Member Highlight – Jon Glassman

Intro by Leah Cassetta, DPMR Member

When I think of Jon, two images come to mind: him dressed as Ken for the Halloween run, and him always running with Cliff gummies. Both pretty perfectly capture who Jon is as a person and a runner—laid back, great company, while also being focused on his goals.

I met Jon at our Tuesday night social runs in September 2023. I think he came to one of those before our long Donner Summit run with Healdsburg Running Co, where I ended up spending several hours with him on the trail and quickly realized he’d be a go-to training buddy. In 2024, as we were both training for summer races, I found myself logging a lot of long runs with him.

Beyond running, Jon has been such a great addition to the Truckee community. He’s included us in different gatherings and helped connect us with people outside the running world.

I’ll leave this intro with one request for Jon: please come back full-time to Truckee—we miss you!

Where are you from and where do you live now?
I’m originally from Indianapolis. I moved to California (the Bay Area) in 1999 and to Truckee (Sierra Meadows) in 2021. I’m now a part-timer, dividing my time between Truckee and the Bay Area. At the moment, I’m on an extended visit to Lima, Peru.

When did you begin running and/or long-distance running, if that applies? Why?
I was a rower in high school in Indy, and running was just my cross-training – but I found it surprisingly addictive. I gradually added challenges for myself, eventually co-organizing the Annual Shotwell To Dipsea And Back April Fools Day Invitational Duathlon (ASTDABAFDID), and completing my first road marathon (in SF).

I’ve since gotten primarily into trail running because I love exploring. Did you know that there are wild porcupines in Truckee? This I know only because of trail running. I enjoy turning the world red on my personal heatmap on Strava.

Do you race? Does racing motivate you? If not racing, what motivates you?
I love racing. I’m not fast – I’m happy if I’m better than the 50th percentile – but something about the crowd and the energy of racing and, if done right, the sense of having poured all of my training into a single goal, motivates me. I’m out there competing with myself and no one else.

Do you have any dream races (either hoping to qualify for or get selected for)?
I’ve always wanted to see Peru’s Cordillera Blanca, so I’m really drawn to the UTCB 50K each July, running amidst 6000m peaks. And I keep hearing about this Grand Traverse in Colorado. Sounds pretty awesome…

What was the best running advice you’ve received?
The only difference between exercise and training is having a goal… but it makes all the difference! I find that working toward a goal changes my mindset. Despite carrying fatigue through the week, the miles get easier and longer, and my ability jumps off the plateau that I usually sit on.

Do you have a favorite on-trail food or nutrition strategy and favorite post-run meal or beverage
Salted Watermelon Clif Bloks with double sodium. You can just suck on them for 5 or 10 minutes, take a break, then go for another. They’re like a good friend along for the ride.

What was your favorite recent running experience?

I’ve been taking a bit of a break since the Broken Arrow 23K last summer. What a thrill that was! But clearly it’s time for me to set a new goal for myself.
I’ve joined a local trail running club while I’m here in Lima, and have been enjoying exploring the trails in and near Lima with a good crew. To beat the heat we often start before sunrise and end up catching some awesome vistas.

What was your most challenging/ character-building running experience?
Notching my first ultramarathon was always a big bucket list item. When my daughter was due to be born in August 2024, I knew that it was time to make it happen. I signed up for the Cape Mountain 50K on the Oregon coast and worked with Martin (former DPMR president) to keep to a training plan. And I trained religiously – even that day that I got turned around on I-80 because the pass was snowed out, I figured out a way to get my miles in. I set specific goals for myself (0: don’t get injured; 1: finish; 2: run a mile in under 10:00 in each quadrant of the race; 3: have fun) and, with the help of an awesome playlist with DPMR member contributions, I nailed them all. It was not easy, but it sure was gorgeous out there.

What are your upcoming racing/adventure plans?
I’ve been training in Lima, Peru. Next up, I’m skiing to Ostrander Hut in Yosemite on Mar 11. Canyons 25K, Broken Arrow 18K (if I get off the waitlist), and deciding whether to run or volunteer (or both) at Pt Mariah!

What do you do for a living? Is it hard to fit in time for training?
I work remotely as a Product Manager at a tech company. My schedule is flexible but sometimes things get intense at work and I’m heads down for a while. Balance that with being a dad and yeah, I’ve scaled things back for now.

What led you to join DPMR?
The real question is “What took me so long?” I learned about DPMR soon after moving to Truckee in 2021 but it took me 2 ½ years before I came out for a Tuesday social. I shouldn’t have waited.

What has been your favorite DPMR experience so far?
I love the Tuesday runs. What a perfect mid-week boost to get out into nature with a great group of people.

Favorite local trail?
So many great ones to choose from. I’ve only done the Donner Lake Rim Trail a couple times, but it’s absolutely majestic.

Do you have a mental training technique, mantra, or similar that you rely on to combat the mentally trying times of a longer run?
It’s easy for me to push too hard, so the most important thing is to be mindful of my limits. When the training gets tough, I listen to my heart, or at least my HR, and I back off the intensity to keep myself in the right HR zone. When I’m at my limit on hills, I count 60 steps running and 60 steps walking on repeat.

Do you listen to audio while you run and if so, what have you been enjoying lately?
Not on social runs, not if I need to stay alert to my surroundings (bears and bandits), and not if I’m exploring a completely new place. But on my routine runs, I usually listen to podcasts or audio books. It’s a great way to feel extra productive out there. I switch to music for racing.

Recovery technique(s) that you swear by?
Sleep and nutrition. I need to get better at recovery exercises.

Do you have a favorite piece of running gear (hydration system, shoe, clothing layer, sock, etc.)?
It’s the stuff people don’t talk about much: Runderwear and NipEaze. On a less intimate note, a good pair of arm sleeves is a game changer – super lightweight layering.

What other outdoor or indoor interests do you have?
I’ve been a road biker for a long time, but just got into mountain biking in the last few years, and have been really enjoying it. Skiing in the winter, alpine or backcountry. I’m a fan of just about any excuse to get outdoors. (I’m really proud that one of my daughter’s first words is “Outside!”)

Any interesting facts about yourself you would like to share?

• I think that we are all lucky to live such rich lives, and should reflect that by filling our bucket lists with things that we have already done
• I’m proud to have become bilingual English/Spanish, and am glad to see that our club is multilingual as well
• I studied mechanical engineering and public policy and love nerding out on energy, transportation and the environment