The Hard Way With Joe De Sena

Latest Episodes:

John Kelly on the Barkley Marathons, Quitting From the Lead, and Training for Real Adversity Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

Only twenty people have finished the Barkley Marathons in forty years. John Kelly has finished it twice. But between those two finishes, he quit from first place after two loops because he already knew what the remaining sixty hours would cost, and it did not seem worth it. Joe De Sena sits down with John, an ultra runner who has covered 260 miles through January storms on the Pennine Way, chased the Appalachian Trail speed record for 1,900 miles before injury stopped him 300 miles short, and built an altitude chamber in his home office to fix the one weakness his body refused to train away. They break down the difference between short-race decay and ultra-distance recovery cycles, why the sunk-cost fallacy can actually keep you alive past mile eighty, and how Kelly applied the resilience he built through running when Hurricane Helene destroyed his community. Things You Will Learn:

The difference between short-race decay and ultra-distance low points and why confusing them causes most DNFs.
Why the runner who quit from first place at the hardest race on earth came back and finished it two more times.
A three-part framework for pushing through collapse: zoom out, zoom in, and treat the low point as the lesson.

Tools & Frameworks Covered:

Zoom Out / Zoom In: When you hit a low, zoom out to remember everything you invested and why quitting now would waste it. Then zoom in to the next step, the next hill, the next aid station. Toggle between the two as needed.
Voluntary Artificial Adversity: Deliberately choose controlled suffering in training and racing so that when real adversity arrives, the resilience muscle is already trained.
Reframe the Goal After First Success: Once you have proven you can finish, shift the motivation from "Can I do this?" to "How much can I learn about myself?"

If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses. Chapters: 0:00 Intro: John Kelly is running from an altitude chamber in his office 0:50 Finishing Barkley twice and how long he has been running 1:17 How fast can you still run a mile at 140 pounds 1:43 Nutrition changes as an aging ultra runner 2:07 The difference between training for a marathon and training for a hundred miler 2:21 Short-race decay vs. ultra-distance low points 3:48 David Horton's advice: it does not always get worse 4:12 Growing up in rural East Tennessee with no running culture 5:01 The kid who wanted to be a great explorer 6:06 Why mountains look different at running pace than at highway speed 7:21 The Barkley Marathons: 120 miles, 70,000 feet of elevation, 20 finishers in 40 years 9:08 The Appalachian Trail speed record attempt 10:09 Why the investment before the race determines grit inside the race 11:47 Four strategies for getting through the worst moments in a hundred miler 14:00 Quitting from first place at Barkley 14:27 Shifting from "Can I finish?" to "What can I learn about myself?" 15:15 Western States 100 and the shift back to speed 16:16 The Spine Race in January: why the worst conditions strip you to your core 17:02 The altitude chamber: an 8x8x8 cube simulating 14,000 feet 17:54 Why altitude resilience is DNA and adaptation, not just fitness 19:48 Three lessons from a man who runs unreasonable distances 20:05 Do not underestimate yourself 21:00 Voluntary artificial adversity: training the resilience muscle before you need it 22:07 Hurricane Helene destroyed his community and ultra running prepared him 23:06 Alex Honnold on missing a flight: perspective as a survival skill John Kelly is one of the most respected ultrarunners in the world, known for mastering the brutal Barkley Marathons while balancing life as a Tech Co-founder, machine learning expert, and father of four. In 2024, he became only the second person ever to finish Barkley three times, proving elite performance doesn't require a full-time athlete lifestyle. John approaches endurance like an engineering problem, using data, systems, and relentless experimentation to push beyond human limits. His story blends resilience, failure, discipline, and the pursuit of impossible challenges. Connect to John: Website: https://randomforestrunner.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randomforestrunner/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RandomForestRunner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyjw

Suicide Prevention, Toxic Environments, and the Phone Call That Saved a Marine: Lee Stuckey Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

A Marine officer, professional MMA fighter, and jiu-jitsu practitioner came home from his third combat deployment in Mosul and sat down at a table with a loaded Glock. His mother called his phone at the exact second he began to pull the trigger. Joe De Sena sits down with Lee Stuckey, founder of America's Heroes Enjoying Recreation Outdoors (AHERO), a nonprofit that has served over 13,000 veterans and stopped more than 600 suicides in 16 years. Lee breaks down how he rebuilt after nearly taking his own life, why he swapped every toxic relationship in his circle for someone healthy, and how a four-pillar framework became the structure that holds his life together. Things You Will Learn:

Why controlling your environment and your circle changes your trajectory faster than willpower alone.
The four-pillar framework Lee Stuckey uses to audit his physical, financial, emotional, and spiritual health every week.
What a one-for-one relationship swap looks like and why it forces accountability into your daily life.

