Video summary
The ultra-running community often views Nedd Brockman through a lens of skepticism, labeling him the "Jake Paul" of endurance racing due to his high-profile sponsorships and speaking engagements that some purists feel do not align with traditional values in sports like boxing or swimming. This friction stems from individuals who criticize those without an extensive resume for participating in extreme events, yet Brockman acknowledges this backlash while noting a common human tendency to seek approval rather than authenticity. He reflects on how people often try too hard to please others, losing their own backbone in the process, whereas he believes it is healthier to maintain one's identity even when facing violent disapproval from those who cannot support him. Ultimately, Brockman accepts that his path may seem "dumb" or unconventional but insists it is a route he would not change for anything and has no intention of altering. Central to Brockman's philosophy is the message to live fully by giving time, energy, smiles, and money without expecting an exchange in return. He encourages listeners to stop waiting on their phones and instead pursue what they have always wanted to do, emphasizing that getting uncomfortable through intentional hardship reveals aspects of oneself otherwise inaccessible. This approach extends beyond running; whether it involves swimming, kayaking, or rock climbing, the goal is to inspire others to make the most of life rather than adhering strictly to sport-specific traditions. While he admits he may never match the elite times in marathons within a few years, his primary hope is that his actions convey an appreciable message about resilience and living authentically, distinct from simply attacking critics because they exist or because he feels capable of doing whatever he chooses. The discussion highlights other figures who navigate similar tensions between mainstream appeal and niche community expectations, such as Will Gadd and Russ Cook. Will Gadd is described as a trendy figure with skincare routines and flashy attire who successfully completes extreme feats like running across America in 55 days or completing marathons in every UK county within 30 days, earning deals despite ruffling some feathers. Conversely, Russ Cook is celebrated for his unapologetic authenticity after becoming the first person to run the full length of Africa from South Africa to Tunisia; even when suffering severely with food poisoning and vomiting while running on tarmac, he maintained a smile and jovial attitude that many found noble and attractive. These examples illustrate how individuals who are genuinely themselves draw people in, contrasting sharply with those who remain miserable or insecure about their lives. Brockman also touches upon the emotional weight of his own experiences, suggesting that finishing a race while angry might have been as significant a missed opportunity as failing to complete it entirely. He notes that live streams showing him moving at 3:00 AM on TikTok demonstrated how people reacted with awe rather than just criticism, proving that his message about enduring adversity with levity resonated deeply regardless of whether he set records or crossed specific finish lines. The core argument remains that Russ Cook is neither better nor worse than anyone else simply because of what he has achieved; he is a human being living life on his own terms in a very specific way, and the community should focus less on hating these individuals for their success and more on appreciating their unique journeys without judgment. Throughout the conversation, there are moments where commercial interests intersect with personal narratives, such as Brockman's endorsement of AG1 supplements which he has used daily for over three years due to its comprehensive formulation and holistic health benefits. He emphasizes that if a better product existed, he would switch immediately, but his long-term commitment underscores his belief in products designed for sustained use rather than short-term fixes. The transcript concludes with an invitation for listeners to explore the full-length podcast featuring these discussions, reinforcing the idea that while purists may dislike Brockman's style or success metrics, the broader appeal lies in inspiring others to embrace discomfort and live authentically without apology.
Read the full video transcript
what does the ultra running Community
think of
you that's a good question um I want to
dance no I'm not going to dance around
this because it's like something
that's again being 25 something I never
thought I would
have uh dealt with as much um there's
purists in everything and I know for a
fact that people in boxing and swimming
in all those things that take on these
events without the I guess resume of mhm
mhm what is supposedly supposed to do uh
in order to attack a th000 Ming you're
the Jake Paul of endurance racing there
you go perfect [ __ ] God don't put
that on me he's got a mullet too yeah y
um yeah I I I was shocked when I first
coed a bit of flack for a few things but
I'm always like even your talk last
night talking about um like anyone who's
spreading
negativity it is funny when you've never
coped it that you think they are they so
oh my God they must be right because you
know I'm this this lack of this person
I'm I'm not capable but that person he's
he's got it he knows yeah that that
person's assessment of me is is bang on
like all your close people around you
tell you love you no they can't be right
no you're fine mate what you did no not
a chance who know you so well but then
the the nuffy that said oh how dare you
pause your watch for this amount of time
because it doesn't reflect exactly what
it is oh yeah no he's he knows me in and
out it's interesting I think we're just
so naturally drawn to make
sure I think inly that's us to want
people to love us and want people to
approve us and welcome us with open arms
but so you find the people that don't
and work out a way to try and do the
thing that will make them love you yeah
I I when I first went through that I was
like I I'm I'm going oh [ __ ] how do I'm
you just lose so much of yourself by
doing that like you become the most
broad have no backbone stand for nothing
if you're trying to be General and
please everyone so it's it's good that
you have people that don't like you but
if you're yourself and you have those
people that violently love you and can't
support you enough uh like as long as
you can say it for that and and exactly
as you said these people are so insecure
about themselves and so worried about
what people think of them too that they
prefer to spit hate and anger in saying
that in the in the running world I would
say majority of people accept me and um
appreciate that what I'm doing is you
know probably bit a bit dumb and not the
the road to take but it's also one that
I would not change for the world I would
I would do the OS run again 10 times
over at at 22 years old to continue to
like I I just want people to I've I've
said it for like the last probably 3
years any kote I've done any speaking to
anyone I want to people to live like
