I Could Never Do That

95 Pat Spencer, LCSW - Getting Your Mind in Gear

You’re not strong enough, fast enough, skinny enough…You’ll be last…Don’t bother…Ugh. This is the we would NEVER say to our closest friends and, yet, for most of us, it’s the hideous soundtrack of our lives. Today's guest is licensed clinical social worker, Pat Spencer who runs both a clinical therapy practice as well as a mental skills coaching business for athletes called, Getting Your Mind in Gear. Today, we discuss her work around a recent piece she wrote called, “Three Steps to Build Confidence.”  (And, sadly, it doesn’t involve scrolling on your phone to see what everyone else is doing.)   We also spend some time talking about some powerful research and her thoughts around “exercise or cycling as therapy.” There is some surprising research showing that ultra-endurance athletes are actually MORE prone to depression and mood disorders, even though exercise is often recommended as the antidote to depression. W Pat is also an ally and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community which is facing unprecedented difficulty these days fitting into spaces where ALL should feel welcome.   Getting Your Mind in Gear Website Follow Pat on Instagram: @getting_your_mind_in_gear "I Could Never Do That" Website - https://www.podpage.com/icouldneverdothat/  "I Could Never Do That" Instagram - @icouldneverdothat Theme Music: Your Love by Atch -License: Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) Support the Podcast through BuyMeACoffee.com - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CarrieBarrett           

94 Shannon O’Grady, Ph.D. - COO and Chief Product Officer at Gnarly Nutrition - ”You Either Win Or You Learn”

Being a female in a male dominant space may be rare, but Shannon O'Grady handles it like a boss because, as COO and Chief Product Officer at Gnarly Nutrition, she IS one of the bosses.  As CPO, it is her science and research that are the brains behind every new product development at this company. When Shannon was just a teenager, she had to give up her early passion for running because of a genital heart defect. At the time, medicine didn't have the technology and procedures it does today, so she was essentially told to quit running and pursue something else.  So, Shannon turned to her other passion - SCIENCE. This led her down years of academia, where she pursued and completed her Ph.D. in Nutritional Physiology. She always dreamed of working for a sports nutrition company and, after years of letter writing, and knocking on doors, she landed her dream gig at Gnarly.   Admirably, Shannon later came back to endurance sports and became an avid and accomplished cyclist, triathlete, climber, trail runner…all the things! Today, she is most passionate about the sport and discipline of jiu-jitsu, where she is a brown belt. You’ll hear a lot about how products are developed at Gnarly and how important it is to know and understand your body’s needs in training and racing, but it is her advice and tips for success in life and business that I admire and appreciate most.    https://gognarly.com/    "I Could Never Do That" Website - https://www.podpage.com/icouldneverdothat/  "I Could Never Do That" Instagram - @icouldneverdothat Theme Music: Your Love by Atch -License: Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)  Support the Podcast through BuyMeACoffee.com - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CarrieBarrett     

