Good Grief: Guru Singh On Death & Loss

Today we explore health, fitness, longevity & the pursuit of meaning through the lived experience of a human who has been walking planet Earth for a full 100 years. Meet centenarian Mike Fremont, a retired engineer turned climate activist and life-long athlete who holds a slew of impressive age group world records in running, including the fastest recorded marathons for an 88-year-old, 90-year-old, and a 91-year-old. I was introduced to Mike by his running buddy elite ultra-marathoner and popular friend of the pod Harvey Lewis, who helped arrange today’s unique opportunity to learn and be inspired by someone who has not only been alive for so long but who has remained incredibly vibrant well beyond social expectations. For those of you who feel like it’s too late or you’ve missed the boat on being an athlete, this guy’s marathon career didn’t even kick into high gear until his 60’s—40 years ago! This conversation is my attempt to extract his testimony and counsel for younger generations. We dive into what he has learned about life, longevity, vitality, purpose, fitness, and setting and world records. We also discuss the WFPB diet (which he adopted 30 years ago in the wake of a colon cancer diagnosis) that fuels his training, keeps him spry, informs his climate activism, and in his words, is what has allowed him to thrive for decades beyond social expectations. It’s not often you get the opportunity to spend time with a centenarian. This is a small attempt to course correct mainstream culture's failure to appropriately appreciate our elders. I loved having Mike on the show, consider him a new friend, and I’m proud to share his voice with you. Watch: YouTube. Read: Show notes. Peace + Plants, Rich

11 Aug 20221h 4min

What defines art? What makes one an artist? What does art teach us—and why does it matter? To help us make sense of a world elusive to many, today I convene with the singular Heidi Zuckerman. A woman I’ve known for over 30 years, Heidi has devoted her entire professional career to understanding art, the people who make art, and why we should care. Heidi currently serves as CEO and Director of the Orange County Museum of Art, where she is overseeing construction of a spectacular new building designed by legendary architect Thom Mayne of Morphosis, scheduled to open in October 2022. In addition, she hosts Conversations About Art (a podcast on which I was privileged to be a guest) and is the author of the Conversations with Artists book series. This is a conversation about art. In addition to tracking Heidi’s career arc, we discuss what defines art, what makes for great art, why we should care about art, and why artists matter. We discuss the barriers to accessing art. How art can and should be democratized. And the role of art and artists in this era of offense and content overload. On a personal level, this one is very meaningful given my long history with Heidi. I really enjoyed this conversation—I hope you learn as much as I did. Watch: YouTube. Read: Show notes Peace + Plants, Rich

8 Aug 20221h 55min

Healthspan extension may pique your interest. But it’s the obsession of today’s guest, a physician and engineer focused on the applied science of longevity to reframe and improve how we live while challenging all we’ve been previously taught about the interaction of health, human performance, and medicine. Meet Peter Attia, MD. Peter’s current practice deals extensively with nutritional interventions, exercise physiology, sleep physiology, emotional and mental health, and pharmacology to increase lifespan (how long you live), while simultaneously improving healthspan (the quality of your life). Today’s conversation, the first in what I hope to be many, focuses on the following specific topics: Longevity. From a holistic perspective, discussing the physical, mental and emotional pillars required to erect the foundation for a long life well-lived, including how and why he is training (as all us of should be) for what he calls “The Centenarian Decathlon”. Metabolic health. What this actually means, how to optimize it, and the role a Continuous Glucose Monitor (or CGM) can play in engaging you with your own metabolic health. Strength, mobility and brain health. Zone 2 training. What it is, how to do it, and why it’s important. Peter is an utterly fascinating human with a clear grasp of science and how to effectively communicate it. I hope you enjoy this exchange as much as I was honored to host it. Watch: YouTube. Read: Show notes Peace + Plants, Rich

1 Aug 20222h 20min

World-record setting adventure athlete and New York Times bestselling author Colin O’Brady returns for his fifth appearance on the podcast (RRP 207, 235, 439 & 519), this time alongside wife and partner in all things Jenna Besaw —the powerful engine behind everything they have accomplished together. Today we discuss what global exploration has taught Colin & Jenna about mindset. We talk about the transformative power of an all-day walk, the subject of Colin's new book, 'The 12-Hour Walk'. Packed with actionable takeaways ad incredible stories, this is a long one, but I implore you to stick around for the final hour— a harrowing first-person account of the trauma and tragedy of death on K2. Watch: YouTube. Read: Show notes Peace + Plants, Rich

