Who the WYLD Things Are with Ryan Maguire

Nick Walker is a content creator, endurance athlete, and co-founder of 1441 Collective, and he's got a lot going on.In this episode, Ryan sits down with Nick to talk about his journey from baseball hopeful to full-time creator, why he's training for the Leadville 100, and what it actually looks like to build a business while running 60+ miles a week.They get into the real side of content creation, the ego traps, the algorithm obsession, and how Nick stays grounded by treating the experience as the product, not the content. Nick shares why he doesn't love the word "follower," how he built genuine relationships with 600,000 people, and why he thinks social media is gut feeling, a net negative for most people.The conversation gets personal too. Nick opens up about 400+ days of sobriety, what prompted it, and why his mom is on the same journey. They talk about alcohol, microdosing, presence, gratitude, and the Buddhist idea of just being here now.Everything in life is a win as long as your intention is experience.

Eli Hemming: From Olympic Triathlon to Trail Ultras, UTMB Goals, and the Joshua Tree TraverseRyan Maguire sits down with Eli Hemming, former elite professional triathlete turned trail runner, for a wide-ranging conversation about reinvention, endurance, and what drives an athlete when the Olympic dream doesn't pan out the way you planned.Eli grew up in triathlon literally from birth. His mom was a triathlete and swim coach, and he was racing by age seven. What started as something social and skill-based eventually evolved into elite draft-legal Olympic-distance racing on the international circuit. He came within reach of the Tokyo Olympics before a broken foot derailed his qualification, and when he looked ahead at another four-year grind toward Paris, with all the travel and time away from family it would require, he decided it wasn't worth it.What came next surprised even him. A race in Buena Vista, Colorado cracked open a new world, and trail running took hold fast. He found a coach in David Roche, started stacking results, and eventually ended up toeing the line against Roche himself at the Broken Arrow Skyrace, a moment that captures just how quickly his trajectory shifted.Ryan and Eli also get into his relationship with his wife Tabor, their shared Adidas sponsorship, and a Joshua Tree traverse FKT attempt the two are chasing together. They dig into what makes Joshua Tree such a singular and strange place to run, and why the project matters to both of them personally.On the racing front, Eli's 2026 calendar includes Black Canyon 100K and a return to Desert Rats 100K, where Ryan first spotted him, to earn his way into UTMB week races. UTMB itself is the long-term goal, even though he's only raced up to 100K so far. His best trail performance to date? OCC during UTMB week in Chamonix, and he lights up talking about the atmosphere there.The conversation also gets honest about the harder parts of moving up in distance, overheating issues, a fried hypothalamus affecting heat regulation, fueling and hydration mistakes, and how his training philosophy is evolving around high volume without necessarily high mileage, muscular endurance work, and staying adaptable.

This podcast is in loving memory of Rylan Schadegg.The podcast 'Who The WYLD Things Are' features guest Jason Hardrath, an accomplished endurance athlete known for setting 100 fastest known times (FKTs). Jason discusses his transition from being a top mountain athlete to facing serious health challenges, including a debilitating car accident and long COVID, which significantly impacted his ability to train and compete. During his recovery, Jason discovered paragliding, which became a new passion and a means of experiencing growth and adventure without relying solely on physical endurance. He delves into the intricacies of paragliding, his learning process, and how it helped him reclaim a sense of purpose. Despite the setbacks, Jason remains optimistic about finding new ways to explore and inspire others. He also reflects on the balance between pursuing high-risk activities and living a fulfilling life, sharing valuable insights for those dealing with chronic conditions.

Meghan Buchanan (@ggrit on IG) is not interested in playing the victim. She’s an aerospace engineer, a mountaineer on a mission to climb the Seven Summits, a dyslexia advocate, and someone who’s been tested again and again by life. You may have seen her on Outlast Season 2 on Netflix, where survival gets messy fast. But this episode isn’t about the show. It’s about the real-life survival stories that came before and after.We talk about what it actually feels like to face trauma while keeping a goal in sight. What it takes to rebuild after being brought to your knees. And how to keep showing up when nobody’s clapping for you.Meghan doesn’t sugarcoat anything. She opens up about grief, betrayal, mountaineering disasters, and the invisible weight of always having to prove yourself. She also shares what she’s learned from the mountains, from her body, and from walking through some dark seasons with her head up.This one is for anyone who’s been through something and kept going.

In this episode, hosts Ryan, Luis, and Mitchell break down the upcoming Western States 100-mile race. They explore how Jim Walmsley’s absence opens the door for new contenders and dive into key strategies around heat training and nutrition. The trio analyzes top runners like David Roche and Kilian Jornet, then draft their fantasy teams with hot takes and bold predictions. The episode wraps with final thoughts and sleeper picks for the most iconic ultra of the year.

Brittany Konsella is a skier, mountain biker, author, and one of the few people to ski all of Colorado’s 14ers. But behind those summits is a story of resilience few ever hear. After a traumatic spinal injury left her partially paralyzed, Brittany fought her way back into the wild. In this episode, Ryan and Brittany dive into recovery, risk, identity, and the raw process of rebuilding a life in the mountains after everything changes.

