The Olympian Who Nearly Died Making Weight | Danny O'Connor

The Olympian Who Nearly Died Making Weight | Danny O'Connor

Danny O'Connor looked like he had everything. A state wrestling champion. An Olympian. One of the top professional boxers in America with a world title shot finally within reach. Behind the scenes, almost nobody knew he had been battling an eating disorder for years. What began as extreme weight cutting in high school wrestling evolved into a life-threatening cycle of starvation, binge eating, dehydration, and dangerous weight cuts that nearly cost him everything. Before the biggest fight of his career, Danny collapsed while trying to make weight, was rushed to the ICU, and watched his dream of becoming world champion disappear. In this conversation, Danny opens up about growing up in Massachusetts, dropping out of school, turning his life around through boxing, making the U.S. Olympic team, the hidden reality of weight-class sports, and the long road to recovering from an eating disorder that almost killed him. This is a conversation about obsession, identity, recovery, and learning that the toughest opponent isn't always standing across the ring. Thank you to our sponsors Our Title Sponsor ROKA: www.roka.com/ [https://www.roka.com/] Code “RIDEOUT” Athletic Nicotine: https://athleticnicotine.com/rideout [https://athleticnicotine.com/rideout] Code "RIDEOUT" Ken’s book now available here: https://www.theothersideofhard.com/ [https://www.theothersideofhard.com/] Chapters (00:00) Meet Danny O'Connor (00:43) Growing Up in Sports (01:43) Wrestling Found His Calling (04:14) Weight Cutting Obsession (06:14) Laxatives and Hidden Suffering (08:47) Grades Collapse and Dropping Out (10:54) Arrests and Losing Control (21:40) Court Wake Up Call (23:53) Boxing Saves His Life (27:15) Golden Gloves to Olympic Dream (29:59) Defensive Style and Sparring (33:06) Olympic Trials Outsider (34:01) Sponsor Break Athletic Nicotine (34:45) Trials Heartbreak (35:36) Beating Future Gold (37:11) Beijing Team Breakdown (38:33) Turning Pro Decision (39:48) Weight Cutting vs Disorder (43:20) Gym Hops and Undefeated Run (44:29) First Loss and Texas Move (48:31) Binge Eating Reality (53:20) Daily Yo-Yo Chaos (56:11) Missing Weight Fallout (01:03:41) WBC Shot in Fresno (01:05:43) Urges and Survival Hacks (01:09:07) Binge Spiral at Home (01:10:02) Stepping Away for Help (01:12:02) Learning Recovery Tools (01:14:16) Relapse in Training Camp (01:16:23) Weigh In Day Collapse (01:21:37) Aftermath and Perspective Shift (01:26:28) Specialized Treatment Begins (01:30:31) Freedom and Maintenance (01:35:50) Advice and Raising Awareness (01:39:04) Book Plug and Closing (01:41:12) Podcast Outro and Sponsors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Boston, Addiction, The Town, 12 Years Sober | George Carroll “Slaine”

He taught himself to rap at nine years old, co-founded the rap supergroup La Coka Nostra, got discovered by Ben Affleck for Gone Baby Gone, and went on to act in The Town, Killing Them Softly, and Joker. What almost nobody saw was what was happening behind the scenes. For 23 years Slaine battled alcohol and addiction, through cocaine, OxyContin, and heroin, while chasing two careers most people told him were impossible. It cost him his marriage, his home, and nearly his life, until the only thing that finally outweighed the addiction was the fear of losing his son. In this conversation, Slaine opens up about growing up in the chaos of Boston, the drug culture that swallowed his generation, the record deal he was smart enough to turn down, auditioning drunk for Ben Affleck, hitting rock bottom as a father, the phone call outside a bar that saved his life, getting sober on March 3, 2014, and building Charles River Recovery, a treatment center that has helped more than 7,500 people. This is a conversation about identity, addiction, redemption, and giving it away to keep it. Thank you to our sponsors Our Title Sponsor ROKA: www.roka.com [https://www.roka.com/] Code “RIDEOUT” Wild Roman: wildroman.com/rideout [http://wildroman.com/rideout] Code “RIDEOUT15” Ken’s book now available here: https://www.theothersideofhard.com/ [https://www.theothersideofhard.com/] Chapters (00:00) Meet Slaine (02:00) Boston Neighborhood Chaos (04:10) Childhood Trauma Unpacked (05:00) Fatherhood And Hindsight (08:23) First Drink Relief (09:42) Cocaine The Cheat Code (11:48) Eyewear Ad Break (13:20) Crabs In A Bucket (16:40) OxyContin Epidemic Boston (18:50) Film School Outsider (20:00) Boston Hardens You (24:50) ADHD As A Superpower (28:00) NYC Underground Comeup (31:31) Skincare Ad Break (34:48) The Deal He Refused (39:00) Squatting In A Warehouse (41:30) La Coka Nostra Born (44:00) 13,000 CDs Sold (46:00) Herald Story Affleck Calls (48:00) Drunk Audition For Affleck (51:56) Cleaned Up For Set (53:40) Prime Rib And A Warehouse (56:15) Boston Film Tax Credit (58:00) Vision Board Comes Alive (01:01:00) It All Hits At Once (01:15:45) Losing Everything (01:20:52) Failing As A Father (01:24:10) The Day It Stuck (01:26:57) The News That Should Have Broken Him (01:28:04) The Call Outside The Bar (01:30:00) Learning Humility (01:33:00) Uncle George (01:34:40) The One Belief (01:42:53) Building Charles River Recovery (01:48:20) Don’t Fit In A Box (01:51:15) How To Get Help (01:52:47) Farewell And Subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

