𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧: 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲🏅

What happens when a group of friends decides to turn a simple weekend get-together into a full-blown quest for a Spartan Race trifecta? You get stories of grit, growth, and leadership you won’t want to miss!

In Episode 180, host John Gallagher sits down with his brothers in faith and accountability group members—𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐉𝐞𝐟𝐟 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫—as they share what it REALLY takes to do hard things, how training for a Spartan race can unlock your leadership potential, and why age is truly just a number.

💡 Highlights: https://youtu.be/RlF-Pa_x334

The power of doing hard things—on the course and in life

How setbacks (and sore hips!) become lessons in leadership and discipline

Why having a circle of accountability changes everything

The role of consistency and continuous improvement in achieving long-term goals

How to motivate yourself—no matter your age—to chase the next challenge

If you’ve ever needed a nudge to take on something daunting, this is your sign. Listen in for inspiration, laughs, and practical tips on becoming an uncommon leader—both on and off the racecourse.

🎧 Listen now and let us know: What's your next “Spartan Race” in life?

🚀 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐮𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫:

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#CoachJohnGallagher #TheUncommonLeaderPodcast #LeadershipCoaching #UncommonLeader #ExecutiveCoaching #ValuesBasedLeadership #MindsetMatters #GrowthMindset #LearnLeadGrow #LevelUpLeadership #SpartanRace #ChallengeYourself #BeUncommon

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Chapters

• 0:00 Leadership Lessons from Unexpected Challenges
• 7:13 From Weekend Plans to Spartan Trifecta
• 17:56 Facing Fear and Finding Motivation at 50+
• 30:55 Community Support and Race Camaraderie
• 37:12 Training Strategies for the 21K Beast
• 47:32 Consistency, Teamwork, and Final Wisdom

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

What leadership comes out of that? What leadership lesson comes out of that is you know you don't have control over everything. You can prepare as best you can and then sometimes there's a change and you have to push through and you have to continue to fight and you have to find the real finish line wherever it is.

Speaker 2: 0:17

It's consistency before intensity, right, so it's the consistency before intensity will always get you there.

Speaker 3: 0:25

For me. I think, as leaders, that we sometimes forget that we don't have to do it all alone. Right, surround yourself around people that can help you.

Speaker 4: 0:43

Hey, uncommon Leaders, welcome back. This is the Uncommon Leader Podcast and I'm your host, john Gallagher, and I've got a great conversation today, something different than I've done before. I've got a group of guys my brothers in faith, my friends, my Raise the Average accountability group members on a call here to talk about a recent race, about a recent journey we've been on. We've done our first two Spartan races and we just finished one up about a week ago, and I wanted them to get back together to really talk about that experience, and what started out ultimately as a conversation for us in terms of saying, hey, we need to figure out how to do something hard, has turned into a quest for a Spartan trifecta. So we'll talk about what that means in terms of setting us up for the next one as well.

Speaker 4: 1:31

But ultimately, when this is the Uncommon Leader podcast, it's about working with leaders and just like these guys who are working through life on a daily basis to get better, either in their personal fitness, in their homes, in their communities or at their workplaces, ultimately choosing to do things that are a little bit hard and, while it may be about the medal, which are really kind of cool as we go through this conversation. It's really about a greater purpose for us, for me, something about being able to look down the road, especially from a health standpoint, and be able to do stuff with grandchildren as we go forward and making sure that we're available for our families for a longer time than we thought. So, guys, dave Campbell, jeff Adams, kevin Gallagher, welcome to the Uncommon Leader Podcast. How are you guys doing?

Speaker 3: 2:18

Great Doing, great brother.

Speaker 4: 2:21

Yeah, doing good, john. Yeah, we've recovered okay. I think After a few days we talked about that afterwards in terms of what some of the pain was after a 5K event, that we may have thought that was going to be a little bit easier than the first one and didn't necessarily turn out that way. But let's just jump in the conversation. We're going to have a lot of fun with this and I'm going start off with Dave and I'm going to move my way around and you guys can add in as we go forward. I just want it to be a fun conversation.

Speaker 4: 2:48

But, dave, this thing goes all the way back Really. I mean, the RTA group goes back a few years, but the conversation of getting involved in the Spartan race stem from one of our regular phone calls RTA group phone calls and we said you know we're doing this kind of training but we don't have anything really to shoot for and we need to try something hard. And it ended up being I did an internet search and came up with Spartan Race and it was like, for some reason, in five minutes we kind of said yep, let's do it, we're in, let's go and make it happen. As you thought about that on that journey. As you think about that, how it impacts you as a leader and doing hard stuff, what comes to mind as you look at the journey we've been on really for the last 10 months, specifically in the Spartan world?

Speaker 2: 3:29

So for me, john, the biggest or most learning I've gotten from it is that it helps me take on things that I didn't think I could do before.

Speaker 2: 3:38

I think doing a Spartan race was so far out of my realm of possibilities and I can't believe it's been 10 months since we started talking about this. But you know, when you brought it up, if you remember, this came from a, a failed attempt to just have a weekend with the guys right and we couldn't get rbo's and all these things, couldn't get everything aligned. And then I remember a conversation, I think a text message. She was like, hey, let's do a spartan. And it just really got my wheels turning because I'd never done anything that difficult and I thought, well, this would be a great challenge. And then I ended up having conversations with Jeff and brought it up and he's like, hey, I've done Spartan races before and, you know, started looking at it. Just an amazing challenge for us to look at and do things that I thought were impossible. If you'd asked me a year ago about doing a Spartan race, I would have said there's no way.

