500 Cats
From the creators of How to Ski It, 500 Cats is BCC Live's newest and most unpredictable podcast. Dive into the wild, unfiltered world of event professionals as they share the highs, lows, and hilarious moments from behind the scenes. Unhinged, a little chaotic, but always entertaining—this is the podcast that gives you a front-row seat to the fun, challenges, and camaraderie that make the event industry tick. Tune in for candid conversations, stories, and a lot of laughs. 500 Cats is only here for 500 episodes... so don't miss it!
500 Cats
29 - Cattanooga
The 500 Cats crew takes the show to Chattanooga, Tennessee, during IRONMAN Chattanooga. Joined by race director Brian Myrick, volunteer director Alex High, regional director Ryan Richards, and athlete-turned-staffer Daniel Allemond, this episode dives into the heart of what makes the event business special: community, dedication, and the people behind the scenes. From stories of leadership and high expectations to inspiring tales of perseverance through cancer, the conversations capture the passion, grit, and friendships that fuel endurance events.
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Bam, bow, bow, bow. Episode 29 of 500 Cats. And this is gonna be a little bit and just to be clear, we got the episode number right. And so, and not a guest, but a 500 cats member, but doesn't live in Boulder, so he's not on the show very often. We have Eddie Burgess today.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, man. I I love this town.
SPEAKER_03:Chat is just So, yeah, and that's what's different today is we're we're gonna do our 500 Cats podcast from Chattanooga, Tennessee. We're here in town for Iron Man Chattanooga, and the big difference today is we're gonna pull in a bunch of the staff and maybe a couple athletes and get some sound bites from them. As we've talked about, it's a podcast about the event business, and the people we work with I think are the best people in the world, and I there's some of them are truly dear friends, and all of them are hard workers.
SPEAKER_07:Especially at this race. I mean, it seems like this race is the one people pick and want to come to.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, it it's uh it's a mixture of um the local team, which includes our race director, Brian Meyrick, and it's got a good volunteer force, which makes it easier on the staff. And then Chattanooga's fun. Like, I mean, this is gonna sound a little bit lushy, but they have IPA on tap everywhere.
SPEAKER_07:You know, I was talking, I was in the volunteer tent uh stealing us a couple sodas just now, and you know, the ladies have both been here seven years, and I'm like, why do you do it? What are you doing? She's like, This is the best. It's my hometown. Why wouldn't I do it?
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, and I I think that's like what most volunteers why is is just they want to help. They want to they want to make it a better day for the actors.
SPEAKER_07:Make a difference. Make a difference, I think, is the big thing.
SPEAKER_03:It is Chattanooga, Tennessee, which is the volunteer state.
SPEAKER_07:So exactly, exactly.
SPEAKER_03:Awesome. Well, let's bring our first guest in. We're gonna start at the top. All the way. I won't say we'll work our way down, but we're gonna start at the top, and we're gonna start with uh not just a friend, um, a coworker, he's definitely our leader. He I'll bet if there was like athlete choice awards for who's their favorite race director, I'll bet he would win. He's very approachable to the athletes, less approachable to the new staff. Right, he's one of the goats, though. He's one of the goats. Brian Meyrick, he's our race director of Iron Man Chattanooga. And I'm not just saying this, I think you know this because we work for you at other events outside of Iron Man. Brian's one of my favorites. Brian, tell us how'd you get it? Like you used to own the Muncie Endurathon. Like you've been in triathlon a long time. How long have you been in triathlon?
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, I think uh I took over Muncie when I was 18, you know, which in and of itself is a pretty crazy experience to stand up in front of what was at the time and still is the oldest half Iron Man in the world. So uh that was 24 years ago. A couple years into that, you know, we sold Muncy to Iron Man. But uh, you know, I got lucky. My mom was involved on the administrative side just by luck. She she took over registration when I was a kid, and then at 18 I had the opportunity to acquire it, and I started race directing at 18.
SPEAKER_03:Wow, and Muncie and Durathon, one of the longest running uh it wasn't called 70.3 when it started, but one of the longest running half distance, which is now Iron Man 70.3 Muncy. And then you stayed and race directed for that for several years.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, I mean, I stayed in Muncy until what was Iron Man Indiana? Was that 2020, 2021? Post-COVID, right? So 2020. So yeah, I mean, so I think that was you know, almost it was over 20 years of doing Muncy.
SPEAKER_03:Why are your races rated the highest? I know we do customer surveys and stuff, and your races literally come out Iron Man Indiana, Muncie come out as like the athlete's favorite. Why?
SPEAKER_05:You know, I mean, I think one, I try to pick venues that work. You know, you look at a Muncy, for example. I didn't I didn't start it, but it made sense. That venue, Prairie Creek, unbelievable venue for a triathlon, and I think it just makes sense. Athletes appreciate that. You know, and then when I moved around for Iron Man producing new events, you know, some were certainly easier than others, but Chattanooga, you know, I've been fortunate to call this place home for 11 years now. It uh it works, it makes sense, but I have high expectations for myself. You know, I think I push those onto staff, and I I think the athletes see at the end of the day. Um, I I hope we put on great races. We want to put on a great experience, and I think that's the goal. We I spent a lot of sleepless nights trying to figure out how to do that.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, and then this is gonna be kind of a tough question, but you're one of our favorite race directors, you have high expectations for the staff. The staff chooses to come to this race, but you have a reputation as being a gruff, like being I don't even know how to describe it because you're not. We wouldn't come here for other races outside of Iron Man, but uh grumpy or whatever you want to call it. How come you think there's that reputation, but you're literally the nicest, most caring guy? You've hey, I can tell it's not going well for you today. You've asked me before, what do you need? Like, where do you get that reputation when you're like the best guy in the event business?
