LET'S GO!
2024 Olympian Dan Galubovich
Dan's story is one of discovering a passion late but committing fully to reach the pinnacle of his sport. At 18, he found his calling in track and field and hasn't looked back. We explore the personal and physical discipline required to compete at the highest level, along with the mental toughness needed to excel both on the field and in high-stakes professions like firefighting. Whether it’s the dream of scoring big at the Olympics or the challenges of raising young children, Dan's experiences resonate with the universal struggle to achieve balance in life.
As Dan prepares for his Olympic debut representing Australia, he reflects on the serendipitous moments and the unwavering support of his family that brought him here. His journey from Duke University to the international stage is filled with inspiring anecdotes and a deep sense of purpose. This episode is a testament to what can be achieved through hard work, faith, and the incredible power of family support. Tune in to hear Dan’s thrilling journey and the invaluable life lessons he's learned along the way.
Thanks for taking the time to listen in. Please leave us 5 stars on Spotify & Apple Podcasts with a review. THANK YOU!
Dan's story is one of discovering a passion late but committing fully to reach the pinnacle of his sport. At 18, he found his calling in track and field and hasn't looked back. We explore the personal and physical discipline required to compete at the highest level, along with the mental toughness needed to excel both on the field and in high-stakes professions like firefighting. Whether it’s the dream of scoring big at the Olympics or the challenges of raising young children, Dan's experiences resonate with the universal struggle to achieve balance in life.
As Dan prepares for his Olympic debut representing Australia, he reflects on the serendipitous moments and the unwavering support of his family that brought him here. His journey from Duke University to the international stage is filled with inspiring anecdotes and a deep sense of purpose. This episode is a testament to what can be achieved through hard work, faith, and the incredible power of family support. Tune in to hear Dan’s thrilling journey and the invaluable life lessons he's learned along the way.
Thanks for taking the time to listen in. Please leave us 5 stars on Spotify & Apple Podcasts with a review. THANK YOU!
I hope I say this right, dan Galubovich.
Speaker 2:On the money. That's perfect.
Speaker 1:All right, Dan, welcome to the podcast. Thank you so much for spending the time to come on here with me and Jordan. So everybody knows you're on the opposite side of Southern California right now of the world, I should say, because me and Jordan are in SoCal. Where are you at right now?
Speaker 2:I am in Montpellier, France. I am a long, long ways away.
Speaker 1:Yo, my goodness, now this is great. We've been actually trying to get you on here for a while. You and I have been talking.
Speaker 2:I want to say it's probably been two years of chatting every once in a while. It's been a little while. Yeah, it's been a bit.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm glad we got the virtual set up. You finally get to see and meet Jordan. The great part about this is so people know Dan has a brother named Doug Galubovich I hope I said it right. Doug is actually a good friend of mine, dan, and so everybody else here knows that's listening. And I met doug skydiving. He was flying the plane. This young, like 19 year old kid dude it was trippy. I was kind of like so who's the pilot? And this like tall, good looking dude comes walking out. I was like he looks like he's like 19 years old he's like I am dude, you were good yeah total survivor vibes, dude, oh, this and that.
Speaker 1:What was really cool trust me, dude I got this yeah, he was like he was super cool but like he was uh, he was like a total believer in christ, which is super, super cool, because at that time I had totally walked away and he was one of the first influences, I think was that kind of that seed that brought me back. It took me a couple of years, but it was just so cool to see someone like him working hard, young, flying, going after his dreams, being a believer. And it was in Vegas is where I met him. I was learning to skydive, which is crazy. So yeah, a little little background story here. So people know, like there's a little uh history with your family, which is, which is pretty rad. Dude. I appreciate your brother a lot, man, just so you know you got a good dude.
Speaker 2:I he's. He's very good dude. Yeah, he's, um I I can't even put words to it, but's he's come a long way himself and, uh, I'm super proud of him as well yeah, no, he's, he's cool man, so we're gonna get both you guys back on here one and we get some real, real dirt to the family would, would love to you'll.
Speaker 1:You'll get the brotherly dynamic, I'm sure well, dude, damn, we're here to talk about you today, which is amazing, um. So, first off, a huge congratulations from myself and jordan, because, um, you qualified and are now in the olympics right uh yeah, as far as, as far as I'm aware.
Speaker 2:That's why I'm in france at the moment. We're um just out here getting prepared and headed into the athlete village in 10 days wow oh my god okay yeah, uh j.
Speaker 1:If you want to ask him, go for it, dude.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, no, I just just, you know, a couple of preliminary questions as far as, like you know, what are you competing in and just kind of the build up on like you know how you got started essentially. Did you start as a young kid or was it a late? You know kind of high school decision where you're like man, I'm at this, or you know how did I go about?
Speaker 2:yeah, dude. So, uh, this is a very, very long story. Um so, please, if at any point cut me off, you're good so you, you set up, you set up this question perfectly.
Speaker 2:You're starting to talk about my brother because young surfer kid flying the plane, cruising around the world, skydiving, about doing this, every crazy thing that he can put his hands to, um, that's, that's very much how we grew up, like we, we played sports when we were kids, all the traditional stuff soccer, baseball, basketball. Um, as soon as we kind of got into those like early teen years, teen years, it like sick, motocross, bmx, my brother was surf, skate, snowboard, everything Any bit of adrenaline. We just kind of chased Along with that. Dad had certain rules like keep us out of trouble. He wanted to keep us in team sport.
