Olympic Trials Talk With Elise

For more in our “Olympic Trials Talk” series visit our Olympic Trials page.

Do you remember when you first set the goal of making the Olympics? When did it begin to feel like a realistic one?

I remember first having the goal of making an Olympic team when I was in middle school.  I remember watching Michael Phelps win his 8 gold medals during the 2008 Olympics and since I was swimming at the time (and not super into running yet) my goal was to make the Olympics in swimming.  A few short years later, I realized being an Olympian in swimming wasn't looking too promising, but as I became more serious about running my goal shifted to making the Olympic team as a track and field athlete. The goal became more of a reality when I competed at the Olympic Trials in 2016 during my sophomore year of college.  I vividly remember watching the 1500m final from the stands and telling myself that I'd be standing on the start line in that final at the next Olympic Trials. 

It wasn’t in the event(s) she planned, but Elise achieved her Olympic dream in the 5,000m on June 21st!

The last time there was a US Championships, in 2019, you were primarily a 1500m runner. Now you're in the top 10 all-time in the US in both the 5,000m and 10,000m. Is it strange to have changed your situation so much without having had the chance to race many people outside the group?

I haven't actually thought about that too much because of my incredible teammates and training environment.  Getting to train with some of the best in the world over 5k and 10k has prepared me well for events that were completely out of my wheelhouse just two years ago.  From workouts to instraquad meets to conversations on runs, I am grateful for teammates that have pushed me and prepared me well for newer events.  Although the 1500m will always be my first love (and my favorite). 

You do a lot of training with Shelby and Karissa, the two fastest Americans ever over 5,000m and two athletes not known for chilling in workouts. Can you describe for the fans what that workout environment is like and how that's helped you as an athlete?

I can confirm they have no chill in workouts.  In the beginning, it was hard for me to walk away from a workout feeling confident because I was getting dropped hard and not finishing the full workout.  However, they were always great at reminding me to keep showing up and continue to put myself in it.  Working out with Shelby and Karissa has been inspiring and challenging.  It has forced me to let go of subconscious limits I put on myself and taught me the importance of continually working on the mental side of the sport. They hold me accountable to do all the little things outside of training so that I show up to each workout healthy, rested, recovered, and ready to bring my A game. 

Is there one key workout that's given you a lot of confidence or do you just look at the total body of work?

As a younger athlete I used to get confidence from one key workout, but this also meant that I could lose confidence from one bad workout.  I have learned it is much better for me to get confidence from the total body of work.  It isn't one day that makes or breaks an athlete, but the consistency over time that leads to something great. 

How do you prepare mentally in the weeks prior for a big race like the Olympic Trials? Are you someone who likes to think a lot about the race and it's potential variations, or do you prefer to put it out of your mind and focus on other things?

I don't like to think about any race too much in the weeks or days leading up to it.  I prefer to spend time with family and/or teammates, read, watch some movies or shows and focus on other things until it is time to get in the zone a few hours before a race. 

What's been the team activity of choice up at altitude camp? 

Either a movie night or game night.  Watched Inception for the first time and have been playing some Catan and Cribbage. 

Do you have a favorite Jerry story?

Automatic* from 45 feet.

*~5%

After being asked the famous Chris Chavez question on the Citius Mag Podcast ("You have 25 shots from half court.  If you make one you get $25 million, but if you miss all 25 you go to jail for 25 years...would you attempt the shot?"), Sean and I decided to attempt the challenge post-leg lift one night at Jerry's gym.  As we were doing the challenge, Jerry came in and we told him about the question. His answer, full of confidence, was something along the lines of "Yes, I would definitely attempt the shots.  That would be so easy."  So he lines up, wearing his house slippers, and starts taking the shots.  As Sean and I count down the shots, he is puzzled that none of them seem to be going in.  It wasn't until shot 24 that he made his first half court shot, but he still claims the answer to this question is a no brainer (but we can confirm he was starting to sweat a bit). 

Olympic Trials Talk With Vanessa

For more in our “Olympic Trials Talk” series visit our Olympic Trials page.

Do you remember when you first set the goal of making the Olympics? When did it begin to feel like a realistic one?

