S1 Ep5 | Jarryd Wallace: A Calling Greater Than Any Adversity

For episode five of The Guuuzan Show, the crew welcomes on four-time Paralympian and two-time World Record Sprinter Jarryd Wallace. Jarryd unpacks how his life went from being turned on it's head from a an unexpected diagnosis to a life-long calling stretching far wider than he could've ever dreamed. From inside the headspace of an elite olympian just breaths before the start gun, to fighting for the future of prosthetics on the floor of Georgia State government, Jarryd's story and energy was enough to nearly knock Brad out of his seat and enough to knock anybody else's perspective into gear through his self-belief.

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:09

Welcome to the Goose.

SPEAKER_03 0:18

Welcome back to the Goozan show. I am your host, Bragg Zan. Sat next to me is Joe Freihoffer. Joe, we are fine, dude. And I know we have such a great show ahead of us. Um, being able to have Jared Wallace here in studio, being able to tell his studio, uh, tell his story uh in studio. Uh it's gonna be an unbelievable um, you know, next next few hours, uh, and I'm and I'm so looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

Yeah, it was fascinating to to meet him at the of course Spirit of 96 kit launch as well. He had the uh the six seven number on the back too, which we'll get into. Family Man. Uh he's now training for his fifth Olympic Games, uh, which is incredible as well. A guy that just emits energy uh a lot like you, Brad. So can't wait to tell his story. But first, guys, uh, we're all about stats here at the Guzin Show. And we would like to announce that we are now the fifth most subscribed YouTube channel in Major League Soccer, just now overtaking Minnesota United. Come at two. We're at 115k subscribers. So if you have not yet subscribed, please do and shout out to this man right here for making the show possible uh and for all of your incredible questions as well. We've got a remixed mailbag today presented by delivered by the Home Depot, always on time.

SPEAKER_03 1:36

Let's go, let's go. No, I I can't thank you enough, Joe. It's been an amazing journey, this this this podcast space. Uh certainly I I'm new to it. And so it's been amazing to be a part of it in studio with you, and obviously our our production team in in uh in the control room. So thank you to everyone in there. Um, and listen, it's it's always a positive vibe in the building when you come off of three points, right? It's a huge result at home. Um, I always say that the first one is always the most difficult, and hopefully now we're able to build some momentum uh going into this weekend uh against DC and and just piggyback the the result and the performance.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

For sure. Yeah, I think I love just seeing the elation from the guys. That first goal from Manu as well, when everybody, I think it was Tomas Shakobu, like punched the flag and they all ran into. It was it felt so good for fans, for the Gulch as well, to just see that pyro fire off and everybody to be like, this is the feeling. The belief is there, that process, the we've been saying it, trust in Tata to feel that now. Time to get it rolling. It's great. Let's go.

SPEAKER_03 2:38

Excited for the show ahead, excited for the game of the weekend. Good times are are here, and I'm here for it.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

So that won't be. Let's do it, man. Atlanta, it's time to bring the spirit. Your five stripes are back at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, March 21st at 7 30 as Atlanta United takes on DC United. Feel the energy, feel the pride, and be a part of the atmosphere only Atlanta can create. Bring your friends, your family, and bring the spirit as we defend the A. Secure your seats now at atlut.com.

SPEAKER_03 3:12

Welcome back to the Goozan Show. We are now joined, Joe, by a very special guest. I mean, talk about inspiration, talk about um just unbelievable individual and then world-class athlete, four-time Paralympian, three-time world champion, four-time world record holder, currently training for the Olympics in 2028 in LA. Let's give it up for Jared Wallace. Jared, thank you for joining us, man. Of course, bro. Absolute pleasure to have you on the podcast here in person in the room. Um, as I mentioned, man, you are a true inspiration to not only myself, but so many individuals out there, athletes and non-athletes. Um, your story is is pretty remarkable. If if you will, could you just fill fill our listeners in a little bit on your story and let them be inspired by by you?

SPEAKER_06 4:09

Yeah, dude. No, thank you again. Appreciate you guys letting me be on the show. Looking forward to having some fun today. For sure. Um, who knows what's gonna happen in this next uh little while. We're gonna have a blast one way or the other. Um yeah, so uh, you know, I I grew up in in Athens, Georgia. My dad was the head women's tennis coach at the University of Georgia, was the most active winningest coach in women's college tennis. He was the head coach for 38 years, never had another job in his life. So really cool. Uh he played tennis at Georgia. My mom was a Canadian national champion runner. Uh she ran track at Georgia, that was where they met. Um you could say I won the Gene Pool lottery when it came to the city. For sure. Yeah, so I, you know, growing up, I obviously grew up in a really athletic family, and um my junior high school won a couple state titles and running, signed to run track at the University of Georgia, was just super stoked about being able to follow my parents' footsteps as an athlete there. Um but I'd been dealing with kind of this nagging overuse injury that I uh through most of my high school career, and I kind of was like, hey, you know what? Like, if I'm gonna run at the next level in college with aspirations to maybe running in the Olympics beyond, like I need to I need to figure out if if I'm gonna be injury prone all of my life or if if there's something else going on. So we started kind of looking around. We found a couple other doctors, got some other opinions, and um that was where I found out I had something called chronic exertional compartment syndrome. Um, really just a fancy medical term for saying that I've got too much pressure that's building up in my calf, cutting off nerve function and blood flow to my foot. Um so it feels like a stress fracture, but instead of it being um structural, you know, on the bone, it was muscular. And so the good news is that there was an easy surgery that could be done, six-week active recovery, back rock and rolling, would never have to deal with it again. So, of course, I'm you know, 17 years old. I'm trying to defend my state titles, my senior of high school. I'm like, I can take six weeks off. Let's get this thing done, rocking and rolling, and um, and then go on and have an amazing collegiate career. So that was basically the decision we made. We went in and had that surgery done. Um, unfortunately, ended up having complications in the surgery that caused me to lose about 60% of the muscle from my knee down. Um and I ultimately I spent the next two and a half years having a total of 10 reconstructive surgeries trying to save my leg. Um so I went from, you know, highest of highs, you know, senior year, high school, like just signed to follow my parents' put's parents' footsteps at their alma mater at University of Georgia where I grew up with my dad coach, you know, it was just like the all the all the stars were lining. And then um, you know, then I found myself, you know, my last semester of my senior year sleeping on parents' floor with my legs wide open and really no idea what my future was gonna look like. Um you know, it was a a hard season of life. I I remember one morning specifically, it was probably about four months into the journey. Um, I uh on Sundays I would I would go to church with my family, I'd have lunch in the back deck, and then I'd go out for like a long run. It was just kind of like my day of like just clearing my mind, hitting the reset button, getting ready for the next week. And and uh this obviously this Sunday wasn't like the first one that I wasn't able to run, but it was the first time like it hit me really that like my life that I thought was just never gonna look the same again. And uh I remember going upstairs to my room and I was sitting on my futon bunk bed, which I don't know if you guys had a futon bunk bed or a futon in your room when you were a kid, but that was the thing. I had one of those. Yes, sir. Don't want to check out the younger feet on the good dick.

