What's going on? Ladies and gents.
Robert Sykes ketose a.com and I've got special repeat kissed
Ben Davis, back online spin like several years since I've had him
on the show. Last time we spoke.
He was running an ultra marathon every single month to raise
awareness for veterans. He's a veteran himself.
He's a professional soccer player had an injury in the Army
was told me to never run again. Instead of running like a
madman. He just ran like 20 in 22 hours,
rent 107 miles. I mean, just freaking machine
and he's now doing a lot of Veteran work for the guitars for
vets, organizationally plugging into that and changing people's
lives on a regular basis. He is genuinely one of the
kindest people. I know he is helpful to people
that he doesn't know at all, like these veterans that are
coming in and just simply seeking Solace.
Seeking peace. He's taking him under his wing
and making their lives better, more enriched and more positive.
And I've got so much respect for that and for who he is as a
person, what he's doing, so I wanted to bring it back on the
podcast. Kind of catch up with him.
See what he's been up to see. He's got cooking.
So without further Ado, sit back relax and do the podcast with
Ben Davis. We have been, how are you
brother? Well, man, I'm well, how are
you? Okay, get, it's been, it's been
probably a two years or so. Since I've had you on the
podcast been a long time. I think it's longer than that.
To be honest with you really? It's I know time flies in there.
Is the last time I had you on, you were about to commence on.
You were doing some kind of crazy endurance run like a Can
an ultra every month. I want to say.
That's not right. Yeah.
Yeah, I did that in 2018. I did mix.
It was set out to do one Ultra every month and I did that and
then I did up a few other races to some other marathons and some
other stuff in there as well. So that your end up running.
6:13 Ultras to mow, two marathons, a couple halfs.
So it was insane. It was that, that it was that a
smart choice, was your body, just screaming at you
afterwards. You know, I know there was that
the last half of the year, the last that last quarter from
September to December. It was just a volume.
I was running something. I think every week for about 6
weeks, straight, and by the time I did my last that last run and
December, my body had almost shut down completely.
So I think it was December 29th. I went and I was doing that last
race. I didn't slip in, and I cracked
a rib like two miles in and I'm finishing it, but it was like
for the next few months. My body was just done, like,
shut down. So it was it was rough.
Your name is Robin and the stereotypical endurance run like
you're not some, you know, Ultra slender, like like little bitty
guy that has no, wait. I mean you got like a lot of
muscle. You've got a big frame like
you're doing these Ultra runs and you've got like, a lot of a
lot of muscle mass on your frame.
Like you're not the stereotypical long distance.
No, no, it's funny. I, you know, I've talked to
some, he's really famous runners and I've got, I had gotten to
know them during that time and like 150 pounds and I was I mean
that my lightest I got down to about 2 2005 2006.
And then for most of those, I was her burning like a to 20s to
30s. Yeah, and so yeah, it was, yeah,
it was pretty, pretty brutal. But I mean I was able to do it
and My knees and everything, her fine.
Everyone always says your knees are going to go out and like,
oh, they're fine good. So did you take like a few
months off of running completely after that 2018 season?
Yeah, man, I was, I was so wrecked like my HRV like I
couldn't get it to level out for a long time.
And so it took me about four months to really kind of figure
it all out and get it kind of find a Something that was just.
Where I could just be active. I mean, I was, it took a toll,
definitely took a toll on me, but you consider most of the
think, run Ultras, maybe do like a handful year and I was just a
crazy pace and that was coming off of not running for a decade.
So yeah, sane man. Yeah, it was, it was but then I
ended up. It's funny because I set out,
one things I wanted to do was one of the places here in
Detroit that I love. I wanted to run around there and
do like a 20 to 22 are running out of doing that the next year,
which was worse was brutal. But yeah, like I was trying to
figure out how I could prep for that because I want to do a
Veterans Day and I'm like, well, I knew that coming off of that,
year of running, I would need to kind of Reset my body.
If you will try to just find some kind of homeostasis.
I was like, yeah, they'll be plenty of time to do that.
And then train up for that. 22 are run and yeah, ended up.
It took me about four months to kind of recover and then I was
able to when I started to train again it to prep for that 22
hours and I had a party myself. I got hurt at work and I was
able to train for a few months. So going into that one.
It was it was Interesting, which obviously that was almost a year
removed, but I did almost no running for that to prepare for
that 22 hours when I ran. And so I did really just
strength training, you know, kind of like, you're five by
five Prime movers. I did that in yoga and I think a
man like, twice a week. No more than like 10 miles at a
time just to see just to kind of see what what would You know,
like how I performed? I guess so.
Kind of little n of one experiment and so, but yeah,
that was a is ensuring I did 107 miles then 107 miles in 24
hours. Yeah.
It's got was a, that's okay.
That's actually really fun story with that whole, that whole
event that I did. But I mean, I can touch that in
a minute, but it was, you know, one of Things and I know you get
this but when you take on any kind of like hard task and I
look at ultra running like this, which is one of the reasons why
I was like, well, let's see what I do.
If I don't run as much and let me just see what happens if I
switch up to you. The kind of routine and going to
see going so heavy with strength training.
I mean, I was deadlifting, I think like 600 pounds or some
like that leading into that. You know, I got my dad left up
really high. And but one of the things is
that it's all, it's all mental. It's just a game.
And so I think, you know you you know, enough people who are
probably like this and you're like this as well like even now
with having a dislocated ankle. I used to tell me to do
something or tell me I can't do something.
I'm going to I'm going to figure out a way to do it.