Speaker 4: 4:28

I think that is funny in terms of looking back on that. We were talking about trying to get together for a fun weekend to do fun things, you know, more than kind of the hangout and sit around a fire and you know, go out and have a good meal, and for some reason we turned that into doing something difficult. And I know you know, jeff, jeff came in, you came in the group just a little bit later in terms of what that was, and I'm so glad that you did, but he's like, oh yeah, the Spartan thing. I mean you were, you were a a seasoned veteran when it came to Spartans, I guess, and what it was, and helped us out along that journey. But what was there for you?

Speaker 1: 5:09

Kevin and Jeff, were you guys ready for that as well? Go ahead, jeff. Yeah, I was going to say so, john. I guess I'll clarify. Are you talking about the sprint we just finished?

Speaker 4: 5:18

Yeah, I mean the sprint and the sprint overall, Yep, the one we just did.

Speaker 1: 5:23

Was I prepared. You know, I full transparency. I think I overlooked this one a little bit. Um, I think, um, I, we just finished the super. Uh, this one is half of that, so it seemed like it shouldn't be as difficult, but this one, uh, I don't know if it's because I'm a few years older than the last time I did it, but I had trouble recovering and I'm just now starting to feel like some of the soreness is leaving my hips and all those things. I know we've kind of been going back and forth on that in the chat, but yeah, I overlooked it a little bit. John Overlooked it.

Speaker 4: 5:56

Yep, absolutely, and I think that's a lesson in life as well. Kevin, where's that lesson for you in terms of thinking something might be a little bit easier because we did something hard already and it doesn't turn out that way?

Speaker 3: 6:08

Oh yeah, I definitely thought I was going to breeze through this, you know, and I ran it with Melissa, so you know, the biggest, the biggest push for her, I just, you know, was to keep moving. Know, was to keep moving, and I didn't think it would be as crazy as it was. But when you throw a 60 pound sandbag on your shoulder, and that course was really hilly, my hips are just recovering, like last night I was stretching and it was the first time that my hips didn't hurt since Sunday morning. So, um, I wasn't expecting the Hills to be nearly as gnarly as they were. And after doing the super, you know we, I don't want to say we breezed through the super, but I felt like we got through the super really really well. Um, you know, we, we were pushing each other, um, constantly on a very walking, constant run, and I felt we got through that one really well. But if you look at the landscape between Fayetteville and Mill Springs, whoo, yeah, yeah, yeah, it definitely is. The geography is a huge difference.

Speaker 4: 7:21

So yeah.

Speaker 4: 7:21

And again, I think there's so many different things in that, again, you know thinking things are going to be easier than they are not. Maybe not prepping as much Ultimately, like the prep, going into it to understand should we, you know, walk I don't want to say walk the entire next course, but certainly do a little more research on the, on the one coming up in November as well. That's probably going to be the hardest one yet. We admit that the hardest one yet is coming out. So there are many things again, I still hearken this back to leadership that recognizes that. You know, don't ease your way into a conversation, don't ease your way into a project, whatever that is because you think it's going to be a little easier. We're always going to run into some of those obstacles that are going to keep us from being successful, and even the discipline required to that.

Speaker 4: 8:04

And here's kind of a question I'll loft out and maybe, jeff, you take this one first when I think about the hard stuff in terms of training. And you mentioned age as well, jeff, you're a little bit older than you were before. So three of us are in the 50 plus club. A couple of us are on the closer side to even the 60 club here in the near future, right, dave, in terms of where we are. And then, kevin, by the time you join us in November, you'll be joining that elite club as well as we get older, okay, as we look at what's important to us. I know we don't do this just for the medal, although it's kind of fun and, again, I think it even motivated us to get the trifecta completed. But you know, jeff, what is it that keeps you inspired and motivated to do hard things like that at 50 years old or older, where some folks are actually starting to slow down and say, man, I got to take it easy?

Speaker 1: 9:00

Yeah, john, I always think about Clint Eastwood. You know, when he was asked how does he still do it, he said I get up every morning and I kick the old man out. You know, and I'll always like that, it's always kind of resonated with me. But, yeah, I mean, we have to do what we know is right to do and you know, whether that's in terms of our diet, whether it's in terms of spending time with God, whether it's in terms of getting into the gym and pushing, and you know it's mind over matter, and I think we, you know we have to determine what our goals are, push through.

Speaker 1: 9:34

I've got a 26-year-old son, so I don't know when grandchildren are coming, but I'm sure they are. We're on vacation this week with a younger family and they have a younger kid, and so I'm sure they are. We're on vacation this week with a younger family and they have a younger kid, and so I'm remembering the energy that's required. And then I've got a 13-year-old son who's now. He wants to ride dirt bikes and all these things, and I want to be a part of that. I want to be all in. So for me, it's just about being able to physically do the things that I want to do and if, whatever price comes to prepare for that, then I'm in. I'm willing to do it.

Speaker 4: 10:12

Amen, dave, you are a grandfather now. Man, how's that feeling for you? The Spartan race and a grandfather How's that in a short period of time?