93 Annie Davis - It’s Never Too Late to Be a Rockstar

If you have ever dreamed of being a rock-n-roll star, this episode is gonna light you up. Annie Davis decided, in her mid-40s, that she wanted to become a musician. So, in the middle of the pandemic, she began taking lessons and taught herself how to play drums and guitar from scratch. Music has always been in her DNA. As a kid, she immersed herself in it both personally and educationally. Her instrument at the time was the trumpet.  But here comes that all too familiar story that we've been told - a music degree wasn't going to get her anywhere in life. It wasn't a "real career." So, she ended up learning the sciences because this music nerd was also a biology nerd. She got her bachelor's degree in Human Biology and she eventually found her way to a Doctorate in Chiropractic.  It was while she was pursuing her education that she was also immersing herself in a love of athletics, including running mountain biking, triathlon, and adventure racing. And, because of some bad advice that she received from an Orthopedist, she knew that she wanted to help others, which is why she picked up, moved her stuff to Austin, Texas, and opened her own practice called RunLab, where for the past 10 years, she has helped now 1000s of runners stay active in the game of life. She's now hustling to build another following with her rock band, Trashy Annie. As she says on her website, "Starting an original rock band at the age of 44 during a worldwide pandemic was a surreal experience, to say the least." But in just three years, she was honored as the CMA of Texas Americana Artist of the Year, she was signed to a record label, and she's about to release her full-length, first rock-n-roll record on May 19, 2023.  It is never too late to be the person that you dreamed of being when you were young. TrashyAnnie.com Follow Trashy Annie on Instagram - @trashyanniemusic Trashy Annie Album Release Party - April 25th, 13th Floor Austin "I Could Never Do That" Website - https://www.podpage.com/icouldneverdothat/  "I Could Never Do That" Instagram - @icouldneverdothat Support the Podcast through BuyMeACoffee.com - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CarrieBarrett  Theme Music: Your Love by Atch -License: Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)        

92 Vimazi Shoes - Getting ”In Tune” with All Runners

If you think you could never come up with a different concept for running shoes, well then let me introduce you to the minds behind the latest shoe on the walls of local retailers, Vimazi Shoes. Vimazi is the first-ever pace-tuned shoe, designed for energy, or as they say on their website, “Goldilocks cushioning and an ultra-efficient push-off.”   Founders, Scott Tucker and John Zilly, join me today to share their inspiration and research behind this innovative new shoe design. I mean, what does it mean to be “pace tuned,” right?? Of course, I asked that question (and no I won’t be running a 4-minute mile anytime soon just by wearing these shoes).   But more than the science and engineering, I loved talking with them about their extensive backgrounds, their passion for running and writing, and their friendship that has lasted for decades. They also talk about the challenges of launching a new running shoe brand during the pandemic in a crowded space. These are my people. The people who, in spite of all of the challenges and obstacles, get up every day and say, “We’ve got something good here.” In fact, they're in tune with what runners want and need.  From a 4-minute mile to a 20-minute mile, Vimazi is tuned to your needs.    https://vimazi.com/ - Vimazi website Follow Vimazi on Instagram - @vimazi Blog Post on How Vimazi Running Shoes Feel - and Why - https://vimazi.com/blogs/news/how-vimazi-running-shoes-feel  "I Could Never Do That" Website - https://www.podpage.com/icouldneverdothat/  "I Could Never Do That" Instagram - @icouldneverdothat Theme Music: Your Love by Atch -License: Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)  Support the Podcast through BuyMeACoffee.com - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CarrieBarrett     

91 Adina O’Neill - Swimming Through Ice...For Fun?!

Adina O'Neill is a fitness coach and motivator.  This former accountant and teacher found her passion in endurance sports and coaching when she realized that so many were coming to her for advice and inspiration.  Team B-REAL, is a roster of endurance athletes where every BODY is accepted. She is motivational and inspiring, but her own side passion is what made me go, "Oh, I could NEVER do that!" Adina LOVES cold water swimming. And by cold water swimming, I mean, breaking open a frozen lake in the middle of New England in February and jumping in right away kinda swimming.  Yes, my friends, there is even such a thing as a winter swim festival where you walk out into the middle of a frozen lake, submerge in 30-degree water without a wetsuit, and compete against others in 25s, 50s, 100s…It is Un-freaking-believable. So, yeah, I had to learn more and that’s what today is all about. We get real about her personal journey, about the imposter syndrome of coaching others, and the overwhelming sense of pride she receives watching others succeed.  Mostly, though, we discuss her passion for cold water swimming and the unexpected joy it has brought to her life.    Episode Resources Adina's Website https://adinaoneill.com/ Follow Adina on Instagram: @adina_oneill_real_fitness Support the Podcast through BuyMeACoffee.com - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CarrieBarrett   Register for the 2024 Memphremagog Winter Swimming Festival https://kingdomgames.co/memphremagog-winter-swimming-festival-2023-registration/ "I Could Never Do That" Website - https://www.podpage.com/icouldneverdothat/  "I Could Never Do That" Instagram - @icouldneverdothat Theme Music: Your Love by Atch -License: Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)      