And so I think it's all that muscle between your ears is
really what's, you know, and so I might not do it fast, you know
it's fast. The some people but you know,
like I'm going to finish regardless.
Yeah, I had some races like that and twenty twenty eighteen were
like I finished but there was no one like it kind of packed up
and left. So but you know, I think that
once you have that mindset you can do anything.
Yeah. Regardless of you know where
you're at. And so I performed well do and
that 22R run but Actually, the cool thing about that one.
It has nothing to do with me running.
That's for that time. Right?
I knew that going into that. I was planning on doing, like
The Godly like 60, 70 miles, you know, just keep it nice and
relaxed and I didn't a lot of people knew about it like
locally and stuff again are some the people and lying about it,
but it didn't have a lot of like, No, no traction behind it.
Then all of a sudden the local news picked it up and then all
of a sudden like people start coming out of the woodwork and
wanted to like hey, you know, how can we help out with me?
Do a quick, I'm running things like that and one things about
me is actually it's goes back to my time in the Army when I was
injured like I hate running with people.
It really is like me. I do it gives me anxiety.
It does because you know, like I would spend so much time with my
He had been hurt my hip and these injuries that when you're
running like me and the artist so you don't, you can't fall
out. You can't do these things.
Otherwise, you know, you're never gonna hear the end of it.
And so I would get anxiety running with people and I never
liked it. So, Now, all of a sudden, you
know, going into this and what people like, hey, can I show up
my brother? Can do this and I'm like, oh no,
this is this one for means any kind of low-key and now there's
there's people that want to know like, show up and do this.
So it was it was interesting. That whole the amount of support
that in the passing for me. And when I went to that day to
do the race, they was interesting because a couple
days prior. I got an email from a guy said,
hey, explain the story and is like, hey, you know, my name is
Steve not a bad, but, you know, I'd like to come out and, you
know, maybe A lap or two with you run for a little bit.
You know, I'm not a runner run a half marathon once and it's yeah
sure, you know, come on out. Yeah, you know, no pressure.
Well that day I go and my support crew didn't show up like
they just didn't show up. It was very no in for me.
Like I had like the I had all of the math down comes of calories
per hour and all these things then know how this stuff.
You know, I know how this stuff goes and I did all my
calculations. What I need to eat per hour
block, just to kind of Survive and like no one showed up and so
it's like me and a couple people to set up the tables and Tents.
And this guy shows up and starts helping him Steve and he starts
helping out and you know, it was cooled and the news is there and
as I go but I'm running out of time so I could get ready to get
going and I take off in this guy.
Steve, you know, you run Who start going and he was really
cool. He told me his story and I got
to know him a bit. It's really interesting and The
whole way of running people are driving by honking, you know,
wave and hey, you're the guy from TV.
And, you know, this is really cool.
And then, you know, I gave get rid of finish this first Loop
and then something. Hey, are you that guy from TV?
Are you bad as? Yeah.
They're like a. Do you could I run with you?
Sure, you know, so they can shoot this lady hops out and you
know, she runs the next lap with me and that happened every hour.
420, almost 22. Our, not the full 22, there's
one hour. I was by myself.
That's great. I was never alone at people just
show up some hey, are you been that run with you?
And I said sure why not, you know, and so but this guy, Steve
that it was the amazing thing is that he had stayed with me and
what ended up happening is kind of giving him my nutrition plan
and making sure he survived because nobody 4:00 I said, hey
man. Yeah, so, you know you run a
marathon right? He's like what he's like, yeah,
like you've run a marathon and then You know, hint of doing
about 50 k and by about 1:00 in the morning, he was in right
using really rough shape. And so I remember sending him
out on his way. His fiancee wife.
It showed up and took him home. And you know, I said I running
and I've been I mean, I've been at this for 11 or 12 hours, but
it's time and it was like the first time I was alone and it's
like 20 degrees fries and I'm in short still and I'm going and I
see them in the car, just pulls up and she passed me twice.
And I was like, I thought I was kind of, you know, who's gonna
get jumped or what. But it's kinda kru bad.
I said, yeah. You said, hey, could I run with
you? I'm like, awesome.
So, you know, he had a brother with me and that's the obvious
about two in the morning. And that was when he left and
that was like, the first time I was alone and I end up, you
know, going through and doing a lap.
And I was so cold and my body was so spent, and I don't know
if you Maybe hit this point or not.
Do another four by four by forty eight.
The like, I couldn't I needed to put my tights on because I was
like, hypothermic. I hadn't eaten only a couple
thousand calories that point, you know, when I've been doing
this for, like, 14 hours and that's when I was in this
bathroom. It's the building.
That was there. And I was just on the ground,
like just kind of just looking at my hands because my hands
won't work and a woman who was part of the staff.
Kind of clean it up at this ability and should pop your head
in the bathroom. And I'm like, like I'm not on
drugs, the guy running, you know, I felt I was just like on
the ground like that's kind of like shaking like convulsing.
Yeah, and you know as I was able to get the tights on and not as
We get on some motivation. I got out.
And I said, all right. Well, I need to my phone is
dying. My watch.
It already died. As I go.
I need to get some battery and I need to get warm up.
I couldn't get the heaters to start something where I'm going
to sit in my car and just get 30%, charge warm up.
And then I'll go out again, and I'm in my car, just it up.
Just having this breakdown. Right?
Like I'm alone. My hands don't work, you know,
and you just emotionally spent, you know, all that stuff going
on. I just started to kind of break
down. And I see these headlights pull
up behind me in all I know is I'm in my car.