Speaker 2:So for me, yeah, for me, the only thing that I hadn't played was track and field. Yeah, for me, the only thing that I hadn't played was track and field. Um, I did a, I did a bit of running when I was a kid, just like fun runs and things. And um, dad, basically I was like I don't want to run. Man like that just sounds exhausting. I'm right there with you, dude, yeah. So, yeah, 100, I was like 15, uh, yeah, like 15. At the time I was like I don't want to run, um, and dad like pretty much grabbed me by the arm hand, delivered me to the high school coach, to my high school coach, and said here he could run, and he's tall, put him where you need him. Um, wow, nice.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, so I I started as a high jumper, um, and I was like you know, this is kind of fun, you get to jump over stuff, it's. It was what it was. I. I picked it up pretty quickly um my senior year. I started getting good in my junior year of high school. My senior year, um, I was like high jump's pretty cool. I like that whole adrenaline thing. Let me go try the pole vault right Now. That's one where we, instead of jumping like six feet in the air, we grab a big stick and try and throw ourselves like 15 feet in the air or more. I was like, all right, if I'm going to do something, I want to do something like a little bit more hectic. So I had a really fantastic jumps coach and a really fantastic pole vault coach from from the get-go. They saw potential in me right away, um, and they saw how I just kind of I think, probably because I played so many different sports growing up I just had um, a feel, um, and I could pick things up quickly.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And um and um, yeah, they put me in the pole vault and as soon as I picked that up, my coach was actually a decathlete himself. So, to go well, to answer your first question, I am a decathlete, I compete in the decathlon and will be competing in the decathlon in the olympics.
Speaker 3:Um, let's go, baby Heck, yeah, man.
Speaker 2:That's so sick. It's a sport. That is just a big puzzle, and for those that don't know.
Speaker 1:It's 10 track and field events over the course of two days 10 track and field events over two. Isn't there a limit to how many you can do in one day, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So it's the same schedule, um, in terms of like order, the events every every decathlon, just as like a standard as standardization, um. So basically, the order goes 100 meter long jump shot, put high jump, 400 meter, and that's day one. Um come out for day two 110 meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and the 1500 meter um finishing, yeah, finishing, all of that with essentially a one mile run as fast as you can go. Is that one's a bear? A lot of times it turns into more of a limp home, but it's, yeah, it's a good time.
Speaker 1:Dude, Dan, that's a lot to qualify for.
Speaker 2:So the thing is, though, is it's only one event. So I go 10 times over, I compete in 10 different things, but all of that is only one event at the Olympics. So it's kind of like um it's it's so like there are specialist long jumpers and hurdlers and things. Um. We just kind of um, are like the well-rounded kind of ones that just dabble in a bit of everything Um, and it's got its own strategy. So it's a. It's a strange comparison, but think Bruce Jenner right back in the seventies, eighties, I mean he was the man, monster and yeah.
Speaker 2:So that's. That's kind of what we're trying to put together is just balancing, balancing the strategy for how to be a good 100 meter sprinter as well as a shot put thrower as well as a 1500 meter runner.
Speaker 3:Um so just to get just to clarify with that, it's so each of these like so for shot put. Let's say, for example, they have an individual event of shot put isolated. So that would be like you're saying like the specialists come in and then the decathletes, you're competing in all of these events but you take the well-rounded score of all of them so and then that's what your combination total for the win, like at the end, is right for the win, like at the end, is right essentially.
Speaker 2:Essentially, yeah, key point. Key point being, though, is we're not actually competing with the open and, like the specialist guys, we compete 24 other decathletes okay.
Speaker 3:So the decathlete are only, you're only in the decathlete group, whereas the specialists are the ice, like the. I don't want to say isolated, but the single event. Competitors are only in those ones, and that's it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so the the shot putters only train for the shot put. That's their entire career. That's um and where we've got 10, essentially 10 different disciplines that all wrap up into one.
Speaker 3:So let me ask you a quick question. When you're walking around, you know are like the decathletes, like like I feel like you guys are like the cool guys, where it's like you're like I'm good at all this, just so you guys know, important distinction to make here is the catholics are the ones where we get labeled as a bit psycho.
Speaker 2:Um, it's, it's a very it's like. It's like someone that wants to go run, run a marathon or run an iron man like I don't want to go run a marathon, that's so much running, right, right, um, but there's that, there's that like I'll put it out there that davidgins kind of thing, like I'm going to beat this thing. I'm in, I'm here, I'm here to defeat the challenge itself. I'm here to push myself to that limit, um, and every, every sport kind of has that. It's just it at least my personal opinion being in it for so long.
Speaker 2:That's kind of what made me fell in love with it is. It was the most, it was like trying to herd a bunch of cats, the most challenging thing where you've got challenges coming at you from every direction. Um, so I don't, I wouldn't say the distinction here is is we're good at everything, um, but we're not great at anything Right. So, like you, if you put us there, there's a couple of the Catholics in the world that can compete in maybe one individual event with a specialist, but it's very rare and typically there's quite a significant difference in performance when you get someone that solely trains for one event versus one of us.
Speaker 3:But I think in like the measure.
Speaker 3:Oh no, you're good, good, sorry, I think with like the measure oh no, you're good, good, sorry, uh, I think with like the measure of like athleticism, right, I think a decathlete like you, you, you check all the boxes, right, running, throwing, agility, all of these things, you know, I, I don't to me. I always think that the decathletes are like it's, it's fun to watch, you know, cause they like man, like you know, it's like when you watch this, I mean obviously like uh, when you have a solo event person that they're the specialist is what they're deemed right, like it's amazing to see someone operate at such high level and efficiency, but to have like to be, you know, obviously you're not saying you're the best in the world at one thing, but you're one of the greatest like athletes because you can do all these things at such a high level, like there's a lot of admiration, I think in that. And what a, what a cool thing. You've come a long way from not wanting to run when you're 15 to be a 100. Thanks, dad. Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you, dad yeah, I mean dude you both hit on some good points, but you said something, dan, like David Goggins and I've always believed this because we've watched the Olympics, right, all of us growing up I mean even X Games that was like, oh, that was the best right, the best of the best when it comes to skateboarding. And remember Street Luge. I love Street Luge.