SPEAKER_02 7:21

I love it.

SPEAKER_06 7:22

And so uh man, I just sit down and I look up on the wall, had this poster, it said life is good with a little runner guy on it, and I was like, nah, man, life's not good. Like, life sucks. Broke the poster, like stormed out of the house, um, lived like a mile away from the track, the high school track, and uh found myself on the starting line. And I took off in what would normally take me about 48 seconds to do took me about three and a half minutes um and a lot of pain and a lot of limping. Um fell across the line and I was just like, man, why me? Like, why now? Like what did I deserve do to deserve this? Like, um, and I I kind of just you know, I I think I spent the next probably 14, 18 months in that in that mind space, you know, where I was kind of a victim of my circumstances. I was letting the reality of my deformed limb dictate like my ability to have hope, to to have dreams, and um, you know, wasn't the plan that I had, but it was where I was and um, you know, went through a a handful more surgeries, finally got to a point basically we did everything we could we could to try to save my leg. Um and you know, I I basically looked down at my limb and I was addicted to pain medication. I couldn't feel the bottom of my foot, I wasn't able to do anything, and I was like, this isn't this isn't the life I want to live. Um so we went and we got one more opinion from a doctor who basically in his wisdom looked at me and said, Hey man, he's like let's take your leg off the table for a second. Like, what do you want your life to look like? Like if if you didn't have a deformed leg, like what would you want your life to look like? And I was like, Man, I just man, I just want to be pain free. Like, I love to one day play with my kids in the yard, like work a normal job, man. Like, I just you know, I'd love to run again, but like I just man, I just want to I just want to be normal. And he's like, dude, he's like, he's like, I love that. He's like, but um it's not realistic with the leg that you've got. But if you choose to have your leg amputated, he's like, I believe all those things can come true and then some and uh so at 19 years old I hear that and and what should have probably sent me in this like uh headspace of fear and whoa, I don't really know. Man, I just had this like overwhelming peace, like that I just like literally can't explain where it was like this this is a radical decision and a big step, but I I think this is this is what I'm supposed to be doing. And so um four months later, go in and elected to have my leg amputated and um started started the new chapter of of the next season of my life. Uh that I mean I'm what a start.

SPEAKER_03 9:52

I'm getting I'm getting chills listening to it, right? And obviously, I've been fortunate enough to to see you at Kit Launch, chat to you a little bit before we we came on here. Um and and I could I could feel your energy, I could feel your charisma, the belief that you have in yourself, right? And to hear you talk about when you were 16, 17, going to defend your state titles in in high school and say, yeah, like let's go, like let's rock and roll. Six weeks, like all good. And to know now that you know you've got that back in you. One that makes me happy as an individual, as as someone that's spent a little bit of time with you, but as an athlete, like that you you need that, right? You need that drive, you need that determination. And of course, you know, you had some adversity, some some huge adversity, right? And massive, massive challenges. Um, but to then have that peace and that calmness about you to make that decision, right? I mean, that that's a huge decision.

SPEAKER_06 10:51

It it was, and it, you know, I think it goes back to just the power of the question that the doctor asked and really what it did in me. Because when I look back now, I realized that during that season where I was just like kind of the why me and and just trying to figure out what life was gonna look like, what really was happening during that time is I I lost my ability to dream. I stopped having goals, I stopped being the person that makes me who I am. And and you know, I kind of I you know use this phrase like I was letting the reality of my present circumstances dictate my future hopes and dreams. And um, you know, adversity is relative. Like, you know, for me it was lost like everyone has something that they've either gone through or will go through. Um, and you know, my challenge is it's it's it's okay to be not okay, it's okay to endure those moments, but like don't ever lose your ability to dream. And even if it's just dream for dreaming for tomorrow, it doesn't have to be dreaming for the stars. And you know, the the moment that I left that doctor's office, I got into um the hotel that we were staying at. And this was back when they had what didn't have Wi-Fi in all the rooms, so you had to like go to the business center to get on like the internet, and so like I go down to the business center and I'm Googling Paralympics and what my life would look like as an amputee and like all the things that I was able to do before, would I still be able to do them? And then I came across the world record list for Paralympic track and field. And less than an hour after hearing that I need to have my leg cut off, I call my parents and I point to the screen and I said my name's gonna be on this list.

SPEAKER_03 12:12

Let's go! Let's go! Oh my dude, I love that. I love this chair right there.

SPEAKER_01 12:19

I don't know if that's the four espresso or the let's go.

SPEAKER_03 12:22

Unbelievable. That that is so cool. I mean, I'm dude, I'm getting chills, man. That's that's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 12:27

Can you take us then, Jared, so you have that experience and that visualization with your parents and you break a record in 17 months, right? Yeah. So you you're experiencing this new normal, you're essentially reborn with this new mentality, and you go out there and smash every dream that you had just put forth for yourself. How did you get to that moment?

