the morning shakeout podcast (Mario Fraioli)

We’re taking the next couple weeks off to recharge so we’re re-running one of my favorite episodes from the early days of the podcast, a conversation I had in May of 2018 with Aliphine Tuliamuk. It was episode 15, I am fairly certain it was Aliphine’s first podcast, and at the time not many people knew her story despite the fact that she was nine-time national champion! Since then she’s added another national championship to her resume—the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials title—and now she’s a household name in American distance running. This is a great episode to revisit if you listened to it a few years ago and certainly one to check out if you didn’t. You’ll learn all about Aliphine’s upbringing in Kenya, how she got into running, what it was like coming to the United States and assimilating to a new country and culture, how she deals with pressure, and a lot more. (You might also want to listen in to episode 102 with Aliphine, which we recorded shortly after she won the Olympic Trials in Atlanta.)

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith crafts performance running apparel, inspiring publications, and distinct experiences that allow runners to indulge in the sport’s rich culture. Go to tracksmith.com/mario to check out some of my favorite apparel picks and use the code MARIO at checkout to get free shipping on your order while also helping support #LASAVESTRACK. 

— Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon, 10K & 5K: Join me at the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon, 10K & 5K on February 6, 2022. This is one of my favorite races and there’s something here for everyone. Register today at getfitkpsf.com/race and use the SHAKEOUT when you check out before January 31 to save 10 bucks on your registration fee.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 50th episode of the year is a “best of” compilation of highlights from 12 of the most impactful conversations that I’ve had over the past 12 months. It’s an honor and privilege to be in conversation each week with athletes, coaches, advocates, and others who teach me something about running, coaching, or living a better life. In this episode you’ll hear from 13 people whose experiences, insight, and/or advice stood out to me: Alexi Pappas (0:03:25), Craig Curley (0:10:51), Dinée Dorame (0:19:31), Nathan Martin (0:27:21), Keith Kelly (0:32:30), Jorge Maravilla and Stephanie Howe (0:42:08), Mark Coogan (0:51:16), Christine Gould (0:59:31), Alison Mariella Désir (1:05:56), Jon Green (1:14:07), George Hirsch (1:22:53), Alex Varner (1:32:05). I hope these conversations help you see what’s possible for yourself through the lens of running.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Recover Athletics. Recover Athletics has worked with the world's best sports physicians and Olympians like Meb Keflezighi to design an app that makes prehab fun and easy. In 90 seconds, the app will customize a program for your body and your training with different resistance exercises, plyometrics, and mobility work—100% evidence-based exercises that are easy to follow on your iPhone or iPad. It’s available only in the iOS app store by searching "Recover Athletics" or at this link.

— the morning shakeout Patreon community: This is where shakeout superfans can support my work directly, interact, and also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, which I co-host with Billy Yang, a monthly "Coaches Corner" discussion, and other fun perks. You can join for as little as a buck a week at themorningshakeout.com/support.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently got on the mic with my friend Dylan Bowman, who first appeared on the podcast back on Episode 14 in 2018, and we caught up with one another about all sorts of stuff. In this episode, we talk about where we’re at in our respective lives right now, what we both have going on athletically and professionally, where we see certain parts of the industry going in the next few years, and a lot more. 

For those of you who don’t know, Dylan is one of the top ultrarunners in the U.S., if not the world. Last year he finished second at the Hardrock 100 Endurance Run, running under the previous course record time, and he’s won or been on the podium at Transgrancanaria, TDS, Ultra-Trail Mt. Fuji, Tarawera, and other big races. He’s also the founder of FreeTrail, a training and media platform dedicated to the life changing sport of trail and ultrarunning, and he also hosts the FreeTrail podcast.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith crafts performance running apparel, inspiring publications, and distinct experiences that allow runners to indulge in the sport’s rich culture. Go to tracksmith.com/mario to check out some of my favorite apparel picks and use the code MARIO at checkout to get free shipping on your order while also helping support #LASAVESTRACK. 

— Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon, 10K & 5K: Join me at the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon, 10K & 5K on February 6, 2022. This is one of my favorite races and there’s something here for everyone. Register today at getfitkpsf.com/race and use the SHAKEOUT when you check out before January 31 to save 10 bucks on your registration fee.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate Grace is a lot of things, not least of which is 2016 Olympian in the 800m and one of the top middle-distance runners in the U.S. for much of the past ten years. At the age of 33 she’s running faster than ever and isn’t showing signs of slowing down anytime soon. But there’s so much more to Kate than just her speed: I’ve always respected her for her individuality and outlook on the sport, I appreciate her attitude and longevity as an athlete, and I’m inspired by her confidence but also the fact that she doesn’t try to take herself too seriously. 

In this episode, we talk about all of those things and then some, including how she keeps her emotions in check, why she thinks American women have been running so fast in the middle distances the past few years, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith crafts performance running apparel, inspiring publications, and distinct experiences that allow runners to indulge in the sport’s rich culture. Go to tracksmith.com/mario to check out some of my favorite apparel picks and use the code MARIO at checkout to get free shipping on your order while also helping support #LASAVESTRACK. 

— Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon, 10K & 5K: Join me at the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon, 10K & 5K on February 6, 2022. This is one of my favorite races and there’s something here for everyone. Register today at getfitkpsf.com/race and use the SHAKEOUT when you check out before January 31 to save 10 bucks on your registration fee.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bolota Asmerom is an Eritrean-American who has called the United States home since the age of 10. The 43-year-old represented his home country of Eritrea in the 5000m at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. In 2004, he finished third in the 5000m at the U.S. Olympic Trials but couldn’t go to the Games because he didn’t have the Olympic A standard, and in 2008 he finished fourth in the 5000 at the Trials after some last lap contact. All these years later, running is still a huge part of Bolota’s life: he still trains and races locally in the Bay Area where lives, he coaches and advises a handful of athletes, and he’s also the co-founder and co-owner of Renegade Running, a specialty running shop and community hub in Oakland, California—which is actually where we recorded this episode. 

In this conversation, which is one of my favorites that I’ve ever had for the podcast, we talk about opening a retail space during the pandemic, creating an inclusive community, and making running and running apparel more appealing and accessible to minorities and people of color. Bolota shared his earliest memories of immigrating to the U.S., he told me how running came into his life and how his relationship to the sport and activity has evolved over the years, he took me through his ups and downs as an athlete and shared some of his thoughts on the state of the sport, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith crafts performance running apparel, inspiring publications, and distinct experiences that allow runners to indulge in the sport’s rich culture. Go to tracksmith.com/mario to check out some of my favorite apparel picks and use the code MARIO at checkout to get free shipping on your order while also helping support #LASAVESTRACK. 

— Recover Athletics. Recover Athletics has worked with the world's best sports physicians and Olympians like Meb Keflezighi to design an app that makes prehab fun and easy. In 90 seconds, the app will customize a program for your body and your training with different resistance exercises, plyometrics, and mobility work. No pills, no potions, no BS, just 100% evidence based exercises that are easy to follow on your iPhone or iPad. It’s available only in the iOS app store by searching "Recover Athletics" or at this link.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the first podcast Luis Grijalva has ever been on and he’s got a great story to tell. Luis is a 22-year-old Olympian for Guatemala and finished 12th in the 5000m final in Tokyo, running a personal best of 13:10.09. He now runs professionally for HOKA and recently graduated from Northern Arizona University, where he was a multiple time All-American. 

In this conversation, Luis tells his story of coming to the U.S. as a baby, growing up in Fairfield, California, and how getting into running at the age of 14 changed the course of his life. He told me about his experience qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, navigating the challenges of traveling outside the country as a DACA beneficiary, and what it meant for him to represent not only his home country, but over half a million other Dreamers on the world’s biggest stage. We also discussed his relationship with coach Mike Smith, where he he draws his confidence from, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Recover Athletics. Recover Athletics has worked with the world's best sports physicians and Olympians like Meb Keflezighi to design an app that makes prehab fun and easy. In 90 seconds, the app will customize a program for your body and your training with different resistance exercises, plyometrics, and mobility work—100% evidence-based exercises that are easy to follow on your iPhone or iPad. It’s available only in the iOS app store by searching "Recover Athletics" or at this link.

— the morning shakeout Patreon community: This is where shakeout superfans can support my work directly, interact, and also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, which I co-host with Billy Yang, a monthly "Coaches Corner" discussion, and other fun perks. You can join for as little as a buck a week at themorningshakeout.com/support.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the podcast I’m answering listener questions in the first and last Ask Mario Anything episode of 2022. (Fear not! You can still submit questions for me to answer on the podcast but this monthly installment of the show will be taking on a new format the rest of the year, which I go into more detail about at the beginning of this episode.) On the other side of the mic for this one, once again, is Chris Douglas, my right-hand man and sponsorship director for the morning shakeout.

In this episode, I answered questions about some of the more challenging guests I’ve had on the podcast, strength training, drills, long runs, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The Fresh Foam 1080 v11 is an absolute workhorse and has been been my go-to trainer for some time now. When I want to go fast, the FuelCell Rebel v2 finds its way on my feet. Recovery days? Fresh Foam More v3 all the way. Race day? FuelCell RC Elite v2. Check 'em all out at your local run specialty store or on newbalance.com and consider adding a pair (or two!) to your rotation today.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ted Metellus is my former Competitor Group colleague, current race director for the New York City Marathon, and just one of the best people in the entire running industry. Ted, who was born and raised in the Bronx, is the first Black race director of an Abbott World Marathon Majors event. He’s also an avid runner with 34 half marathons and two marathons to his credit. 

In this episode, we cover all sorts of ground. I learned when running first came into Ted’s life, how his relationship to it has evolved over the years, and what it’s meant to him over the past two years that we’ve been navigating a pandemic. Ted told me about the path he’s followed in event operations, logistics, and management, what it’s like being a Black man in an overwhelmingly white sport and industry, what he means when he says that “you can’t teach care,” and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith is a brand for committed runners like you and me. They aim to celebrate, support and contribute to running’s distinct culture in everything that they do, from offering considered and original products for training, racing, and recovery, to creating experiences that make running more rewarding, more connected, and more meaningful. When you shop at tracksmith.com/mario and/or if you use the code Mario22 when you check out, you’ll get free shipping on your order and 5% of your purchase will go to the Tracksmith Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to give more people the opportunity to participate in Track & Field. 

— the morning shakeout Patreon community: This is where shakeout superfans can support my work directly, interact, and also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, which I co-host with Billy Yang, a monthly "Coaches Corner" discussion, and other fun perks. You can join for as little as a buck a week at themorningshakeout.com/support.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amy Leedham is my friend, she’s one of my athletes, she’s a wife and a mom, and a badass runner to boot. We recorded this conversation in-person a couple weeks ago and I’m excited to share it with you. Amy told me about her nickname, The Punisher, and how it came to be, we dig into different elements of her personality and how they manifest in various aspects of her life, and we discuss how her relationship to running has evolved over the years, in particular the past two. Amy also describes the challenges she faced in returning to running after giving birth to her daughter Aila, she shares her best advice for other mothers who might find themselves in a similar situation, she told me how she’s developed a renewed sense of gratitude for being able to run, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith is a brand for committed runners like you and me. They aim to celebrate, support and contribute to running’s distinct culture in everything that they do, from offering considered and original products for training, racing, and recovery, to creating experiences that make running more rewarding, more connected, and more meaningful. When you shop at tracksmith.com/mario and/or if you use the code Mario22 when you check out, you’ll get free shipping on your order and 5% of your purchase will go to the Tracksmith Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to give more people the opportunity to participate in Track & Field. 

