Ep. 149: Physical and Mental Toughness and The Future of Cutting the Distance
Cutting The Distance
MeatEater
4.9 • 6.8K Ratings
🗓️ 7 August 2025
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, Jason sits down with CrossFit legend, Rich Froning, to dive deep into the mental and physical toughness it takes to succeed, not just in the gym, but in the mountains. Rich opens up about his passion for hunting, what drew him to it, and how it’s challenged him in ways he didn’t expect. They explore how the intensity of elite fitness compares to the patience and grit required in the backcountry, what training really matters when you're preparing for a hunt, and how to stay disciplined when life’s full of competing priorities. From workouts and recovery to mindset and motivation, this conversation is about pushing limits, building resilience, and finding growth through discomfort, whether you’re on the trail or under a heavy barbell. If you're serious about becoming a tougher, more capable version of yourself, in the field and beyond, you won’t want to miss this one.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an IHeart podcast. |
| 0:04.2 | There's no shortcut to building the gear that won't fail. |
| 0:07.2 | That's why First Light built the new forged waiters from the ground up. |
| 0:11.3 | Field tested where failure isn't an option. |
| 0:14.4 | Designed for waterfowl hunters who show up in the dark, |
| 0:17.1 | who are ready for anything and who stay when the conditions get brutal. |
| 0:21.8 | These aren't fair weather waiters. |
| 0:23.6 | They're built or performed. |
| 0:24.8 | They're built to last. |
| 0:26.3 | If you're planning your waterfowl season, plan around gear that won't quit on you. |
| 0:30.9 | Forge waiters by First Light. |
| 0:33.1 | Zero quit season after season. |
| 0:36.1 | Available now at Firstlight.com. That's F-I-R-S-T-L-I-T-E.com. |
| 0:56.7 | Welcome back to another episode of cutting the distance. |
| 1:01.3 | Today I'm here with Rich Froning, former fittest man on Earth, maybe still is. |
| 1:03.1 | How's it going, Rich? |
| 1:04.5 | Pretty good. |
| 1:05.0 | Doing good. |
| 1:05.3 | Yeah. |
| 1:14.9 | Fitest on Earth is more of a CrossFit or Reebok marketing title, I would say. I competed at the CrossFit games and won a couple of times. When people ask, you know, that's more. But to my kids is, |
| 1:21.4 | I'll always be the fittest on earth. You know, try still thinks my son thinks I'm still the |
| 1:25.0 | strongest man on earth. So whatever. That's all that matters, |
... |
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