This episode has the interview with David Williams (aka "Down Under Dave") who wrote a book about his life and ultra running adventures. The book is really good! Dave graciously made himself available for an interview and he's really funny and has an outstanding outlook on life. More information about the book can be found at the following links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn5yEcuJyhs
https://www.amazon.com/Unstoppable-Runner-David-Williams/dp/1761091638/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=an+unstoppable+runner+book&qid=1638487887&sr=8-1
And here is Karen's Iron Man distance race report, it's very detailed and pretty cool:
I’ve wanted to do an Ironman distance triathlon for a long time but was intimidated by the amount of time training would take. I already have a full-time job and training would be like adding a part-time job. However, sometimes friends get you to do crazy things. I have a group of friends who have been together since about 2012 when we joined forces to do Ragnar Chicago. We started the weekend as acquaintances and after 36 hours and 200ish miles, ended the weekend as dear friends. We’ve gone on to finish five more Ragnars as an ultra-team (six runners and one van as opposed to 12 runners and two vans). In 2017, someone saw (ok, it was me) there was a relay race across the state of Iowa (west to east). Within about two weeks, we had eight runners and found a driver to get us the 339 miles across the state. Half of us live in norther Indiana, the other have in Indianapolis. We keep coming up with events to participate in so that we have something to train for and participate in together.
In 2015, Julie and I met up for a run and she asked if I wanted to do Muncie 70.3 with her and her sister Pamela, one of the Indianapolis tribe. I was in. Julie and I trained together in Northern Indiana and met up with Pam when time allowed. Many of the Ragnar group showed up to cheer us on, just as we did with Pam and Tina completed Ironman Chattanooga in 2017 (this was for Pam’s 50th)
For Julie’s 50th birthday last year, she threw out hiking the Grand Canyon (rim to rim) in one day. Once again, it didn’t take us long to commit. We persevered against COVID scares and some other issues. We traveled to Flagstaff and on October 7 we completed the hike, starting around 4:30 a.m. and finishing around 5:30 p.m. We made it back to Indiana safe and sound, with the exception of a bit of trail rash on Pamela from a fall she took and a badly sprained ankle, Melinda, ironically, our driver suffered. She hiked down the trail about a mile and we as we were hiking back up, just past one of the tunnels, she stepped off the trail, canyon side, and went down. Unfortunately, what goes down, must go up and she persevered up.
2021 was my turn to hit 50. While planning for Grand Canyon, the goal of completing an ironman distance was swirling in my head. Pre-COVID, I found out a friend’s husband, Matt, was training to do Ironman Louisville, which would be on October 9. As Ironmen usually are on Sundays, I did the math and realized Louisville would be on my birthday in 2021. That would be pretty cool. Then COVID hit, Louisville was cancelled for that year, and then cancelled permanently. Since Matt had put in all the training and didn’t want to waste it, he organized his own event. Then Muncie 70.3 announced they would have a 140.3 event this summer. It piqued my interest, but I really didn’t want to spend the money.
The town I live in is located on the north shore of the second largest natural in Indiana. Perfect for swimming. Outside of that, we are surrounded by corn, soybean, and wheatfields. Perfect for biking and running.
The more I thought about it, the more I thought I could follow Matt’s example and stage my own Ironman distance triathlon. I could do it by my own rules (accept assistance from spectators, have friends/family participate with me) and if training went off the rails, the weather was bad, or doing the full wasn’t going t
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