July 05, 2025

Ep. 147 | SATURDAY SUMMER SPECIAL | What It's Like To Be In The Trenches Of Track & Field With CIF State Champ, NXN Qualifier, & UCLA Commit Aydon Stefanopoulos

21 minutes

Today on the show is Aydon Stefanopoulos!

Aydon is a graduated senior out of Los Gatos High School in California. He will be a rising freshman in the fall at UCLA.

Aydon holds PRs of 1:51 for 800m, 4:06 for 1600m, 8:57 for 3200m, and 14:52 for 5K XC. He is the 2023 CIF D2 XC State Champion and a 2023 NXN Qualifier.

Aydon and I had one of the most unpolished, raw, candid conversations I have ever had on The Sunday Shakeout. This was not an episode filled with positivity and glorified realities of the mental and physical side of our sport. We dive into the nitty gritty side of the sport of distance-running.

As a junior, Aydon became a state champion and ran at Nike Cross Nationals (NXN). This set a high bar to live up to in his senior year. Unfortunately, however, Aydon has struggled with injuries and underperforming this past year. Not only did he fail to win state XC and qualify for NXN, he did not have the redemption that he wanted this track season, despite setting PRs in multiple distances.

Aydon, in this episode, openly admits his struggles with confidence, self-doubt, and the mental toll of injuries and underperformance. Rather than focusing on just accomplishments, he highlights his mistakes, regrets, and the emotional fallout of underachieving. He talks about being "not proud" of parts of his senior year, showing maturity and humility.

Now you might be asking:

"Why would I listen to such a melancholy podcast episode?"

Because despite the setbacks, disappointment, and raw realities presented in my conversation with Aydon, he has had a few mindset shifts:

Aydon has moved from chasing perfection to valuing long-term health and enjoyment of the sport. Through injuries and setbacks, Aydon shares interesting insights on the importance of under-training. Sounds crazy. But worth a listen.
Aydon's excitement about the next chapter at UCLA stems from a desire to learn, adapt, and improve, rather than prove anything. His ability to embrace uncertainty is instructive for all of us in the pursuit of excellence in our careers.

Hopefully this episode is a refreshing change, one that opens eyes and serves as an inspirational reminder of the raw realities of the sport, perhaps an opportunity for redirection for you in your life.

I hope you enjoy this episode of The Sunday Shakeout!

Please consider leaving a follow and a five-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

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By Nicholas Macha

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