I'm not the athlete who had the childhood dream of going to the Olympics. I remember watching The Games on TV growing up and thinking it was fun to watch, but that was about the extent of it. My sole childhood dream was to go to Stanford one day (which developed in 3rd grade after attending many football games with my family there), and then in the summer of 2008 (going into 8th grade), I attended the Nike XC Stanford Camp and decided my goal was not just to attend Stanford but to run XC/Track there one day too. Many people thought this was a crazy aspiration for a young kid to have, but in eventually fulfilling that which was 10 years in the making, I kinda started to believe in the power of manifesting your dreams for yourself. I'm glad it worked out, because without the coaches and teammates I had at Stanford, I don't think I would be in the position today of running professionally and pursuing the goal of making an Olympic team. I would consider myself a late bloomer in the sport, and it wasn't until my 4th and 5th years at Stanford ('17-'18) that I saw a level of success that made me imagine something beyond the collegiate running world for myself. I am forever grateful for those college coaches and teammates who helped me to both discover my potential at the time and create even bigger dreams for myself in the future.

It's been a rollercoaster 15 months for you, from running a huge lifetime best of 14:48 in the 5,000m to then having double achilles surgery a couple months after that. What thoughts or practices have helped you most through that recovery back to racing?

Vanessa running 14:48 in February of 2020.

The emotional high of running that breakthrough 5K last February to the low of dealing with my first real running injury setback/surgery was pretty tough. And the timeline to get back to racing at a high level has been longer than I (probably way too over-optimistically) envisioned. I have learned a lot of things from the experience - mostly to just focus on taking the next step forward, no matter how big or small. Sometimes, those steps forward were quite literal - one year ago to the day, I tried to take my first steps out of the double walking boots, and when I first stood up my ankles buckled from the weakness/pain and I fell right back down on the couch! Celebrating all those little moments of progress along the way often felt quite tedious, but it was the only way not to get too overwhelmed by how much further was left to go. Here I am a year later, still feeling like there is a long way to go, but if I can continue to get excited about taking more steps forward from where I am today and to see whatever that might look like for me at the Trials, then it is a huge personal victory. Another important perspective that continues to help me in this comeback is to just accept whatever timeline my body needs to fully bounce back from this surgery... I know I can't control exactly when it will be ready to run PRs again, but I know the time will come. Above all else, I am truly overjoyed to now be training and racing pain-free, which any runner knows is one of the most important keys to running fast.

Is there one key workout that's given you a lot of confidence or do you just look at the total body of work?

I try to look at the total body of work and remember that consistent training over time is the best way to be ready to race well ('time and pressure, like geology', as Jerry likes to say - lol). But I do rely on having at least one spicy workout in the final weeks leading up to a race to just give me a little extra confidence boost - my favorite confidence booster before a 5K is Mile-1200-800-400-Mile running everything at 5K pace and faster.

What's your mental routine like before a big race? Are you someone who gets a lot of nerves? Are you doing positive visualizations? Just chilling in your hotel room watching movies?

I get pretty nervous before all races - I visualize the race in the days leading up to it, but I just try to turn my mind off completely on race day and have fun distractions. My favorite pre-race routine is a little hotel room dance party while getting ready with Elise - shakes out the nerves and turns them into excitement.

From Palo Alto to Portland.

What's it been like to join a professional group with 3 of your college teammates? Are you sick of them yet?

I can't imagine anyone ever getting sick of Sean, Elise, or Grant! They are some of the best people this world has to offer, and I am not biased at all. I feel so lucky to have had a front row seat to all of their careers over the years - hard-working, dedicated, and resilient doesn't even begin to sum them up. They are incredibly supportive teammates, and I am inspired by them daily.

Do you have a favorite Jerry story?

The first time I met Jerry we had lunch at Nike and I got a sandwich that had a bunch of mustard on it.. I hate mustard. I was trying to be polite but clearly having a hard time getting the sandwich down. We then bonded over the fact that he hates mustard too. He offered me some of his plain salad (no dressing) which is when I learned what a bland eater Jerry is!

Olympic Trials Talk With Gwen

For more in our “Olympic Trials Talk” series visit our Olympic Trials page.

Do you remember when you first set the goal of making the Olympics? When did it begin to feel realistic?

When I was in middle school I dreamed of going to the Olympics in swimming, but quickly realized that dream would not come true. I never made a national, or junior national team so my goals changed and my new goal was to major in mathematics and swim for fun. Sadly, my mathematics goal changed too when I realized you had to study math theories, not just solve equations. (I graduated with a masters in Accountancy instead of mathematics.)

Gwen just after winning the Olympic Gold Medal in Triathlon in 2016

When I started triathlon, I was told that I could make an Olympic team but I didn't believe it. I didn't fully believe I could make an Olympic team until I qualified by placing 2nd in a race I was ranked 54th in. At first I felt guilty, undeserving. I was overwhelmed and took a family vacation with my Mom and Dad. It didn't fully sink in until I was asked "Gwen, do you want to go to the Olympics? You qualified, but that doesn't mean you need to go. You can say no." I was taken aback, but it forced me to realize I wanted to go and I wanted to win. (That was in 2012, when I did not win, I was 38th but it fueled a fire to win gold in Rio)

How, if at all, do your goals and mindset differ from this point of the year in 2016?

