Just Start

Just Start

What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? For many, it’s seeing someone who thought change was impossible finally decide to "just start". That’s exactly what this conversation between Coach Blu Robinson and athlete Ed Barnett brings to life. Ed shares how he went from more than 400 pounds, chain-smoking and comfort-eating "40 chicken wings a day", to becoming a multi–half-marathon finisher, ultrarunner and committed member of the Leadville 10 and Moab 10 Warrior groups.

His turning point came when ultra runner and coach David Clark looked him in the eye after a work talk and said, "Ed, I believe you" when Ed promised, "You’re never going to see me this big again." That simple belief became a line in the sand. You’ll hear how Ed tackled brutal treadmill sessions like the infamous "Leadville power hike" at 10% incline, squeezed runs into late-night hotel stays and 3 a.m.

race weekends, and gradually shifted from food as comfort to food as fuel with his wife’s support. He describes Leadville’s altitude, Moab’s heat and the deep bond formed in the Warrior groups, where "you do the work when nobody’s watching" and race day becomes proof that change is real.

There’s also a powerful section on Ed joining David’s NHL-stadium bike tour with Otis Price, crammed into a chaotic van, filming David in freezing conditions as he repeated, "You never quit on the mountain." That phrase became Ed’s compass when David died, his NASCAR career ended, and he still chose not to drink again but to "keep moving forward" into a new life managing MMA fighters.

If you’ve ever thought you’re too far gone, too old, too unfit or too stuck to change, this conversation quietly asks: what would happen if you just started today?