"You are an Ironman." One of sports' most iconic phrases will be heard thousands of times at the inaugural Ironman California in Sacramento. Legendary race announcer Mike Reilly coined that signature phrase 30 years ago. That simple declaration is what finishers crave hearing after what's known as the toughest one-day race on the planet. The Ironman Triathlon is 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling and a full marathon. Athletes have 17 hours to finish the 140.6-mile race. It's Mike's job to welcome them to the finish line. You could say it's his calling. He is equal parts cheerleader, hype man and finish line friend. He has the unique ability to make the last finisher feel like they won the race. "I say their name and the you (part of the phrase) comes out and you see them straighten up, no matter how much they're hurting," he said. "They look up almost to the sky because they know it's coming and it's that exclamation point on who they are, what they did." On this Dying to Ask: What Mike has learned about life and human nature in 30 years of announcing Ironman How Mike practices the names of thousands of athletes Why so many people are drawn to events like Ironman coming out of the pandemic  

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How Four Words Changed Mike Reilly‘s Life

How does a middle-aged mom go viral on TikTok? Accidentally. Duh. The more interesting question is: What does she do with that viral opportunity? If you're Erin Azar, you keep on posting and keep on going viral. Erin Azar, aka Mrs. Space Cadet on TikTok, has more than 670,000 followers on the video-sharing site. She started posting videos two years ago after she started running following the birth of her third child. The raw, candid and very funny videos found an audience overnight. Her first video got 1 million views. And that's how "Mrs. Space Cadet" became a "thing." She's appeared in The New York Times and on the "Today" show. She has a Cameo account and even runs webinars to inspire runners and content creators. Two years later, Azar is the exact opposite of what most people think of as a running influencer. Her pictures are perfectly imperfect. She's equal parts self-deprecating and inspirational. And she's making money with her alter ego. In fact, she recently left her marketing job to do Mrs. Space Cadet full-time. On this Dying to Ask: What happens when a middle-aged person goes viral on TikTok What you consider before going "all in" and capitalizing on a viral moment What it's like to have that much attention when you're used to a normal life How to care less about what people think of you online and in real life 

TikTok Star Mrs. Space Cadet On How To Care Less About What Others Think

Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has four gymnastics moves named after her. She's the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) despite what she went through in Tokyo. And to many, she's the greatest because of what she did in Tokyo. Simone Biles' greatest legacy may be the fact that she went public with her mental health challenges brought on by the pressure of the Olympics and the public attention of the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal. Biles let people everywhere know that it's OK to not be OK. In doing so, she started a global conversation on mental health and anxiety that clearly needed to be had after the world has shared in a brutal pandemic experience. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates four in 10 adults this year are dealing with anxiety or a full-blown depressive disorder. And that's just the people who've reached out for help. The reality is likely much higher given the stress of pandemic life. Biles proved sometimes you have to step back in order to step back in. And, say it with me, that's OK. This fall, Biles and many of her teammates and gymnastics friends are touring the country with the "Gold Over America Tour." She's proving you can move forward, despite any challenges you face. She and her Tokyo teammate Jordan Chiles are my guests in this week's episode. On this Dying to Ask: How to keep going when the whole world knows your business How to live forward when the world wants to look back And what it's like to be on a tour bus with Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles 

Simone Biles And Jordan Chiles On How To Live Forward

It's like someone took their finger off pause and finally pressed play on life. That's how I've been describing how things feel in the fall of 2021. The thing is it feels like they pressed play on a scratched CD that starts, stops and skips just when the song hits the verse you know by heart. Kids are back in school in person. But, it still feels weird. Most adults are back in person at offices, at least a little. But, it still feels weird. Running races, sports, and festivals are back. But, say it with me, it still feels weird. Life isn't exactly how we expected it to be post-vaccine. Vaccines were supposed to get us back to "normal." That hasn't exactly happened. The delta surge created a whole new set of worries and a feeling for a lot of people that this COVID-19 era won't end. A lot of people describe a never-ending sense of overwhelm and anxiety. The result is a lot of us feel stuck. It's hard to make plans. It sometimes feels fruitless to make goals. And, for some people, the ongoing stress of living through a pandemic makes it tough to feel joy. In this season of the "Dying to Ask" podcast, we're looking at ways to hit the restart on life, no matter what curveballs coronavirus throws us. In this solo episode, Fitz sets up what to expect in Season 8 and explains why getting back to "life" is tricky.