SPEAKER_05:I mean, I think you're you're being polite. I mean, I think it's there's a good number of people that think I'm an asshole, you know, and I think that it again it comes back to high expectations. You know, I have high expectations for myself, and I and we have a job to do here, you know, and I I pride myself in putting on one heck of an experience for our athletes. That comes first, before the the partying, the having fun, before the goofing off. I want to have fun. And I think sometimes that's mistaken that uh, you know, I'm just being a dick when in reality I just want to get done, put on a phenomenal experience, and let's go have a good time.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, and but at the same time, there's people like myself and Eddie here who choose to come to this race because of you. And oh yeah, we've remember the year you got all the air conditioners, and I found them at like 10 p.m. And and I remember you just said, do your job, dude.
SPEAKER_05:I think and and I think it is that simple. I think and I've had this conversation a lot, you know, and people are often come here and I look around at our staff, right? We have a ton of young staff this week in particular, and there's like a reputation, like, oh my god, I gotta go work with My Rick. And uh I think that again, it's tough for me because uh I do expect a lot, and if you don't do your job, I'm probably gonna tell you that. And it's that simple for me. If you do your job, we're gonna get along just fine. And I think the people that appreciate it, you guys come in, you do your job, and and you don't hear from me. I'm not riding your ass. But if you don't, then I probably do. And so I think that's a struggle. And I'm not saying it's perfect, but I have high expectations. You don't do your you don't do your job, I'm probably gonna tell you you're not doing your job.
SPEAKER_03:And then, and maybe I I'm not with you 24 hours a day, but I don't think the athletes have ever seen the grumpy side of you or whatever you want to call it. I don't personally, I know there's athletes that get so far out of line there's no other way to deal with them. But in general, the athletes love you and they know you. How come so many athletes know you? Like you're not exactly going out on Twitter every day and hey guys, it's Brian here. But every athlete knows who you are.
SPEAKER_05:Well, I mean, I think you know, one, there's just timeline, right? 24 years of doing this and and putting on hundreds of races. So I think there's some of that, but I do try to be present. Uh, I do want athletes to know that you know, Iron Man is not a machine that just happens. There are people. Uh the the three of us sitting here are responsible for for doing this, and I, you know, I am the face of the local event. And so, you know, when I see athletes, I want just like I ask you if you need anything, I ask them. I want them to have a great experience. If we can help with that, uh, I mean it. You know, I do anything I could to give somebody a better race week experience, a better race. Um, but I do try to uh to be personable and make sure that I'm engaged with that community. And and by the time you get to me, if you have a problem, there's you're probably fired up. And and I'm I'm normally pretty ready to go. Uh, you know, I'll give everybody a shot, but by the time you get to me, a lot of people have told you no, and I'm probably just the last one to tell you no.
SPEAKER_03:Is there any experience either here or in Muncie that stand out to you as like the best moment or the best day? Oh man, I don't I don't know. I mean, I think that's it.
SPEAKER_05:There's so many, it's hard. I have one for your race, though. I think that I mean it's tough because for me it's people, right? I mean, it's us, and and we don't do this for this long and put the hours in that we do for the pay or whatever. I mean, it's a pretty thankless job at the end of the day. We're we're out here to to have some intrinsic, you know, feeling that we did something cool and help people sort of do something that was uh life-changing for some, uh rewarding for others. And so I don't know if I have a moment. I think for me, the the moment is just the people, is the relationships. We do this, you know. I mean, we're on the road. I'm not as much anymore with you guys, but back in the day, 300 nights a year on the road, I mean, it's a it's a family. And I think, you know, it's it's antics and kona that we've all been through when we get done at the bar, and it's just like I wake up in the back of a pickup truck, I know, on my way out to Queen K and don't know where I'm at, type stuff. Like, there's plenty of fun ones like that, but I think for me it's it's stories. You know, you were a part of the uh the event here when we lost Chris Bean. You know, I mean that's the moment I was gonna say Steve Bean. Steve is one of them, and so I talked to Steve uh a week ago. Can you recap that story? Yeah, so so years ago, it was one of our first couple years here. We race week early in the week. Cameron Bean um was hit by a car on a training run. He's a professional athlete, professional runner, just across from where we are now at Mox and Bend, he was struck by a car running and killed. Uh don't quote me on this, but Monday or Tuesday of race week, and and I got a call the next day from his father, Steve, um, and said, I want to race in honor of my son. And Steve had not trained, you know, and so we brought Steve and his other son Chris. Uh, we brought him in and you guys uh helped me as I have a few things going on. You guys sort of took him in and helped show him around and give him the Iron Man experience. And I mean, I'll never forget that Steve finished that Iron Man, you know, with his family here and in honor of his son who just passed, if I remember right. I think the funeral was Friday, you know, and and we you know we buried his son and came and raced because his son would have wanted it. And uh I I think here in chat that's probably one of the at least the most profound moments that I have.
SPEAKER_03:For me, easily, like that stands out. I we we bring it up every year that a guy like off the couch finishes an Iron Man in his son's name. And then the paper did a cool write-up the next day, and I mean they showed him it didn't show who won the race, it showed him finishing at like 11:30 at night, which was super cool. Brian, you're one of the special ones. Um, you also write race direct the Chattanooga Marathon, so it's a half marathon and marathon or just half marathon.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, we've got marathon, half marathon, 5K, and kids fun run. So for uh end of March this uh coming up in 2026.