Speaker 2: 10:21

Yeah, it's pretty amazing. But you know, I'm like Jeff, where I'm looking at this going. I want to be in such good shape in the next decade. So I read somewhere last year I don't remember which book it was, but it was talking about thinking a decade ahead what's it going to be like when I'm 66, 76?

Speaker 2: 10:43

And you know, the ease that we all look for in life doesn't come from ease, right, it comes from the suffering and being able to, and being to intentionally suffer and push yourself to the limit and find that limit. That's the one thing that Spartan has done for me. You know, I did a bicycle race back in 2012 that helped me find that limit, but then I forgot it and I didn't keep the discipline. 2012 that helped me find that limit, but then I forgot it and I didn't keep the discipline. And what I think the Spartan races are doing for me, or even just my fitness plan and working with the CrossFit gym, it's helping me continue to redefine those limits and find them. And you know, maybe get a little bit injured and be sore. You guys are talking about the sore hips. I've not had my hips burn like that my entire that first day after this 5k. So you know it's kind of learning those limits.

Speaker 2: 11:29

And then, okay, for the, for the, the race in november. What does my preparation need to look like? Right, so that it might be remember. But yeah, right now it's exciting. We got the second grandkid on the way in september, so it really is about just ready to get up and down off the floor and play with the kids and, you know, enjoy it Right, and really not be up in the stands watching.

Speaker 4: 11:51

So I love that and your point about the hips and even the next level of preparation. I think the continuous improvement component of that Right To sit down afterward and reflect on whether we did that formally or whether we did that informally. With regards to what did we do, well, I love how the Spartan community frankly creates that such that you can create a scorecard for yourself. There's a time that you finish, there's again the medals that you have that you get through, but there's also how did you do on each one of the obstacles that were out there in front of you, and they actually let you kind of check in with with those things. So it gives you, uh, an improvement glide path going forward. You know, dave, you mentioned that why and there was a picture of somebody quoted and I don't know that I could have said it any better in terms of that so that, uh, I'm exercising so I can take my son on a trip for his 50th birthday. You touched on this, jeff, you got a 26 year old, I've got a 28 and a 26,. You know, kevin, your son, jack, is going to be graduating here real soon. I'm exercising so that I can dance at my grandkids weddings, and that's a pretty ugly scene, but in terms of you know what that really sounds like in terms of grandchildren's weddings can be pretty powerful. As a goal, I'm exercising so that they can all look after themselves in 30 years, because I can still look after me and I love that.

Speaker 4: 13:08

In terms of something, and just to make it fun, is that frankly, I want to be able to get up off the toilet without having bars metal bars in the bathroom to get me going there, and if I'm not prepping for that now, I don't want to have to hit a buzzer to call somebody and say, help me, help me stand up off the toilet here Just kind of humiliating and not fair to the others. I just don't want to be a nuisance to the others. So it's not just about creating bigger muscles in our arms, although that's cool and that's really fun. It's not just about trying to identify whether or not there are still abs underneath the bellies that we have, although that's really cool. I'm being able to fit into smaller waist clothes and things like that and being able to say we're in better shape now than we were at 25 years old. All those kind of things are really cool, but I love the, so that that exists inside of the of the statements that you guys are talking about.

Speaker 4: 14:01

That's to me, that's one of the biggest, one of the biggest parts of this, no doubt about it. You know, we agreed to do this in part to be examples, though, for our family as well, to model what good looks like for them, and hopefully they'll pick up some of these habits that we're doing again, whether it's reading habits Jeff, you talked about it scriptural reading and being involved in reading the Bible and learning from each other there being men of faith. Is there a moment from the race and I'm going to ask you, I'm going to quiz you a little bit, maybe I'll come to you first, kevin so to think about this that you can share with your kids, to teach them a lesson about leadership or discipline or, ultimately, finishing what you get started you get started?

Speaker 3: 14:54

That's really a good question, John. Um, you know, uh, at the when we did the super, uh, I felt that I I missed um three obstacles and I've had two shoulder surgeries. So I always I have a fear for anything above my head Right. And I went into that race with that fear and I got through the first um monkey bar obstacle and I was like, oh, this is, I have no shoulder pain, this is fantastic, I'm not worried about this.

Speaker 3: 15:21

And I thought I could muscle through the rope, the rope climb. And I just could not figure out the rope climb and it devastated me. Uh, I don't want to say it devastated me, but it really got under my skin that I could not do the rope climb. And you know, I went into this race saying I'm going to, I don't care what else happens, I'm doing the rope climb. And you know, I thought it was all about strength and everything else. And it really, you know, I'm standing there before the race starts and they've got the rope where you can try the climbing. And there was a gentleman there who was maybe 150 pounds and he's like, well, you could probably muscle up, but I wouldn't suggest it. He said, just, it's real simple. He said just, it's real simple. He said hold the rope on your foot, climp your feet and you're going to climb. Just use your legs. You've got really big legs, Just get right up the rope. And I was like, okay, yeah, sure, and you know I still I was.

Speaker 3: 16:15

I tried it a couple of times and I could not do it and I got out on the course and I told Melissa as we're going through the whole course and I think that where the leadership really came in for me with her at least, was she was she's getting back into her fitness journey, Right. So she felt like she had to walk and you know, I said hey, listen, If you want to walk, you got 50 feet before an obstacle. We're going to run nonstop from one obstacle to the next. You can stop 50 feet before the obstacle, but you have to keep your feet at a faster pace than a walk and if you do that, we'll get through this. You'll feel like a champion. Let's keep doing it.