Speaker 3:Of course you do.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I love Street Luge. Street Luge is amazing dude. Yeah, it's sick, but to get to your level with the other elite athletes that you're with, you kind of have to have a mindset like David Goggins a little bit dude, because the discipline I'm talking discipline in so many different areas, not just for you what you're competing, but your sleep, your diet, how much you work out, how much you rest. I mean I, I know that's it's probably a lot that you are disciplined in that you do, and I don't think people understand that it's not like all of you who get to olympics. This just happened over a couple years, like you've been training for this ever since you started, I would imagine right back in high school.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I and I and I started particularly late. Um, I'll, I. I normally signify the beginning of at least. At least where they'll give you a bit of an insight to where my mindset goes is I, I'll.
Speaker 2:I considered the beginning of my professional career that led me to this point when I turned 18, because when I turned 18, that was my senior year of high school, when I started the decathlon and when I fell in love with it, right when I did my first one, it was like this is wicked. I got some attention for it. That led me into university. University made me fall in love with it more, because it was my first exposure into like a regimented, a regimented program where you can see these like definite improvements. Like you go see progression one week to the next to the next, of how much you're lifting in the gym, how fast you're running on the track, how far you're throwing or jumping or any of this, and it's's like it was that pursuit of progression and the self-improvement.
Speaker 2:I guess that was really just fascinating to me. The discipline side comes with it and that's a combination of personality, but it's also just practice, like if you find something that you love, no matter what it is, and or at least something that you want, that you really want. You're going to chase after it and the discipline will come. That's like, and it is very much a practice skill and it becomes like your lifestyle. So it's it gets easier. You're not having to think and change and if you just kind of react and it becomes who you are, and that's kind of what this has become for me it's, it's very intertwined with my entire persona.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah. How old are you?
Speaker 2:I'm 30. I'll be 31 at the end of the year.
Speaker 1:Wow, look at my guy, guy dude, and I'm sure getting to the olympics has been a dream, right?
Speaker 2:this is what you've wanted uh, 100, I, I, I wanted it even before I wanted it. Um, I, my mom, my mom tells me a story all the time and like, especially like, look, everyone has bad days. And when I, when I speak to my family, they go back to like this image that they have of me as a kid where we're watching, all watching the olympics together. I was tiny, I couldn't even speak barely yet, um, and I was like jumping up and down in front of the tv, like saying yippix, yippix, just like, so excited about watching athletes on the TV, I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. So, going through like every single sport that I played when I was younger, it was always something in my head. It's like I wanted to do this. I wanted to be a professional athlete. It just came really late in my career to kind of isolate what sport that was.
Speaker 1:That's all right, but, dude, I'm big on timing. I I think I'm a firm believer that nothing is by accident or chance. You know, I do think timing is everything and especially we know this working as firefighters right, all the preparation and training and time, and it's like it's for those calls that we call low frequency, high risk. We don't get them often, but when they do, it's go time like you have to be 100. You can't miss a thing. Because I was. I was like I was watching that new show on netflix. I'm sure you saw both the sprinters.
Speaker 1:It's a documentary right yeah, and I I didn't think about it, but one of them said something uh, like it wasn't. It's like getting the world title and then get into olympics. They train their whole life for like nine seconds, nine or ten seconds. I was just like when it hit me, I'm like, dude, that's, that's, that's insane. That's so much time and mental toughness and physical toughness and preparation, and like it all comes down to nine seconds, you can't be before the start, you don't want to be too late. I mean, dude, that's some high pressure. Like what you're doing is a lot of pressure. I, I've never wanted to go to the olympics. I was like I'll just, I'm good man, I'll be skydiving, you know, I think that's what that's what adds to the uh, like the allure of it.
Speaker 3:Like you said, you're kind of chasing that adrenaline a little bit. So when it's that game time, feeling that this is your moment, feeling I feel like I've never competed at a high level in that way. So as far as any sports or anything, I guess, like tim I could say equate to like maybe our jobs kind of has a little similarity in that to where we train for so long for an incident or a situation that when it does hit, I mean that's kind of like our thrill-seeking side of it. You know which is kind of a not to make it a weird thing but like you know what I mean, like that, that finding that you know that feeling what motivates you thing. But like you know what I mean Like that, that that finding that you know that feeling what motivates you.
Speaker 3:And I could only imagine you know, on such a high level, like such as, like the Olympics, I mean this is it man, like this is this is the pinnacle, pinnacle of it. And you know, like you said, you're like 30 years old dude, like the, the, the preparation, the training, the diets, you know the regimens that you do like you're prime time right now. This is this, is it? You know? And uh, what, what amazing opportunity this is. And, um, actually, I want to ask you what, what, uh, what university did you go to?
Speaker 2:Uh. So I spent four years at UC San Diego um study economics and finance, and then I had a little mishap academically.
Speaker 3:My first quarter, they will say uh you mean a young guy in San Diego?
Speaker 2:No, more, more like a uh, more like a guy falling in love with a sport that uh chose to run instead of going to class.
Speaker 1:Respect that. I respect it.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Column A, column B yeah, and then because of that I was ineligible to compete. So I had a red shirt year and I went to Duke for a year to get a master's in management, and so I competed for Duke for a year.
Speaker 1:Dude, you got a master's degree.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Dude educated jawline of a Greek god.
Speaker 3:What else don't you do, Tim? Take away the tan. You're not allowed to have tan. You're coming out here. I'm one of the best athletes in the world.
