068: Arthur Blue - Forged by Adversity

Summary

In this episode, host Mark Bottenhorn interviews host Arthur Blue, a former military/Special Forces captain and accomplished ultrarunner. They discuss Arthur's journey into ultrarunning, the mental resilience required in endurance sports, and Arthur's two-year sobriety milestone. They also explore Arthur's transition from a career in finance to the health and wellness industry, including his involvement with a black-owned outdoor retailer and his work with Fleet Feet and Team Red, White and Blue. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize the importance of setting positive examples for children and pursuing excellence in all aspects of life. In this conversation, Arthur discusses his experiences in ultra racing and the lessons he has learned along the way. He emphasizes the importance of taking control of your own life and not relying on others to make changes for you. Arthur shares his podium finishes and tough DNFs, highlighting the valuable lessons he learned from each race. He emphasizes the importance of running your own race and staying focused on the task at hand. Arthur also discusses the future of his ultra running career and the barriers faced by people of color in the sport. He shares his thoughts on making ultra running more inclusive and welcoming for all.

Takeaways

Take control of your own life and make the necessary changes to achieve your goals.
Learn from both your podium finishes and your tough DNFs to grow as an athlete.
Focus on running your own race and stay present in the moment.
Flip your training schedule and expose yourself to uncomfortable situations to develop mental toughness.
Work towards making ultra running more inclusive and welcoming for people of color.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
06:28 Getting Started in Ultrarunning
10:57 Simulating Mental Resilience in Training
14:53 Celebrating Sobriety
18:13 Negative Impacts of Alcohol on Performance
20:25 Turning Point and Steps to Stop Drinking
28:37 Transitioning from Finance to Health and Wellness
31:07 Investing in Black-Owned Outdoor Retailer
32:50 Involvement with Fleet Feet and Team Red, White and Blue
34:46 Setting Examples for Children
37:57 Taking Control of Your Life
39:24 Podium Finishes and Tough DNFs
42:11 Lessons Learned from Races
43:24 Running Your Own Race
46:19 Mental Preparation for Challenges
50:46 Future of Ultra Running Career
51:23 Barriers Faced as a Person of Color in Ultra Running
52:44 Making Ultra Running More Inclusive
57:38 Breaking Stereotypes