He Fought for a World Title with Lyme Disease | Mike Lee

He graduated from Notre Dame, signed with Top Rank, fought at Madison Square Garden and Cowboys Stadium, starred in national Subway commercials, and earned a shot at a world title. What almost nobody saw was what was happening behind the scenes. For years Mike battled chronic pain, autoimmune disease, misdiagnoses, and Lyme disease while trying to keep his career alive. He fought through broken ribs, endless medications, and training camps where his body was telling him to stop long before his mind would listen. In this conversation, Mike opens up about growing up in Chicago, the pressure to make his father proud, becoming one of boxing's top contenders, the relief that came after his only professional loss, finding purpose beyond the ring, and why he now believes health is the greatest fight of all. This is a conversation about identity, resilience, and knowing when enough is enough. Thank you to our sponsors Wild Roman: wildroman.com/rideout [http://wildroman.com/rideout] Code “RIDEOUT15” Timeline: timeline.com/rideout [http://timeline.com/rideout] Code “RIDEOUT” Ken’s book now available here: https://www.theothersideofhard.com/ [https://www.theothersideofhard.com/] Chapters (00:00) Meet Mike Lee (00:24) Subway Sponsorship Story (02:05) Chicago Roots Boxing Start (03:43) Notre Dame Bengal Bouts (04:35) Golden Gloves Breakthrough (06:18) Dad Pressure Motivation (08:18) Broken Rib Hospital Night (10:13) Caleb Plant Fight Setup (11:28) Weight Cut Autoimmune Struggles (14:27) Fight Stoppage Relief (17:29) Skincare Ad Break (18:53) Career Perspective Big Moments (20:49) Cowboys Stadium Jerry Jones (24:11) Why Fighting Captivates (25:07) Turning Pro With Top Rank (26:56) Early Pro Opponents (27:32) Target on My Back (27:59) Grooming vs Real Threats (29:46) UFC Losses vs Boxing (31:16) Money and Corruption (32:27) Why Losses Matter (34:57) Top Rank Lion’s Den (36:25) Spence Crawford Aftermath (38:48) Gym Culture and Identity (45:50) Reading Fighters on the Bag (47:11) Mitochondria Ad Break (49:58) Fatigue and Quiet Quitting (54:46) Life After the Spotlight (57:47) Lyme Misdiagnosis Journey (59:25) Hospital Rock Bottom (59:56) Functional Medicine Pivot (01:00:37) Comeback Fight Hollow Win (01:01:36) Opioids to Cannabinoids (01:02:29) Soul CBD vs THC Brand (01:03:35) Hemp Ban and Lobbying (01:08:15) Alcohol vs Cannabis Shift (01:13:36) Edibles Safety and Dosing (01:17:34) Pivoting Beyond Hemp (01:19:50) Kids Online and AI Future (01:28:40) Farewell and Subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The Crack Addict Who Became a Med Student | David Millar

