Episode 155: Keegan Kok - Get Comfy with the Uncomfy

Keegan Kok and I met through the internet first, and then got to meet in person at the CNO Indianapolis Monumental Marathon last November.During this episode, sponsored by Amazfit, we talk about:How he grew up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, moved to Hong Kong at 16, and ended up in Boston for college — where he stumbled into fencing tryouts (literally the only ones he didn't sleep through) and ended up team captainStarting running at 41 after losing 50 pounds through YouTube workouts and smaller portions — only to break his fibula on a ninja warrior structure at the park on Father's Day 🤦Running his first 5K on New Year's Eve and somehow getting a Chicago Marathon bib just eight months later while training for a 10KRunning Chicago four years in a row (plus Bayshore) and the deliberate decision to skip it this year and cheer from the sidelines insteadHis third Chicago Marathon, where two friends paced him the whole way — one hyping the crowd, one filming on a GoPro — and why that race changed how he thinks about running with othersNutrition lessons learned the hard way: cramping at mile 14 after skipping sodium on a cold race day despite a hot training summerWinning the Shamrock Shuffle Mile — with a lead car and actual tape to break — after just showing up to see what would happenHow he fell into the Brooks Running Collective, went to ambassador camp in Santa Monica, and found his people (and then aged out after three years)Co-founding a Tuesday morning track club in Chicago with friends Kim and Conrad — because none of them had a track background but they all wanted to do speed work, so they just figured it out togetherBeing a certified run coach (through UESCA) with three athletes, all currently training for spring halfs — intentionally capping at five so he can actually show up for each of themCoaching his daughter's 4th–8th grade cross country and track team at her Catholic school, where the main goal is making sure kids still like running when it's overThe 606 trail in Logan Square, CARA's lakefront hydration tents, and why the Chicago running community makes you feel like you belongHis family being scattered across the globe — parents back in Malaysia, brother in Hong Kong, sister now in Barcelona — and the very obvious reason to sign up for the Barcelona MarathonMeeting his wife at a pub crawl in Wrigleyville and going on a very long first date a month laterChasing a 1:40–1:42 at the Indy Mini with his friend and fellow Shokz ambassador Caroline — about 10 minutes faster than his current PR — because she believes he can do it, so now he has toPrevious Guests MentionedRob Perez - Episode 150Hillary Burgess - Episode 138Sponsor DetailsAmazfit - Use ALLYB for 10% offOther LinksIndy Mini Live Podcast Event TicketsFollow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runsSubscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletterThis is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.