Tools & Frameworks Covered:

One-for-One Swap: Remove one parasitic or toxic relationship and deliberately replace it with someone who helps you grow across four pillars.
Four-Pillar Weekly Audit: Physical, financial, emotional, spiritual. Sit down weekly with your family or team and assess each one. Get 1% better daily with a deliberate plan.
CEO Family Meeting: Block your calendar for family first. Let your spouse fill priority dates before anyone else gets access. Structure your household like a mission.

If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses. Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Marine, MMA fighter, and the man behind A Hero 01:35 Military school, Staff Sergeant Sutton, and enlisting as a machine gunner 04:24 How Lee reconciled faith with combat 06:12 Why suicide permanently destroys the family left behind 09:23 Controlling your environment: the VA nurse and the one-for-one swap 12:15 Jiu-jitsu mat or the bar 13:57 Third deployment, a loaded Glock, and the phone call that stopped the trigger 18:31 AHERO Records: veterans turning trauma into three-minute songs 20:21 The four-pillar framework and CEO family meetings 22:45 How to find A Hero and get involved Lee Stuckey went from a mischievous kid facing juvenile detention to a Marine infantry machine gunner, commissioned officer, professional MMA fighter, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Carlos Machado. After three combat deployments, he came home carrying injuries, insomnia, and alcohol dependence that nearly ended his life. In August 2009, a phone call from his mother stopped him at the moment he began pulling the trigger. That night became the foundation of AHERO America's Heroes Enjoying Recreation Outdoors a nonprofit that has served over 13,000 veterans, stopped more than 600 suicides, placed 62 people into treatment, and launched AHERO Records, a label where veterans turn trauma into songs with Grammy-winning songwriters. Connect to Karl: Website: https://leestuckeylegacy.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leestuckeylegacy/

Karl Meltzer on Running 100 Hundred-Milers, the DNFs That Haunt Him, and Why Anyone Can Do It Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

Ninety-four 100-mile races finished. 14 DNFs. A bartending shift that turned into a Red Bull sponsorship. Karl Meltzer, known as the "Speedgoat," sits down with Joe De Sena to talk about what it actually takes to keep showing up to the start line at 58 years old. They break down his mental strategy for surviving the darkest hours of a hundred-miler, the races he dropped out of, why 11 of his 14 DNFs were mental, and what that taught him about headspace. Karl walks through the three non-negotiables he gives anyone who wants to stay in the game: get outside every day, build a routine you protect, and keep moving even when the first ten minutes fight you. Things You Will Learn:

A single-word mental reset that keeps you moving when everything in your body says quit.
Why most DNFs are mental, not physical and what that means for your own breaking points.
The three daily non-negotiables that sustain performance across decades, not just seasons.

Tools & Frameworks Covered:

The Blink Reset: When suffering peaks, compress your timeline. Tomorrow at this time, you will be done. That reframe keeps your legs moving now.
Headspace Audit: If your mind is checked out before the start line, the race is already lost. Identify whether the resistance is physical or mental before you act on it.
Three-Point Daily Standard: Get outside. Protect your routine. Start moving even when the first ten minutes resist you. Consistency across years beats intensity across weeks.