— the morning shakeout Patreon community: This is where shakeout superfans can support my work directly, interact, and also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, which I co-host with Billy Yang, a monthly "Coaches Corner" discussion, and other fun perks. You can join for as little as a buck a week at themorningshakeout.com/support.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hellah Sidibe is a former pro soccer player turned runner who strives to inspire and change lives through sharing his life experiences. Last year he became the first Black man to run across the United States, which he did in a quick 84 days, and he’s been running every day since May 15, 2017. His HellahGood YouTube channel has nearly 275 thousand subscribers, of which I am one of, and his energy and enthusiasm for running, life, and tackling big challenges is incredibly infectious. 

In this conversation, I got to know Hellah a bit better and hear more about his story. He told me about coming to the U.S. from Mali as a kid and what it was like settling into his new country. Hellah told me about playing soccer throughout his life and how running, until just a few years ago, was something that he viewed as a form of punishment. He explained how making the commitment nearly five years ago to run 10 minutes a day for 2 weeks snowballed into something bigger than he could ever imagined, he told me about giving himself permission to quit if he’s just not enjoying it anymore, and how he’s used YouTube and social media to inspire others through his example and bring awareness to initiatives that are bigger than himself. We also talked about his relationship to pressure and how that’s changed over the years, why it’s important to be intentional with your running, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith is a brand for committed runners like you and me. They aim to celebrate, support and contribute to running’s distinct culture in everything that they do, from offering considered and original products for training, racing, and recovery, to creating experiences that make running more rewarding, more connected, and more meaningful. When you shop at tracksmith.com/mario and/or if you use the code Mario22 when you check out, you’ll get free shipping on your order and 5% of your purchase will go to the Tracksmith Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to give more people the opportunity to participate in Track & Field. 

— the morning shakeout Patreon community: This is where shakeout superfans can support my work directly, interact, and also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, which I co-host with Billy Yang, a monthly "Coaches Corner" discussion, and other fun perks. You can join for as little as a buck a week at themorningshakeout.com/support.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m super excited to share the first episode in what will be a monthly series I’m co-hosting with Dinée Dorame of the Grounded Podcast. I met Dinée a little over a year ago through the Tracksmith Fellowship Program and I’ve been serving as her mentor ever since. In that time we’ve become good friends, I’ve hosted her on my show, she’s had me on hers, and this new series feels like a natural evolution of what we’re both doing in our respective spaces. 

We’re calling it Common Ground and it will be a little bit of everything from two people who come from very different backgrounds and upbringings but share a mutual love of all things running (and podcasting, and music, and plenty of other stuff too). In these episodes we’ll catch up with one another about where we’re at in our respective podcasting and running journeys, we’ll discuss what’s exciting us in the sport, we’ll talk about issues in the community and industry, we’ll riff on music that we’ve been enjoying, take listener questions, and a lot more. 

Common Ground will be released monthly in both the morning shakeout and Grounded podcast feeds so there’s no need to subscribe to a separate show. Please let us know what you think by sending us a message via social media: @theAMshakeout or @groundedpod on both Instagram and Twitter. We hope you enjoy it!

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The Fresh Foam 1080 v11 is an absolute workhorse and has been been my go-to trainer for some time now. When I want to go fast, the FuelCell Rebel v2 finds its way on my feet. Recovery days? Fresh Foam More v3 all the way. Race day? FuelCell RC Elite v2. Check 'em all out at your local run specialty store or on newbalance.com and consider adding a pair (or two!) to your rotation today.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Grounded Podcast theme music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) and used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve been waiting to have this conversation with Russell Dinkins for a while now and it did not disappoint. Over the past couple of years this man has helped saved the men’s track and field programs at Brown University, Clemson, the University of Minnesota, and William and Mary. He’s now the executive director of the Tracksmith Foundation, where he will continue that work while also helping create more opportunities and inspire broader participation in track and field through various forms of advocacy and assistance. Russell is also an incredible athlete: he competed at Princeton, where he was a 400- and 800-meter runner and a five-time Ivy League individual champion, and he’s still getting after it and competing on the track into his 30s.

In this conversation we talked about the path he’s followed in the sport, track and field as a vehicle for diversity and educational access, how his relationship to running has evolved over the years, what he hopes to achieve through his work moving forward, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The Fresh Foam 1080 v11 is an absolute workhorse and has been been my go-to trainer for some time now. When I want to go fast, the FuelCell Rebel v2 finds its way on my feet. Recovery days? Fresh Foam More v3 all the way. Race day? FuelCell RC Elite v2. Check 'em all out at your local run specialty store or on newbalance.com and consider adding a pair (or two!) to your rotation today.

— Precision Fuel & Hydration. I’ve been a devotee to Precision products for the past 4 years and my last few marathons wouldn’t have gone as well without them. Go to precisionfuelandhydration.com and take their free online Sweat Test or use the Carb Calculator to get a personalized hydration and nutrition strategy to test in training. As a listener of the show you can get 15% off your first order by using the code TMS22 when checking out.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Photo of Russell Dinkins by Molly Seltzer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This conversation with Phil Shin is one of the most meaningful and impactful exchanges I’ve ever had for the podcast. Please listen to it—all 2 hours of it. Phil is 51 years old, he’s a husband a a father, he’s a Boston Marathon qualifier, and he is out-running cancer one mile at a time. He’s actually going to run this year’s race on April 18 with his liver donor and friend Mark Murphy, who will be running his first marathon. Phil’s story is incredible, his message is inspiring, and I feel so honored to have the opportunity to share this episode with you. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The Fresh Foam 1080 v11 is an absolute workhorse and has been been my go-to trainer for some time now. When I want to go fast, the FuelCell Rebel v2 finds its way on my feet. Recovery days? Fresh Foam More v3 all the way. Race day? FuelCell RC Elite v2. Check 'em all out at your local run specialty store or on newbalance.com and consider adding a pair (or two!) to your rotation today.

— Precision Fuel & Hydration. I’ve been a devotee to Precision products for the past 4 years and my last few marathons wouldn’t have gone as well without them. Go to precisionfuelandhydration.com and take their free online Sweat Test or use the Carb Calculator to get a personalized hydration and nutrition strategy to test in training. As a listener of the show you can get 15% off your first order by using the code TMS22 when checking out.

— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race. Member and lottery registration is GOING ON NOW. The race will take place on Monday, July 4. Atlanta Track Club members receive guaranteed and lowest price entry. Non-members must enter through the lottery and will be notified if selected on April 4. In-person registration is ONLY open until March 31. Virtual registration is open until May 31. You can register today at ajc.com/peachtree.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently had a conversation with Nell Rojas, 6th-place finisher and top American at last fall’s Boston Marathon. She’s currently getting ready to line up for this year’s race on April 18. We covered a lot in this one. Nell filled me in on where she’s at in her Boston prep and how it’s differing from her approach last fall. We talk about the role running has played in her life and how that’s evolved over the years. We discussed identity and why “runner” isn’t even one of the first ways Nell introduces herself. She told me about her relationship to her dad and coach, the legendary Ric Rojas, we talked coaching and what she’s learned from the amateur athletes she’s worked with, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. If you’re looking for a go-fast shoe for workouts and maybe even racing, look no further than the FuelCell Rebel v2. It’s lightweight, low to the ground and incredibly lively. It’s available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your local run specialty retail store.

— Precision Fuel & Hydration. I’ve been a devotee to Precision products for the past 4 years and my last few marathons wouldn’t have gone as well without them. Go to precisionfuelandhydration.com and take their free online Sweat Test or use the Carb Calculator to get a personalized hydration and nutrition strategy. Get 15% off your first order by using the code TMS22 when checking out.

— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race. Member and lottery registration is GOING ON NOW. The race will take place on Monday, July 4. Atlanta Track Club members receive guaranteed and lowest price entry. Non-members must enter through the lotter. In-person registration is ONLY open until March 31. Virtual registration is open until May 31. You can register today at ajc.com/peachtree.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are back with the second installment of our monthly cross-cast series that I’m co-hosting with Dinee Dorame of the Grounded Podcast, and in this episode we…well, we cover a lot of ground! We talk about music we’ve been enjoying, discuss some recent events that excited us, like the world indoor championships in Serbia, the NYC Half Marathon, as well as the the upcoming Boston Marathon. We talked about where we’re each at in our respective running journeys right now, brought up some recent developments in the running industry, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. If you’re looking for a go-fast shoe for workouts and maybe even racing, look no further than the FuelCell Rebel v2. It’s lightweight, low to the ground and incredibly lively. It’s available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your local run specialty retail store.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race. Member and lottery registration is GOING ON NOW. The race will take place on Monday, July 4. Atlanta Track Club members receive guaranteed and lowest price entry. Non-members must enter through the lotter. In-person registration is ONLY open until March 31. Virtual registration is open until May 31. You can register today at ajc.com/peachtree.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Grounded Podcast theme music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) and used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the podcast I had an awesome conversation with Ben Rosario, head coach of HOKA Northern Arizona Elite, and Matt Fitzgerald, co-founder of 80/20 Endurance and prolific author of endurance sports titles, about their new book, Run Like A Pro (Even If You’re Slow), which was recently published. This was more of a Coaches Corner discussion than my typical interview-style show and in it we discussed what amateur runners can learn from their professional counterparts while covering topics like training volume, recovery, nutrition, having a champion’s mindset, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith crafts performance running apparel, inspiring publications, and distinct experiences that allow runners to indulge in the sport’s rich culture. When you shop at tracksmith.com and use the code Mario22 when you check out, you’ll get free shipping on your order and 5% of your purchase will go to the Tracksmith Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to give more people the opportunity to participate in Track & Field. 

— Precision Fuel & Hydration. I’ve been a devotee to Precision products for the past 4 years and my last few marathons wouldn’t have gone as well without them. Go to precisionfuelandhydration.com and take their free online Sweat Test or use the Carb Calculator to get a personalized hydration and nutrition strategy to test in training. As a listener of the show you can get 15% off your first order by using the code TMS22 when checking out.

— The WineShine Half Marathon & 3.9-Miler. The inaugural event, which starts and finishes at the Silverado Resort & Spa in Napa, will be held on July 16, 2022. Not only will you run by some of Napa Valley’s most storied vineyards along the Silverado Trail, you’ll also get the chance to sample some of the area’s best varietals at the post-race festival. Registration is now open at wineshinehalfmarathon.org. Use the code MARIO when you check out and save $15 on your registration fee.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I sit down with Chris Douglas, my right-hand man and sponsorship director for the morning shakeout, and he interviews me for the 200th episode of the podcast. In this conversation we take a trip down memory lane and discuss some notable episodes, we talk about how the show has evolved and grown over the past 4+ years, I explain how the pandemic has affected the past 100 episodes for better and for worse, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith crafts performance running apparel, inspiring publications, and distinct experiences that allow runners to indulge in the sport’s rich culture. When you shop at tracksmith.com and use the code Mario22 when you check out, you’ll get free shipping on your order and 5% of your purchase will go to the Tracksmith Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to give more people the opportunity to participate in Track & Field. 