Speaker 1:Jordan got his bachelor's a couple years ago. I got mine like three or four Doing it after we actually were in a career. I'm working on my master's right now. I have three classes left, dan. I can't tell you how often daily I want to quit. I'm so over writing. I don't want to write another paper. I got, like I probably have I don't know 12 more papers to write between the three classes, right, and then do my test and defense all that stuff at the end. And I did 14 classes, bro, and that's why, to anyone who's got like graduate degrees, god bless you. You're awesome, you're amazing because it's terrible. It's a terrible thing to go through. So what is your master's in?
Speaker 2:So I went to the Fuqua School of Business the business school out there and I got a master's in management. It was a one-year, essentially business degree.
Speaker 1:What don't you do? You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:I don't skydive.
Speaker 1:Stop. Once you're done with the Olympics, dude, we're going to Jordan. Who wants to jump out of a plane, man One tandem flight One tandem. Okay.
Speaker 2:I've been on one tandem, uh, and it was, it was wicked, it was wicked. I think, uh, I think if I'm going, if I'm going back to action stuff and adrenaline stuff, I think I I might stay, spend the majority of my time on the ground, though I got you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's uh. So I I've gotten married recently and I have my first, my daughter, born here in October, and yeah, congratulations thank you, I appreciate it. Man and I love skydiving, dude paragliding. I do the same with your brother, right, I do all the paragliding and skydiving. But now I'm like maybe I need to slow down a little bit, like.
Speaker 3:I want to see my grandkids one day, you know you think dude. I mean Like I want to see my grandkids one day, you know, you think, dude, I mean, you got to do what you got to do to make yourself happy. I get that. Yeah, I'm telling you, as soon as your baby's here, dude, you'll be like a little different.
Speaker 1:Might need to stop this. Might need to stop this. Oh Dan, dan real quick is there any way, you can bring your camera angle down, so we get your head let me your body and head in the shot there you go. Yeah, let me do this just so we can try and look, even on the air.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you just low-key wants to flex on camera, that's all yeah, it's a little I'm just trying to single is going to be really good for you, bro, I am not.
Speaker 2:I am actually married and I have a young daughter as well.
Speaker 3:Stop it, oh no way. Awesome, look at my guy dude. Okay, well, sorry, this is great.
Speaker 1:He's not available. Yeah, we're doing a podcast and we got all girl dads on here. I just, you know I want to keep talking about what you're doing, trust me. But, bro, I've been stressed. I've been telling Jordan I'm like how do I have a daughter? Like I know how it was before I came back to Lauren, how it was in my 20s. Why did I not have a son first? What's going on here, man?
Speaker 3:I'm stressed, I'm stressed hey, why did I not have a son first? What's going on here, man? I'm stressed, I'm stressed hey, it's just day by day, dude, that's all. And you enjoy it. And I have sons and I have a daughter, and I can assure you the daughter is probably going to be super chill and it changes your world.
Speaker 1:Oh my goodness dude.
Speaker 2:How old?
Speaker 3:are yours, jordan, your world, oh, my goodness dude, yeah, so do you, yours, jordan? Uh, I have, uh, I have two sons that are four and two years old, and, uh, my daughter is, um well, just over six months old, beautiful oh, congratulations thanks, yeah, so we're in the, yeah, we're in the early phases of all of them right now, so you are truly in the thick of it. That's why we're filming this from my garage, otherwise I'd be sitting by Tim. Well, I mean this brings up something really good too.
Speaker 1:I mean, dan, to pursue your dreams in the Olympics and to be married with a daughter. I'm sure that's just a lot to have on your plate. I mean, how do you manage that? Right, because Jordan and I talk about this all the time. We see it in our careers as firefighters, where a lot of our fellow brothers and sisters will work the extra hours, right, work the extra overtime because you want to provide, you're trying to buy homes and fix things up and pay for school, but what you're really doing is you're you're, you're giving up of your time that you can have with your family. Right, and that's the one thing I I've always talked to people like, what we're all fighting for is time. That's the whole reason of being rich is because it gives you time. It's not the things, it's the time. You don't have to work, you can be home, you know. And so we're trying to always find that even balance of how do I work enough to provide but also spend enough time at home to be with my kids and my wife? Because, at the end of the day, right, dan, like all my degrees or whatever, or my promotions at work and the things that I do. You know, I can't take it with me when I die.
Speaker 1:You know, these are the things I've always thought about so many times, dude, and I just said it in the last podcast. I was telling someone the other day right, they did a study, I think it was like 100 or 200 mortuaries, right, and they talked to the funeral directors, right, and they asked them how long is the average eulogy? And I just looked at it again it's 8 to 12 minutes. So your life and everything you've done is summed up in 8 to 12 minutes. That hit me, dude. I was just like wait a minute, what? Where am I putting my time?
Speaker 2:That's me, dude. I was like wait a minute, when am I putting my time? That's wild, right? That's heavy. Yeah, that's insane.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's why I always ask somebody in your shoes, in your caliber, what you're doing and living. You're living in Australia, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, living in Brisbane currently.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So I mean, dude, you got a lot going on, but you're succeeding and you're doing well. How do you manage that? How does an Olympic athlete manage their home life with all the training that they have to do?
Speaker 2:Well, I'll add another piece to the puzzle here as well. I also work full time for Shell Energy, so I work in nine to five. What?
Speaker 3:all right, I have no more excuses but you're that busy.
Speaker 2:That being said, I'm a very busy man. I'm very busy man. I started working for shell, um, uh, in 2022 and I've been on, been to two world championships commonwealth games and now in olympic games. In that time, um, it's been consistent like 70 80 hour weeks, but my daughter is only my daughter is only four weeks old as of Friday, so I can't say I've been managing the sorry four months old as of Friday. I was like four weeks bro, as of no, no, no, four months old as of Friday. I was going to say as of last week, so I got my words confused. But she's four months old now.