If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses. Chapters: 00:00 Intro: 94 hundred-milers and counting 01:23 How Karl Meltzer found his distance at 100 miles 03:00 The bartending shift that landed a Red Bull sponsorship 04:36 Why luck only works if you follow up 07:58 Going from 71 to 100 finishes raising the bar at 58 10:15 What Karl tells people who have never run 100 miles 11:15 The dark place: how to fight the urge to quit at mile 60 13:00 The DNFs that still haunt him and what headspace really costs 15:01 Three daily non-negotiables: outside, routine, and just start 17:29 Nutrition, burgers, and refusing to be methodical 20:36 What Karl would tell his 10-year-old self 21:40 The plan to reach 100: Hard Rock, Wasatch, and the final six Karl Meltzer, known as "Speedgoat," is the most accomplished 100-mile trail runner in history, with 50 wins at the distance and nearly 100 career 100-mile finishes. Over a 25-year career, he has built a reputation for treating extreme suffering as a mechanical problem to be solved rather than a reason to quit. From failing twice before conquering the Appalachian Trail FKT to redefining what elite endurance looks like in his 50s, Karl represents resilience, longevity, and relentless discipline. His story is about consistency, mental toughness, and finding what actually works instead of following trends. Connect to Karl: Website: https://karlmeltzer.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meltzerkarl/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeltzerKarl/

Tina Seelig on Luck, Gratitude, and Why Your Phone Is Killing Your Opportunities Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

A Stanford professor who has spent 27 years studying how opportunity works says the device in your pocket is destroying your luck. Tina Seelig, PhD in neuroscience, builder of Stanford's entrepreneurship center, and author of What I Wish I Knew About Luck, sits down with Joe De Sena to break apart the difference between fortune and luck. Tina explains why saying hello to a stranger in line has launched friendships, businesses, and marriages. She also shares the story of a thank-you letter that was read at a professor's funeral 20 years after it was written, and talks about the time she was caught acting as a corporate spy because she had never defined her own values. Things You Will Learn:

The difference between fortune and luck, and where your agency actually lives.
Why a sincere thank you is the shortest distance to unlocking new opportunity.
What happens to your decision-making when you skip defining your core values.

Tools & Frameworks Covered:

Luck vs. Fortune Distinction: Fortune is what happens to you. Luck is what you build through decisions, energy, and engagement.
The Anti-Luck Device Test: If you walk through your day with headphones in and eyes on a screen, you are closing doors you will never know existed.
Gratitude as a Compounding Asset: A sincere thank you reopens closed loops, rebuilds bridges, and creates opportunities that transactional networking never will.

If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:00 Intro: Joe De Sena introduces Tina Seelig and the luck question 01:08 Fortune vs. luck: why the distinction changes everything 01:40 Every decision unlocks the next one, and saying hello opens doors 02:51 The backpack that started a lifelong friendship in an airport line 04:04 A Spartan t-shirt at Cornell that led to a marriage 05:39 Can you manufacture energy or is it innate? 07:00 Why staying a little hungry creates more energy 10:07 Why you need a team 10:53 The 6:30 a.m. Sunday workout that put Joe next to an eleven-billion-dollar contact 12:05 Adding randomness to your life as a luck strategy 14:05 Why people have forgotten how to say thank you 15:55 A thank you letter read at a professor's funeral 20 years later 19:43 The sambuca story: why older people need to hear thank you most 20:27 Recap: energy, gratitude, showing up, and taking opportunities 22:21 Why strong values build trust and attract investment from others 22:44 Where to find Tina Seelig and the book Tina Seelig is a Stanford professor, entrepreneur, and bestselling author who has spent her career helping people unlock creativity, innovation, and leadership potential. After earning a PhD in neuroscience, she navigated multiple careers across consulting, technology, entrepreneurship, and academia before becoming one of Stanford's leading voices on innovation. Her work focuses on creativity, entrepreneurship, and mindset development, teaching people how to turn uncertainty into opportunity and transform challenges into growth. Connect to Tina: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tina.seelig/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinaseelig/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/tseelig

Joel Del Rosario on Surviving an IED in Iraq, Losing His Memory, and Owning Every Decision After Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Joel Del Rosario enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2005 because a girl asked him to. She left him with a Dear John letter while he was deployed to Iraq. Then an IED nearly killed him. His mother received an incorrect killed-in-action notification and believed her son was dead for 24 hours. When Joel came to after the blast, shrapnel in his body and a traumatic brain injury that erased most of his memories, he was not relieved. He was angry that he survived. That disgust with his own reaction became the turning point. He chose ownership. Nobody forced him to enlist. That was his decision. And from that moment, he committed to 21 years of service instead of coasting to the exit. Joe De Sena sits down with Joel to talk about growing up in the Dominican Republic, a tough Latina single mother in Providence, the blast that rewired his brain, and the law-enforcement fitness mission he now runs alongside his wife, Rebecca, through Iron Stronghold LLC and MCHN. Things You Will Learn:

Why taking ownership of a bad decision matters more than the decision itself.
The difference between surviving hardship and choosing to build from it.
A simple daily framework for building mental toughness without needing a traumatic event.

