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Deep Roots Podcast

@deep_roots_podcast

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Explorer @auld_stock shares his journey to self-realisation through extreme adventures
S4: Kili x 2
S3: NY-Galway Row
S2: Everest
S1:Solo Atlantic Row

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Why are you here?

My life - my responsibility.

Precious grains of time slip through my hands every day. The clock is ticking…

And if I want to make the most out of the extraordinary experience of life that is available to me (& you), I am completely sure of one thing -

I must explore.

Now tell me this; can you picture an explorer who never faced resistance on their path? Livingstone cutting through the jungles of Central Africa hardly had it his own way? It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing for Shackelton and Endurance.

Resistance is part of the journey to explore life and make the most out of it.

Nothing experientially good comes through comfort, convenience or consumerism.

Action is demanded. Risk. Discomfort.

The most transformative experiences, the ones that enrich, enlighten and expand the human, live on the far side of heavy resistance.

You will never stumble into them on the street.

You have to fight for them.

-——

P.S: The documentary of our @ironmindinstitute Marathon des Sables race is now live on YouTube. Link in bio & story to watch taken in Sahara Desert, Morocco by @deep_roots_podcast

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a year ago

The time for talking is done.

Now it’s time for action.

The Marathon des Sables documentary is now live (link in bio) taken in Sahara Desert, Morocco by @deep_roots_podcast

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a year ago

If you say you are going to do something, go fucking do it.

I’ve disappointed myself. No excuses. Just the truth.

Also - fuck the algorithm #postsover3minuteswillnotbeshowntonewaudiences
Here’s 6 minutes that might actually help someone - not the usual vapid trash you promote taken in Sahara Desert, Morocco by @deep_roots_podcast

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a year ago

Day 4: 82.2kms - The Long Day.

If I had to choose a word to describe the stage it would be - Uncomfortable.

It rained.

I limped.

It sandstorm-ed.

I hallucinated.

I slept while I walked. I slept in a bush.

I chose my response. I smiled.

An epic day (and a bit). I spent the vast majority of it in a place I enjoy - on my own; in my own head. There was stuff to get some clarity on. The long reflective periods of silence were healthily broken by moments with Kevin from Cumbria, the 2 Pauls (@pfarr1980 & @paulbyas ), James at CP 7 and Gary from our @ironmindinstitute team.

Despite the discomfort, there was little “1st level thinking”. You know - the focus that arises as a consequence of the physical stress: “How long is left?”, “How far until the next checkpoint?” etc, etc …. outcome orientation. I’ve practiced the 4 Controllables Method for close on a decade and mind - body connection has become my default state - even in duress.

Discomfort is the price of evolution. Therefore the capacity to endure discomfort is truly important if you desire to do more with your life. The longer we can endure the feeling of discomfort, the more time we give ourselves to organise our psychology and change our state - a true superpower.

Tune into the latest episode of @deep_roots_podcast Roots to hear the full story from 28 hours and 82.2kms through the Sahara. taken in Sahara Desert, Morocco by @deep_roots_podcast

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a year ago

Day 3 of the Marathon des Sables - the day I broke.

It’s important to me that I am honest with myself. For years I wasn’t.

My dishonesty inflicted plenty of pain on me and others close to me.

Honesty, I find, has the opposite effect and counterintuitively, the more brutal and confronting the information uncovered, the deeper its properties to bring goodness into the world.

The truth is enlightening and empowering despite its often ugly facade.

Although the act of being honest with myself is often an internal wrestle, I’ve fought hard and engrained a meaningful practice within. So if I am honest with myself - The night of Day 2 and morning of Day 3 was where I lost the internal battle to keep pushing myself.

I can have all sorts of reasonable excuses; discomfort, pain, injury, team to lead, etc but they are still excuses. The truth is - I let my mind and its admirable powers to recruit whatever it is that amplifies my fears, doubts and insecurities onto its team, win the battle.

Note: This is not the first battle of the mind I have lost and it will not be the last. What is ultimately important here is that I face the consequences with honesty, respond with integrity and try again with a wholeheartedness.