— Precision Fuel & Hydration. I’ve been a devotee to Precision products for the past 4 years and my last few marathons wouldn’t have gone as well without them. Go to precisionfuelandhydration.com and take their free online Sweat Test or use the Carb Calculator to get a personalized hydration and nutrition strategy to test in training. As a listener of the show you can get 15% off your first order by using the code TMS22 when checking out.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m excited to share the Racers’ Roundtable I hosted at Tracksmith’s Trackhouse this past Friday with guests Tommie Runz, Erica Stanley-Dottin, Mick Iacofano, Caroline Williams, Ken Rideout, Katie Kellner, and Colin Bennie. A mix of first-timers and veterans, elites and age-group competitors, locals and out of towners, we talked all things Boston Marathon: how the Boston mindset is different from other marathons, dealing with pre-race excitement, lessons learned from past Boston experiences, what they were most looking forward to on race day, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith crafts performance running apparel, inspiring publications, and distinct experiences that allow runners to indulge in the sport’s rich culture. When you shop at tracksmith.com and use the code Mario22 when you check out, you’ll get free shipping on your order and 5% of your purchase will go to the Tracksmith Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to give more people the opportunity to participate in Track & Field. 

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the third installment of Common Ground, a monthly podcast co-hosted by me and Dinee Dorame of the Grounded Podcast, we catch up on all things Boston Marathon, talk a little bit about the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album, look ahead to what’s exciting each of us in the month of May, and more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. If you’re looking for a go-fast shoe for workouts and maybe even racing, look no further than the FuelCell Rebel v2. It’s lightweight, low to the ground and incredibly lively. It’s available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your local run specialty retail store.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Grounded Podcast theme music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) and used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m not even sure how to set up this episode with Tommy Rivers Puzey so I’ll just tell you that it’s a long, winding, and at times heavy conversation with someone I deeply respect and admire about life, death, cancer, identity, hope, potential, love, gratitude, and more that I feel privileged to have had in person and that I am honored to share here with all of you. 

We recorded this episode the day after this year’s Boston Marathon, which Tommy finished in 6:31:54. For those of you who don’t know, Tommy wears a lot of hats: he’s a husband and a father, a philosopher and physical therapist, and mentor and inspiration to so many, myself included. He’s also an incredible endurance athlete with a resume that’s too long to list here but, for context, in 2017 Tommy finished 16th at Boston in 2:18:20. Fast forward to the summer of 2020, and Tommy was fighting for his life in an Arizona hospital after being diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of lymphoma. He spent weeks in a medically induced coma, endured multiple surgeries and numerous treatments, and lost 75 pounds over the course of several months, but he survived. Not only that, he’s now in remission, regaining strength every day, and living a very full life, all of which we talk about in this episode. 

Note from Mario: Please check out the Team Rivs collection from Tommy's sponsor, Craft. All proceeds from this collection go to support Tommy, his wife Steph, and their two daughters. I bought a hat and a t-shirt a while ago, both of which I wear with pride. 

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jinghuan Liu Tervalon is a mother and a runner from Southern California. She started running 14 years ago to deal with heartache and to do something for herself before she eventually found a community that she connected with and started training in earnest for races. She’s also a writer whose work has been published in Runner’s World and Women’s Running. In fact, last year she won a creative grant through the Brooks RunFulness Project to create a multimedia book project that showcases runners from the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. She serves on the board of Bras for Girls, and is an advocate for creating social change through running. Jinghuan is someone I’ve corresponded with over email for a few years now and in this conversation I got to learn more about her journey as a runner, and her work as a writer and an advocate. We also talked about identity, the role and importance of community, using her voice to tell stories and generate awareness, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. If you’re looking for a workhorse to run most of your miles in, look no further than the FreshFoam X 1080 v12. This shoe has the perfect blend of cushioning and responsiveness, it’s lightweight, it transitions smoothly, it has the most streamlined fit to accommodate a wide variety of foot types, and it holds up to heavy mileage week in and week out. The FreshFoam X 1080 v12 is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your local run specialty retail store. 

— The WineShine Half Marathon & 3.9-Miler. The inaugural event, which starts and finishes at the Silverado Resort & Spa in Napa, will be held on July 16, 2022. Not only will you run by some of Napa Valley’s most storied vineyards along the Silverado Trail, you’ll also get the chance to sample some of the area’s best varietals at the post-race festival. Registration is now open at wineshinehalfmarathon.org. Use the code MARIO when you check out and save $15 on your registration fee.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ll be re-running a couple of my favorite episodes from years past in the feed this week and next and we’ll start by kicking it back to Episode 100 with Laura Schmitt, which was recorded in February of 2020 right before the world shut down. It’s one of my favorite conversations that I’ve ever had for the podcast and I’m excited to rerelease it. Laura was the longtime cross country and track coach at Redwood High School in Larkspur, California, where she was at the helm for 35 years and led some of the best teams and athletes in the state. She’s also a wife, a mom, and now a grandmother since we had this conversation over two years ago—not to mention an entrepreneur who founded a play-based preschool that’s still going strong today as well as the first treadmill studio on the West Coast. In short: she’s an incredible woman and someone I respect and admire immensely. In this conversation, we talked about running, community, coaching, family, parenting, and entrepreneurship—all things Laura knows a lot about and has had a lot of success in over the years.

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. If you’re looking for a workhorse to run most of your miles in, look no further than the FreshFoam X 1080 v12. This shoe has the perfect blend of cushioning and responsiveness, it’s lightweight, it transitions smoothly, it has the most streamlined fit to accommodate a wide variety of foot types, and it holds up to heavy mileage week in and week out. The FreshFoam X 1080 v12 is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your local run specialty retail store. 

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re kicking it back to Episode 64 with Frank Gagliano, one of the greatest track coaches of all-time, which was recorded three years ago at his home in Rye, New York. Gagliano, who is now 85 years old, has coached at every level of the sport over the past 60 years—high school, college, and professionally—and he’s had great success at all of them. He’s coached 15 Olympians, 140 All-Americans, multiple national champions, and a world championships medalist. More importantly than that, however, the lessons he’s taught his athletes extend far beyond the track. He has a love for the sport, his family, his athletes, and his country that is unmatched. This is a conversation about coaching and life that had a profound impact on me—and I know it will do the same for you. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Open is a digital mindfulness platform combining Breathwork, Meditation, and Movement. I do a 5-10 minute breathwork class most days to get away from my desk and clear my head. Let’s take a class together. Open is giving listeners of the morning shakeout 30 days free when you visit withopen.com/MARIO.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the fourth installment of Common Ground, a monthly podcast co-hosted by me and Dinée Dorame of the Grounded Podcast, Dinée has a lot of exciting updates as they relate to her professional life and athletic pursuits, we talk a little bit about a few of the high school track athletes that are exciting us right now, we discuss National Running Day, which is coming up on June 1, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. If you’re looking for a workhorse to run most of your miles in, look no further than the FreshFoam X 1080 v12. This shoe has the perfect blend of cushioning and responsiveness, it’s lightweight, it transitions smoothly, it has the most streamlined fit to accommodate a wide variety of foot types, and it holds up to heavy mileage week in and week out. The FreshFoam X 1080v12 is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your local run specialty retail store.  

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Grounded Podcast theme music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) and used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Tommie Runz. I met Tommie back in April at the Racers Roundtable that I hosted and he participated in a few days before the Boston Marathon. After talking with him for just a little bit that day, I knew that I needed to sit down with him for the podcast. That brief encounter led to this nearly two-hour conversation and it’s a really special one. In this episode, Tommie talks to me about the period of time he lived in Massachusetts, his troubled relationship with alcohol, and the journey he’s traveled to sobriety. He told me about when and how running came into his life and the path he followed to qualifying for the Boston Marathon. We discussed identity and how that’s shifted for him over the course of his life, what it’s like being a Black runner in his hometown of Detroit, and so much more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith is an independent running brand inspired by a deep love of the sport. Their Spring/Summer Collection is now available and features staples thoughtfully designed for training and racing hard in warm weather. My personal favorites are the Session tee and Allston half tights. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com in the month of June, you can get free shipping on your next order, and support the Tracksmith Foundation, which helps give more people the opportunity to participate in Track & Field, by using the code Mario22 at checkout.

— Open is a digital mindfulness platform combining Breathwork, Meditation, and Movement. I do a 5-10 minute breathwork class most days to get away from my desk and clear my head. Let’s take a class together. Open is giving listeners of the morning shakeout 30 days free when you visit withopen.com/MARIO. 

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week, making his second appearance on the podcast, is Simon Freeman. Simon is the co-founder, editor, and publisher of my favorite running magazine, Like The Wind, a beautiful, quarterly, coffee table-style publication for runners, by runners. (Check out the conversation Simon and I had for Episode 13 here and learn about his professional and athletic background, as well as the origins of Like The Wind, which he and his wife Julie launched back in 2014.)

In this conversation, we mostly geeked out about all things publishing and media. Simon told me about how Like the Wind has evolved over the past four years, the exciting position the magazine is in right now, and where he and Julie hope to take it moving forward. We also talked about the current running media landscape and how it’s changed since our last conversation, the current state of Simon’s relationship with running (and the big goal he has on the horizon), and a lot more. 

Learn more about LtW, buy a back issue or two, or sign up for your own subscription here. Enter the code MARIO in the discount code box at checkout and you won’t get a discount but you will receive a free set of Like the Wind postcards featuring some cool illustrations. In the interest of transparency, I am not getting compensated in any way if you use the aforementioned code. It is simply a thank you from my friends at LtW for checking out their awesome magazine.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith is an independent running brand inspired by a deep love of the sport. Their Spring/Summer Collection is now available and features staples thoughtfully designed for training and racing hard in warm weather. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com in the month of June, you can get free shipping on your next order, and support the Tracksmith Foundation, which helps give more people the opportunity to participate in Track & Field, by using the code Mario22 at checkout.

— Open is a digital mindfulness platform combining Breathwork, Meditation, and Movement. Let’s take a class together! Open is giving listeners of the morning shakeout 30 days free when you visit withopen.com/MARIO. 

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Sid Baptista. Sid’s a lot of things: he’s a husband and a father, a runner, a community builder and leader, and also an entrepreneur. He’s the founder of the PIONEERS Run Crew, which is based in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, and he’s also the creator of PYNRS performance streetwear brand, an apparel line with a focus on serving diverse people, with diverse body types from diverse communities.

I’m super excited to share this week’s conversation with you as it’s one of my favorite ones I’ve had for the podcast to date. Sid and I covered a lot of ground: We talked about growing up as the sons of entrepreneurial minded immigrants in Massachusetts and how those experiences have shaped our career trajectories. He told me about his hometown of Dorchester, which is Boston’s biggest, most populous, and most diverse neighborhood, and how he’s seen it evolve over the past three decades. We got into running, Sid’s experience as a sprinter in high school, and how he found distance running as an adult. We also discussed culture and community, how Sid is trying to make running more inclusive and accessible through his work, what he sees happening industry wide that both excites and worries him, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith is an independent running brand inspired by a deep love of the sport. Their Spring/Summer Collection is now available and features staples thoughtfully designed for training and racing hard in warm weather. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com in the month of June, you can get free shipping on your next order, and support the Tracksmith Foundation, which helps give more people the opportunity to participate in Track & Field, by using the code Mario22 at checkout.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the fifth installment of Common Ground, a monthly podcast co-hosted by me and Dinée Dorame of the Grounded Podcast, Dinée tells us all about her experience at the recent New York Mini 10K, we talk about which events we were most looking forward to at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, we discuss music, of course, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. If you’re looking for a workhorse to run most of your miles in, look no further than the FreshFoam X 1080 v12. This shoe has the perfect blend of cushioning and responsiveness, it’s lightweight, it transitions smoothly, it has the most streamlined fit to accommodate a wide variety of foot types, and it holds up to heavy mileage week in and week out. The FreshFoam X 1080v12 is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your local run specialty retail store.  

