Episodes

  • Coming Soon: Legacy of Speed

    Coming Soon: Legacy of Speed
    Jun 1 2022
    When two Black sprinters raised their fists in protest at the 1968 Olympic Games, it shook the world. More than 50 years later, the ripple effects of their activism are still felt. In this new series from Pushkin Industries, get to know the runners who took a stand, and the coaches and mentors who helped make them fast enough — and brave enough — to change the world. Hosted by Malcolm Gladwell. If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm.
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    3 mins
  • Episode 1: Relax and Win

    Episode 1: Relax and Win
    Jun 14 2022
    A small group of people — all connected to a second-tier state college — revolutionized coaching and athletic activism in the 1960s. In this episode, we hear how coach Bud Winter took what he learned from working with fighter pilots in World War II and created a system for training sprinters at San Jose State. His “Relax and Win” methods used breathing, visualization and other unconventional coaching techniques to create a powerhouse track program. Another thing that made him unique at the time? His focus on recruiting Black athletes to a mostly white school.
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    35 mins
  • Episode 2: Building a Movement

    Episode 2: Building a Movement
    Jun 28 2022
    By the early 1960s, Speed City was earning a reputation for breaking records. But Bud Winter’s track program was broke. He stretched his scholarship budget so far that many athletes struggled to make ends meet. That, coupled with the racism Black athletes faced on the mostly white campus of San Jose, ignited the budding activist Dr. Harry Edwards. He wanted to take a page out of the playbook being written by civil rights leaders of the moment like Dr. King. And he realized the attention paid to Black athletes gave them the power to be heard.
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    30 mins
  • Episode 3: Exit, Voice or Loyalty

    Episode 3: Exit, Voice or Loyalty
    Jul 6 2022
    Tommie Smith. Lee Evans. John Carlos. Hear how these three legendary sprinters all ended up at San Jose State. They spurred each other to record-breaking success – and became leaders in the movement to boycott the 1968 Olympic Games. Their mentor and professor Dr. Harry Edwards found them to be the perfect students for his “Revolt of the Black Athlete”. The tragedy and chaos in America leading up to the Games made the decision to take a stand seem essential. But not all athletes wanted to miss their shot to compete.
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    35 mins
  • Episode 4: The Mexico City Games

    Episode 4: The Mexico City Games
    Jul 26 2022
    After months of debate about whether to boycott or not, our trio of Speed City sprinters are headed to Mexico City. In this episode, we zoom in on those fateful days: From the penultimate race that left Tommie Smith injured, to the world-record breaking 200M finals, to Smith and Carlos’ protest and expulsion from the games. Then, their teammate Lee Evans is set to run his races, but the pressure of the games – and whether and how to protest – almost keeps him off the track altogether. Coach Bud Winter plays a quiet but important role throughout these days, where his relaxation training faces its biggest challenge yet: Young athletes thrust onto a global stage with the weight of the world on their shoulders.
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    35 mins
  • Episode 5: The Legacy

    Episode 5: The Legacy
    Aug 9 2022
    The track in San Jose has been turned into a parking lot. But the legacy of Speed City is alive and well, on and off the track. More than half a century after Tommie Smith and John Carlos sprinted their way into the spotlight and shocked the world with a silent protest on the victory stand, the ripple effects of their actions can still be felt today. Their mentor Dr. Harry Edwards is still a central figure in the world of sports too. He works closely with activist athletes like Colin Kaepernick and consults with professional sports leagues on issues of racial equity. And the coaching methods of Bud Winter? They transformed the sport, and are deep in the DNA of some of the world’s best sprinters.
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    38 mins
  • Bonus: Just Relax with Malcolm Gladwell

    Bonus: Just Relax with Malcolm Gladwell
    Aug 16 2022
    Writer and podcast host Malcolm Gladwell is guest hosting an entire week of the podcast, Radio Headspace. He'll be discussing how to increase performance in your personal and professional life. Today, he talks about how superstar track and field coach, Bud Winter, discovered that relaxation can lead to big wins. 
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    7 mins
  • Episode 6: Live in Eugene

    Episode 6: Live in Eugene
    Aug 23 2022
    Legendary sprinters Wyomia Tyus, Ato Boldon and Tommie Smith join host Malcolm Gladwell live on stage for a conversation about sports and activism. Recorded live at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to subscribe to our email list at Pushkin.fm.
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    44 mins