SPEAKER_03:And if you're anywhere in the area or travel for these kind of events, I think that's a great one. Um it's well produced, just like the Iron Man Chattanooga is. We love you, man. You you make it fun, that's why we're here this year. We could be in Augusta, you know that.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, I know, but it but it's but it's Augusta. I mean, we're in chat. Look at this. I mean, you guys can't see where at, but we're sitting on the banks of the Tennessee River having a good time. So I appreciate the the you know partnership that we've had and friendship because uh this is what makes us do this, right? I mean, who wants to work 30 hours over the next uh two days uh if we're not having a good time? So let's have a good time, let's do our jobs, put on a great show, and uh then we'll go have some beer.
SPEAKER_03:Sweet. Love you, man. Thanks, boys.
SPEAKER_07:Man, Myrick's the best. What what a great guy, and man, it it's just like how he is with athletes is amazing.
SPEAKER_03:He's a friend. Yeah, yeah, he's a friend. Like there's a lot of people here that are just friends, and if we aren't working for Iron Man someday, we're still gonna be friends and we're still gonna keep in touch.
SPEAKER_07:It's like a small town, it's a moving small town, and and everybody knows everybody's business. It's like there's my brother, there's my sister, and uh, you know, and it's it's crazy that way.
SPEAKER_03:Speaking of like the Iron Man family, we'll introduce the Iron Man family, but I would say the most important person at the event is the race director. I think that's why they're called the race director. There's a few races where there might be somebody else that is equal, but the second most, and in some races the most important is the volunteer director.
SPEAKER_07:100%, because we can't do it without volunteers.
SPEAKER_03:This race and every race like it is not possible without the help of the volunteers. But from the Iron Man family of five, right? Five. I think we have two introduce her here in a second. Alex High. Her son works for her brother, sorry, her brother works for BCC Live in Boulder, Colorado. Ryan, he's on the podcast regularly. Her dad does Calm for Iron Man. Yep. Yep. Her mom is here working, but retired from Iron Man, but is here working. So she says. Everybody kind of retired. And then your husband is the brother of one of my best friends, um, John Christin, who is the brother of my good friend Dave Christon. And so we've been talking about what a cool small world it is. But Alex is here with us. Hang on. Hello. How's it going? So you are we said this about Ryan Richards. I don't really ever see you cranky. Never. You always have that great smile, you're always happy. How many volunteers do you have this weekend?
SPEAKER_00:So total over the course of the entire race weekend, I have just over 2,000.
SPEAKER_03:How do you get 2,000 people to come out here on their own time and support a race?
SPEAKER_00:Honestly, it's it's triplefold. So I have great captains, which are my group leaders. So these are nonprofit leaders, they're school group leaders such as team captains, um, band leaders, uh, club leaders. They recruit a ton of our volunteers uh to come out into the race to support our athletes, to earn volunteer hours for their kids, as well as give out grant we give out grant money for these volunteer groups to come in. Um, our community is super supportive. So Chattanooga loves this race coming in. Our community gets very excited. We're called the volunteer state for a reason. So we have a lot of locals come out to volunteer. As well as athletes and their supporters are eager to help out on race day. They know how important it is to have volunteers at each race, essentially. So we have a lot of athletes and supporters helping us out pre-race. So yeah, that's a it's a great, great community.
SPEAKER_03:Is the responsibility of you know no no no volunteers, no race. Correct. Is the responsibility of finding 2,000 people daunting like when when does it start? I assume it starts like Monday.
SPEAKER_00:Right, right. It does, yeah. So I give myself maybe a little bit of a little bit of a break, so about a week to to decompress after this race, and then we're we're back to the races. So um pretty much for the so we have the two races, so we have the 70.3 in May, and then this one in in September. Um I start for the 70.3 in November of this year, pretty much. Um, and then shortly after, honestly, for the full, I start in January, February, start talking to different groups in the area, seeing their interest in coming and and volunteering with us.
SPEAKER_03:So and I think one of the things that surprises me about a lot of the volunteer directors, they have no idea what they're getting into. It sounds good, but you did. Like you had worked other roles at Iron Man, you knew exactly what you were getting into and still did it. Why?
SPEAKER_00:Honestly, it was it was a great way to get to know my community. Um, so I got this job, shoot, I think four months after I moved into into Chattanooga. So it was a great way for me to just kind of kick start my my introduction into the Chattanooga community. And honestly, I love working with people. I love seeing how inspired our volunteers get by watching the race. I love seeing them inspire athletes. So honestly, I love working with the with the community and with the athletes and with the volunteers and just making races great. So honestly, it was a very easy yes to Brian when he asked.
SPEAKER_03:So Yeah, and we had just talked with Brian and what a great person he is, but um, that he attracts people like you. I mean, that's what it is, is he can get the best people to come work for him. Is there a moment at Iron Man Chattanooga that stands out for you? Is there any one volunteer or one finisher or one person you help that stands out?
SPEAKER_00:I would say it's it's I look toward our our last athletes. So it's the last athletes that are coming out of the water, the last athletes that are coming off the bike onto the run, and the last athletes over the finish line. They've fought all day for for their race, and they have they have volunteers out there until the wee hours in the morning helping them out. And we have aid stations keeping the energy from you know seven in the morning until one in one in the morning, and they are so enthusiastic, enthusiastic and excited to help these last athletes cross the finish line. It's it's truly the most inspirational part of the of the race, and seeing the the party at the finish line for the last athlete coming across, the music, the the hype, and seeing again the volunteers at the finish line ready to greet them with their metal, their hard-earned medal, it's just it's amazing to see.