Tools & Frameworks Covered:

Daily Hard Thing Protocol: Pick one hard thing each day and do it. Hard is relative. Consistency compounds.
Ownership After the Blast: Stop blaming the circumstance. You made the choice. Now make the next one count.
Recovery as Performance: Sleep and recovery are not optional. Emotional regulation, resilience, and physical capacity all degrade without them.

If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses. Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Joel Del Rosario, retired Marine and kettlebell athlete 01:53 Growing up in the Dominican Republic and low-income housing in Providence 04:02 Hard mode: why childhood adversity resets the scale 04:56 Drugs, a tough Latina mom, and consequences that stuck 08:07 Joining the Marines for a girl and the cost of that decision 09:45 Boot camp, School of Infantry, and deploying to Iraq in 2007 11:56 His mom was told he was killed in action for 24 hours 13:18 The TBI erased most of his life before the blast 17:01 Bloom where you're planted and one foot in front of the other 18:50 The kettlebell: compact training for deployments on a Navy ship 21:44 Why law enforcement faces worse than most military and gets less support 25:17 Using Spartan events as target dates for uniformed services 25:48 Three things to do every day: hard thing, push harder, get sleep 28:31 Set your alarm at night, not in the morning Joel Del Rosario is an elite endurance athlete specializing in trail running, mountain racing, and obstacle course competitions, known for consistently pushing his physical and mental limits in extreme environments. Through his journey, he represents resilience, discipline, and community, using his platform to inspire others to embrace discomfort, pursue adventure, and grow through consistent effort and challenge. Connect to Joel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joellerblades/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Joellerblades

11 Years Pro Soccer: Hugh Roberts on Getting Benched, Training Alone, and Never Quitting Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

Spartan Race started as an idea written on a napkin during a financial crisis. No business plan. Limited money. No guarantee any of it would work. Brian Duncanson, one of the original architects behind Spartan, sits down with Joe De Sena to walk through the real origin story: a meeting in Hartford in December 2009, the decision to fire before aiming, and a ragtag team that turned mud and barbed wire into a global brand operating in 45 countries. They break down the Fenway Stadium gamble Joe did not want to take, the pandemic pivot that forced DECA into a box, and why the strongest ideas at Spartan came when resources were thinnest. Brian also introduces his book, Becoming Spartan: Leveraging Friction to Forge, Scale, and Outlast, and explains what seventeen years of building under pressure taught him about action, constraint, and the 1% daily grind. Things You Will Learn:

Why the strongest business innovations at Spartan came from resource constraints rather than abundance.
The fire-ready-aim approach that turned a napkin sketch into a global endurance brand during a financial crisis.
What breaking a massive goal into checkpoint-sized commitments does for focus, execution, and follow-through.

Tools & Frameworks Covered:

Two Bike Math: When you lose a resource, the team that adapts fastest wins. Constraint forces innovation you would never find in comfort.
Fire Ready Aim: Stop planning. Launch small. Test in the market. Adjust under pressure. The plan improves only after contact with reality.
Checkpoint Navigation: Break the hundred-mile goal into five-mile segments. Solve the first one. Then move to the next. Momentum compounds.