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Grounded Podcast theme music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) and used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s conversation is with Marquis Bowden, who you may remember from Episode 132 back in the fall of 2020. Since that time nearly two years ago Marquis and I have kept in close touch and make it a point to catch up with one another every couple of weeks. His life has undergone a lot of changes since we recorded that first podcast: he moved from the only place he’d ever known, Los Angeles, California, to the mountains of Boulder, Colorado. He’s embedded himself into the running and cycling communities there and put himself on a path to chase his professional, athletic, and personal dreams. 

In this episode, we talk about that transition and what it’s been like for him. We discuss trauma, hardship, reaching out for help, and prioritizing mental health. Marquis told me about trying to take his running to the next level, navigating injuries from both a physical and emotional standpoint, the importance of leaning into his community, especially during tough times, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. If you’re looking for a workhorse to run most of your miles in, look no further than the FreshFoam X 1080 v12. This shoe has the perfect blend of cushioning and responsiveness, it’s lightweight, it transitions smoothly, it has the most streamlined fit to accommodate a wide variety of foot types, and it holds up to heavy mileage week in and week out. The FreshFoam X 1080v12 is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your local run specialty retail store.  

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s conversation is with Diane Nukuri, a three-time Olympian for Burundi whose career I’ve been following for 22 years now. Diane is an incredible athlete—she’s competed in three Olympic Games in three different events—and she’s one of the most versatile road racers of the past decade. 

In this episode, we talked about her childhood in Burundi and how running came into her life. She told me how she’s used running as a vehicle for exploration and opportunity from the time she was a teenager and also what it was like to leave her home country for track meet when she was 16, knowing she wasn’t going to go back. Diane talked openly about adjusting to life in Canada and then the U.S., she me told some good stories about her partner, five-time U.S. Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, we discussed how having a good “off” switch has helped her have a long competitive running career, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. If you’re looking for a workhorse to run most of your miles in, look no further than the FreshFoam X 1080 v12. This shoe has the perfect blend of cushioning and responsiveness, it’s lightweight, it transitions smoothly, it has the most streamlined fit to accommodate a wide variety of foot types, and it holds up to heavy mileage week in and week out. The FreshFoam X 1080v12 is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your local run specialty retail store.  

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s guest, making his second appearance on the podcast, is Steve Magness. Check him out back on Episode 156 if you haven’t already as it’s a good primer for this conversation, one which centered around the subject of his new book: Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness. 

Now I’ll say this: Steve has been on a lot of podcasts doing promotion for his book and I did not want to rehash many of the conversations he’s already had to date. I can tell you that this episode is very different and we covered a lot of new ground. Steve opened up about his struggles with OCD, which isn’t something he’s ever talked about publicly before. We talked about the idea of toughness, and “tough love,” and how his perceptions of both have changed over time. We also discussed different leadership styles, what works and what doesn’t, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. If you’re looking for a workhorse to run most of your miles in, look no further than the FreshFoam X 1080 v12. This shoe has the perfect blend of cushioning and responsiveness, it’s lightweight, it transitions smoothly, it has the most streamlined fit to accommodate a wide variety of foot types, and it holds up to heavy mileage week in and week out. The FreshFoam X 1080v12 is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your local run specialty retail store.  

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the sixth installment of Common Ground, a monthly podcast co-hosted by me and Dinée Dorame of the Grounded Podcast, we shared our respective personal updates before geeking out on all things World Athletics Championships, which just wrapped up over the weekend. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The FuelCell SuperComp Trainer from New Balance is something else! This shoe, which comes out in August, is so fun to run in. It’s got 47 plush millimeters of foam underfoot and a super comfortable rocker profile that encourages efficient forward motion. It’s also got a carbon plate in there that helps smooth the transition from footstrike to toe-off. It will soon be available on newbalance.com or at your favorite run specialty retail store.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Grounded Podcast theme music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) and used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is a long one but it’s a pretty special conversation with one of my first post-collegiate running heroes, Peter Gilmore—who, incredibly and ironically enough, is now my teammate on the West Valley Track Club Masters racing team. In the early 2000s Peter was one of the top marathoners in the U.S. He finished 10th at the 2005 Boston Marathon and later that year represented the U.S. in the marathon at the world championships in Finland. The next year he finished 7th at Boston in a personal best 2:12:45. I didn’t know him at the time but I looked up to Peter from afar because he was everything I wanted to be in the sport: a scrappy underdog, a guy who wasn’t a star in college, he didn’t have a shoe contract, but he busted his butt and became really good. 

In this conversation, we talked about all of that but what I was really interested in was his path back to the competitive side of the sport a few years ago after an 8-year break from serious training and racing. We got into how and why he came back in 2018, as well as why he retired in 2010 in the first place, and that part of the conversation went in a direction I didn’t expect it to go. We also talked about what’s different for him now as a Masters athlete now versus when he was younger, what it was like spending six weeks training in Kenya right after college and what he learned from that experience, and a whole lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith is an independent running brand inspired by a deep love of the sport. Their Summer Collection is now available and features staples ready for your next adventure, including the Run Cannonball Run Shorts, the Off Roads Shorts, the Run Cannonball Run Tee, and more. By using code Mario22 at checkout, you can receive free shipping on your order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Brave Like Gabe Foundation to fund rare cancer research.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I do not have a new conversation to share with you this week but I am going to re-run a previous episode of the podcast with Lindsay Flanagan that was recorded in early 2020, just a few weeks before the Olympic Trials Marathon, where she ended up finishing 12th. Since that day in Atlanta, Lindsay has made some huge breakthroughs in the marathon and as a fan, it’s been super fun to watch. This past April she was 11th at the Paris Marathon in a personal best 2:26:54, and then, just a few months later in July, she won the Gold Coast Marathon in Australia, breaking the tape in a new course record, and another personal best, 2:24:43.

It was fun to revisit this conversation and hear Lindsay’s thoughts on the marathon and what she’s learned from it over the years, dealing with injuries throughout her career and navigating periods of time when she couldn’t run, what she’s learned as a coach of age-group athletes, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith is an independent running brand inspired by a deep love of the sport. Their Summer Collection is now available and features staples ready for your next adventure, including the Run Cannonball Run Shorts, the Off Roads Shorts, the Run Cannonball Run Tee, and more. By using code Mario22 at checkout, you can receive free shipping on your order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Brave Like Gabe Foundation to fund rare cancer research.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s re-run episode is an incredibly special one to me. It’s with my college cross country and track coach, Karen Boen, who is someone that’s had a profound and lasting impact on my life. Coach saw qualities and abilities in me 20 years ago that I didn’t know I had, and she helped me to not only become a better runner, but she taught me a lot about hard work, leadership, caring for other people, and what it means to be a good teammate and human being. A lot of how I think about training, and coaching, and life in general is due to her influence and I am incredibly grateful to have run for her during my time at Stonehill College.

We recorded this episode in June of 2020 and it’s an awesome conversation that goes through Coach’s life growing up in the projects of South Boston, to how she got into track and field in college, to accidentally falling into collegiate coaching at the age of 40. She also told me how she took a small team that was on the brink of extinction and developed it into a nationally ranked program, what it’s like being a full-time female coach at the collegiate level while having a family and maintaining a social life, why she’s always focused on surrounding herself with fantastic people, the importance of setting boundaries, the biggest barriers facing female coaches today at the collegiate level and elsewhere, and so much more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith is an independent running brand inspired by a deep love of the sport. Their Summer Collection is now available and features staples ready for your next adventure, including the Run Cannonball Run Shorts, the Off Roads Shorts, the Run Cannonball Run Tee, and more. By using code Mario22 at checkout, you can receive free shipping on your order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Brave Like Gabe Foundation to fund rare cancer research.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am on a little bit of a hiatus from recording new episodes of the podcast so I’m taking this time as an opportunity to re-run some of my favorites from years past that some of you may want to revisit and others might be hearing for the first time. 

This week, I’m bringing back an incredible conversation I had a little over three years ago with Katie Arnold. Katie is mom, a heck of an ultrarunner, and a great writer, whose memoir, Running Home, really spoke to me on a number of levels. In it, we talked about “smile” and “flow” and why those words are important to her when she races, reverse goal-setting and how this strategy sets her up for success, and balancing competitive running with the rest of her life. We also discussed the importance of observation and paying attention, how death can wake us up to the powerful realization that everything is changing all the time, and how her book came to be and what she hopes readers take away from it.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m excited to bring you the 7th installment of Common Ground, a monthly podcast co-hosted by me and Dinée Dorame of the Grounded Podcast. In this episode, we catch up on what we’ve both been up to of late personally, professionally, and athletically, we talk marathons, discuss music, and a whole lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The FuelCell SuperComp Trainer from New Balance is something else! This shoe is so fun to run in. It’s got 47 plush millimeters of foam underfoot and a super comfortable rocker profile that encourages efficient forward motion. It’s also got a carbon plate in there that helps smooth the transition from footstrike to toe-off. It's available on newbalance.com or at your favorite run specialty retail store.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Grounded Podcast theme music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) and used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am super excited to share this episode with all of you. It’s with Brendan Leonard, an ultrarunner, writer, award-winning filmmaker, speaker, and creator of one of my favorite websites on the internet, Semi-Rad.com. On top of all that, he’s also a new dad, which we talked quite a bit about in this conversation.