In 2016, a bronze or silver medal would have been a failure. To say my goals are different this time around is an understatement. However, my mindset is relatively the same. In 2016 I had all the tools in my toolbox to perform, I knew I just had to have an average day, do what I've already done. This time I know I haven't had eight years to prepare for one event. I've only really had two years of track training to prepare. My mentality is still the same when I break it down to the process of focusing on doing my best, getting the most out of myself, and challenging myself to perform at the highest level. The outcome may look different, but the process and mindset are still the same. I still journal, reflect, and prioritize sleep and recovery.

You chose to stay in Portland rather than train at camp since you feel your body does not respond well to altitude training. Can you talk through the thought process of trying to balance using the team environment to push you and still individualizing things for your specific needs?

Having teammates is one of the major reasons I decided to train with Bowerman. However, I've proven over and over that I don't perform out of altitude. Going to altitude is stressful on the body. Your body is working harder than at sea level. Most people go to altitude and distractions are eliminated (they no longer have house projects, they are living with others who help share the cooking load, there's no going out and seeing friends). However, for me, I create more stress when I go to altitude. I can't live without my son and husband for forty plus days, so I take them with me. If you have a three year old you understand how traveling to a place where you don't have childcare, support, backyards, or toys can become more difficult. In Portland, I have the perfect setup where I live close to where we train and don't have to drive a car (something that is stressful for me). I have a sauna for heat training. I have an at-home-gym. When I travel all these amenities disappear and become additional stressors for me. The stress becomes too much and my body and mind can't keep up, causing me to get in a hole. This year, I only spent four weeks solo at sea level, before some of my teammates returned. While they were gone, I feel so fortunate to have had Shalane here to run with and to coach me. We really thrived together and I love now that I have Emily, Marielle, and Vanessa back in town to prep leading into the final weeks until the trials.

Is there one key workout that's given you a lot of confidence or do you just look at the total body of work?

I haven't been training long enough to have one specific workout that gives me confidence. I find I haven't had too many repeat workouts with Jerry. My confidence comes from consistency. I don't need to smash any one workout out of the park. I know that consistent training is better than one great workout followed by two bad ones. I do have a favorite workout though. It would be mile or 1k repeats with three to six minutes of rest.

You took up triathlon post-college and became the Olympic champion. After that you switched over to running and compete at a world class level. Those both take a lot of self belief and determination. What's your best advice for people who want to do something hard and maybe a little out there in their own lives?

Growing up I was overly worried about what other people thought. I was racing and training and living my life to try to please other people. The older I get the less I care about what others think. I have a small group of people I entrust and ask for critical feedback from (my husband, coach, a few friends, etc). I know that I am trying my best and working hard and smart, which gives me confidence. I also know I'll make mistakes, and that's ok. I'll try better next time. Following my dreams has always just been me wanting to find my potential. When I made the switch to running it was an easy decision for me. Staying in triathlon may have seemed like the easy choice, but I would have been miserable and unmotivated and not getting the most out of myself. I love running and know I haven't reached my potential. It allows me to give my best, to be motivated, to prioritize sleep and recovery. I take pride in knowing I will leave it all out on the track and am hopeful that inspires others to follow their passions as well.

Your husband Pat is a great chef. What are your top 3 favorite meals that he cooks?

My top three meals constantly change because Pat is always coming up with new creations. One meal that hasn't changed over the years is a salad. It sounds basic, but it's good and sometimes basic is best. It's lettuce, celery, cucumber, peppers, tomato, hot cubed sweet potatoes, avocado and dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Another favorite is scrambled eggs. I know it's not a meal, but I've tried so many times to make eggs like he does and I can't because I am not patient enough and turn the heat up too high. Recently he's been making rice bowls, which I love. It's just sauteed veggies, cooked rice, a protein, and a bomb vegan sauce made from cashews, ginger, lime, garlic, miso paste, liquid aminos, and water.

Do you have a favorite Jerry story?

Jerry is someone who is very difficult to get on the phone, but also very difficult to get off the phone. He has somehow learned that I dislike long phone calls and I take pride in the fact that Jerry and I have never had a phone conversation over 10 minutes. I think this must be a record for an athlete of Jerry's. Jerry knows that if he wants to chat he can call my husband, Patrick. The ratio of calls from Jerry in our household is probably 4:1 (Patrick:Gwen).