live just make the most of it stop
waiting stop getting on your phone stop
just going do the thing you've always
wanted to do give so give without
wanting anything in return I think
there's a lot of that where it's like
people want something from an exchange
or want something from doing something I
feel like if you can just give and give
your time or energy or smile or money to
someone or to whatever it is um that is
a very rewarding existence and then to
get uncomfortable I love the fact that
you can intentionally put yourself in
really hard scenarios and you'll find
out things about yourself that you'll
never have learned unless you did those
things if you did the hard things um and
so yeah live give get uncomfortable
that's all I want that's all my messag
is and if I can get people to hear that
through what I do regard of that being
running swimming kaying rock climbing
whatever I decide to do next and I'm
sure I'll keep ruffling feathers with
the purist of the sport who can't stand
that are sponsors paying me what they're
paying me or can't stand that I'm
getting to speak at these events where
like but it should be this guy cuz he's
can run this really fast marathon time
it's like I appreciate that and those
people are incredible those I I I could
never match it with the elites of the
Elites in the marathon world or the
ultramarathon world it might take me
years to get there but I hope that I
have a message that people can go yeah
that's cool I like that I appreciate
that for what he is and yeah I I don't
want to get that mixed up with me being
I've never gone I'm the I'm just
attacking this thing because it's there
and I feel like I'm capable of doing it
and off the run I did it definitely
shows that I am capable I just have to
do the years and years and years but by
the time I'm able to do it I'll probably
want to do something else
so yeah do you know will G I do he's
he's a good friend yeah so will know
will for yours and uh you know he did
his thinger Across America he did a an
interesting UK one before was the
counties different counties different
three PS or four or five PS no no so
this was maybe even before that um where
he ran I think it's a marathon in each
County in the UK maybe every day it was
like the 6055 or something no 4030 4830
was you're in 48 marathons 30 days yeah
yeah I do before that yeah and then he
did the thing where he ran across
America and not too dissimilar he's
probably maybe like 30 few years older
than you something like that uh for the
people that don't know him [ __ ]
good-looking kid uh hot handsome big
dick uh anyway I haven't seen the dick
yeah like it's uh you're not British um
and uh he doesn't I was talking to Rich
Ro about this and he said what did he
refer to it as he said that the
endurance races are a bit of a granola
crowd they're sort of a bit crusty and
uh you've got will who's trendy and he
wears fles yeah exactly you know like
skincare routine and um he ends up doing
really well on a number of like pretty
[ __ ] extreme events but it Ruffles
some feathers in people just want to
hate it and it's like it's just such a
odd way to look at the world and it's
sad and I think if you can look it from
that pity point of view it's like that's
actually sad that you can't go you know
what this bike's been running he's
ex-rugby player he's hot as [ __ ] he's
getting deals from a freaking you know
whatever it may be and they can't just
go you know what good on you you ran
across America in 55 days they're
[ __ ] incredible like give the man's
flowers like let's not hate on people
for what's the response been to Russ
Cook I think um relatively positive I
and I'm sure he's CED it and as do you
think his grol beard has helped him with
that being Ser he so likable he's he's
just such a you can't not like the guy
there's something wrong with you if you
can't not like him you have to like him
he's too just bubbly and funny and like
you don't know what's going to come out
and it's I remember this is the guy
again for the people that didn't know
that he ran the length of Africa first
person ever I think to the the full
length so from bottom of South Africa to
top of Tunisia yeah wherever the [ __ ] it
is and uh I remember I was watching him
on his Instagram stories halfway through
it and I think he managed to get some
sort of food poisoning and he was
running down the road with [ __ ] pouring
out of his shorts throwing up and
videoing himself just saying that
they're trying to stop me like they
they're trying to they're trying they're
trying to stop me but I'm just too
[ __ ] Fierce I'm just still here
chewing pavement yeah chewing tarmac
eating asphalt and uh I I don't know
it's not I really wish that that was the
way that I'm built in those situations
and maybe if I dedicated myself to it
there's something that I could activate
but [ __ ] me I love seeing someone that
is like seeing somebody that is dealing
with suffering with a smile and uh I
don't know it's Noble and like cool it
is and that's why so many people love
Russ like they just want to just give me
more Russ like when he was posting you
know day 300 of running he's got his
goggles on to the Sahara like that is
that's just you know what that is that's
authenticity that's him being him and I
think so many people want to be
themselves but don't know how and you've
got this guy who's just so
unapologetically himself and that is
that's attractive and and draws you in
and I feel like if we can all do that
that's where you don't have these people
that are sad and miserable about their
lives but that's just that's the way the
world is you're never going to change
them they they've got to change
themselves and I wonder if uh I wonder
if that's part of the reason that you
were maybe a bit angry when you finished
the race as well that you have this
opportunity to like not only be you for
your own experience but also like this
is what I want to put out like the whole
one of the big reasons of doing this is
to set the example like this is how you
can deal with suffering with a smile
this is how you can go through some
adversity and and and be jovial and and
AD levity and and maybe that was a as
much of a missed opportunity as not
completing the race would have been not
just doing the thing but how you do the
thing yeah I guess there a part of that
but I still feel it
it uh grabbed a a lot of people and went
oh Jesus we've got to like this how is
he still going how is you know we've
been drawing on live Tik Tok at 3:00
a.m. going he's still moving he's still
moving like I know I know it got it
definitely got through the message I
wanted but I think yeah potentially
Crossing and
went yeah maybe maybe if I got the
record it still wouldn't have been as
important as the what happen anyway if I
did I still don't believe I would be
going I got this like I don't think that
would be the message I hope it wouldn't
be that if because as you said at the
start it's like Ross isn't better or
worse than anyone because he's done
something he's a human being that's
living his life the way he wants to live
it and that's what's quite applied
himself in a very specific way yeah and
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