Brendan is someone whose work I’ve admired for quite a while now. He’s got an unmatched ability to tell stories, use humor, and share drawings that convey many of the things we all feel and experience as runners, and as human beings in general. In this conversation, we bounced all over the place, covering topics like ultrarunning, creativity, storytelling, self-employment, parenthood, where and how all these things overlap and intersect, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The new Fresh Foam X More v4 is a maximum cushion shoe with a responsive ride that I’m really enjoying for recovery runs right now. It’s super plush but also incredible light. It's available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your favorite run specialty retail store.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is with Ruben Sança. Ruben and I go back a ways: When I was a senior at Stonehill College we recruited him pretty hard to come run at our school. He ultimately ended up going to our rival, UMass Lowell, where he went on to have a great collegiate career as a 4x All-American and three-time New England champion. It turned out to be the right choice for him as Ruben now works at his alma mater as the Director of Student Life & Well-Being. After college, Ruben made some big jumps as an athlete. In 2011 he represented his home country of Cape Verde in the marathon at the World Championships in South Korea and the following year he competed in the 5000m at the Olympic Games in London. In fact, it was during those Olympics that I first spent some meaningful time with Ruben and got know him a little bit. Ruben has also finished in the top-25 of the Boston Marathon twice and still competes regularly on the New England road racing scene. In August, he and his five-year-old son Greyson broke the Guinness World Record for running a mile with a stroller, clocking a 4:32.2 at the High Street Mile in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

Even though he’s five years younger than me, Ruben is someone I look up to for the example he sets through his actions. He works incredibly hard, makes time for the people and pursuits he cares most about, and he does it all with humility. In this conversation, we talked about his recent Guinness world record and how he shares running with his son. Ruben told me about growing up in Cape Verde, moving to the U.S. when he was 12 years old, and what it was like settling into the Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston. We discussed his experience running in high school and some of the challenges of being a distance runner in the inner city, why he chose to run at UMass Lowell and his relationship with coach Gary Gardner, and how he was thinking about his pursuit of competitive running after college. Ruben also explained to me how his relationship to running has evolved over the years and how he fits in training at a high level around family and a full-time job, establishing his nonprofit foundation that focuses on integrating sports and academics to make a sustainable impact in Cape Verde, and so much more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The new Fresh Foam X More v4 is a maximum cushion shoe with a responsive ride that I’m really enjoying for recovery runs right now. It’s super plush but also incredible light. It's available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your favorite run specialty retail store.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m traveling this week and don’t have a new episode of the podcast for you but I want to take this opportunity to re-run one of my favorite conversations that I’ve ever had for the show. It’s with Diljeet Taylor, who is the head women’s cross-country coach and the Associate Director of Track and Field and field at BYU, which is one of the top collegiate programs in the country. We recorded this episode nearly two years ago when we were in the thick of the pandemic and it’s a great one to revisit or maybe check out for the first time. 

In this conversation, which is really a masterclass is coaching and team building, Coach Taylor talked to me about the culture she’s helped build at BYU, why gratitude is so important to the strength of that culture, the importance of investing in people and not performances, and so, so much more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The new Fresh Foam X More v4 is a maximum cushion shoe with a responsive ride that I’m really enjoying for recovery runs right now. It’s super plush but also incredible light. It's available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your favorite run specialty retail store.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I’m re-sharing a conversation that I had in 2018 with Deena Kastor, which we recorded at her kitchen table in Mammoth Lakes, California. I’m bringing this one back not only because I was in Mammoth Lakes this past weekend but because Deena just ran 2:45:12 at the Berlin Marathon—at the age of 49, no less!—to earn the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal for completing all six Major marathons: Berlin, London, New York, Chicago, Boston, and Tokyo. I look back fondly at this chat from a few years ago, in which we covered a lot of topics, from the importance of surrounding yourself with a great team, both in running and in life, to using disappointment as a means to fuel the next big breakthrough. We also discussed how coach Joe Vigil influenced her and helped shape her life philosophy, how training for and racing cross-country “feeds her soul” and helps her become a better racer on the track and on the roads, and so much more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The new Fresh Foam X More v4 is a maximum cushion shoe with a responsive ride that I’m really enjoying for recovery runs right now. It’s super plush but also incredible light. It's available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your favorite run specialty retail store.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for free shipping on your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am super excited about this episode of Common Ground, a monthly podcast co-hosted by me and Dinée Dorame of the Grounded Podcast. It’s one we’ve been talking about doing for a long time, and it’s one that many listeners have been asking for: we’ve put together a Common Ground playlist! That’s right,10 songs from me, 10 songs from Dinee, and you can access them all from playlists we've made for Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. There is no running talk this week but we go through each of the songs we chose, why we chose them, and we had a lot of fun doing it.

The Common Ground Playlist: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The Fresh Foam X More v4 from New Balance has quickly become a favorite of mine for recovery runs on the road. It’s packed with plenty of plush foam underfoot making it a perfect option for when I’m feeling a little beat up and want some extra protection between my foot and the road. It’s available on newbalance.com or at your favorite run specialty retail store.

— ARENA. If you don’t have time or want to go to the gym, ARENA is a serious strength training solution. Their product, which is a stealthy-looking metal plyobox with a cable-based resistance system, replaces a whole kit of free weights and bands. I’ve been using my ARENA unit for a few weeks now and I don’t have to think about it: I just find the workout I want to do on the app and it counts my reps, remembers my weight, and guides me through the workout. Check out Arena and learn more on their website at arena.fit and at @go.arena on Instagram and TikTok.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Grounded Podcast theme music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) and used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve got a great episode for you this week with Alison Mariella Désir, who is making her second appearance on the podcast. If you missed our first chat, go back in the archives to Episode 168, where you can learn more about Alison, her background, how she got into running, and the work she’s done as a community builder and an activist. 

This conversation was a very topical one and centered around Alison’s new book, Running While Black, which is available for pre-order now and will be available for purchase everywhere on October 18. We talked about the book, how it came to be, and how it evolved during the process of writing it. Alison shared some of her experiences of being a Black woman in a very white space, she told me about the impact she hopes her book will have, we discussed what “reimagining the run” could look like for future generations, and so much more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The new FuelCell Rebel v3 from New Balance is everything I enjoyed about its predecessor but with a more supportive upper, a little more cushion underfoot, and a more durable outsole. What it doesn’t have is much more weight, checking in at under 8 ounces, making it a great go-fast shoe for tempo runs, track workouts, and interval sessions on the road. The FuelCell Rebel v3 is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your favorite run specialty retail store. 

— The Monterey Bay Half Marathon. The Monterey Bay Half Marathon is BACK! Registration is now open for this fast, scenic course along the beautiful Monterey Bay coastline. If you’re looking for a fall race with a high potential for a PR, this is your course! Sign up to #runthiscoast on November 13 at montereybayhalfmarathon.org. Use the code MARIO at checkout to save $10 on your registration for the half marathon or the Ocean View Challenge.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is with Chris Mosier. Chris is a hall of fame triathlete, an All-American duathlete, a 6-time member of Team USA, and a two-time national champion and Olympic Trials qualifier in race walking. He’s also a Nike-sponsored athlete who, in 2015, became the first known transgender man to represent the U.S. in international competition. Beyond all of that, however, Chris is an incredible person who knows himself better than nearly anyone I’ve ever met and he’s an advocate, inspiration, mentor, and a role model to so many, myself included. 

In this wide-ranging conversation, Chris and I talked about his relationship to sport and how that’s evolved throughout his life. We discussed identity and how he shows up in the different communities that he belongs to, as well as why he doesn’t want to be seen in any one particular type of way. Chris told me about navigating the world now as a white male and how that perspective differs from what he experienced earlier in his life, how we can all be allies and advocates for equal rights in sports and society, and so, so much more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The new FuelCell Rebel v3 is everything I enjoyed about its predecessor but with a more supportive upper, a little more cushion underfoot, and a more durable outsole. What it doesn’t have is much more weight, checking in at under 8 oz, making it a great go-fast shoe for tempo runs, track workouts, and interval sessions on the road. The FuelCell Rebel v3 is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your favorite run specialty retail store. 

— ARENA. If you don’t have time or want to go to the gym, ARENA is a serious and super efficient strength training solution. I’ve been using my ARENA unit for a few weeks now and I don’t have to think about it: I just find the workout I want to do on the app and it counts my reps, remembers my weight, and guides me through the workout. Try out an ARENA today by going to arena.fit and seeing if there is a unit you can demo near you or sign up for a virtual demo and see how much of a game changer this is! 

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Episode cover photo of Chris Mosier by Jaime Kelter for the NY Times used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I spoke with Olympian Marielle Hall, who represented the U.S. in the 10,000m at the Rio Games in 2016. She’s also a four-time world championship qualifier, finished 8th in the 10,000m at the 2019 world championships in Doha, and won a national 15K title on the roads in 2020. This episode came to be a few weeks after I was introduced to Marielle last month in Mammoth Lakes, California, where she’s been training at altitude in preparation for her half-marathon debut later this fall.  

In this conversation, Marielle and I talked about how she’s using this training camp as an opportunity to re-center herself and set the tone for the year ahead. She told me about traps that she’s gotten stuck in over the years and how she’s trying to maintain focus and keep the main thing the main thing. We discussed how she’s feeling now versus a year ago when she left the Bowerman Track Club, and when she knew it was time to change her training environment. Marielle talked to me about moving up in distance over the years and the differences between racing on the track and on the road, how she sees herself now that she’s out of the hole of injury and uncertainty, and what she thinks she’s capable of when she’s healthy and firing on all cylinders. We also discussed the ways in which her relationship to running has evolved over the years, what she hopes it looks like moving forward, and so, so much more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— The Monterey Bay Half Marathon. The Monterey Bay Half Marathon is BACK! Registration is now open for this fast, scenic course along the beautiful Monterey Bay coastline. If you’re looking for a fall race with a high potential for a PR, this is your course! Sign up to #runthiscoast on November 13 at montereybayhalfmarathon.org. Use the code MARIO at checkout to save $10 on your registration for the half marathon or the Ocean View Challenge.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for free shipping on your order. Look good, run goodr!

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Episode cover photo of Marielle Hall by David Bracetty for the 4 Years Ago Project used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m excited to bring you the 9th installment of Common Ground, a monthly podcast co-hosted by me and Dinée Dorame of the Grounded Podcast. In this episode, Dinée shares a couple personal updates, we geeked out and got excited about the upcoming New York City Marathon, which we’ll both be heading to later this week—we also shared some information about the respective events we’ll be involved in, so keep an ear open for those—we talked some music, of course, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The new FuelCell Rebel v3 from New Balance is everything I enjoyed about its predecessor but with a more supportive upper, a little more cushion underfoot, and a more durable outsole. What it doesn’t have is much more weight, checking in at under 8 ounces, making it a great go-fast shoe for tempo runs, track workouts, and interval sessions on the road. The FuelCell Rebel v3 is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your favorite run specialty retail store.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Grounded Podcast theme music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) and used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m excited to share the recording from my live show in New York City this past Saturday with reigning world 1500m champion Jake Wightman of Great Britain. This past summer Jake pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year, taking down Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen to capture his first world title. Jake, who is 28 years old and a native of Scotland, is also a Commonwealth Games and European Championships medalist, as well as a three-time champion at the 5th Avenue Mile in New York.

In this conversation, we talked about the world 1500m final and the tactics he used to take the win. Jake told me about what it was like to come off the high of that world title and still having to race in the Commonwealth Games and European Championships in the weeks that came after it. We discussed pressure as a privilege, what it’s like going into races now as a favorite rather than an underdog, and how he’s learned to appreciate his accomplishments over the years. Jake also talked about growing up as the son of two accomplished runners, being coached by his dad and the dynamics of their relationship, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The new FuelCell SC Elite v3 is going to be the shoe that I race the Boston Marathon in next April. It’s a next-level racing shoe with a carbon fiber plate and plenty of lightweight foam underfoot for a cushioned yet responsive ride. Right now there are select sizes remaining in an exclusive New York City Marathon colorway available on newbalance.com, so try and snatch them up before the holidays if you can, and they’ll be more widely available in early 2023. 

