From Broken Couch Potato to 100-Mile Ultra Athlete
We tell ourselves we’ll start when life calms down—then it never does.
Most people wait until burnout or breakdown to ask, “How do I get my energy back?”
I’ve lived that collapse — teeth falling out, joints breaking, brain fog so heavy I couldn’t do math — and I discovered the way through.
The same systems that rebuilt me from broken couch-potato to 100-mile ultrarunner can help you reclaim resilience, sharpen focus, and extend your healthspan.
This isn’t theory or influencer noise; it’s a proven framework you can put to work in your own life. The transformation starts when you decide your energy, longevity, and future are worth fighting for.
If health is a journey, here are your roadmaps.
These episodes are in depth conversations with my coach Zac Bitter…who just happens to be a world record holder for the fastest 100 mile ultra!
From Broken Couch Potato to 100-Mile Ultra Athlete – Episode 1
A story of burnout, reinvention, and the audacious leap from rock bottom to running beyond reason.
This episode isn’t about chasing a finish line; it’s about building a body and mind that last. Dr. Dave Heitmann trades quick fixes for durable systems—sleep, strength, metabolic health, and mindset—that compound over years. The goal shifts from “go faster” to “stay capable,” turning setbacks into training data and resilience into a daily practice. If healthspan is the new PR, this is your blueprint.
From Broken Couch Potato to 100-Mile Ultra Athlete – Episode 2
From broken to building: how one man turned blood markers, burnout, and big goals into the fuel for a 100-mile journey.
What happens when you go from a body breaking down to a body breaking limits? This episode dives into the messy middle—where discipline meets doubt, and where a former athlete learns to rebuild from the inside out. You’ll hear how metrics, mindset, and modified carnivore meals became the scaffolding for a brand-new identity. If you’ve ever wondered how to trade excuses for resilience, this is your roadmap.
From Broken Couch Potato to 100-Mile Ultra Athlete – Episode 3
Adversity, hidden diagnoses, and the pursuit of resilience: how setbacks became the blueprint for healthspan and performance.
What if the struggles you’ve carried for years weren’t weakness but the first clues to a breakthrough? In this episode, we peel back the layers of adversity — medical mysteries, burnout, and family challenges — to reveal the surprising patterns that hold the key to resilience. It’s not about avoiding obstacles, but about transforming them into the raw material for health, longevity, and purpose. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the dark, this conversation shows why the obstacle in your way may actually be your way forward.
The Call to Adventure
I never set out to be a runner. In fact, I used to say I hated running. My journey didn’t begin with a love of marathons; it began with collapse. Burnout, brain fog, broken bones, and bankruptcy left me on the couch, wondering if I’d lost everything — my health, my career, my edge.
Rock Bottom and a Decision
One day, exhausted and inflamed, I made a decision that sounded ridiculous even to me: I was going to run 100 miles. Not because I wanted a medal, but because I needed a goal so audacious that it would force me to change everything.
Building from Broken
The first weeks weren’t about running. They were about tying my shoes, walking, and stacking the smallest wins. I tracked my blood work, wore my Garmin, lifted weights, and cut out the fads that had failed me before. Progress wasn’t fireworks; it was compounding steps.
Family as Fuel
This wasn’t just my project. My kids and wife joined me on the journey. They ate with me, trained with me, and watched me rebuild. Health became contagious in our house. I wasn’t just chasing a finish line — I was showing my kids what it looked like to face the hard things.
The Spark on the Mountain
A defining moment came when two men, decades older than me, ran past me on a Colorado mountain trail. They were laughing, strong, and free. I was gasping for air, humbled, and inspired. That image burned into my brain: I wanted to be like them at 60, not broken at 40.
The Training Years
For months, it was habit before performance. Walking, slow runs, heavy lifting. Nutrition simplified into a modified carnivore approach: meat, dairy, honey, fermented foods. Weight fell off, energy stabilized, and my blood markers transformed. My identity was shifting, mile by mile.
The Setback Before the Race
Just weeks before the Javelina 100, I tore my meniscus again. The logical move was to stop. But this journey wasn’t about logic — it was about proving resilience. I taped up my knee and decided to show up anyway.
The Hottest Race in History
Race day was brutal. Temperatures soared past 100 degrees, UV rays unrelenting, the desert unforgiving. I saw runners bleeding, collapsing, and being pulled off the course. Reports said 60–70% of participants dropped out. This wasn’t a race; it was survival.
Hallucinations and the Edge
By the first 22-mile loop, I was pale, struggling to control my heart rate, and speaking nonsense. At one point, I hallucinated in the desert heat and nearly cuddled a cactus. The medical team debated whether to let me continue. I pressed on.
Loop Two: The Breaking Point
The second loop pushed me past anything I’d ever endured. My legs had no power, my body was wrecked, and my mind was slipping. After 18 hours and 44 miles, I stumbled across the line — heat-stricken, exhausted, and done. My family was there, cheering, tears in their eyes as I could barely walk.
The True Finish Line
I didn’t complete 100 miles. But I achieved something bigger: I proved to myself that I could push far beyond the limits I believed were possible. I did the impossible in my own mind. Running wasn’t in my DNA, and yet I had redefined who I was.
Legacy and No Regrets
When I’m 85, I’ll look back and know I won’t regret this. My kids now carry the lessons of discipline, resilience, and joy in the journey. They were part of the training, the meals, and the mindset. This wasn’t just about me — it was about wiring a new family legacy.
Recovery and What’s Next
Yes, it broke me. Six months of recovery before I could even climb stairs again. But the journey wasn’t wasted. It reset my life, reshaped my habits, and proved that adversity is fuel for transformation. And yes — I’m coming back. But next time, it’ll be cool weather and soft pine needles. I’m not done.