Fueling the Pursuit - Episode 1 with Olympian Meb Keflezighi

“Replenishing, stretching, icing, therapy, sleeping, and the mind frame are important. So for me, you know, even when you’re sleeping you’re training. I really believe it was a 24/7 job.” - Meb Keflezighi 

Today's guest is Meb Keflezighi, arguably the greatest marathoner in US history.

Meb has been someone I've looked up to for more nearly 30 years! In many ways, I've been chasing Meb ever since I became a runner. My co-host, Bryan, and I got to catch up with Meb and dive into what makes him, well, Meb! 

Consistency, preparation and intention are words that can easily define Meb and how he approached his craft as a runner everyday. But it was how he framed these elements that led to sustained excellence for twenty years. This is what we explore in our episode with Meb today.

Show Notes

(7:11) Where are you right now?

(8:58) What are the qualities that stand out in Meb, according to Bryan, Jon, and Meb

(12:16) Approaching races with a boldness… “I'm not super comfortable for the last lap, so I got to make it count beforehand.”

(14:25) Being a “chasee” and later becoming the “chased”... early college experiences that shaped Meb’s mindset…

(16:46) Developing patience, “...it is one goal at a time, one event at a time.”

(18:51) Thoughts on risk versus reward…

(20:47) What went into building a sustainable career?

(23:53) Jon’s recounting of watching the Athens Olympic Marathon and Meb’s thoughts during the event…

(27:30) “No athlete in history has probably done more drills than Meb.” —Coach Bob Larsen

(29:35) “I'm going to plug your book here, Make the Leap. You have to be able to think better, train better, and all that comes to be run faster.”

(31:41) Sharing about a devastating injury in 2008 and a new perspective…

(38:52) Lessons learned while coming back from an injury…

(41:30) “You know, it’s mind-boggling what the body can do when it’s in the right mind frame.” Meb and Jon reflect on past injuries and healing.

(45:00) “...failure is just another building block towards a larger success in the future.”—Bryan - Meb shares habits that contribute to success.

(48:23) Meb’s relationship with UCAN… “The best thing you could do is get the right nutrition to help you accomplish whatever your goal is. And I think UCAN has done that for me.”

(52:09) Meb Foundation, being an intentional Dad, writing, and continuing to enjoy running…

If you enjoyed this episode, check out our interview with Meb's brother Merhawi Keflezighi or his long-time rival, 5-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman.

References

Fueling the Pursuit, presented by UCAN - UCAN.co/podcast

Go Be More Podcast with Meb's coach Bob Larsen - Part 1 | Part 2

Run to Overcome - Amazon

Meb for Mortals - Amazon

26 Marathons - Amazon

Make the Leap - maketheleapbook.com

Guest

Meb Keflezighi - Website | Instagram | Twitter

Hosts:

Bryan Green - [e-mail], maketheleapbook.com

Jon Rankin - @chasejonrankin, Go Be More

Links:

Go Be More Podcast - Episodes | Instagram | Facebook

Go Be More website

Go Be More YouTube Channel

Production and Editing

Creatives Collective Marketing