YogiTriathlete Podcast Jess & BJ Gumkowski

Aurora Leon-Conde, along with her partner Joaquin, joined Jess and BJ to debrief her recent finish of the Tahoe 200. The journey was not without massive resistance, all of which Aurora overcame in the end using the power of her mind.

Aurora is a pillar of strength and a long-time member of Team YogiTriathlete. She has completed many epic feats throughout the year and serves as a leader in the YT Community for doing hard things with grace. Aurora discovered running while studying medicine in New York, eventually leading her to run the NYC marathon in 2011. Through endurance sports, she realized that she was capable of accessing parts of her mind that were dormant in regular life.

She became fascinated by this and started running longer distances to see what else she could access. Her most recent endeavor, and the catalyst for finally having her on the show, was her successful finish of the Tahoe 200. There is so much more that this woman has accomplished, and her list of future accolades continues to grow. We hope that she inspires you as much as she inspires us.

Thank you for tuning in and supporting the YogiTriathlete podcast since 2016. It is one of the OG podcasts of the endurance sports world. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on your favorite place to listen. By joining our Patreon community, you can also support the commercial-free nature of the YTP and Awake Athlete podcasts and the early release of every podcast episode.

In this episode:

- intentional community living
- beginners mindset
- training for a 200
- being present with what is right now
- Aurora's running origins
- Tahoe 200 breakdown
- Biggest unknown
- Dirt naps
- Trying to quit
- Spiritual breakthrough
- The final miles
- What’s next

In this episode, BJ flies solo with long-time friend, consultant, and keynote speaker Michael Silva, who is on a mission to save the physical therapy industry.

Mike was the president and founder of FOUNDATIONperformance Sports Medicine for 20 years, a leading outpatient physical therapy practice in New England with three offices in two states.  He is also the creator of RUNstrong®: A comprehensive conditioning program for runners and coaches.  His experience and expertise in the running world have allowed Michael to work with amazing athletes from all over the world, including Olympians and world record holders.  He has traveled all over the USA to educate and motivate runners and coaches through lectures, clinics, keynote speeches, and as a guest panelist.

With over 40 years of friendship and collaboration, Mike and BJ come together for this episode to share their wealthy bank of knowledge and we hope you enjoy the show.

Thank you for tuning in and supporting the YogiTriathlete podcast since 2016. It is one of the OG podcasts of the endurance sports world. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on your favorite place to listen. By joining our Patreon community, you can also support the commercial-free nature of the YTP and Awake Athlete podcasts and the early release of every podcast episode.

In this episode:

- value of belly laughs
- adventure to Portugal
- the role of yoga as strength for runners
- weight training at home
- importance of seeking bodywork guidance
- perfection mindset
- doing the best you can with the tools you have
- it’s ok not to know
- an experience that shaped you
- doing what you want vs. what you should
- belief that you will be ok
- self-sabotage
- shifting away from negative thinking
- movement is critical
- saving the physical therapy profession

It's been a minute since the coaches came together for a chat, and so here they are—Master Coach BJ, Triathlon/Run Coach Melissa, and Mindset/Adventure Leader Jess. They dive deep into the mindset of athletes, of course, but also the ins and outs of training and racing to equal a successful lifestyle, which YogiTriathlete is founded on: the endurance sports lifestyle of swim, bike, run, mindset.

Thank you for tuning in and supporting the YogiTriathlete podcast since 2016. It is one of the OG podcasts of the endurance sports world. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on your favorite place to listen. By joining our Patreon community, you can also support the commercial-free nature of the YTP and Awake Athlete podcasts and the early release of every podcast episode.

In this episode:

- what the coaches are excited about right now with their athletes
- struggling with morning workouts
- changing your relationship to sleep
- beliefs are powerful
- performance on lack of sleep
- mindset is the biggest factor in the achievement of your goal
- celebrating some amazing athlete moments
- Melissa quit her full time job and has embraced her creative side
- ideal athletes for our coaching style
- staying flexible and fluid
- rewiring the brain to keep moving forward
- yoga teaches you to relax into the intensity of workouts and life
- Bj’s love of progression runs
- Melissa loves 5x1km off the bike
- upcoming First-timers at Ironman Arizona
- breaking 5 hours at Oregon for Melissa
- going beyond in training for a shorter race builds confidence

We're fired up to have ultrarunner Jake Jackson with us for this episode following his maiden voyage of Cocodona 250, although, in the weeks following, Jake was already on the top of the podium at the Nanny Goat 12-hour and at the time of this recording, days away from the San Diego 100.