Like, you know, I'm just shaking and I didn't want, I thought was
a cop and I don't want to think because I was doing something
like seen in my car leaving like I jump out.
Like I'm the guy that I'm not that I'm not a creeper.
I'm, you know, in this guy's like, hey, yeah, that's really
care about a few. I said like, yes, and so I had
someone else showed up and they happened.
Like I said until I finish and it was one of those things where
the amount of support that I got, you know, like it was, it
was insane, you know, the amount of tissue that the cool part is
it. And they don't leave this part
out because it's about the sun, it just Up and about 7:30.
I'm coming on the backside of this island and I see a car pull
off in front of me and I'm like not another one of these, you
know, and the door flies open and out Steve jumps.
And it's Steve and he's there. And he, you know, it was like
this wave of elation. I got to see this guy again and
we end up finishing the whole thing with me and he was really
cool though. Just that.
You know, going into that whole thing, getting things going from
getting anxiety running with people's homes and just this
outpouring of support of people that just said, hey, you know,
where you been? Can I run with you?
Yeah, sure, you know, just people just showing up how much
that meant to me. Like I said, I was a plan to do
more than like 75, 80 miles, you know, and I'm doing 107, which
is the farthest I've run and so, you know, there's a some cool
stories and there's some lessons, but just I think to me,
one of the Since I took away from that is just the power of
just showing up for people. Yeah, you never know the
difference. You can make.
And some point. I was I wasn't able to even like
I was so hypothermic. I couldn't even talk but people
just talk to me the whole time and I just got to listen and
said it was just, it was It's a life-changing experience.
But I've had so many those, my I've been so blessed to have
some of those just these moments in my life.
This is all those ones were just really kind of reinforce the
importance of showing up and being an intentional with what
we do. And so yeah, so yeah.
Now the running the aspect of running from like a mental.
From a psychological standpoint is unlike any other sport that
I'm aware of. I'm sure like like every sport
has its has its strength. Like I'm a bodybuilder heart.
There's a lot that comes with that but like running is one of
those things in which, you know, anybody can do it.
There is definitely a right way to run.
I mean, you ideally have the right technique, the right form,
the right conditioning and you're going to be able to run
faster without injury, but anybody can strap on some shoes
and run and run a pretty significant distance, really?
And the the main differentiating factor.
There is like you said, all that between you Years.
And, you know, you may not be the fastest guy out there.
But to have them, the mental fortitude is say, hey, look, I'm
putting my laces in my shoes up and I'm going to run for 22
hours straight and not going 107 miles in the freaking 20-degree
weather. I mean that, that's a special
kind of strong there, man. I mean, I think that it's
sometimes it's just not quitting by giving up and anyone's cave.
I'm not I'm not exceptional by any stretch of the imagination.
I just put myself in situations where you just keep putting
that, you know, left foot in front of the right and you just
keep repeating until you're done and it's one of the things like
I said, anyone can do they just we just don't for whatever
reason and so like I said, I don't I don't think I'm
exceptional in any way like that.
I think it's just one of those things where you just you know,
the military helped that I was he might cry.
Before I was in the military as a professional soccer player,
obviously, you know, you did some of that as well, but anyone
anything is possible. I mean, I look at it Steve, this
guy who was he'd never run more than a half marathon and he
wasn't any kind of shape and he ran the 50k so which was to me
was unbelievable, you know, and it was just he just I don't even
think he was thinking about it. I think you just showed up and
he just wanted to pay. What can I do to help?
And There's so many things I think to be taken away from
that. Yeah, you know, you know, I
mean, it's just Yeah, everybody has this, this this limitation
they put on themselves and if you like perspective, you don't
really know what you're capable of.
I mean, when I ran that first marathon, like I literally
hadn't run in years prior to that.
So I just did it with zero training and I didn't, you know,
break me records by any means. But I finished a marathon was
Zero training and then I did this 50-mile, you know, four by
four by forty eight couple weeks back.
And that was the first time I'd ever run 50 miles.
I don't really trained for that either but It's all just a
matter of coming in putting putting in the work showing up
and just being consistent with a life without fav.
When that alarm clock goes off and you're supposed to start
your next stent, like you don't make excuses as to why you're
not going to be able to just freaking get up and do it.
And once you start building that momentum, it's much easier to
just keep that momentum going and it is to convince yourself
to backtrack and then like your mind will play tricks on You For
Better or For Worse. If you put it towards the goal,
then you can leverage that malleability of the Mind.
Whereas if you talk yourself out of a good thing.
It's easy to do that as well. a hundred percent, and I think
that's the You know, that's like the thing.
I think we we miss so often. Is that one, we believe the
constraints that are put on us. I mean, I had to put on me by
doctors, you know, saying I could run, you know, it was
over. It was over a decade ago, and I
believe that for a long time until I didn't.
And that I realized is so much other things in life, you know,
if you don't have a right and left boundary anything's
possible. Hmm.
You just have to just have to show up and do it and some days
it doesn't feel good. Truth.
Like you just got to get past that little bit and it's like
those days you don't, you want to take off going to the gym or
it's like as you know, I don't feel like doing yoga.
I don't, I don't want ice after this.
It's like, well, if you miss that, you're going to feel it
in. So you feel better, once you end
up doing it. And so, it's sometimes it's just
about One removing those right left limits.
And then I say discipline, but because I think that scares
people at times. It's just just doing it, you
know? Just You know, and then if you
don't do it, don't beat yourself up.
That's the other thing. He's probably see.
That was like, clients you work with the weight loss Journeys,
things like that. It's like I cheated on, you
know, blue macros or whatever it is, and then they can go through
that hole then spiral and you got to kind of figure that out.