Speaker 2:She is a little sweetheart and this is this is something that's been like what everything you just said kind of really resonated, because I I've spent, by the time I see her again, I will have spent half of her life away from her, which in itself kills me, um, and it's it's like it just just everything that you're talking about now balancing family and balancing your own goals and a career, and I think, um, one of the one of the best things that I or the best ways that I think of it anyways is to get scientific, um, fourth dimensionally right.
Speaker 2:Everyone talks about time. Um, there's a time and there's a place for everything. Um, and I'm kind of in in pursuing this dream and pursuing this success now. Um, I basically am thinking about putting myself into a bit of debt now to then accelerate and try and benefit my future later, because that's one thing that is more important to me than anything is is family, and especially since, since my daughter was born, it's like it's a completely different world, like I it's, it's changed my brain chemistry to where it's like the way I think about everything is completely and entirely different. Um, so it's something that is that that in itself is going to be a massive challenge for me.
Speaker 3:I know, coming off of um, the olympics and trying, having to trying to figure out how to balance all of that in itself, um, I don't know if I answered your question, but no, you totally did I think that's good, I think that's really good insight, you know, I mean especially you know, because you're in in a field of like flexibility, essentially right, because you're trying to learn and be dynamic and kind of go with the flow and find that groove of things. And to add to what you're saying, tim, I think you know, obviously, I think there's no real answer to those questions of how do you balance it right, there's no book, there's no blueprint, there's no like, because what works for you may not work for me, that works for dan, or vice versa, whatever, right. So you can only do your best and I think being in that mindset either way is going to put you ahead of the game. You know, just because you're trying, you're being cognizant, you're, you're, you're working in that environment, I think you're always going to feel I mean, I mean I do. I say that personally because you know I work a lot and with our job I'm gone away, you know, from days at a time sometimes, and I always have that feeling in the back of my head. And you know I did so four months, you're, you're in the early stages of it too, and I'm only four years into it. So it's like my kids are still young too, but there isn't a day when I go to work where I'm just like man, I would absolutely rather be at home with my family, and you know.
Speaker 3:But there also is a side that you know you're the father you're providing. You're doing that with also pursuing your personal interests as far as wanting to be a successful athlete, and you know, kind of use something with these gifts that are given to you, you know, with the hard work and determination and everything, and I think it's very commendable, you know. But I think, like, going back to what you said, like Tim, I just I don't think there's a right or wrong way to do it. I think there's just the way that you're going to try to do it and as long as you have other people's interests at heart, you know that will kind of dictate the path, choices and the amount of time. And plus, you know, in a weird way it does make it exciting when you do get to spend time with your family, when you're gone for a little bit, you know, because you're excited to be there. You know you're not in the day in, day out, every single day, you know. So there are, there are some, plus, you know stuff to it. But at the end of the day, I think I think that you know we're all sitting here talking about this.
Speaker 3:I think it's a it's good to show you know people that, like this is how, this is how, this is the how you do it part right. You, you still stay focused, you still set goals and achieve those goals and push forward while maintaining the work life balance. And you know, it's like in a weird way it's like you're doing it already. You know you are doing what you should be doing. You know it's just what's funny, because when you get asked that question, like because someone's at you, know how do you do it? I'm like I don't know, I just I show up, you know. You know you figure it out on the fly, which I feel like has kind of been a lot of my life just in general.
Speaker 3:But it tends to work, you know, and as long as you have those others, you know like what you said is most important to you, if that's family, then you're always going to have that on your mind and I'm sure there's things that that helps push you to be better.
Speaker 3:You know athlete, to be a better worker. You know to kind of keep pushing those thresholds, because I think one thing that you know a lot of cause I would consider we're probably all a little bit type A personalities, right, it's that drive, you know, and that's that's that, that Goggins thing, that when you wake up and you're like, you know, get up, do it again. I don't want to cuss a bunch, but you know, don't be a bitch baby. You know, and you know at the end of the day, you know that's, it's awesome and I think that's commendable and like, especially someone in your situation, you know like people are going to be looking up to you and they see that, they see that it's achievable. It's like I can't have a family, I can't pursue my dreams, I can't pursue my goals and achieve them.
Speaker 3:You know, because the other half of this is that you keep pushing, you don't get anywhere sometimes that can be extraordinarily frustrating but you know, if you stick to the game plan, you stick to that path, you know you'll, you'll be rewarded in the end and I think that's awesome and very commendable well you touched on.
Speaker 2:You touched on something a couple times there, both directly and indirectly, that has been a major focus of my past year, both home life, work life, training life, and it's the idea of just being dynamic and being adaptable, like we've worked so hard and like my personality has always and always and naturally being just work, work, work, work, work.
Speaker 2:If there's a session on the books, I'm going to run that session and either where I tear a hamstring or whether I throw up, I'm just going to keep going. Um, and especially as I get older uh, put it just bringing it back to athletics a little bit but as I get older, as I don't recover, as well as the body gets quicker, bigger, faster, stronger, but also you're pushing closer to that line of injury and this and that we've tried to bring that back into a constant assessment of do I need to do this? What's going to be the most bang for the buck? And like responding to things in the most like equal way possible to get the job done on the whole. Like people I've found that have that success can see the whole picture, the whole battlefield from the bird's eye view. They don't just get locked into this one piece of the puzzle that has to be this done way, they're always adapting and changing their strategies to what suits the immediate kind of environment.
Speaker 3:Absolutely, absolutely immediate kind of environment?
