Lift Heavy Run Long Podcast - Inspire. Be Inspired.

Cancer Survivor and Ultra-Marathon Runner Colleen Johnson was 57 years old when she was diagnosed with a rare but aggressive form of endometrial cancer.  Her tumor weighed in at 2 pounds, was deeply invasive, and was about the size of a cantaloupe. Her cancer was so locally advanced and aggressive that she was given only given a 20% chance of surviving 5 years. Many (though certainly not all) adult onset cancers are influenced by obesity.  There was reason to believe Colleen's might be one of them.  At her peak, Colleen was 242 pounds.  Colleen readily admits "I was obese." Clinical trials done with both breast and colon cancer patients have established the fact that many who experience an adult-onset cancer can improve their chance of survival by losing weight if they need to, changing to a healthy diet, and engaging in regular, vigorous exercise. Colleen didn't have either breast or colon cancer, but there was reason to believe this might work for her kind of cancer too.  So Colleen decided to do just t

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2-uwv1HXtM&feature=youtu.be This week on the Lift Heavy Run Long® Podcast it was just the hosts. Everybody's favorite cameraman, "Keto" Chris Perry, has been lining us up with some unbelievable guests over the past few months. We decided that it would be fun to take a break, sit back, and enjoy one another's company for an episode. We talk about everything from miscalculated marathons, upcoming races like the Sylamore 25K/50K and Tunnel Hill 50Mile/100Mile race.  We talk about my being referred to as an "ass-hat" by a Lift Heavy Run Long reader, and we congratulate Amanda on her accomplishing her goal of running a 50Mile race and deadlifting 300 pounds. We also veer off into some random hypothetical scenarios. As usual, nothing is too serious and we just have a good time. This podcast is so important to me, on so many levels. I really appreciate you, as a listener, tuning in and being so supportive. I also appreciate the hosts who put up with me and continue to be willing t

Jon Autrey is a 34 year old father of two, native Memphian, avid runner and coach. He started running in 2002 as a way to lose weight (He is a former football player that once weighed 275lbs) and it was the only way to get his Mom’s car if he needed it. Jon was living with her and sleeping on the floor of her studio apartment after moving back to Memphis following two football injuries during his freshman year of college. Jon ran, off and on, for the next 8 or 9 years. In 2013 He began working with his coach, Kevin Leathers. After finishing 3rd in 2014, he won the St. Jude Memphis Marathon in 2015. Jon has completed 4 consecutive Boston Marathons. His best finish in a world major is 145 at the 2016 Chicago Marathon. His marathon PR is 2:36:04.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMaP_zPXzdg&feature=youtu.be Sam Renfrow is a 49 year old father of three from Ripley, Mississippi.  He has been married to his wife, Pamela, for 25 years, and they have three sons.  Tyler (21 years old) is a junior at Mississippi State, Braeden (18 years old) is a freshman at Northwest Community College, and Landon (16 years old) is a sophomore at DeSoto Central High School. Pamela is a Pediatric ICU nurse at St. Jude.  She stayed home with their three boys for most of their lives, and then went back to nursing school, and is currently pursuing her Masters degree.  The Renfrows live in Nesbit. Sam's favorite activities are Crossfit, running (working on the Run Long part), college football, but most importantly, spending time with family.  Sam attained his degree in Industrial Engineering from Mississippi State, and works as an Area Sales Manager for ChemTreat.  His job primarily involves working as a consultant to help his customers protect their industrial water systems.  Sa