SPEAKER_06 12:46

Yeah, you know, I mean, I think a couple things, right? Like, very first out the gate was like we just did a really great job. My parents did a really great job of like helping me understand how to build great teams, and right, that's what my dad did as a championship coach. He understands the value of building a great team. And so what we did for the next four months when we left that doctor's office is we built the great team that was gonna allow me to be successful. We we interviewed doctors who would do the amputation, we interviewed prosthetic companies who would make my legs, we f we talked to therapists, we talked to the strength coaches, the trainers, the I mean, we literally built a plan for success. And you know, I I I walked six weeks in a day after amputation, the doctor said six weeks was the earliest. Great, six weeks in a day, done. I ran for the first time three months after amputation, and I won my first race 12 months amputee after amputation. And yeah, there's some drive, and obviously there's some personal grit that comes into that, but it really was the team that we built and and the strategy that we had that I was able to be so confident in that allowed me on the days that were hard, the days that weren't easy, um, the days where my leg wasn't doing what I wanted to do or whatever, right? We that that we had, you know, I knew that it was today was just a day. It was just one day, like tomorrow's gonna be the next. Like we we've got little steps that we have to take to get towards the bigger goal. And um, you know, as you said, I you know went down to the Pan American Games in 2011 and um was seated sixth in the race of eight people, so was uh, you know, obviously pretty clear underdog, but had some really breakthrough training sessions going into it and and knew that if I executed our strategy, we would have a really good shot and won the gold and ran the fastest time in the world that year in the 100 meter dash.

SPEAKER_01 14:15

This guy's being humble right now. He ran the 100 meter dash T44 11.31 seconds. Bradley. That's a what?

SPEAKER_03 14:22

Listen, I'm not a runner. I'm not I'm not a runner. If you guys didn't know, I'm not a runner, and it's why I play goalkeeper. I mean, I don't know if I can put my shoes on that quick, you know. I mean, my goodness. That is that amazing. It's uh yeah, it's uh that that is absolutely remarkable. And you know, you you talk about building this team, but running is a very individualized sport when you're out there. When you're when you're at the starting block, it's very individualized. You're you're left there with your thoughts, yourself. You don't have a teammate per se out there with you competing. Yeah. Um, I know there's a team behind the scenes, but what what it what is that like when you're on the starting block, what is that, what is what's going through your mind?

SPEAKER_06 15:08

Yeah, I mean at that point, like, you know, if you're if you're trying to think about strategy, you know, you've already kind of lost the race. You know, the all all the all the prep and all the team time before leads to be able to be confident in that moment. Um yes, you you have a strategy for that moment. You your objective is just to execute on it. And you know, I always kind of like to tell people like and I this is probably the the same way for team sports, but it's uh you know it's really an individual sport. Like there's no such thing as a perfect race. Um you know, the gun goes off and you you basically manage the the person who wins the race or runs the most consistently over time, learns how to manage the imperfections that happen perfectly. And so what I what I train for day in and day out is not perfection. I train to evaluate what I do and how I respond to when things don't go well. And I think that there's a lot of life application to that, obviously, but you know, when I'm taking 48 steps and taking 13 breaths over 100 meters, that you know, my best time is 10.63 seconds, like that is there's a lot of things that happen in such a short period of time. And and if, you know, how do I manage those variables and the unknowns is is going to be the indicator of how well I perform an execution.

SPEAKER_03 16:27

The attention to detail, right? The amount of steps you know it's going to take you, the amount of breaths it's going to take you to cross the finish line. I think I'd be up there. One, I I would certainly have a lot of anxiety waiting for that gun to go off. But I I'd if I'm in if I'm in your shoes, I'm thinking, looking across this line, let's go. Because you know what? I'm I'm the fastest one on this block and and we're gonna we're gonna crush it.

SPEAKER_06 16:49

But I mean, it's like being in a game for you, right? Like, I mean, you're a goalie, like you don't want to just stand there doing nothing. You're like, bring the bring it in, bro. Bring it down here. Send me the best shot. Like, I'm I'm ready. I'm here to make sure that your best shot does not make it into the net. And like you have to have that energy when on your when you're on the line. If you're in if you're on the line and you're like, well, I don't know, this person's here in this race, or I don't really know the race is over. Like you might as well just go back. They've already been in your head. Exactly. You can't allow that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:15

Anything you do, you can't you can't allow the the opposition to already creep into your thoughts, creep into your mentality because before it goes off, you're you're already beaten.

SPEAKER_01 17:24

You're absolutely right. You're actively training for LA 28 right now as well, which is electric in itself. You're an active dad just like this guy, saying you were dropping the kiddos off before you even came here for the show as well. So thanks for all that you do and for coming here too. Could you give us a little view into what is your day-to-day routine like in terms of an elite athlete like yourself?

SPEAKER_06 17:44

Yeah, it's evolved a ton over the years. You know, gone are the days where I can sleep in and you know, make breakfast in a quiet environment, get to training when I get there, you know, take a nap in the afternoon, hit the second session in the afternoon, like, you know, it's just uh it's it's a little bit more chaotic now. Um I'm 35, I'll be 36 in a in a few months. Um I'll be 38 in LA. Obviously, 38 is way different than 28, way different than 22, 25. Just a number. Just a number. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, all right? Well, uh, you know, the the body doesn't recover as quickly, but uh but we we we train a lot more efficiently and smarter, and so we don't uh we don't have as much uh wounds to recover from, I would say. Uh you know, I train I train three days a week. Uh it's it's what my body can handle. Um, it's what makes the most sense in kind of my protocols. Uh we do double sessions when I do train, so it's morning session on the track, uh lunch, and then afternoon session in the weight room. Pretty intentional and specific about like what we do on what days. Um my coaches coached multiple Olympic champions. I'm very grateful to have him as a coach. He's in his 70s and um has some of the you know biggest uh arsenal of just wisdom, knowledge, training protocols. And um we operate under something called bandwidth. And so like we don't have a specific uh session for each day. We have bandwidths which we uh adjust towards based on how I feel that day. So here's what the objective for the day is, here's the reps and the distances you can consider, or here's the amount of jumps and the type of jumps you can consider, and based on what you evaluate your how far how as far as your how your body's feeling that day, um how you're moving that day, where you are, like your arousal mentally, like are you engaged, are you locked in, or are you kind of distracted and faded? Like you kind of have to figure those things out and then make the best decision in the moment for that day. So you make sure that your output is proper. Um because if you go in and you say, like I got 10 jumps today, but you're in a headspace that can only manage five, but you just blow through to do 10, that's how you get hurt, right? And so that's what I mean. Like when we're we're just training smarter now, um, you know, missing a jump or two is not gonna kill me because I know later in the year we're gonna get those back at a different session when I'm ready for it. And so I I have the bigger picture in mind. Um, and I think that that's what's helped, you know, has helped me, even with the kids and family and just kind of the the busyness of life behind the scenes, just kind of keep everything in perspective. Um, I try not to um let my highs be too high, my lows be too low. Um sometimes it happens, you know, it is what it is, but um I try my best to just kind of s stay somewhere in the middle because um, you know, if you if you are too reactive about anything, you you miss the the the the big picture.

