Episode 26: Kyle Robidoux - Blind ultra runner, non-profit manager, father, husband

07/19/20 • 61 min

Today’s guest is Kyle Robidoux. Kyle is an avid skier, runner, local beer enthusiast, and non-profit manager who has worked tirelessly to ensure that he is not defined by the boundaries that others place on him and his vision. Born in Massachusetts and raised in Maine, Kyle was diagnosed at age 11 with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a degenerative eye disease that first affects your night vision and often leads to complete blindness. He was declared legally blind at 19. His decreasing vision is far from the only obstacle he has had to battle throughout his life. He has struggled with binge eating for much of life, and in 2010 was close to 250 lbs and having a hard time playing with his young daughter. This provided him the motivation to take up running. It first started as a walk. Now, Kyle has now completed over 25 marathons and ultramarathons, including five Boston Marathons and three 100-mile races. In the summer of 2018, Kyle, with the support of his sighted guides, completed the grueling six-day, 120-mile Transrockies Run, which includes over 23,000 feet of elevation gain. He’s also focused his professional career on building community and works as a Director at the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. In this interview, we get into the impact his eye disease had on his youth, his experience as a blind father, the inspiration to take up running, and all things training and ultra-running.

Timestamps

00:03:00 Adjusting to the pandemic

00:08:57 Dealing with his eye disease growing up

00:18:10 Deciding on whether or not to have kids

00:20:37 Unhealthy reaction to his eye disease

00:24:03 Decision to start running

00:30:18 Running with sighted guides

00:32:42 Using running as a way to raise awareness

00:35:06 Weekly training schedule

00:40:38 His first ultra

00:43:23 Racing different distances

00:47:31 What he does for fun

00:49:16 What he does for work

00:55:52 What he really wants to accomplish in the next two years

00:57:43 His daily routine

00:58:42 His driving force

00:59:26 Advice for people looking to get in better shape

Timestamps

00:03:00 Adjusting to the pandemic

00:08:57 Dealing with his eye disease growing up

00:18:10 Deciding on whether or not to have kids

00:20:37 Unhealthy reaction to his eye disease

00:24:03 Decision to start running

00:30:18 Running with sighted guides

00:32:42 Using running as a way to raise awareness

00:35:06 Weekly training schedule

00:40:38 His first ultra

00:43:23 Racing different distances

00:47:31 What he does for fun

00:49:16 What he does for work

00:55:52 What he really wants to accomplish in the next two years

00:57:43 His daily routine

00:58:42 His driving force

00:59:26 Advice for people looking to get in better shape

Previous Episode

Episode 25: Heidi Strickler - Registered Sports Dietitian, Nutrition Coach, Endurance Athlete

Today’s guest is Heidi Strickler. Heidi is a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Metabolic Efficiency Training Specialist (METS), with a Masters Degree in Sports Nutrition from Liverpool John Moores University in England. Heidi specializes in nutrition for endurance athletes, the female athlete and female physiology, and plant-based nutrition. She has become a notable and respected expert in these areas, which has opened up opportunities to work with athletes worldwide, including both recreational and elite/Olympic level. Heidi also teaches Sports & Exercise Nutrition at her alma mater, Seattle Pacific University. Heidi is an avid, passionate and competitive athlete and outdoors enthusiast. Today, she competes in trail running, triathlon, cyclocross racing, and snowshoe racing for the U.S. Women's National Team. Her favourite foods include peanut butter, strong coffee, good Mexican, and the darkest chocolate she can get. In this interview, we get into her upbringing and love for the mountains, what sparked her interest in sports nutrition, the biggest misconceptions around sports nutrition and common nutrition mistakes she sees athletes make, and her thoughts on diets, supplements, and plant-based eating.

Timestamps

00:02:35 Adjusting to the pandemic

00:07:54 Growing up in the mountains

00:12:34 Nutrition growing up

00:14:32 Finding her love of running and nutrition in college

00:22:05 Becoming a dietitian

00:26:21 Biggest misconceptions around sports nutrition

00:28:04 Fueling for the work required

00:30:14 Common nutrition mistakes she sees athletes make

00:33:37 Plant-based eating for athletes

00:38:51 Plant-based burgers

00:42:14 Dessert during training

00:45:12 Thoughts on protein shakes

00:54:05 Out exercising a bad diet

00:55:38 Grocery store game plan

00:59:36 Overall nutrition philosophy

01:01:01 Her daily routine

01:03:09 Her driving force

01:04:49 Advice for people looking for the right nutrition plan

Next Episode

Episode 27: My Dad, Michael Rosa (Part II)

Today’s guest is my Dad, Michael Rosa. In his return the podcast, we expand on some of the things we touched on in the first conversation as well as fill in some of the pieces we didn’t cover. If you’re relatively new to the show, I would highly encourage you to listen to my first episode with my Dad before this one. The first episode (which is episode 1) goes over his upbringing and will provide you with the context that will make this episode much more enjoyable and understandable. If you have already listened to the first episode, welcome back. In this episode, we dive deeper into my Dad’s rigorous exercise history and regimen including his Ironman story. We discuss my brother Skyler (who has cerebral palsy) and what it’s been like to raise him. We honor my grandfather who recently passed away and discuss the lessons about business and life my Dad learned from him (I posted the link to my grandfather’s obituary in the episode description if you’d like to learn more about the extraordinary life he lived). Finally, we go into my Dad’s uber-competitive mindset and what’s next for him.

Link to my grandfather's obituary: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?n=domenic-rosa&pid=196479391&fhid=4699

Timestamps

00:02:26 Ironman story

00:12:56 Exercise routine after retirement

00:15:23 The large part surfing has played in his life

00:23:54 My brother Skyler

00:44:02 My grandfather

00:54:15 Entrepreneurship and leadership

01:04:16 Why he makes most things a competition

01:08:31 His daily routine

01:11:05 One thing he'd love to accomplish over the next few years