SPEAKER_03:So oh man, that gets me excited.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Well, you are nothing short of a gym, like you I've watched you transform this race. You do you did inherit some of the best volunteers, like the LaFeuse, and there's a lot of people here at this race that I go, oh yeah, I remember you, and I see, and they they have the same role every year. Um and we'll see them tomorrow at the Iron Kids. And um you've built a great team. Congratulations on what a great job you've done.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, thank you very much. Yeah, no, I could not do it without my volunteers. I tell them every email and every time I get to talk to them in person, I could not do this job without them. And like you said, I inherited a great group. I've recruited great volunteers that keep the keep the legacy of Chattanooga going. So it's it's it's very rewarding.
SPEAKER_03:This race and every race like it is not possible without the help of the volunteers. And Alex High. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Yeah, of course. Thank you. I think like just for me, Alex High is such a rock, and she has a lot of snacks.
SPEAKER_07:You know, that's the main part is you know, you go over there and the volunteers are like, wait, hang on, are you volunteers? And I've learned if you take a warm drink and take a cold drink, you can substitute drinks and stuff like that. And they then they start laughing, and then they start, you're good, you're in the you're in the game.
SPEAKER_03:They do take care of us here. I remember um the volunteer food tent has saved me many a time that sometimes the staff does have to dig in only when there's some available, but she's great. Um like I said, the whole family, like her her dad, Ken has given me some really good advice before, like business advice. And I was going through a a falling out with a coworker, and he gave me some really good supportive advice, and I'll never forget that. Um their mom, Sarah, is the nicest person ever. Oh my gosh, and it's always happy. And we saw her the other day, and we forgot that we don't see her every day, and she's like, no hug, and I was like, I saw you last week, and she's like, You haven't seen me in months because I haven't been on tour, and I kind of felt bad.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah. But you know, we give Ryan a hard time because he doesn't believe we went to the moon, but I try to tell him we went, you know, and he fights.
SPEAKER_03:It's right. So he'll surely hear this episode. Uh, one thing we shouldn't have asked, we should have asked, is how do you get involved in volunteering? Right. And I know you can email volunteers at ironmanchattnooga.com or at ironman.com. It's pretty easy. You can go to the Iron Man website. Um, or you can reach out to us at 500Cats and we can point you in the right direction.
SPEAKER_07:And there are some awesome And it's amazing to talk to these people that are volunteers. And you uh yeah, I talked to a couple earlier, and uh, they've been doing it for seven years. I was like, why do you do it? We love it.
SPEAKER_03:The registration captain goes to like bluegrass festivals his spare time, and we found out yesterday we have a ton of music in common and stuff like that. And he's the one that sent me um several years ago I was getting into trail running, and he sent me across the river to some great trail runs. It is, yeah, you get to know the volunteers, and you get away.
SPEAKER_07:I'll tell you who I like. One of my favorites, and and he's since come over to our side. Bill from Wisconsin. Yes, finish line captain.
SPEAKER_03:Yes, oh my gosh, who used to be the hardest person to work with, and now the people that get in our shot are regretted because of him.
SPEAKER_07:He takes care of them. It's like, hey guys, back here, and he's like, Where should I put the line?
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. So, well, you know, one of the themes of the podcast today is it's it's obviously Iron Man Chattanooga, but is all the amazing people that we get to work with. And one of them we're gonna bring on here is Ryan Richards. Oh, wow. And he used to be the race director at Iron Man Wisconsin, he's now a regional director. I'll let him explain, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But another guy who might be the best human being alive. Yes. If you needed help, you needed a kidney. He would give it up. Yes. Ryan, tell us a little bit about yourself. You're wearing a 70.3 Omaha shirt. Is that in your region next year?
SPEAKER_06:It is. It is. Uh, yeah. So I transitioned uh late spring over to be the Midwest regional director for Iron Man. It's uh it's been it's been a very interesting summer for me. Um doing a lot of different things that I normally didn't do as the race director, but uh doing doing as the regional director. But it's uh it's been a lot of fun. I still get to go to all the races, I still get to see all the people I love. BCC, you know, get to see them at the races, and that's what means the most to me is being able to see everybody still.
SPEAKER_03:And we've worked together for over 20 years. I know my first year in Wisconsin was 2006, and you were the race director. We've been through a lot together, but tell me a little bit about the like camaraderie we have amongst obviously not just me and you, but uh everybody.
SPEAKER_06:Yeah, I mean it it you know there's there's there's a lot of great Iron Man staff, but what a lot of people don't realize is all of the the teams that are supporting this the the event that don't get seen, don't get heard necessarily. Um, you know, we've got tremendous partnership with Lakeshore Athletic Services, a tremendous partnership with sports stats, BCC Live. I mean, it the you know the list is the list is big, and that doesn't, you know, of course that includes all of the communities and the and the law enforcement and the public works departments that we work with that that you know they're they're the unsung heroes, they're the ones that that do a lot um behind the scenes that really make this a special event for the athletes and the spectators.
SPEAKER_03:What draws you to it? Like you've been doing it a long time, uh not just you've been just doing events. Used to work for LAS, which is uh they do Lakeshore athletic services, they do tents and barricades and road closures, and you used to work for them, and then you gravitated and did some Iron Man stuff and some other we used to do milkman. Like, what is it that you like about events that it's hard work, it's not really fun. I mean, you know, it's like it's hard work. We have fun doing it, right? But it's not like a roller coaster.