SPEAKER_01 20:20

Aaron Powell It seems like, yeah, you've mentioned that phrase big picture. You guys are very similar in this way. I've always known Brad too of just being it's bigger than me. You know, the club is always gonna be here, the game is always gonna be here, but what's my impact? What am I doing with people in the community as well? And I know you're a very busy man, you've got everybody can move, Georgia as well, too. Could you tell the viewers at home a little bit about what that organization is like?

SPEAKER_06 20:40

Yeah, I've been very fortunate. It's a national organization called Everybody Can Move. The objective is to get legislation passed for access to secondary prosthetic devices in every state. So from a prosthetic standpoint and durable medical equipment as a whole, um, insurance will cover your primary prosthetic, but anything beyond that um is not covered. And so uh, you know, think about you know, obviously if you want to be active and you want to be able to run, that is not medically necessary, it's kind of what they deem it, um, regardless of what your uh job is or how you pay for it. Hopes and dreams are, right? You know, um and then like even something as simple as like a shower leg. You know, not everybody wants to be an Olympian, but maybe someone wants to be able to actually stand up in the shower and like be safe. Right. Um and so there's just so many different things like that that just you know historically haven't been considered. Um we've been very fortunate to have an amazing team leading that initiative. And last year we were the first state ever to get legislation passed in one year. Um so from when we brought it to uh our lobbyists and to to the senators and house reps, and um and we just found really great alignment and and found a great, you know, Georgia and and the team that um you know are are fighting for you know the the citizens of the state. They do they really do an amazing job, they do care. You know, sometimes you you don't always get to see the details, but um, you know, I learned I've learned a lot being at the Capitol and um we got some amazing legislation plat passed last year and then we're back. on the docket this year to um extend it into state health benefits. So basically anybody who works for the state um will benefit then from this as well. So you know every year we're we just try to kind of expand the the impact potential. And you know the the objective is if we can get 28 states done then we can take it to DC. And so we're well we're well on our way to to do that and and Georgia's been really right in the playbook for how we're gonna um strategize and execute in DC so hopefully the next few years we'll be moving this initiative further uh further north and and make this thing a uh you know federal mandated Medicaid Medicare uh plan so that everyone can can access.

SPEAKER_03 22:34

Joe, you know what I'm learning? Do not bet against this guy. I mean listen whether we'll do it. Yes. I mean getting legislation passed in in record time setting world records like as soon as adversity is is is staring him in the face he's conquering it. He's like no I'm finding a path I'm gonna beat it. This is it I'm doing it's that's amazing man.

SPEAKER_06 22:56

Yeah I appreciate that I'll I'll say the one constant there is the great teams. You know I I I have and and again I've learned this from my dad like I've learned how to surround myself by great people align visions um build great teams and uh you know move at the right time and so uh nothing that I have done or accomplished has been on my own merit. Um I have been a a great player in uh you know in the arena and and just very fortunate to have great great teams great people around me to to do some pretty awesome stuff.

SPEAKER_03 23:24

I love that man I love that I know you're I know you're also doing you know some some work with a facility with a with a training facility to try and put some pieces together. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

SPEAKER_06 23:35

Yeah dude um so obviously you know you uh the word legacy has been thrown around a few times and you know I know you're in in that season right where it's like hey career career as as far as a football player is over but like I want my legacy to go beyond what happened on the pitch and um I'm in that season right now right where I'm I know my retirement is upon us. LA 28 will be my last games fifth fifth games which to be able to say that is just unbelievable five games yeah it's just really really really crazy. So I've just been again so fortunate but you know I I I look you know as I look ahead um you know I think to look ahead sometimes you have to look back you say okay where have I been you know what have I experienced and what do I you know what do I want to what do I really want to leave and for me I I don't like the medals are great. The records are great but like they go away and they and they're like records are meant to be broken right like like medals you know you always have that medal but there's a the the you win one the next year someone else wins that one like they're the they're the new champion right and so like I learned early on um and I'll I'll share I'll share a story actually I'm gonna share a story before I answer your question. Let's go it's it's the it's the moment that I really learned this. In 2013 I made my first world championship competition and I um I did run in at the games you know this 2011 at Pan Am's and I was in London in 2012. 2013 was the first world championship team I was able to to make and so um I went in I knew I was the you know the favorite for the 200 for sure was competing in the 100 as a contender for the podium and then our relay team was you know contender for gold and so went in with a lot of energy a lot of swag bro like I was like no one can touch me here. Let's go I don't want to become him right yeah I'm him facts bro I got on the start line in the prelims and I was like I just have to run the hundred fifty first 150 and then I'm just gonna shut down save energy for the finals the next day like you know and then they can they can deal with me then so I crossed the finish line after running 150 and shutting down like kind of just jogged across the finish line the crowd erupted and I was like oh maybe something happened like maybe someone threw you know or jumped or what I don't know something else was going on. And then I looked at the clock and I broke the world record. And it was the first time I I had I had like officially broken the world record and I go into my my first interview and the interviewer was like hey Jared brilliant run world record performance are you gonna run faster tomorrow and I was like I mean I don't know like maybe but tomorrow's about like winning the gold medal like you know so just gonna do what it takes to win tomorrow. So go to the next interview. Same thing like Jared amazing like world record are you gonna run faster tomorrow. Literally the first four interviews that was the very first question I got asked. I go to later that evening you know I kind of get back to the room I was thinking about the question I was like ah I'm not gonna worry about it right now like got to focus up for tomorrow. Tomorrow's about you know taking care of business getting the gold so next day gun goes off break the world record again take off half a second from what went in going in.

SPEAKER_03 26:30

The day prior he was only at 70% when he knew it was like they're asking him this question are you gonna run fast? Well damn trade I'm gonna run fast tomorrow. There's only 70% tomorrow actually I'm I'm gonna turn up for the entire race.

