I recently joined the Second Nature podcast as a guest. It was hosted by Dylan Bowman and Aaron Lutze and we covered a lot more than just running.
We talked about building our running clothing company Path Projects from zero, creating content for more than a decade, writing my book Running Breakthroughs, balancing business and family, and why intuition, curiosity, and consistency have guided so much of my work.
A few things stood out to me in this conversation:
First, big projects get a lot easier when you stop overthinking them and just take one step at a time.
Second, the best product usually wins. In apparel, content, coaching, and running, it is hard to fake quality over the long term.
And maybe the biggest theme of all was this: enjoy the day-to-day work, stay patient, and think long term. Whether you are building a business, training for a race, or writing a book, it is usually not one big breakthrough that changes everything. It is the steady stacking of good work over time.
A few quotes from the conversation:
“Keep it simple. It’s so easy with big projects to overthink it.”
“If something is scary, lean into that.”
“The best product often wins.”
“Health first, and the running progress will follow.”
“You have to be rigorous about saying no.”
“This is where life is happening.”
You can watch the full episode HERE.
Here are a few highlights from the conversation:
- 0:00:56: Why big projects become easier when you stop overthinking and break them into small steps.
- 0:01:49: My background, from Amsterdam to California, and working in skateboarding with Tony Hawk, Volcom, and Tilly’s.
- 0:04:53: Why running and skateboarding felt similar to me from the start: freedom, flow, and simplicity.
- 0:06:46: The story behind my first running YouTube video: running 100 miles from Long Beach to San Diego.
- 0:08:20: Why I followed intuition instead of strategy in the early days.
- 0:10:47: How low heart rate training changed my running, and eventually led to coaching and years of podcast interviews.
- 0:15:12: How Path Projects got started, and how I first got involved with the brand.
- 0:20:18: What makes the apparel business hard: product, inventory, lead times, and cash flow.
- 0:45:16: What I learned from writing Running Breakthroughs, and why I wanted to keep it simple and practical.
- 0:49:17: How I think about time management, energy, priorities, and saying no.
Hope you enjoy this new video, CLICK HERE to watch it.
Cheers,
Floris Gierman
P.S. My new book Running Breakthroughs is now available as Audiobook, Printed Book and E-book WorldWide on Amazon here.
P.P.S. Get a Free 7 Day Trial to our new Personal Best Running Club HERE! If you want to stop guessing and start applying the training science, this is where the work actually happens. You get structured heart rate-based training plans, live coaching with me and our team, and a community of runners all working toward their next breakthrough. There are daily discussion topics to keep you consistent, monthly accountability challenges so you follow through, and monthly masterclass sessions with experts like Dr. Phil Maffetone, Lawrence Van Lingen, Coach Scott Johnston, and more. Try it completely risk-free with a free 7-day trial at skool.com/personalbest.
The tips on pacing during runs seem practical. What’s your go-to technique for building endurance?