Pain is the Point: Charlie Engle’s Journey from Addiction to Ultrarunning

What does it mean to keep putting one foot in front of the other when the world keeps telling you to stop? My guest today is Charlie Engle, one of the most accomplished ultra-distance runners on the planet. In 2007, Charlie completed a 4,500-mile run across the Sahara Desert, a feat so incredible numerous Matt Damon simply had to make a movie documenting it—and perhaps equally as incredible, they raised more than $6 million dollars for clean water projects in Africa as part of this expedition. Other ultra-runners have completed Badwater, but I don’t think anyone did so while in prison. That’s Charlie, he’s an “n-of-1” in all aspects of life.Charlie spent years battling addiction, hitting rock bottom in ways that would have permanently derailed most people. He got sober, conquered some of the most incredible running challenges in the world, and then found himself in federal prison for charges you have to hear to believe.Today, Charlie is preparing for a major adventure that once again, only one person would dare to dream—running from the bottom of the Dead Sea to the top of Mount Everest.Charlie's honesty and perspective on overcoming adversity are genuinely inspiring–this is about resilience, redemption, and embracing the pain for personal growth–as Charlie says “ask me why afterwards.”To learn more about Charlie Engle: https://www.charlieengle.com/To purchase Running Man: https://www.amazon.com/Running-Man-Memoir-Charlie-Engle/dp/1476785783