Podcast: Episode 206 with Sid Baptista

Mario Fraioli | June 20, 2022

“That’s probably the reason why I fell in love with running—because of what it did to my mind, mostly, not my body. I’ve always been fairly fit and active, but it was what it did to my mind that really was transformational because going from a low point where I just didn’t know what I was doing to now being able to then be creative again…Now I found this running thing and it’s really making me excited, of course as an entrepreneur I’m like, ‘What can I do?’ so I created PIONEERS Run Crew. So running is the reason why I did all of that, because of what it did for me.”

My guest this week is Sid Baptista. Sid’s a lot of things: he’s a husband and a father, a runner, a community builder and leader, and also an entrepreneur. He’s the founder of the PIONEERS Run Crew, which is based in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, and he’s also the creator of PYNRS performance streetwear brand, an apparel line with a focus on serving diverse people, with diverse body types from diverse communities.

I’m super excited to share this week’s conversation with you as it’s one of my favorite ones I’ve had for the podcast to date. Sid and I covered a lot of ground: We talked about growing up as the sons of entrepreneurial minded immigrants in Massachusetts and how those experiences have shaped our career trajectories. He told me about his hometown of Dorchester, which is Boston’s biggest, most populous, and most diverse neighborhood, and how he’s seen it evolve over the past three decades. We got into running, Sid’s experience as a sprinter in high school, and how he found distance running as an adult. We also discussed culture and community, how Sid is trying to make running more inclusive and accessible through his work, what he sees happening industry wide that both excites and worries him, and a lot more.

Sid Baptista: Twitter | Instagram

PYNRS Performance Streetwear: Website | Instagram

the morning shakeout: Instagram | Twitter

Mario Fraioli: Website | Strava

This episode is brought to you by:

— Tracksmith is an independent running brand inspired by a deep love of the sport. Their Spring/Summer Collection is now available and features staples thoughtfully designed for training and racing hard in warm weather. My personal favorites are the Session tee and Allston half tights. If you buy anything on Tracksmith.com in the month of June, you can get free shipping on your next order, and support the Tracksmith Foundation, which helps give more people the opportunity to participate in Track & Field, by using the code Mario22 at checkout.

— Goodr: If you want to support the podcast and treat yourself to a pair of goodr sunglasses, head over to goodr.com/MARIO or enter the code MARIO15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Look good, run goodr!

Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.