We Are Superman

Bill Stahl
  • 4.7 (89)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

Founded by David Clark, a former 320-pound alcoholic, drug addict, food junkie turned accomplished endurance athlete, bestselling author, plant-based fighter, and happiness warrior. Ultramarathoner and coach Bill Stahl is continuing David's legacy to bring you inspirational stories of ordinary people overcoming alcoholism, addiction, obesity, or catastrophic injuries or illnesses to accomplish epic achievements like running ultramarathons, climbing Everest, etc. We also bring you world-class athletes and others involved in the endurance sports space, medical providers, and others who can help you up your own game in athletics as well as in life so you feel, look, and perform better. As David said, we will help you look into the far side of the universe where anything is possible and all things are eventual.

  1. 22h ago

    #387 Rewind - We Are Ray Zahab Exploring Extreme Limits

    Send us Fan Mail We’ve featured a lot of people who have taken on epic challenges, but this guest, Ray Zahab of Quebec, Canada, has done dozens and dozens of them. When we recorded this two years ago, Ray had just completed a couple of weeks before a crossing of Death Valley from north to south. I’m very familiar with the Badwater 135, which just completed, but that is run on roads. I didn’t even know it was a thing there to run the shortest route between two points, completely off-road. The terrain is seriously rugged, and it’s pretty hot, and Ray ran it with limited re-supplies in 53:35:21. In case you’re wondering, he drank 75 liters of water. He’s also run across the widest park of Death Valley west to east, crossing two mountain ranges, in 35 hours. He’s run 7500 km across the Sahara Desert in 111 days, 1850 km across the Namib Desert in Africa, 1200 km across the Atacama Desert in Chile, and 2000 km across the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. That’s the hot, dry stuff. He’s crossed Baffin Island in northern Canada nine times in winter and trekked from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on snowshoes pulling his supply sled. And I’m just scratching the surface. Here’s the WASP comeback story angle: Ray did this last Death Valley project a little more than a year after completing six months of debilitating chemotherapy for a rare form of lymphoma. What’s very cool about Ray is how he shares his projects with schoolchildren with live links, and he has been running his foundation, impossible2Possible, to introduce kids to the kind of adventuring he does and reach beyond their perceived limits. The foundation takes kids to wild places so they can challenge themselves, and it doesn’t even charge them to be there! Yes, they’re free! Ray and his wife have been raising two daughters who get to experience the outdoors unlike the way Ray was when he was younger and was an out-of-shape, pack-a-day smoker. So there’s another comeback. His brother inspired him to get outdoors and Ray now encourages everyone to also do so, including with his expedition company, KapiK1, which leads trips to remote and beautiful places like Baffin Island, the Atacama Desert, and the Gobi Desert. Even though we had a fairly short conversation, you might still find yourself listening in amazement to all that Ray does and get pumped up by his incredible level of energy and excitement. Ray Zahab rayzahab.com impossible2possible.com kapik1.com rzahab@impossible2possible.com Facebook and LinkedIn Ray Zahab Instagram and X @rayzahab YouTube @rayzahab1944 Bill Stahl silly_billy@msn.com Facebook Bill Stahl Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @coachstahl YouTube We Are Superman Podcast Please consider donating to support Team Leadville and Boulder Crest to help end veteran suicide!  Donate, share, or just help spread the word to help end veteran suicide. Thank you very much! https://weblink.donorperfect.com/BoulderCrestFoundation/2026TeamLeadville/BillStahl  Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen. Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8 Register for the American Heroes Run: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133138

    59 min

  2. Jun 19

    #386 - We Are Mike Melton and a Peek Into the Race Timer's Tent, Part 2

    Send us Fan Mail This is part two of my entertaining chat with Mike Melton of MCM Timing, the absolute best in the business of timing very long races. As I mentioned last episode, I inherited Mike for the American Heroes Run after David unexpectedly passed away less than four months before the race and I suddenly took up the mantle of race director, and I got really lucky because Mike ensured that not only would the race not miss a beat in the transition, but I’ve had a partner ever since that has helped me maintain the highest quality in the race running smoothly, with accurate timing and results. Mike is well-known across the continent for his precision work with many of the most prominent ultras, on point-to-point trails, loops, indoors, in hot weather, cold weather, rain, snow, wind, you name it. Mike and I have traded stories for hours at the American Heroes Run, but it was super cool to be able to chat with him here without getting interrupted by race duties. No one has seen as many unusual occurrences, or has gained more perspective on human behavior of those who run races like these, as Mike has. Enjoy the second part of this very fun chat. Mike Melton Facebook Mike Melton Bill Stahl silly_billy@msn.com Facebook Bill Stahl Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast YouTube We Are Superman Podcast Please consider donating to support Team Leadville and Boulder Crest to help end veteran suicide!  Donate, share, or just help spread the word to help end veteran suicide. Thank you very much! https://weblink.donorperfect.com/BoulderCrestFoundation/2026TeamLeadville/BillStahl  Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen. Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8 Register for the American Heroes Run: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133138