SPEAKER_06 26:42

Right, all right so so broke the world record won the gold like you know check the first box like for for my goals for that week get to the same person who interviewed me for the first question next day she goes Jared Wallace world record performance gold medal how fast do you think you can run the 200 and through the rest of I had about 10 interviews that I got asked and about half of them asked how fast do I think I can run and I got back that night and I was just journaling kind of my experience, my process you always kind of like to do a little bit of self-value evaluation both like mentally emotionally but also then performance wise and I I wrote down those questions are you going to go faster tomorrow and how fast do you think you can run and one of the things that I kind of took away from that event and realized is that the world will never be satisfied and the reality is is like I just did something that no one had ever done before and the very first question that I was asked is what's next? Are you gonna do more? Are you gonna go faster? Are you gonna be better? And I realized that like to the world standards the the bar is always moving. You hit a a a quota at work what's the first thing they do they move the bar. Like they're like well if you can do that then you can go more so let's push for more and so we're we're always chasing things and I don't think that that's inherently a bad thing but it is inherently a bad thing if you put your value in that and so I say that as the segue to when that was when I started really thinking about where do I want my legacy to be? Where do I want to invest my identity as a person? Do I want it to be in something that is not sustainable? Do I want it to be in something that is never going to hit the mark or do I want to have it maybe something that's bigger than that and what does that look like? And so you know back to this legacy question, you know, I I started saying okay well I got brought into this community as a as a you know as an amputee and a and a disabled individual you know 15 years ago. And you know I lived the first 20 years of my life as a you know able bodied or you know had both my legs and then I've you know been an adaptive in the adaptive community for the last 15 years and I I I believe that I was brought in this community for more than just records and medals, right? And so I started asking kind of the questions of like what you know what does this community need? Like what what what is it missing? What what isn't what maybe hasn't changed since I've you know been a part of it. And one of the like consistent things across the board is this community is is very limited in its access to information, education, research to support not the innovation but to support the user of the innovation. Because of how this industry's built, everyone kind of operates in silos and the person who is the one that experiences the trauma experiences the need for the technology and experiences the inefficiencies of life is the one that kind of suffers because they are just thrown around from silo to silo without a connectivity without coherency and without a you know kind of a clear path of what success looks like. And for me I know the importance because I've built teams from Go of how helpful it is to have the right team in place to help build your success journey. And so basically the vision for Rival was to is to come out and become the most trusted and reliable source of education information to help build a customized roadmaps, journey mapping experience for every amputee so that they can have hope, they can have dreams they can have opportunities and not only can they have them, we will help equip them with the resources to fulfill and achieve them. So that's like the big vision of what we're gonna do organizationally like that's the heart behind who we are there's a lot of really cool ways we're gonna do that but the the absolute coolest is our our vision is to build a a hub a hundred thousand square foot high performance centers be the most advanced biomechanical analysis facility in the world where we're gonna lead research and innovation where it's kind of going to be the engine that really supports the the community our our hope and the terminology I always use is we're gonna just be a collaborative ecosystem. We're gonna take all of the people that aren't talking to each other. We're gonna build them a really epic place to come and interact learn grow and innovate together.

SPEAKER_03 30:47

Make them talk to each other right make a place that says you have to come you have to communicate and we're gonna we're gonna get this thing going in this direction together as as as one dude I'm I'm I'm so in awe there's not many times I'm I'm speechless and I mean your performance on the track your performance when it comes to being resilient your performance when it comes to inspiring others to leaving a lasting legacy that truly matters unbelievable dude I know we've got a few questions coming from the control room I think they they they they might be speechless as well they've got a few questions in there the Georgia dogs in there too don't be mistaken that that is part of our question here.

SPEAKER_04 31:27

Well the first one we were talking in the control room we uh think once when Jared's doing his training it'd be fun for the guys in the control room to run a 40 yard dash while Jared runs a hundred and we think he could beat us. What does he think on that? And then also yes uh this uh episode will air when Georgia is going to be playing in March Madness we're wondering how Jared feels the dogs the greatest university in all the land will be in March Madness.

SPEAKER_06 31:57

Oh I love it. All right well first I have um had a handful of cinematography guys tear their hamstrings trying to trying to race me but you're more than welcome just make sure you look them up and stretch they would be part of that group it is not even more they may be getting stretchered off that I'll tell you it is uh it's not a it's a badge of honor I guess for those guys maybe I don't know one guy literally very first like it's 9 a.m we had a full day of shooting and he was like nah man I'm good and I'm like bro like okay and we like he wasn't raised he's just trying to keep up with me with his gimbal and I was like all right I'll dial back a little bit like yeah just ripped I mean black and blue like the rest of the day dude it was bad but but he gangstered out like shot the rest of the day no problem like yeah I mean he was hurting but he was yeah he was it was gangster mode. I was like alright I'm I'm more impressed very unimpressed by your running yes very impressed by your uh endurance here as uh as far as grinding that out.

SPEAKER_03 32:55

Maddie I I feel like that could be you I feel like that could be absolutely you don't need it we don't need that to happen.

SPEAKER_06 33:02

We don't need that to happen.

SPEAKER_04 33:03

I'm fully confident my hamstring would rip like that he's talking about but we're always up for it we like the content so whenever we're ready it'll be good.

SPEAKER_06 33:11

I'm down you guys say that say the time and the place and I'll be there. Dogs basketball let me address that real quick um you know if we have we have one strategy I don't know how if you've been following Georgia basketball this year um just shoot as many threes as possible and you'll probably win. Like don't need to take in the paint we do not need to get the other team in foul trouble. Like just pass it out behind the arch get the ball up there doesn't matter who's back there just shoot it. I don't think it's the winning strategy as far as long term we should maybe make it out of the first round. Okay. You know we got Michigan in the second round most likely if if that happens so it's probably not going to happen. Jared I'm a Michigan State Spartan I am begging you dogs by a million dogs hey listen if we if we make our threes we will win that's all we do. Let it fly.

SPEAKER_01 34:01

Make it rain.

SPEAKER_06 34:02

So we're a dangerous team when we're hot because we can put so many points on the board and we have big swings but it is uh you know I I don't know a ton about basketball what I do know about basketball is it's helpful to get in foul trouble and get on the get on the bonus and and all that as well. And you know we don't we don't purse three is more than two, right?

SPEAKER_01 34:19

So most of the time.

SPEAKER_06 34:20

Just keep just keep two and threes.