SPEAKER_06:It's the people that make it fun, right? I mean, it you're right, it's not necessarily fun work. You tell people what you're doing, and they're like, ugh, you know, and then you know, sometimes you tell people what you do and they don't understand really what it is, and like, oh my god, you get to do that every weekend, that must be so fun. And then you're out picking up goo wrappers at 2:30 in the morning in the pouring rain to make sure that the city is clean after an event. But um, you know, I think what what makes it fun for me, and and you touched on it, and we've talked a little bit about it, but it it's it's truly the relationships. I am not an endurance athlete. I've done a couple of 5K races, I've done a couple of you know, canoe bike run triathlons and stuff, but I've I've never done an Iron Man, I've never done a 70.3, I have really no desire to, but I love being able to produce them for people, and I love being able to see the athletes' sense of accomplishment. I love being able to see the families and the pride and the energy and the um you know devotion that everybody put in, and then get to see the finished product of them crossing the finish line. Like for me, like that's the cool thing of uh of being a part of these events.
SPEAKER_03:What do you think gives you like you of all people have the most balanced demeanor and your relationship with the athletes is second to none. The way you talk to the athletes, the way you treat the athletes, and even when they don't treat you well, which isn't often, but it happens. Somebody's uh disgruntled about something, and the way you listen and respond calmly, where do you get that from? What is that? It's it's just you're one of the most unique people I work with because of how you're always calm.
SPEAKER_06:I I mean that's that's something I hang my hat on. I I try to maintain, you know, being calm. I also like I think just being able to listen to people and give them a straight answer back as much as I can is is the key, right? Like a lot of times they just want to talk, they want to vent, they want to complain, they want, they want to be heard, and I'm happy to open my ears and be and listen to them and then and then give them the best answer back that I can. And it may not always be what they want to hear, but at least they know that they were heard and and listened to and and and got an answer back.
SPEAKER_03:This is a tough question. I should have mentioned it before so I had a chance to think about it, but what's the best day in the event business? Like what is there one day that stands out as that was the day?
SPEAKER_06:Um I mean, ra race day is always fun. Um for for me when I was when I was the race director, I always loved Friday afternoon and Saturday um before the race because by then your your meetings with the cities, this the government offices have closed, there's not a lot of change that's gonna happen, things are pretty well set, and you really just kind of get to enjoy the experience of of the expo, of the energy, of the build-out, and seeing the people who are moving around and figuring stuff out for themselves. Like a lot of the people that may not have done a race, when they finally get to see where the change tents are, how they're gonna flow through transition, where the finish line actually is, so they can talk to their family about it. Like this is where it's gonna be. So I I I really do like the day before the event, but I mean, there obviously it's it's something special about race day. Um, if I could take it a step further and say the day I like the least, it's the Tuesday after because it's a it's a complete letdown. Monday, Monday, you're still really busy, you're doing things for after a after an Iron Man race, you've got the awards banquet, a lot of places we've got a volunteer party to go to, and Tuesday's just kind of that letdown. You're like, well, it's over, you know.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, yeah, that's it. I I agree to me, it's the day after. There's still stuff going on, but you're so you're so tired. Okay, I want to just tell one quick story. I've only seen you mad once, or I've only seen you mad at us once. And this goes back to like, I'm just gonna guess 2010 Iron Man Wisconsin, and we are guilty of sometimes playing the music too loud, and you had come over and said, Hey, when it's midnight and the athletes are in, go ahead and kill it and let's get done. And we did, and we went ahead and killed it and got done, but we knew there was this guy out on the course, and so we kind of just cleaned up around the PA, and Mike Riley had left, but then Mike Riley was coming back, he went to the Great Dane, of course, and so he's coming, he's coming back from the Great Dane, and we're like, Hey Mike, there's a finisher coming in, and he grabs the microphone and he goes, Crank it up, and this is at 1 a.m. And we turned it up really loud, and all of a sudden our tent, the sidewell just flew off, and you ripped it off, and you started spitting cuss words, and and like we were scared, like you were pissed.
SPEAKER_06:I I promise you it was probably very short-lived.
SPEAKER_03:It was and it was well deserved. But the the story takes even a funnier turn that then Mike Riley like fell on the sword and said, I made him do it, and he didn't. He left and went to the Great Dane, right, and then was walking back to his hotel, happened to see it happening, so we gave him the mic and turned it back up. And then it took even another. So Mike fell on the sword and told you it was his idea, and that kind of calmed you down and stuff. But then the next day that doesn't change anything.
SPEAKER_06:No, no, no. I'm not but it calmed you down at us. It's just much to blame. It calmed you down at us.
SPEAKER_03:But then the next day, the president of Iron Man at the time his name was Ben Furtick, sent an email to the staff and said, Class act, waiting for my friend that came in at 1 a.m. I really appreciate it. And we went to Mike and said, You're gonna tell him, right? And he's like, Nope. He's like, I fell on the sword, I'm taking this one. But I Always remind Ryan of that because it was just kind of funny. I wish I could say the words, but it was UMFers, and yeah, he was pissed. It's the only time I've seen you mad in 20 years of all the things that have happened at the events. And it was rightfully so.
SPEAKER_06:I, you know, I mean, it was rightfully so. Like I said, it was very short-lived. It was one. It just comes, it comes like obviously when we move into a community and produce these events, it's not for everybody. I mean, we'd we're we're hyper-focused on the athletes and the spectators and the people directly involved in the race. But we, you know, it's very important for me to remember that there are other residents, there are other community members that want to move about, want to go to bed. You know, they don't always want to hear you are an Iron Man till all hours of the night. So I understand it. It's one of the things I've gone back and forth with the city of Madison. They've they've started to leave me alone now. But like that particular year, it was it was a hot button issue. And you know, we had talked about decibel levels and things like that. And after 10 p.m., it was supposed to go down to I don't remember what it was, 85 or something like that. And you know, and we did it. We were we were accomplishing what we went set out to do until the last minute, 1 a.m. And uh yeah, it became a it became a party for a couple more minutes, you know.