And so yeah, when it comes to like, a lot of people don't,
they probably haven't heard our first episode because it's been
so long, but but you're doing all of this.
Like, when you do that, that series of Ultras every single
month in 2018. This is all to raise awareness
for veterans in Your Arsenal of Hope brand.
Can you kind of touch on that and what that is in the back of
your mind? Every time you're putting one
foot in front of the other? Yeah, so a lot of I mean for me
and what I realize is that the for me so many often when you
deal with like military VA doctors takes away kind of you,
they put right and left limits on you pretty hard to get those
things. And my background is actually in
kinesiology and all those Human Performance Sports Science, all
that fun stuff. And you know, I hit a point
where I was like, started doing these things and, you know, I
start doing keto and low carb and change the way.
I felt like I felt completely different, right?
And so I felt amazing and then I was able to do these things that
I was said I couldn't do. And so I wanted to get that word
out to other vets because so often like you lose hope I mean
you do it's like I'm I heard I've been paying, you know, like
every day like it's a struggle and you can still be human being
but it doesn't, you know, like you feel like after somebody
Time. It's hard.
You know, like I can't when it hurts that to get out of bed and
takes you an hour like yeah, that's that can, you know, play
serious effects. And so to me, I wanted to start
doing something where I was able to start one.
Showing people that, hey, look. I was told I could never run
again, and look at me. Now, you know, by making some
simple lifestyle changes and then, the other thing is that, I
mean, I, I'm an engineer, you know, I trade my day job, but
Used to, I mean, I did used to work in, you know, with
Collegiate, professional athletes and things like that.
And so I had this unique understanding of how the body
works. And so starting to, you know,
take what I learned in Academia than in real experience and then
and then give back to the vendor Community as well.
Because I mean, like, I go to the VA now, and I'm pretty
fortunate as some good doctors, but they're not all great.
And so So, some of the things that I've learned, I've been
blessed to have awesome mentors in that in that world.
And so, I started then just taking in working with, with
veterans, which is called post-rehab training and health
coaching and things like that and just doing that.
And so providing all those Services where I can you know,
free of charge, you know, I have all this certification very like
over 70 of them from Crossfit to USA W to, you know, all your
cscs and any all those acronyms. You can also put super that
stuff. And so, like I said, I was doing
that for a long time. I did that for a few years.
And so, so, yeah, that was kind of the big thing.
And then just again, helping people get back on their feet
and figure out. Hey, like, guess what?
I don't have to sit in my basement all day, you know, I
can actually get out and do something.
So I make these small modifications or have the stuff
in my life serving, connect them with resources as well and
pretty well connected in different areas.
Has and just whatever I could do to get them to realize that
there's hope out there and that's kind of see where you get
name, arsenal of Hope. And so so yeah, that's the yeah,
so I think that I think today it's it's going to be, it's been
a bit because I've seen things on my personal life.
I haven't got stuff. Let's do a couple of years.
When we reached over 1,000 bets that I worked with personally,
one form or another. In-person Telehealth, or just,
you know, just different Outreach things.
So, it was really super rewarding, one of the most
rewarding things I've done. Once again, like when we did
that 50 mile, March after the key do something Omaha last
year, we did that. It was like a 50 mile March from
Lincoln to Omaha, Omaha, Lincoln number which, but it was just,
you know, straight run through the night and that was all for
Veterans as well. Jay Morales is one of our good
friends and he kind of orchestrates that conference
with Jamie and he's a veteran Air Force, I believe.
And he was just compelled to make this March and I don't
know. Really anybody in my family.
I've got a lot of friends that are in the different military
branches, but I haven't had it. Been the family that I can
really point to but I got involved with this March and you
know 50 miles March and non-stop is no joke that my feet were
just totally know what I think - I think my feet.
Back to that then they were after this fit them all four by
four by forty eight, honestly. Yeah, but that last little
stretch man, like we were coming in when it was all said and
done. Like I've got freaking blisters.
I'm hurting and we have to climb this hill.
This last little stretch is a hill.
So it's just like, you know, straight up.
And then we Crest this hill and then we'll walk into the parking
lot where we're like being received.
There's like hundreds of people there.
Greeting us. For this March, and most of them
are veterans. There's like a big, you know,
powwow cookout. They got like, you know, food
trucks and bunch of American flags and everybody's just, you
know, they're in the camaraderie is on a whole nother level.
But like, there was, there was several events that were like,
in wheelchairs, like crying as we walked in marched into this
parking lot, and they're just like congratulating us and
clapping. And that, that was just a
surreal experience for me, man, like being able to Play a small
role in a part of something. So, big and seeing all of the,
all of the the positivity, and just the energy that came from
that, like I was super honored to be a part of it.
And, you know, like I said, I don't have any family in the
military per se, but, you know, the reality of what that
sacrifice is is, is nothing to take lightly nothing to take for
granted. And I feel, I felt very honored
to be able to play a role in that and help raise.
When I think we raised like 130 150 thousand dollars or
something like that for vents. Wow, that's awesome.
Yeah, I miss super cool man. It was donated to two different
organizations overshoot. I don't remember.
The name is M1 was guitars for events and you mentioned that at
the beginning before we started recording, but I'd love to kind
of use this as a segue to talk about bad because I don't really
fully understand the concept of it all.
But what I feel like I grasp is that they basically by guitars
and then Each these veterans, how to play the guitar and that
becomes a creative Outlet positive outlet for them.
So that distracts many of them from taking their own life and
going down a very dark path, basically.
