Pushing Downhill

Up to this point, most of our podcast guests have been coaches or professionals within the fitness space. Dane Donaldson, on the other hand, is a 49-year-old small business owner who just loves to sweat and train. He’s just like most of the listeners of this podcast in that he has a family and a busy schedule and yet still finds a way to piece it all together. He’s an “average Joe”, he’s relatable and he has a hell of a story that I can’t wait for you to hear. In episode #10 of “Pushing Downhill”, Dane discusses his journey, what health and wellness means to him, and his “why” behind CrossFit and training.

The world of sports performance has shifted and it’s no longer all about muscles and physiology. We now understand the impact our mental performance and psychology can have on whether we succeed or not. Who better to shed some light on the topic of sport psychology and mental performance than the one and only Dr. Jack Lesyk. Dr. Lesyk is the director of the Ohio Center for Sport Psychology, Sport Psychologist for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and an Adjunct Asst. Professor of Psychology at Cleveland State University. He was experience working with high performers ranging from NFL players to professional runners to Fortune 500 CEOs. In episode #9 of “Pushing Downhill”, Dr. Lesyk discusses the stress and anxiety and what to do about them, the "Nine Mental Skills of Successful Athletes", what separates success from failure and other mental strategies to help you level up in your own life.

The word “endurance” is something that flies around pretty loosely. But what does it really mean? Can we really quantify endurance? Who needs it, really? Luckily, we have the one and only Dr. Matt Stevens to answer these questions. Matt is the founder of the recently launched “Pure Endurance”, an online training platform designed for CrossFit and endurance athletes looking to be optimized in this realm. In episode #8 of “Pushing Downhill”, Matt and Ryan discuss all things endurance. Programming, training and, perhaps most importantly, why endurance is needed for ALL athletes.

Mark is owner of Blind Dog Gym and has extensive experience working in the world of strength and conditioning, Strongman, fitness and powerlifting. Mark is also a former nationally ranked professional Highland games athlete with 22 years on the circuit. In Episode 7 of “Pushing Downhill” we discuss Mark’s view on the continuously world of fitness as well as his philosophies on training and coaching. We discuss gym culture and what separates Blind Dog Gym from the pack. We learn how Mark has been able to compete at such a high level in both sports for such a long time. And finally, we wrap up the episode with a discussion of how Mark structures daily routine, how he maintains a balance between work and life and what the future holds for him, his business and his family.

Mitch Lowry is a coach for CTown Fitness, located in downtown Cleveland, OH. Coach Mitch utilizes fitness and health as his gateway to help people realize their most longed-for dreams and to help them grow into their fullest potential. In 2014, Mitch acquired his degree in Exercise Science degree from Baldwin Wallace University and immediately became a full-time coach. Over the past 5 years, Mitch has worked with 100s of people on an individual level, bringing them a personalized approach to achieving their goals. Furthermore, Mitch is a graduate of the Active Life Coach Immersion course, a course of which Ryan is an instructor. In this episode, Mitch and Ryan discuss all things CrossFit, personal training, fitness and wellness.

Running a successful business is no easy feat. But it becomes even harder when you have 5 children to raise, as well. For Marisa Pelser, this is everyday life. Marisa is the founder and owner of Raw Trainer, a plant based raw food company located in Cleveland, OH. When she’s not running Raw Trainer, she lives an active lifestyle through fitness, Olympic weightlifting and pilates. In episode #5 of “Pushing Downhill”, Marisa discusses her day to day routine and how she manages to maintain her work life balance. She also sheds light on how she maintains a healthy relationship with her husband, Pieter and, in her opinion, what it means to be truly successful.

When people think of diets and nutrition they often think of weight loss and the food pyramid. The truth is, our nutrition is goes well beyond wanting to shed a few pounds - it’s the building block of happiness and elite performance on the playing field. Luckily, we have Kylene Bogden on the show who is an expert in this realm. Kylene Bogden MS, RDN, CSSD, CLT, IFNCP is one of two humans in the US who is board certified in both sports nutrition AND integrative and functional nutrition. She’s known for bringing a fun, yet science-based Functional Nutrition approach to the collegiate and professional sports arena. She has also had the honor and privilege of helping many chronically ill patient's experience an improved quality of life, simply from making diet changes alone. Over the course of her professional career, Kylene has provided nutrition coaching to over 5,000 individuals and is considered a leading expert in the field of Functional Sports Nutrition. Kylene is currently serving as the Performance Dietitian/Nutritionist for the Cleveland Cavaliers while running her own business “Forward Fuel.” In episode #4 of the “Pushing Downhill” Podcast,  we debunk nutritional myths and discuss dietary recommendations for the elite performer, what a typical day should look like and how you can use nutrition to Push Downhill.

We appreciate that it’s hard to balance a full-time job with training. But imagine having to work 40+ hours/week while training for the Olympics! For Sarah Horbol, this is reality. Sarah is an elite distance runner and a 2020 Tokyo Olympic Trials Qualifier. She’s the winner of the 2018 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon and most recently, the 2019 First Energy Akron Half Marathon, where she competed alongside other elite runners such as Boston Marathon winner, Des Linden. In episode #3 of the “Pushing Downhill” Podcast, Sarah and Ryan discuss how she maintains balance between work and life and training, racing tips and strategy and how she structures her daily life in such a way that allows her to Push Downhill.

You don’t have to be a CrossFitter to appreciate hard work, determination and grit. These are common characteristics shared by high performers in all aspects of life and Pete Taylor understands that better than anyone. Pete is a CrossFit coach and the owner of CrossFit Roaster Barbell located in Berea, OH. Pete’s been tapped into the world of CrossFit and functional fitness for years and, in addition to owning his own gym, is a competitive athlete who understands what it takes to perform at the highest level. In episode #2 of the “Pushing Downhill” Podcast, Pete and Ryan discuss the evolving landscape of CrossFit and what it means moving forward, gym culture and community, and what it means to have an injury with Pete sharing his own experiences on battling chronic back pain.

Overcoming adversity and setbacks is difficult for anyone. But can you imagine falling flat on your face from a height of 20 feet, breaking some bones, and then having to “dust” yourself off and do it again? Unfortunately, Nick Bruce can. Nick is a professional BMX rider, X-games competitor and 2020 Tokyo Olympics hopeful. He’s a legend in the world of competitive extreme sports and has experience and a mindset that very few share. In episode #1 of the “Pushing Downhill” Podcast, Nick and Ryan discuss his injuries and how he’s managed to overcome them, his daily routines that allow him to perform at his highest potential, and what it takes to be a “professional” in any aspect of life.

“Pushing Downhill” is a resource for those who live an active lifestyle. By speaking with experts and industry leaders, Dr. Ryan Summers will teach you how to optimize your training and lifestyle, allowing you to push downhill and create momentum towards reaching your goals. Borrow liberally, combine uniquely and PUSH DOWNHILL.