SPEAKER_03:In all seriousness, I do apologize. Um, but I always remind him of it because it was funny. We've been through a lot of other things than helping people and ties and lows and stuff like that. But um, I know you know this, you're a true friend, and it's a privilege to get to work with you. And I miss you as the race director of Iron Man Wisconsin, but then having you at all of the races, like in in general, the Midwest region, although this is the South, right? But in the Midwest we region is awesome because you bring uh you bring a calmness to the race, and like you mentioned to me earlier, what do you let people do?
SPEAKER_06:You let people I let I just let and like this is kind of what I was gonna, you know, the feeling is very mutual. When I when I see the the the staff chart of the people that are coming, like there's like oh I know we're in really good shape. And when you know BCC Live is always on that list as well, and I it's just like I'm gonna let people do what they do. I'm I'm not a micromanager at all. Like if there's if there's something that maybe I should you know think that should be changed, we're gonna have a discussion. I'm not gonna tell you what to do, I'm gonna find out why you think it should be like this because it might be a better idea than what I have, but we're gonna have a quick discussion about it and then we're gonna we're gonna move on with a you know with a good answer. But I've uh I feel like it's best to just let people do their thing, and we're all professionals, we all know what the end result needs to be, and just let people do it.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, let people do their job, is what you said earlier today. Yeah, well, we appreciate you. We appreciate you coming on the 500 cats. You're one of the 500 cats. I love it. So we appreciate you, and it's gonna be a great weekend here in Chattanooga. Thank you, Ryan Richards from Madison, Wisconsin. Thank you, appreciate you guys. All right, so I I actually know this next guy, Daniel. I actually know him from before we met via the internet. I met him and his wife, and he happened to have a Springer Spaniel, too. So that's what got you.
SPEAKER_07:That's what got you right there.
SPEAKER_03:Um, yeah, so it and then he was looking to get a job with Iron Man, and then starting this year, I guess he got in touch with um Zucchini and is got a job. So, Daniel, welcome to the show. Yeah, welcome, Daniel.
unknown:Thanks.
SPEAKER_03:So tell us who you are and where you're from. I'm Daniel Alamon from Lafayette, Louisiana. I don't want to tell your story, so I want you to tell your story, but you were an athlete first. That's a big red flag for staff. That's a big red flag soft-heard. Yeah, it's what and we talked about this earlier. It's it's it's called watching the band. And when we did live shows, some of the staff would want to watch the band, but you're there to work, and so with athletes, a lot of times they're like, My buddy's coming in, I gotta go see my friend on the run course. And so and I get it, because when you have friends that are racing, it's a big deal. But why did you want to come work for Iron Man? You had a good job, we'll talk about that in a minute.
SPEAKER_08:I think it's it's full circle right now. Um I think there's more opportunity maybe to go, but just it's all about my story. And to to go, I think to go back in detail. I had cancer 2015. I was one week away from doing my first Iron Man uh or half Iron Man in Augusta. Got diagnosed with leukemia, fought, fought four years later. I went to Augusta. Same year I did in Arizona. Um soon after I did get in contact with you. And I mean, you say why Iron Man. I remember being ball headed going through chemo on my trainer, watching Kona videos. So why Iron Man? It it got me through. It was special to me. It for the first round of leukemia, it it provided a way for me to keep going. Um was able to do another race. I did co um Cosumel. Then that was during COVID. That was crazy times. I I did have a pretty good job. I did physical therapy. Um I then I relapsed with leukemia. I had a stem cell transplant. I have pictures in my hospital room. They have a just a regular bike, and I have a video that said I'm getting ready for my next arm in. While I'm in the hospital, I asked the doctor, can I do a race next year? One year from and she was like, I'm not sure. So I signed up while I was in the hospital for Gulf Coast. So a year later I went to Gulf Coast. A year and a half later, I mean Kona. I just told somebody earlier today, I'm one of the most persistent people you'll ever know. You can ask my wife, you'll probably know that as well, David. You can probably ask Audra as well. I'm persistent when I want something. If I have a vision, I want to do it. Um, so I just kept going. And that time I raised$30,000 for the foundation, Iron Man Foundation, and that way I got to go to Kona. I lived out my dream. My wife said, You said you were gonna go to Kona, and you did. Um a different way than some people go, but hey, whatever.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, you did it. Like that. I don't think I don't think anybody that's in the sport or loves the sport cares how you get to Kona, and a great way is racing for the foundation. But if anybody deserved it, it's you. But let's go back just a little bit. Like how many people survived leukemia?
SPEAKER_08:The numbers are better now. Um, I I was older, it it's more of a pediatric cancer. When I got diagnosed the first time, I was under a pediatric oncologist. Um, I thought it was great. I was around a lot of kids, it was the environment was happy. The second round, I was around a lot of adults. It was not as happy. Um, and it was fearful going through a transplant. There was a lot of risk. But I I was scared at first, but kind of made my faith and said, I want to keep going. The crazy story about the second round of of cancer, my wife and I were going through trying to get pregnant. Um, I'll leave some of the details out, but we were trying to get pregnant. When I found out I was about to go in the hospital to start everything with stem cell transplant, she left me a onesie in the back of my truck. Iron Man World Championship. Future Iron Man World Champion Umesie. Like a little baby outfit that she got out of one of these merch stores. And that that was the first picture I found out I was gonna have a baby. So, what more to fight for my life to to know my future son?