Speaker 3: 16:55

For myself, the leadership piece that I can bring to my kids was overcoming that rope. When I got to the rope, I still had doubt in my mind whether or not I could do it and I'm you know, you're there. You were standing at the rope when I came up, which was really cool for me because I was like, oh, somebody's going to be able to see me do this, I think I could do this. And uh, you know, as I'm climbing that rope, you're cheering me on, man, and that was, uh, it was huge, it was really huge for me. So, uh, getting over the rope, proving to myself, hey, you know, you've, you've got it in the tank still, and uh, that was just, that was big for me amen, brother, face the fear and do it anyway, right, Right.

Speaker 4: 17:38

And uh, you know, I don't want to see me. I I kind of as waiting on you. That was my rest period as well, and it gave me a chance to try it again, Cause I, I was, I was spent when I first got there and I couldn't even get myself onto the rope, and then I saw you do it again and that inspired me. That's the other side of that inspired me. I'm like shoot man. I got to try this thing again and while I still didn't ring that daggone bell, I'm going to get that next time, no doubt about it.

Speaker 4: 18:01

I got that shot back in and that lesson for me ultimately was you don't get to not try, Okay, Even if you got arrested. And even your lesson with Melissa you don't get to stop and quit Like we're going to keep going. We're going to keep moving, we're going to push through. We can probably handle a lot more pain than we think we're able to. And then the last one I heard in you as well, and that's the reason for to eat like crazy and just to do it for myself. Um, and that's a lonely path, but having people in your life to inspire and encourage you and hold you accountable and really, you know, through some of those training things, to say you know I could stop doing this, but uh, I'm not going to get my hashtag number to the guys and say I did my workout today, so I got to get this thing done. What about you guys? Jeff, Dave, anything you want to add to that?

Speaker 1: 19:04

I think, that was really cool. Yeah, one thing that jumped out at me, john, was man. I really, throughout the race, I was looking at my watch and it's keeping up with how far we've come right, and I'm even saying it out loud so that others on the course can hear it, maybe be encouraged. Hey, we're two miles in man, but mile four of the 5K really sort of yeah, right, you know what I mean, that was longer than a 5K.

Speaker 1: 19:29

Mentally, I had sort of I put some sort of across the finish line point up in my mind. And so when we were beyond that and we were still running and I saw a lot of obstacles ahead of us, still I was like man, this is, I've underestimated this and I know I didn't run that many penalty laps. And then I started to sort of blame honestly in my mind why does Spartan do this? Why would they treat us this way? I was trying to beat my sprint from 2022. And, yeah, so for me. You know what leadership comes out of that. What leadership lesson comes out of that is you know you don't have control over everything. You can prepare as best you can, and then you know sometimes there's a change and you have to push through and you have to continue to fight and you have to find the real finish line to continue to fight and find.

Speaker 4: 20:19

You have to find the real finish line wherever it is, even if it's uh fluid even if it's fluid, I mean, it's not exactly where you think it's going to be right. No doubt about it, yeah that was big for me yeah, cool.

Speaker 2: 20:35

so there's a couple things I think you know. Kevin touched on a little bit that, I think from a leadership standpoint just reminding yourself that you're never too old to learn a new skill and you know, I went into the first Spartan race going I'm going to learn how to climb rope Right, and since then, even with some of the CrossFit things, learning new skills that, as a 56 year old, I had no idea how to do. I hadn't climbed a rope since I was in high school and they had knots all the way up the rope, so it was much easier then. Right, there's no knots in these ropes and they're wet and muddy, so it takes a lot of training and practice to figure out how to get there.

Speaker 2: 21:07

And then the other leadership lesson you guys touched on as well is just that encouragement and support. You know, running with you guys keeps me motivated. But then at the end, hearing Melissa talk about kevin supporting her, that was huge. Right, that's the. It's easy for us to tell, hey, this is what we did as a leader, but then to hear someone else talk about how they were encouraged by somebody else during the race is really huge she's filed divorce papers no, that's not what I heard.

Speaker 2: 21:39

Man like kevin was earlier. He's playing. He was the strategist. He had the vision. You know, you kept her going, right, you gave her something to shoot for. So kevin made the joke. But you know, I don't know about you guys, but when I'm running something like this and it was the same when I was a cyclist if someone's in front of me, whether I know them or not, they don't know it, but I'm in a race with them, right? So I remember I was with the sandbag going up the hill and there's people around me and I'm just talking to myself going, you can do this, you can do this. And then, oh, by the way, you got to pass this person in front of you, right? So there's a little bit of a leadership lesson where you put yourself and create your own Right and, uh, you know, just just trying harder and harder and try to it's gamifying it, right.

Speaker 4: 22:20

I mean, look, when we were in this first one and that's that's a part of it too we were in the first one, the 10 K, and we came across that finish line and we got that they hand you that metal and go for it, like what's this little pie piece here? That's like a just a partial, what is that? And they, it felt like within five minutes, we're like, okay, when's the next one? We've got to get out there and sign up for the second one so we can do all three of these in one year. Again, I would have never, without that encouragement Dave, signed up for one of these things on my own, let alone be crazy enough to try to do three of them and now maybe four of them in the same year in terms of making that happen.

