Barefoot Jeff, The Origin Story of Jeff Mogavero

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During the Month of Jeff I, sit down with a true Jeff of the Year contender, Jeff Mogavero. We cover a wild range of topics, from his fourth place curse at big races to winning Ultra Trail Cape Town, getting married, and somehow deciding Montana Cup might outrank all of it.

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Jeff walks through his dirtbag origin story, hitchhiking around the West on almost no money, racing for gas and grocery money, surveying fish and frogs for seasonal biology jobs, and eventually moving to Missoula to see if he could actually make a run at professional trail running. We talk about his Appalachian Trail thru hike, how he ended up with the trail name “Burger King,” his barefoot college phase, and why he once bailed on a “Number One Dad” hat.

Then we get nerdy about performance. Jeff explains the science experiment heat chamber protocol he did for Western States, why he thinks heat training is overrated, and why cooling, ice bandanas, and sun protection are underrated superpowers. We dig into Montana Cup, the quiet training culture in Montana, and why adult cross country with a potluck might be the best event in running.

Of course, as our official Taylor Swift correspondent, Jeff breaks down the new album, the Taylor Swift treadmill workout, and how he ended up in the top 2 percent of her listeners while also growing 25 to 30 pounds of potatoes and going through 100 pounds of flour. We finish with his dramatic finish line collapses, his case for being Jeff of the Year, and why potatoes, leeks, and Swift might be the real performance trifecta.

If you like stories about hitchhiking, dirtbag seasons, science-backed heat preparation, tiny Montana races that mean everything, and a professional runner who is not afraid to be a little dramatic, this episode is for you.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Jeff Mogavero

07:30 Racing Highlights and Personal Achievements

10:25 Journey to Becoming a Pro Runner

13:22 Living the Life of a Runner

16:24 Hitchhiking Adventures and Human Connections

19:25 Barefoot Jeff and Life Experiences

22:12 Heat Training Protocols and Strategies

28:20 Cooling Strategies for Racing

34:23 Philosophy on Training and Performance

41:35 The Importance of Training and Recovery

44:24 Taylor Swift: The Soundtrack to Training

52:21 The Role of a Good Coach

56:22 Trail Names and Their Stories

01:01:22 Dramatic Finishes and Personal Reflections

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