This is about running. This is not about running. Chris Bennett, better known to athletes worldwide as Nike Running’s Coach Bennett, has a special way with words that encourages athletes of every level to be their best. In episode 120, the first of Hurdle’s season three (!), Bennett talks about the things you may expect from a coach, like best-practice tips for newbies and veterans alike, as well as strategies for nailing hot, summer workouts. But we ALSO get into a subject he rarely talks about: Himself. We chat about his backstory, running from a young age in New Jersey through college, and the #hurdlemoments he had along the way (including a sour relationship with the 4:00 mile). He confesses that without his wife, he may not be a run coach today, and talks to me about his hopes for the running boom we’re in right now. As someone who’s constantly showing up to be everyone else’s cheerleader, I found it super, super interesting to get to know the man behind the Nikes. Fun fact: Bennett was one of my original “dream guests.” Thanks for encouraging me to be a better me, Coach.

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120. Chris Bennett, Nike Running Global Head Coach