SPEAKER_03:Um, one of the things you said to me that still has really stood out is we did this interview with him, and it lasted a couple hours. It was really long because he's really good at telling a story. And I remember I asked you this question, and this has stuck with me. Um, I don't know why. And I said, Wow, going through this, it must really help you with your patience and and people that you are helping. And you said something to the effect of like not everybody wants help, and I don't know why that stuck with me so much. I've learned that since then. But can you elaborate a little bit on that? That you said something to the effect that like not everybody wants to get better like you did.
SPEAKER_08:Uh I mean, some people would give up, some people don't have that drive. That it's I I worked in a hospital a long time and doing home health therapy, and some people just didn't have that want. Um, they didn't have that self-motivation, and it's I always related Iron Man to cancer. It was how far can you push your mind and your body? And it was true for both. I mean, I've been on the course for Iron Man for five Iron Man. Sometimes I I'm like, I don't have to do this anymore. Just like somebody maybe going through an illness, it doesn't have to be cancer, it could be something else. Um I I tell people all the time, I I remember the video in Florida that y'all y'all follow me. I said, somebody will go through something, it's how you respond. So it's just like being on the course. You're not gonna have a perfect day. Something will go wrong, and what will how you respond? That race in Florida, y'all videoed me at a flat. I could have sucked it up and just said, hey, I'm out. Well, it took me about 12 minutes and I fixed my flat and I kept going. That might have cost me my sub-12 that I wanted to go, but oh well, I finished. That's fast.
SPEAKER_03:What last thing, two more things. What do you say to people like if they are going through something like leukemia, and like you said, it doesn't have to be that? Like we're you never give up, we know that. But what do you say to people, like what advice do you have to people about if they're going through tough times about not giving up?
SPEAKER_08:Somebody asked me a similar question this week. They knew somebody, a friend, uh going through something tough. I believe it was cancer. And I always said I'm the type I have to see long term. I have to see a a goal. Like Iron Man, you train for months, months, months. Um cancer for me, it was a long drawn out. So I I had to see the end. And my doctor said, You just let's get to today. I'm like, Yes, but I have to have a goal. So maybe that's part of it. Have a long-term plan. I I got I wanted to see a kid being born. I wanted to do Iron Man again, I wanted to live, but also at the same time, in a way is day by day, I always said, I have to win the day. Just today. I'll worry about there's a scripture, I I won't quote it because I'll get it wrong. But don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow have their own problems. Let's worry about today. So win the day. And for cancer, it was I had to win more days than it won. Because it was gonna beat me some days. And just like right now, I didn't know I was gonna be doing this, and I hope sharing my story uh like always, my story helps somebody else. Um you inspire me every day.
SPEAKER_03:You do you do. I mean, I've I've known you for a while now. We keep a little bit in touch, not a whole bunch, but not we don't just see each other at events.
SPEAKER_08:I tell people I I make a slight joke. I said, I truly think God everybody has their beliefs, but this is mine. God saved my life. I think prayer saved my life. Um, I make a joke, I said, I I think there were so many people praying for me. God got tired of them and said, Look, I'm gonna take care of it, just leave me alone. Um, but I I think it's a no-give up, and I never had to face there there was a a few times here and there, I I did have to face that is this the end? Is will this kill me? And that's maybe morbid, but it is the truth, it's life. We're all gonna go. But I had to just self-motivate a lot. Um and somebody asked me what motivated what motivated me during that time, and my wife said just sometimes just being around people, doing things, going places, um, just being a normal person, even though it's bald headed, no eyebrows, no hair, whatever. Um it was Daniel Strong, and then Daniel Strong 2.0.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, yeah, you are that, that is for sure. So now you're working at Iron Man, you're doing sight, sights, setting up, tearing down, setting up, tearing down, setting up, tearing down, moving three feet. Do you like it? I do.
SPEAKER_08:Um I get to see out of, I mean, it's been almost 10 years I I I've been racing, I have a much more appreciation for Iron Man, everyone, everyone a part of Iron Man. Just as y'all, uh anybody that anybody that works for Iron Man, which is if it's the registration girls, anyone, because there's so many details, and people that race and maybe bad mouth certain things with Iron Man, I wish they could come work one race or one day and see how much goes into it from what you just said, move it three feet or take this whole fencing down and let's change it. It is is the appreciation and then also being at certain points as an athlete and I know what it is. Uh I at finish line or in transition, I get to joke around with the athletes. At swim start, I get to make people laugh, smile, relax, get in the water. Hey, just joke with him. Like, hey, it's just it's open water. Don't be scared. Just have fun. And it's going different places, seeing different people, and especially, I mean it's the finish line.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_08:See not just the athlete, is the families, wife, husband, kids, mothers, daughters, whoever, seeing them watch their loved one, whatever. Every one of those people probably have a story why they come why they wanted to do 140 miles. And I don't think it's it's bad for me to take a little time and take a picture of them together, or wait and take a video of them together. I think that is why what makes it special. Um some people it doesn't it's not like that.
SPEAKER_03:Well, it's cool, you know, getting to hear your story during COVID, like we didn't get to meet, then we got to meet at a race, and we featured him in a video at Iron Man Florida, which was pretty cool because it came out really good, in my opinion, and it told your story, and then now seeing you here working for Iron Man, and then we're gonna see you again at Iron Man Florida as an athlete, but you're taking it up a notch.
