Bart Yasso earned the title of Chief Running Officer at Runner's World magazine through a rugged initiation that involved life altering missteps in his adolescence. It took a stark confrontation with his own mortality via the loss of a close friend to jolt him onto his path of pursuing his passion. This experience upheaved his frame of reference from a toxic one to one of redemption. It's a running theme in our tales of grit: climbs to great heights very often begin at rock bottom. Yasso's love for running and for life shines through in this episode. Lessons: 1. You are the average of your five closest friends, so choose wisely. 2. You need to think like a champion before you can become one. 3. Say yes often to new experiences; embrace and love them.