Episode 19 | Jason Ayr

"I see it more as the type of runner, athlete, or individual who is looking for that experience and something that might change you a little bit. And that doesn't necessarily mean it can't be super competitive as well. For me, what racing the Sun Chasers in Death Valley taught me is that those experiences can be happening at the same time—it could be the rawest form of competition but at the same time be this moment of self-discovery. And so all of them being bundled up into that same thing just labeled 'experience' and I think that's the type of athlete, runner, or individual that is going to seek those things out—and I think there's definitely an interest there."Really excited to welcome Jason Ayr to the podcast this week. Ayr, who works as the controller at Tracksmith, finished 22nd at this year's Boston Marathon, running 2:29:53. The 30-year-old Ayr also captained Tracksmith's team to a second-place finish at The Speed Project 4.0—a 340-mile unsanctioned relay race running from Los Angeles to Las Vegas that's primary source of information, promotion, and documentation is through Instagram—a couple weeks prior, running dozens of hard miles in just under 36 hours.We covered all things TSP in this episode, including:— When he first became aware of The Speed Project and when Tracksmith decided to enter a team.— Whether or not he had hesitations about taking part in TSP 4.0. "If I had known how difficult it was going to be, there's no way I would have done it two weeks before a goal race," he admitted to me.— The 40 teams that made up The Speed Project: Who were they? And where did they come from?— The vibe amongst all the teams before, during, and after the event.— The logistics of navigating 340 miles through the desert with no real rules to follow.— How his team's race strategy evolved throughout the event.— The group dynamic after two days together under the hot sun, in close quarters, and on little sleep.— Preparing for TSP 4.0 while also training for the 2018 Boston Marathon.— The close battle that developed with a French team called the Sun Chasers.— When he cracked in the final hours and his teammates wouldn't allow him to run any more miles.— How the experience changed him.— Where underground, exhibition-style events like TSP fit into the overall running landscape in the coming years.— A whole bunch more.This conversation with Jason was a fun one and satisfied some of my curiosities about The Speed Project, which is the type of event I think we’re going to see a lot more of popping up in the coming years—events that go against the grain of the traditional running race, challenge established norms, and generate a fresh excitement that is equal parts competitive and experiential.This episode of the morning shakeout podcast was edited by John Isaac at BaresRecords.com.Complete show notes here: https://www.themorningshakeout.com/podcast-episode-19-with-jason-ayr/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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