An Inspired Chat with Jason Fitzgerald

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jason Fitzgerald. Check out our conversation below.

Jason, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
There’s nothing like a long trail run in the mountains of Colorado to make the time pass quickly! I love the beautiful views, stunning mountain scenery, and pushing myself in that terrain.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a USATF-certified running coach and the founder of Strength Running. We help runners get stronger, stay healthy, and race faster with coaching and training programs, a YouTube channel featuring more than 100k subscribers, and the top ranked Strength Running Podcast. I’ve personally been running since 1998 and after competing at the collegiate level, I wanted to help adult runners get more strategic with their training.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
When I first ran cross country as a high school freshman, I was intimidated by how far races were and how fast the top runners ran! I thought I’d never be able to compete with the top runners. But after a few months, I surprised myself and ran the first mile of a race under six minutes. This blew my mind and made me viscerally realize that you can get better at something if you work hard at it.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
After my first marathon at New York City, I got injured with Illiotibial Band Syndrome (a type of knee injury). Numerous physical therapists didn’t help and I spent six months hurt and unable to run. I almost quit running altogether because I was despondent on my chances of getting healthy and ever running fast again. But I persevered and the lessons I learned along the way – and the new training approach I started using – helped inspire me to start Strength Running.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people recognize my love for the sport of running and how I wanted to elevate the sport by elevating runners’ performances. Nothing gave me greater joy than experiencing progress as a runner and now as a coach, it’s one of the best parts of my job!

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