Victory Laps With Sarah Wassner Flynn

Josh Hageman is someone I’ve known for a few years through the local triathlon community. He’s a multidimensional person: He’s a father and a husband, a dog dad, an athlete, a model and commercial actor and even has a side hustle making and selling artisanal marshmallows. What always stands out to me about Josh is that he is truly a choose-your-own adventure kind of guy: He has come up with some epic athletic endeavors simply because he wants to push his own limits and break his own boundaries. A lot of what he has done, including a recent 43-mile jaunt around a local track, which we’ll get into, are totally on his own and done with little to no fanfare. It’s that kind of self-starter attitude and spirit I think we can all adopt as we march into 2021 with still no guarantee that life will be back to "normal." So why not make our own fun? Josh certainly has. Here, he chats about some of those adventures as well as what drives him to do it all. I hope you enjoy.

Fresh off the race of her lifetime, Clarice Lorenzini breaks down Ironman Florida, where she qualified for her pro card by placing 2nd overall among all amateur women in 9 hours and 44 minutes. Not only that, she posted the 3rd fastest run split among *all* women, including the pros with a 3:07 marathon split, which was a 23-minute PR. This was a redemption of sorts as Clarice's last race was a huge personal disappointment, and because of the pandemic, she was forced to wait over a year to compete again. Clarice discusses how she stayed focused on the big picture over the last mine months despite not knowing when her next race would be, as well as what has kept her motivated throughout all of the uncertainty. And, of course, she describes the race itself and how it all went down. I am so excited for Clarice and her future as a pro triathlete. It's going to be so bright! Follow Clarice on instagram @claricelorenzini. 

When Glenn Hartrick was paralyzed from the chest down after a tragic accident, he was just weeks removed from finishing an Ironman. Prior to that, he was on the cover of Runner's World. Glenn's life was changed forever, but he refused to feel defeated. Instead, Glenn began to pursue marathons and triathlons as a physically challenged athlete. He set big goals, and he conquered them, even qualifying for the Ironman World Championships in 2018. Glenn is the epitome of perseverance and positivity and that shines through in this conversation. He also reminisces on the NYC Marathon and his race in Kona, which bring all the feels in a year when both of those epic events have been cancelled.

This week, I'm chatting with Ashley Weishaar. Ashley and I met as freshmen at Mount Saint Mary’s University (Go Mount!) where we ran on the cross country and track teams together. And Ashley wasn’t just a runner: She jumped into just about every event there was, and even set a school record in the pole vault that stood for a few years. But despite being the picture of health and athleticism, Ashley's health took a serious turn not long after we graduated when she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an auto-immune disease that attacks the colon. Ashley, a mom of five (!), bravely battled this disease for 17 years before coming to a crossroads when the disease was no longer manageable. Her doctor gave her the grim news that her colitis had progressed to the point where it really came between life and death.  So, she made the brave decision to under go a total colectomy three years ago. And, today she is celebrating her victory lap, colon–and disease–free. I am so honored Ashley agreed to share this very personal story with Victory Laps listeners. Through her vulnerability and optimism, I know she will provide hope to others, especially those going through any auto-immune disease or other health challenges.