Garrett Heath is a professional runner for Brooks.

Garrett has demonstrated impressive range over the last couple of decades and with world-class PRs in events from the 1500m to the 10k, he has been a threat every time he steps on a starting line. As a three-time champion of the famed Edinburgh XC race, his gutsy racing style has carried him to victory over some of the world’s most legendary runners including Mo Farah. 

I reached out to Garrett a couple of weeks ago after seeing an announcement that he was making the switch to trail running. Maybe it’s up for debate, but in my mind he is the highest level track athlete to ever cross over. The dude is legit.

In this conversation, we cover all the basics - what motivated him to make the change, why now, whether he will be coached and who his training partners will be, and what his race schedule will look like in 2022. 

Given his background with the famed Brooks Beasts training group in Seattle, we also have a long back and forth about what it would take to build similar type of team in the ultra world. We get his perspective on being a full-time runner, the pros and cons of the lifestyle, and whether he recommends it. And we talk about perceptions of the trail and ultra world outside our bubble and what it might take to recruit more professional athletes like Garrett into the sport.

Timestamps:

• (2:01) - running background
• (4:00) - motivation to switch to trail running
• (8:03) - why now for trail running
• (11:03) - tentative 2022 racing schedule
• (13:26) - coaching and training partners
• (17:33) - training camps
• (20:35) - Brooks support
• (23:00) - Brooks Beasts, full-time running discussion
• (40:05) - conditions to build a trail running team
• (46:46) - outside perceptions of trail and ultra running

Links:

• Garrett Heath beats Mo Farah at 2016 Great Edinburgh XCountry
• Brooks Beasts
• Follow Garrett on Strava
• Follow Garrett on Instagram

Additional Episodes You May Enjoy:

• #39 - Hillary Allen | Brooks Running, Out And Back, Recovery Process Mindset, 2022 UTMB
• #40 - Lee Sackett | Brooks Running, Running Industry Careers, Running Culture Talk
• #42 - Sarah Cummings | Wasatch Trail Scene, Brooks Running, JFK 50, Lessons From Injury

Support Singletrack:

• Patreon

Support the show