Episode 89: Meb Keflezighi: The Molding of a Distance Runner

The Strength Running Podcast

Jason Fitzgerald

Health & Fitness, 10k, Beginnerrunning, Marathontraining, Fitness, Injuryprevention, Marathon, Halfmarathon, Running, Sports

4.8 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 21 March 2019

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Meb's legacy is cemented as a world-class runner: he's the 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist, winner of the 2009 New York City Marathon and 2014 Boston Marathon, and 4-time Olympian.

He's also the author of three books guaranteed to get your competitive juices flowing:

Perhaps more impactful is his approach to the sport of distance running and the marathon. Free from any personal scandal, Meb is a true ambassador to running. In 2017, he was recognized as an 'Outstanding American by Choice' by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

He's also run 26 marathons over the course of his decades long career. And anybody who has completed that many marathons at a world-class level has a lot to share.

In this conversation, Meb and I have a wide-ranging conversation about:

His childhood in Eritrea and how it prepared him for distance running
The surprises he learned when running his first marathon
Why cross-training is so valuable for him
How running has prepared him for setbacks in his personal life
When running is particularly hard for Meb

We also talk about his new book 26 Marathons and the many lessons he's learned from each of the 26 marathons he's run over the last two decades.

Finally, I ended our conversation with a simple question ahead of next month's Boston Marathon: If you could talk to the entire field at Boston as they lined up in Hopkinton, what advice would you have for them?

Transcript

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0:00.0	Ready, set go. This is episode 89 with New York City Marathon Champion, the 2004 Olympic
0:10.2	silver medalist in the marathon and the winner of the 2014 Boston marathon
0:16.0	making him the first American to win the race in 31 years.
0:21.0	Yes, I'm excited, Mr. Mebb Kefleski. Buckle up runners. You're in for a real treat today. I am speaking with one of the
0:38.0	greats. One of the best endurance runners not just in the United States but in the world. He's a three-time
0:44.7	Olympian, a silver medalist, and he's won two major marathons, both New York and
0:49.6	Boston, and he's authored three books. His first was Run to Overcome. His next was Meb for Mortals and his
0:56.4	latest book is 26 Marathons. What I've learned about faith, identity, running, and life from each marathon I've run.
1:05.6	He joins me today to talk about his story.
1:08.2	How he hid from the military in Eritrea as a small child to avoid being caught, walked miles to get wood for the fire to heat his dinner,
1:16.0	and ultimately immigrated to the United States, where he found running and became the person he is today.
1:21.9	It's an incredible journey, and no one can tell it like Mebcan. He's at
1:25.9	times funny but at times deeply reflective about his past and how that perspective influences his running today.
1:34.0	I think you'll appreciate how competitive Meb can be as you'll find out very soon,
1:39.0	but maybe more importantly, how much he loves the sport of running and understands that running is
1:44.8	about a lot more than just running. I hope you get as much out of this conversation
1:49.7	as I did talking to Mebb. I also want to take some time to thank today's sponsor, Hemptaddy. Hemptaddy's
1:56.1	therapeutics offers a line of CBD products to help you recover by sleeping more soundly
2:01.7	and reducing stress and anxiety.
2:04.0	Check out everything they have at hempdaddies.com
2:07.0	and stay tuned for after my conversation with Mebb
2:10.0	for a brief discussion with Caleb Simpson, the ultra-runner who started the company.
	...

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