Speaker 3: 23:01

So, and John, if I can just add something real quick, um, you know, I I did my first.

Speaker 3: 23:06

I think my first Spartan was 10 years ago. Melissa and I did it together and I was close to 250, 255 pounds, something like that, and, yeah, and I was not a runner in any way, shape or form, it was. It was very ugly to look at, but one of the things that really made the race for me is while I was walking and you know I'm I'm beat, dripping sweat, and the first one we did was, um, in Concord, north Carolina, and had dirt and everything, of course, all over my face and my body and I'm huffing and puffing and I remember people running by me and and the camaraderie of it, right, and pushing me on hey, you got this. Just just pick up your feet, man. Pick up your feet. It's a hundred yards is the next obstacle, right, and without that, excuse me, still gets me. It's crazy, man, but I try to do the same thing when I'm running it, because you see people with struggles and you just want to help them through it.

Speaker 4: 24:11

So, yeah, Sorry, no, no, apology, man. I appreciate you sharing it in terms of understanding how you get.

Speaker 2: 24:19

We've all been on both sides of that. Somebody's encouraging me when I was carrying the bucket, somebody's encouraging me and then I'm doing the same thing, right? So you don't realize, influence and impact other people just by a little bit of encouragement until you feel it yourself. Right, hear?

Speaker 4: 24:32

it. Hey, Uncommon Leaders, Hope you're enjoying the episode. So far. I believe in doing business with people you like and trust, and not just a company name. That's why a strong personal brand is essential, whether you're an entrepreneur or a leader within a company. Brand Builders Group, the folks who have been helping me refine my own personal brand are offering a free consultation call with one of their expert brand strategists. They'll help you identify your uniqueness, craft a compelling story and develop a step-by-step plan to elevate your impact. So head on over to coachjohngallaghercom slash BBG, as in brand builders group, to schedule your free call and take the first step toward building a personal brand that gets you noticed for all the right reasons. That's coachjohngallaghercom slash BBG.

Speaker 4: 25:12

Now let's get back to the episode. Look, that community is amazing. It's contagious. I mean I don't know how many total racers there were in that one. I'm going to guess there's about 3,000 people who are racing there.

Speaker 4: 25:23

But then you know those individuals who encourage you right at the start line, the MC who was just kind of chuckling at them, saying, hey, you got this, come on, keep going. Um, it's something that it's something that will help being encouraging. Being an encourager is much better than kind of talking down and beating them up. Uh, as you go through that journey and again back into our work life, it makes sense, it's. It's a lot of the reason I do what I do with regards to executive coaching and even consulting. To a certain extent, I'm trying to teach them and I'm giving them a hard time to get them there, but I'm also trying to encourage them on that journey as well. I know that they are capable of so much more and that unrealized potential that's in there, of so much more, and that unrealized potential that's in there is in. And if they're not moving toward that like, it's something that I want to be an encourager to them but help them identify that blind spot, to say that, look, you weren't, you weren't called to be average. Okay, you weren't called to be someone who just sits on the sidelines and waits for Friday to roll around. You were called for something much bigger. And if the Spartan race helps us from that mindset, I think that's pretty awesome. Okay, and again, I, I, I, just I recognize that that a group like what we have, whether it's as simple as each day that we text each other a book that we've done our daily reading habit, or hashtag our number with regards to what our workout was, and even talk about some of those things that were challenging. Those are very simple things that are encouraging and inspiring to say man, I can't sit on the sidelines today. I got to be in the game, I got to make this happen. I think those are great points.

Speaker 4: 27:17

Look, the final race in the trifecta is the biggest race the half marathon. 21k, Jeff, to your point, 5K that turned into a 6K or 7K in terms of how we ended up finishing it. This 21K is likely probably to turn into something around I don't know 25 or 26K by the time we're done with it. What are each of you going to do differently to prepare for this one? What's, what's the next level in your training and your mindset, things like that? That's going to be different. I'll start with you, Kevin.

Speaker 3: 27:51

Well, uh, I don't know if you remember or not Um, I signed up for a half marathon on Sunday the 16th and we signed up for the Spartan race on November the 15th. And my wife reminded me while we were doing this last Spartan. She said wait a minute, you're doing what? And I said that's back-to-back half marathon. So I started Garmin has this amazing coach, right, the Garmin coach, and I've been a runner for the last couple years but I might run two times a week and I put what I wanted to do into the garmin coach and the garmin coach was like you're silly, you can't run twice a week. I'd get ready for back to back half marathon.

Speaker 3: 28:37

So I've already um my upping my running. I'm now on a four to five weeks, four to five days a week, schedule. For the running side, of course, I'm still lifting, you know, four to five times a week. So I would like to get a little bit better with the overhead um, like to get a little bit better with the overhead um apparatuses that they have out there. But the running piece is definitely going to be a tough part for me, just because of the back-to-back half marathons and making sure that I can recoup enough to do to get through the second half half marathon.

