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High-impact interviews for those who love adventure and the outdoors. Host and journalist Shelby Stanger interviews world-class explorers, athletes, authors, scientists, health experts and entrepreneurs about how they’ve taken their own wild ideas and made them a reality, so you can too. Some of the wildest ideas can lead to the most rewarding adventures.
Alison Mariella Désir started a community run club in Harlem in November 2013, initially finding it challenging to attract participants. However, her persistence led to the growth of Harlem Run, which became a significant community initiative. Today, Harlem Run continues to thrive with a dedicated leadership team.
Growing up, Alison Mariella Désir did not have a concept of the 'outdoors' as a space for adventure, viewing it simply as going outside. She was an active child, involved in activities like climbing trees and running track, but only began to approach the outdoors intentionally about 10-15 years ago. Her return to distance running in 2012, after experiencing depression and joblessness, was a pivotal moment.
Alison Mariella Désir found that training for her first marathon in 2012 significantly improved her mental health, providing structure and a sense of progress during a difficult period. She noticed she was one of the few Black women participating and realized the sport could benefit more people like her. This realization spurred her to build community around running.
Alison Mariella Désir's initial efforts to start a run club in Harlem were slow, but after the first person showed up, the momentum built rapidly. Within six months, the group grew from two people to over 100, eventually reaching 150 participants of diverse ages and races. Key tenets of Harlem Run include automatic membership upon showing up and welcoming all paces.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Alison Mariella Désir and her husband, living in the Bronx, found themselves isolated and concerned by the proximity to Randall's Island being used as a temporary morgue. This difficult period prompted them to re-imagine their lives and move to Seattle, seeking easier access to the outdoors.
Rob Lea has become the first person to complete the "Double Seven," a challenge combining the Seven Summits with seven iconic ocean crossings. The project saw him climb the highest peaks on each continent and swim seven demanding open-water channels, a feat he officially completed in June 2026.
After an ankle injury in 2017 made running difficult, Rob Lea decided to pursue swimming the English Channel. This marked a significant shift in his athletic career, pushing him towards open-water challenges and ultimately inspiring the "Double Seven" project.
Rob Lea notes the distinct challenges of swimming the English Channel and climbing Mount Everest, comparing the former's strict rules and the latter's "low grade suffering." He initially investigated if anyone had completed both, discovering nine people had done so, leading to his "Peak and Pond" challenge.
During his Everest climb, Rob Lea described a moment at Camp Two (25,000 feet) where he and his wife Caroline Glyk were "absolutely delusional" due to the altitude. They spent an extra day to avoid crowds, finding humor and camaraderie in their altered state.
Rob Lea recounted how his wife, Caroline Glyk, encouraged him to schedule the remaining swims and climbs for his "Double Seven" project. Glyk, who was also running for US Senate, noted the long waitlists for some swims, like the Strait of Gibraltar, which had a five-year backlog.
Rob Lea described his Molokai to Oahu swim as his most challenging and scary, taking 14 hours and 36 minutes, with the final hour in complete darkness. He battled hypothermia, rhabdomyolysis, and pulmonary edema, nearly drowning and requiring hospitalization with diuretics upon returning home.
During a difficult moment in his Molokai swim, Rob Lea used a mental chant of "56, 56, 56," inspired by Sarah Thomas's incredible 54-hour English Channel swim. Lea used Thomas's endurance as motivation to push through his own challenges in the ocean.
Rob Lea highlighted that some of his swimming expeditions included sessions with a therapist to help athletes cope with the emotional aftermath of their challenges. This support was available whether an athlete succeeded or not, acknowledging the potential for disappointment after years of training.
Rachel Entrekin discusses her victory and new course record at the Cocodona 250 ultramarathon. She highlights the challenging nature of the race and her mental fortitude required to overcome it.
Rachel Entrekin shares insights into her pacing and nutrition strategies during the Cocodona 250. She emphasizes the importance of listening to her body and adapting her plan as needed.
Rachel Entrekin elaborates on the psychological challenges of ultramarathon running. She explains how she coped with difficult moments and maintained a positive mindset throughout the race.
The conversation delves into Rachel Entrekin's training regimen leading up to the Cocodona 250. She details her approach to building endurance and preparing her body for the demands of such a long race.
Rachel Entrekin emphasizes the critical role of her crew and support system during the Cocodona 250. She explains how their presence and assistance were vital to her success and ability to complete the race.
Samer Abu Hamad has completed a three-year, 46,000-mile cycling journey across all continents except Antarctica. He started his trip from his front door in Brookline, Massachusetts, in April 2022, and finished in Beirut, Lebanon, in September 2025.
Samer Abu Hamad, formerly a banker at Morgan Stanley in New York City, quit his job during the COVID-19 pandemic to pursue a life of adventure. He was inspired by the book of British adventurer Alistair Humphreys to use a bicycle for global travel.
Samer Abu Hamad's initial plan was to bike from the Boston area to Patagonia, a trip that took a year and evolved into a three-and-a-half-year global journey. He chose to start from his front door in Boston for logistical ease and as a testing ground.