If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses. Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Joe and Brian Duncanson go back to the late 1990s 01:04 How adventure racing on TV changed Brian's corporate life 03:50 Why adventure racing was too expensive and too hard to scale 05:19 Joe at nine years old: destroying a park to build a BMX track 07:07 Leaving Wall Street: Joe stops feeling alive at the trading desk 08:01 Financial crisis, biking across America, and a friend's death on the road 09:17 The Hartford napkin: December 2009 and the birth of Spartan 12:44 The ragtag team that invented the spear throw and rope climb 14:31 The Fenway Stadium gamble Joe did not want to take 16:35 Complacency kills: why backs-against-the-wall moments drive the best work 17:58 Eight kids staring at devices and three playing hacky sack 20:52 Kids chose their phones over ice cream and watched it melt 22:14 Burning through cash to build a global brand, then doing it again after the pandemic 25:03 Brian's book: how Spartan stories became business lessons 28:50 Why sitting around planning kills more ideas than launching ugly 29:56 Action as the antidote: checkpoints, calendars, and the first five miles 33:05 Hammering metal into a sword: the 1% daily grind that outlasts shortcuts Brian Duncanson is a longtime Spartan community member, endurance athlete, and event producer who has spent years embracing unpredictable challenges and pushing beyond comfort zones. Having competed in more than 50 adventure races while producing over 150 race events, Brian has built a life around resilience, leadership, and taking on difficult challenges. His story highlights endurance, adaptability, and the mindset required to keep showing up when things get hard. Connect to Brian: Website: https://linktr.ee/brian_duncanson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianduncanson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-duncanson-6825971a Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2RCLPLG

Building How Brian Duncanson Helped Turn a Napkin Idea Into Spartan Race Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

Why the strongest business innovations at Spartan came from resource constraints rather than abundance.
The fire-ready-aim approach that turned a napkin sketch into a global endurance brand during a financial crisis.
What breaking a massive goal into checkpoint-sized commitments does for focus, execution, and follow-through.

Tools & Frameworks Covered:

Two Bike Math: When you lose a resource, the team that adapts fastest wins. Constraint forces innovation you would never find in comfort.
Fire Ready Aim: Stop planning. Launch small. Test in the market. Adjust under pressure. The plan improves only after contact with reality.
Checkpoint Navigation: Break the hundred-mile goal into five-mile segments. Solve the first one. Then move to the next. Momentum compounds.

Down Syndrome, Ironman Triathlons, and Never Quitting: Robert Norris on Doing the Work Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

A doctor said he needed knee surgery. He said no. Robert Norris is 22 years old, has Down syndrome, and completes Ironman triathlons without a guide. He taught himself to ride a bike, swam with Navy SEALs in the Hudson River, ran the Boston Marathon through bloody blisters, and trains daily with a volume most able-bodied athletes never touch: 80-mile bike rides, 10-mile runs, 2100-yard swims. Joe De Sena sits down with Robert and his mother, Wanda, a retired Navy veteran, to unpack how a slipped kneecap became a turning point, why Robert refuses to quit under any condition, and what happens when a young man with an extra chromosome decides the hard way is the only way. This episode delivers a direct challenge: if Robert Norris can show up every single day without excuses, what is stopping you? Things You Will Learn:

Why a physical setback can become the trigger for a higher standard instead of a retreat.
The structure behind a non-negotiable daily routine that eliminates the need for motivation.
What consistent action proves to the people who expect you to stop.

Tools & Frameworks Covered:

Setback-to-Standard Conversion: Use injury or adversity as the catalyst for a higher training commitment, not a reason to stop.
Non-Negotiable Daily Structure: Wake time, bedtime, training order, and nutrition are locked in. Remove decision fatigue. Execute the plan.
Progressive Proof of Capability: Start with one mile. Then eighteen. Then a hundred. Let results silence doubt.

