The Extra Mile - The Official Charity Miles Podcast

Dave Richman is an entrepreneur, author, public speaker, athlete, and philanthropist. As an author, Dave has written a few books. His first, "Winning In the Middle of the Pack" he shares insights learned on his own transformation journey.  Once a couch-potato (and smoker), David has since completed over 50 triathlons, including 15 Ironman-distance triathlons, and more than 50 ultra-marathons. In his most recent book, "Cycle of Lives", Dave shares the stories of fifteen people who each have their own cancer journey.  Dave then symbolically connected these stories by riding his bike 5,000 miles, zig-zagging across the U.S. to each of people.  There's a lot in this podcast-- so much that I'll probably have to listen to it several times. Huge thanks to Dave for taking the time to share so much with us. #EveryMileMatters!  

Grayson Murphy is the 2019 World Mountain Running Champion, 6th place finisher in the Olympic Trials for the Steeplechase, and a 5X collegiate All American.   She's also an environmentalist, mental health advocate and entrepreneur who makes journals for training and life. I met Grayson two years ago at a running trade show and she gave me one of her journals, which I used last year. So, I was very happy to be reconnected to Grayson by our partners at Nuun. I know that most of you don't need an introduction to Nuun. They make electrolyte solutions without sugar.  I've used Nuun in my training for years, and am still using them now as I train for the NYC Marathon. I also know that many of the people in our community love Nuun as well-- because I see so many of you posting about it on our social media channels.   So huge thanks to Nuun for sponsoring us, and for reconnecting me with Grayson! #EveryMileMatters!

Erin Azar is a Tik Tok star with nearly 700,000 followers! But she is perhaps an unlikely social media celebrity.  She's not a fast runner.  She doesn't have perfect abs, a spotless kitchen or that one secret trick to whatever. She's a mom of 3 from rural Pennsylvania who started running a couple of years ago, after the birth of her third child.   Just a mile a day she thought, as she started documenting her journey on YouTube and then Tik Tok. At the time, she was just looking for a community of others like her to share the journey with. But something about her posts struck a chord, and her videos "blew up" (as the kids say) to millions of views and hundreds of thousands of followers. Erin is a breath of fresh air, exactly what the running community-- and social media needs these days. Special thanks to my friend Kim at AfterShokz for introducing me to Erin.  Kim and her sister, Christy are running the NYC Marathon for Team Fox.  When they told this to Erin, Erin wanted to join to because her father has Park

You might remember Bill Bucklew from our 2018 interview when he walked across the United States for Parkinson's Disease, which Bill has. In today's interview, we join Bill on his latest journey, something he's calling The Long Walk for Parkinson's: 640 miles, over 17 days, 40 miles per day, from the northern tip of Scotland to London... where he'll then run the London Marathon. For this journey, Bill is not alone.  He's joined by John MacPhee, who also has Parkinson's and has a slate of his own incredible accomplishments, including a previous walk across the U.K. The two of them are representing the U.S. and the U.K. coming together in a collaboration to help people living with Parkinson's live their best lives. Appropriately, they're also raising money for Parkinson's organizations in both countries, including The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Parkinson's U.K. and Cure Parkinson's U.K..   Big thanks to Bill (and John) for continuing to inspire and for sharing part of this journey with us! #EveryMileMatters!

Chuck Stravin was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma in 2015, and has been living with it ever since. Chuck is a father of 4 girls.  Shortly after his diagnosis, he made it a personal goal to see all 4 daughters graduate high school.  With that no complete, he’s looking ahead to four college graduations (2 down there), followed by four engagements, weddings and grandchildren. This is one of the most vulnerable and personal interviews that I’ve done since we started this podcast.  One of the things that has stuck with me since speaking with Chuck is what he’s learned about – and what he wants to teach others – about resiliency.   Since his diagnosis, Chuck has become a part of the family at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, where he receives his care. He shares a lot about that too, which makes us especially proud to be partnering with them and the Jimmy Fund. So if you want to be part of something special, go to JimmyFundWalk.org and sign up for their walk, which will take place on October 3rd, around the gl