Speaker 1:yeah, absolutely, and it's uh. It's so funny because, like when you see people who are successful, that do well in life, there's people only see when you're on that mountaintop, right, they don't see the work that has gone behind it. The hours from home for us volunteering before we get hired, working terrible jobs. I mean, as a kid I would think, oh, olympians, all they do is train. They get paid. I know a lot that have full-time jobs and they're still trying to get in the Olympics and train and do all that. I mean it's commendable. That's a lot, dude. That takes dedication, it takes grit, the determination. But, like you said, it's like we have this kind of saying in the fire service where when you start promoting, like jordan, jordan's a, he's a leader, he's an officer in our fire department, right, cool, right, yeah, so he has to look at yeah he's gonna when we go to fires.
Speaker 1:He's looking at things from the 20,000-foot perspective, right, Whereas the firefighters that he's leading, they're kind of more at the 1,000-foot perspective because, all right, you're just being told what to do. Go put that fire out. Where he's looking out for safety, are there civilians stuck inside? How much of the house is involved? Have I got a 360 of this building? Do we have a water supply? Do we have two into it?
Speaker 1:There's so much that you have to see, but you're so right on that, like when you can start looking at things from a bigger perspective and understand like, hey, the payoff in the years down the road of what I'm trying to get to is worth what I'm going through. Now. You will all like, I've noticed, I can put myself through anything. I'll suffer, I'll do what I have to do, I'll take the classes, I'll work to late nights. Um, like, I used to run 50, 60 mile runs, right, to get to that point, oh, bro, it was. They were long, like this dude. You're talking like 15, 14, 15 hours of running, but to get to that point, oh yeah, it's gnarly bro, it's cool man. Yeah, yeah, but I was saying it was like dude, that's wild. I remember training for those for years. I was doing it for years, but it's like it didn't just happen overnight. It started with all right, I'm gonna start running three miles, okay after that for a few months.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna bump this up to half marathon did a couple of marathons. I'm going to do a marathon now. Did a couple of marathons. All right, I'm going to keep my training because I'm at a pretty high level. I'm going to keep pushing and see how far I can go and next thing, you know, you're later running my first, you know, ultra marathon, which is wild, so so all to say yeah, all to say is like nothing's handed to any, any of us, right, our success, internet, like it just doesn't happen overnight.
Speaker 1:You know I'm saying, and it's it to me, it's um I, I teach at a college, the fire classes, and I always tell them, if you know your why, you'll be able to fight for anything that you're going for. You know there's, there's a reason that you gotta have something to fight for and live for and what you want for your future family and your goals. Because reality is right, dan, we got one shot. I mean that that's straight up. Like you got one shot and I'd tell people you got three solid decades. You got your 20s, your 30s, your 40s by your 50s. I don't know, you know, hopefully. You know, hopefully, stuff went okay, your body's still doing okay.
Speaker 1:But it's like if you would have told me I'm gonna be 38 years old and I'm having my first daughter, I wouldn't have believed you years ago. I was just doing my own thing, having fun, you know. So it's like use your time wisely. Where am I putting my time? That comes back to that whole issue of family, but going after your goals, but also providing work money. So, yeah, to see someone like yourself. Being able to do what you're doing is encouraging. It's rad, it's amazing. I even know your brother. It's like dude when you hit me up like I gotta come on, like, hold on, damn, figure out this virtual thing.
Speaker 1:No idea what I'm doing, but we're gonna figure this out, dude. Yeah, yeah, so it's awesome. Now I do have a question for you. Yeah, you were born in the USA, right?
Speaker 2:Yes, correct.
Speaker 1:Okay. So what was your decision-making point to? I don't know if you want to say I hope I'm saying this right, but try out for the Olympics in Australia or australia, or go for the australian team instead of usa or even like over to australia first.
Speaker 2:You know what got, what got you over there so that that's another long story in itself, um, but I'll try. I'll try and expedite it. So the, the, what it happened, what? Yeah, I can't speak see what happened was.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can't speak. See what had happened was what had happened was no. So when I my senior year of my last year of NCAA competition, I was competing for Duke and I had a massive breakout year. Dude, you talk about things for having. This is a different tangent, but you talk about things happening for a reason.
Speaker 2:I gave myself the goal of I had to score 7,500 points that year in order to pursue this as a career. Like I gave myself the hard cutoff, the very first competition I did. That year I scored 7,500 points, like 7,500. Not over, not one point, not one point below. Points like seven five, zero, zero, not over, not one point, not one point below is on the money. I was like I guess I'm an athlete now. Um, yeah, so so that was I mean things. I I a hundred percent agree with you. Things happen for a reason. Um, there's plenty more examples like that. But in terms of the Australian thing, that year I went on to qualify and compete at US National Championships. Following that, I actually made a US team and got to compete in. It's called the Thorpe Cup. It's essentially the US versus Germany in the multi-events. Absolutely fantastic experience. I got to wear USA on my chest, which is something that, to be quite honest, with the depth of talent in the United States, I never thought that I was actually going to be able to do.
Speaker 1:That's a good point.
Speaker 2:So even when I was in high school, when I first started pursuing the decathlon, learning what this was, my dad's Australian and I've always had this fascination. Yeah, so I've always had this fascination with Australia and I always knew, at the very least, I wanted to do a semester abroad study and study in Melbourne in Australia when I was in college. I wanted to do a semester abroad study and study in Melbourne in Australia. When I was in college, athletics took over. Never got the time to actually go do that because I was dedicated to sport. But the idea was, if I were to actually do this, then the plan was to compete for Australia, and when I made that US team, I am a dual citizen, so I thought I didn't know any differently at the time. I thought, great, I can compete for the US one year, the Commonwealth Games is next year, I'll go compete at the Commonwealth Games next year. Doesn't really work like that. As it turns out, you have to go through a whole formal legal process of a transfer of allegiance. Once you represent one country, you have to then go through like a three-year waiting period where you can't represent anybody before you can transfer to another country. So a lot of dual citizens go through that process there's been a few this year. It happens a lot in sprints and distance events, um, and so I that kind of not put much of a hiatus on my career, but it kind of put a a lull in there. Um, it just kind of happened that the timing was right to where what would have been the 2020 olympics before the world shut down um, I would have been the 2020 Olympics before the world shut down. I would have been eligible to compete for Australia, like literally one week before that. So the timing, I got lucky with it, even though I didn't know anything about it going into it, but it was just another one of those things. I moved to Australia in 2019.
