Taking Chances - Why not you?

About Taking Chances - Why not you?

Why Not You with John O'Brien What if the only thing standing between you and doing something extraordinary… is the decision to start? Do hard things. Turning motivational interviews into personal action Why Not You with John OBrien is a podcast that turns curiosity into courage. Each episode features genuine, down‑to‑earth people who have achieved remarkable things—Olympic gold medalists, world champions, Guinness World Record holders, ultra‑distance race winners, Leadville Trail 100 finishers, backyard ultra champions, and founders of successful businesses. Conversations with ordinary people who did something extraordinary — ultrarunners, Ironman finishers, rebuilders, and people who bet on themselves when it didn’t make sense. The question isn’t why them. It’s why not me. The goal isn’t to impress you. It’s to challenge you to ask a powerful question: Why not you? Want to share your story with me, send me an email at: Johnobie2468@gmail.com (mailto:Johnobie2468@gmail.com) Text me: (563)-468-3692 IG: @jjob123 TikTok: johnobrien5854 #whynotyou #authentic #Running #dontquit #hardwork #determination #discipline #motivation #ultrarunning #family #therapy #mentalhealthawareness #training #selflove #selfcare

Publisher

John OBrien

Category

education · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

15 May 2025

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

58 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Injury update, Drugs, BPC-157, Money, Peabody, Las Vegas review

   I start off giving an update on my right foot plantar fasciitis injury. It's been a super depressing last 5 weeks not being able to run. I'm supplementing it with lifting (mainly squats), biking, stationary bike, and rowing the Concept 2 rower. My squat workout is simple. start with a weight you can do relatively easy for 1-set of 20-reps. you're going to do 1-set of 20-reps every day, but you add 5lbs to it and progress from there. I've been using a wooden slant board and it's been a hard workout. I've been riding the stationary bike at Level 2 fitness at the Bettplex as well. 45-60 mins every day. The rowing is super tough. I do 2,000 meters right after the squats. I talked about Drugs in sports, where did the drug testing go? Who is taking them? Is the NFL or NCAA testing? Speculation...Money in the Ultra world, good or bad? Is this possibly going to increase the doping/PED's in trail running? Maybe because when there's $100,000 on the line for the 1st place male and female of a 100-mile race, that's not chump change, that's a "job"...I think it might. I went home to Peabody and got to spend a lot of time with my dad. 5 days on the North Shore and got to see my friends (James Olson, Bob Irzyk, Joe Rigol and Dan Connelley). Quick trip home to be with family for the 25th anniversary of my mom's passing 9/16/2001. Love you Louise Vera McCarthy O'Brien. Got home and then took a quick trip to Vegas with friends. The sphere! Wizard of Oz. Gambling. Aria Hotel. Penthouse Sky Suites...Amazing experiences. Food. Fun and Gambling. Iowa Hawkeyes win over Michigan. Iowa's upcoming game against Ohio State. College game day in Iowa City. Please reach out if you want to be on the podcast: 563-468-3692 email: Johnobie2468@gmail.com

2. 

   9 Sept 2026

   Dealing with an injury or set back - and doing hard things prepares you for what's to come

   Dealing with this nagging super painful plantar fasciitis is not fun. I've had it before but never this bad and not in my heel. I've been trying to do the exercise bike to substitute my running but it's not even close to the same things. I've also been rowing again. Concept 2 rower. I've also started a squat workout that I did back in college. You start with a weight you can do 20-reps with (back then that was 135lbs), you do 1-set of 20-reps every day, but each day you add 10lbs. Back then I got up to 275 for 20-reps. now that I'm 58 years old, I started with the bar and i"m doing them on the slant board. I've added 10lbs every day since I started so today was 20-reps with 110 lbs...it's getting hard. As soon as the set is over I hop on the rower and row 2,000 meters...which is a killer workout. We'll see how this thing goes, been doing everything possible to get over it. Calf raises, ice, heat, etc...wish me luck.

3. 

   3 Sept 2026

   Dealing with an injury - The 5 steps - Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance

   Explaining how you can deal with an injury. Depression, Anger, Denial. Calf raises, rehab, show inserts. Training continues but on the exercise bike. 35-mins, 45-mins, 60-mins, 60-mins, mentally dealing with not running.

Who has been a guest on Taking Chances - Why not you?

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Tara Schuster Flesch
• Jackie Young
• Aimee Ford
• Artist Aimee Ford
• Travis Swanson

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 10 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

7

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

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Questions about Taking Chances - Why not you?