Free Range Conversations, Episode 4: Walz's 'Mid-Life Crisis' Becomes His New Passion

  • RISON'S OWN SPARTAN CATCHES THE FEVER - Rison's Les Walz, pictured here competing in a Spartan Race in 2021, sits down for this week's episode of the Herald's Free Range Conversations podcast. He shares stories of his time as Cleveland County's extension agent, growing up in Germany, and how he caught the competitive exercise fever.
    RISON'S OWN SPARTAN CATCHES THE FEVER - Rison's Les Walz, pictured here competing in a Spartan Race in 2021, sits down for this week's episode of the Herald's Free Range Conversations podcast. He shares stories of his time as Cleveland County's extension agent, growing up in Germany, and how he caught the competitive exercise fever.
  • TESTING HIS LIMITS - Les Walz after an event that included a bike ride, long-distance swim and run.
    TESTING HIS LIMITS - Les Walz after an event that included a bike ride, long-distance swim and run.
    Walz Recalls His Unusual Calls as Extension Agent

    RISON - While others may call it a mid-life crisis or simply crazy, Les Walz of the Macedonia community calls it fun and a challenge he is ready to meet head-on.

    Walz, who is perhaps best known for being the former agri agent for the Cleveland County Cooperative Extension Office for 23 years, shares in this week's episode of Free Range Conversations podcast about why he ran head first into competing in obstacle course and endurance events across the country.

    Now days, Walz is hitting the road as an agriculture and natural resources educator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. In his new job, which he was promoted to two years ago, Walz now trains new agents across the state.

    When he's not traveling for work, he's traveling for something most might dread… exercise in extreme measures.

    Those extremities include obstacle course racing, triathlons and more, and it all circles back to his time growing up overseas on military bases in Germany where he rode his bike everywhere.

    Obstacle course racing challenges the participant to make their way over a long-distance course that includes a number of challenging feats like carrying large weights over a long distance, climbing over walls and through mud pits, and more. Now 53, Walz jokes that a "mid-life crisis" sparked him back into the world of fitness through running, biking, swimming and more about 12 years ago.

    What started as a way to get in shape and bond with his son, Jacob, caused him to "catch the fever" and he has now competed in events in across Arkansas, Texas, at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, and more.

    Walz has built up a community of fellow riders and runners from around the county. He said this helps him keep that competitive drive and maintain his health.

    This fall, Walz and some of those friends will head to Nashville, Tenn., for another Spartan Race that includes a Super 10k run and a whopping 25 obstacles.

    While others may pack up after that, Walz has no intention of slowing down. After completing the Spartan Race, he has his goal set to hop on his bike in Nashville and ride the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway all the way down to Natchez, Mississippi.

    He anticipates that ride taking (continued from page 1) five days before he gets in the car and makes the trip back to the place he proudly calls home - Rison.

    Over the course of the conversation, listeners can also hear tales of Walz’s county agent days and unusual calls he received in a role of service to the community Perhaps the most unexpected reveal of this conversation was his time in high school sharing classes with NFL and TV star Michael Strahan.

    This episode of Free Range Conversations, and all others, is currently streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It is also available in its entirety on ClevelandCountyHerald.com