Speaker 2:Two years after I had that breakout and competed for the States and I we I only went to Australia cause my grandpa grandmother fell ill, um, and we had to square away some legal stuff and like do some work renovating a building and stuff, um, in Australia. And I literally went to Australia with a suitcase, planning to be there for two weeks, and I just never came home. Wow, I had a pair of board shorts. I had all the spikes that I had gone because I had just competed. So I had my training gear, I had a pair of board shorts and that's it one suitcase and I had a laptop. And yeah, I was planning to be there for two weeks. That got extended because we needed we needed more time to complete the work, and two weeks turned into two months turned into now we're five years, a wife and a baby later.
Speaker 3:Wow, wow hey, oh man, dude, dude, I all. I all I could think about is it sounded like you know those memes where it says like so-and-so's starter kit and then it's got a couple of things when it's like the decathlete's starter kit. It's like board shorts, a couple pairs of spikes, a laptop and a passport.
Speaker 2:That's pretty much it, yeah, yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 3:Wow, dude, that's pretty much it. Yeah, yeah, that's awesome. Wow, that's so cool. When? So with the Olympics, do you know when, the exact dates of the competition, so we can like tell people when to tune in and try to try to support you here on TV?
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. I will be competing the second and third of August. It's long, long couple of days it's roughly 10 am to 10 pm, I believe both days and most likely I don't expect too much coverage of the multi-events, both male or female, but there's going to be some coverage and some live results pages and things like that. Um, and I'm sure, I'm sure my family will have some social stuff going as well. But, to be honest, I I'm just my only focus right now is getting prepared and getting out there to go essentially enjoy the entire experience, because when I enjoy things I tend to do better anyways. Yeah, the entire experience, because when I enjoy things I tend to do better anyways, yeah. So I'm just trying to stay as relaxed and enjoy the entire experience and all the work that's led to this point, um, and really just have some fun, which will, which is very exciting well, dude, if you end up on a australian wheaties box, can we please get one that's signed 100%?
Speaker 3:Oh, dude.
Speaker 2:I'll see what I can do to get on a box, but, yeah, 100%, if that one comes out, we'll be taking heaps of packets to bring home.
Speaker 3:Heck, yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 1:You said it right too. Enjoy, dude. I can enjoy every ounce and moment of this, because think about how long that you have worked hard and put in the time and the sacrifices that you made, and uh, I just I just think it's awesome. Man, I really do hope you have fun and I am gonna be rooting for usa, but I'm still for one person from australia and's going to be you, though.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I was like the only non-US competitor.
Speaker 1:Yeah dude, I was like we're going to be cheering for you. Speaking of which, dude I want you guys to check out. Look at my guy. Look at my guy, dude. Look at the face, the joy the determination Vast Dude you look at all the muscles yeah dude, how tall are you?
Speaker 3:uh, six foot four okay, wow, yeah, hide your wife, I am I put a picture, you know when that one was.
Speaker 1:But I was like I gotta throw a picture. This guy up, dude I.
Speaker 2:I remember that exact moment. That was commonwealth games 2022, birmingham, uk. Um, I had just cleared a critical bar in the pole vault, um, and it was stinking hot out, it was 90 something degrees and, um, I had, I had an atrocious warm-up and that was that led on to a another series that led to, and actually led to, a silver medal in the event, so, wow yeah you can. You can tell my excitement I can see your face.
Speaker 1:I'm like something big happened there I don't know what happened something big happened, dude well, hey before we end, dude um, so are you a believer, just like your brother too.
Speaker 2:Yes, I am. I think he's definitely gone down that pathway a lot stronger than what I have. I'm definitely more moderate kind of, and have been. It's all coming full circle, though I actually I've got on the books to get my daughter Kristen when I get home and I'm actually in my wife's been taking her to church in Australia with a friend of hers as well. They've actually been quite enjoying themselves and she actually just the other day asked me to get them a matching pair of crosses to wear on a necklace.
Speaker 2:That's so awesome me to get them a matching pair of um crosses to wear on a necklace, um. So they're awesome, they're. They're exploring themselves a little bit, um as well, which is uh, it's. It's an exciting thing to watch from the outside and I'm actually really excited to get get back into it that's cool, man.
Speaker 1:Everyone at their own pace. I mean, everyone's gonna have a different relationship with lord. That's something I had to learn being a prodigal son, especially coming back from being away for so many years and just living a wild life. Uh, it ain't about like church religion, it's just a relationship, dude. So you don't even stress, like you said, it just it happens. It comes full circle, dude, and you'll see and recognize things. And, um, you have a cool family, dude.
Speaker 1:Um, your brother has really touched my life. He's been. He, he's been a friend, kind of like jordan, through some brother has really touched my life. He's been, uh, he, he's been a friend, kind of like jordan, through some of the toughest times, dude, but he's always. He kind of taught me to have a positive outlook, like dude, no matter what happens, it's gonna be okay. Dude, god's good. I'm like, ah, are you sure about this man, you know? And then, years later, I'm like, dang doug, you were right. Like everything's freaking dope, yeah, I'm gonna be totally fine, you know. But um, no, I just asked you because you're, you know, you're well spoken, dude. You seem like a man of strong conviction, especially when you have discipline like that. And, my goodness you put a little faith behind that, dude. I mean, you're already unstoppable. Who's's telling me what I'm going to take? Dude, so it's pretty cool, man. And then your wife. Your wife is Australian.