If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses. Robert Norris is a Guinness World Record–holding endurance athlete who redefined limits by becoming the first athlete with Down syndrome to complete a full Ironman triathlon independently, setting the fastest time in his category. His journey represents relentless discipline, the breaking of perceived limitations, and the building of an unshakable mindset through years of preparation and adversity. Connect to Robert: Website: https://www.robertnorrismanofiron.com/about Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertnorrismanofiron/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.norris.432406/ YouTube: http://youtube.com/@GETFITWIthRobert-21 ꚠ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@robertnorrismanofiron ? We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race. 👉 Find Your Next Spartan Race: https://www.spartan.com/en/race/find-race 👉 For everything Spartan: https://www.spartan.com/ Rise and Thrive with Essentia. Don't just sleep, recover, perform, and wake up ready for anything. Essentia's certified organic Beyond Latex™ mattresses provide deep, restorative sleep without toxic chemicals, allergens, or compromises. Use code SPARTAN25 at myessentia.com. 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 👉 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-way-with-joe-de-sena/id952870930 👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1pYBkk1T684YQg7CmoaAZt 📲 Short, Impactful Content 👉 Instagram: @spartanuppodcast 👉 From me directly: @realjoedesena The Hard Way Podcast With Joe De Sena, Hosted by Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan, this podcast delves into the principles of resilience, discipline, and the Spartan mindset. De Sena's journey from building a multimillion-dollar pool cleaning business in his teens to establishing a successful Wall Street trading firm showcases his entrepreneurial spirit. In 2001, he transitioned from finance to operate an organic farm in Pittsfield, Vermont, where his passion for endurance events like ultramarathons and adventure races flourished. This led to the creation of Spartan, aiming to inspire individuals to embrace challenges and push their limits.

Herb Thompson on Leaving Safety, Owning Your Journey, and Earning the Green Beret Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

Herb Thompson had already made it. He was Drill Sergeant of the Year, on a clear path to a top enlisted career, and could have stayed where it was safe. He didn't. In this conversation with Joe De Sena, Special Forces veteran Herb Thompson explains why he walked away from the secure path to chase the dream he had since childhood: becoming a Green Beret. Herb breaks down fear of failure, why most people talk instead of act, how he survived Special Forces selection without feedback, and what it took to rebuild purpose after retirement. This episode is about ownership, sacrifice, and performance under uncertainty. You will leave with practical rules for taking action, handling discomfort, and building a life around what you are willing to earn. Things You Will Learn:

Why ownership matters more than motivation when the goal gets hard.
How to break overwhelming pressure into small, winnable steps.
Why sacrifice, not talk, is what turns a dream into a result.

Tools & Frameworks Covered:

Own Your Journey Rule: puts responsibility for progress back on you.
Small Chunk Execution: breaks hard goals into immediate next steps under pressure.
Sacrifice Filter: clarifies what you are willing to give up to earn what you want.

If this episode moved you, don't just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses. Herb Thompson is the only person in Army history to earn both Drill Sergeant of the Year and the Green Beret, a path built on hardship, childhood trauma, and a refusal to quit under extreme pressure. His journey spans combat missions, brutal selection courses, and a post-military identity rebuild that demanded a new kind of discipline. Herb now helps high performers redefine purpose beyond titles through writing, speaking, and leadership development. Connect to Herb: Website: https://libertyspeaks.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herb-thompson-libertyspeaks/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ownyourjourney_ The Transition Mission Book: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B082RL1SJ2 We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race. 👉 Find Your Next Spartan Race: https://www.spartan.com/en/race/find-race 👉 For everything Spartan: https://www.spartan.com/ Rise and Thrive with Essentia. Don't just sleep, recover, perform, and wake up ready for anything. Essentia's certified organic Beyond Latex™ mattresses provide deep, restorative sleep without toxic chemicals, allergens, or compromises. Use code SPARTAN25 at myessentia.com. 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 👉 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-way-with-joe-de-sena/id952870930 👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1pYBkk1T684YQg7CmoaAZt 📲 Short, Impactful Content 👉 Instagram: @spartanuppodcast 👉 From me directly: @realjoedesena The Hard Way Podcast With Joe De Sena, Hosted by Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan, this podcast delves into the principles of resilience, discipline, and the Spartan mindset. De Sena's journey from building a multimillion-dollar pool cleaning business in his teens to establishing a successful Wall Street trading firm showcases his entrepreneurial spirit. In 2001, he transitioned from finance to operate an organic farm in Pittsfield, Vermont, where his passion for endurance events like ultramarathons and adventure races flourished. This led to the creation of Spartan, aiming to inspire individuals to embrace challenges and push their limits.

Four Warriors on Combat, Survival, and What It Takes to Keep Going When Everything Breaks May 26, 2026

Show notes

Nine soldiers in a hilltop position. Rocket-propelled grenades and machine gun fire from every direction. Seven killed. One man left on the radio, calling for help that was not coming. That is where this episode begins. In this Memorial Day special of The Hard Way, Joe De Sena sits down with four men who faced the most extreme physical and mental breaking points a human being can endure.