    55 min

  3. Jun 12

    #385 - We Are Mike Melton and a Peek Into the Race Timer's Tent, Part 1

    Send us Fan Mail They say that a game is well-officiated when you don’t even notice the referees or umpires. I sure can’t say that about this NBA Finals, where the officiating has been atrocious. But if you’ve ever run an ultramarathon, especially a multiday race, and didn’t notice the timer, it might have been because that was Mike Melton of MCM Timing, the absolute best in the business. I inherited Mike for the American Heroes Run after David unexpectedly passed away less than four months before the race and I suddenly took up the mantle of race director, and boy, did I get lucky because Mike ensured that not only would the race not miss a beat in the transition, but I’ve had a partner ever since that has helped me maintain the highest quality in the race running smoothly, with accurate timing and results. Mike and his company have timed everything from 5Ks to many of the most significant ultras in North America, including the Barkley Marathons, Big’s Backyard Ultra, Six Days in the Dome, Across the Years, the Keys 100, and many more. In fact, he is on the road in his Sprinter van that has 500,000 miles on it for 265 days a year. He has seen it all and has some great stories to tell here. In fact, so many that I have split this conversation into two parts. Mike also shares his origin story in the timing business and as a runner. Many might not know that Mike ran 171 miles in 72 hours at Across the Years, and has a very respectable 100-mile PR of 22:49. Mike also tells about how he and David connected for the very first American Heroes Run and how it led to the development of the software that Mike now uses for races that run laps. Mike Melton Facebook Mike Melton Bill Stahl silly_billy@msn.com Facebook Bill Stahl Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast YouTube We Are Superman Podcast Please consider donating to support Team Leadville and Boulder Crest to help end veteran suicide!  Donate, share, or just help spread the word to help end veteran suicide. Thank you very much! https://weblink.donorperfect.com/BoulderCrestFoundation/2026TeamLeadville/BillStahl  Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen. Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8 Register for the American Heroes Run: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133138

    1h 1m

  4. Jun 5

    #384 Power Play - How Long Should Your Long Run Be?

    Send us Fan Mail One of the most common questions we coaches of long-distance runners get is, “How long should my long run be?”  Related to that is, “If I’m training for a marathon, how many times should I do 26-mile training runs?” I dive into these, training camps, and other related considerations in this Power Play episode that I hope helps you in your training for your next marathons and ultramarathons. Bill Stahl silly_billy@msn.com Facebook Bill Stahl Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast YouTube We Are Superman Podcast Please consider donating to support Team Leadville and Boulder Crest to help end veteran suicide!  Donate, share, or just help spread the word to help end veteran suicide. Thank you very much! https://weblink.donorperfect.com/BoulderCrestFoundation/2026TeamLeadville/BillStahl  Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen. Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8 Register for the American Heroes Run: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133138 Ride to End ALZ Colorado www.alz.org/rideco