Speaker 2:My wife's an Aussie, yeah.
Speaker 1:Are you going to stay in Australia when all is said and done? Are you going to come back to the States?
Speaker 2:That is a mystery for everybody. I think at the moment a lot of people around me are asking that question. I love Australia. I love growing up in America. I want the same experiences for my daughter to have that I had growing up, because my parents provided an incredible childhood for me and it's something we're still working through Again. It becomes a balance of work and life and family and everything else and opportunity in itself. But that is a mystery that is yet to be confirmed, Sorry.
Speaker 1:Day at a time, dude, just a day at a time.
Speaker 3:Yeah, man, hey, you got the Olympics coming up. You're worried about the long term, dude, you're on the short term route right now.
Speaker 2:I'm going to Paris first. Yes, sir.
Speaker 1:Dude, it's just amazing man. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast and just giving us time. Dude, this is the first time we've done one across the globe. You're in France, right, we're over, so this is crazy, which is great.
Speaker 3:This is true.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're the first one, dude.
Speaker 2:Yeah, fantastic. Well, I appreciate, oh, go ahead. No, no, no, I appreciate being the test mule.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, it's working out man, it's working out man, it's working out, but uh yeah, you're gonna do great, dude. Like I said, just enjoy it, man. You've worked so hard for all this and just know like I'm gonna be praying for you, man. I want you to do well and if it's you, uh, towards the end, up against usa, I might have to go for you, bro, might have to go for you, bro.
Speaker 3:Might have to go for you.
Speaker 2:I know the US boys. I know the US boys very well, I'm friends with all of them and they're a bunch of good dudes. But it's going to be a battle, that's for sure.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's freaking dope dude Gosh.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much for talking with us and, dude, I think it's always so crazy we've had so many opportunities to talk with like interesting people and then, just you know, especially like high levels of success, and I think that you know, especially when we're talking about that whole work-life balance and in pursuit and showing the backstory leading up to where you're at. You know, you're only 30 years old and you've accomplished just so much in that tight window, right Like the last 12 years, right when you're 18, when you started, and now you're competing in the Olympics and you're representing a country I mean, you know, I mean I'm biased because I wish it was the United States, but at the same time, either way, it's just a reflection of that pursuit of you being able to commit to something and grow your life really around it. You know you have a stable job you said you worked with Shell and then you know you have a new well, I don't know how long you've been married but a new family, you know, and you're still competing in the Olympics. Dude, it's amazing and what a great, a great.
Speaker 3:You know, not just a representative of a country, but just as a human. You know, and I think that you know the, the people like yourself. You're inspirational to others and it just shows that not only you can stick with something, you can be successful in it. And then and I'm sure, and like tim said earlier, you know, it's like you we only see the top portion of the mountain when you're there, right, which is an amazing feat. But you know, everyone knows you got to get there somehow and it doesn't just come by chance. You know, and I think that I think that that's that's awesome to see and I just truly appreciate you sharing, you know, some of your life stories and you know, I don't know if I would hope that we maybe, after the Olympics, we could do a little follow-up, you know, and talk about how the process was.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 3:That would be so awesome to hear and you know, hopefully some fun stories. And hopefully, with a, you got a medal around your neck too, because that would be super dope. And again, wheaties Box send them. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2:Wheaties Box? Yeah, for sure I can't. I can't tell you guys how much that means to me.
Speaker 1:I'm just going to say a quick prayer for you, dude. I think that prayer does help all things. I'm going to do it real quick for you, alright, brother alright dear Lord, thank you for this time and thank you for Dan.
Speaker 1:Please go before him in the Olympics, keep him safe, keep his family safe, keep him strong, keep him sharp. Be with him, lord, and let all this hard work that he has done culminate into him being successful in these Olympics. Thank you for what you've done for him and for all of us. Amen, amen, all right, baby, you're going to do good. Baby, let's go.
Speaker 2:Let's ride.
Speaker 1:Dan, thanks for coming on, man. We really appreciate it, dude.
Speaker 2:No, you guys thank you for having me. I appreciate everything you guys have said and I appreciate your time. It's been a lot of fun and, yeah, I will do my absolute best to enjoy this and take it all in and I look forward to talking to you guys again at some point.
Speaker 1:Oh, dude, it's going to be dope. We will be watching. Dude, I wish I had better contact with you, but just know I'm gonna be blowing up your instagram. Uh, dms, okay for sure I always.
Speaker 2:I always tell everybody, no matter how it goes, I'm gonna put on a show. So and get ready to enjoy shorter shorts.
Speaker 1:Okay, shorter shorts.
Speaker 3:Take care dude.
Speaker 2:Thank you again, bye.
Speaker 1:Oh man, he was good dude. Dude rad guy, that's our first Olympian to come on the podcast. What a good time. This has been super dope dude. I can't wait to follow up with him and see how he does, but anyways, good seeing you, buddy.
Speaker 3:Thank you for your time. You too, man, Always a good time. Glad we got to do this again this morning. And, dude, that was our first abroad episode. Yeah, is it safe to say we're global? Now we're global yeah, global downloads.
Speaker 1:We're recording globally now, absolutely insane. Hey, let's get a, let's go on three dude, we'll get out of here ready?
Speaker 3:all right, I'll let you sir. All right, one, two, three, let's go, let's go see you, dude.
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