Medal of Honor recipient Ryan Pitts fought alone and was wounded at a remote observation post in Afghanistan after losing seven teammates around him.
Navy SEAL leader Leif Babin breaks down how extreme ownership and the refusal to quit create an advantage when everyone else is suffering.
Navy pilot Keegan Gill was ejected from a fighter jet at 695 miles per hour, shattered nearly every major bone in his body, and spent two hours drowning in the Atlantic.
Green Beret Nick Lavery lost his leg to machine gun fire in Afghanistan, then fought his way back to become the first above-knee amputee to return to active duty special operations.

Each story delivers a concrete lesson in endurance under fire, ownership of outcomes, and the decision to keep going when quitting is the logical choice. Things You Will Learn:

Why the person who hangs on one minute longer is the one who wins.
What extreme ownership looks like in combat and why it builds lasting toughness in any environment.
Why asking for help is not a weakness, and why the toughest operators on the planet treat mental health the same as a broken ankle.

Tools & Frameworks Covered:

Outlast the Field: You do not need to be the best. You need to be the last one still moving when everyone else stops.
Extreme Ownership: Own every failure. Share every lesson. The ego hit is temporary. The growth is permanent.
Burn the Boats Standard: No Plan B. Meet the standard or die trying. Gray area does not exist at the highest level.

If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses. Guests Bios: Ryan Pitts: Medal of Honor recipient. On July 13, 2008, at a remote observation post in Wanat, Afghanistan, Pitts was wounded in the opening seconds of a massive enemy assault that killed seven of his fellow soldiers. Alone and bleeding, he continued fighting and called for reinforcements on the radio, holding his position until help arrived. He was 22 years old. Pitts spent a year recovering at Walter Reed and has since dedicated himself to sharing the stories of the men who fought beside him and the importance of seeking help when the fight follows you home. Leif Babin: Former Navy SEAL officer and co-author of Extreme Ownership. Babin led SEAL operations in Ramadi, Iraq, during some of the most intense urban combat of the war. He lost teammates in action and carried those lessons into leadership consulting, teaching that owning your failures — not hiding them — is the foundation of real toughness and lasting performance. Keegan Gill: Former Navy fighter pilot. During a training exercise over the Atlantic, a system malfunction sent his jet into an unrecoverable dive. He ejected at 695 miles per hour, two seconds from impact. The force shattered both arms, both legs, broke his neck, and caused a traumatic brain injury. His parachute release malfunctioned, and he spent two hours being drowned by his own chute in freezing water before rescue. He woke up two weeks later in a trauma center. Nick Lavery: Green Beret and the first above-knee amputee to return to active duty special operations. On his third deployment to Afghanistan, machine gun fire destroyed his right leg. From his hospital bed, he committed to returning to his team with no backup plan. After two years of rehabilitation and 14 weeks of assessment, he returned to the same team that was with him when he was wounded and deployed back to Afghanistan seven weeks later. He served 20 years total. We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race. 👉 Find Your Next Spartan Race: https://www.spartan.com/en/race/find-race 👉 For everything Spartan: https://www.spartan.com/ Rise and Thrive with Essentia. Don't just sleep, recover, perform, and wake up ready for anything. Essentia's certified organic Beyond Latex™ mattresses provide deep, restorative sleep without toxic chemicals, allergens, or compromises. Use code SPARTAN25 at myessentia.com. 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 👉 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-way-with-joe-de-sena/id952870930 👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1pYBkk1T684YQg7CmoaAZt 📲 Short, Impactful Content 👉 Instagram: @spartanuppodcast 👉 From me directly: @realjoedesena The Hard Way Podcast With Joe De Sena, Hosted by Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan, this podcast delves into the principles of resilience, discipline, and the Spartan mindset. De Sena's journey from building a multimillion-dollar pool cleaning business in his teens to establishing a successful Wall Street trading firm showcases his entrepreneurial spirit. In 2001, he transitioned from finance to operate an organic farm in Pittsfield, Vermont, where his passion for endurance events like ultramarathons and adventure races flourished. This led to the creation of Spartan, aiming to inspire individuals to embrace challenges and push their limits.

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