Adventure racing—an off-road, navigation-based sport that blends endurance, strategy and teamwork—became a life-changing journey for Ryan VanGorder. What started as a casual comment while watching The Echo Challenge with friends turned into a relentless pursuit of his physical and mental limits.
Since 1999, Ryan and his team have fought grueling races that range from hours to days, pushing themselves against nature and their endurance. But Ryan's path took a harrowing turn when a race led to a life-threatening medical emergency, sending him into a coma. Emerging from that experience, he embraced a fierce commitment to living life to the fullest, adopting a “YOLO” mentality that fuels his life and approach to business.
In this episode of The Healthy Advisor podcast, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton sits down with Ryan VanGorder, CEO of Opto Investments, to share his incredible story of survival, resilience and how his brush with death reshaped his outlook on life and work.
Ryan and the team in a transition on a 110km travel section of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge.
Ryan discusses:
- His introduction to adventure racing and the unique allure that captivated him
- Unforgettable moments from racing through rugged landscapes
- Life-changing near-death experience during the Primal Quest race in Moab, Utah
- How adventure racing taught valuable lessons about managing risk in business
- How adventure racing helped him find balance and meditation
Ryan and his team during the XPD Adventure Race in Queensland, Australia.
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Ryan and his wife Jennifer at the end of the expedition in India.
About our guest:
Ryan VanGorder is the Chief Executive Officer of Opto Investments.
Prior to joining Opto, Ryan was a managing director at BlackRock, leading finance in the Asia Pacific region. Ryan has more than 20 years of experience in financial services and began his career in 2001 at Quellos, a Seattle-based hedge fund. When he's not focused on building Opto into a world-class business, you can run into Ryan running or biking on a trail near you.
If you are struggling and would like to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please contact Diana at (email protected).
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