Ep. 87 – Eugene to Europe with Elise Cranny

This week’s guest is Elise Cranny of Bowerman Track Club. Elise is a Tokyo Olympian and 2-time U.S. champ in the 5,000m who came on the podcast to look back on her 2022 season as she wraps up a spin through the European race circuit.

We talked about Elise’s growth as a professional runner and her relationship with Bowerman coach Jerry Schumacher, including the difficult decision to scratch the U.S. 10,000m champs earlier this year and how it paid off in her racing season. We also talked a lot about the mental side of the sport an the importance of listening to your body and planning for your long-term success over short-term satisfaction. Elise also shared her post-season travel plans, her European laundry strategy, and of course, her love language.

This episode of Run Your Mouth is presented by Nike. We’ve partnered with them to help share athletes’ stories in a way that reflects the different reasons we all choose to run, work out, and find our part of the track and field community. In my conversations with athletes in all events and all levels over the years, one common theme I hear over and over again is that finding the unique ways running brings you joy is the best way to develop a happy lifelong relationship with the sport.

Come run with Nike. For the everyday and common runner Nike is committed to motivating, standing by, listening to, and helping them from the starting line to the finish line and every inch, meter and mile in between. Whether it’s a local race, a major marathon, or just a run with friends, get out there and run. Just do it. Check out the Nike Run Club app and come run with us.

On training under Bowerman coach Jerry Schumacher:

“I’m a pretty independent person to a fault. I’m still trying to work on being better at communicating [with my coaches], but with Jerry, the energy he brings is what I love most. He helps you believe that you can go do something special.”

On skipping the U.S. 10,000m champs:

“It was hard to forgo the 10k championships in the moment but in the end, showing up at USAs and focusing on the 5k was the right call. I don’t think I’d be still going this far into the season if I didn’t make that decision.”

On planning for a long professional running career:

“In this sport, it’s so easy to get caught up in short-term goals. The sport takes so much patience and a lot of times it takes years and years of work before it pays off, but consistent work can be really powerful in the long term.”

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Ep. 86 – Between the Golds with Katie Nageotte

This week’s episode is a first for RYM as we’re so lucky to be joined by reigning World and Olympic champion pole vaulter Katie Nageotte. Katie may not have a lot of long runs in her training but she was a fantastic guest and I absolutely loved the opportunity to nerd out over one of my favorite events in track and field while getting into all the fun Run Your Mouth topics we love.

Katie is an Atlanta-based pole vaulter with a personal best of 4.95m (16 ft 3 in) who won gold in Tokyo and Eugene in 2021 and 2022 along with a World Indoor silver this winter in Serbia. But behind those big championship performances were a lot of mental and physical challenges along the way, and on this episode we talked a lot about the barriers Katie’s had to overcome this year and how managing the “post-Olympic hangover” turned into one of the biggest hurdles of her professional career. This conversation really shows how the end result of an athlete’s season only scratches the surface of their story, and how getting to know some of the sport’s biggest stars can teach you a lot about overcoming your own obstacles.

This episode of Run Your Mouth is presented by Nike. We’ve partnered with them to help share athletes’ stories in a way that reflects the different reasons we all choose to run, work out, and find our part of the track and field community. In my conversations with athletes in all events and all levels over the years, one common theme I hear over and over again is that finding the unique ways running brings you joy is the best way to develop a happy lifelong relationship with the sport.

Come run with Nike. For the everyday and common runner Nike is committed to motivating, standing by, listening to, and helping them from the starting line to the finish line and every inch, meter and mile in between. Whether it’s a local race, a major marathon, or just a run with friends, get out there and run. Just do it. Check out the Nike Run Club app and come run with us.

On the post-Tokyo hangover:

“After I won [Olympic gold] I had so many cool opportunities […] but I didn’t realize how exhausted I was until I started competing again in January. I took six weeks off physically but not stepping away mentally or emotionally took a toll.”

On resetting after the season:

“When I’m training, even on rest days, I’m always focused on vaulting – it’s always in the back of my mind. So when I get time off, being able to step away and not think about pole vault for a while is the best thing for me.”

On growing slowly as an athlete:

“It’s taken me time at every level to reach the top. It took me until senior year of high school to win the state meet, until senior year of college to win a national title. It took me 5 years after college to get a contract. It taught me internal motivation – I’m not doing it for approval; I’m just here to be the best to be I can be.”

On training with Sandi Morris:

“I was pushed harder than I ever have been training with her. We’re competitive people and when we get on the runway we want to win, but in practice we’re training next to each other, rather than against each other.”

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Ep. 85 – Turning Pro with Morgan Beadlescomb

This week’s guest is Morgan Beadlescomb, recent Michigan State grad turned professional runner who came on the podcast to share some big news about his running future. Morgan is a 3:52 miler who already has two top-10 finishes at USAs in the 5000m in the last two years, and he’s one of the most promising distance prospects coming out of the NCAA system. Morgan’s in Italy doing a mini racing circuit right now, and right after we recorded this episode, he notched a 1500m PB of 3:37.03 in a race in Lignano Sabbiadoro. In our conversation, we speak about his choice to join a professional training group and how he reached the decision he did, as well as his current training setup and plans for the future.

We also covered Morgan’s distinctive style choices, what he’s like as a roommate, and who his mom’s favorite runner is. We had a hilarious and wide-ranging conversation that you’ll really enjoy, and we also got a lot of really interesting insight into who Morgan is as a runner and person.

Thanks as always for listening and for all your support for our crazy flurry of CITIUS MAG coverage during the World Championships. We’re going to keep things rolling as racing continues all summer and the best way you can support us is by subscribing, following, and leaving us a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts.

On choosing a professional training group:

“The biggest thing for me [in turning pro] was finding the group that would be the best fit for me. I really wanted to join a group that enjoyed running for what it’s supposed to be and to have fun with it.”

On being mentored by Michigan legend Nick Willis:

“He’s pretty much an open book. He was huge in helping me with agents, coaches, teams, and what to look out for. He’s a great person to have around and a huge help ever since I started taking running really seriously.”

On breaking out as a grad student at Michigan State:

“After the Trials I had agents and coaches reaching out to me, and then [running 3:52 in] that indoor mile was when I realized – ‘hey I might need to have a second job.’ I got home from the track and I had 800 or 900 Instagram notifications.”

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Ep. 84 – Born to Run with Johnny Gregorek

This week’s guest is Johnny Gregorek, a 1500-meter runner for ASICS who will be representing Team USA this weekend at the World Championships in Eugene Oregon. Johnny is a 3:49 miler and 3:34 1500m runner who made the final in this event back in 2017 and is back with even bigger goals this time around. He’s been splitting his time training between Boston, where he just finished his first year of law school, and Seattle, where he’s coached by UW distance coach and middle-distance guru Andy Powell.

Johnny and I had a fantastic conversation about his perspective as one of the veterans of the 1500m on the U.S. scene, giving us an insight into his wisdom as well as his humor and his super positive attitude. We also talked about his background as a steeplechaser, his Massachusetts and Rhode Island roots, and how he’s managed to balance being a law student and a professional runner.

You can root for Johnny and the rest of Team USA at the World Championships in Eugene Oregon starting this Friday, July 15th. We have a ton of programming coming your way from the CITIUS family, including group runs, live shows, daily podcasts and newsletters, and much more so you’ll be able to follow along with every minute of the action and get exclusive behind-the-scenes tidbits. I’m personally looking forward to finally joining the crew in Oregon after covering USAs remotely and can’t wait to share plenty more takes, writing, and talking with you as we all watch Worlds together.

Learn more at citiusmag.com/summerofhayward and follow CITIUS on all your social media to stay in the loop on the latest. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram at @runyourmouthpod as well and subscribe to show us your love. Enjoy the show!

On reacting to making the team with a 6th-place finish at USAs:

“No matter if you have the standard or not, everyone’s just trying to win the race you’re in. Initially when I crossed the line, my initial emotion was disappointment that I hadn’t gotten in the top 3 or won the race.”

On 1500m tactics:

“As I’ve gotten older as an athlete, I’ve realized that part of why I always had a big kick  at the end of races was actually a lack of trust in myself and my fitness. I’m actually more proud of the races where I’ve put myself in the mix and executed a plan with authority.”

On being a veteran on the U.S. middle-distance scene.

“I’ve gone through failures and setbacks that a lot of the younger guys haven’t experienced yet. It’s great to see these super talented guys crushing it, but personally I know that I’ve had to overcome a lot. That’s its own advantage that I draw confidence from.”

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Ep. 83 – Year of the 800 with Sage Hurta

This week’s guest is Sage Hurta of On Athletic Club. Sage is an NCAA champion in the mile who’s turned a lot of heads this year in her first full season as a professional by knocking out some crazy fast 800s, entering 2022 having never broken 2 minutes and, just this past week, running 1:58, 1:59, and 1:58 in the space of six days. After finishing 7th in the final at USAs, Sage made a quick trip to Sweden for a Diamond League race and then hopped on to record the pod once she’d gotten home safely and conquered her jet lag.

