Inside Mediocre Amateur: Danny Bryson on YouTube, Ultras & Big Mountains

Jake, Mick, and special guest Danny Bryson (Mediocre Amateur) dive into ultrarunning chaos in this episode, mixing race recaps with wild tangents and big debates. They break down Jesse Rich’s breakout Run Rabbit Run win 🏔️, Danny’s hilarious stories of Survivor auditions, Shark Tank near-misses, and even prison, plus the origins of Mediocre Amateur and his terrifying climb of the Matterhorn. The crew discusses the National Park crackdown on FKTs and illegal filming rules, why Kilimanjaro and the Seven Summits might be overrated, and the insanity of the TOR des Géants: 200 miles and 80k of vert with no sleep. They also touch on Kilian Jornet’s ambitious new FKT project, the absurd Guinness LEGO run 😂, and dive deep into Joyline’s doping scandal and the PED debate in ultras 🚨, before wrapping with an I’m Tough 100 preview and listener Q&A.Timestamps:00:00 – Cold open: signing up for Wasatch 100 with zero trail shoes 😅00:20 – Welcome back! Danny Bryson joins the pod 🎙️02:00 – Survivor auditions, Shark Tank near-miss & prison stories06:30 – “Mr. Almost”: the royalty of near misses09:30 – Jesse Rich’s breakout win at Run Rabbit Run 🏔️11:00 – The mystery of the “six-seven” chant12:30 – Brutal training runs with future champions14:00 – Jesse Rich: coach, nutritionist & DC Peaks finish line guest16:30 – Mediocre Amateur origins: from failed TV show to YouTube success19:30 – Climbing Matterhorn & terrifying GoPro footage 🧗‍♂️22:30 – National Park rules, illegal FKTs & filming crackdowns26:00 – Kilimanjaro letdowns & why Seven Summits isn’t worth it30:00 – Life behind Mediocre Amateur: ranch work, plumbing & YouTube grind33:00 – Tour du Mont Blanc fastpack disaster (locked huts, 50-mile day)34:00 – Wild news tangent: Utah political protester & “pants down” arrests 😳39:00 – Oracle’s Larry Ellison makes $100B in a single day 💰41:00 – Would you go to Mars if Elon made it possible? 🚀47:00 – Joyline’s doping scandal & Salomon fallout 🚨52:00 – Should ultras allow doping? The “Dope Olympics” debate57:00 – TOR des Géants recap: 200 miles, 80k vert, no sleep01:03:00 – Nepali runner does 435 miles, then TOR a week later 🤯01:05:00 – Mileage vs vert: what really breaks runners?01:09:00 – Kilian Jornet’s insane new FKT project01:13:00 – Guinness World Record: barefoot 100m over LEGOs 😂01:15:00 – YouTube craft: music choices, editing & standing out01:17:30 – I’m Tough 100 recap & listener question shoutout01:21:00 – AI audiobook hack: turning podcast audio into narration 🎧01:27:00 – Race preview: Carl Meltzer, Trevor Fuchs & I’m Tough lineup01:30:00 – Long unsupported stretches & survival tips for McCall, Idaho01:34:00 – Wrapping up with laughs, comments & shoutouts ❤️