David Millar grew up at the Jersey Shore surrounded by addiction, promising himself he would never become like the people he watched struggle around him. Instead, by age 20, he was deep into alcohol, cocaine, and crack addiction. He dropped out of college, cycled through psych wards, detox centers, and rehabs, slept in the woods, stole to survive, and believed drugs would define the rest of his life. Then everything changed. David got sober, rebuilt his life one day at a time, rediscovered running, returned to school, and eventually earned acceptance into medical school despite being told his past would hold him back. Today, he is seven years sober, an ultrarunner, medical student, coach, and one of the most powerful voices in recovery. In this conversation, David shares the reality of addiction, life inside psych wards, sleeping in the woods, the treatment program that saved him, why running became his medicine, and how he transformed an addictive personality into a force for growth. This is a conversation about addiction, recovery, discipline, and what becomes possible when you refuse to quit. Thank you to our sponsors Athletic Nicotine: https://athleticnicotine.com/rideout [https://athleticnicotine.com/rideout] Code "RIDEOUT" Rho Nutrition: https://rhonutrition.com/ [https://rhonutrition.com/] Code “RIDEOUT” Ken’s book now available here: https://www.theothersideofhard.com/ [https://www.theothersideofhard.com/] Chapters (00:00) Meet David Millar (00:47) Running Discipline Talk (02:27) Roka Eyewear Sponsor (03:56) Beach Town Upbringing (05:23) First Drink Turning Point (08:52) Fentanyl Reality Check (11:22) Running and Recovery (12:08) College Dropout Spiral (13:32) Cross Country Comeback (15:17) Athletic Nicotine Sponsor (15:52) Cocaine at Sixteen (20:42) Work Ethic Over Talent (24:31) Nursing School Collapse (26:57) Homeless in the Woods (28:51) Stealing To Survive (29:26) Florida Detox Escape (30:59) Detox System Gaming (31:40) Sponsor Break NAD Plus (32:46) First Psych Ward Hold (35:50) Locked Ward Reality (37:48) Coke To Crack Shift (40:00) Stimulants And Meth Talk (41:01) Recovery Spark At 20 (43:39) LA Boot Camp Sober Living (46:55) Accountability Culture (51:32) Early Sobriety Pain (54:18) Sobriety Mindset Shift (55:21) Addictive Drive Reframed (57:01) Back to School Sober (01:00:01) Pre Med Leap and MCAT (01:01:12) Hiding Recovery to Get In (01:03:07) Sober Edge in Med School (01:05:06) Rotations and Daily Grind (01:06:34) Training While Studying (01:08:28) Choosing a Specialty (01:09:26) Alcohol Guidelines Critique (01:11:25) Treat Addiction Not Symptoms (01:13:58) Subutex and Vivitrol Path (01:17:32) GLP Drugs and Cravings (01:18:59) Fitness and Running as Medicine (01:22:46) Closing Thanks and Where to Find Him (01:24:08) Subscribe Sponsors and Book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

From Tour Wins to Barely Holding a Club | Scott Stallings

Scott Stallings is one of the fittest players to ever walk the PGA Tour. He grew up between Worcester, Massachusetts and Oak Ridge, Tennessee, walked on at Tennessee Tech after the program he dreamed of passed on him, and turned himself into a three-time PGA Tour winner over a fourteen-year career. Then, at the 2024 Players Championship, one swing into the lip of a fairway bunker tore his shoulder and the nerve out of his elbow. Three surgeries in fourteen months followed. During a comeback round at eleven under, the nerve tore loose again and his hand went white on the green. Three different doctors gave him the same answer: the golf he knew how to play was over. In this conversation, Scott opens up about losing the identity he had built his life around, running the Boston Marathon to survive the rehab, getting humbled in occupational therapy, and a surgeon asking whether he wanted to hold his daughter’s hand walking down the aisle. We also talk about choosing his family over one more swing, hosting Knoxville’s Korn Ferry Tour event, training for 29029, playing alongside Tiger Woods, and what the other side of hard looks like when the thing that defined you is gone. One of the most honest conversations we’ve had. Thank you to our sponsors Rho Nutrition: https://rhonutrition.com/ [https://rhonutrition.com/] Code “RIDEOUT” Ken’s book now available here: https://www.theothersideofhard.com/ [https://www.theothersideofhard.com/] Chapters (00:00) Meet Scott Stallings (00:14) Roots and Accents (01:34) Golf Beginnings (02:02) Tiger Spark Moment (03:20) Why Golf Connects (03:58) Speedgolf Explained (06:08) Growing the Game (08:22) Late Bloomer Path (11:36) Tour Card Reality (13:52) Life on the Road (14:31) Never Off a Heater (19:43) Heater Ends Fast (20:38) Sponsor Break NAD (21:48) Money and Mindset (25:44) Winning Changes Everything (29:43) Imposter Syndrome Drive (32:11) Runner Mindset Parallels (35:46) Competitive Lens (36:34) Easy Days Discipline (37:06) Golf Injury Breakdown (38:36) Three Surgeries Rehab (40:39) Running Boston Goal (43:29) Boston Marathon Joy (47:45) Big Marathon Logistics (49:55) Return to Golf Plan (55:09) Elbow Setback Scare (58:49) Doctors End Career (01:02:53) Nerve Surgery Recovery (01:05:29) Identity Family Shift (01:06:54) Career Highlights Tiger (01:11:31) Majors Versus Regular (01:12:51) Major Prep Logistics (01:13:50) Slow Practice Rounds (01:15:44) Golf Course Fights (01:17:48) Fighting Levels and Jiu Jitsu (01:20:42) Weather Mental Edge (01:22:37) Memorial and Tiger Story (01:23:52) Tiger Crowd Etiquette (01:28:02) Tiger Trash Talk 67 (01:31:32) LIV and Golf Future (01:33:41) Walking Miles and Ultras (01:35:33) 29029 Training Tips (01:40:17) Sponsors and Next Steps (01:42:54) Closing and Subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]