We talked about why Sage went all-in on the 800m this year, unpacked USAs from start to finish, bonded over our shared upstate New York connections, and learned about the strategy and planning behind sleeping next to an altitude tent. You’ll really enjoy this episode – Sage is one of the smartest, most thoughtful people in the sport right now and she’s got a great perspective on one of the toughest events in track and field.

This episode was brought to you by the Hayward Magic and the CITIUS Mag coverage of the upcoming World Championships in Eugene. You can learn more at citiusmag.com/summerofhayward.

On hitting an 800m personal best and the World standard in the semi-final at USAs:

“Making to the U.S. final’s been a big goal of mine for years, and last year I had a big DNF from the semi. I wanted to make sure I got through without incident [….] and then crossing the line and seeing a 1:58.3; that was way better than I’d hoped for.”

On placing seventh at USAs in the final:

“I ended up placing 7th and running the World standard, but if I’d had a great day and run 1:58 again I’d still have been half a second off the team. My mindset is I don’t care if I got fourth or seventh – there’s really only two outcomes in my mind. You’re either on the team or you’re not.”

On the state of the event:

“I feel like everyone in the event has profound respect for those top 3 who’ve been consistently good for so long, but at the same time, everyone thinks that they’re gonna be the person to break through. Everyone’s working toward that.”

On being a middle-distance runner on OAC:

“Having Olli around has been nice for his middle-distance perspective. He knows what it takes and he gives positive reinforcement. Especially from someone as successful as he’s been, he’s been a great voice to hear.”

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Ep. 82 – Couch to 10k with Karissa Schweizer

This week’s guest is Karissa Schweizer of Bowerman Track Club. Karissa is a Tokyo Olympian, the American record holder in the 3,000m, the #2 all-time 5,000-meter runner with a 14:26 personal best, and as of a few weeks ago, the national champion in the 10,000m who’s headed back to Eugene this week to chase at least one more national title.

We had an awesome conversation right after the Portland Track Festival last week (which is why during the episode we talk about entries for USAs with a little less clarity than we have now), and we covered everything from coming back from surgery last fall; growing up in a big running family; and how the culture at BTC has changed over the years. I also really enjoyed our conversation about the running culture in Portland Oregon and how that factors into the life of a professional runner.

This episode was brought to you by Summer of Hayward. There’s plenty to cheer for and plenty of hype to share as we on the CITIUS team gear up for USAs this week and Worlds next month, and you can follow along with us every step of the way. Learn more at citiusmag.com/summerofhayward.

On bouncing back after surgery:

“Last year there were so many times when I felt like I was limited by my body and my mind, and being pain-free allows you to dig into deeper levels. There was just no way the race could go poorly.”

On training with her top rivals:

“Even though it’s an individual sport in some ways, you can make it a team sport. Elise and I have worked together in races, especially in trials races where top 3 matters most. Especially on the world level it’s really nice to have someone you train with day in and day out when you’re navigating the biggest stage.”

On navigating the negative press:

“We have almost a stronger team culture now because we’ve been through a lot. Everyone who stayed has had to get through a hard year together, and the group is closer as a result.”

On goals moving forward:

“At the end of the day, getting a medal on the world stage is my biggest goal. Records get broken, times get broken. But getting a medal – you can never take that away.”

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Ep. 81 – On A Mission with Casey Comber and Willy Fink

This week, we’re joined by two members of one of the newest professional running groups on the scene, the Mission Run Baltimore Distance group sponsored by Under Armour. Willy Fink and Casey Comber are two of the big stars in that group and they came on the show to talk about the big rebrand and what it means for Under Armour’s investment in track and field.

We talked about the story behind the “mission run” branding, got into the debate over the different styles of 1500-meter racing, and they shared what it’s like to live and train in Baltimore under coach Cory Leslie. Plus, we tease the possibility of a postseason Under Armour beer mile, which sounds like it could be a lot of fun. You can follow Casey, Willy, and Mission Run Baltimore Distance on Instagram to follow along with their journey as they gear up for USAs in a few weeks.

This episode was brought to you by CITIUS Mag’s Summer of Hayward. The competition is only heating up as we move into the championship part of the season and the CITIUS team is going to be there every step of the way. Learn more at citiusmag.com/summerofhayward.

Thanks for listening and if you like the show, don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a five-star review wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on Instagram.

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Ep. 80 – Running For Fun with Keira D’Amato

This week’s guest is two-time American record holder Keira D’Amato, fresh off a runner-up finish at the U.S. 25k championships in Grand Rapids, MI. Keira has personal bests of 1:07:55 for a half marathon and 2:19:12 for the marathon, breaking the 16-year-old American record in the marathon in January.