Well, yeah, I mean that's it. Got by part part of it and I'll
give some back story to how I got involved.
So why not give them notice. I used to, I played I played a
bunch of instruments, but I play guitar for 20, some odd years,
even when I was in the Army would play and, you know, played
like gigs and bars, and stuff like that, between deployments
and stuff. And a lot of me, always music
was such a huge part. Of life.
And actually one of the guitars I've have I it's I mean it's
been on six continents. I mean it's been all over the
world and anytime, you know, bad stuff happened.
It's you know, you end up getting it out and just and I
never realizes the time but it was helping process.
Some of these emotions that you go through and, you know, I used
to write music and said, I hadn't for a long time and I
said, I kind of stopped it when I was in the Army a little bit
in, and I realized that I hadn't fully processed what I was going
through and stuff like that. So it's a lot of different
layered emotions that you deal with.
And so, you know, Flash Forward to last year.
I and I hadn't really played for a long time, really, probably
been 12 years or something like that.
I really is. It didn't play and it's just
kind of said Dusty in my basement, my guitar, and some
stuff happened in my Personal life, that kind of kind of all
fell apart. And I just one day, I picked up
my guitar and I just started playing again for the first
time. And I notice that I don't even
know how long it decade-plus and I just playing and singing.
And I didn't realize anyone was home and my kids came downstairs
and they just they're so nice or go.
Like I was a radio. But, um, You know, it just I
started playing again and it just helped me kind of process
what I was dealing with my personal life.
And so You know, I started doing some research.
I work at I work at Ford who I've done some stuff the Ford
fund before, which is like the charity arm of the company and
the charity division in. When I was running.
I had done some stuff with them and I saw something I can
emailed. It was talking about guitars for
vets or some like that, and I was like, what's that?
And so I kind of, you know, got into it and I started doing some
research and Reached out and I was like, hey, I'm interested in
this program. You know, you tell me what it's
about. And so I went and I showed up
and and I brought my guitar and I knew she was going to be a
student is like I'd really like to learn how to, you know, play
play again, not realizing, you know, like just kind of pick up
kind of like riding a bike. You pick it up as you go and so
I started playing, I like you you don't you don't need to be a
student here that you can teach. And so I started teaching with
them. So, I came on as an instructor
and so and as I've gone through, obviously, the music could help
me. Personally, not just process
definitely help process. A lot of the things that we do
in the military, but the all the kind of that kind of personal
stuff. I was going through as well.
It was huge. Like, I didn't even like, I feel
like a completely different person which is amazing.
And so as I've been teaching going through, now our came
around a cycle to since I've been through, but watching these
these some of these guys and girls go through and play and
you see how they're affect changes, right?
And I don't want anyone saying names because I don't I'm not
sure how they feel about it. But one of those guys he was a
marine and you know, went through Fallujah pretty rough
times. Obviously, it was always a hard
time and you know, I remember starting with him and then by
the end of the the cycle by the end of the 10 weeks, he was like
a different person. And I just heard few weeks ago.
He's like been out. He's like I'm playing with my
son now and you know, we're, you know, we're mess around and you
just a completely different person.
And so That's not the first time, that's not the first
perfect. It's you see that kind of broad
spectrum and some of these are like, older events, like, you
know, the Vietnam era and there's 80s and 90s.
And some we have obviously there are more recent, but you see
that as they learn is their learning and growing, it's
changing. Its changing them as a person,
right? And so sometimes you might be
stuck in a rut in life and it kind of helps them get past that
and it's just that creative outlet.
And so it's just an unbelievable program.
I can't. It's In terms of things that
I've been a part of working with, that's, it's probably the
best thing. I've actually seen in terms of
driving results, that the amount that you get their Roi, because
I'll be honest like with with certain red.
Like, team are to be B and some of the ones that are physical
activity based like for me, like, I hate running with
people, I still do, you know, so it's like I'm not the only one
that feels like that. There's people who are, like, I
can't do these things because of whatever, you know, limitations
they have but, you know, you get them in planning it.
Tar. And we have adapter programs as
well. I mean, I'll play Guitar.
Ukulele. You guys have played bass and
drums. All sorts of different things
that we can get them playing regardless of their health, and
their conditions they have. And so, it's been such a, like I
said, it's been amazing to watch and I've seen Everyone that's
kind of gone through and still involve a stood.
Now. We have like jam sessions, once
a month. We'll come back and we'll play
and mix. It is.
It's one of those things where it's unbelievable.
And so the program how it works is that it's a 10-week program
and then you sign up, you get assigned at the instructor.
And then if you don't have a guitar like a practice with Will
loan, you one will get you one and then you'll have that and
that's what we practice with. And then when the program is
done, we She gives you a guitar, we whether it's electric or
acoustic, whatever you want. I will give them that.
And so it's our electric. I know from like me.
I just I bought a bunch of Vamps and donated those.
So they can have those as well under when they finish the
program. So some guys love to shred some
guys. I'm ordering a singer-songwriter
acoustic style. But yeah, so we in essence just
do what we can to help. Me how you helped that.
And so it's not like I said, it's an awesome program.
I can't say enough positive things.
And so that money that went there.
It went to an amazing cause that's making tangible
difference. And so, yeah, this is super
cool, man. So, like, 10 weeks, like, had a
veteran's. Learn about this.
They just like Google programs for vets.
They find this or, how does that work?
It's, you know, it's it's, that's the, that's the tricky
part, right? Because You have to be, so it's
not a VA program. But it's if you get referred to
it through the VA through mental health.
