Episode 127 | Matt Chittim

09/21/20 • 100 min

“It got to the point where I was looking in the metaphorical mirror and saying to myself, ‘Alright, what am I going to do here? You’re sacrificing your job effectiveness by doing as much as you can with this podcast as often as you can and by not making a decision, you’re making a decision.’ And ultimately it came down to the fact that I just believed that I could turn this into a profession. I didn’t exactly know how to do it or when it would happen but I just started to believe. And ultimately that belief kind of ruled the day for me.” Matt Chittim is the man behind the incredibly popular Rambling Runner podcast, which is a show about dedicated amateur runners who are working hard at the sport but also balancing running with the rest of their lives. On the other end of the spectrum, he also hosted Season 1 of The Road to the Olympic Trials podcast, which followed the training, racing, and experiences of some of America’s best runners as they prepared for the Olympic Trials Marathon this past February in Atlanta. Matt is a natural conversationalist as you’ll pick up upon in this episode and I highly recommend checking out both of his podcasts. In this episode, we of course talked podcasting, how he got into it, what the tipping point was that lead to his show’s explosion in popularity, and how his prior careers as a coach and fundraiser have informed his approach to the craft. We also talked about Matt’s journey in the sport, reigniting his own running fire in his mid-20s, and his current Mastering 40 pursuit of trying to break a 40-minute 10K at the age of 40. We also discussed competitiveness, imposter syndrome, and a lot more.This episode is brought to you by New Balance. The Fresh Foam 860v11 and the new FuelCell Prizm are stability shoes, meaning they provide a little more support underfoot for those who need it. The Fresh Foam 860v11—women's model here, men's model here—is a solid everyday trainer that’s well-cushioned, supportive, and reliable for handling a majority of your miles. The lighter weight FuelCell Prism—available for both women and men—complements it well with just the right amount of stability to keep you supported for faster workouts and races. Check 'em both out today at newbalance.com or at the link in the show notes.Complete show notes: https://themorningshakeout.com/podcast-episode-127-with-matt-chittim/Sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning: www.themorningshakeout.com/subscribe/Support the morning shakeout on Patreon: www.patreon.com/themorningshakeout

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Previous Episode

Episode 126 | Brenda Martinez

“I think over the years I started to realize it’s more than just running. There is more to life than just running. Obviously it’s a big part of what I do but I’m starting to realize that we need to make sure our happiness intact. I try to make that a part of my life. I try to stick to my schedule, I try waking up early, I try going to bed early, just trying to be positive. I try not to feel entitled and hopefully I’m this positive light for these kids. I just want to be a good role model more than anything. And I don’t want to ever complain or anything like that.” Brenda Martinez is one of the best middle-distance runners in the world. She’s a got a silver medal in the 800m from the 2013 world championships, she was on the 2016 U.S. Olympic team in the 1500m, she’s won a national title, and has stood atop the podium at numerous other events. The 33-year-old is a native of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and she ran at UC Riverside where she was a national runner-up in the 1500m and a three-time All-American. She now lives and trains in Big Bear, California, only an hour from where she grew up. We covered a lot in this conversation and I think you’ll take a ton away from it. Brenda told me about her relationship with the legendary Joe Vigil, who’s coached her since 2011, and the impact he’s had not only on her competitive running career but her life as a whole. We discussed her running camp, which kicks off its 8th year this week as a virtual experience for high school girls and boys. Along those lines, she told me why it’s important for her to give back to others and serve as a role model for young kids. We talked about not allowing yourself to get distracted or affected by the actions of other people and keeping focused on what it is you’re trying to accomplish. Brenda told me her 2013 world championships medal upgrade and the importance of fighting for clean sport. I asked her about her experience at the 2016 Olympic Trials, where she made the team in dramatic fashion in the 1500m after getting tripped up in the 800m final a few days before. We also talked about her competitiveness, creativity, learning to be self-reliant, and a lot more.This episode of the podcast is brought to you by New Balance. The new FuelCell TC Elite launches this week on NewBalance.com. The combination of FuelCell foam and a full-length carbon fiber plate puts a little pep in your step and the Dynaride outsole provides good traction in a variety of conditions. Check them out at newbalance.com or at the links in the show notes. Complete show notes: https://themorningshakeout.com/podcast-episode-126-with-brenda-martinez/Sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning: www.themorningshakeout.com/subscribe/Support the morning shakeout on Patreon: www.patreon.com/themorningshakeout

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Next Episode

Episode 128 | Brett Bartholomew

"You gotta go do it. Lean into the unknown. We have this term, especially when I work with football players, called contact adaptation. There’s a reason they had training camp prior to the season—it’s not just so they could squeeze in extra games, it’s so they can get used to hitting one another and what have you and that actually can decrease the risk of injury. Well, none of these coaches now have contact adaptation. They don’t expose themselves to anything, which leads to a higher likelihood of breakdown. The dose makes the poison. You’re all leaders in different contexts but you’re not leading if you don’t actually lead anybody and nobody can find you. You don’t have to coach world beaters, you don’t have to coach all day every day for 60 years—that kind of experience can be just as toxic as no experience at all—but you do have to lead somebody, you do have to create something. The core lesson there is you have to do. You can’t just ideate and be like ‘Yeah, man, I’m a leader.’ That doesn’t work.” Brett Bartholomew is one of the top strength and conditioning coaches in the world. He’s worked with a diverse range of athletes across 23 sports, at all levels ranging from youth to Olympians. He’s the author of the best-selling book Conscious Coaching: The Art and Science of Building Buy-In, which, as a disclaimer, I helped edit. Through his company, Art of Coaching, he also works with members of the United States Special Forces, Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, and universities to help develop more effective leaders and improve interactions and communication.This is mostly a conversation about coaching—not the technical aspects of strength and conditioning for runners, though we do touch on that a little at the end—but more about the interpersonal side of the craft: the importance of relationships, building buy-in, developing trust, and communicating well. Brett also told me his story about being hospitalized for disordered eating at the age of 15 and how that experience led him down the path of wanting to learn how to communicate with people more effectively and ultimately become a coach. We also talked about putting pressure on yourself, navigating chaos, managing different personalities and emotions, learning to be adaptable, and a lot more.Complete show notes: https://themorningshakeout.com/podcast-episode-128-with-brett-bartholomew/Sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning: www.themorningshakeout.com/subscribe/Support the morning shakeout on Patreon: www.patreon.com/themorningshakeout

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