How To Restart Life In Season 8 Of The ‘Dying To Ask‘ Podcast

You could call the 2020 Tokyo Olympics the ultimate date for Robyn Stevens and Nick Christie. They are one of a handful of real-life couples competing at the Tokyo Olympics. But, it almost didn't happen. Both Robyn and Nick won their respective USA Olympic Race Walking Trials in June. Robyn made the Olympic Team instantly. But Nick found himself ranked 51st in the world with only the top 50 getting invited to the Olympics. One agonizing week later, Nick got the call that changed his life. On this Dying to Ask: What had to happen for Nick to get his Olympic spot What it's like to head to the Olympics with the person you love the most And what Robyn and Nick have learned about the Olympics and themselves during the unusual lead-up to their Olympic dream  

The Ultimate Olympic Date With Nick Christie And Robyn Stevens

"We never saw it coming." That's what Roxanne Mefford said about her son Bryce Mefford making his first Olympic team. Roxanne Mefford has been the head coach at Glen Oaks Swim Club for 35 years. She's coached thousands of kids. Only one has made it to an Olympics and it's her son. But Roxanne and her family won't be in Tokyo to cheer Bryce on in the backstroke. No fans are allowed at the 2020 Olympics. It will be hard for this mom who has never missed a big meet in her son's long swimming career. That's why her Glen Oaks Swim Club family is making sure Team Mefford feels supported during the Olympics. Members are planning viewing parties and have given the club an Olympic makeover. On this Dying To Ask: What it's like to be an 2020 Olympic parent Why Bryce making the team was such a shocker to his family Roxanne's advice for parents who have Olympic dreams for their kids How she's supporting her son when he's in Tokyo 

How To Raise An Olympian With Olympic Mom Roxanne Mefford

If I asked you to name one Olympic or national team doctor, you could probably only name one and it's Larry Nassar. You know his name because of the sex abuse scandal that was revealed shortly after the 2016 Rio Olympics. Larry Nassar is the former face of the medical staff at USA Gymnastics who was accused of rampant sexual abuse masked as medical treatment. Hundreds of athletes came forward, including one of the stars of the Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles. He will spend the rest of his life in prison. The scandal revealed the inner workings of a program that emphasized winning above all, including the physical and mental health of athletes. It forced a massive cultural change in coaching and in how medical services are handled for athletes. Dr. Marcia Faustin is part of that change. She is one of two USA Gymnastics Women's team doctors who will tend to athletes in Tokyo and beyond. On this Dying to Ask: How Dr. Faustin's background prepared her for this unique and high-profile role What the 2020 Tokyo Gymnastics Team needs from her and her co-doctor, Dr. Ellen Carey Why being bored is a sign of a good day at work at the Olympics  

How Dr. Marcia Faustin Will Rebuild Trust After The Larry Nassar Gymnastics Scandal

"Get a new phone now." That was the advice from the Tokyo Olympic Committee for Olympic coaches like Mike Sayers. Sayers is responsible for Team USA's cyclists at the 2020 Olympics. It's the third time he's held the Olympic coaching gig. But, it's the first time an Olympic organizer suggested a major tech upgrade to handle the six tracking apps needed to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols at the games. Mike is a former professional racer and World Tour rider. In his more than 30-year career, he's worked as a team director and Olympic coach. In Tokyo, he'll oversee road, track, BMX and mountain bikers. On this Dying to Ask: The silver linings Mike found in life at home vs. on the road during the pandemic What he says is his No. 1 job as a coach at the Olympics How Olympic athletes and coaches will be restricted during their time in Tokyo Learn a great hack for staying in shape in a hotel  