— ARENA is a serious and super efficient strength training solution that’s designed to fit into your life, enabling you to conveniently train at home, at the track, or on the road. The ARENA unit is compact—its the size of a yoga mat and weighs 55lbs, which means you can store it anywhere—and you can use it to train on your own or follow workout programs like their strength for runners series, which is designed to make you stronger and faster for race day. To support the running community and promote the importance of strength training for runners, ARENA is offering $100 off the ARENA Platform until November 21, 2022. Go to arena.fit and use the discount code RUNSTRONG when you check out.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I’m sharing the latest episode of the Weekly Rundown, which is usually a Patreon-only podcast that I co-host with my friend Billy Yang. We’ve been on a bit of a hiatus since May, but we’re back with special guest Brendan Leonard of Semi-Rad—who you can listen to on Episode 211 of my podcast if you haven’t already—and the three of us catch up on what we've been up to of late, we talk all things NYC Marathon, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The new FuelCell SC Elite v3 is going to be the shoe that I race the Boston Marathon in next April. It’s a next-level racing shoe with a carbon fiber plate and plenty of lightweight foam underfoot for a cushioned yet responsive ride. Right now there are select sizes remaining in an exclusive New York City Marathon colorway available on newbalance.com, so try and snatch them up before the holidays if you can, and they’ll be more widely available in early 2023. 

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heading into this holiday week we’re going to re-run one of my favorite episodes of the podcast from years past. This one is from January 2020 and it’s with Fernando Cabada, a former professional distance runner who is still competing at an elite level. In fact, Fernando is now one of the fastest Masters runners in the country, running 2:16:51 at Grandmas Marathon back in June to qualify for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon. He’s also the Masters American record-holder for 50K, running 2:57:35 earlier this year.

In this conversation, which we recorded in-person in his hometown of Fresno, California, Fernando told me about his rough upbringing in Fresno, where he suffered abuse at the hands of his father, to the close relationship he has with his mother and how that’s even strengthened in recent years. We talked about being embarrassed by who he was as a kid and how he’s worked to put that behind him later in life. He told me why finishing second in a school yard race as a 9-year-old was the best day of his life to that point. Fernando explains why he was feeling more depressed than ever in 2014 despite it being his best year of racing ever, and how he picked himself up afterward and found a way forward. We also discussed his relationship with running, the place it occupies in his life, and a heck of a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The new FuelCell SC Elite v3 is going to be the shoe that I race the Boston Marathon in next April. It’s a next-level racing shoe with a carbon fiber plate and plenty of lightweight foam underfoot for a cushioned yet responsive ride. Right now there are select sizes remaining in an exclusive New York City Marathon colorway available on newbalance.com, so try and snatch them up before the holidays if you can, and they’ll be more widely available in early 2023. 

— Goodr. Goodr sunglasses are just the best! And this coming weekend, from Black Friday through Cyber Monday only, Goodr will be offering 20% off their entire product line, so if you’re in the market for some fresh shades that won’t bounce, don’t slip, and are polarized to protect your eyes, go to goodr.com and fill up your cart. Also, if you’d like to support me and the podcast, go over to goodr.com/MARIO and use the code Mario15 to get free shipping on your entire order.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m excited to bring you the 10th installment of Common Ground, a monthly podcast co-hosted by me and Dinée Dorame of the Grounded Podcast. In this episode, we talk about our respective experiences at the New York City Marathon, we geek out on some recent cross-country action, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. The new FuelCell Rebel v3 from New Balance is everything I enjoyed about its predecessor but with a more supportive upper, a little more cushion underfoot, and a more durable outsole. What it doesn’t have is much more weight, checking in at under 8 ounces, making it a great go-fast shoe for tempo runs, track workouts, and interval sessions on the road. The FuelCell Rebel v3 is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on newbalance.com or at your favorite run specialty retail store.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Grounded Podcast theme music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) and used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I’m re-running a conversation I had over three years ago with Chelsea Sodaro, who recently won the Ironman World Championships in Kona. When this episode originally went live in April of 2019, Chelsea hadn’t done an Ironman yet and she wasn’t even a household name in triathlon at the time. Nor was she a mom, which is a big part of what made her most recent victory so special and impressive. 

In this conversation, we talked about how Chelsea got into running—for those of you who don’t know, before she was a champion triathlete, Chelsea was a world-class runner and a two-time national champion on the roads and track—why she transitioned into triathlon, and where she gets her competitive drive from. Chelsea told me how she’s dealt with injury throughout her career and the special relationship she has with Olympian Magdalena Boulet. We also discussed why she felt so alone and empty immediately after winning her first triathlon, the advice she’d give her younger self, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. The Turnover Tights are the perfect option for chilly morning runs this time of year. They feature a soft brushed back for a comfortable feel on the skin and a spacious rear pocket for storing cards, keys, nutrition, your phone, or whatever you want to stuff in there. During the month of December, visit tracksmith.com/mario and use code “Mario22” at checkout for free shipping on your order—also, 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is ear and dear to me. 

— Goodr. Goodr sunglasses are just the best! They don’t bounce, they won’t slip, and they’re polarized to protect your eyes. Best of all they’re super affordable with most pairs coming in at just 25-35 bucks a piece. if you’d like to support me and the podcast, go over to goodr.com/MARIO and use the code Mario15 to get free shipping on your entire order.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a busy fall and I haven’t been recording many new episodes of the podcast these last couple of months, so I’m re-running a few of my favorite conversations from years past. This week’s is with Mike Smith, who is the director of cross-country and track and field at Northern Arizona University. We recorded this episode over 2-1/2 years ago in the early stages of the pandemic. Mike is arguably the top collegiate distance running coach in the country. His NAU men’s cross-country team has won the national title six of the past seven years. His women’s squad finished sixth this past fall, their highest placing since 2007. Mike has been named National Men's Coach of the Year five times, and is only the second coach to win this award three years in a row. 

I’ve been following Mike’s career since the mid-1990s when we were both running as high schoolers in small-town Central Massachusetts. This is a conversation about the path Mike’s followed to get where he is today, and who and what have influenced him along the way. It’s also a conversation about his approach to coaching, running, competition, and life that I personally took a lot away from and I know you will too. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. The Turnover Tights are the perfect option for chilly morning runs this time of year. They feature a soft brushed back for a comfortable feel on the skin and a spacious rear pocket for storing cards, keys, nutrition, your phone, or whatever you want to stuff in there. During the month of December, visit tracksmith.com/mario and use code “Mario22” at checkout for free shipping on your order—also, 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is ear and dear to me. 

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s Re-Run is with Bria Wetsch, who just a few weeks ago finished fourth at the U.S. Marathon Championships at CIM in a new personal best of 2:28.35. We recorded this episode in April 2020, at the very beginning of the pandemic, not long after Bria had finished 27th at the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta.

I’m bringing back this conversation because of how honest and raw it was. In it, Bria told me about experiencing success at a young age and how she struggled to separate her identity and self-worth from her running results. She also recounts her experience recovering from double achilles surgery in 2017 and coming back to run a marathon PR 13 months later. She explained why she’s stuck with the sport despite various struggles over the past 20 years. Bria opened up about her fear of failure and battling perfectionism—but also how she learned to let go a few years ago and what that did for her relationship with running and competition, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. The Turnover Tights are the perfect option for chilly morning runs this time of year. They feature a soft brushed back for a comfortable feel on the skin and a spacious rear pocket for storing cards, keys, nutrition, your phone, or whatever you want to stuff in there. During the month of December, visit tracksmith.com/mario and use code “Mario22” at checkout for free shipping on your order—also, 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is ear and dear to me. 

— Precision Fuel & Hydration. Precision Fuel and Hydration makes the best fueling and hydration products for training and racing, and they also provide invaluable education for endurance athletes at all levels. We recently held a webinar on fueling and hydration for marathons and ultras, and they’ve also posted articles about carbohydrate needs and how to train your gut to take in more fuel, all of which I’ve linked to in the show notes for this episode. Also be sure to check out their Fuel & Hydration Planner, which is a great tool that you can use to dial in your fueling and hydration needs for training and racing with incredible precision. If you want to pick up some product for yourself, use the code TMS22 when you check out at precisionfuelandhydration.com and save 15% off your first order. 

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m excited to bring you the 11th and final installment of Common Ground for 2022, a monthly podcast co-hosted by me and Dinée Dorame of the Grounded Podcast. In this year-end episode, we talk about our running highlights of the year, podcast highlights of the year, music highlights of the year, and a lot more.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Grounded Podcast theme music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM) and used with permission.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This final episode of 2022 is a compilation of highlights from 12 of the most impactful conversations I’ve had over the past 12 months. As I’ve written in years past, putting this annual episode together is equal parts exciting and impossible. It’s a treat to revisit all of these exchanges but it’s also a tough task to pick 12 that stood out. Each and every person that's been gracious enough to give me an hour or two of their time has taught me, inspired me, entertained me, moved me, or changed me in some way—and it’s my hope that they’ve done the same for you. This year's "best of" lineup, in order of release date, are: Bolota Asmerom, Luis Grijalva, Amy Leedham, Phil Shin, Nell Rojas, Tommy Rivs, Jinghuan Liu Tervalon, Tommie Runz, Peter Gilmore, Alison Mariella Désir, Chris Mosier, and Marielle Hall.

This episode is brought to you by:

— New Balance. TheFreshFoam X 1080 v12 is the shoe I run most of my miles in and it holds up week in and week out. The FuelCell Rebel v3 is my go-to go-fast shoe for workouts. And finally, the soon-to-be released FuelCell SC Elite v3 is my racer. Check 'em out at your favorite run specialty store or on newbalance.com.

— Precision Fuel & Hydration. Check out this webinar on fueling and hydration for marathons and ultras or these articles about carbohydrate needs and how to train your gut to take in more fuel. The Fuel & Hydration Planner is a great tool to dial in your fueling and hydration needs. Use the code TMS22 when you check out at precisionfuelandhydration.com and save 15% off your first order.

Click here for complete show notes. Music and editing for this episode by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I sat down with my good friend and two-time podcast guest Simon Freeman, the co-founder, editor, and publisher of my favorite running magazine, Like The Wind, which just celebrated its ninth birthday. For the past couple issues of LtW, Simon and I have had a conversation about a particular topic in running, which he recorded, transcribed, and published an excerpt of in the magazine. We did the same for Issue #34, which comes out on March 1, and decided to publish the entire audio conversation—which is what you’re about to listen to—as a podcast to complement the excerpt that ends up in the magazine.

In this episode, Simon and I had a great exchange about emerging footwear, apparel, and media brands and trends in the running space. It’s very much two friends with a lot of industry experience just shooting the shit and speculating about what we’re seeing and we hope you enjoy being a fly on the wall for it. The plan is to do publish these candid conversations as a podcast to coincide with the release of the latest issue of Like The Wind, which happens on a quarterly basis throughout the year, so there will be 3 more of these over the next 10 months.

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by:

the morning shakeout's partner brands, all of which have missions I believe in and products that I trust and use myself on a regular basis. One of the best ways to support the newsletter and podcast is by patronizing the partners that help keep them going week in and week out. Check out some of the discount codes and special offers available exclusively to readers and listeners of the morning shakeout below.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon. Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of the podcast is the first installment of a new 4-part series I’m calling Pillars of Performance. The main objective behind this series is to go deep with experts in the areas of training, strength and conditioning/injury prevention, sports psychology, and nutrition, i.e., the four pillars that support a foundation of sustainable performance no matter what event you’re training for or what level of runner you are.