SPEAKER_01 34:22

Simple. Yeah yeah yeah Jared one I had for you as well we were doing some research on you do you have a tattoo that's got as many phrases or words as your surgeries that you had as well and we don't need you to show the cameras in here I'm not saying you need to do that but just could you unpack your guy that's I love taking my shirt off in public that's not a problem. You're a guy that you seem like you have so much meaning in everything like all of my excuses I don't know about you have just evaporated.

SPEAKER_06 34:48

My inbox stands no chance after the show unbelievable inspired yeah absolutely um yeah so I've I've got a um a tattoo on my rib cage and it's in the shape of a cross and um it says faith peace um adversity endurance strength pain hope and family so faith peace adversity endurance strength pain hope and family and then at the bottom it says James one two through four and um it's the verse that I've kind of just like leaned into it says dear brothers and sisters when troubles come your way consider it an opportunity for great joy for when your faith is tested your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow for when your faith is fully developed you'll be strong and ready for anything. And uh you know when I was going through early stages of everything like um I did not find joy in adversity. I was trying but I it it was hard. But the endurance aspect is where true perspective comes from and I obviously think that's what what James uh the half brother Jesus was getting to when he was writing those words. But for me this tattoo is like my story. But um faith for me is the most important you know the verse obviously foundation and and the family and all the other words are um kind of the emotions that I felt during the process. And so it really is just kind of something that I once I you know went through all the all the surgeries and all the experiences it was 13 in total that I I kind of was like man I just I want to be able to have something um that that's close to my heart. That's why it was on this side uh of my of my ribs and um that would you know simply be able to communicate my story in a 30 seconds snippet.

SPEAKER_03 36:26

So cool. So I have no words honestly I mean this this might be the hardest question that you're gonna face today. And and this is coming from you know a place of of love and care um when I ask this but obviously fine-tuned athlete everything you do attention to detail um so meticulous about your preparation about your execution um both on the track and off the track you're doing so much work outside of it within the community we talked on um do you ever have a cheat meal? Yeah and if so what what is it what is I mean I just had a cheat meal before I came here I got I got up here early and uh swung over to cracker barrel right already across the street and so uh grandpa's country fried steak breakfast some fried eggs ash brown casserole a couple biscuits with apple butter hey I mean gosh listen listen this is coming from elite elite athlete off for round two minutes don't sit me with a good tongue like that we're we're taking the podcast on the road we're off the cracker barrel after this here we go um that that that's amazing dude because you know people would always ask me that question yeah they're like oh like you know what does it take and what do you you know do you do you eat this and or maybe I'm at the kids you know sporting event and they're having a pizza party or maybe they're you know whatever it is um but I always say like you you just have to have that mentality of okay like I need to make sure that I get back on on track when when I need to do my my preparation when it's when it's time.

SPEAKER_06 38:09

Control the controllables man exactly for me it's like it if and and yeah there's short times where it's like I chose to drive in the Cracker Barrel. There were other options that probably were better but like that was that was a choice but um you know like I've got so many things that are important to spend time and energy on and I have through my career I've gone crazy strict on diet weighing food and I've gone like eating a you know a popcorn bowl of pizza rolls in bed before sleep. And my is one of us yeah well it didn't really change the performance very much. You know for me like it was like that's not where I get my one percent. Right. Now other people may have a different variable that like oh no this actually does give me my one percent. Y'all heard earlier early on I won the gene pool lottery. Like I could probably eat Oreos right before the race and go crush. Like that's just the genes that I've got but um so that's just not where my where my 1%'s at.

SPEAKER_03 39:03

Yeah that no that's that that's amazing. I I'm I'm in that same boat and you know give me a cheat meal any any day of the week.

SPEAKER_06 39:09

We can go get a cheat meal this will be great. Looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_01 39:11

Let's talk beautiful game here for a second. You were at the Spearda 96 kit launch. Can you show off the camera the the back of the kit as well this one's for the kids right here.

SPEAKER_06 39:20

Get it going where I think you got yeah you got a couple let's go are the kids are the are the kids are the kids still saying that I I don't know if the kids are still saying that my kids are still saying that for sure um you know like uh Levi was like hey dad like can I can I get a kit and brother what what no we're just gonna be both be six seven right and I was like no you're six and he's seven because y'all came for me. So I'm six seven and y'all are six seven he was like that's not cool I want six seven I was like no y'all are six seven together it's fine that's amazing um but no they're they they they loved this this was a good little surprise uh for for them and love the kit man gosh it's so good.

SPEAKER_01 39:58

Coming to the match on Saturday as well we're fresh off of three points against the Philadelphia Union the best environment you will experience in soccer what are you hoping to see are you gonna run into this guy too what are your plans for Saturday what are we gonna get weird in the stadium man we're gonna get wild pre match race goose and I'm Maddie pre match pre-match race around the stadium.

SPEAKER_06 40:21

Halftime shirts off sprinting straight down down and back it's gonna be great. I'm just kidding we're not gonna do that. No but yeah I dude first of all I just love soccer I grew up playing soccer like it was the only sport I played for like six years um and then they put a goalie in the goal and I was like bump this like what the heck I was faster than everybody I could just zoom around and kick into the goal. For sure and then there was a contender there and I'm like I got to find a different sport I don't like this. These guys are bigger and taller than me. Let's bring that energy back home and keep the keep the momentum going. So yeah I'm excited to see uh the team this year and and how they're how they're evolving.

SPEAKER_03 40:55

And uh and I know you're gonna bring the energy because you know we're we were talking about this a little bit before the show I'm I'm a caffeine guy.

SPEAKER_06 41:04

Unpack that yeah since COVID.

SPEAKER_03 41:06

Oh my goodness I mean I would run hot I mean just just coffee alone. I mean for me with with kids at home you know it's do you want me to give you the science behind it?

SPEAKER_06 41:16

Please please get give give me something to take away that I can say you know what one of the doctors who's on your podcast listens like just tuned their ears on the like I can't wait to fact check this kid. Just go this is not right. I'm gonna mess it up and I'm not gonna use all the terminology but I'm in a high level that's fine I'm gonna believe whatever you tell me.

SPEAKER_03 41:34

Just so you know I'm I am fully invested here.

SPEAKER_06 41:37

So there is this uh concept of the re-uptake system that happens in our brains and the receptors and so uh when you take caffeine it like blocks that like energy receptor and so it the what normally creates this like stability or or this non-crash feeling is blocked and then when they open up because the caffeine leaves your system it floods the exhaustion that's why you crash and then you have more caffeine to ride back up and that's why there's just this big up and down wave. That's also why there's a tolerance that comes with it. And so let me put this away so for me it was like I I I mean I crush caffeine all the time and it took me about three or four months before like I I stabilized but it was during COVID. I'm like I ain't got nothing else going on at home so like let's just do something I can't challenge any challenge myself outside so I'll just challenge my body on do doing something new. And dude since then like my energy levels have been higher I don't have crashes ever. I wake up alert I go to sleep I get really good rest like it's it's been a really good change. I also dude I just run hot like you know like blood pressure's probably higher than it needs to be like I just bring the energy in all the times like I just don't need to be a little bit he still drinks let's go the energy levels in this room are high and I'm I'm here for it.

SPEAKER_03 42:53

I'm here for it.

SPEAKER_01 42:54

That is amazing dude unreal well yeah I think that's all I had for you thank you so much for coming by the Cracker Barrel stop two. Come on this afternoon we're going to cracker barrel.

SPEAKER_03 43:06

Come on we're we're we're getting rid of coffee uh maybe uh we're gonna see how that goes um I'm gonna fill you in on that moderation by the same right here um but no dude like I said I'm I'm not often speechless as everyone in this room will attest to um but your story is so inspirational you are changing people's lives both by what you're doing off the track but also on the track and and you will have no bigger fan than myself and everyone here at Atlan United um cheering for you come twenty twenty eight in in LA um if need be I'll be out there I was about to say so I got a final question are you guys gonna come out there and listen on the road we are in we are in on the road whatever is needed.

SPEAKER_02 43:56

Highly expect y'all to both paint up for the competition. That's easy. Okay, perfect. That's that's easy. Love it. I mean, I listen, I'll be back. And I can't believe I just set the bar that low. Paint up. He was like, done.

SPEAKER_06 44:06

I was like, dang it, man. I probably could have gotten up.

SPEAKER_02 44:08

She'd done up here.

SPEAKER_03 44:10

Let him learn. But no, man, we we can't thank you enough for taking the time. We know you're busy. Um, thank you to your wife and your kids because you know, as a f you know, a fellow father, I I know it's when you're competing and and being able to focus and put your energy into what you do, what you love to do, um, you certainly need a support system. And you talked about your team, and and I know family is hugely important to all of us, but but especially allowing you to go and be you know mind-free and just go and compete and and do it at such a high level, consistently, year after year after year, for your fifth Olympics. Yeah, dude, that is so amazing. Thank you for joining us. Yeah, thanks, Brad. You are always welcome on this show. And like I said, 2028, you're gonna see us in LA. Shirts off.

SPEAKER_06 44:55

Come on, we'll we'll run this back before LA and uh and get and get some hype going into it. But yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be a fun time, and we'll get you guys into the village and give you a tour of everything. It's that's good. Love it.

SPEAKER_03 45:08

Joe, wow, dude, what an unbelievable episode to be able to speak to Jared, to have him on, tell his story. We said it when he was here, so inspirational. Yeah um you know, both on and off the track with with what he's doing, how he views life, how he approaches every single day. Um amazing, man.

SPEAKER_01 45:30

Yeah, it's it's like Rocky Fuel for me, honestly. When you said five Olympics, and I started to think about all of the work that it takes to go into that, getting that news at 17 years old in high school, too. I started thinking about how I would have reacted. And it's as if that setback that he got almost had him become reborn, super led by his faith, too. He just he emits energy. He's like you. You guys just you walk into a room and everybody's just pulsating from your presence.

SPEAKER_03 45:57

His energy is caffeine-free. However, is not correct, correct. Um, but no, so so thankful to Jared and and like I said, to have him on, tell his story. Uh amazing. But we also want to give a big shout out to all of you guys that wrote in, um sent in your questions, your comments to the show. We appreciate the love, we appreciate the support. Um, you guys helped make this show what it is.

SPEAKER_01 46:23

So thank you very much. And with that, guys, the show is evolving. We're on episode five here. We got a little surprise. Brad, if you want to show the people what we've been sent, just like a Home Depot delivery, these fan questions showed up right on what do we got here? Let's I I think this is our mailbox. Well, this guy right here.

SPEAKER_03 46:41

Industrial mailbox. We are ready to rock and roll. All the fan questions coming straight in. Let's get let's let's jump right into it.

SPEAKER_01 46:49

Delivered right on time by the Home Depot as well. It fits the vibe of the set, too. Beautiful. It was just great. All right, let's see here. So you open the hatch. Look at this. Ready to go. Shout out to the production team for getting everybody hooked up. Here we'll grab a couple of these. Got a few more. Uh, Brad, this first one is gonna come from Elliot Wegener, who would like to ask you who are some of your favorite goalkeepers to watch in MLS and in Europe?

SPEAKER_03 47:15

Yeah, I mean, listen, I think when you when you look at goalkeepers, uh, especially in in major league soccer, there's so many young goalkeepers that are up and coming, that are are just starting to um uh apply themselves in this in this type of environment, in a professional environment, that are learning their craft, learning their trade. You know, the the likes of you know someone like Matt Freeze, who obviously is now kind of taking control of the number one shirt for the US. Um you know, then you you look at someone that's been in the league for quite some time, someone that you know I'm friends with, have uh, you know, has played with and against Sean Johnson and what he does. Um, you know, obviously we need to big shout out to Lucas, you know, and and uh and Jaden, uh our guys here. Um, but there's there's so many that are are now, you know, like I said, trying to perfect that craft um and and strive for that uh that energy. And so it's uh it's exciting to see. But internationally, you know, I think when when you look at someone like Kurtwa, right, for me, his size, how he imposes himself, um, what he does at Madrid, how he makes him a better team, uh, it's been fantastic uh to be able to watch him continue to grow and develop. Uh, because I remember playing against him when he was younger and just starting off. And you know, people were thinking, oh, this this guy is is the real deal when he was at Chelsea. And and to take that next step to go to Madrid and and have the success that he has, uh, he's been fantastic for them.

SPEAKER_01 48:45

Crazy. Final camp as well for the USMNT. Big shout out to Maurizio Pochettino. World Cup is coming up. We got the friendlies coming to Atlanta as well. So let's go. Footy is flying. Next one is from Rick from Austell. Shout out to Austell as well. Hi, Brad. Really enjoying the show. Oh, here we go. Oh gosh. What is the largest or fiercest animal you could fight off to survive?

