EP166 - Beyond Physical Limits: The Mental Journey of Ultra-Endurance with Sean Conway
In this episode, Tyler Dickerhoof sits down with world record-breaking ultra-endurance athlete Sean Conway. Known for his unparalleled achievements, Sean shares his remarkable journey from completing 105 consecutive Ironman triathlons to becoming the first person to swim the length of Britain.
Together, they explore the mental and physical resilience required to push beyond one's limits, the role of community support in achieving greatness, and the balance between personal ambition and family commitments. Sean also opens up about his transformation from a professional photographer to an endurance athlete, revealing the driving force behind his relentless pursuit of challenges.
Meet Sean Conway
Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, Sean had an adventurous upbringing in the Mana Pools National Park. He spent his early years climbing trees and chasing elephants out of his garden, and this unique childhood has been the fuel for his adventurous ambitions.
Well-known for his quirky take on endurance sports and adventures, Sean came to the UK in 2002 with just £100 in his wallet and started working in Cambridge cutting 12,000 letuces a day and then as a freelance photographer in London, whilst living in a tiny room in London with 7 other people, spending any cash he earned on various travels and bonkers adventures.
Sean Conway is now a multiple world record breaking ultra endurance athlete. In 2011 Sean had nothing to his name after selling his photography business for £1 with a dream of cycling around the world. Sean was in a severe accident on that round the world cycle whereby he got run over, suffering a fractured spine. Determined not to give up he continued to cycle another 12,000 miles around the world. A decade on from that bike ride Sean didn’t give up on his dream of pushing boundaries and he now has multiple world records to his name and is considered to be one of the most accomplished ultra endurance athletes of his generation.
Sean famously broke the world record for completing 105 ironmans in 105 days. A feat no other human on the planet has ever done. He was also the first person to swim the length of Britain, is the only person to have completed a length of Britain triathlon, has completed the world's longest triathlon of 4200 miles, and has the world record for the fastest self supported cycle across Europe navigating 1600 miles of Ukraine and Russian roads in the process. He’s also cycled around the world, run a marathon in every UK national park, completed a triathlon around Wales and is the founder of the global running challenge called The 496 Challenge.
Sean has written 6 books and has 3 documentaries on Amazon Prime. He has talked to the likes of Google, Microsoft and M&S as well as having done a prestigious TEDx talk. His story on resilience, determination and not giving up when things go wrong provide an inspiring narrative for people to use in their own work, and personal lives..
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
00:00 Intro
02:22 What is an Ironman?
06:07 The journey to 105 Ironmans
12:19 The mindset of leadership in endurance sports
15:48 Juggling endurance sports, family, and life
21:57 Why the chase is worth more than the result
25:42 The psychological vs. physical demands in endurance sports
29:38 The 10.5 Pillars of Endurance
39:19 Chasing dreams later in life
44:18 Building a support system
Resources, books, and links mentioned in this episode:
Connect with Sean:
https://www.instagram.com/seanconwayadventure/
https://twitter.com/conway_sean
https://www.youtube.com/c/conseanway
Where to find Tyler:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerdickerhoof
https://www.instagram.com/tyler_dickerhoof/
https://www.youtube.com/@impactdrivenleader/
https://twitter.com/ImpactDLeader
About the Impact Driven Leader Podcast
The Impact Driven Leader Podcast, hosted by Tyler Dickerhoof, is for Xillennial leaders who have felt alone and ill-equipped to lead in today's world. Through inspiring interviews with authors from around the world, Tyler uncovers how unique leadership strengths can empower others to achieve so much more, with real impact.
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