My guest for this one is Mark Coogan, coach of Team New Balance Boston and co-author of the new book, Personal Best Running: Coach Coogan’s Strategies for the Mile to the Marathon. (You can learn more about Mark’s background as an athlete and coach on Episode 165 of the podcast.) In this conversation, Mark and I discuss his book, get into his training principles and the influences behind them, the importance of effort over exactitude, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith's new Spring Collection is now available, featuring a colorful refresh of some of my favorite training staples. I recently raced both an indoor mile and a road half marathon in the Allston Half Tights, which are my go-to for races and speed workouts. It's everything you could ever want in a half tight and then some! If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of the podcast is the second installment of a new 4-part series I’m calling Pillars of Performance. The main objective behind this series is to go deep with experts in the areas of training, strength and conditioning/injury prevention, sports psychology, and nutrition, i.e., the four pillars that support a foundation of sustainable performance no matter what event you’re training for or what level of runner you are.

My guest for this one is Anh Bui, Doctor of Physical Therapy, 2:53 marathoner, running coach, and certified strength and conditioning specialist. In this conversation, we discuss what it means to run resiliently, how to understand the difference between injury pain and normal aches, why strength training is important for runners (and how to best fit it into the week), the importance of pre-run activation exercises, considerations for Masters athletes, and much more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith's new Spring Collection is now available, featuring a colorful refresh of some of my favorite training staples. I recently raced both an indoor mile and a road half marathon in the Allston Half Tights, which are my go-to for races and speed workouts. It's everything you could ever want in a half tight and then some! If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of the podcast is the third installment of a new 4-part series I’m calling Pillars of Performance. The main objective behind this series is to go deep with experts in the areas of training, strength and conditioning/injury prevention, sports psychology, and nutrition, i.e., the four pillars that support a foundation of sustainable performance no matter what event you’re training for or what level of runner you are.

My guest for this one is Dr. Justin Ross, an avid endurance athlete and licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in health, wellness, and human performance psychology. In this conversation we bust some myths about sports psychology, unpack what it means to be a mentally tough athlete, discuss how to approach goal-setting and performance standards, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith's new Spring Collection is now available, featuring a colorful refresh of some of my favorite training staples. I recently raced both an indoor mile and a road half marathon in the Allston Half Tights, which are my go-to for races and speed workouts. It's everything you could ever want in a half tight and then some! If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

— Goodr. Goodr sunglasses are just the best! They don’t bounce, they don’t slip, they’re polarized to protect your eyes, and they come in a nice range of styles and fun colors. They’re also the most affordable performance shades on the planet with most pairs costing only $25 to $35 bucks a piece. If you want to support the morning shakeout and treat yourself to a pair of goodrs, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout to get free shipping on your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of the podcast is the fourth installment of a new 4-part series I’m calling Pillars of Performance. The main objective behind this series is to go deep with experts in the areas of training, strength and conditioning/injury prevention, sports psychology, and nutrition, i.e., the four pillars that support a foundation of sustainable performance no matter what event you’re training for or what level of runner you are.

My guest for this one is Starla Garcia, an Olympic Trials marathoner, registered dietician, and body and cultural diversity advocate. After sharing her story of how she got into running and eventually became a dietician, Starla and I talk all things nutrition and fueling for runners: maintaining a healthy relationship with food, being comfortable in your own body, how and when to fuel in training and in racing, eating for performance and recovery, hydration and electrolyte replenishment, different considerations for women versus men, supplementation, and much more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith's new Spring Collection is now available, featuring a colorful refresh of some of my favorite training staples. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

— Goodr. Goodr sunglasses are just the best! They don’t bounce, they don’t slip, they’re polarized to protect your eyes, and they come in a nice range of styles and fun colors. They’re also the most affordable performance shades on the planet with most pairs costing only $25 to $35 bucks a piece. If you want to support the morning shakeout and treat yourself to a pair of goodrs, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout to get free shipping on your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on the podcast this week is my friend Randy Ashley, one of the most incredible, unassuming, and relatively unheralded coaches I know. He’s worked with—and continues to work with—athletes of all ages and ability levels, from beginners to Olympic Trials qualifiers, and national champions. He spends most of his time these days as the head track and cross country coach at Christ School, a private boys institution in Asheville, North Carolina, where he’s had 8 kids win 24 state championships along with 4 state team titles in the eight years he’s been at the helm. Just a few weeks ago, one of his athletes, Rocky Hansen, became the 18th American high school boy—and first from North Carolina—to break the 4-minute mile. Beyond his charges’ amazing athletic achievements, Randy teaches them the skills they need to be successful in the rest of their lives as well. His kids aren’t just great racers, they’re top-notch human beings too. 

In this conversation, Randy and I talk a little about how he got into coaching before discussing all things related to working with high school athletes: keeping it fun, building and maintaining team culture, dealing with the pressures of social media, interacting with parents, generalization versus specialization, how he thinks about training, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith's new Spring Collection is now available, featuring a colorful refresh of some of my favorite training staples. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

— Goodr. Goodr sunglasses are just the best! They don’t bounce, they don’t slip, they’re polarized to protect your eyes, and they come in a nice range of styles and fun colors. They’re also the most affordable performance shades on the planet with most pairs costing only $25 to $35 bucks a piece. If you want to support the morning shakeout and treat yourself to a pair of goodrs, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout to get free shipping on your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently sat down with my good friend and three-time podcast guest Simon Freeman, the co-founder, editor, and publisher of my favorite running magazine, Like The Wind, for the second installment of our yet-to-be named quarterly conversation, which you can listen to wherever you get the morning shakeout podcast or at this handy link. An excerpt of this exchange can be found in Issue #36 of LtW, which comes out later this week. In this one, Simon and I talk all about coaching: our experiences with being coached and what we got out of them, the different forms that coaching takes, the impact a coach can have on an athlete, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith's new Spring Collection is now available, featuring a colorful refresh of some of my favorite training staples. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, my right-hand man Chris Douglas serves me up some listener questions in an old-school Ask Mario Anything episode of the podcast. In this one, I answer inquiries about my favorite books, “lighthouses” in my life, breaking through in the marathon, returning to running after a stress fracture, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. Tracksmith's new Spring Collection is now available, featuring a colorful refresh of some of my favorite training staples. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

— Goodr. Goodr sunglasses are just the best! They don’t bounce, they don’t slip, they’re polarized to protect your eyes, and they come in a nice range of styles and fun colors. They’re also the most affordable performance shades on the planet with most pairs costing only $25 to $35 bucks a piece. If you want to support the morning shakeout and treat yourself to a pair of goodrs, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout to get free shipping on your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows is a runner and serves as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis. I’ve always appreciated her perspective on running, the industry, and this beautiful and messy path we’re all navigating called life. This is actually the first of what will be a two-part conversation. In this one, we set the table: Get to know Jennifer a little bit, learn more about her paths to becoming a runner and a member of the clergy, and hear us talk about running, community, belonging and the various ways those things all intersect and interact with one another. It left me excited for part two, which we’ll record later this year and I’ll release in November sometime. In that one, we’ll talk specifically about the crews and clubs Jennifer visited with, who she met, what she experienced, and what she took away from it all.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

— Goodr. Goodr sunglasses are just the best! They don’t bounce, they don’t slip, they’re polarized to protect your eyes, and they come in a nice range of styles and fun colors. They’re also the most affordable performance shades on the planet with most pairs costing only $25 to $35 bucks a piece. If you want to support the morning shakeout and treat yourself to a pair of goodrs, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout to get free shipping on your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently sat down with my good friend and three-time podcast guest Simon Freeman, the co-founder, editor, and publisher of my favorite running magazine, Like The Wind, for the third installment of our unnamed quarterly conversation. An excerpt of this exchange can be found in Issue #36 of LtW, which comes out later this week. (You can buy a copy or subscribe here.) In this one, Simon and I talk all about defining yourself a runner, why many runners tend to identify themselves in a particular way, how identity influences the products you buy and the content you consume, the importance of diversifying your interests and pursuits in the sport, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

— Goodr. Goodr sunglasses are just the best! They don’t bounce, they don’t slip, they’re polarized to protect your eyes, and they come in a nice range of styles and fun colors. They’re also the most affordable performance shades on the planet with most pairs costing only $25 to $35 bucks a piece. If you want to support the morning shakeout and treat yourself to a pair of goodrs, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout to get free shipping on your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I had a wonderful conversation with my good friend Brad Stulberg. Brad, who works as a writer and performance coach, is my first four-time guest and his episodes are some of the most listened to in the six-year history of the show. In this one, the first installment of a new series I’m calling Coach to Coach, Brad and I discuss the craft of coaching and highlight the parallels and through lines that exist between working with athletes and working with executives and entrepreneurs. We also dive into his new book, Master of Change, and talk about how to navigate change: personally, professionally, athletically, and societally. Brad explains the concept of what he calls “rugged flexibility,” he differentiates between responding and reacting to things that happen to us, and a lot more. Brad’s been on a lot of podcasts of late (and they’re all really great!) but I promise you this conversation is very different from the other ones you may have listened to already.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

— Goodr. Goodr sunglasses are just the best! They don’t bounce, they don’t slip, they’re polarized to protect your eyes, and they come in a nice range of styles and fun colors. They’re also the most affordable performance shades on the planet with most pairs costing only $25 to $35 bucks a piece. If you want to support the morning shakeout and treat yourself to a pair of goodrs, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout to get free shipping on your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where you'll also gain access to exclusive content and other perks that pop up from time to time.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I had an awesome conversation with Don Swartz, who coaches my wife’s Masters swimming program at North Bay Aquatics in Marin County, California, and is someone I respect, admire, and try to emulate in my own life. Don was inducted into the American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2013, he coached several swimmers to Olympic, World Championship and Pan-American teams in the early-to-mid 1970s, not to mention a handful of world records (including Rick Demont in the 400m freestyle when he became the first person in history to break 4 minutes in the event), and he’s widely credited with revolutionizing modern-day swim training with the introduction and implementation of cycle training (i.e. alternating hard days with easy days) in the early 1970s. At 77 years old Don is still on the deck, coaching both youth and Masters athletes at North Bay, and he’s beloved by his athletes and fellow coaches alike. I recently sat down with Don for a couple hours at his kitchen table to talk about his coaching journey, how he approaches working with swimmers despite never being a competitive swimmer himself, founding the Creative Performance Institute in the 1970s and teaching the mental side of sport to coaches and athletes, how he stays sharp, what keeps him going, and a lot more. This episode of the podcast is the second installment of the Coach-to-Coach series and it’s an instant all-timer (it’s got some Frank Gagliano vibes to it), full of amazing stories, anecdotes, and practical applications for coaches, leaders, and community builders across a wide range of domains.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

— Goodr. Goodr sunglasses are just the best! They don’t bounce, they don’t slip, they’re polarized to protect your eyes, and they come in a nice range of styles and fun colors. They’re also the most affordable performance shades on the planet with most pairs costing only $25 to $35 bucks a piece. If you want to support the morning shakeout and treat yourself to a pair of goodrs, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout to get free shipping on your order. Look good, run goodr!

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode of the podcast is with Stuart McMillan, widely regarded as one of the best sprint coaches in the world. Stu has worked with both professional and amateur athletes in a variety of sports with a focus on power and speed development. He’s personally coached over 70 Olympians at nine Olympic Games, over 30 of whom have won Olympic medals. In addition to his hands-on work with athletes, Stu runs ALTIS, an organization that trains athletes and educates coaches to perform at the highest level.