Speaker 3: 29:18

So, yeah, um, so running, stretching didn't even know what that word meant. Um, stretching is probably my least favorite thing to do in the entire world, but this morning, at four 30, I got up, did some stretching and I've incorporated that in my daily activity. Now to to, to make sure that I'm I'm ready for this event or events, yeah, and, of course, working with you guys, man, I mean, you know, that's one of the beauties of having an accountability group like you, um, is that we do a fantastic job of pushing each other daily with updates on how many calories are being burned, on what you're doing. So, every day, we send that to each other, um, and it's a, it's a motivator.

Speaker 4: 30:04

I love when people ask about that too. Like what is the hashtag and the number of me? Not, obviously not in our group, but I mean other people. I'll do that for other people sometimes. Like what does that number mean? I'm like that's how hard that we work today, man, and that's just how we let each other know that, uh, that we're committed to this and we're committed to them to make that happen. Jeff, what about you? What's your goal for the next one? Kind of get ready for that.

Speaker 1: 30:29

John, I think about my time in the military and I was like, why are we in the US training in the sand? And they were like, hey, we're trying to fight because we may have to fight a war in the sand. Why did we go down into the jungles of Louisiana? And they were like, hey, there's a terrain somewhere in the world we may have to go fight there. So for me it's going to be learning about what are we going to come against when we're against from a terrain standpoint, when we're down in South Carolina in November. How can I mimic that and try to incorporate some of that into the training, into the running, because a lot of it is running. And then the upper body strength.

Speaker 1: 31:09

I was a little upset in this race because, as you know, it was sort of misting rain and when I got to the monkey bars it turned into a penalty loop. So I was hoping that my previous races that wasn't the case. So you know, just upper body strength hanging and he's preparing for the terrain and then putting in the you know the 13.1 miles being able to. My goal is by two weeks out. You know, a 12 mile run under my belt, okay, feel feel good about it.

Speaker 1: 31:46

Yeah, yeah, so that's, that's kind of like going to be my approach. I mean, I hate to run, I hate to run.

Speaker 4: 31:50

I love having run when I'm done, but I hate to run. There's like nothing that I enjoy about running. I mean, it's just yeah I'm with you, john. It's other than other than the feeling at the end. I mean, I try to appreciate it. I try to get a mindset like put some music on our podcast, whatever it doesn't make dude, it doesn't matter. Running sucks, it really does. Dave. What about you? What do you got go? What you got prepared, man?

Speaker 2: 32:14

I got a few things going. Grip strength is huge too, because I'd love to be able to do the monkey bars and not blame it on being wet. That seems to be my excuse right now. I want to get rid of that. So I am actually working on the hanging every day.

Speaker 2: 32:27

But I have mapped out the run too, because, back to even my cycling training days, it comes down to volume and I've run this far in my entire life, so I've got to work up to that. So the plan I've got mapped out, just like Jeff just said, gets me at about 12 miles right before. But I also have another concern that I've got to work through and that's really on my hydration and electrolytes, because the last two races, right within the last mile, I've been getting calf cramps right. So now I'm going okay, I can't afford to get a DNF on this one six, seven miles into a you know, essentially a 13 mile race getting cramps. So I'm going to try to simulate, like Jeff said, doing the 12 mile run as I work up to that, doing some uh, you know, run out two miles, run back to my house, hydrate again a little bit, almost similar to what we'll do in the race.

Speaker 2: 33:18

So while I'm putting together that 12 13 miles beforehand, I am going to break it up a little bit and make sure I'm hydrating and getting electrolytes in my body and make sure that I can actually handle that, because the last thing I want to do is get to this race in november and get a cramp six miles in right, because, uh, it's you know, usually you can work through the cramp, but then it's in the back of your mind, it starts eating at you. Right, you're like, okay, if I do something strange, is it going to lock up again? So yeah, that's the main thing is really getting that volume of running in for me right now.

Speaker 4: 33:47

I'm so good.

Speaker 3: 33:48

Yeah, Dave, I was just going to say one of the things that you might want to look at too, just because you know from, like, when I'm running my half, I am wearing a vest with water and nutrition. Um, obviously it's. You know, it's a little grosser in the Spartan, but, um, nutrition is definitely going to play a part. Calories through the race, Um. So those are things that we need to take into consideration as well.

Speaker 2: 34:15

You know it's just like it's a great point, Cause I see people wearing the the. Well, you know it's just like it's a great point because I see people wearing the, the water devices, on the 5k, and I don't need water in 5k, but you know I I've spent a lot, right? So, um, there's no way I need to carry some additional water with electrolytes in it. Um, at the very least I was thinking carrying the packets and then put it in the little cups of water they give us every couple miles. So I'm gonna play a little bit and try to simulate it.

Speaker 4: 34:39

Salt pills, potassium, yeah, especially for the cramping the race, nutrition and the day of and getting ready the night before, but again fueling our body. Look, we can't recover the same way we did when we were in our 20s either. That's a little bit different. We could slug a 12-pack of beer or whatever the number is, and wake up in the morning and, you know, make another one to get the hair of the dog, and then just try to get the day going again.

Speaker 4: 35:05

You know our bodies just don't respond to that kind of stuff and we're probably living some of those challenges right now overall. But I think you know for me there is that nutrition component. You know I found myself 21K, 30 obstacles, so I'm dividing 21 by 30. What's the longest run going to be in a half marathon? And I mean, ok, I got to at least prepare for that whether it's zone two, training and just learning, I mean I love the component of continuous learning and I think about this even again. Back to the leadership, even in the day and age we're in right now is utilizing artificial intelligence to help us with that. Kevin, I think it was you that you put it in the chat GPT and it generate a plan for you, right, in terms of putting that together and getting ready for the race. I'm like, wow, it's just amazing what we have at our fingertips as leaders, if we're willing to continuously grow and I'm not suggesting that AI gets us through the 21K Spartan race, but as leaders, there are things we've got to do that are tough, and we've always got to be on a learning journey and don't think we've arrived by any stretch of imagination so far.

