BRAVEST 022
RUNNING THE TOUGHEST ULTRA MARATHONS ON THE PLANET
This episode was recorded on World Diabetes Day, which is a day of global awareness launched by the International Diabetes Federation. I could not think of a more appropriate guest to interview that day than the one and only, Roddy Riddle.
For those of you who have been with the show for a while, you have gained a perspective on what we’re aiming to accomplish here. At the core, we explore the stories of remarkable souls in and around the world of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and we deconstruct how they take on challenges every day. The goal of the show is to provide fuel for your journey to make an impact on your health and your mindset, so you can ultimately make the impact you desire on the world around you.
If you don’t know who Roddy is, prepare yourself for quite an amazing story.
Just to give you some perspective, Roddy was a competitive cyclist for Scotland and competed in the Commonwealth Games. He was ultimately diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 40. Roddy then took that new reality and set out to inspire the world by competing in some of the toughest foot races around.
In 2013, Roddy competed in the Marathon des Sables, which is a 250K race across the Sahara desert.
In 2016, he decided to go to the other extreme and competed in the 6633 Arctic Ultra, which is a 560K ultra marathon.
Unfortunately, Roddy was unable to complete that race, and he describes that in detail during our conversation, but he was determined to come back the following year and take care of unfinished business.
Earlier this year, Roddy not only completed the 6633 Arctic Ultra, he managed to finish the race in second place. He accomplished all of this while proving to the world that anything is possible with type 1 diabetes, or any other challenges we might face.
We dive in deep to talk about the challenges Roddy encountered during each race, how he maintained a positive mindset despite those challenges (including episodes of some insane hallucinations during the 6633 Arctic races), and what he’s hoping the world will gain from his story.
Roddy is one of those rare individuals who has been on my short list of people I was hoping to interview for the show. This is a special look into the mind of a tremendous athlete, but equally as important, a tremendous human being simply working hard to make a positive impact on the rest of the world.
Social Media Links
Roddy Riddle - Instagram
Websites Mentioned in Podcast
RoddyRiddle.com - website
Marathon des Sables - website
6633 Arctic Ultra - website
Dr. Ian Gallen | RunSweet.com - website
Media Mentioned in Podcast
Desert Runners - movie trailer
Related Episodes
Music Credits for BRAVEST Episode 022
Intro music - Podington Bear, 'Sepia' & The Passion HiFi, 'Sweet Revenge'
Outtro music - Joakim Karud, 'That Day'
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GREATER THAN is a lifestyle brand launched by Steven and Jenn Kramer dedicated to empowering all individuals. They believe, and they want you to believe, that whatever your challenge, you're greater than that challenge.
Because of the personal impact resulting from the recent diagnosis of their son with type 1 diabetes, their first campaign focuses on the T1D community, and is branded ‘GREATER THAN 1’.
With every purchase of GREATER THAN products, a portion of each sale will be donated directly to type 1 diabetes research and support.
Visit www.ImGreaterThan.com, and use the code 'BRAVEST' at checkout to receive 10% off your entire order.