You can hear the full dispatch from Day 3 in the desert on @deep_roots_podcast

Strength, courage & integrity,

Damian taken in Sahara Desert, Morocco by @deep_roots_podcast

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a year ago

The question that had to be answered: “Is my foot really stopping me running and pushing myself more, or is it a convenient excuse not to try?”

I’m a father of two under 4. I started the Ironmind Institute 2 years ago and pour every ounce of energy into it daily. I train 2 - 3.5 hours each day to prepare my body to absorb the punishment of running 3,000km around Ireland in summer 2026.

Life is full. My physical & mental prep for the Marathon des Sables met my standards. My technical prep didn’t, but I justified that due to the demands of life. A solid history of expedition experience gave me some solace when the voice in my head got louder: “You need to get your fueling sorted.”

I knew the risks of neglecting technical prep but was quietly confident I’d be fine. “You’ve done it before. You know what’s coming. Where are the threats? Nowhere that can’t be sorted before we fly.”

Quietly confident or not—that mindset left holes for mistakes.

The Marathon des Sables organisers recommend wearing trainers at least one size bigger than usual. I bought a pair half a size bigger. Loved them. Breaking them in was painless. Training went great. From memory, that’s what I did in 2016.

Midway through Day 2, I had doubts.

My foot had swollen, hardly surprising—but I’d overlooked that my left foot is slightly longer than my right. Ten to twelve km into Day 2, the toes on my left foot were jammed into the front of my trainer. Running became uncomfortable. I was there to undo regrets from 2016 and push from start to finish. This was deflating.

To add to the challenge—I was leading 15 individuals who had trained under me and the Ironmind Institute for the last 9 months.

“Do I push to run and risk blowing up with the team under my leadership? Or do I dial back, walk, and manage the issue? Or… are these just excuses to protect myself from the truth?”

You can tune into the latest @deep_roots_podcast episode to hear the full story from Day 2 of the @mdslegendary taken in Sahara Desert, Morocco by @deep_roots_podcast

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a year ago

Stage 1 of the @mdslegendary - 32.2kms

As I lined up to start my second Marathon des Sables, I wasn’t sure on how I would start. In previous days my, until that point, clear intent had been disturbed due to some achilles tendon issues.

A driving reason behind why I was standing here, staring down 250km across the Sahara desert was to settle some regrets from 2016. Therefore focus and clarity of approach had not been an issue until inexplicably the ache in my achillies ramped up as the shadow of the race loomed over us.

As AC/DC’s Highway to Hell boomed through our little corner of the Sahara, I was with slight surprise when I started running out the gate.

By the time I reached Checkpoint 1 I was a very happy man. This was the exact start I wanted. Aggressive, present, courageous.

All in all a stage 1 I’m very happy with, however the reaction of my body to the output and demanding conditions has left what is ahead quite the daunting prospect.

Tune into today’s episode of @deep_roots_podcast to hear the full story of Day 1, including my secret delight when John and Conor from our @ironmindinstitute team passed me between CP 2 & 3, my old Saharan nemesis humbling me again and my rating for standards and efforts for the day. taken in Sahara Desert, Morocco by @deep_roots_podcast

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a year ago

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2 years ago

The sights & sounds from Day 3

Tune into Deep Roots wherever you get your podcasts to hear the full story dispatched from the side of Africa’s highest mountain. taken in Kilimanjaro Shira Camp - 3,890m by @deep_roots_podcast

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3 years ago

It’s a bittersweet start to Day 3 of climb 2 of Kilimanjaro as we say goodbye to one member of our group, a casualty from yesterdays efforts, while simultaneously experiencing one of the highlights of our expedition; a celebration of being on the mountain, given to us by our @earths_edge team of guides, cooks and porters.

Check out the highlights of Day 3 on @auld_stock YouTube channel (link in bio)

@oconnellsgalway taken in Kilimanjaro Shira Camp - 3,890m by @deep_roots_podcast

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3 years ago

Episode 11 (S4): Another Departure on the Mt Kilimanjaro Slopes!

“Because life’s a fucking fight” taken in Kilimanjaro Region by @deep_roots_podcast

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3 years ago

Day 2 in pictures taken in Kilimanjaro Shira Camp - 3,890m by @deep_roots_podcast

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3 years ago