In this conversation, which easily would have gone another couple hours if we hadn’t run out of time, Stu and I cover a wide range of topics, from coffee and music to Stu’s former life as a DJ. We get into all things coaching, including how Stu got his start and how his approach has evolved over the past 30 years, creativity and how it influences his work, the role of the “philosopher-coach” and putting an emphasis on critical thinking and question asking, taking a systems approach to working with athletes and life in general, and so, so much more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode of the podcast with Megan Young, Performance Coach with the Seattle Sounders professional soccer club. Megan is a rockstar with 15 years of experience working in collegiate athletics, and men’s and women’s professional soccer. She’s the 2023 National Strength and Conditioning Association Professional Coach of the Year and a voracious learner with numerous degrees and certifications on her resume. This was the first time I’ve ever spoken to Megan and it felt like catching up with an old friend. Megan has an incredible story and mission. In addition to her coaching successes, she was a collegiate thrower at UNC-Wilmington, she’s survived acute myeloid leukemia, and, as she wrote to me in some of our initial correspondence, her purpose in life is “building community and impacting others through education of a high performance lifestyle.”

We covered a lot of ground in this conversation, including where her insatiable appetite for learning comes from, the importance of establishing effective communication strategies with athletes and colleagues, and what she means by living a high-performance lifestyle. Megan told me who and what opened her eyes toward coaching as a career path, what that path has looked like for her over the past 15 years, and why she believes coaches need coaches. She also talked about the importance of care and connection in the role of a coach, understanding the difference between passion and purpose, her personal goal to impact 100 million lives through her work, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I sat down with my right-hand man Chris Douglas and answered questions about the Olympic Trials Marathon start-time controversy, things I’ve changed my mind on, the importance of the weekly long run, time versus distance-based training prescriptions, and a lot more.

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions and apologies for all the ones I wasn’t able to answer in this episode. Got a question for the next Ask Mario Episode? Send it to me here.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently sat down with my good friend and frequent podcast guest Simon Freeman, the co-founder, editor, and publisher of my favorite running magazine, Like The Wind, for the fourth and final installment (for this year, anyway) of our yet-to-be named quarterly conversation, which you can listen to wherever you get the morning shakeout podcast. An excerpt of this exchange can be found in Issue #38 of LtW, which comes out later this week. (You can buy a copy or subscribe here.) This time around, Simon proposed a philosophical discussion about seasonality and consistency and I was all about it. We talked about when to rest and when to build, running as a means to an end versus running as a lifestyle, the “flywheel effect,” and more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's conversation with Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows is a follow-up to Episode 226, which was released back in August. In this one, we discuss how Jennifer spent her sabbatical over the summer and what she experienced visiting various run crews around the country (and even a couple internationally). She told me about what she hoped to get out of the trip, the feelings of culture, connection, and belonging she experienced along the way, how it all impacted her, what surprised her, and a lot more. 

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com, and you’re doing so for the first time, use the code MarioNEW to save $15 on your order of $75 or more. If you’re already a Tracksmith customer, use the code MarioGIVE and you can get free shipping on your next order and 5% of your purchase will go to support the Friendly House in Worcester, Massachusetts, an organization that is near and dear to me.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently sat down with my good friend and frequent podcast guest Simon Freeman, the co-founder, editor, and publisher of my favorite running magazine, Like The Wind, for our first quarterly conversation of 2024, which you can listen to wherever you get the morning shakeout podcast. An excerpt of this exchange can be found in Issue #39 of LtW, which comes out this week. (You can buy a copy or subscribe here.)

In this episode we talk about what it means to adopt a "professional" mindset when it comes to training and racing: being intentional with your time and workouts, taking the work seriously, not giving into your feelings, eliminating excuses, not overcomplicating things, and a lot more. We also discuss what professionals and elites can take away from us amateur athletes: the benefits of a well-rounded life, having interests, hobbies, and other "productive distractions" outside of running, dealing with failure, maintaining a healthy relationship with running, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith, New Balance, Precision Fuel & Hydration, and Final Surge. All of these brands have missions I believe in and products that I trust and use myself on a regular basis. One of the best ways to support the morning shakeout is by patronizing the partners that help keep them going week in and week out. Check out this page some of the discount codes and special offers available exclusively to readers and listeners of the morning shakeout.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This latest episode is my quarterly conversation with Like the Wind magazine co-founder and editor Simon Freeman. We recorded the episode back in April and I put it out yesterday. Ordinarily it coincides with the release of a new issue of LtW, in which an excerpt of the conversation usually appears, but the latest edition of the magazine is “by women, about women, for everyone,” so Simon and I sat this one out. (You can buy a copy or subscribe here.) We still had a great chat, however, about a few topics that both of us have spent quite a bit of time thinking about: how we handle change, shifting priorities over time, defining our values, and emphasizing quality in our work. We quite enjoyed it, and hope you do too, so tune in wherever you listen to podcasts.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith, New Balance, Precision Fuel & Hydration, and Final Surge. All of these brands have missions I believe in and products that I trust and use myself on a regular basis. One of the best ways to support the morning shakeout is by patronizing the partners that help keep them going week in and week out. Check out this page some of the discount codes and special offers available exclusively to readers and listeners of the morning shakeout.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently sat down with my good friend and frequent podcast guest Simon Freeman, the co-founder, editor, and publisher of my favorite running magazine, Like The Wind, for our third quarterly conversation of 2024, which you can listen to wherever you get the morning shakeout podcast. An excerpt of this exchange can be found in Issue #42 of LtW, which comes out this week. (You can buy a copy or subscribe here.)

In this episode, which was recorded in August while the men's 1500m final at the Paris Olympics was taking place—if nothing else, listen in for our live reactions during that race—we spoke about pressure: what it is, where it comes from, and how we navigate it in running, work, and other aspects of our life. It was an insightful one, and we hope you feel the same way, so tune in wherever you listen to podcasts.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith, New Balance, Precision Fuel & Hydration, and Final Surge. All of these brands have missions I believe in and products that I trust and use myself on a regular basis. One of the best ways to support the morning shakeout is by patronizing the partners that help keep them going week in and week out. Check out this page some of the discount codes and special offers available exclusively to readers and listeners of the morning shakeout.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the podcast I sat down with my right-hand man Chris Douglas and answered reader and listener questions about the updated Boston Marathon qualifying standards, balancing gym sessions with running workouts, how to better manage long runs when you're an older athlete, what is exciting me most in running at the moment, advice for aspiring coaches, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith, New Balance, Precision Fuel & Hydration, and Final Surge. All of these brands have missions I believe in and products that I trust and use myself on a regular basis. One of the best ways to support the morning shakeout is by patronizing the partners that help keep them going week in and week out. Check out this page some of the discount codes and special offers available exclusively to readers and listeners of the morning shakeout.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vincent Bouillard was the surprise winner (to some, anyway!) of the 2024 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, the most prestigious ultramarathon trail race in the world. The 31-year-old Frenchman, who works in product engineering and innovation at HOKA, broke the tape in 19 hours, 54 minutes, and 23 seconds, the third-fastest time in the 21-year history of the 105-mile race.

In this conversation, which was recorded in early October 2024, Bouillard told me what life's been like since his big victory and what may or may not change for him moving forward. We discussed his life as an athlete and how he's honed his focus from a young age. He told me about his relationship with his wife, Kamilah Journét (who appeared on this podcast in 2020), why he shifted his focus to ultras a few years ago, how he trained for UTMB, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith, New Balance, Precision Fuel & Hydration, and Final Surge. All of these brands have missions I believe in and products that I trust and use myself on a regular basis. One of the best ways to support the morning shakeout is by patronizing the partners that help keep them going week in and week out. Check out this page some of the discount codes and special offers available exclusively to readers and listeners of the morning shakeout.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford. Podcast cover photo courtesy of Marzelle van der Merwe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently sat down with my good friend and frequent podcast guest Simon Freeman, the co-founder, editor, and publisher of my favorite running magazine, Like The Wind, for our final quarterly conversation of 2024, which you can listen to wherever you get the morning shakeout podcast. An excerpt of this exchange can be found in Issue #43 of LtW, which comes out this week. (You can buy a copy or subscribe here.)

In this episode, we talk about the different reasons why people run—and how, and why, those reasons usually change or evolve over time. Check it out wherever you listen to podcasts.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith, New Balance, Precision Fuel & Hydration, and Final Surge. All of these brands have missions I believe in and products that I trust and use myself on a regular basis. One of the best ways to support the morning shakeout is by patronizing the partners that help keep them going week in and week out. Check out this page some of the discount codes and special offers available exclusively to readers and listeners of the morning shakeout.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Rosario has worn a lot of hats in the sport and industry of running: professional athlete and two-time U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier, co-founder of the Big River Running Company, race director, elite athlete coordinator, marketing director, author, and, most recently, founder, head coach, and director of HOKA Northern Arizona Elite. In December of 2024 Ben stepped away from his involvement with NAZ Elite to focus on the next iteration of The Marathon Project, a race that he co-founded and put on for the first time in December of 2020.

In this episode—Ben's third appearance on the podcast—he and I talk about the return of The Marathon Project, his career as an entrepreneur in the running industry, running's third "boom," and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith, New Balance, Precision Fuel & Hydration, and Final Surge. All of these brands have missions I believe in and products that I trust and use myself on a regular basis. One of the best ways to support the morning shakeout is by patronizing the partners that help keep them going week in and week out. Check out this page some of the discount codes and special offers available exclusively to readers and listeners of the morning shakeout.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently sat down with my good friend and frequent podcast guest Simon Freeman, the co-founder, editor, and publisher of my favorite running magazine, Like The Wind, for our first quarterly conversation of 2025, which you can listen to wherever you get the morning shakeout podcast. An excerpt of this exchange can be found in Issue #44 of LtW, which comes out this week. (You can buy a copy or subscribe here.)

In this episode we discuss the importance of making time for quiet, creating space for ourselves, and slowing down in both running and in life.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith, New Balance, Precision Fuel & Hydration, and Final Surge. All of these brands have missions I believe in and products that I trust and use myself on a regular basis. One of the best ways to support the morning shakeout is by patronizing the partners that help keep them going week in and week out. Check out this page some of the discount codes and special offers available exclusively to readers and listeners of the morning shakeout.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sebastian Junger is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Storm, Fire, A Death in Belmont, War, Tribe, Freedom, and In My Time of Dying, as well as an award-winning journalist, documentary filmmaker, and, perhaps most impressively, highly accomplished distance runner. A collegiate athlete at Wesleyan University in the early 1980s, Junger has run 3:55 for 1500 meters and 2:21 for the marathon.

In this conversation, we talk about his background in running as well as how it's shaped his identity and framed his perspective on writing and life. We also discuss how his relationship to running has evolved over the years, the parallels between competitive running and being in combat — "There's nothing like fear and exhaustion to wipe out your ego," he explains — how he got his start as a journalist and eventually author, the race he's spent his entire life training for, and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith, New Balance, Precision Fuel & Hydration, and Final Surge. All of these brands have missions I believe in and products that I trust and use myself on a regular basis. One of the best ways to support the morning shakeout is by patronizing the partners that help keep them going week in and week out. Check out this page some of the discount codes and special offers available exclusively to readers and listeners of the morning shakeout.

Click here for complete show notes and sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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