Tune Up Tuesday With Mike Hahn

Plus, his secret ingredient to Tune Up his Tuesdays

Mike Hahn

Every so often you come across a stranger on the internet that piques your interest and a hundred questions come to mind you’d like to know about that person. Fortunately, our weekly Tune Up Tuesday Q&A allowed me to do that (minus a few hundred questions) for our next guest,

Mike Hahn

.

Instead of me explaining to you who Mike is, I’ll allow him to introduce himself:

My name's Mike Hahn and I love running! I'm a 10x marathoner (Boston twice), but am most at home on the trails. With

Running Lightly

, I hope to inspire people to connect more deeply with their running by seeing how I connect with mine.

I've been alcohol-free for almost four years and I also turned 50 this year. My relationships with sobriety and aging are a big part of my running story, and I'm enjoying new energy for life and ever-faster running performances!

Thanks Mike! Here’s a little more about Mike and his tastes in music, abilities to evolve, and his motivations. Enjoy!

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The Monday Morning Coach: Spotify or Apple Music?

Mike Hahn: Spotify

TMMC: What’s currently playing on your streaming service?

MH: We've been in Hawaii for a month, which always pushes the playlist heavy toward reggae/island music. But there is all kinds of stuff on my playlist!

Read about Mike’s Hawai’i adventures here:

Lanikai

TMMC: What’s a genre of music the people you know might be surprised you’re into?

MH: Top 40

TMMC: Playlists or Albums?

MH: Playlists

TMMC: When preparing for a big meeting or event, what’s your go-to song, playlist, album, or genre? And why?

MH: This changes all the time, but currently if I want to up my running pace it will probably be to something that leans EDM

TMMC: How has your taste in music evolved over the years, and what does that say about your personal growth?

MH: I was VERY into hip hop for a decade and at that time was opposed to country or anything too poppy. Now, I'm open to just about anything and don't really care so much about "identifying" with a certain kind of music.

TMMC: Do you prefer listening to music solo or sharing it with friends? Why?

MH: Both. It's required while running, but we have music on in the background at almost all times at home, work, and play. It's a constant.

TMMC: What’s an album or song, or who’s an artist, that’s helped you get through a difficult stretch of a season (of life, work, or a sport’s season)?

MH: The song, "Older Brother" by Pepper Rabbit was on repeat when my father died, and seemed to be a conduit for both emotion and healing

TMMC: If you could collaborate with any musician, living or dead, who would it be and why?

MH: Since I don't create music, I see myself collaborating on design. Album art's not as critical as it used to be, but I'd love to collaborate with reggae and hip hop artists on modern cover art that helps them reach new and broader audiences.

TMMC: I can’t agree with you more. Album art is so underrated than it used to be. Okay let’s change gears: What does competition mean to you and how has it influenced your outlook on life today?

MH: When I compete, it's almost entirely against myself. I set lofty goals and continually challenge myself to achieve them. That said, I'm working on cultivating a more patient and present outlook that isn't so future-oriented.

TMMC: What or who is your biggest motivation to give your 100% everyday?

MH: My wife,

Lisa Hahn

(prettymunch.com)

Pretty Munch

. The kindness, positivity, and humor she carries through her day is infectious and her drive to learn, create, and spread joy is inspirational to my own projects.

TMMC: Recently you wrote that you are faster at 50 than you were at 15, running a mile in just under 5:30. What gives you that drive today to push  and compete with yourself?

MH: I think that drive goes way back to childhood and a family environment of high standards. But, within that "unspoken" push to continually improve, there was also a tremendous amount of freedom to explore and create. I look at running as a creative act, so these two seemingly different ideas (improvement and creativity) have me constantly asking myself, "What am I capable of?"

TMMC: Do you use music to help amp you up or calm you down before a big event? How about during a workout (if you workout)?

MH: Before heading out the door for a race, I'll always turn up the music loud for a few minutes. I think it both calms AND excites me, in a weird way. During races, I always try to have music in the headphones. It's how I train, and I want to race how I train.

TMMC: If you had to create a soundtrack for your life, which three songs would definitely be on it?

MH: This is so tough, because it changes over time. Currently: 1) "Love Survive" by Michael Nau. 2) "The Woods" by Hollow Coves. 3) "Scum" by Idles.

TMMC: Lastly, how do you “tune-up” your Tuesdays when work, life, or workouts feel monotonous or difficult?

MH: Rest.

TMMC: Mike, this was a very rewarding and intriguing Q&A. Thanks for sharing your perspectives on music, motivation, running, and competition with us.

You can subscribe to Mike’s newsletter at

Running Lightly

. Besides it being a newsletter full of insight and intrigue, he has a really cool and simplistic logo I’d love to wear on a T-Shirt!