And so it's sometimes, it's absolutely, you have to have
good people at your VA to know about this.
And so now we've been doing more Outreach and we kind of started
a band. And when every time I go out and
I and I'm playing shows and stuff like that as well.
Like, I always make sure I shout that out as well.
But you have to gently go through like your VA mental
health thing. Coney Island, says, guitars
reverse, and then they'll do their due diligence and figure
it out here in Detroit. We have, obviously, we're really
well connected and plugged into that all the mental health
teams, but you reach out to them about that, then they were free
to it. And then, then they, we get to
their name, and then that's how it starts.
And so, we've been recent outre been trying to be more
proactive. And so like this, two weekends
ago. I we had like a Open house, like
it's a veteran's, open house, and lie.
We got 11 people in had never heard about the program.
We got them in and signed up. And so and then which will
connect them with the VA and then they'll obviously get them
all the right paperwork. So yeah, how often are the Vets
meeting when you have a student, how often do they meet and you
to learn to play over that to make span?
I mean generally it's like once a week, but if those you have
for me like that, I'm sure you might be the same way when you
whe when someone's really excited about something and
going home either, you know, someone wants to meet I'll do
like an extra virtual so I might do a two-week.
Like I have a lady right now. She's awesome.
She's in her 60s and she's just really gung-ho about playing and
so like will meet once a week and she lie like out tonight is
actually I'll go and I'll, I'll meet with her tonight and then
I'll do Do another virtual one like on Zoom or something like
that just to kind of check in. And so so that's is, we're all
we all just love playing and so in, you know, someone wants to
play with if they sure. And then a lot of the students,
once you've come to the program, you're always welcome to come
back and whatever. Nice, there's license, whatever
you can come, hang out, play, and keep building on that skill.
And so Yeah, like I said, it's it's amazing.
When you see when you get to know someone over the course of
a couple months and you can see there at like when they walk in
and You know, the in suggest the look in their eyes and they're,
you know, the effect, and whether that's, you know,
they're trying to scan the room for whatever because they're
unsure or even start welding by the end of that program.
Their shoulders are back their heads, High, you know, their
eyes are glowing and they're just excited to be there.
So, you know, once they learn that, you know, it's generally
we will see, we will see some of the changes once they start
learning how to change chords because like that.
So we start to see that transition when they can start,
there's a song that they like to play will Now they start to do
that like oh man, it's awesome. And so he said it's one of those
things were, I can't say enough great things about it.
And you think it's mostly just the at the creative aspect of
it. Like bringing somebody that
yeah, doesn't really have a great about like thank out like
that and then just immersing them in.
So they're learning a new skill or around other people that are
skilled. So they've got the student
mentality and they're seeing kind of the fruits of their
labor unfold week after week. Well, I think it's I think it's
a couple. There's a couple things in
there. One because I do believe in
things like art therapy, create a therapy.
There's some really awesome organization set that do that.
I think it's more effective than say like those health and
wellness based kind of things, but that aren't therapy that
ability to create things like that.
There's a Well, I guess it probably should have been, you
know, revisit this and that and done my research.
Again, this is kind of my background.
So I should know this. But some this kind of said this
broad spectrum effect that you have that has when you, these
creative Outlets have, and then you're also learning something
new and then you're going from there.
And so it's one of those things were, there's so many positives
to it rats. Like I said, I've seen Not just
from my own experience. Like I said, I am coming
through, what I've gone through my personal life, but these guys
as well, like, you know, I've I dealt with my running, all those
races who really helped me kind of deal with a lot of the things
I went to the military, but just from the things like, I was
going through my personal life and having that kind of fall
apart the ability to have that outlet healthy process, music
helped me process that stuff. And you know, I actually started
writing music again, which is which has been Kind of crazy the
first time in 16 years of, you know, written some songs.
So it's one of those things where the selfishly I can see
what it's done for me, but in a different area, I've seen what
it's done for all these other people, you know, we've seen
people who they go into the program and all of a sudden
their attitude and Outlook has changed now, they're, you know,
now they're interviewing for jobs and they're being more
active with her their treatment that they need at the VA a
Traer. Whatever, Hospital.
So they're being proactive with life and it seems these
carryover effects. And so yeah, you have any other
platforms besides Instagram, like you need to be YouTube in
this or something and I don't know how your audience and dig
around. It is.
Yeah. Well, you know, that's like the
I go back and forth is one of the reasons I stopped doing so
much with arsenal of Hope is because I felt like I was, it
was it was all about. Not product placement, but I was
doing so much this stuff where I mean, the formula simple, right?
Show up and do what you got to do.
And that's it. And you can't make that
captivating, you know, like it's just consistency is what it is
with this, you know, with the music.
I don't I don't want it to be a self-serving thing because for
me, like I just love playing, you know, and doing that stuff
from the are Our guitars were, that's chapter were working on
being more active, on social media, but they're still trying
to figure that out. It's some dudes.
Were older than me, that they actually are the admins.
And so, but once we get that figured out, we will.
But I don't and I'll set up one probably different for like, my
for music and stuff. If I want to if I get that point
again, so Ben It co sometimes it's true because it's like to
me I do it because I love it, you know and and over Co what I
picked up a bunch of different. It's like well, you know, I do
it because I enjoy it. If I do it for other reasons and
is it, does it take away from those things?
And so but there, you can charge for vets does have the Instagram
and Facebook and all that other fun stuff.
So they're an awesome place to follow, you know, it's a great
organization. We're hoping to do some more
things where Musically, we were able to kind of showcase.
You know, what the the Vets have gone to gone through and down
like battle, the band type stuff.