For those of you who don’t know, Keira has an incredible personal story, as a mom and realtor who walked away from the sport for nearly a decade before coming back to the sport in her mid-30s and running faster than ever before, going from racing local road races for fun to becoming one of Nike’s top pros.

We covered a lot of really interesting ground, including the hesitation to turn pro, the value of authenticity, and how much life has changed in the last few years. We also cleared up some funny rumors from the 25K champs and Keira explained why she’s not racing the 10,000m national championships at Pre. Of course, we also got into binge-watching, beer miles, and hot takes on donuts.

On choosing to race roads over the 10,000m championships:
“I try to keep an open mind to the track, and it takes me one 10k race a year to be like, ‘nope.’ The roads are way more fun, and with running, it’s always about having fun for me. As soon as I’m not having fun, I’m out.”

On why Keira has so many new fans:
“I think what resonates with people is that I quit. For 8-10 years, I was just a spectator. And then I thought ‘what if?’ What would happen, what could’ve happened, what could still happen? A lot of us have those ‘what ifs,’ and it means something to people seeing me go for it where that took me.”

On running for fun:
“I’m having fun with it, and I think people see that. Some people can do really well taking it really seriously, and other people like me are kind of anxious already, so when I lean into the fun aspect and do things that excite me, I can get the best out of myself.”

On reaching her athletic peak in her 30s:
“I’ve never believed the whole getting old stuff. Forty years ago, women weren’t allowed to do a full marathon, you know? We’ve made a lot of progress and we’re still making progress.”

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Ep. 79 – Local Legends with Jonas Hampton and Matt McDonald

This week’s guests are two of the top Americans from the 2022 Boston Marathon, BAA runners Matt McDonald and Jonas Hampton. Matt finished 13th overall as the third American in a new personal best of 2:10:35, and Jonas finished 23rd overall as the 10thAmerican in 2:14:40. The BAA men did a great job of defending their home turf as they put four men in the top 25 overall and three in the top 10 Americans, winning the team competition by a landslide.

Both Matt and Jonas work full-time in addition to being pro runners, and we talked a lot about the balance between managing a demanding career and pursuing big goals in the sport. If you’re looking for inspiration, look no further than these guys running 130 miles a week and working in engineering. We also talked about the team culture on BAA following a number of coaching changes, the possibility of getting back on the track, and what makes the Boston Marathon truly special.

This episode is brought to you by Hayward Magic in advance of a big summer of racing in Eugene Oregon. As we lead up to the World Championships, all of us here in the CITIUS family will be bringing you high quality interviews, storytelling, content, and analysis. Learn more at citiusmag.com/summerofhayward.

“Being a BAA athlete in BAA’s premier event is so special. Having the logo on your chest that everyone else has on their bib is fun. The two of us probably know this course better than anyone else.” – Matt McDonald

“I was on the BAA racing team, but going into [the 2020 Marathon Trials], I pulled a ‘Scott and Rojas’ – I kinda began to want a pro contract, so I didn’t re-sign with the racing team and went to altitude by myself to train. And betting on myself seemed to pay off – ran 2:12, got 8thplace, and joined the BAA high performance team after that.” – Jonas Hampton

“I went down to Atlanta to get a PhD at Georgia Tech intending to hang up the shoes. The coaches at Atlanta Track Club talked me into joining the elite team they were starting up [….] and for about a year I resisted, but eventually as the team grew I wanted to be able to compete with my teammates. It made me want to be good again.” – Matt McDonald

“One thing I miss about running marathons is that you can lose that competitive edge in between races a bit. The great thing about doing local races is that you can keep competing regularly and it’s also just fun.” – Jonas Hampton

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Ep. 78 – Queen of Boston with Nell Rojas

This week’s episode is another great crossover with Chris Chavez and the CITIUS MAG podcast, where we talked to Nell Rojas who just finished as the top American in last week’s Boston Marathon for the second year in a row. This year, she lowered her personal best to 2:25:57 with her 10th-place finish, and we unpacked Nell’s training leading up to race day, how the race played out on the course, and even Nell’s unconventional path to the marathon in the first place.

We also talked about Nell’s decision to end her contract with adidas before Boston and why she chose to run in shoes that worked for her with no brand affiliation. I was particularly touched to hear Nell talk about the role representation has played in her running and the messages she receives from people all over the world who enjoy cheering on a prominent Latina runner.

This was a great episode that covered everything from Nell’s coaching career to her post-race bar adventure, and I think it was a lot of fun. This episode of Run Your Mouth was brought to you by Hayward Magic in advance of this year’s World Championships in Eugene, and you can learn more at citiusmag.com/summerofhayward.

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