Speaker 4: 36:15

Just two more questions. Honor your time in terms of finishing this up, guys. This has been a great conversation. One fun question and then one little help having you inspire our listeners as well in terms of what's going on. That we'll finish up with I'll give you the last word. I think one had 25. So you know, we've had the chance to hit 46 obstacles. Some of them were repeats, some of them new. I want each of you to share the one that you wished Spartan never invented.

Speaker 2: 36:51

Okay, but still how you're able to overcome that obstacle and run through it, okay for me it's the spear throw.

Speaker 3: 37:02

Put some effort into the spear man. Don't give me a garden hoe with the hoe off.

Speaker 4: 37:06

Come on, I hate that thing it kind of reminds me that I don't know if we'll show my age here. I don't know if you guys remember the movie revenge of the nerds and they and they were in that decathlon or whatever against other fraternities and they had the javelin throw and the one guy designed one that it was flexible and he was running with it and it was kind of like, well, you've got to figure out how to take our own javelin or something there to really nail that dart.

Speaker 3: 37:35

I'll take. Anything over the spear throw there, I'll take anything over the spear throw.

Speaker 4: 37:38

There you go, all right. So you got to practice the spear throw. What about you, jeff? What's?

Speaker 1: 37:43

the one you hate the most. You know I'm sitting here, john, trying to think of what the name of it is. It looks like something from the medieval era. It has chains and balls and holes and you have to get your legs really high upon it. But I think that thing I've never. I've run a seven Spartan races. I've never conquered it. Um so, and it's, it's difficult to train for it Like it's, it's hard to replicate it back here. So yeah, that's the one I I'm still angry.

Speaker 4: 38:13

It's got a Greek name to it. I don't know if it's Olympus or something like that. It's got an odd name. I know it's the one you're talking about. That was in the first. That was in the 10K that we did. It wasn't in the 5K but it was in the 10K and I bet we're going to see it in the in the uh 10 or 21K here coming up. Dave, anyone that you just dislike, you hate it.

Speaker 2: 38:31

There's none that I hate or that I wish they hadn't invented. There are a few that I wish I could do better. That z wall I seem to get halfway, and then I that's where I got to work on the grip strength. Uh, that one's challenging for me. I keep trying to figure out if I can set something up like that in my basement I know right?

Speaker 2: 38:49

um, so there's none that I really don't like. You know what I mean. It's like I just want to get through them. I'll be able to do them at some point. Um, yeah, but that one that jeff mentioned, that one to me that I don't know how you replicate, that I don't know, that's some kind of maybe it's rock climbing or something like that right.

Speaker 4: 39:04

Well, that's what I feel about the z-wall, because that was my answer as well. Like I hate that z-wall, just looking like to try and balance on a two by four and hold on to a two by four at the same time and try to keep your weight against that wall. So you, I mean like what the who thought of something like this. But rock climbers got to do that all the time in terms of keeping themselves. Although I don't see my, my son Joseph, he's a rock climber, no doubt about it, but I don't see myself trying to hug any the side of any cliffs, trying to climb up or hoping that I'll never be stuck on one one day, uh, in terms of making that happen. So I would. I again.

Speaker 4: 39:37

What I like about what to hear, too, is like screw it. I can still hate it, um, but I have to do it, right, I mean, it's not. I don't have a choice necessarily. If I don't want to do the uh spear throw, what are my options? I can choose not to do it and still do the 30 burpees anyway. That is the penalty for that, or the 15 that I did, cause we teamed up. 30 burpees may be worse than anything. Man, goodness, who invented that as a penalty?

Speaker 4: 40:03

But I think there's so many things again in life that we don't like but we have to do and we still got to get ready for I think that's a great message, guys. This has been fun. I'm looking forward to the next one, looking forward to the next three months on the development journey as well, and likely ending up in this conversation again with regards to what that feels like and probably what's in mind for us for 2026. I know Kevin's been thinking about that already and he's thrown a couple challenges that I've ignored so far, successfully ignored and not replied to. But I will have to eventually reply to that, but I'll wait till after the big race we got coming up here in November.

Speaker 4: 40:42

Look, we're talking to leaders who are listening. I mean really trying to learn the mindset of doing hard stuff and, going back 10 months, we never would have thought of doing something like this and I'm so glad that we did. And so, for those that are listening, in that you know, doing something hard and really choosing to get something better, what's, what's an inspirational message you have for them or what's, you know, one step they can take tomorrow or today to get going on that journey and doing something really hard. Um, I'll throw it out, dave, we'll start with you and then go to Jeff and Kevin and I'll finish this out.

Speaker 2: 41:20

John, you've heard this one before, but it's consistency before intensity, right. So it's the. You throw that goal out there three months, six months out. You know, don't get caught in that trap. We got plenty of time to train, but it comes down to showing up and starting small if you have to, and then putting a plan together so that you're putting the consistency in place that can compound so you can be ready for any challenge.

