“Joe Holder wants you to find your freedom” Joe Holder x Notre for Chicago Marathon 2019

This is one of the favorite pieces/interviews I’ve done to date. A friend of mine reached out because Nike Chicago & Notre had plans to do a launch event for a new Nike running shoe. They wanted to shoot me as part of the campaign. This “super shoe” movement was in max effect then, since they had launched and taken running culture by storm. Anyway, I met up with Syd Allen Ash, a reporter from Vice who is now a good friend, a couple weeks before the Chicago marathon. 

Here’s the AI summary below. I’ve begun to use AI not because I don’t want to write, but because I don't want my personal bias to infiltrate what is actually in the interview. But I am biased because it is me being interviewed. I think you’ll enjoy it. I was pretty vulnerable with my views and nervousness as I approached the race.  You can read the full thing here. If that link is dead, you can find the archived page here. 

The interview with Joe Holder discusses his approach to wellness and optimization. Holder believes that optimization should be grounded in a philosophical and spiritual framework, rather than just viewing oneself as a product to be optimized. He emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and self-awareness in training and personal growth. Holder also talks about the need to balance healthy and unhealthy aspects of life, and how training can help create a flow state and resilience. He rejects the idea of "positive thinking" without practical action, and wants to help people "free themselves" through physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. Holder sees his work as serving the community, not just optimizing for work. The interview also touches on Holder's preparation for the upcoming Chicago Marathon.

Check out Notre’s write-up on the event and installation here

Thank you to Nike, Notre, and Home Movie Productions for putting this together.