Dr. Teimojin Tan is a wilderness medicine doctor, military veteran, and survival expert known for his role on the show Alone. In this episode, he and Ryan go deep on how to cultivate resilience in extreme conditions—both physical and mental. From treating injuries in remote environments to maintaining clarity under pressure, Dr. Tan brings a unique blend of medical knowledge, lived experience, and warrior philosophy. Whether you're chasing challenge or preparing for chaos, this conversation is packed with insight.Join us in the Bush:Field to Feast - https://thesurvivaluniversity.com/product/from-field-to-feast-5-day-primitive-survival/Primitive skills Run -https://thesurvivaluniversity.com/product/primitive-skills-run/

Ryan sits down with Paddy O'Connell, host of the Outside Podcast and star of Paddy O' Sucks At, for a conversation full of laughs, misadventures, and wild insights. Paddy, known for his offbeat humor and fearless approach to the great outdoors, shares his journey from a beginner in the mountains to someone who’s learned to embrace failure as part of the adventure. This episode dives into his hilarious—and often chaotic—experiences navigating backcountry challenges, learning survival skills, and finding humor in the toughest situations. Paddy’s no stranger to pushing limits, and his stories offer a mix of rugged wilderness wisdom and gut-busting comedy. If you love hearing about mountain mishaps, outdoor lessons, and the human side of adventure, this episode is your perfect escape.

On this episode of Who The WYLD Things Are, Ryan sits down with Joel van der Loon — world-class survivalist, wilderness skills instructor, and finalist on Alone Season 7. Joel shares stories from his upbringing in the bush of Tanzania, lessons from surviving 66 days in the Arctic, and his philosophy on preparedness, adaptability, and living in harmony with nature. This episode is packed with wisdom on primitive skills, mental resilience, and what it truly means to be self-reliant in the wild.Join Ryan on a wilderness experience

In this episode, host Ryan Maguire dives into the details of the upcoming 2025 wilderness courses from WYLD RYDE Outdoors in connection with The Survival University. From essential survival skills to wilderness connection and exploration, Ryan breaks down what participants can expect from each course. He also shares insights on the locations, hands-on challenges, and the mindset required to thrive in the wild. If you’re looking to elevate your outdoor skills and embrace true self-reliance, this episode is your ultimate guide.LINK TO COURSEShttps://thesurvivaluniversity.com/hs-search-results?term=ryan+maguire&type=SITE_PAGE&type=LANDING_PAGE&type=BLOG_POST

This ReWYLD episode revisitsEpisode 2 with survival expert Matt Graham. Known as one of the world’s top primitive survivalists, Matt has spent years living off the land, mastering ancestral skills, and pushing the limits of human endurance. In this conversation, he shares insights on minimalism, self-reliance, and the deep connection between survival and mindset. Listeners who missed this episode the first time now have the chance to experience it again.Matt has decades of experience living off the land. Matt went for a walk one day and ended up spending six months on his own in the wild. He lives in a remote area of southern Utah where he primarily sleeps in primitive structures.Matt started down this path at age 15, when he first became a triathlete and rock climber. At age 23, Matt proved his amazing athletic endurance as a runner when he ran the Pacific Crest Trail – 1,700 miles crossing the length of the California crest – in 58 days.Matt has been teaching primitive skills for the past 20+ years, including at the Boulder (Utah) Outdoor Survival School and guiding llama packing trips while continuing to compete as an endurance athlete. He then became an outdoor instructor for an at-risk youth therapy project known as the “Anasazi Outdoor Program.” In addition to these programs Matt also did training courses for the Young Marines and Canadian Cadets.Matt is a world class master of the atlatl and started competing years ago against world champions. He’s also skilled at hunting with the long bow and in the primitive art of brain-tanning hides to make clothing. He’s studied Judo, Tae Kwan Do, Wushu Kung fu, and Jeet Kune Do.Matt is featured in the documentary Living Wild as well as in Discovery’s Dude, You’re Screwed, and has been both a Stone Age living consultant for "Survivorman" Les Stroud and The Amazing Race.#WhoTheWYLDThingsAre #ReWYLD #Survival #MattGraham

Uninterested in the American dream, Kris Reed dropped out of high school to pursue a life of nature connection and outdoor adventure. Over the last 20 years he’s taught ancestral earthcrafts and survival skills, backpacked over 15,000 miles, and accumulated more dirt time by bicycle and canoe. By sticking to the philosophy of “limited wants, unlimited means” Kris has cultivated a life free of many of the trappings of modern society, allowing him to live on a near permanent sabbatical. If you head into the wild you’re bound to cross his tracks at some point.

yan sits down with Survival Legend Donny Dust: Donny Dust is a world wide expert in remote primitive survival, emergency preparedness, ancestral skills and primitive technologies. Donny is an expert flintknapper and primitive hunter pushing the limits of the human body to thrive in some of the most remote regions of the world. Donny has walked countless miles, living a minimalistic approach to survival while employing the basic of primitive technologies to thrive in any environment. Donny has authored books, worked on feature films as a technical survival consultant, participated in different network television programs, conducted numerous podcasts and radio appearances, as well has spoken in-front of crowds who traveled far and near to hear him speak of his adventures and skills. Known as the "Professional Caveman" Donny is nothing but professional, adventurous and creative. Donny's expertise draws clients from as far as Canada, The United Kingdom, Australia and South America. All want to walk wild with Donny and experience the adventures of the "Professional Caveman."