Speaker 2: 41:43

Right, consistency before intensity will always get you there and so many times we've probably we've all done it right when we've tried something hard that we shouldn't have done and then we hurt ourselves or we do, you know, we do some work that didn't work out because we didn't build in the discipline and the consistency first so that we've got the skill to actually follow through. So, yeah, it's always going to be consistency right, build that in first. I love it. And James Clear he talks about you want to go to the gym, even if you just drive to the gym and spend five minutes there, right, start with the five minutes and get yourself to where you just start showing up, and so it starts to feel unusual when you don't do it. That's, I think, kind of the trick right.

Speaker 1: 42:29

Get that consistency built in Great. What about you, jeff? Get folks going. Yeah, I think you have to zoom out a bit For me. I tell my team that a lot Zoom out, plan your work and work your plan. I think it's really big to have some milestones that are tangible as you can point to after you plan your work and you have some sort of check-in points with the team and really celebrate sort of get the momentum going. I really like what David was saying about the plan Make sure that you have the plan, that the plan is scaled, that it's doable, that it's built to sort of get more intense as we go and people have to believe. And I feel like that that's a big obstacle is getting people to start number one and then believe. And I think celebrating those milestones is key to helping them sort of gain that momentum.

Speaker 4: 43:23

So good, jeff. Thank you, kevin.

Speaker 3: 43:28

For me. I think, um, I think, as leaders, that we sometimes forget that we don't have to do it all alone. Right, um, surround yourself around people that can help you. You know, if you're struggling, reach out. Um, you know, you see somebody who's who's crazy fit. Well, they're putting work in. If they're crazy fit, right. And how can I, if your desire is to look crazy fit, go to somebody who's crazy fit and say do you mind helping me? Would you mentor me? How can I get down this journey? And maybe they're going to put together a plan for you. But I don't think we have to do it alone. I think that's probably one of the biggest things you know.

Speaker 3: 44:12

Um, I I don't know if, if I would be 217 pounds right now and feeling healthier than I have in a long time if I hadn't had a good group surrounding me and pushing me to do what I've done and continue to want to do. I enjoy it now. Right, getting up at 4.30, 5 o'clock in the morning is my routine. That's where I really want to be, and if I don't do it, I feel like I haven't done something. And reaching out and getting those people around you that can help, and if you don't have somebody that's that's willing to do that?

Speaker 3: 44:50

Look me up, kevin Gallagher, more than happy to have a conversation. I'll get out and go running with you, john, if you need someone to come to Myrtle beach and run with you. So you want to run more, let's plan it, brother, but that's that's where I'm at. You know, I I hate running, but to have a group of people that are going to say, kevin, get your butt off the couch and let's go run, it's huge for me. So I think I think, uh, surround yourself around people who can help you get there. Um, if you don't know where you're, where you need to go, don't be afraid to ask for help.

Speaker 4: 45:25

Yeah, so many good tips, and I'd love that, in terms of I mean, that's the, that's the name of this group raise the average right In terms of being in a group with others and raising our our at the average of each of us. Jim Roan's famous quote you are the average of the five people you hang around with with the most, and I'm pretty grateful to be hanging around with you guys, and I know Michael's in this group as well. He's not able to run this race with us, but he's there, you know, for us to kick him in the tail as well, uh, and I'll make sure to share this with him. Look for me and you touched on it, kevin I might've chosen that raise the average in that circle, but I'll have another, different one that's been on my mind Too many times in my life.

Speaker 4: 46:01

I chose not to do something out of fear and wondering what was going to happen, and I think there's a way for us to face some of those fears and recognize, you know, is this really a fear of being injured or hurt or worse, or is this really a fear of failure and a mindset that keeps us? You know, we've read a book together the Seven Shadows. What are those things that are keeping us, in our mindset, from creating that? We need to have a positive mindset. We got to face that fear and then ultimately do it anyway, in spite of that fear. I never would have imagined trying to climb a rope and kind of 20 feet or whatever that height is, uh. Just looking up and being afraid of heights, uh. But again, being around in a group, guys like this, having goals and training and what that really means, and ultimately stepping up and saying I'm going to do this, uh, is something that's been very important.

Speaker 4: 46:55

So look, listeners, I hope you found some value in this conversation today. I'm grateful for Kevin and Dave and Jeff and for the wisdom and light that they've shed in this conversation and been a part of in my life as well. I hope that you heard something that inspired you today to be the uncommon leader that you were called to be, and I also probably think that you know someone else who needs to hear this message and I would ask that you share it with them so that they can hear it. We need to continue to inspire, encourage and equip each other on this journey ultimately that we call life so that we can have the impact that we want to have. Guys, thank you for joining me today on the conversation. I look forward to our journey in the next few months. Let's do this. Thanks, john, thank you, John.

Speaker 3: 47:43

We're grateful for you as well.

Speaker 4: 47:47

And that wraps up another episode of the Uncommon Leader podcast. Thanks for tuning in today. If you found value in this episode, I encourage you to share it with your friends, colleagues or anyone else who could benefit from the insights and inspiration we've shared. Also, if you have a moment, I'd greatly appreciate if you could leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback not only helps us to improve, but it also helps others discover the podcast and join our growing community of uncommon leaders. Until next time, go and grow champions.