Statement From Coach Jerry Schumacher

To The Track and Field Community: 

In January of this year, I was notified that Shelby had recorded a positive drug test in December 2020. The positive test was for a substance called nandrolone, something that neither Shelby nor I had ever heard of. Shelby was placed on a provisional suspension as we tried to understand how this test could have happened. 

Over the course of the past six months, I’ve learned more than I ever wanted to know about drug testing—about the procedures and organizations that govern our sport. What I’ve learned has eroded all the faith I had in their ability to fairly serve and protect clean athletes. 

Throughout this process we were confident that the truth would lead to justice. What I’ve come to learn instead is that anti-doping authorities are okay with convicting innocent athletes so long as nine out of ten convictions are legitimate. That is wrong. It is my understanding that our drug-testing technology is now becoming so sensitive that anti-doping labs are catching increasing numbers of clean athletes. Shelby’s positive test was for an exceedingly small amount of a substance that is known from WADA’s own studies to be present in certain types  of pork—less than 12 hours after she ate at a Mexican food truck that served pig organ meat. I do not understand how any competent and unbiased body could fail to conclude that Shelby is innocent. 

Shelby was treated unfairly at every step of this process. The AIU refused to charge her for months, despite no additional evidence being presented, opting to leave her in a provisionally suspended state until they were forced by Shelby’s legal team to charge her and agree to a hearing before the CAS so that Shelby could compete at the Olympic Trials. I believe if this had been USADA handling her case it would have been handled differently. At the very least, I’m confident she would have been treated fairly. 

Shelby, I know you and I know the type of athlete you are and, far more importantly, the type of person you are. I don’t have the words to articulate the depths of sadness I feel right now for you. I want you to know that you are not alone, and I can only hope that in the coming days and weeks that you will feel supported by the very best aspect of our sport: the track and field community. 

To my coaching colleagues and friends in track and field: You are the ones who know me. You know me as a friend. You know me as a competitor. You know me as an imperfect and flawed human. But you also know how I feel about doping and know that I would never disrespect you by allowing or supporting it in any fashion. I will lean on you the most during this time because we have been gifted with an incredible opportunity to work with young, passionate people and none of us should ever have to watch one of them go through this. It is now my understanding that “friendly fire” casualties in the war on doping are acceptable, and we should all be outraged by that. No clean athlete should have to go through what Shelby is right now, and we need to demand better for our athletes. 

To the clean athletes that I’ve coached against: You have every reason to be confused and distrustful of people in this sport. You are forced to witness and compete against dopers all the time. You are also led down roads of confusion that make you question everyone and everything. I understand. I do it too! All I can tell you is that I’m sorry this adds another layer of doubt. Shelby, your competitor, friend, and teammate has had her entire career taken away from her for something she didn’t do. Not all of you will believe me and many of you will be skeptical. But to those that do, you should be outraged that this can happen. You should be outraged that the powerful organizations in our sport are not protecting you. You should be outraged that it happened to Jarrion Lawson, Ajee Wilson, Brenda Martinez, and now Shelby. You should be outraged that it can happen to you. You should demand better from your sport. You need to demand better from your sport.

To the powerful organizations that can enact change: Where are you? What are you doing? Why does this continue to happen to clean athletes? My understanding is that here in America we come into contact with many contaminants that can lead to positive tests in our food, fluids, and supplements. It is also my understanding that USADA is aware of this and accounts for this in their analysis of each case. Yet Shelby is still in this position. To borrow a leading anti-doping official’s response to me, “how many lambs will be led to the slaughter” before we address this issue? 

Finally, to the AIU and WADA: Shame on you! Shame on you for not caring about the truth. Shame on you for using athletes in a political chess match. You got it very wrong this time and that is not okay. It’s not okay to be right nine out of ten times when deciding to execute someone’s athletic life and dreams. You do not deserve this power. 

What we are witnessing here is a great tragedy in the history of American distance running. Not only is Shelby an exceptionally talented athlete, but she has also developed her talent through hard work and discipline. She is tough as nails. She is an exceptional teammate. She loves to compete. She just might be the best 1500m runner in the world this year, but we will never get the opportunity to find out. And that’s a tragedy. 

Over the past six months I’ve learned that certain organizations in track and field have abandoned clean athletes. We need drug-testing, and aggressive drug-testing at that, to work towards a cleaner sport. I will always support that. But the system is broken. It is a system that no longer protects clean athletes and instead ruins them. We can only assume that this will continue to happen if we, coaches and athletes, continue to accept it. I hope that we demand better from our sport, because our athletes deserve it. 

