21. Miguel Jimenez Vergara: Pushing Beyond Limits — Racing, Resilience & Relentless Drive

Miguel Jimenez Vergara is a competitive adaptive athlete, wheelchair racer, and one of the most unstoppable humans you’ll ever meet. From a young age, Miguel felt a deep pull toward movement, competition, and testing both his body and his mind. Over the years, that pull turned into a lifestyle built on consistency, challenge, and an unwavering commitment to becoming better every single day. 

In this episode, Miguel opens up about the mindset behind his training, why he chases discomfort, and how racing became both his outlet and his compass. We talk about identity, discipline, burnout, mental toughness, and the quiet battles people rarely see — the internal work that fuels true resilience. Miguel’s story isn’t about recovering from one defining moment… it’s about choosing to grow through thousands of small, intentional ones. 

Whether you’re an athlete, someone rebuilding your confidence, or someone searching for purpose, Miguel’s perspective will leave you fired up and rethinking what you’re capable of.

1. Intro to Miguel & the Mindset of a Champion – [00:01:07]
2. Why He Calls It “Wheelchair Racing” & Honoring the Sport’s History – [00:02:32]
3. Born Without Legs: Early Childhood, Disability, and First Realizations – [00:06:57]
4. Middle School, High School & Earning Respect Through Grit – [00:07:33]
5. Discovering Philosophy, Stoicism & Reframing His Disability – [00:11:16]
6. Sacrifice, Solo Travel & Doing Whatever It Takes to Compete – [00:17:04]
7. From Sled Hockey to Chula Vista: Committing Fully to Track & the Paralympic Dream – [00:23:18]
8. Flow State, Mind Over Body & Racing Ten Feet at a Time – [00:31:06]
9. Time as the Ultimate Equalizer & Advice for Life’s Hardest Moments – [00:40:13]
10. Teamwork, Killing the Ego & What’s Next for Miguel (NYC Marathon & LA 2028) – [00:44:21]

Connect with Miguel here: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miguel._.36/ 

Connect with us here: 

• Website: https://www.sickburnpodcast.com 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sickburnpod 

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thomascraigviii 

• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thomascraigviii 

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Credits: Hosted & Executive Produced by Thomas Craig VIII 

Produced by Voice & Video – Bill Lanzarotta 

Audio Engineer – Mickey Dixon 

Edited by – Lizi Bronson 

Graphics by – Jeff Lee 

Special Thanks – Miguel Vergara 

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the participants and do not necessarily represent those of The Sick Burn Podcast, its affiliates, or any organizations we are associated with. This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice. 

#SickBurnPodcast #MiguelJimenezVergara #EnduranceAthlete #RacingMindset #Resilience #Discipline #MentalToughness #PushingLimits #FindTheBrightSide #AthleteMindset #Perseverance #KeepGoing #HumanPerformance #SickBurnPod