The Pole Runner: A Veteran’s Marathon with a Telephone Pole for Mental Wellness

Send us Fan Mail The Pole Runner: A Veteran’s Marathon for Mental Wellness In this episode of Do Hard Things , we sit down with Michael Pickings , a 42-year-old Navy veteran whose story is a powerful testament to resilience, mental toughness, and transformation. From excelling as a long-distance runner in high school to serving as an FMF corpsman in the Navy, Michael has lived a life defined by endurance, discipline, and the relentless pursuit of growth. But Michael’s journey hasn’t been without its struggles. Battling bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and insomnia, he has faced some of life’s darkest moments. With the unwavering support of his wife, Sherconja, and their six children, Michael has fought to rebuild his life—turning to faith, exercise, and self-reflection as his anchors. Through his experiences, he has become a mental health advocate, using his platform to inspire others to carry their burdens with courage. As the founder of Dragonz MMA , he has helped others push past their limits. More recently, he’s taken up pole running , a deeply symbolic practice where he physically carries the weight of his burdens, proving that no load is too heavy when approached with resilience. In This Episode, We Cover: Michael’s journey from high school track star to Navy corpsman The mental health battles he has faced and how he overcame them How his wife and family played a critical role in his healing process The story behind pole running and its significance in his transformation His mission to inspire others through fitness, faith, and self-discipline Connect with Michael Pickings: TikTok: @thepolerunner Facebook: Facebook Reels: Michael Pickings YouTube: The Log Runner Join the Movement: If you found this episode inspiring, share it with someone who needs to hear Michael’s story Welcome to the Do Hard Things Podcast with your host Jay Tiegs, Are you ready to amplify and improve your life? Then you are in the right place. On this podcast we have unfiltered conversation with inspiring people who take on challenges and share with us, the wisdom from their journey. We talk about how doing hard things adequately enable all of us to deal with life's struggles and challenges and ultimately improve the quality of our lives. Support the show Big things are happening inside Do Hard Things Nation, and I want you with us. Want more support? Join the Do Hard Things Wellness Academy. Four coaches. Weekly mindset training, movement, breathwork, meditation, book club, and challenges. Join as a member here: 👉 skool.com/dohardthings/about Our book, Life on Offense , is now an Amazon Best Seller ! Grab a copy and leave a review. 👉 Get the book on Amazon Grab Your Do Hard Things Gear and Apparel. Show the world you Do Hard Things with high-quality apparel! 👉 Gear — Do Hard Things Nation And don’t forget—the Do Hard Things 5K, 9.11 Mile Run, and 9.11 Mile Ruck is happening in September. There’s even a virtual option—so no excuses. Sign up here: 👉 dohardthingsnation.com/events

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The Pole Runner: A Veteran’s Marathon with a Telephone Pole for Mental Wellness is an episode from Do Hard Things by Siegfried Jay Tiegs and Brian Larson .

This episode is 46:54 long.

This episode was published on Feb 14, 2025.

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