oyo.run

In this episode, I finally introduce one of my key co-hosts, Katie Watson. We discuss how we met, our ongoing coach/athlete relationship & what she hopes to bring to the oyo.run project in the coming episocdes. You can follow Katie on Instagram where she uses the handle kwatsrun. Enjoy!

A program tells you what to do. A dojo transforms the doer. In this episode we make the case that what the self-coached runner is missing isn't more structure — it's a container. One that holds the outer & inner work of training together, that makes the practice a practice in the older, deeper sense of that word. We trace the concept of the dojo across traditions, lay out a six-element anatomy for building your own, & walk through one runner's dojo as a working example.In This EpisodeWhy a program is not enough & what a container addsThe etymology of dojo — place of the Way — & its pre-martial originsThe cross-traditional anatomy: Greek gymnasium, desert cell, alchemical vesselThe six elements of a runner's dojo: Place & Time, Threshold Ritual, Code, Tools, Lineage & RenewalA personal dojo anatomy read straight through — one runner's exampleWhere to start if the worksheet feels like too much: one threshold ritual, nothing moreDownloadsTwo documents are referenced in this episode & available free HERE. Dojo Anatomy Worksheet  —  the six-element framework with writing prompts & your exampleResource Guide  —  books & online resources for going deeper, organized by threadYour Dojo — Where to BeginIf this episode landed & you want to begin: don't start with the full worksheet. Start with your threshold ritual. One act — the donning of gear, a breath, a few words said quietly before the first step — that marks the crossing into practice. Do it once, with intention. The rest of the dojo will grow from that single act over time.When you're ready for the full anatomy, the worksheet is there. Return to it at the opening of each training season. Notice what has changed. Notice what holds.oyo.runon your own — & never alone.

An introduction to the oyo.run project - framed as The Fool's Journey - where the entire project is laid out for your interest. Key topics include: The story around the weird nameUnpacking the Fool's Journey as opposed to the Hero's JourneyWhat to expect from the podcastAn overview of the Foundations series & the On A Leash seriesWhat the podcast is NOTHow you can show appreciation & get the word outThe planned timing of releasesThank you for listening.& godspeed.

Hello, I am Steve Sisson. A runner, coach & dirt-bag philosopher living in Austin, Texas at the bleeding edge of the Anthropocene. I am very excited to share a new project with you. It's called oyo.run, & the focus is simple: self-coaching. Taking ownership of your running experience — as you should have been doing all along.I'll be your host, joined by a range of collaborators who'll help me break down the fundamentals of training & racing with as much clarity, precision & honesty as I can muster. We'll move across the full spectrum — physiology to strategy, mental skills to organizational planning — all with one purpose: to make you more invested, more effective, more motivated, & ultimately, to help you derive more meaning from everything you do as a runner.Think of it as the definitive resource for the self-coached runner.The name oyo.run carries a legacy & a story — and I'll unpack that in the very first episode, dropping April 1st, 2026. Yes, April Fool's Day. You'll find it wherever you get your podcasts.I'm bringing to this is fifty years of my own running & racing experience, as well as over thirty years of coaching expertise. My goal with these early episodes is to lay the foundation — the how & why behind the training systems coaches build. For some of you, this will be review. For others, it'll be critical background you've never had access to. Either way, my goal is to provide the foundation to develop your own system, or at minimum, to deeply understand the one you're already in. Eventually, we'll get deeper into the weeds with all manner of topics, guests & breakdowns. Alongside the free podcast, I'll be hosting a private online community resource for deeper exploration & discussion. More on that in the coming weeks. Now — you might wonder why a coach would give away the keys for free. That's reasonable, I guess. Let me provide a clear answer: I benefit far more from working with an informed, thoughtful, reflective athlete than I ever could from one who simply follows orders. While my system has been honed through thirty years of hard-earned experience, what makes coaching truly rewarding is having an athlete who can take that knowledge into the arena of their own unique experience. So this isn't a pitch to stop working with a coach. If anything, I view this as a public service for coaches everywhere — including myself.Think of the difference between a cook who follows a recipe & a chef who understands balance, flavor, technique. I'd rather coach a chef. Someone who can take the fundamentals into the kitchen of their own experience & make something real with them - not just execute instructions they don't understand. &, as I'll argue throughout the entire podcast run, the athlete who knows gains significantly more benefit from any training or racing situation than one who simply follows. So join us April Fool's Day for episode one. All the information lives at www.oyo.run. Deep gratitude & thanks go to Michael Krajicek for the dulcet tones, Katy Voigt for the stunning visuals & Stefan Keehnen for the inspiration. I am honored & excited to share this project with you & Godspeed.