Courage Talks

Courage Talks S12E5 Kim Levinsky

🎙️ 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟮 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟱 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘! From college athlete (basketball & softball) to ultrarunner, race director, and mental health advocate, this episode is a powerful reminder that the trails can heal, connect, and transform us. Meet Kim Levinsky Founder & Trail Party Director of Sassquad Trail Running (New Jersey) | Ultrarunner | FKT Holder Kim turned her love for running into a mission: building an inclusive, welcoming trail community where everyone, regardless of pace, background, or experience, feels they belong. Her journey includes: Founding Sassquad Trail Running in 2018 — now one of the most vibrant grassroots trail racing organisations in the NY/NJ area Setting the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the 358-mile Long Path (first woman to do so), captured in the powerful documentary The Long Path: A Journey of Becoming Racing ultras up to 200+ miles while openly sharing her mental health journey Creating events that prioritise joy, accessibility, and community over competition In this heartfelt conversation, Kim opens up about courage, vulnerability, the power of inclusive spaces, and how running became her path to healing and helping others. If you’re a runner, race organiser, or someone who believes movement can be medicine for the mind and soul, this episode will inspire you to lace up and show up. Tag a runner, a friend who needs community, or anyone on their own journey of becoming 👇 #CourageTalks #UltraRunning #TrailRunning #SassquadTrailRunning #MentalHealth #FKT #LongPath #WomenInUltra #InclusiveRunning #CommunityThroughRunning

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟮𝗘𝟰 Dr Rajat Chauhan

What if the man who has run 150+ marathons over 40 years also happens to be one of India’s leading Sports & Exercise Medicine doctors, and has spent his life proving that running doesn’t destroy your knees, it actually heals and strengthens you? 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 Dr Rajat Chauhan — 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗿𝗮-𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲. A true pioneer who brings a rare 360-degree perspective:   • 40 years as a competitive runner with 150+ marathons   • Founder & Race Director of La Ultra – The High, coaching athletes for the insane 555 km category in Ladakh’s extreme conditions   • Former Technical Consultant & Head Coach (Running) for Adidas India   • Author of The Pain Handbook (Penguin Random House) – a definitive guide to managing musculoskeletal pain without surgery   • Founding Director of Sports & Exercise at Ashoka University   • Visiting Faculty at the National Police Academy (achieved 0% injury rate for the 2024 IPS batch)   • Champion of grassroots initiatives like Run2Fly, empowering rural adolescent girls through running In this powerful episode, Dr. Rajat shares his evidence-based wisdom on injury prevention, the courage to push human limits, building resilience through movement, and why consistent, intelligent running is one of the greatest forms of preventive medicine. He reminds us that true courage isn’t just about racing ultras, it’s about showing up, moving wisely, and helping others do the same. Whether you’re a doctor, runner, coach, athlete, or someone struggling with pain and doubt, this conversation will shift how you think about your body and your potential. 🎧 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 / 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘄 → (YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts |) Tag a runner, a doctor, a coach, or anyone who needs inspiration to move more intelligently 👇 #𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 #𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 #𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 #𝗟𝗮𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗿𝗮 #𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗕𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 #𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 #𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 #𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 #𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟮𝗘𝟯 - 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗦𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗻

Very excited to share that Lisa Smith-Batchen, one of the most accomplished and inspiring ultrarunners in the world, is the guest on the latest episode of Courage Talks! 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘆:   • First American woman to win the Marathon des Sables, a gruelling 150-mile, multi-stage race across the Sahara Desert   • Two-time winner of the Badwater Ultramarathon (135 miles through Death Valley in extreme heat)   • The only person to complete the Badwater Quad, 584 miles   • The first and only person to run 50 miles in all 50 states in just 62 days as part of her Running Hope Through America project   • First person ever to run 306 miles from Las Vegas to the summit of Mt. Whitney, raising $590,000 for AIDS orphans   • Completed the prestigious Grand Slam of Ultrarunning (four 100-mile races in one summer) as the first female finisher   • 10-time Badwater finisher and 2012 Badwater Hall of Fame inductee   • Multiple Ironman finishes and countless 50+ mile ultramarathons She has been on t𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗟𝗔 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁, 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻, and many more. She was a main character in the film Running Under the Sun and has been featured on ESPN, CNN, Good Morning America, and more. In this heartfelt conversation, Lisa opens up about the mental battles in the Sahara and Death Valley, what it took to keep going when her body screamed to stop, how she balanced world-class racing with being a devoted mother and wife, and the deeper purpose behind her extraordinary journeys. Whether you’re an athlete, entrepreneur, or anyone facing seemingly impossible challenges, Lisa’s story will ignite your courage and remind you of the incredible strength we all carry within. Lisa, thank you for bringing so much wisdom, humility, and fire to the show. This episode is pure inspiration! #CourageTalks #UltraRunning #EnduranceSports #MarathonDesSables #Badwater #MentalToughness #Resilience #Leadership #NeverGiveUp #DreamChaser

Courage Talks S12E2 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗼

From surviving a stroke at 26 and a crushed foot at 45… to becoming a 17-time HURT 100 finisher and one of the toughest race directors in the Mid-Atlantic. 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘀, Veteran Ultramarathoner, Race Director, Stay-at-Home Dad turned Trail Running Legend, and Founder of Athletic Equation & WV Trail Fest. Born into a family of refugees from the Greek and Armenian Genocides, Alex grew up as an expat kid in the Middle East. He left home at 14 for boarding school, built a career in Chemical Engineering with the Marine Corps, then made one of the bravest pivots of all, becoming a full-time stay-at-home father in 2008. 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗿𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴:   • 17-time finisher of the brutal HURT 100 (one of the highest in the world)   • Completed 60+ ultras worldwide, including Dragon’s Back Race, Hellbender 100, Mogollon Monster, and Manitou’s Revenge   • Race Director of some of the toughest events in the East: OSS/CIA 50, Mount Tammany 10, and more   • Dedicated mentor to Navy SEALs, veterans (Band of Runners), and young runners In this inspiring conversation, Alex shares powerful lessons on resilience, identity, fatherhood, career pivots, and what true courage looks like when your body breaks down but your spirit refuses to quit. If you’re navigating health challenges, life transitions, or chasing big dreams while raising a family, don't miss this episode. #CourageTalks #UltraRunning #HURT100 #Resilience #TrailRunning #RaceDirector #NeverGiveUp #StayAtHomeDad #LeadershipThroughCourage

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟮𝗘𝟭: Mihika Wahi Gupta

Mihika is the founder of Mission Healthy with Mihika, a women-focused fitness academy, an ultra-marathon runner, and a hybrid athlete. She describes her younger self as a "jack of all sports, master of none", someone who simply loved to move. Like many women, life gradually pulled her away from fitness: marriage, children, work, and the weight of daily responsibilities. But the spark never truly faded. She returned through yoga, then running, and has since completed some of India's most demanding endurance races:   • 50 km Malnad ultra-marathon,   • 56 km trail run,   • 210 km intercity run from Gurgaon to Jaipur,   • 72 km Khardungla Challenge at 17,000 ft in Leh-Ladakh, and   • 100 km border ultra that started at noon and ended at 2 AM.   • In 2025, got the podium at the first edition of HYROX India For the past five years, she has channelled everything that fitness gave her, confidence, resilience, and the ability to face grief, into helping other women discover their own strength through her academy. 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲, 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁:   • How she came back to fitness after years away and why the return was harder, and more meaningful, than the start   • What running 72 km at 17,000 ft in Ladakh taught her about the relationship between physical endurance and mental resilience   • Why she built a fitness academy specifically for women, and what she sees holding women back from prioritising their health   • How movement helped coping with personal loss and grief   • What she means when she says: "When a woman becomes stronger, she doesn't just change her own life, she inspires many others around her" 🎙️ Tune in now #CourageTalks #MissionHealthyWithMihika #WomenAndFitness #Endurance #Podcast