Note sull'episodio
Cam Smith is an American Olympian who competed in the first-ever Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) events during the 2026 Winter Olympics. He is also an accomplished mountain and trail runner who has competed at the national and world levels , both as an individual, and as part of Team USA. And he instructs adaptive athletes as an instructor at the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, Colorado.
In this conversation you’ll learn how an average athlete becomes an Olympian, how an elite athlete’s skill gaps can be bridged by obsession, just how different the Olympics is from other elite athletic events, where reality doesn’t align with Olympic expectations, how challenging it is to return to normal life after the Olympics, and more.
Timestamps:
00:00 Meet Cam Smith: Winter Olympian, Endurance Athlete & Adaptive Sports Instructor
02:59 How Cam Found Endurance Sports After Moving to Colorado
07:58 From Finishing Last to Chasing the Olympics
09:35 Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) Explained: Olympic Rules & Race Format
14:56 Life After the Olympics & Preparing for the 2030 Olympic Cycle
17:54 What Competing at the Winter Olympics Actually Feels Like
25:44 The Psychology of Achieving a Lifelong Dream
29:05 The Mentor Who Helped Make an Olympic Dream Possible
35:15 Post-Olympic Blues, Grief & Finding Perspective
40:08 The Mindset Behind Elite Endurance Performance
48:03 Adaptive Sports, Purpose & Lessons Beyond Winning
54:15 Final Reflections on Service, Growth & Living Fully
You can find Cam in the following places:
Instagram: @CamFromCB
Adaptive Sports Center: adaptivesports.org
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Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm.