Ultras, Marathons, and Conquering Dreams with Ben Gaetos, Ep. 98

We are thrilled to welcome Ben Gaetos,  an ultra marathon runner who has completed 86 ultra marathons, 73 marathons, and over 250 races, to the pod.  Ben joined us to discuss his experience participating in the Badwater Ultramarathon, a grueling 135-mile race in Death Valley, where he had the honor of being the first Filipino to complete the event. He shared the challenges he faced, including extreme heat, nosebleeds, melted shoes, and a twisted ankle. Ben emphasizes the importance of mental strength and breaking down large goals into smaller, manageable tasks. You will not want to miss out on this incredible story…there is a lot to learn from a man this brave! #Badwater135 #ultramarathon #Pinoyathlete #running #endurance #mentalstrength #fyp #podcast Chapters (00:00) Introduction and Background of Ben Gaetos (02:53) Balancing Work and Training (08:00) The Application Process for Badwater 135 (14:06) Training for Ultra Marathons (21:05) Conquering the Badwater 135 (28:56) Challenges and Perseverance (40:01) Conquering the Badwater Ultra Marathon (43:03) The Challenges and Triumphs of Running 135 Miles (47:31) The Financial Costs of Participating in Ultra Marathons (52:24) Inspiring Others: Ben Gaetos' Legacy in the Running Community (55:50) From Dreams to Reality: Ben Gaetos' Books on Running (59:25) Running: An Objective Sport of Progress and Improvement ________________________ More about Ben: Ben Gaetos is an ultra marathon runner who has completed 86 ultra marathons, 73 marathons, and over 250 races. He is the first Filipino to complete the Badwater 135 mile ultra marathon, known as the world's toughest foot race. Ben's journey into running started as a way to cope with depression and became his outlet and passion. He has faced challenges such as climbing steep mountains, extreme temperatures, and hallucinations during his races. Ben's training involves building a strong base, back-to-back long runs, and heat acclimation. He has also written a book called 'I Dreamed, I Ran, I Conquered' and continues to inspire and help other runners.  You can find Ben at:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badwaterbeng/ Link to his book, I Dreamed, I Ran, I Conquered Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/BadwaterBenG   The Macro Perspective  is a podcast dedicated to all things health and fitness...whether it be fitness, nutrition, sex, success, and more. Join us for daily recipes, life hacks, workouts, and fascinating interviews with people who are doing big things.  You can find us here on Spotify, along with YouTube, and Instagram @themacropod.  ______________________________ For 15% off at https://momentumus.co/, use coupon code macropod15 For 10% off at https://fluxfootwear.com/, use coupon code TMPP10 Vegas People: For 15% off at https://www.thegoodlifemealprep.com/, use coupon code TMPC15 For 10% off at https://latinalifters.com/, use coupon code MacroPod _____________________