the morning shakeout podcast

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.