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The Month of Jeff continues with another elite Jeff: Jeff Dengate, better known on the internet as @dengatorade. Jeff is the director of product testing and de facto runner in chief at Runner’s World, and one of the most experienced shoe and gear testers in the world. He walks me through how Runner’s World actually tests shoes with hundreds of wear testers, why some products never make it to a review, and how he personally ends up in well over 100 different pairs of shoes every year.

We get into what trust looks like in the age of AI, affiliate links, and endless gear noise, and why having a real human you can bump into at a race still matters. Jeff talks about the changing landscape at Runner’s World, the COVID running boom, how trail and ultra fit into the broader running world, and why the world marathon majors craze is exploding. We cover super shoes, sky high prices, why comfort still rules, why you probably do not need a 300 dollar racer to start running, and yes, we revisit my infamous Runner’s World Crocs 5K headline. We finish with his case for Jeff of the Year, including BQing three times in a year and rotating through more shoes than most runners log runs.

Follow Jeff Dengate: https://www.instagram.com/dengaterade

Show supported by Janji.com, Garagegrowngear.com, and CSinstant.coffee

Chapters

04:00 Introduction to Dengatorade and Running Background

06:54 Role at Runner's World and Product Testing

09:38 The Art of Product Reviews

12:26 Navigating AI in the Running Community

15:08 Revenue Streams and Content Creation at Runner's World

17:50 Understanding Runner's Needs and Popular Topics

20:43 Shoe Testing and Personal Experiences

23:25 Finding the Right Shoe for You

25:59 The Evolution of Running Gear and Nutrition

28:59 Excitement in Running and Gear Unboxing

31:42 Jeff's Unique Journey to the NBA

37:16 The Journey of a Sports Journalist

40:06 Impact of COVID-19 on Running Community

43:33 The Growth of Trail and Ultra Running

48:20 Trends in the Running Industry

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