Outside Magazine

Not long ago, I was talking to someone about running. This guy was a Runner with a capital R: devoted, meticulous, hardcore. He wore his identity on his sleeve, literally—I think I’ve only ever seen him in Tracksmith tees and singlets—and in the past, his opinion on the sport had been one I’d sought to validate my own. 

I mentioned how I’d gotten into listening to podcasts to help me slog through long, slow runs. The Runner scoffed. “You need that stuff to run?” he asked.

I found myself backpedaling, almost apologetic for listening to This American Life on a ten-miler rather than doing it sans distractions.