SPEAKER_03 49:09

What a question. What a question, Rick. I appreciate it. Uh these are the types of questions I uh I enjoy because it gets you thinking, you know, and I don't know if I'm right, and I don't know if I'm wrong. And I hope I actually never find out if I'm right or wrong. Um, but I'm gonna I'm gonna go with some sort of cat. And and I'm gonna go with like a an adolescent bobcat. You know, I I feel, you know, maybe a year, maybe two. Um all the animal experts out there, um, you know, any uh any any and all animal experts um are probably either laughing at me or like, yeah, like maybe you can handle it handle yourself and maybe you survive. Um anything bigger than that, I think I could be in trouble. I think back in the day I might have said a jaguar once or twice. That's that's a that's I'm losing that battle. I'm losing that battle. Um so yeah, I d I don't I don't know. What let's let's go to our control room. What are we doing? What are we thinking in the control room, guys? We were thinking uh potentially like a shark.

SPEAKER_04 50:10

A shark? Yeah, you is it the urban legend you punch it in the face and then it goes away and it's scared of you.

SPEAKER_01 50:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 50:18

I've also brought been very close to a black bear and it ran away from me, but I don't want to fight a black bear ever. Well, you don't have to be. I think a bobcat. I I don't know. I think um I I'd be very scared of anything bigger than like a dog.

SPEAKER_00 50:40

When you saw the bear man, did you give it a good old hey bear?

SPEAKER_04 50:43

What was your No, I didn't speak, and I we stared at each other for a minute and he ran away. And I was in this secluded place in Alaska where the guy who was at the property he sent his dog out uh to bark at it and get it scared away. He was like trained to bark, but uh yeah, I don't I don't recommend going up against a black bear.

SPEAKER_03 51:02

The guy sent his dog out to go bark at the bear. I mean that that sounds suffice, you know. Uh I'm gonna need you to go to bark at the bear. All right, all right, perfect. That just saved your life.

SPEAKER_01 51:14

Wonderful. R underscore Jesus or Gizus, not sure. I'm gonna have to check up on that one afterwards. How would you fare against Luis Suarez in a fight?

SPEAKER_03 51:25

Guys, guys, guys, come on now. Um listen, I think we both have a little crazy in us. Um I think we certainly have a little crazy. Um yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna back myself. I'm gonna back myself. Um, you know, I I I think I've got uh enough of an ability to to to hit the switch and and go full crazy. So um but listen, we're not about fighting. We're a show of love and respect. And um, and so yeah, uh you know, we've we've certainly have had our beef, you know, on the field. Um we don't need to mention the old net shenanigans from a few years back. Uh but um you know I think there's certainly a respect level, uh, especially when it comes to competing.

SPEAKER_01 52:14

From the tall Braden, who do you think was the most lethal goal scorer who ever played against you?

SPEAKER_03 52:21

Oh that's a really good question. Um I mean, I think when you look at I mean, listen, I've I conceded a lot of goals, uh, to be honest. Um you know, I who probably scored the most, I don't know. Um but I mean the likes of whether it's Drogba or Aguero or Tevez or um, you know, I could probably name Van Persie. You know, I i it's funny because I I've I feel like I see this clip, Wayne Rooney to Van Persie hits this full volley from 50 yards away. I it just constantly, my algorithm on my phone, I they it knows that I'm just so upset and and sad about it. Um it just somehow finds its way onto my phone. And yeah, I mean I I I don't know. Um I've been fortunate enough to to play against some unbelievable uh world-class footballers, uh, unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it. And um yeah, I've I I I came up short against all of them. Does it ever haunt you in the night when you're deep in like REM sleep and you're like, man, if I just could have gotten that top hand up there, exactly you know, a little bit more gym work to become a little bit stronger, to jump higher and and you know, push farther and and just a stronger hand. Um but uh yeah, it's um I I try not to let that creep into my mind too much.

SPEAKER_01 53:51

What a list, by the way. Van Persie, you said Rooney Tevez too, yeah. Crazy deep cut. Stroba, unbelievable. Last one, Brad, is gonna come from Kennedy De Boyen. Uh favorite save of all time.

SPEAKER_03 54:04

Of all um all time. You know, I don't, and this maybe touches a little bit on that mentality we were talking about with Jared a little bit. You know, I I don't one, my memory's terrible. I don't have a good memory, so that's that's part of the reason. Uh, but also it was it was never about you know what was my best save or or favorite save. It was always about the next save. And and that's how I approached it. And you know, I was I think more critical of the things I maybe could have done better uh within games um to push myself for the next time that we had played or the next practice, whatever it was. And so I was always looking at the the little details of how can I get better, as opposed to oh yeah, that's an amazing save, or oh yeah, I was a little bit lucky today and I was able to get a fingertip and push it onto the bar or whatnot. Um you know, if I was gonna go through, I think, you know, a save, the save in MLS Cup, you know, in the final that only because of the importance of the game. Um, you know, that was huge. Um there were certainly saves throughout my career that I looked at maybe not as the best saves, but they gave me that that courage and belief in myself to to carry on pushing and fighting for for that spot of playing consistently and and being a part and and showing that I belong. And so those saves for me had had real meaning.

SPEAKER_01 55:24

That always stuck with me too when we were shooting your retirement video last season. You told me you'd never watched the MLS Cup from start to finish. Do you ever go back and watch like an old prem match of yours or something from 20? Nothing?

SPEAKER_03 55:37

Nothing. Um it's sometimes my sometimes my my kids will pull up videos on YouTube and be like, dad, remember this moment? And it won't be of a save, it'll be of an absolute blunder. And I'll be like, thanks guys. Uh I appreciate that. Um, but you know, it's uh yeah, I've I've never gone back and watched it, you know, with with four kids and all the things going on. Um you know, it's it's never something that kind of crossed my mind. So yeah, it's in the glory forever.

SPEAKER_01 56:03

Exactly. Life gets in the way, you know. Yeah, exactly. Speaking of, this has been a glorious mailbag presented by Home Depot, delivered right on time. Shout out to Home Depot for this lovely mailbox here. Smashed it. There we are. Episode five in the bag as well. Oh