Brian Williams and Sean Hilsdon were our guests on Lift Heavy Run Long® #67. They are organizing a trail race for October of next year, and we discuss what we can expect. I am probably looking forward to this race more than most because I know these guys personally, and I know the kind of fun, adventure, and excitement that they bring with them everywhere they go. This will be a big race and a well-run event. Big Hill Pond's 50/25K will have something for everyone. It will be run on October 20th 2018. The race will have 31 or 15.5 miles made up almost entirely of single track trail with only a little crushed gravel park road to help string out the competition. The race will feature a fire tower that you will have to climb, and a swamp boardwalk that is almost a half mile across. The history of the area comes from the local sheriff Buford Pusser, who is known for his virtual one-man war on moonshining, prostitution, gambling, and other vices along the Mississippi–Tennessee state line. The race will offer enou

https://youtu.be/9BoogkLLLdE John Irvine is this week's gues on the Lift Heavy Run Long® Podcast #66. John is a native Memphian and owner/operator of Iron Tribe East Memphis and Iron Tribe Germantown.  In addition to managing two gyms, he enjoys competing and helping others fall in love with the fitness program that changed his life.  He is married and loves spending time with his wife, Kelly,  and two little girls, Margaux and Mabry.

Dale Sanford is Co-Founder of BPC Performance Coaching and has been training athletes of all ages, ability levels, and sporting backgrounds for over 10 years. Early in his coaching career, Dale was a collector of certifications, so he has a lot of fancy letters after his name. As a full time coach, husband, father of twins, and a competitive athlete, Dale understands the training scape of a time crunched athlete. He considers himself a human movement specialist, but has more recently been engrossed in the science of sweat and proper hydration. As a former wrestler and football player, Dale still likes to throw some heavy weight around during the off season.

https://youtu.be/xuW58Huehz0 Chris Clothier is an entrepreneur, real-estate investor, author, public speaker, runner, and endurance athlete. His first book, The Turn-key Revolution, is set for release in late Fall of 2017. In addition to a successful career life, Chris is a wonderful family man. He has been married to his wife, Michelle for twenty years and is the father of five beautiful children. Chris is also passionate about giving back and is the founder of the charitable organization, Kids Kickin Cancer Soccer Club. We talk to Chris about his attempt to run the "Keys 100", which is a 100-mile race to the tipp of Florida. Chris has an incredible amount to offer and was happy to share with us some of what he learned in his attempt.

https://youtu.be/ArGrx_Bc9b4 Tom Herman, a coach, Marine, business owner, teacher and mentor joined us in the LHRL™ this week. He brought with him a couple of his students, Jennifer Panuco and Randall Byrd. Jennifer is a JROTC Mississippi State Champion and Randall is a State Champion in both cross-country and track. Tom is 48 years old and originally from Connellsville, PA (near Pittsburgh). He has been married for 24 years and has two children: Katee (14) and Karis (9). In 1987 Tom enlisted in the Marine Corps as an infantryman and served 28 years on active duty, retiring in 2015. During that time, he served with the special operations unit, FAST (Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team) Company. The FAST Company mission is to provide embassies with an increased terror threat a hardened security posture that enables us to detect, defend, and destroy any possible terrorist attack. Tom was part of deterring and reacting to attacks in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and in Afghanistan. During his 28 years, Tom condu

https://youtu.be/F2KDRTUvevI This week on the Lift heavy Run Long® Podcast, we decided to change things up a little bit. We got rid of the dead weight (the men) and brought in the heavy-hitters (the ladies). This provided a unique and interesting perspective into how females approach fitness and their goals. It was very insightful, and we hope to make it more of a regular thing. It was informative, entertaining, and powerful. Let us know what you think. Here is a little bit about the ladies on this episode:   Laura  Pinckley is an Air Traffic Controller at Memphis Center, mom of three kids and married to a Crossfit coach.  She gets paid to talk all day long for work but in her spare time, she yells (encouragingly) at folks in the gym for free.   Although she loves deadlifting most of all, she is always looking for new ways to exercise and is currently attempting to learn immersion swimming for open water distances. She hopes everyone is lucky enough to not only find the exercises or sports that keep the

