{"id":445110,"date":"2026-05-12T15:03:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T15:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/445110\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T15:03:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T15:03:11","slug":"dj-john-summit-shared-smartwatch-data-from-los-angeles-marathon-and-a-red-rocks-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/445110\/","title":{"rendered":"DJ John Summit Shared Smartwatch Data From Los Angeles Marathon and a Red Rocks Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated7 min read<\/p>\n

WHEN DJ AND producer John Summit<\/a> saw his touring schedule for 2026, one thing was abundantly clear: he needed to train his body like an athlete. Along with his near-nonstop slate of shows that would be taking him all over the world, from Miami to Bali to Singapore, he also wanted to level up his new running habit. He decided to train for a marathon.<\/p>\n

Running was very appealing to Summit, for both the physical and mental benefits<\/a> it can offer. Training runs also brought a healthy amount of structure to his life while working on his latest album and gearing up for tour.<\/p>\n

Through it all, Summit was meticulous about tracking his data via his Garmin Epix Pro and Forerunner 265 smartwatches<\/a>\u2014noting how running helped his stamina for DJ sets, and vice versa. To get a better sense of the interplay of these two endeavors, Summit shared metrics from both his Los Angeles Marathon and a DJ set at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado with Men\u2019s Health.<\/p>\n

How John Summit Became a Runner<\/p>\n

AROUND THE SPRING of 2025 while working on his album CTRL ESCAPE, Summit decided to get serious about his running goals. \u201cI needed some sense of routine in my life. It gave me a reason to wake up early in the morning and get the day started,\u201d he tells Men\u2019s Health. After his morning runs, \u201cthe rest of my day would just feel so easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Summit was motivated by the mental benefits of running. He recalls listening to a podcast that taught him how helpful exercise can be for regulating dopamine levels\u2014which appealed to him, given his lifestyle. \u201cI have such high highs with my shows, and then I get home and I have these big lows,\u201d he says. But, he quickly found that exercising and dedicating effort to a tough activity helped \u201crewire\u201d his brain a bit (something that science backs up<\/a>).<\/p>\n

He also opts to run without music, which may come as a surprise to his fans. But running has become Summit\u2019s time to quiet his mind. \u201cI\u2019m so in the music all the time, I just need to detox myself from it. Whereas someone who has an office job, that\u2019s their time to listen to music. I have the complete opposite situation,\u201d he shares. \u201cAnd then I can actually collect my thoughts.\u201d In fact, he often finds himself jotting down lyric ideas in his notes app during a run, then taking his ideas to the studio ready to make music.<\/p>\n

As he got more into running, Summit decided to sign up for a few races, including the Miami Half Marathon in January, and the LA Marathon in March. During his training cycle, he aimed to work his way up to 45 miles per week\u2014which proved especially tough once he started touring. \u201cThat required so much mental discipline. I\u2019d be DJ-ing in Mykonos until six in the morning, and then I\u2019d have to do an 11 mile run the day afterward, right after my club set.\u201d<\/p>\n

That schedule didn\u2019t come without some pain points. \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t help that I would do an eight-mile run in the morning, and then have a two-hour set at night,\u201d he says, adding that he jumps a lot during performances, which exacerbated his running-induced shin splints.<\/p>\n

Still, he persisted, adding in more cross-training like sets on the stair climber, Pilates, and the built-in endurance that comes through his high energy performances. Summit also accepted that, at 31 years old, he needed to prioritize warming up and stretching\u2014something he never prioritized in the past. \u201cI did a lot of YouTube research about dynamic warm-ups and got a routine going,\u201d he admits. \u201cIt forced me to learn more about my body, especially as I get older.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conquering the Brutal 2026 LA Marathon<\/p>\n

AFTER COMPLETING THE Miami Half Marathon in January, Summit took on his very first marathon in March in Los Angeles. The course is notoriously hilly. Even more challenging was the record-high heat, which prompted organizers to grant participants medals after 18 miles for safety purposes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That didn\u2019t prevent Summit from a solid run. \u201cIt helps that I live in Miami because I train in the heat, so I think I handled it better than some people in LA because it was like 86 degrees that day, which was pretty intense,\u201d he says. However, Miami doesn\u2019t have any hills, so the 912 foot elevation gain was \u201cpretty intense\u201d for Summit, who hadn\u2019t done any hill training to date.<\/p>\n

Despite the literal ups and downs of the course, Summit\u2019s pace was pretty consistent, averaging 7:57 per mile for a 3:30:09 total time. \u201cI\u2019m very data-oriented, I kept checking my watch to make sure I was on pace,\u201d he says. \u201cI took my gels every 25 minutes no matter what. I had it all down to a science.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Activity<\/p>\n

