like I saw the world spinning on his axis like everything was spinning fast missed spots and landed. First on my face and then the rest on my stomach went to the ER afterward to make sure everything was OK and most of the pain was not on my head. So I took a couple of days when I realized you know my face is pretty bruised but I kind of shrugged it off. I took about a week off and went back into the sport. But looking back on that there was a lot of different variables with it. I was carrying a heavy load with working with 14 clients in real estate.

[00:26:25] I was trying to juggle being a husband and a father of two girls. I was trying to get into the sport again. And on top of that, I was sick. So I had this cloud a sinus infection and you know this thing happened. All those came together and it gave me a good wakeup call. So just like I said there are little things in your life that they don't seem great at the time but they are kind of that cliché a blessing in disguise. Because it started to show me that you know this one I'm going into the sport kind of with that mentality in 2008. And also to you know maybe my platform career is done. And it wasn't until June after this a hard few months of dealing with kind of blackouts or dizziness that it wasn't till June that we decided to switch to springboard and pursue that for the next two years.

Laura:

[00:27:20] And so what is that? What is switching to the springboard done for you?

David:

[00:27:23] So going from 10meter platform to three industry on board it's how do I explain this. I've explained it this way before where most of your life you drive kind of a small door like super tiny car. And you go to driving a huge diesel truck. So you still know how to drive right? But it's different. You're driving a big diesel truck that's just you know the mechanics of driving but it just feels different. Springboards exact same way where I'm trying to learn the mechanics of riding a springboard and getting a launch after this moving object. And I wouldn't change it for the whole world. I think it's kind of rejuvenated my love for the sport. It's also rejuvenated my desire to want to love my teammates. And just joy comes through it. So I go into practice excited not just because I get to diet but also because I get to be around 18-22year olds. That hopefully I can influence but also just come alongside and encourage. And you know since June I don't think I've ever had this much fun in the sport. And I don't think I've ever had this much enjoy coming out of it with the relationships that I'm building with the pretty divers. And then you know in return that goes back to my family life at home. I'm enjoying being a husband to my wife and I'm enjoying being a dad to my two little girls.

Laura:

[00:28:51] That's awesome. I love how sometimes those unexpected shifts that you don’t want to walk through but sometimes it changes everything to a much more beautiful path. Yeah. That's really cool. So what's coming up next for you? A couple of things I think.

David:

[00:29:05] Yeah. So there's a couple of things coming up. I leave for a national championship and that's mid-December in Atlanta. So I have my expectations obviously going in but we're training hard for that and I'm excited. This is the first nationals on 3 meters springboard that I've done and then launching in.

Laura:

[00:29:23] And how long? When's the last time you did 3 meters nationals?

David:

[00:29:25] So 2014. And I was a full thing. So not sure why I was up there but I did. I dabble in it but it kind of launches into the 2019 season. And hopefully, we will see some improvement for where we are now and set USA up to some success in Tokyo. But I think even more than that. My wife and I won't reduce our first trial in April or first. Our third child.

Laura:

[00:29:57] Lemme count how one, two, three!

David:

[00:30:00] How can I forget that but.

Laura:

[00:30:03] Well you have two young children at home already. So your brain doesn't work quite the same way all the time.

David:

[00:30:07] I know. What's funny is we did a kind of a dry run of competition so I got up and had to be at court 6:30 am. And talk about inviting adversity or having adversity be your best friend. I had a wake up call from our 4year old at 2 a.m. I had a wake-up call from our 1year old at 4:45. And so I would have to change it because what if this happens on the game day you know. And so it was I looked back at adversity and I was like Let's do this.

Laura:

[00:30:37] That's awesome.

David:

[00:30:37] And so now we get to throw in the third hole again in April of 2019.

Laura:

[00:30:42] Well keep the fun come in right?

David:

[00:30:44] Yes absolutely.

Laura:

[00:30:46] So David you you are so awesome and inspiring. I love your story. Where can we follow all of your diving and family ventures online and grab a copy of Greater Than Gold?

David:

[00:30:55] Yeah. So I think the easiest way to grab a copy of Greater Than Gold is on Amazon. I actually don't know the current price. It's not very expensive. You can get it on Kindle and it's even cheaper. As far as following what the guys are up to. Probably the most updated one is our Instagram my Instagram. On Twitter on this and on Facebook. But it's all the same name though @davidboudia. So you can find us there and see what our crazy 4year old and 1year old are doing.

Laura:

[00:31:24] Perfect. David thank you so much for being on and good luck with this next run through 2020.

David:

[00:31:29] It has been an honor. Thank you, Laura.

Laura:

[00:31:32] I'm super grateful to David for being so open and sharing his journey with us. It was so interesting to hear how his mindset was different in each Olympic Games. And how that determined not only his performance but also his acceptance of the outcome. We've heard from many athletes about how when they think their entire identity. On one experience or one victory they always walked away dissatisfied even when they won. For David his first Olympic experience the culmination of 12 years of dreaming and dedication sent him spiraling in search of a true purpose. But how encouraging that there are coaches like Adam Soldati out there who care deeply about their athletes to help them navigate those difficult seasons. I love that.

[00:32:11] Hey guys! I wanted to let you know about something coming up in the next few weeks that I have been working like crazy on and I'm super excited about. Have you ever been anxious going into a competition or felt like you won the warm-up but not the meat? Or maybe you just don't understand why you don't perform when it counts but you do in practice. Is that sounds like you? Then Listen up. I've designed an online course that is just for you. I'll teach you the most crucial mental skills that I've acquired over my 20 plus years as an elite athlete. I'll walk you step by step through the process that will help you optimize your performance and set you up for success. If you're ready for change and you want the skills to take your performance to the next level then I want you to head on over to LauraWilkinson.com/performance and sign up so you'll be the first to know when this course is available. And when you sign up. I'm going to send you my list of the five things that you can do today to become a more confident competitor. So head on over to LauraWilkinson.com/performance.

[00:33:09] Next week we have 7time Olympic medalist swimmer Dana Vollmer on the show with us. With her optimism and aspirations, it's no surprise that she swam through a life-threatening heart condition. Falling short of making the Olympic team mid-career and becoming a mother to two beautiful boys. She's been through it all and she's not done yet. So make sure to join us next week to hear her full story. Be sure to hit the subscribe button wherever you listen so that you don't miss a single episode. And remember to leave us a review because that helps us to keep bringing these awesome guests on the show. I'm Laura Wilkinson. Thanks again for listening. This podcast is produced by Evo Terra and simpler media. For more information on Hope sports and access the complete archives please visit Hopesports.org

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