Samer Abu Hamad describes his bike journey as 40% biking and 60% problem-solving, involving daily challenges like finding food, shelter, and dealing with mechanical issues or logistical hurdles like expired passports and visas.
During his journey, Samer Abu Hamad experienced moments of overwhelm, particularly when contemplating the vast distance ahead. He learned to break down the massive goal into smaller, manageable checkpoints, like reaching specific states or cities, to maintain momentum and avoid feeling daunted.
Samer Abu Hamad's daily average on his trip was 73 miles. His routine involved waking up, making coffee and oatmeal, and hitting the road with a general idea of his destination, stopping based on energy levels or to find a place to sleep. Accommodation varied from camping in state parks to using apps like Warmshowers for hosted stays, or even simple Google Maps searches for green spaces.
Samer Abu Hamad structured his extensive cycling journey into three main chapters. The first involved riding from Boston to Argentina, followed by a North Cape, Norway to South Africa route in 2023, and finally, a cross-Australia, Indonesia, China, and Middle East trip ending in Beirut in 2024. Between these legs, he returned to Boston for several months to work construction and drive a taxi to fund his travels.
Samer Abu Hamad found returning home after his three-and-a-half-year journey more challenging than previous breaks, describing it as a 'what now?' moment. He explains that the concrete, measurable progress of cycling made the transition difficult, and he is now focused on processing his experiences and inspiring others.
Breannah Yeh, also known as Ye, has been a professional slackliner and content creator for six years. She started slacklining at 13 years old after seeing it at a rock climbing gym and was immediately hooked.
Ye describes highlining, a more extreme form of slacklining done hundreds of feet in the air, as a significant mental battle. She explains the process of harnessing in and the intense psychological challenge of overcoming the fear of heights.
In her early teens, Breannah Yeh competed in slacklining, sometimes winning small amounts of prize money. She notes that the competitions were judged on a less defined point system, emphasizing the 'coolness' or 'extremeness' of tricks.
Lisa Jhung, an ultramarathon pacer with over 25 years of experience, shares what it's like to support runners in grueling races. She highlights the pacer's role in providing encouragement, ensuring correct fueling, and talking runners out of quitting, often acting as a crucial support system during the most challenging parts of a 100-mile race.
Lisa Jhung transitioned to ultramarathon pacing after a career in adventure racing, a sport she discovered through the TV show 'Eco Challenge.' She found that pacing offered a similar sense of excitement and problem-solving as racing, but without the intense personal training commitment.
Lisa Jhung explains a unique aspect of pacing at the Leadville ultramarathon, where pacers historically "mule" their runner's gear. This practice, which involves carrying the runner's pack, is a nod to the area's gold mining history.
Lisa Jhung describes the emotional challenges and rewards of being an ultramarathon pacer. She finds it difficult when a runner doesn't meet their goals, but the experience is rewarding because she feels useful and gets to share in the race's excitement.
Lisa Jhung's journalism career was significantly influenced by her exposure to adventure racing, which she saw on 'Eco Challenge.' The sport's demanding nature and inspiring stories, like a team carrying an injured member, motivated her to pursue writing about it.
Lucy Vanart is attempting to be the first woman to walk the length of the Americas, from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska. She started in 2017 and hopes to reach Alaska in the summer of 2027.
Lucy Vanart reflects on the solitary nature of her record-breaking walk and how strict rules can become a form of confinement. She notes that while others have completed similar journeys with breaks or alternative modes of transport, her consecutive approach means enduring difficult periods.
Lucy Vanart was inspired by George Meegan, the first man to walk the length of the Americas. She decided to undertake the same journey, motivated by a desire to see more women achieving such feats and to contribute to closing the perceived evidence gap in gender equality.
When Lucy Vanart announced her plan to walk the length of the Americas, her family and friends reacted with silence, hoping the idea would pass. They were scared due to the many unknowns and prevalent fearmongering in media, fearing she might not return.
Margaret, a colleague of Lucy Vanart, became her biggest supporter after Lucy shared her ambitious plan to walk the Americas. Margaret's unwavering belief in Lucy's ability to achieve this feat was crucial in making the seemingly impossible dream feel attainable.
Before embarking on her journey, Lucy Vanart had to learn Spanish, which she found easier to communicate with in its 'broken' form among indigenous populations. She also relied on existing wilderness survival skills and a self-rescue plan involving a beacon.
Lucy Vanart maintains a detailed first aid kit for herself and her dog, Wombat, consulting with her doctor for updates. She also carries strong pain medication, using it judiciously to ensure she remains aware of her surroundings and does not exacerbate any injuries.
Lucy Vanart managed to save $50,000 Australian dollars and secure gear sponsorships for her walk. She meticulously planned the route, gathered necessary equipment, and prepared herself for the immense undertaking.
Lucy Vanart described the first week of her walk as 'terrifying,' acknowledging that the initial phase is the most fragile. She believes that simply reaching the starting point is a significant step towards success, which also requires support, luck, or a strong ego.