ll Mimi Anderson really wanted was thinner legs. She ran the windiest road imaginable to get there, a journey that brought her across frigid tundra and blistering desert alike and placed her in the record books for posterity. Along the way, what she found hidden underneath her compulsion to thin down was a passion to challenge herself and grow. Anderson runs it in 100 mile+ chunks, but swears that 5k is plenty if that's what challenges you. She has one deceptively simple piece of advice: Just sign up and you'll find a way to make it happen.

Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com

Lessons:
1. Just sign up and it and you'll find a way to make it happen.
2. When the going gets tough, think of all the people who expect you to fail.
3. If you don't constantly push boundaries, you're not going to grow as a person.

Panel Notes:
Joe Desena: Who would take a hair dryer on a long distance multi day run? Multi day! She ran across South Africa. Most people complain when they need to drive that far. Find out what helps her get through that kind of adversity.

Col. Nye: Remarkable woman, staggering accomplishments, tough as nails. Driven by challenge and adventure. Growth comes from challenge. Listen to your body. Must be mentally prepared at all times. Uses visualization.

Sefra Alexandra: “The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible”

Mimi has run across deserts in the Sahara, Libya, Chile, Kalahari and Namibia to name a few: feats a Land Rover would be whimpering about. Speaking of the Kalahari, the San Bushmen are masters of persistence hunting: a combination of running, walking and tracking to pursue prey to the point of exhaustion. A hunt for a kudu (antelope) can last 2-5hrs covering around 22 miles in 104-108 °F… try that as a change in your frame of reference. (GERONIMO)

Mimi is Co-Founder of Freedom Runners - a 2350km run across South Africa’s Freedom Trail to raise money to provide products to keep South African girls in school.