25 Jul 20223h 20min

After a brief hiatus, the boys are back with a classic "old school" edition of 'Roll On', the version of the podcast where we ramble on matters of interest across culture, sports, art, politics, self-betterment, and more. This might be the most Roll On Roll On of all Roll Ons. As always, my co-host is Mr. Adam Skolnick, an activist, veteran journalist, and David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me co-author. Specific topics discussed in today’s episode include: Rich’s recent adventures in Colorado (and getting COVID—again); how Jim Thorpe was finally restored as sole winner of 1912 Olympics; Kaitlin Armstrong’s capture in Costa Rica; Francois D’Haene, Kilian Jornet & Courtney Dauwalter’s impressive Hardrock 100 results; Yoshihiko Ishikawa stunning performance at the Badwater 135; the importance of the Webb Telescope images; and  women’s healthcare rights and the future of abortion in America. In addition, we answer the following listener questions: Is an unbalanced life centered on work a rite of passage when it comes to success? How do you embody gratitude? What books changed your life? If you want your query discussed, drop it on our Facebook Page, or better yet leave a voicemail at (424) 235-4626. Today’s episode is also viewable on YouTube. Show notes:+ MORE: https://bit.ly/richroll693 Peace + Plants, Rich

21 Jul 20222h 13min

What are the limits of human performance? How can we reimagine sport to boost lifelong adoption? And what is the athlete’s role in moving culture forward? Today we explore these questions and tons more with the lord of all things overlooked and misunderstood, Malcolm Gladwell. I suspect most of you are very familiar with Malcolm. Perhaps you’ve listened to his sensational podcast Revisionist History, where every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether our collective stories got it right the first time. Or maybe you’ve read one of his six New York Times best sellers, such as The Tipping Point,Blink, Outliers, David and Goliath, and Talking to Strangers. Today’s conversation begins with running, extends to sport, broadens into a conversation about the role of athletes in moving society forward, and (of course) unearths other topics overlooked and misunderstood—all in true Gladwellian style. We talk about his latest podcast, Legacy of Speed, and why this terrain just might be his most Gladwellian project to date. Malcolm also shares several of his orthogonal ideas around education, publishing, the future of audio, creativity, and many more fascinating topics. Today’s episode is also viewable on YouTube. More about Malcom + show notes: https://bit.ly/richroll692a Malcolm is someone I’ve wanted on the show since day one, and I am thrilled to finally have made it happen. I hope you enjoy this exchange as much as I was thrilled to host it. Peace + Plants, Rich

18 Jul 20221h 59min

Robin Arzón -- the inspiring and highly energetic self-proclaimed ambassador of sweat and swagger is back for her fourth appearance on the podcast. A former corporate lawyer with degrees from NYU and Villanova Law, Robin transformed herself into a global fitness icon and everybody’s favorite Peloton instructor—the company where she also holds the title of Vice President of Fitness Programming and Head Instructor. In 2020 Robin was named one of the most influential people on Fortune Magazine’s 40 Under 40 list. Robin is also a two-time New York Times bestseller of Shut Up And Run, and her latest book, Strong Mama. Finally, she recently launched a Master Class on all things mental strength. Today’s episode is also viewable on YouTube. More about Robin + show notes: https://bit.ly/richroll691 I adore Robin. She never fails to ignite the best in us all. If this conversation leaves you inspired, there is more where that came from in RRP #99, RRP #137 & RRP #230. Peace + Plants, Rich

11 Jul 20221h 41min

When it comes to fasting, how do you parse fact from fiction? How do nutrition and lifestyle choices make or break disease? And how do we eat to live longer, healthier lives? To help us answer these questions, Dr.Valter Longo is back. Dr. Longo first graced the show back on RRP #367, where we covered the basics for fasting for longevity. Today we are getting granular on the science of longevity & nutrition, including an analysis of the latest research on fasting and what Dr. Longo calls the fasting-mimicking diet and its connection to healthspan extension & disease prvention, So today we pick up where we left off four years ago, covering: The latest research on fasting and his fasting-mimicking diet; the 5 nutrition pillars of longevity and various fasting strategies, optimal protein intake based on age, high fat versus low-fat diets, and how to think about and contextualize continuous glucose monitoring; the science around rapamycin, metformin and sirtuins; and many other topics. Today’s episode is also viewable on YouTube. Learn more + show notes: https://bit.ly/richroll690 Valter is one of the world’s brightest minds on the cutting edge of longevity science and this one is full of prescriptive advice. I hope you learn as much as I did. Peace + Plants, Rich

4 Jul 20221h 55min