“When you toe the line in a race, and I truly feel this way.  I give my wife a kiss goodbye; this could be it; this could be the end because I’m going to give it all. And I may go too far..” - Lionel Sanders In this episode, I sat down with Ironman Champion athlete Lionel Sanders. We compare our racing and training experiences, and Lionel shares his journey of adversity that has shaped who he is today. Lionel also shares about his recent injury and the lessons he’s learned through recovery. You will be inspired by the relevant topics including overcoming addiction, personal drive, motivation, characteristics of a champion and more. LISTEN, WATCH & SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Podbean | chrislieto.com/lionel THIS EPISODE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THESE SPONSORS: ADDADAYAddaday is an active healing technology company focused on pre-and post-exercise recovery to help people move better and live their fullest. Its devices deliver targeted therapies and techniques used by professionals to prime the body for exercise, speed recovery and treat or prevent injury. They are the Official Recovery Partner of IRONMAN, USA Climbing, Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run and other leading sports organizations. In addition, many teams and professional athletes at the highest levels of football, baseball, hockey and Olympic sports now use Addaday’s products for their recovery needs.  Visit addaday.com/discount/chrislieto and you can get 20% off your order when you use coupon code: CHRIS20 GATORADE ENDURANCEIf you are racing your mind has to be prepared and so does your body. That's why it's important to train with what's on course. Gatorade endurance formula hydrates and fuels athletes on over 300 race courses.  Visit gatorade.com/endurance and you can receive 20% off your purchase when you use promo code: CHRIS20 KION AMINOSWhether you’re looking to stimulate faster muscle growth, recover more rapidly from exercise, become more resistant to fatigue during a grueling workout, or just benefit from additional amino acids in their most absorbable form to support aging or a vegan, vegetarian, or ketosis diet, Kion Aminos essential amino acids has you covered.  Visit getkion.com/chrislieto and you can receive 20% off your purchase when you use promo code: CHRIS20 SHOW NOTESCheck out Lionel Sanders on his YouTube | Website | Instagram | FacebookWatch Lionels YouTube Channel show and get the inside look into his training, racing, and life. Questions Chris asks: What was growing up like? (11:11)Who were your mentors? (13:52)When did your drive shift? (24:37)What motivates you to continue (27:20)What is your ultimate goal? (30:54)How many years do you think you have left in this sport? (37:28)What are three characteristics to being a champion? (38:33)Have you gotten to the point where you’ve let go of expectation? (44:28)When being present, are you aware of what is going on around you at the same time? (48:19)What was your greatest performance? (49:58)What is the thing you’ve been most afraid of? (51:24)What happened to give you an injury this past year? (57:12)How did you process your injury? (1:00:21)Did you learn a lot about recovery when healing from your injury? (1:02:09)Would you say rest and recovery is as equally as important as the training? (1:04:52)If you had a year left to live, what would you want to teach those around you? (1:08:16) In this episode, you’ll learn:Lionel talks about his hard lifestyle that eventually got him on track. (15:08)Lionel shares the beginning of his new life and triathlon career. (19:59)Lionel shares how Ironman makes changes in your life. (24:54)Lionel shares how he shifted a negative addiction for a positive addiction but the importance of keeping a healthy perspective. (27:49)Lionel shares three characteristics to being a champion