Sarah Hamilton is a mom. Her daughter, Caroline, is now in college. But when Caroline was just 6, she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. This set Caroline, Sarah and their family on a lifelong journey with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. In this interview, Sarah shares that journey with us, and also the secret to how she and her team have helped raise over $1 million for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. I'm grateful to Sarah for sharing so much with us, and to the Jimmy Fund and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute for the opportunity to collaborate with them. On Sunday October 3rd, the 2021 BOSTON MARATHON® JIMMY FUND WALK YOUR WAY PRESENTED BY HYUNDAI will unite people around the globe a they walk in their own communities to raise funds to support all forms of pediatric cancer research and care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute-- the premier cancer center.  If you aren't registered yet, visit jimmyfundwalk.org today.  

Ben Kenyon is the Head Strength Coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, an author, and the founder of the Great Day Squad. With the Sixers, Ben helps some of the world's best athletes get stronger both physically and mentally. He has also taken what he's learned from coaching elite athletes, and from his own personal journey, to now help everyday athletes (like me) perform their best - both on the road, and in life. That's what his Great Day Squad is all about.  Which is why I was especially interested in chatting with Ben for this interview. Big thanks to Ben for sharing so much with us. And big thanks to our partners at Honey Stinger for introducing me to Ben. As you've probably seen, we're thrilled to be partnering with Honey Stinger which makes a variety of nutrition and hydration solutions for athletes. I've long been a fan of their waffles. And now they have a new hydration system that consists of three different mixes to help you Prepare, Perform and Recover. This has been a huge game-changer for me personall

Mark Allen is a legend. ESPN named him the Greatest Endurance Athlete of All Time. 6X winner of the Ironman World Championships in Kona. First ever winner of the Triathlon World Championships. Epic 21-race winning streak, at all distances, the longest in triathlon history But it wasn't just Mark's victories that made him special. Mark was and is known for his mental game and spirituality. Which is something that we dive into during this interview: How to quiet the racing mind. This interview is especially fitting because May is Mental Health Month. We also just announced our newest member of the Charity Miles family, Active Minds. Active Minds is one of the premier mental health charities in the world.  It was started by Alison Malmon, 18 years ago, when she lost her brother, Brian to suicide. Alison recognized that Brian’s story is the story of thousands of people who suffer in silence; who, despite their large numbers, think they are totally alone.  Wanting to combat the stigma around mental illness, Alison

If you're looking to develop a healthier relationship with your technology, this interview is for you. Max Stossel is an award-winning poet, filmmaker and the Head of Education & Content for the Center for Humane Technology, an organization of former tech insiders and CEOs dedicated to realigning technology with humanity’s best interests.  (He's also a longtime friend.) When I first met Max, nearly 9 years ago, he worked for a startup that could have been a precursor to Tik Tok. There, he experienced first-hand the "Social Dilemma" that comes with trying to make a habit-forming app, with the emerging consequence of hooking people to their screens. Around the same time, Max heard a poet that inspired him to begin writing and performing poetry himself, also turning his poems into short films. His third poem, Subway Love went viral.  As did his next poem, The Panda is Dancing.  They've been seen over 15 million times. Max's poetry often explores our relationships with technology, presence and the importanc

Mollie McGlocklin is a sleep expert and founder of Sleep Is A Skill. Having struggled with chronic sleep deprivation in her own life, Mollie decided to solve her own problem by diving deep into the ways we can master our circadian rhythms.   She became fascinated with chronobiology, and by extension, its practical applications to restore a state of homeostasis not only to her sleep but also to her life as a whole. Knowing the difference between a life with sleep and without, she’s now dedicated her life to sharing the forgotten skill set of sleep. Her company, Sleep Is A Skill, helps people optimize their sleep through a unique blend of technology, accountability, and behavioral change. If you're looking to get more and better sleep, this interview is for you! Big thanks to Mollie for joining us. #EveryMileMatters!