    13 min

  5. May 28

    #383 - We Are Cody Poskin Continuing To Climb with a Huge Cocodona 250 Finish

    Send us Fan Mail Cody Poskin is an emerging star of ultramarathoning, and his meteoric rise continued earlier this month at the Cocodona 250 in Arizona, where he placed second among men in 58:13:44, impressively knocking 13 hours off of his time from a year earlier. He attributes his progress due to lessons he learned from last time about sleeping, how not to chafe, increasing his training load, and to mental ruggedness. Some of the latter was honed when he won the Ultra Gobi Desert 400K, which he discussed on WASP episode #364 last October. Cody chats with me about many of the challenges he encountered while running 253 miles through the Arizona mountains, deserts, canyons, and several steep mountain climbs and descents, and what it was like to not be cruising to the finish, but actually be dueling other competitors in the latter stages of the race. Not to mention the challenges of training for such terrain on the meek hills where he lives in Missouri, and while working an office job. His recent results have led to sponsorships with Mount to Coast shoes among others that are leading toward him considering himself a full-time professional runner, and allowing him some degree of freedom like many 24-year-olds crave to travel to races and  pursue other adventures like triathlon and long-distance kayaking. Cody is setting his sights toward qualifying for high-profile races like Hardrock and UTMB, and relocating to an area like Colorado where he can train on our trails. And last but not least, we chat about his race clothing choices. Cody is awesome to chat with and I’m sure you’ll be entertained. Cody Poskin codyposkin.com Instagram, YouTube, and Threads @cody_poskin Bill Stahl silly_billy@msn.com Facebook Bill Stahl Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast YouTube We Are Superman Podcast Please consider donating to support Team Leadville and Boulder Crest to help end veteran suicide!  Donate, share, or just help spread the word to help end veteran suicide. Thank you very much! https://weblink.donorperfect.com/BoulderCrestFoundation/2026TeamLeadville/BillStahl  Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen. Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8 Register for the American Heroes Run: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133138 Ride to End ALZ Colorado www.alz.org/rideco

    1h 40m

  6. May 22

    #382 - We Are Josh Lee, From 435 Pounds to Ultramarathon Warrior

    Send us Fan Mail Today’s guest is one of the earliest members of David’s Leadville Ten Warriors group that all were overcoming their addictions and with David’s guidance gleaned from lessons he learned in his own life, battled back against those addictions and trained to run races like the Leadville Heavy Half and Marathon. Josh Lee completed the Heavy Half in 2019, but he had to hit rock bottom before making the definitive changes he needed to put his life on the right course. Josh was a high school wrestler, and as you may know, their routine before every meet was to starve and sweat to lose pounds, and then following the weigh-in gorge out eating. This yo-yo effect created bad habits that led to him gradually putting on more and more weight. From 200 pounds in 2017, Josh ballooned to 435 pounds in 2023. At least that’s what he knew of. It might have been more. Josh works as a funeral director, which meant wearing suits to work. He and his young son had a routine where the boy put on Josh’s socks because he couldn’t reach down himself to do this seemingly simple task. A comment by his son triggered a response that made him determined to upend his food addict life. So he changed his diet and get this, Josh dropped 180 pounds over the ensuing 72 weeks. Nothing fancy.  No GLP-1 drugs, no bariatric surgery. And he began running. A lot. Nine months in, he ran his first 50K. A year after that, he finished 7th in a 12-hour race, completing 53 miles. This past October, he finished the Hennepin 100-miler in 21:51, which is a very, very, impressive time. Earlier this month, Josh entered his first backyard ultra and placed second, completing 112.5 miles. But best for Josh is he is the dad and husband he always wished he could be when he weighed literally three times what I weigh. Plus he’s a great guy. I think you’ll be very inspired by this truly amazing story. Josh Lee Instagram @leemortuary Bill Stahl silly_billy@msn.com Facebook Bill Stahl Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast YouTube We Are Superman Podcast Subscribe to the We Are Superman Newsletter! https://mailchi.mp/dab62cfc01f8/newsletter-signup Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen. Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8 Register for the American Heroes Run: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133138 Ride to End ALZ Colorado www.alz.org/rideco

    1h 39m

  7. May 1

    #381 - We Are Three Blind Veterans Climbing Kilimanjaro and Leading Inspiring Lives