Why Olympic Cycling Coach Mike Sayers Deserves A Gold For Organization

Over the last 20 years, I've covered the last 10 Olympics alongside my partner, Mike "Domi" Domalaog. Then came the pandemic and the end to one of the greatest streaks in TV news. Domi and I aren't going to be in Tokyo during the games. Instead, we'll be tracking Northern California athletes from home. And, that got us thinking: How can we bring our Olympic passion to our viewers in NorCal in a whole new way? Answer: The 21-Day Challenge. I'm teaming up with 2008 Olympic gold medalist Gabe Gardner to inspire Northern Californians during the Tokyo Summer Olympics to adopt a renewed focus on physical health and personal growth. The challenge will feature workouts, nutrition tips and health hacks from athletes competing in Tokyo, as well as Olympic and Paralympics alums. The challenge starts July 19 and continues until the Closing Ceremony on Aug. 8. Viewers will be invited to share their personal challenges on our various social media platforms. On this Dying to Ask: Gabe's thoughts on how COVID-19 protocols will impact the Tokyo Olympic experience for athletes How we came up with the 21-Day Challenge Why even Olympic gold medalists like Gabe struggle with motivation Why we all need a physical and mental reboot coming out of the pandemic How easy it is to take part in the challenge and what Gabe will do if you finish it  

Take The 21-Day Challenge With Olympic Gold Medalist Gabe Gardner

The streak had to end sometime, but it took a global pandemic to do it. Mike "Domi" Domalaog and I have had the privilege of covering the last 10 Olympics together. That's 20 years of planes, trains and automobiles and lots of adventures and passport stamps. This year, like a lot of Olympic journalists, we've had to re-imagine how we cover Olympic athletes on their journey to Tokyo. And, when our company had to cancel our Olympic trip, we challenged ourselves to keep our own Olympic spirit going even though we're not technically going anywhere. On this Dying to Ask: Hear some of our favorite memories from the road and what we have in store for viewers during the Olympics. 

The Olympic Streak Ends For Fitz And Domi

When we last checked in with Team Wesley for the Dying to Ask podcast, August and Anthony were waiting on a wildcard berth to wrestle at the Tokyo Olympics. (episode here) The Wesleys are a father-son wrestling duo who hoped to represent the small island nation of Cabo Verde. August Wesley is an American wrestler and coach. He's coached high school and college athletes. He's the most decorated Greco-Roman wrestler to have come out of Sacramento. And, his cousin, Anthony Amado, represented Team USA in wrestling at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His son, Anthony Wesley, made national teams as a high school athlete and went on to compete at Iowa State University. The father and son have dual citizenship with the tiny island nation of Cabo Verde, also known as Cape Verde, off the west coast of Africa. The Wesleys have spent the last year pursuing a dream of representing Cabo Verde at the Olympics. Their Olympic berth hung on a wildcard. And in this Dying to Ask, we find out whether the IOC said yes or no and where Team Wesley will be in July.

What Happed To The Father/Son Wrestlers For Cabo Verde?

Want to live like an Olympian? There's a book for that. Dr. Naresh Rao is the team doctor and COVID-19 liaison officer for the U.S. Olympic Men's Water Polo Team. He's also the author of "Step Up Your Game: The Revolutionary Program Elite Athletes Use to Increase Performance and Achieve Total Health." The book is the culmination of what Dr. Rao learned in more than 10 years of guiding the physical and mental health of Olympic athletes as a team doctor. Dr. Rao spent the last year doing everything possible to reduce the possibility of his athletes contracting the coronavirus during international competition. His entire team stayed healthy and is now vaccinated and ready to head to Tokyo. In this episode, Dr. Rao will outline habits that create champions. They are habits athletes spend lifetimes developing, nurturing and putting to the ultimate test in Olympic competition. The best part? Many of these habits are relatively simple and can make a major impact in your life too. On this Dying to Ask: How Dr. Rao got the gig as an Olympic team doc Hacks to make your mental game as strong as your physical game And the COVID-19 restrictions athletes will have to deal with while they're in Tokyo even though virtually all of them will be vaccinated 

