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

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:

• Run to Overcome: The Inspiring Story of an American Champion's Long-Distance Quest to Achieve a Big Dream
• Meb for Mortals: How to Run, Think, and Eat Like a Champion Marathoner
• 26 Marathons: What I've Learned About Faith, Identity, Running, and Life From Each Marathon I've Run

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?