90 Ginna Hoben - This Actor, Writer, and Director is Making Good on Her Childhood Dream

Ginna Hoben was born to be a performer.  Ginna and I went to high school together and bonded over the very cool subculture of musical theater. Of course, she gracefully danced her way through Oklahoma while I stood in the background as an awkward chorus girl in a prairie dress singing “Surrey the Fringe On Top.” We went on to do several plays together and the one thing (of many) we had in common?!? We both loved attention and adoration and as she says, as the middle child, she would do pretty much anything to get attention — and she meant it! This led to both a BA and MFA in acting. It also led to stints in Chicago and LA before landing in New York as an actor, director, and playwright. Imagine that - the young girl who dreamt of moving to New York and being an actor did it!  Ginna Hoben still lives in New York with her husband and daughter and continues to make her living as a writer, director, and actor. She was most recently on an episode of the Equalizer featuring Queen Latifah and her plays have been produced at theaters across the country. She currently has another play in the works with an upcoming live reading of that new show. Today, we quite literally catch up and talk through everything she went through to live out that childhood dream and how many "I could nevers" she's had to navigate. This "dream life" has taken some unexpected tragic turns, but she is very clear - this is what she was born to do and, to me and everyone who knows her, she is a star. Ginna Hoben's Website "I Could Never Do That" Website - https://www.podpage.com/icouldneverdothat/  "I Could Never Do That" Instagram - @icouldneverdothat Theme Music: Your Love by Atch -License: Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)   Support the Podcast through BuyMeACoffee.com - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CarrieBarrett       

89 Hugh Gaither - Founder of Feetures Performance Socks

Hugh Gaither, founder and former CEO of the sock brand, Feetures shares his origin story of growing up in the hosiery business to making the transition to one of the most recognizable sock companies in the athletic space.  What prompted this decision to enter an entirely new market? What strengths did he have to launch a new company in a brand new category? Where did they get the name of the company?  Where did he start with the product design? Was it based on style? Material? Color? How should entrepreneurs approach any new venture that excites them? No matter the goal, Gaither stresses the importance of treating other people with kindness and respect. It goes a long way toward success and happiness in life.  Feetures Website - https://feetures.com/  The Feetures Origin Story - https://feetures.com/pages/our-story  Article on Gaither's transition   Support the Podcast through BuyMeACoffee.com - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CarrieBarrett  "I Could Never Do That" Website - https://www.podpage.com/icouldneverdothat/  "I Could Never Do That" Instagram - @icouldneverdothat Theme Music: Your Love by Atch -License: Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)      