Courtesy John Summit<\/p>\n

The last four miles of the race were especially brutal, however, and his 8:30 pace at mile 26 was a testament to that challenge: \u201cThat\u2019s when it went from 75 to 86 degrees. And [that part] of the LA marathon is not shaded whatsoever. When I finished, I literally collapsed at the finish line. I could not move,\u201d Summit says.<\/p>\n

Looking further into the data from his race, it\u2019s noteworthy that Summit averaged a 174 heart rate (maxing out at 192), staying in Zone 4 for 66 percent of the course, with 18 percent of the time in Zone 3 and 14 percent in Zone 5.<\/p>\n

\"Heart<\/p>\n

Courtesy John Summit<\/p>\n

He definitely felt that effort: \u201cI think I hit 180 within four miles, so pretty much the entire time I was giving it 95 percent. I went into it knowing it was going to be a mission,\u201d he says. But Summit is more than used to that all-in mindset. \u201cFor my job, every single day I give it 100 percent. I\u2019ve been all gas, no breaks, since 2020. So the mental wiring in my brain was ready for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

From Racing to DJ-ing<\/p>\n

JUST A MONTH after crossing the LA Marathon finish line, Summit was in the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, playing a nearly five-hour DJ set. That same week, he filmed a music video three hours outside of LA, which meant he spent six hours in the car shuttling back and forth. Plus, he turned in his new album just hours before the Red Rocks show. \u201cI think I pulled nearly two all-nighters in a row before that,\u201d he says. \u201cMy Garmin told me I was measuring a 1 out of 100 body battery before I even got there,\u201d he laughs. \u201cIt was like you\u2019ve had a very stressful day, you should do nothing, and I\u2019m like well I\u2019m literally about to do a show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, fans never know Summit was running on fumes\u2014he performed his high-energy music with the same enthusiasm as any other set. And his Garmin data painted a compelling picture of his experience: \u201cI was averaging around a 130 heart rate, which is interesting to me because 130 is the average beat per minute to my music,\u201d says Summit. \u201cI think there\u2019s something to that.\u201d He also remained in Zones 1, 2 and 3 throughout the set.<\/p>\n

\"Cardio<\/p>\n

Courtesy John Summit<\/p>\n

In addition to the exhaustion, Summit admits that the 6,450 foot elevation got to him. \u201cNormally I jump a lot when I DJ, but I started doing more side to side movement,\u201d he laughs, adding that he knew he needed to conserve energy where he could.<\/p>\n

Similar to after his race, the moment he got off stage, he passed out in the green room. \u201cI really killed the vibe, but I was cooked.\u201d<\/p>\n

Honing Mental and Physical Stamina<\/p>\n

AFTER HIS SET at Red Rocks, Summit traveled straight to Coachella for a pop-up set, then on to Bali, Bangkok, China, Singapore, and South Africa within a single week. He had one day off before speaking with Men\u2019s Health.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just have to power through it, though,\u201d he says, noting that recently he\u2019s been drawing a lot of inspiration and motivation from watching ultramarathon runners on social media. \u201cThat stuff is crazy, but I feel like I\u2019m doing that in my own way in my personal life,\u201d says Summit.<\/p>\n

Despite the constant push, Summit loves what he gets to do\u2014after all, he plays fun music for a living. And, in both racing and performing, he really feeds off the energy of the crowds to keep him moving. \u201cI\u2019m a big energy giver and energy receiver,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen everyone is dancing and cheering, that helps so much.\u201d During the marathon, seeing \u201cJohn Summit\u201d signs and hearing cheers gave him such a boost (something so many runners can relate to). \u201cAs soon as I give up mentally, all it takes is one person saying \u2018you\u2019ve got this!\u2019 and I\u2019m like, okay I\u2019ve got this!\u201d<\/p>\n

For Summit, running and performing aren\u2019t in conflict; he\u2019s able to build himself up through these two demanding pursuits. Training as a runner gives him more physical stamina for shows and a nonstop travel schedule, while performing in hours-long sets has helped him hone the kind of mental stamina he needs to push through long-distance runs and races.<\/p>\n

Even though he\u2019s already had to cut back on his as his 2026 tour has stretched on, he already sees the payoff of dedicating time to the sport. He plans to keep it up for years to come, with more races in his future. \u201cRight now, I\u2019m trying to get through summer, get through all these shows. My goal is just to stay in shape enough that whenever I decide to do a race again, I have a good base.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Kristine Thomason is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience creating content for print and digital publications. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at mindbodygreen, and the fitness and wellness editor at Women\u2019s Health. Kristine’s work has appeared in Men’s Health, Travel + Leisure, Health, and Refinery29, among others. She holds a journalism degree from New York University, and is certified in personal training by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).<\/p>\n