AI Summary
5 min readAndy Glaze’s father survived testicular cancer in his 30s after an experimental treatment that only two people lived through. He looked around the room at the other patients and saw that they had all given up. He decided he would not. He lived into his 70s, and every day at dinner he made his kids name one positive thing that happened to them. They hated it. But that nightly ritual became the seed of Glaze’s entire public identity: the mantra “Smile or you’re doing it wrong,” which he now prints on shirts, writes in books, and repeats to suffering runners at mile 80 of a 100-mile race.
The mantra and its origin
Glaze first said the phrase on a Strava segment called “You’re Either Smiling or You’re Crying.” It was a throwaway line about a downhill. But it stuck, and he started putting it in social media posts. Over time it became a philosophy: a reminder that even when ultra running is brutal—hallucinating, bleeding, vomiting, shitting yourself—there is still joy in being able to do it. He tells runners in the middle of races, “If you’re not smiling doing this, you’re doing it wrong.” He knows that a smile can trigger a chemical shift in the brain, and that sometimes the only thing holding someone back in an ultra is emotion, not physical capacity. “If you can have a small chemical change in your brain,” he says, “sometimes it’s just a smile.”
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:18) **Introducing Andy Glaze** - Cameron welcomes Andy Glaze, known for his infectious smile and positive persona, and they discuss the iconic photo of Andy on his book cover.
- 2 (03:53) **The "Smile or You're Doing It Wrong" Philosophy** - Andy traces the origin of his famous mantra to a Strava segment and explains its deeper meaning.
- 3 (16:24) **Roots of Positivity: Dad's Influence** - Andy credits his father's daily practice of sharing one positive thing at dinner for shaping his mindset.
- 4 (21:15) **The Ultra Running Origin Story** - Andy describes his entry into the sport, starting with obstacle course races and a brutal first 50K.
- 5 (29:11) **Early Influences: Backpacking and Wilderness** - Andy credits his grandfather for instilling a love of backpacking and birding, and a 90-day wilderness academy for "bad kids" as a transformative experience.
- 6 (33:09) **Growing the Sport and Protecting Public Lands** - Andy discusses his role in bringing younger runners into ultrarunning and the importance of public lands.
- 7 (38:16) **A Race That Changed Him: China** - Andy describes a race in rural China where he ran through villages without electricity, interacting with people who had never seen a white person.
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Show Notes
Andy Glaze - ultramarathon runner, firefighter/battalion chief, and mental health advocate known for his incredible consistency in running, often logging 100+ miles per week for years - and his upbeat mantra “Smile or you’re doing it wrong.”
Join us for a conversation about Andy’s love for running, the process of writing his new book, “Smile, or You're Doing it Wrong: A Journey from Rock Bottom to Redemption”, recovery from addiction and PTSD, and more!
Follow Andy:
https://www.instagram.com/amglaze/
Listen on:
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3XCm31n
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3Dm6ClE
Follow along:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cameronrhanes
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cameronhanes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camhanes/
Website: https://www.cameronhanes.com
Timestamps:
00:00:00 – Intro & a Life Long Goal to Help People
00:13:53 – Smile or Your Doing it Wrong, Positivity, and 100 Mile Weeks
00:24:00 – A Love for Being Alone & Nature
00:32:18 – Growing the Audience of Ultra Races
00:38:07 – China: Andy’s Favorite Race
00:41:21 – Connections Through Running with Other Races
00:48:39 – Moab 240: The Most Miserable Race Andy’s Ran
00:52:03 – Ray Sanchez: an Old School Ultra Runner Legend
00:57:06 – Inspired by Hard Working People and Inspiring Others to Race
01:02:33 – What Inspired Andy to Write a Book
01:05:59 – Overcoming Childhood Struggles & PTSD
01:20:09 – Andy’s Goal with the Book: Smile
01:22:55 – Goals with Running: Destination Trail Races & New Experiences
01:30:32 – Andy’s Cocodona 2026 Predictions (Life Changing Races)
01:36:00 – F**k, Marry, Kill: Winning an Ultra, Fighting a Fire, Recording an Audio Book
01:38:11 – David Goggins Mindset & Memes
01:42:58 – Therapy Through Journaling
01:48:49 – The Bow Shop & Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
01:54:17 – 2 Guests Andy Glaze Would Like to See on the Podcast & Final Thoughts
Thank you to our sponsors:
Ketone IQ: https://www.ketone.com/Cam use code CAM for 30% off your first subscription
Black Rifle Coffee: https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/ Use code KEEPHAMMERING for 10% your order
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