88 Team Adorkable - Trista Mennen and Amy Bush Take the Plunge into the Ötillö Swimrun World Championships

This episode is so much fun! How can it not be when you’re interviewing the partners of “Team Adorkable” — the zany Swimrun duo of Amy Bush and Trista Mennen?! I’ve known Amy for a long time and she’s always doing something epic from 100 milers, Ironmans, Ultramans, etc…she’s always an inspiration, but recently, I’ve seen her kicking it up and, together with Trista, going off the deep end (pun intended) on this relatively new phenomenon of a sport — Swimrun…and specifically, the Ötillö World Championships in Sweden, which is the notoriously difficult Super Bowl of Swimrun.   Swimrun isn’t just a triathlon without a bike.  This is a cross between rock climbing, trail running, open water swimming, orienteering, and adventure racing- swimming from island to island and running through trails, forests, or whatever landscape the race director dreams up. It's not uncommon to have upwards of 40-50 transitions between the two sports. And, you’re doing this all with your equipment and nutrition with you at all times — buoys, paddles, shoes, goggles, gels, etc. It sounds SO incredibly intimidating, which is where my, "I Could Never" came into play and why I had to get them on this show.  For as frightening as it sounds, these two make it sound SO DANG FUN!!!! My mission was to have them get me from, "I could never," to "maybe I can," and you know what?! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. No doubt, they'll inspire you too!  Episode Resources: Team Adorkable: https://teamadorkable.blogspot.com/  Ötillö Swimrun: https://otilloswimrun.com/  Odyssey Swimrun: https://www.odysseyswimrun.com/  Ark Sports - Swimrun Gear and Equipment: https://www.arksports.com/collections/swimrun  Envol Swimrun Coaching: https://envolcoaching.net/  The Swimrun Experience Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheSwimRunExperience/  Wild Swimrun Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/wildswimrun?mibextid=LQQJ4d Swimrun Lake James: https://www.facebook.com/SwimRunLakeJames?mibextid=LQQJ4d  Swimrun Swap Meet: https://www.facebook.com/groups/swimrunswapmeet/  Low Tide Boyz Swimrun podcast: https://lowtideboyz.com/  Show Resources "I Could Never Do That" Website - https://www.podpage.com/icouldneverdothat/  "I Could Never Do That" Instagram - @icouldneverdothat Support the Podcast through BuyMeACoffee.com - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CarrieBarrett    Theme Music: Your Love by Atch -License: Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)        

87 Lisa Diamond - Surviving a Stroke at Age 48

On June 15th, one of my longest and dearest friends, Lisa Diamond, suffered a stroke at age 48. No warning signs, no acute trauma, not even a hint that this would happen when it did.  Today, for the first time, Lisa gives us a play-by-play of what happened in those moments — an hour and 43 minutes to be exact from the time she had the stroke to the time they wheeled her out of the OR into recovery from emergency surgery. She also talks about the physical and emotional repercussions of this event, and the ongoing processing, which is why she wanted to finally open up and start talking about it.  So, if you’re struggling in life right now in health, career, or relationship, Lisa is an open book and a wonderful resource. She invites anyone to reach out to her at any time because, by talking about these difficulties, we can begin to move through them and extract some sort of meaning and purpose in moments of fear and uncertainty. Lisa Diamond Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lisadiamondcoaching  Lisa Diamond Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lisadiamondcoaching/?hl=en (@lisadiamondcoaching) Email: lifecoachlisa23@gmail.com  "I Could Never Do That" Website - https://www.podpage.com/icouldneverdothat/  "I Could Never Do That" Instagram - @icouldneverdothat Theme Music: Your Love by Atch -License: Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) Support the Podcast through BuyMeACoffee.com - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CarrieBarrett     

86 Raymond ”The Noodnick” - Mastering Lucid Living

Well, if there was ever an “I Could Never,” this one might be it. My guest today, Raymond (@the Noodnick) is a master of what is known as artistic calisthenics - which is basically some crazy combination of pure strength, gymnastics, core work, and cirque du Soleil all done with the grace of a ballet dancer. He literally defies gravity and anyone that specializes in something called “The Human Flagpole” is superman in my book. .  What I dig about Raymond is that he is an open book — both on his training and techniques, but also about his life philosophies. You know when you’re having a wonderful dream and time means nothing? Well, through his training and art form, Raymond wants to, as he says, “Live Lucidly" - when hours feel like minutes because you’re so in the flow of love.  That’s certainly something we can all aspire to. He calls himself “The Noodnick” because it’s a play on the Yiddish word for “Boring pest,” but believe me, he's anything but boring.  Follow Raymond on Instagram @thenoodnick Follow Raymond on TikTok @thenoodnick "I Could Never Do That" Website - https://www.podpage.com/icouldneverdothat/  "I Could Never Do That" Instagram - @icouldneverdothat Support the Podcast through BuyMeACoffee.com - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CarrieBarrett  Theme Music: Your Love by Atch -License: Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)