Jake is a dad of three, husband, full-time professional with UPS, and former smoker-partier who realized alongside his wife that they needed to adopt a healthier lifestyle. So they traded their cigarettes for running shoes. After road running and finding success as a fast runner, Jake turned to the trails. His ultra sign-up CV is long, reporting his first trail race in October of 2014, although he had already been lacing up his shoes for several years at that point.

Jake has twice represented Team USA in the 24-hour World Championships, been last man standing at a last-man-standing race, taken wins and stood on the podium countless times, grinded away miles and managed to get it all in despite working full-time, being a dad, and giving space to his wife, Missy, to hit the trails and get in her training.

He's credited with a reputation for positivity and lifting others up along the way, and we are certain you are going to love his laid-back, no-excuses demeanor.

Thank you for tuning in and supporting the YogiTriathlete podcast since 2016. It is one of the OG podcasts of the endurance sports world. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on your favorite place to listen. By joining our Patreon community, you can also support the commercial-free nature of the YTP and Awake Athlete podcasts and the early release of every podcast episode.

In this episode:

- New film project coming soon
- Becoming Mr. nutrition guy at his job with UPS
- Getting up early
- Racing more frequently
- What his body is capable of
- Build into Cocodona 250
- Biggest challenge of sleep deprivation
- Failure vs learning
- Effects on the body after running 250 miles
- Magical moments on Mt Eldon and Sedona at sunrise
- What keeps you going and not quitting
- 24 timed races vs mileage races
- Nutrition plan when going long
- Buffet aid stations at Cocodona
- What did you learn about yourself?
- Pushing your limits
- Recovery takeaways
- Thoughts leading into San Diego 100
- The big dream
- No excuses

BJ is hot off the heels of Ironman 70.3 Western Massachusetts, where he beat a personal best from 2009. They dive into his race experience, give insight into the race course, and detail his new nutrition plan, which is paying dividends already. Stay tuned all the way to the end for some exciting news and hints of something to come from YogiTriathlete this summer.

Thank you for tuning in and supporting the YogiTriathlete podcast since 2016. It is one of the OG podcasts of the endurance sports world. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on your favorite place to listen. By joining our Patreon community, you can also support the commercial-free nature of the YTP and Awake Athlete podcasts and the early release of every podcast episode.

In this episode:

- Fastest half-ironman in years
- Willingness to put yourself into the possibility
- Changes in training to achieve
- Power of belief
- IM 70.3 Western Mass and Team YogiTriathlete
- Course Breakdown
- Racing in the rain
- Trail running for IM racing
- New fueling plan
- Upcoming adventures!
- Hints of something new coming....

Like many of you, the YogiTriathlete team was glued to this year's coverage of the Cocodona 250, and today, you get to hear all about it from first-time finisher Dandelion Dullvio-Scott.

Chris Thornley, the founder of Squirrel's Nut Butter, introduced hosts Jess and BJ to Dandelion, their fellow SNB Adventure Teammate, after her grueling 105:28:27 journey from Black City Canyon to downtown Flagstaff. This point-to-point foot race, the Cocodona 250, is not for the faint of heart, with over 40,000 feet of vertical gain and 34,000 feet of loss over the 250 miles. It culminates in a challenging climb up Mt. Elden before a final descent into town to the finish line.

From her mountaineering roots, Dandelion stepped into trail racing in 2018 with her first fast-pack event and has accumulated countless miles and finishes over the years, but Cocodona was her first race of the 200-mile flavor.

Thank you for tuning in and supporting the YogiTriathlete podcast since 2016. It is one of the OG podcasts of the endurance sports world. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on your favorite place to listen. By joining our Patreon community, you can also support the commercial-free nature of the YTP and Awake Athlete podcasts and the early release of every podcast episode.

In this episode:

- curiosity in what is possible
- choosing to go through suffering
- training in extreme environmental conditions
- move with the terrain, not against it
- panic happens
- relationship to the unknown
- Cocodona crew
- breakdown of the race
- challenges to sticking to the plan
- sleep deprivation
- pacer responsibilities
- feelings coming into the final climb just before the finish
- emotions coming off a big race
- mental training from hard sessions and workouts