About this episode
Vote for the Jeffrey Awards: https://forms.gle/2JaYdBFdogo2hTXP8 During the Month of Jeff I, sit down with a true Jeff of the Year contender, Jeff Mogavero. We cover a wild range of topics, from his fourth place curse at big races to winning Ultra Trail Cape Town, getting married, and somehow deciding Montana Cup might outrank all of it. Follow Jeff Mogavero: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmogavero/ Jeff walks through his dirtbag origin story, hitchhiking around the West on almost no money, racing for gas and grocery money, surveying fish and frogs for seasonal biology jobs, and eventually moving to Missoula to see if he could actually make a run at professional trail running. We talk about his Appalachian Trail thru hike, how he ended up with the trail name “Burger King,” his barefoot college phase, and why he once bailed on a “Number One Dad” hat. Then we get nerdy about performance. Jeff explains the science experiment heat chamber protocol he did for Western States, why he thinks heat training is overrated, and why cooling, ice bandanas, and sun protection are underrated superpowers. We dig into Montana Cup, the quiet training culture in Montana, and why adult cross country with a potluck might be the best event in running. Of course, as our official Taylor Swift correspondent, Jeff breaks down the new album, the Taylor Swift treadmill workout, and how he ended up in the top 2 percent of her listeners while also growing 25 to 30 pounds of potatoes and going through 100 pounds of flour. We finish with his dramatic finish line collapses, his case for being Jeff of the Year, and why potatoes, leeks, and Swift might be the real performance trifecta. If you like stories about hitchhiking, dirtbag seasons, science-backed heat preparation, tiny Montana races that mean everything, and a professional runner who is not afraid to be a little dramatic, this episode is for you. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Jeff Mogavero 07:30 Racing Highlights and Personal Achievements 10:25 Journey to Becoming a Pro Runner 13:22 Living the Life of a Runner 16:24 Hitchhiking Adventures and Human Connections 19:25 Barefoot Jeff and Life Experiences 22:12 Heat Training Protocols and Strategies 28:20 Cooling Strategies for Racing 34:23 Philosophy on Training and Performance 41:35 The Importance of Training and Recovery 44:24 Taylor Swift: The Soundtrack to Training 52:21 The Role of a Good Coach 56:22 Trail Names and Their Stories 01:01:22 Dramatic Finishes and Personal Reflections Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside Website: www.Freeoutside.com Instagram: thefreeoutside facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside