From Idaho Gridiron To Olympic Skeleton Hopeful Miles & Mountains podcast

From Idaho Gridiron To Olympic Skeleton Hopeful

5d ago 40:38

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What does it take to aim your life at 89 mph and keep your head still while the world blurs? We sit with Andy Whittier, a Team USA skeleton hopeful on the cusp of Cortina 2026 and pull back the curtain on a sport that pairs sprint speed with steel nerves and brutal precision. From a small Idaho town and Division I football to a niche winter discipline, he explains why size and weight caps push some athletes toward skeleton, how a 70-pound sled changes sprint mechanics, and why no two 50-second runs on the same track ever feel the same.
The journey isn’t glamorous. He left a secure marketing career, lived on sponsors and side gigs before a stipend finally kicked in, and accepted that holidays would happen without him. Training is a study in extremes: two to three runs a day, 4–6 G’s testing neck strength, and hours of film, sanding runners, mobility, and “mind runs” to map every curve. We trace the selection process from Park City to Europe—how circuits are assigned, how points stack from November to late January, and why only two men and two women will ultimately earn their Olympic start numbers.
What stands out is the mindset. He talks about crashing early and getting back on the sled 15 minutes later, about reducing life to the work in front of him, and about the electric weight of the anthem after a win. The culture is both cutthroat and generous—teammates push each other hard and celebrate each other’s breakthroughs—because the flag deserves the best-prepared athlete on race day. If you’ve ever wondered how visualization, relentless discipline, and community support can carry someone from a local track to the world stage, this conversation delivers an unfiltered look at the process and the price.
Subscribe, share with a friend who loves winter sports, and leave a review with your favorite moment. Then set a reminder to watch the Utah Olympic Park selection races on YouTube and tell us: would you go headfirst even once?

Instagram:

@andy_whittier_

https://www.instagram.com/andy_whittier_?igsh=MWt1cnM0NHpiZ2U2OQ==

Website:

https://linktr.ee/awhittier

Shoutout to :

Andy Whittier

The Whittier Family

US Skeleton Team

US Winter Olympic Team

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Chapters

1. No Bad Days And Warm Welcome (00:00:00)

2. What Skeleton Is And Why It Fits (00:01:20)

3. Size, Weight Caps, And Team Pathways (00:04:50)

4. Selection Races And Season Structure (00:07:20)

5. The Mind-Blowing Part Of Sliding (00:10:50)

6. Crash, Fear, And Learning Fast (00:13:30)

7. Training Demands And Visualization (00:16:40)

8. From Credit Union Career To Full Send (00:20:10)

9. Funding, Stipends, And Sponsors (00:24:00)

10. A Day In The Life At The Track (00:26:30)

11. Finding A Voice In Public Speaking (00:29:20)

12. Exposure, Hype, And Media Limits (00:33:20)

13. How Qualifying Points Decide Paris—Err, Cortina (00:36:20)

14. Team Culture: Cutthroat And Supportive (00:39:40)

261 episodes