Tammy Tibbetts is Co-Founder & CEO of She’s the First, a global nonprofit that teams up with local organizations to make sure girls are educated, respected, and heard. Today, She’s the First supports more than 9,500 girls in 11 countries and 200+ student advocacy chapters. Last month, Tammy and STF co-founder Christen Brandt, published published theri first book, Impact: A Step-by-Step Plan to Create the World You Want to Live In. The book shares stories and interactive activities to help you find your focus, identify partners, and plug into movements for long-term, systemic change.  Tammy has been recognized for her leadership and global impact by Forbes 30 Under 30, Time 30 Under 30 World Changers, and Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. She received a 2013 DVF Award from Diane von Furstenberg. On a personal note, I've long admired Tammy.  She radiates energy and compassion that never fails to light a fire under me. >> Click here to learn more about She's The First. >> Click here to learn m

If you're looking to create new (and healthy) habits, BJ Fogg is the guy you want to speak with. BJ is a behavior scientist that leads the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University. His students have gone on to become some of the top innovators and venture capitalists in the world.  For example, they invent things that rhyme with "Shminstagram". In 2002, he published a book, Persuasive Technology, that is the cornerstone primer for anyone creating a product to influence behavior. In 2007, he developed the "Fogg Behavior Model" which is the deceptively simple framework for analyzing and designing behavior. He has coached over 40,000 people on behavior and habit formation. His latest book, Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything, is a New York Times Bestseller. On a personal note, BJ has been a huge influence on me, both with respect to how I think about Charity Miles, and in my own life. With everyone thinking about their New Year's Resolutions, I could not think of a better guest to have on the

Fanboy alert: Today's guest, Mr. Demaio, is the biggest celebrity in my household. He's a teacher in Union Beach New Jersey, and one of the most popular educators on YouTube.  Here's a link to his channel. He makes hilarious YouTube videos on topics such as the planets, black holes, Alexander Hamilton, snakes, earthquakes, the Titanic, multiplication tables and more. It's like if Khan Academy was funny, with weird puppets-- or as he noted, Mr. Rogers meets the Chapelle Show. While his videos are funny, their impact is no joke. Which is why he gets over 2 million views per month.  And if you type in "Mr." into YouTube, he's one of the first things that comes up. My wife and I first learned of Mr. Demaio when our four year-old son, Max, somehow stumbled upon him while scrolling through my wife's iPad. He'd start talking about Mr. Demaio and his puppets, Andy and Steve. More impressively, he'd start educating us about outer space. He was literally teaching us new things that he learned from Mr. Demaio's videos--

This is actually a re-release of the first podcast I ever recorded-- almost four years ago, just after Donald Trump's inauguration. We now find ourselves a few days away from another Presidential election.  In the midst of COVID.  Very divided and on edge. THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL PODCAST. However, Kyrsten's is a voice we need to hear right now. She is one of the most bi-partisan members of the Senate and Congress generally. She has a tremendous record of working across the aisle and finding common ground with others that might otherwise seem diametrically opposed to her. She does this by practicing "radical empathy", which is something I think would benefit all of us. One of the things I love most about the Charity Miles community is how we have people from all across the political spectrum, every day putting in miles for the same causes. This means we share common values. If we are to heal as a nation, we need to focus on these shared values and practice a lot more radical empathy. One more note...  at the t

Edith Zuschmann is the CEO and Co-Founder of 261 Fearless, an organization she started with Kathrine Switzer, most famously known as the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon. 261 Fearless uses running as a vehicle to empower and unite women. They break down the barriers of geography and create a global community for women runners of all abilities to support, encourage, and inspire each other towards a positive sense of self and fearlessness.  A nationally ranked swimmer-turned-distance runner in her native Austria, Edith drives the passion to support women globally to find the joy and power in being active. She is a nationally certified athletic and running coach focusing on young athletes and women and continues also as a lecturer of sports marketing at the University of Applied Sciences, Wiener Neustadt, Austria, where she also received her master’s degree in business consultancy and leadership. 

Rocco Lungariello is the host and producer of the podcast, What Is Culture, a candid, interview-style podcast that explores workplace culture within Tangoe, an IT Lifecycle Management company. Just to highlight that: Tangoe is not a culture or HR company.  Like I said, they're an IT Lifecycle Management company. But their company culture is so important to them that they created their own podcast about it.  And it's not an internal podcast either.  It's open to the public. Tangoe is one of our newest partners for our Employee Empowerment program. So when I learned that they had their own podcast exploring company culture, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see what we can learn from them on the subject. Especially at this moment when so many of us are working from home, trying to balance the demands of family and work in a time of great uncertainty.   As challenging as these times are, they've given us all an opportunity to define our company and community cultures.  And they've shown us why creating a cul

Our good friend, Barefoot Jake Brown happened to be in Eugene, Oregon when the wildfires started miles away. Through all of his experiences living a minimalist, nomadic lifestyle-- including running across the U.S. barefoot-- Jake has developed a set of skills and resourcefulness that is especially helpful in a crisis. And since he's not the kind of person who can sit on the sidelines, he's doing everything he can to help people who are evacuating the fires, and might otherwise fall through the cracks. Big thanks to Jake for taking an hour to share a view from the ground there, and for all of his selflessness and hard work in helping others. For more info on Jake and how you can help, please visit baresoleproject.com.

6 days before her 24th birthday in 2014, Jess Stevens was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and immediately began intensive treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to save her life.  It was by far the scariest time in her life, but she made it to the other side, healthy and VERY grateful because of the doctors and nurses at DFCI. That is why, every year since Jess' diagnosis, she gathers with her family, friends to walk in the Jimmy Fund Walk for DFCI. Jess' team, “Neuk the Leuk,” is based off a phrase she used quite often as motivation while in treatment. They are raising funds specifically for the ground-breaking research that her main oncologist, Dr. Daniel DeAngelo, and his team are conducting to find cures for the many kinds of blood cancers that are currently without successful treatment plans. Although Jess was lucky to have a treatment plan that worked, only 61% of patients diagnosed with leukemia survive 5 years past diagnosis. That number needs to get to 100%! Jess and her team are also

If you like heavy breathing, you'll like this interview! It's my first live, in-person, on-the-run interview of 2020.   And I couldn't have asked for a better person to run with than Michael Rodgers, the New York Road Runners VP of Youth and Community Engagement. Michael directs a variety of programs that offer the running community opportunities to actively support NYRR's mission to help and inspire people through running. These programs include: 1. The NYRR Team for Kids charity team that has more than 7,000 annual members who raise money for free running programs serving more than 267,000 kids in New York City and across the country. 2.  NYRR Open Run, a free community run/walk program in 16 parks in New York City with more than 20,000 participants. 3.  NYRR Run for the Future, a high-touch, high-impact summer program for girls in their senior year of high school to build self-esteem, confidence, and leadership skills, while training for a 5K race. Participants who complete the program receive a $2,000 col

Stacey D. Stewart is the CEO of the March of Dimes. In my first podcast with Stacey back in May, I was surprised to learn that the U.S. is one of the most dangerous countries for women to be pregnant and give birth. I was also surprised to hear how doctors' implicit biases, make this even more true for women of color, even when accounting for income, education and other socio-economic factors.  Our first conversation happened before the murder of George Floyd and all that has followed since. Our national conversation around the BLM movement, implicit bias, systemic racism, white privilege and social justice is very polarized and heated. Many (white) people understandably recoil at the accusation that they are biased or "privileged" when they certainly don't feel that way. So, I wanted to reconnect with Stacey to see if she could help us better understand what implicit bias is, how it affects all of us, and what we can do about it.   Understanding how implicit and systemic bias affects even the most well-meani