I Could Never Do That

What does it take to run 200 miles through mountains, forests, and volcanic blast zones — and still find joy in every step? In this episode, Elizabeth Warner shares her incredible journey at the Bigfoot 200 ultramarathon, a nonstop 200-mile race around Mount St. Helens. From prevention-first strategies to late-night hallucinations, emotional lows, and breathtaking highs, she takes us inside the mental, physical, and emotional toolkit that got her to the finish line healthy, strong, and grateful. We dig into her why — the deeper motivation behind choosing bold, audacious goals — and how she broke a massive challenge into small, meaningful pieces of progress. Along the way, you’ll hear about the importance of crew support, mantras that carried her through the toughest climbs, and what it really means to do hard things. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why setting a “prevention-first” goal can be more powerful than chasing speed The role of joy, gratitude, and mantras in tackling massive goals How small habit

Carrie Barrett welcomes the remarkable Shannon Hogan, an inspiring figure in the world of ultra-endurance sports and the author of the newly released book, The Unforgiving Hours: The Grit, Resilience, and Perseverance at the Heart of Endurance Sports. Hogan, a former pro mountain biker, ultra-runner, open water swimmer, and avid adventurer, shares her insights on the mindset required to tackle numerous extreme athletic challenges, featuring stories and lessons from a diverse cast of lesser-known yet extraordinary athletes. They discuss the importance of community support, resilience, and the joys of discomfort, showcasing stories of athletes who have achieved the extraordinary. With themes of personal growth and perseverance, this episode encourages listeners to embrace their own challenges and explore the limits of their potential where "will becomes stronger than skill." This book will ignite your endurance spirit and help you discover the unthinkable achievements awaiting just beyond your comfort zone.   

Understanding the transformative power of adopting new habits is paramount in our journey toward healing and personal growth, but we're often misguided in developing new habits thinking we need to do something big, drastic or "all at once." We're caught up in the desire to "break" habits before they break us. What if there was a different way to think about habit change? What if you asked yourself, "How Can I Heal Myself Today?" Dr. Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA is a double board-certified family medicine and lifestyle medicine physician. She emphasizes the notion that instead of merely attempting to break detrimental habits, we should focus on healing them through awareness and intentionality. By doing so, we can cultivate a nurturing relationship with ourselves and create sustainable change that is both manageable and profound. Dr. Marbas shares the significance of developing microhabits—small, actionable steps that can be easily integrated into our daily routines—as a way of becoming our owne "habit healer." This

If you’ve listened to music, let’s say in the last 30 years, then you’re likely familiar with my guest today, but not in the way you may think. Gary Burr is a legendary songwriter and vocalist who is behind hit songs for artists like Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Chesney, Lady A, The Oak Ridge Boys, Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Juice Newton, Christine Aguilera, Garth Brooks, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Carole King, and Ringo Starr…and seriously…that’s the tip of the iceberg here. He's had 14 #1 hits in total (so far), 24 top 10s, and 32 top 40 hits to his name - a master of the 4-minute story arc known as a song.  But, while I could talk to him for years about his songwriting career, I reached out to him about something else — his foray into fiction. On July 5th, 2024, Gary is releasing his first novel called, Reunion - A Rock-n-Roll Fairy Tale and it is his take on the question…"What if?" What if John Lennon wasn’t assassinated? Could they ever come together again and play as a band? And, as a reader, can you let your imagination

Women’s sports are certainly having a moment and with more eyes on women’s sports, comes more scrutiny and pressure. The new book, "The Price She Pays: Confronting the Hidden Mental Health Crisis in Women's Sports—from the Schoolyard to the Stadium" explores this crisis in women’s athletics from early childhood exploration to elite-level competition, up to retirement. Authors Katie Steele and Dr. Tiffany Brown of @Athletesmentalhealthfoundation are both Licensed Family and Marriage Therapists who work with athletes in their practice and have noticed the unique pressures that female athletes have faced to be thin, but not too thin, to be aggressive, but not too aggressive, to be strong and muscular, but heaven forbid you’re too muscular. It’s not surprising that female athletes are apt to suffer greatly from disordered eating and substance abuse, sexual abuse, racism, depression and anxiety, self -harm and suicidal ideation. This new book seeks to answer the question of WHY? Why has this been woven into wo

