From Prison Guard to Endurance Star: Ken Rideout on Mindset, Non-Negotiables & Self-Accountability

08/29/22 • 136 min

3 Listeners

The heart and soul of this podcast is personal transformation—and today’s story of metamorphosis is one of the most compelling, improbable, and inspirational tales I have ever heard.

Narrating this epic saga is Ken Rideout, a guy who has transcended a litany of seemingly insurmountable obstacles to become one of the world’s pre-eminent master athletes.

Now 51, he smokes his running competitors like a bad habit—and is only beginning to hit his stride.

It’s a land mine littered path that didn’t come easy. A rough and chaotic childhood, a battle with addiction, learning harsh truths as a prison guard right out of high school, and later losing colleagues on 9/11 are just a few of the many obstacles he’s faced and overcome.

Nonetheless, and without any formal experience, he somehow made it to Wall Street and beyond—and has been stacking goals ever since.

Ken’s latest goal? To be crowned masters champion in all the world’s most prestigious marathons.

Crowned “World’s Best Marathoner Over 50” by the New York Times (in an article written by friend of the podcast Matt Futterman), it’s fair to say this former boxer is already well on his way to achieving that goal.

Today we walk through Ken’s journey, covering his early years reared in chaos, his time spent as a prison guard, and how he hustled his way against all odds to get to Wall Street.

We also dive into the opioid addiction that nearly cratered his life, his mid-life renaissance as an athlete, his inhuman drive, his unique professional approach to training, and the mindset tools he’s leveraged to create improbable success—all of which are layered with a rare and colorful humility.

Watch: YouTube.

Read: Show notes.

Ken is truly one of a kind, and this one is packed with powerful lessons on discipline, self-accountability, and the importance of consistency.

Get on board the rollercoaster—and prepare for a thrill.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

The heart and soul of this podcast is personal transformation—and today’s story of metamorphosis is one of the most compelling, improbable, and inspirational tales I have ever heard.

Narrating this epic saga is Ken Rideout, a guy who has transcended a litany of seemingly insurmountable obstacles to become one of the world’s pre-eminent master athletes.

Now 51, he smokes his running competitors like a bad habit—and is only beginning to hit his stride.

Nonetheless, and without any formal experience, he somehow made it to Wall Street and beyond—and has been stacking goals ever since.

Ken’s latest goal? To be crowned masters champion in all the world’s most prestigious marathons.

Today we walk through Ken’s journey, covering his early years reared in chaos, his time spent as a prison guard, and how he hustled his way against all odds to get to Wall Street.

Watch: YouTube.

Read: Show notes.

Ken is truly one of a kind, and this one is packed with powerful lessons on discipline, self-accountability, and the importance of consistency.

Get on board the rollercoaster—and prepare for a thrill.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

Previous Episode

Roll On: The Medium Is The Magnet

Welcome to ‘Roll On’, the semi-bi-weekly version of the podcast where we ramble on matters of interest across culture, sports, art, literature, politics, self-betterment, and more.

As always, my co-host is Mr. Adam Skolnick, an activist, veteran journalist, and David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me co-author. Adam writes about adventure sports, environmental issues, and civil rights for outlets such as The New York Times, Outside, ESPN, BBC, and Men’s Health. He is also the author of One Breath and still uses the ‘new dad’ excuse to avoid working on his novel.

Today we celebrate episode 700 (700!) with an update on personal goings on, cover headlines from the world of endurance, share highlights from recent travels, banter on wealth inequality, answer a few listener questions, and more.

Today’s episode is also viewable on YouTube

Show notes:+ MORE: bit.ly/richroll700

Specific topics discussed in today’s episode include:

Rich’s recent visit to London;
centenarian Mike Fremont’s meal plan;
headlines from the world of obscure sports: swimming, ultrarunning & freediving;
thoughts on 20-somethings prioritizing experience over career;
the cultural implications behind the recent attack of Salman Rushdie;
wealth inequality (and the Sydney Sweeney backlash);
culture war profiteering;
the impact of the internet on journalism, discourse & focus; and
fun

In addition, we answer the following listener questions:

How do you balance accomplishing your goals with meeting the needs of your loved ones and family?
Is it unrealistic to look for a partner that aligns with all of your values?

Today’s Sponsors:

GoMacro:100% sustainably sourced plant-based ingredients, GoMacro bars are organic, vegan, gluten-free, and delicious.Visit gomacro.com and use the promo code RichRoll for 30% OFF plus free shipping on all orders over $50.

LMNT: A science-backed electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Right now LMNT is offering my listeners a free sample pack with any purchase—that’s 8 single serving packets FREE with any LMNT order. Try it out at drinkLMNT.com/RICHROLL

Whoop: The world’s most powerful fitness tracker is now waterproof. Get the WHOOP 4.O at WHOOP.com and use the code RICHROLL at checkout to get 15% off.

Birch Living: The best, most affordable, organic, and sustainable mattresses on the market with a 100-night risk-free trial. For 400$ off ALL mattresses visit birchiving.com/richroll.

Thank you to Adam from Fort Collins and Anita From New Zealand for your questions. If you want your query discussed, drop it on our Facebook Page, or better yet leave a voicemail at(424) 235-4626.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

Next Episode

Dr. Gabor Maté On How Trauma Fuels Disease

2 Recommendations

In the most health-obsessed society ever, all is not well. At the root lies a sleeping giant: unhealed trauma.

Here to help us further explore this profound insight is renowned speaker and bestselling author, Dr. Gabor Maté.

Returning for his second appearance on the show (his first being RRP #188) Dr. Maté is an expert in a wide range of topics, best known for his work on the relationship between addiction and childhood development.

If you are interested in truly understanding the nature of addiction, his book In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts is an essential read that has influenced me profoundly.

Dr. Maté’s latest and most ambitious book to date is The Myth of Normal, a groundbreaking extrapolation of his addiction thesis that investigates the true causes of illness, the many ways in which our society breeds disease, and the pathway to health and well-being.

Over the course of this conversation, Dr. Maté brilliantly illuminates what we can do to course correct and heal as individuals, and as a collective society at large.

Watch: YouTube.

Read: Show notes.

I have great reverence for this man, and my hope is that Dr. Maté’s words inspire you to rethink your own behavioral compulsions, redress your own unhealed pain, and in turn treat those who suffer with more compassion and understanding.

Peace + Plants,

Rich