https://youtu.be/jBUp_-R6sSA You will want to tune-in to this one. On episode 61 of the LHRL™ Podcast we speak with Tony Cowden of Competitive Edge Performance. He is an incredibly tough and rugged endurance athlete with a humble and kind spirit. We could have easily made this a 5-hour episode, as his adventures just brought about more questions. Tony Cowden was an outstanding guest who has done great things with his life, and even better things for our country. Tony has 22 years in the Special Operations community, serving over 8 years and 28 deployments in Afghanistan, Iraq and other Central Asian and Africa countries.  He began training for and competing in triathlons in 1998 and in 2005 in functional fitness competitions. He got his Level 1 CrossFit® Certification in 2006. He affiliated CrossFit Wilmington in 2007. He qualified for the 2012 Games., is a USAW Masters Weightlifting Champion in both the 94kg and the 105kg divisions.  He is a successful triathlete, completing more than 50 races, including I

https://youtu.be/biAQnlqJS6Q On Episode #60 of the Lift Heavy Run Long Podcast we featured the owners of Memphis Health + Fitness Magazine, Amy Goode and Hailey Thomas. When Amy is not beating the streets looking for the next fitness craze, she enjoys running, cycling, and swimming, and is always on the lookout for the best cheat meal. Sharing inspiring fitness stories encourages her to stay healthy. Hailey has been running over half her life - fortunately not from the law! She has run marathons and half-marathons in Dublin, NYC, LA, Anchorage, Seattle, Red Woods, Big Sur, New Orleans, Sylamore 25K, Shelby Farms 50K and Memphis (6 times). Trails are her new love along with interviewing Weekend Warriors with the same passion for fitness. It was nice to record with these very successful, yet very down-to-earth, and very entertaining women. Their publication, Memphis Health + Fitness features everyday people who try to lead active lifestyles, which is exactly the kind of people that we enjoy speaking with at Lif

https://youtu.be/C2ZG4WzZj-k David Lomax is this week's guest on the LHRL Show Episode #59. David is a native Memphian, who graduated White Station high school in 1995 and went on to play college baseball at Aquinas Junior College and Shelby State. After years of struggling with drugs and alcohol, David decided to make some changes and got the help he needed in the spring of 2014. He has been sober since April 5 of 2014, and with his new way of life have come some great accomplishments. David made fitness part of his recovery plan and has since completed numerous half-marathons, 25k's, 50k's, and even finished the Tunnel Hill 50 mile race in 2016. David, like many of us, has a tendency to get bored easily. So, he likes to shake up his training and not stay in the same spot for very long. His favorite sport is mountain bike riding and he has a great passion for being outdoors in nature. David will be attempting to climb Mt. Ranier in the fall of this year, as this is his latest obsession on what we hope to

https://youtu.be/OrDNngkjni0 Will Moore is a Certified Financial Planner and partner with Memphis based Atkins Capital Management, LLC. Will graduated from Lambuth University in Jackson Tennessee in 1999 and spent the next seven years with Morgan Stanley as a member of the Wealth Advisor team, The Atkins Group. Here he earned his CFP® designation and worked as a registered representative with the NYSE and NASD. In December of 2006 The Akins Group separated with Morgan Stanley to form the independent investment firm, Atkins Capital Management, LLC. As a civic leader in Memphis, Will is the co-founder of the Memphis Suit Project and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Gifted Education Foundation. He also served as the Public Engagement Chair for The Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, was the Co-Chair of the Finance Committee for Christ Methodist Days School and worked with the City of Memphis on their Strategic Business Model Assessment Committee as well as helped raise funds and awareness for the Greater Me

David Failing is a 31 year old professor of mathematics at Lewis University, near Chicago. Yes, for a brief moment, there were TWO doctors in the LHRL studios. Just a few months after he started running in the fall of 2009, the ultra seed was planted (though it took a while to take hold), and in 2014 he ran his first 50k, followed by a 50 miler in 2015, and his first (and only to date) 100 miler at the Arkansas Traveller in 2016. Above all else, David believes that trail and ultra running allow us to explore the world under our own power, and he wants others to get out and explore however they can (running, hiking, biking, boating...). From October 2017 to October 2018, he will run all six 100 mile trail races in the state of Illinois to raise money for a non-profit (Trails for Illinois) that helps communities benefit economically from their local trails, and also builds and maintains those same trails. Why six 100 milers in a year? Because nobody ever told him he couldn't. He will be blogging about his train