    Send us Fan Mail I’m talking today with three truly remarkable men, all veterans, all of whom have not let the loss of their eyesight and sometimes more affect their willingness to help others in monumental ways. They have started foundations and programs so others are not glued to their couches but instead get active and find meaning in their lives. They have found ways to adapt to the world to produce podcasts and music, and telling stories about overcoming steep odds. They have set and attained what would be unfathomable goals to most people that are even more impressive for the blind. They have also formed a tight bond that has led them to the Top of Africa – the summit of Kilimanjaro. Imagine if you will a multi-day trek starting through the jungles and pouring rain up an Alpine peak that tops out at 19,341 feet, all without vision. One of them, Aaron Hale, even first ran 200 miles from the Indian Ocean to the base of Kilimanjaro to join the climb with the others, Steve Baskis and Lonnie Bedwell, who by the way is the first blind person to kayak the length of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. The climb up Kili itself is arduous enough for most, but being blind adds elements that others wouldn’t encounter. Obviously, every step on a rocky trail can be riskier. Or take a little thing like leaving your tent in the middle of the night to answer nature’s call when no amount of lights is going to help tell you if there is a cliff a step ahead. I think you’ll be riveted to hearing this enthralling story. I would recommend following up this WASP episode by listening to Steve’s three-part series telling of their climb on the Blind Endeavors podcast channel. And also check out their other amazing achievements on their web sites, which I have listed in the show notes, including Lonnie’s quest to complete the last leg of the Explorer’s Grand Slam, which includes reaching the top of the Seven Summits, which are the tallest peaks on every continent, as well as trekking to the North and South Poles. The only part he’s missing is the North Pole, soon to come. Steve meanwhile, is working to sail solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Blind Endeavors Media Hub: https://blindendeavors.org/on-the-mountain-to-tell-the-story-a-blind-endeavors-foundation-mission-to-kilimanjaro/ Steve Baskis stevebaskis.com Facebook Steven C Baskis Instagram and X @stevebaskis YouTube @Baskis360 and baskis360.com LinkedIn Steven Baskis Lonnie Bedwell lonniebedwell.com lonnie.r.bedwell@gmail.com Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @Lonnie Bedwell Aaron Hale Facebook www.facebook.com/aclayhale Instagram @aclayhale LinkedIn Aaron Hale pointofimpactpod.com YouTube @pointofimpactpodcast Bill Stahl silly_billy@msn.com Facebook Bill Stahl Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast YouTube We Are Superman Podcast Subscribe to the We Are Superman Newsletter! https://mailchi.mp/dab62cfc01f8/newsletter-signup Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen. Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8

    2h 24m

  8. Apr 16

    #380 - We Are Tim Carney, Firefighter to Healthstyle Guru

    Send us Fan Mail As you know, the American Heroes Run honors among others our courageous first responders, so when the opportunity came up to chat with Tim Carney, a professional firefighter for 33 years, I jumped at it. Tim learned early on during one of his rescues how much fitness comes into play. From this, he earned his personal training certification. But he was surprised how much resistance he got from department heads after he developed a program to improve wellness for those he worked with. This evolved into him creating PrimeFITTlife, which is aimed to help people of all ages and all walks achieve what he calls a better “health-style.” Tim has learned a lot about how fitness contributes to overall health, and most of all about the different ways people are motivated to act. He points out that people are typically either “doers,” “whyers,” or “howers,” and what types of exercise are likely to inspire each group. He has distilled his down-to-earth approach into in-person and online training, and e-books. We talk also about barriers that some people erect to adopting a better health-style, and about simple steps one can take to overcome these, whether it’s meal planning or simply walking – and that there are different types of walking for fitness, too.  It’s also great that Tim brings his classroom training into community centers near where he lives in northeast Ohio to facilitate more of that healthstyle training to a wider audience. Tim shares a lot of fantastic, simple steps one can take to make incremental progress in your overall health that can benefit all of us, including what he calls “minding your P’s and 2’s.” Be sure to reach out to Tim at timothyjcarney.com for his free e-book or if you’d like to chat with him about improving your own healthstyle. Tim Carney timothyjcarney.com Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @primeFITTlife Bill Stahl silly_billy@msn.com Facebook Bill Stahl Instagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcast YouTube We Are Superman Podcast Subscribe to the We Are Superman Newsletter! https://mailchi.mp/dab62cfc01f8/newsletter-signup Subscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen. Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8 Register for the American Heroes Run: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133138 Ride to End ALZ Colorado www.alz.org/rideco

    1h 35m
See All (408)

4.7
out of 5
89 Ratings

About

Founded by David Clark, a former 320-pound alcoholic, drug addict, food junkie turned accomplished endurance athlete, bestselling author, plant-based fighter, and happiness warrior. Ultramarathoner and coach Bill Stahl is continuing David's legacy to bring you inspirational stories of ordinary people overcoming alcoholism, addiction, obesity, or catastrophic injuries or illnesses to accomplish epic achievements like running ultramarathons, climbing Everest, etc. We also bring you world-class athletes and others involved in the endurance sports space, medical providers, and others who can help you up your own game in athletics as well as in life so you feel, look, and perform better. As David said, we will help you look into the far side of the universe where anything is possible and all things are eventual.

Information

  • Creator
    Bill Stahl
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    408
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 We Are Superman
  • Show Website
    We Are Superman

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