Consistency, preparation and intention are words that can easily define 4x U.S. Olympian Meb Keflezighi and how he approached his craft as a runner everyday. Learn what Meb thinks set him apart from other athletes, how he sustained his elite level of performance for so long, and how he recovered from a near career ending injury in 2008 to have his greatest successes.
“Replenishing, the 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
(4:26) Where are you right now?
(6:13) What are the qualities that stand out in Meb, according to Bryan, Jon, and Meb
(9:31) Approaching races with a boldness… “I'm not super comfortable for the last lap, so I got to make it count beforehand.”
(11:41) Being a “chasee” and later becoming the “chased”... early college experiences that shaped Meb’s mindset…
(14:01) Developing patience, “...it is one goal at a time, one event at a time.”
(16:06) Thoughts on risk versus reward…
(18:02) What went into building a sustainable career?
(21:08) Jon’s recounting of watching the Athens Olympic Marathon and Meb’s thoughts during the event…
(24:43) “No athlete in history has probably done more drills than Meb.” —Coach Bob Larsen
(26:50) “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.”
(28:56) Sharing about a devastating injury in 2008 and a new perspective…
(36:07) Lessons learned while coming back from an injury…
(38:43) “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.
(42:18) “...failure is just another building block towards a larger success in the future.”—Bryan - Meb shares habits that contribute to success.
(45:38) 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.”
(49:24) Meb Foundation, being an intentional Dad, writing, and continuing to enjoy running…
References
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
Guest
Meb Keflezighi - Website | Instagram | Twitter
Meb's fav UCAN product: Cocoa Energy + Protein Tub
Hosts:
Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin
Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook
Presented By:
Your Personal Best Awaits