Being asked to write a short bio is like a short walk down a long trail. How could I possibly brush past everything I might have seen along the way? Instead I need to acknowledge the people the that put me on and keep me on the path. The love of my life Gina. She keeps me in line and pointed in the right direction. My boys Will and Henry. I love these two so much more each day. My teachers Chris S., Ralph M., Larry L. and so many more humans I travel the broad highway with each day. My work family Andy, Spencer, Corey, Justin, Casey, Shawn, and now Al, Roy, Mark, Michael, Fee, Johnnie, Jordan, Brandon, and Michael. My fitness folks Everyone at Hit & Run Downtown and Midtown. Especially, Justin, The McGoldricks, Hunter, Big Dave, Coach Matt, Diamond Jim, Brennan, The Lashers, and all the rest of the people working to get better each day. Finally, my Mom, Dad, and Little Sister (Anne Marie). I'm convinced without you I would've been lost long ago.  I heard something on CBS Sunday morning while watching a John M

Gary Cail is 42 years old, been married for 10 years and has a blended family with 8 children, only 3 of which are still at home... all the rest are adults themselves, and moved on and out! Currently,  Gary is the Regional General manager for Stanley Security for Tennessee/Arkansas/Mississippi. He has been overweight since he was a child, maybe 7 years old. It wasn't until after he broke an ankle, and had a very difficult recovery that he began to do anything about his weight. In 2009, he started making small changes to his diet and exercise, sometimes being forced to try new exercise, and sometimes reevaluating nutrition. Over the years there has been progress and failure, but in all Gary has have gone from over 400lbs to under 300lbs, and dropped at least 12 inches in his waist.  He has been doing CrossFit for over 2 years now and simply love it. However, Gary is aware that his nutrition still needs vast improvement. Something that most people don't know about Gary is that he has been going to college on

Cindy Caudy wears many hats and has many titles.  She's a fitness professional, personal trainer and nutritionist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, NPC bodybuilding competition promoter and judge, national level figure competitor, Physical Therapist, founder of Champion Charms jewelry and clothing, and co-owner of Next Level Training with her husband, Chris Caudy.  But most importantly, she is a survivor and warrior of Crohn's disease.  She doesn't let anything stop her from going after her goals and dreams.  And her passion in life is empowering other to do the same. Check LHRL #54 where we get a chance to sit down and visit with Cindy and learn a little bit about her and her accomplishments. Peace, Love, and all things Beef related, Beefcake    

Mark Fortune, a Florida native, and member of Olive Branch CrossFit is our guest on this weeks podcast. I have known Mark for about three years and have a playful relationship with him that usually involves poking fun at one another. Mark has been a fitness enthusiast for most of his life, enjoying running, weightlifting, and now an avid CrossFitter. Mark is up for most any challenge and will sign up for just about anything. He enjoys OCR races and is signed up for the Tunnel Hill 50 miler in November. We had a great time hanging out with Mark and look forward to doing some long runs with him as we prepare for Tunnel Hill at the end of the year. Enjoy the show. Peace, Love, and all things Beef related, Beefcake

  Christopher B. Hope Founder of the Chris Hope Foundation Christopher B. Hope, a lifelong Memphian was blessed with a vision to help families with a child diagnosed with cancer. He saw a need beyond medical treatments to provide assistance in areas not known by many. Support, understanding and a sincere friend are the things cancer fighting families need. Chris has made it his mission to reach out to these heartbroken weary families and social services to lift financial burdens and emotional stress to restore a piece of HOPE in their lives. The Chris Hope Foundation has partnered with three pediatric cancer hospitals in Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. This was established the first year as a nonprofit organization. Chris is also the captain of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Marathon fundraising team, TeamHOPE. In two years, his team has raised over $253,000 for St. Jude with an ultimate goal of raising one million dollars. TeamHOPE has accumulated over 150 fundraising heroes to help in t