But these are all things that we kind of have to learn the kind
of Grassroots are working on. And so yeah.
Well, you're like one of the, I mean we haven't talked in a few
years if you were saying earlier, but I mean, you're
consistently doing some crazy awesome stuff, man.
Like the first time we talked and even know how he got
connected. I don't remember.
But, you know, you you were injured in the military in the
Army. Told you can never run again.
Then you start running, an ultra marathon every single month,
Grand 107, miles, and 22 hours. Now, you're doing all this for
the veterans, you know, in a totally different way, with with
the guitars for events, and you just change in lies and you're
incredibly inspirational. Individual man.
So like you need more than two and thirty seven followers
because people would people would people would look at your
Tori and be inspired, I mean, I've been inspired every time.
I every time I hear about what you're doing and you certainly
don't want to do it in a self-serving manner, but I just
want to give you like a megaphone to help more people by
simply doing what you're already doing, you know.
Yeah, I mean, it's like I said, it's the last last two years
have been kind of difficult for me and a personal level.
And so I'm just I'm kind of getting through that that time.
And so that's once I do that. I'm Which hopefully it'll be
wrapped up soon. It will be easier for me to do
kind of do more of this stuff. And so, you know, like I said,
I'm not, I had to kind of add attempt to take a pause, try to
figure out my personal life and, you know, that I've done
another, that's kind of sort itself out in whatever, way can
I think it's for the best? I'm able to start kind of being
intentional again. If you will.
And so to me, like I said, the big things are just showing up
and, you know, being like that guy, Steve.
And now that I've started doing that again, now, I'm trying to
find my legs to kind of get that out there.
I just my big concern is, I don't want it to be.
Like self-serving if you would like and it's not my goal is I
want to keep his altruistic as possible because I mean I
believe in this program. I think I really do that.
You're thinking like that on the front end.
Like that tells me everything. I need to know like I don't
think he would ever be able to make it self-serving because of
the person you are in the way you think.
I mean, you've got like an internal system of checks and
balances that you would never even allow yourself to venture
out in a way that is not benefiting the Overall goal and
the veteran and I don't think you would ever have to worry
about that. Just based off of what I do know
about you because you're asking these questions already, you
know. yeah, I mean I said, it's it's it's just, I mean, to me,
like I said, I, when I find something I believe in in, you
know, like I said, I've seen the power of this and I mean I've
seen no fewer than you know, like 15 lives changed completely
like the trajectory of their lives changed because of this
program and I mean there's a whole science behind it.
There really is I actually do know it, I just write them at a
loss for it right now. But, you know, like I said, I'm
excited. I'm excited to be playing again
and kind of finding my voice also, so, there's a lot of great
things, like I said, going on in my life right now.
Kind of taken some steps into the new into a new kind of Brave
New World and seeing where it opens up.
But like I said, this is one of those things where I definitely
want to. I just want to make sure I do it
the right way. And yeah, you know, so let me
spec that, man. Totally off off course here, but
are you still like, what are you doing your nutrition?
I you're still doing pretty much changing diet.
I stayed I stayed more more like low-carb just because I feel
better doing that. I it's it's hard.
It's not hard to Quito but Griff my schedule.
It's been really hard to kind of get back in that swing.
But I know, if I stay low carb, I'm good.
The big thing is, like I said, I just tried to I just do try to
do my yoga and then the strength training as well.
I dislocated my ankle a couple weeks ago, coaching soccer.
And so they got put back in place, but I'm dealing with a
kind of a broken. Don't know what's out of place
talents or whatever one of my footprint of a struggle, but not
dietary. Like I said, I stay as a whole
low carb, there's some things that I do like to do with the
kids, like, you know, like it's a summer coming up now.
So I get some ice. Or some like that, but the good
news is I figured out what works for me in terms of, I don't beat
myself up over things. You know, that's you have that
kind of that mindset were listen, if I have this it's
going to be okay. It's not going to it's not going
to kill me, but I might get back down in there.
Like I said, I might just play around in the next few months.
I've been kind of, is I move and transition.
Current house along stuff. I will try to, I think I will
just because like I said that, you know, I really only found
using carbs as I got days. Are I'm super active, you know,
honestly, like I generally, stay below, 100 100 grams.
Sometimes it will blow 75. But, yeah, totally.
So, how long you been doing yoga?
I've been doing on an offer. For like four years.
Now, five years, really since before I started running doing
that, is when I use an app. So like I have an app yoga
studio app and I do in the sauna Yoga City.
So yeah. Yeah, it's done every Android
and Apple but I, yeah, I go and I go to a sauna and I, that's
why I do yoga. Do you like anyone like a 15 to
a 50 minute class? Depends on kind of what I had
going on? And yeah, so it's super hot
yoga. But I do that if I don't do that
and I feel it and it's so tight and because of what I do for my
day job now. I'm a little more more mobile,
but there's a lot of time with the pandemic being outside of
computer. So now the things of open back
up and I have a less complications down my my
personal life. I can I have little bit more
freedom to kind of do some of the stuff and get back into that
routine. So, I'm hoping to get back.
Like I said, I don't know about running anymore.
Like, this is the problem. Is that my God just in 107
miles. So I could do 200 her somewhere.
Might say, hey, have you heard this Trail?
Would you want to run this and like well, it's see.
It's let's see. That's 700 something miles.
Yeah, I think I could do that about three weeks.
Maybe you know what? It's like.
