The 29029 Podcast

Welcome back to the 29029 podcast.  In episode 2 of the 29029 podcast, we took an inside look into co-founders Marc Hodulich and Jesse Itzler's thoughts and feelings of creating a brand new event and category.  We also covered some of the most impactful parts of the 29029 experience and how they came to life.  In today's episode, we take a deep dive into what the first 29029 event was like for Marc, Jesse, and the team and, most notably, the first group of participants who took on the challenge.  Let's pick things up with Jesse arriving in Vermont for the first 29029 event in 2017. 

Welcome back to the 29029 Podcast - I'm your host, Travis McKenzie this is episode 2.  In the first episode, we heard from 29029 co-founders, Marc Hodulich and Jesse Itzler. They discussed the early stages of their relationship and their mutual love of smoothie bowls.  We talked about how the concept for 29029 came to life through a test event in the North Georgia mountains and a look behind the scenes of how the iconic 29029 logo was born.  Today, you'll hear about what it was like to put the 2017 Stratton event on sale for the first time, and where ideas for some of the most impactful parts of the 29029 experience came from and some of the less than successful elements of the first event that can only be discovered through trying.  Let's climb right in...

To the general public - It began with a simple question - Do you have what it takes to Everest?  And with that 29029 was born.  As is true with any business, there are many iterations and checkpoints to get to launch day and beyond. And in the first season of the 29029 podcast, that's what you're going to hear, the real story, the no holds barred version of The Origin Story.  A behind the scenes look at creating a brand new company and a brand new event! Sporting events are often known and categorized by their distance: the 100-meter dash, 26.2 miles for the Marathon, or 140.6 in the Ironman. And as 29029 co-founders Jesse Itzler and Marc Hodulich quickly discovered, it's rare for events to be measured by vertical gain. So the thought became, is this even possible.  In this episode, you'll hear from 29029 founders, Marc Hodulich and Jesse Itzler, as the recall the beginning of their relationship, how the concept for 29029 came to be, and they describe a day to test whether achieving 29029 feet on foot was possible! You'll also hear about how the name, brand, and logo came to be.  This is an entertaining account, and many of the stories have never been shared before!  Let's start climbing! 

29029. What do those numbers mean to you?  To many, they represent the highest point on earth Mt. Everest, to others, 29029 is a community bonded by human achievement, adventure, and the best of humanity. It's a group of likeminded people who take on significant challenges and experience life, the way it should be.  To some, 29029 is an opportunity to craft their unique stories. And we're here to bring those stories to life. 29029 is a new category of endurance sport — the challenge is to hike the equivalent height of Mt. Everest. The journey to 29029 feet is a journey for your mind, your body, and your soul. It's an opportunity to achieve more than you ever thought possible.  The 29029 podcast will highlight life-changing tales from the mountain and get an inside look at many participants who described this as a transformational experience. You'll also hear from those outside of the endurance world who have climbed their own 29029. Whether it's starting a business, beating an illness, or leaning into the unknown, we'll share insights on how to prepare for the mountain and the motivation to summit whatever Everest you choose to climb. Come on this incredible storytelling journey with us.  For now, keep climbing.