How To Live Like An Olympian With Dr. Naresh Rao

The boys on the boat are heading to Tokyo. The U.S. men's rowing team will kick off competition on the same day as the Opening Ceremony, July 23. The guys have called Oakland, California, home for the last few years. They're based out of the Cal Berkeley boathouse on the Oakland Estuary where athletes credit straight, flat water for getting them in shape for the games. But, the pandemic posed big challenges for this team. Rowing isn't social-distance friendly. The guys went months without training in their boats and had to get creative with their quarantine workouts. They also had to face personal decisions about whether they could delay careers for another year after the 2020 Olympics got pushed back. On this Dying to Ask: How athletes made the decision to delay careers one more year to compete in Tokyo Why they describe being an Olympian as a selfish act And how much fun it is to get up before the sun to hang out with your friends on the water 

Why Being Selfish Is An Olympic Necessity With Rowers Anders Weis and Andrew Reed

Hey, Disney: I have your next Olympic-themed movie. It's "Cool Runnings" meets "Miracle on Ice." A 49-year-old American father and his 23-year-old son represent an island nation few have heard of at an Olympics delayed by a worldwide pandemic. #yourewelcome I love this podcast episode. August Wesley is an American wrestler and coach. He's coached high school and college athletes. He's the most decorated Greco-Roman wrestler to have come out of Sacramento, California. And, his cousin, Anthony Amado, represented Team USA in wrestling at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His son, Anthony Wesley, made national teams as a high school athlete and went on to compete at Iowa State University. The father and son have dual citizenship with the tiny island nation of Cape Verde, or Cabo Verde. Cabo Verde is off the west coast of Africa. It's one of the most developed democratic countries in Africa. But, it's never had much luck developing an Olympic team. Until now. On this Dying to Ask: What August Wesley is going through physically and mentally to become an Olympic wrestler at 49 What has to happen to get Cape Verde's wrestling team to Tokyo And how August Wesley kept his personal Olympic dream alive for decades 

A Father And Son's Quest To Become Olympians For A Little-Known Nation

There's no crying in baseball. But, the truth is a lot of tears were shed when the Olympics dropped baseball and softball from its sports lineup after the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. Each host city has the opportunity to add sports to their Olympic schedule. Japan loves baseball. So, baseball and softball are back for the first time in 13 years. That was great news for Team USA softball players who have struggled to make a living in the sport since 2008. The return of softball is also the return of legendary player Cat Osterman. She's one of two members of the U.S. Olympic Softball Team with any Olympic experience. Osterman came out of retirement for a shot at another Olympic gold. "It was full circle. I went to the youngest to the oldest (on the team) now but, yeah, there was a 13-year gap between the last Olympics and this one. It's been a sport that I think has been missing the Olympics. I know, specifically I have missed being in the Olympics," said Osterman. On this Dying to Ask: How Cat Osterman made the decision to come out of retirement for Tokyo 2020 What she plans to do when she re-retires after the Summer Olympics The work habits you need to stay at the top of your profession for an extended period of time How to stay engaged in your job when you've done the same thing for a long time  

Why Cat Osterman Came Out Of Retirement For The 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Have you ever wondered, "How did they do that?" Well, I have too! I'm Deirdre Fitzpatrick and Dying To Ask is the podcast that gets me off a TV news set and into candid conversations with authors, entrepreneurs and influencers I've been dying to talk to. So, brace yourself for a verbal gut check about what it takes to go from idea to reality. And who knows, maybe along the way we'll get some answers to the questions that you've been dying to ask.

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