SPEAKER_08:I am. This was uh somebody asked me the other day, so what what next? I said, Well, I still love to race, I still love Iron Man, um, I still want to go sub-12. But they like they said, Well, you've done Kona, you've done five, now what? So I was in Muncie, I met an athlete, and she had a guide. She was autistic, she was part of Nick Nick's his team, one percent. And I told myself, Wow, maybe that's next. What a great opportunity, and to something so gratifying um to do. So I actually met Chris and Nick and Kona. We actually stayed at the same resort, and it was awesome to meet him. What an inspiration he is, and and what he's done to win two SBs to the all the marathons, everything he's done. But I reached out to Nick and said, Hey, I can race. Put put me with somebody, let me help somebody else cross the finish line. If it's uh for the first time, second time, whatever, let me help somebody else. And he said, Okay. So actually last night we had a call with 17 out of 20 guides that we're gonna have in Florida um to try to grow their their team. And it's anybody from Downs to Autistic to Dyslexic to just any any needs. Um, I'm not sure who's my athlete just yet, but it really doesn't matter as long as I can help somebody else cross the finish line.
SPEAKER_03:Man, you're the real deal, man. We appreciate you coming on. Um, we'll obviously be in Florida. I kind of sense we might be making another feature video. We'll cross that. Don't do it for me. Yeah, do it for that. That's just a good story. Like it's a good, it's that's what it's for. Like it's it's a good story for the team and your progression of finally getting a 70.3 done, finally getting a full done, going to Kona, and then coming and taking a job, like it's a hard job, and it doesn't seem like it's hard for you.
SPEAKER_08:I I don't think look, are there days where it's raining, raining, it's muddy, it maybe it's hot. I don't look at as it I want to know something funny. I I don't even know when I'm getting paid. Seriously, I don't know what day I I get paid. When it shows up, I'm like, okay, great, I got paid. I don't think of it as a job, it's something I love to do. I maybe not sight all the time, but it's it's Iron Man. If I can help any part of this sport, I'm here.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_08:Super cool.
SPEAKER_03:Well, Daniel, thank you. Um we'll see you in Iron Man Florida. Well, we'll see it tomorrow. Probably at the swim start. And so it's Friday. Uh, we're hoping to release this Saturday, but it might be next week. So it's Friday. Saturday's the day before the race, then Sunday's race day, then Monday's the hardest day of the week of breaking everything down, and so but I was super glad to see you. I haven't I know you've been working at Iron Man all summer, but I haven't been at any of the races you've been at.
SPEAKER_08:It's been fun. Your team has all been very welcoming. I mean, I've known that for years, meeting them. Um they've they've helped me a lot. I won't go into detail. They've helped me a lot at finish line with with my wife and kids, so that's very appreciative.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, the the uh and not to just go into a whole nother story, but one of the things you guys is was your dream was to have your wife and and child meddle you. And I remember I said something that I did not have the clout to back up, like, yeah, we'll make that happen. And well, because you had to have a kid first. Yes, and so you did that part, and then sure enough, it all came together. And uh I remember I also was like, Told you so. And it was well, you did most of it, so pretty cool. Daniel, thank you. We love you, man. We're we're proud to know you, you inspire, and it's cool that we get to work together now. I think that's something that I just a couple times I watched you just doing your job today, and I was like, Yeah, that's pretty awesome. So thank you. Congratulations for making it on the team and be obviously being a bright spot in the whole organization. Thank you. So, did you you know you knew Daniel, right?
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, part of the making the video. I mean, he's amazing.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I figured you did that you were in Florida. Amazing guy. I got I got a little choked up there, though.
SPEAKER_07:I'm not gonna lie. There was a couple times I reached up to just wipe, you know, wipe some sweat off my face.
SPEAKER_03:I still am shocked that he used to have an Iron Man's a great job. I'm not trying to say it isn't a great job. Right. Because obviously that's what we're here doing, but it's a hard job, and not a lot of people want to leave like corporate life or their safe job, and move sandbags and fence and set up tents and roll out carpet and stuff like that. But like I said to him, I was watching him this week. He doesn't complain, and he seems like he's really enjoying it, and he seems super positive, and then the fact that he's gonna go guide somebody. I mean, that's that's incredible. I agree that's all about. I still don't think athletes make good staff.
SPEAKER_07:No, they don't, and and it's they try. He might prove us wrong.
SPEAKER_03:I would love to be proved wrong. I think he's gonna prove us wrong. Uh they're lucky to have him. I think he's only going up. So we got a big day tomorrow. Um tomorrow's probably the first real busy day of the week. We've kind of eased into the week. We kind of feel a little overstaffed. And starting tomorrow, we're gonna feel understaffed. Well, we've got the exciting two o'clock welcome. The welcome ceremony is two o'clock on Saturday. It's usually a Friday night thing. Right. And it's funny, somebody brought that up to me and they're like, What are you doing tonight? And I was like, Yeah, I don't know. Every Iron Man I've ever been to, I have to work Friday night.
SPEAKER_07:I think it was both a shock on us when we both looked at each other when they said two o'clock on Saturday. And I was like, Well, was that because of the hurricane last year?
SPEAKER_03:And it was because of the hurricane last year, and we'll just leave it at that. Yes, yes. So uh it's getting towards the end of our day here, so we're getting ready to wrap it up for the day and then hopefully have a successful race, and we'll recap that on our next one. And we gotta make some kind of AI song. Yes, definitely. So definitely I don't know what the AI song is. We'll make an AI song about Chattanooga whiskey. I think we could do it. All right, here we go. Chattanooga whiskey.
SPEAKER_01:The sun dips along the Tennessee Hills. Chattanooga's calling, I can feel the thrill. Ryan's on the porch drumming that tune. Wow, rhyme porn's whiskey beneath the rising moon. Chattanooga whiskey sweet, just rhyme at you off your feet. We'll dance to the side.