Now I got to stop. Yeah, so totally totally get
that. But, do you do anything else
Mobility Wise from like a Proactive care standpoint,
besides the yoga like you doing deep tissue massage or anything
like that. You know, I'm I've been so
blessed with resources and such. So like, you know, not only do I
have that training the base of knowledge and those things, you
know, from the trigger point stuff, a lot of stuff but I have
like the hyper I those, you know, massage guns.
I have normal Tech pants and the whole suit.
And so I have all these things at my disposal, which Like I
said, I was using the lost a lot of times I was working at the
vet. So I've been doing a lot of
those things with just some Mobility, you know, stuff that
makes the biggest difference with them, in all honesty.
And so I have all these, I have all these those resources there
and then the va's provided me, the bunch more as well.
So, you know, it's kind of like, what am I feeling that day, but
I generally have a yoga flow that I do.
If I do that, I'm, you know, that takes away all my aches and
pains. If I'm coming out for my session
of training or like, coaching, like I coach soccer.
I don't know. I used to so before I was in the
military as a professional soccer player.
I don't know if you knew that or not.
And so, but now I got I just got back to coaching my kids.
I used to coach in college and some, you know, so they're using
location long time ago, and I took a big time off at and now
I'm coach my kids again, since the things.
And so, if I'm sore from that, I have the ability to let me Over
now though, and I think, I think that's super key.
I've been trying to dig more into proactive care like that
because I've always I've always been a guy that just kind of
kick it down the curb and never really does any kind of
stretching and Mobility work, but I feel like I'm going to
have to start rest is going to catch up with me.
It's, you know, with with the especially the amount of muscle
you have. I don't see if you just
Incorporated some yoga and they're, you know, I generally
like for me when I lift. This is a I do.
Like, I do strength training know but it's lessons like, you
know, three by five, you know, Shouting string kind of stuff,
you know, just, you know, since for lifts and then yoga, that's
it. That's how I prepared to run
that, you know, 22 hours that protocol.
Yeah, and so, which was nonsensical to most people, but
it was super effective. But but I would augment those
that stuff with with yoga. I had no joint issues and I'm
gonna have a fake hip and so people like your knees are going
to be bad in this and that it's like I don't know what to tell
you. Like.
I right now. I'm not think I'm rolling around
like 70. And so I got to drop some other
similar to the process of dropping, some more weight, but
back then the dancing. Wait, but I mean for me like
2:30 is like is actually really skinny for me.
Yeah, so unfortunately, based on my frame.
So what you got a lot of muscle man, I mean, you're you're
impressive because you don't fit most people's molds for how
people should do things like from a dietary standpoint from a
training standpoint. And anytime there's like, an
outlier that's not going in with the status quo.
I like it piques my interest. So you're always piquing, my
interest always doing something super impressive.
I'm always excited to catch up with and see what you got going
on. Man.
Is there anything else that's kind of in the pipeline and
exciting for me, besides the, the guitar for veteran.
Now another another awesome resource, so they're better than
organization, by the way, it's called PGA hope.
And so actually, I got into golf and it's another, it's another
free program and they do like 16 weeks of lessons with the DJ
Pro, The Constructor. And I mean, I've seen them where
they have guys in, like the standing chairs, you know, it
was a unbelievable program and I really got into golf when the
pandemic first hit, and I got down to just above a three
handicap and I played a ton it was great because there's all
those things that you for me. I loved about Marksmanship and
shooting, apply those same rules in the gulf and And so I found
that to be really relaxing and fun, especially when you do with
a group of veterans and stuff like that, the camaraderie and
everything. It's called PGA.
Hope. I don't think I have a social
media presence, but it's a free program for vets.
And so, and that's all that's across the country as well.
Just like guitars for vets. You know, there's so many great
resources for vets that we just don't fully aren't fully aware
and don't fully track because of one reason the other.
But To me some of these programs have been fantastic, you know, I
was never a golfer in all of a sudden, you know, you know,
there's time. I'm qualified for the Korn Ferry
tour. I was like, oh, I don't want
that kind of like for myself right now.
But yeah, so it's totally things where like I said, it's it's
just taking those opportunities and embracing them, you know,
and so hopefully I can help get that word out there.
Well, you mean you getting the word out there you're doing it.
You're living it. You're breathing it.
I mean there's ever anything I can do to help spread the word
any form or fashion Man by all means.
Let me know if there's anything I can do for you personally.
Let me know. I'm get much respect for you.
What you've done, what you're doing.
So keep keep making a difference out there brother.
Well, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I have, I've seen some things
going on in my life. I might have more free time
coming up. So I'm going to take a road trip
down at West, but I'm going to stop in Arkansas.
And say, what's up you guys. Hey, Mitchell.
Some, our doors are always open for you brother.
I won't I want to Wrangle you into doing any kind of crazy run
or anything, but we get a lifting session in there for
sure. Sounds good man.
Awesome brother. Well, where do people go about
you more about you? Its arsenal of Hope is still
your primary Instagram, right? Yeah.
That's that's that's a primary one.
I've just started kind of putting stuff out there again.
I'm going to start doing some more content and then they start
doing some more music stuff as well.
And kind of hopefully highlight some of the Vets and things like
that, that we were because there are some really talented guys
out there as well. So that's kind of my hope is to
start doing that. And then yeah, I mean, like I
said, when I start the more things that you like, so I'll
let you know, but right now I do everything through arsenal of
Hope. Yeah.
Awesome. Awesome.
Well, I would Link at that, make it easy people to find you like
sent me if there's anything I can do for you brother.
Just let me know. Ben likewise to man, likewise.
Take care and we'll talk to me. Sounds good, man.