| Nerve Rush

NR 004: Ricky Johnson, Motocross, Red Bull and the Frozen Rush

Welcome to the Nerve Rush podcast, episode 4.

In this episode, we chat with Red Bull athlete and former motocross superstar, Ricky Johnson.

At 16 years old, Ricky nabbed his professional license. It was 1980.

Over the next 8 years, he became the #1 motocross racer in the world. Due to a debilitating injury at the height of his career, he found out he could no longer race motorcycles. He was only 26 years old.

Today, Ricky’s a Red Bull athlete. He participates in events like the Red Bull Frozen Rush. His son is also a Red Bull athlete. They’re both crushing it.

In this episode, we learn about Ricky’s background and transition from motocross to truck racing.

Mentioned in this episode:

8 January, 2015

NR003: Aaron Fotheringham (Wheelz), Extreme Wheelchairing and Nitro Circus

Welcome to the Nerve Rush podcast, episode 3.

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In this episode, we chat with Wheelz (Aaron Fotheringham) of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Since he was 8 years old, he’s been performing stunts in his wheelchair. Fast forward to 2009, when he gets a call from Nitro Circus, asking him to join their tour.

In this chat, Wheelz tells us about what he’s up to, how he trains for big tricks, and what traveling the world with the Nitro Circus action sports collective is all about.

Mentioned in this episode:

15 December, 2014

NR002: Joe Mauko, 70 Lbs Overweight to Ultrarunner

Welcome to the Nerve Rush podcast, episode 2.

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In this episode, we chat with Joe Mauko. Joe reached out to me a few months ago, and he wrote:

Alan, I am doing four impossible things to fundraise for cancer in 2014:

Run 70km to the start of a marathon, and then run the marathon
Complete a 100-mile ultramarathon
Complete a 24-hour treadmill outside in a Toronto intersection
Complete a 250+km multiday ultramarathon race in Chile’s Atacama Desert

What’s fascinating about all of this, is that while Joe just completed his fourth and final bullet point last month, 5 years ago he had almost lost everything.

He had a lien on his house. He was in a state of perpetual fatigue. He was recovering from cancer. He was 60-70 lbs overweight.

In this episode we talk about what drove Joe to start running. What those first few weeks and months of running were like.

We talk about how he got lost during a 100-mile race, what ultramarathon training consists of, and what racing through the Atacama

You’re going to hear it in his voice, folks. Joe Mauko is passionate. He exudes the kind of optimism and level-headedness we could all use a little more of.

I had a lot of fun hearing his story, and I know you will too.