#26 - Why You Should NOT Train For An Ultramarathon

#26 - Why You Should NOT Train For An Ultramarathon

What happens when you sign up for a 50-mile ultramarathon… and barely train for it? In this solo episode, Matt breaks down the entire Oracle Rumble 50 — the early confidence, the brutal climbs, blowing up at mile 13, surviving hours in the desert heat, and dragging a broken body across the finish line nearly 15 hours later. He shares: • Why under-training was a huge mistake • The mental lows that almost made him quit • How pain, ego, and grit collide in ultra endurance • And the real lesson about respecting hard goals This isn’t a highlight reel — it’s the real cost of doing hard things, and why preparation matters.

#25 - Before The Baby: An Interview with Zach Shipley

What if fatherhood starts before the baby? In this in-person episode of The New School Dad, Matt Bank sits down with Zach Shipley — married, 29, no kids yet — to talk about preparing for fatherhood before pregnancy, birth, and sleepless nights. They dive into building a strong marriage first, leading at home without being a burden, reducing your wife’s mental load, and learning to handle conflict like a team. Zach opens up about growing up with divorced parents, how that shaped his view of marriage, and why intentional preparation matters more than “figuring it out later.” This is a conversation for men who want to become great dads on purpose — not by accident. If you’re married, thinking about kids, or want to lead your family better starting now, this one’s for you. Zach's X: https://x.com/zSh1p [https://x.com/zSh1p] Zach's Substack: https://substack.com/@zachshipley [https://substack.com/@zachshipley] Zach's IG: @zach.shipley.1 NSD Substack:

#24 - Raising Boys, Building Security: Interview with Jason Parker

Jason's X: https://x.com/jasonparker216 [https://x.com/jasonparker216] Cycle Stride Training: https://www.cyclestridetraining.com/ [https://www.cyclestridetraining.com/] New School Dad Q&A Substack: First-ever in-person episode of The New School Dad—recorded live in Tucson, Arizona during Tribal Training weekend ahead of the Oracle Rumble 50-Miler. Jason Parker (dad of two boys, 3 and 5 months) breaks down what “New School Dad” means to him: lead with action, drop the rigid roles, and get in the arena with your wife and kids. We talk split-parent childhood lessons, building a cohesive family, raising brothers with structure (without the lazy “boys will be boys”), and why he’s building Cycle Stride Training as a real safety net for his family. Practical, honest, and packed with mindset.

#23 - Why Your Kids Are Least Tough With You

In this episode of The New School Dad, Matt shares a raw, real-time lesson on toughness, safety, and fatherhood. What started as concern that his oldest son, Brooks, was “getting soft” turns into a powerful reframe after an unexpected ER visit, IVs, CT scans, and a moment that stopped Matt in his tracks. The realization? Your kids aren’t least tough because they’re weak — they’re least tough with you because they feel the safest. This episode is about kid toughness, parental expectations, letting go of ego, and understanding what it truly means when your child shows vulnerability at home. If you’ve ever wondered why your kid seems tougher everywhere else but melts down around you, this one will hit home. These are the good days. Stay present. Stay in motion.

#22 - Phil Lee - From Chik-Fil-A to Spice Entrepreneur

Phil's twitter: https://x.com/PhilipLee_ENAK [https://x.com/PhilipLee_ENAK] ENAK's twitter: https://x.com/EnakFlavors [https://x.com/EnakFlavors] Enak Website: https://enakflavors.com/ [https://enakflavors.com/] In this episode of The New School Dad Podcast, Matt sits down with Phil Lee — father, two-time Ironman, pastor, and founder of ENAK Flavors — to unpack what it really looks like to take a leap when your family depends on you. Phil shares his definition of “New School Dad,” the pressure he felt moving his family back to the U.S., and the moment in Walmart where he questioned if he could even provide. He opens up about the grind of restaurant leadership, the mental load of never being fully “off,” and the fear of missing his daughter’s childhood. From losing 50+ pounds to pushing through open-water panic, Phil explains how discipline, agency, and doing hard things shaped him — and why he invested $15K into ENAK to create urgency and build a life he could control. If you’ve ever felt stuck between security and calling, this conversation will hit home.