Robert Cheeke has been a pillar in the plant-based community for over 30 years as an award-winning bodybuilder, outspoken vegan advocate, and New York Times Best-Selling author of The Plant-Based Athlete.  It’s his new book, however, that inspired me to reach out and have him on the “I Could Never Do That” podcast. So many want to become more impactful in everything we do (especially for causes that are important to us), but often don’t know where to begin. We get stuck in the, “I could nevers” because we see the big donors, the celebrity endorsements, or the big social media campaigns and think, "That's just not me." Well, The Impactful Vegan: How You Can Save More Lives and Make the Biggest Difference for Animals and the Planet is a blueprint for how you (and me and all of us) can use your time, energy, skills, talents, and resources to make the greatest impact on the lives of animals and the planet. Yes, this book is about becoming a more impactful vegan, but the pages and the examples translate into ANYT

TV journalist, Emmy Award Winner, and multiple @ironmantri triathlete, Michelle Bandur (@michellebandurtv), shares her story of how she took an anonymous bully’s mean-spirited letter and turned it into a positive movement that has inspired and empowered thousands of young girls to achieve more than they ever imagined. Her mission? Inspire you to stand up for yourself, love yourself, and turn around a negative experience. Support the Podcast through Venmo https://www.venmo.com/u/CarrieSappBarrett or  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)      

Let me give a couple of headlines from the past two years of today's I Could Never Do That guest, Emily Ballenger. @emilybatx Shock pains in her face, the Berlin Marathon, pregnancy, miscarriage, another pregnancy, the selling of a business, a brain tumor, a birth, massive brain surgery, the London marathon, and the completion of the Six World Marathon Majors. These events would throw anyone off balance (literally and figuratively), but Emily has used them to create a foundation of stability of what’s important in her life. Marathon training truly is a metaphor for her last two years. Sometimes you don’t get the run or the race you want, but you always walk away stronger and more accomplished. The growth comes from the lessons learned and not the time on a clock. Emily has no idea what the future holds for her health, but she lives boldly for her baby Beau and her family, proving that in those "I could never do that" moments of despair, a little forward motion is sometimes all you need. Episode Webpage Sup

It’s no secret that girls – and women – haven’t traditionally had role models for adventure- seeking and exploration as we age. Even as young girls, we’re taught to "be careful" while boys are taught to "be strong and brave." It's maddening.  Author Caroline Paul, a longtime adventurer, started to notice the massive decline in the number of women she would see when she would go out paddle boarding, skateboarding, or surfing. In her late 50’s she was asking the questions like,  “Why is this happening?” and, "Shouldn’t we be experiencing adventure at ANY age?” That’s what her new book, Tough Broad seeks to answer with the women Caroline interviews in her book. I’m talking hikers, wing walkers, birdwatchers, BMX racers, boogie boarders, swimmers, and more. These women aren't experts. But their experiences and the scientific studies that back them up offer important insight into our own physical and emotional health as we age, showing that growing older is no reason for women to sell themselves short. One thing t

My guest today encountered a personal (and all-too-common) dilemma after she had her son eight years ago. As someone who worked full-time in corporate or tech jobs for most of her career, Jill Jacobs was anxious to get back to work after giving birth. Not only did she love working, but as she says today, she needed to get back to work to support her home, lifestyle, and new baby’s needs. Quickly, she realized how daunting and unsustainable this was. Here she was working full time, paying somebody else to be home with her child and, when she did get home from work, she was clearly not bringing her best self.  Ahhh…the American dream, right? Here’s the deal, though.  Educated women with children are leaving the work forces in droves. What Jill wanted was to work smarter, spend smarter, and love what she was doing. So, since she wasn’t finding it in the workforce, she started it herself. Enter the Better Balance vision. At Better Balance, Jill and her team connect professionals who want to work less than 40 hour

Kim Murphy was born and raised on a farm in Texarkana, Texas- about as ordinary an upbringing as you can have. After losing her father to Alzheimer's in 2018, she underwent a massive health and lifestyle change, which led to a complete career change, a booming online coaching business, and a brand new book called, Plant Powered: How to Prevent or Reverse Chronic Diseases, Lose Weight, and Feel Great with the Power of Whole Plants. Kim shares her family's journey to a whole food plant-based diet, highlighting its benefits on weight management, brain function, and energy levels. She offers practical tips for those considering a plant-based lifestyle and emphasizes the importance of community support. Kim provides coaching programs through her website, simplyplantbasedkitchen.com. This is a shared journey of someone who has conquered so many roadblocks that would otherwise stop most of us from achieving WHATEVER we want to do in life.  Support the Podcast through Venmo https://www.venmo.com/u/CarrieSappBarrett o

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 difficu

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

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 Ortho

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

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 rece

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 pro

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/icouldnever

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 —

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 I