Jerry Schumacher

Olympic (Trials) Talk With Marc Scott

For all of our coverage on the Olympics/Olympic Trials visit our Olympic Trials Dashboard

Do you remember when you first set the goal of making the Olympics? When did it begin to feel like a realistic one?

I first set the goal of making the Olympics when I started out running, I was 10 years old and it was merely a dream. Who knows what I was thinking back then but it was something which I set out to accomplish. I feel this goal became a realistic one once I joined BTC and saw how hard the team worked on a daily basis, training with olympians and medalists really made those dreams become a reality.

For our non-UK fans (and maybe for the UK ones, too) can you explain how the selection process works for the Olympics?

There are two ways in which you can qualify for the Olympics, first you have to achieve the relevant time or ’standard’ in your given event. Once this is accomplished you then have to place in the top 2 at the Olympic Trials to guarantee automatic selection. Third place (three spots on the team) is at the discretion of the selectors providing you have the standard. If you have run close to the standard and have achieved a high enough World Ranking then you may be invited to the games and your country then has to accept the invitation on your behalf (they don’t have to do this).

(Editor’s Note: Marc secured his Olympic spot by winning the British Championships on June 6th!)

Marc running 3:35 last summer.

It's been a tremendous 12 months of improvement for you as you've set personal best at every distance from 1500 to half marathon (3:35, 7:36, 13:05, 27:10, and 60:43). Was there a moment where it really struck you that you'd reached another level or has it all just happened gradually?

I felt like I had reached another level once I ran 3:35 last summer during one of our BTC Intrasquad meets (race video here), I came away from altitude knowing I was in great shape after having the best camp of my career with Bowerman. I took a lot of confidence from that race and then applied it for the remainder of the season and onwards into 2021.

How has that huge breakthrough changed your goals for this season? What would you consider a success now?

It seems my goals have drastically changed, knowing I can compete with the best in the world. I would have been content making the Olympic team two summers ago, but now I want to place in the top 10 in the 10,000m and at the very least make the final of the 5000m.

An image that comes up when you search “Yorkshire Mountains” and what we now imagine Marc running up as a young lad.

What the heck is "fell running" and how was that influential in your early career?

Fell running = American Trail/Mountain running. It involves navigating your way to the top of a ‘fell’ or a peak and then back down, usually with your own choice of route. You can cross rivers, go over deep bogs, climb rocks etc as long as you hit the associated checkpoints. This was very endurance and strength based, and the reason I started doing it was because I was not a fast junior and didn’t enjoy getting beat on the track. It has defintely enabled myself to build an engine and endure and running for a sustained amount of time.

You and Grant have been next to each other with a lap to go 4 times this year and the scoreboard is 2-2. So who has the better kick?

Lets have the next race decide this…but if we’re counting I believe I am 3-1

(Editor’s Note: Marc is correct and we would like to apologize to him and the entirety of the British nation for the error)

Who is the biggest one-stepper on the team and why is it you?

No comment.

(Editor’s Note: Your Honor, the prosecution rests)

Marc securing one of his THREE wins over Grant this year (and also running the 2nd fastest time in UK history at 27:10, race video here.

Olympic Trials Talk With Sinclaire Johnson

Note: Heading into the Olympic Trials and Olympics we’ll be doing a series of Q&A’s with athletes about their goals, processes, and experiences. Stay tuned to our Olympic Trials page!

Do you remember when you first set the goal of making the Olympics? When did

it begin to feel like a realistic one?

My first hopes of making the Olympic team was probably around my sophomore year of

high school. I started to gain some success on the track and I followed the sport a little

bit more outside of my high school bubble. I remember watching Allyson Felix win the

200m at the 2012 London Olympics and thinking I wanted to compete in the Olympic

Games one day. The goal of making the Olympic team became realistic in 2019 when I

finished 4th , one spot out of qualifying for the World Championship team. It set in that I

was at the level to really contend for an Olympic team and these childhood dreams can

become a reality.

You made the decision this fall to move from Oklahoma where you had been

training with your college coach out to Portland. What made you decide to make

the switch?

Sinclaire and Gabriela ripping at Utah Valley University.

I wanted to train with the best of the best.

And I thought the Bowerman Track Club

had that. I think being surrounded

everyday by people who have

accomplished things you want to

accomplish is invaluable. And I knew to get

the most out of my career I need to be

pushed by the best.

What has surprised you most about joining the team?

A lot of my expectations about joining the team have been pretty accurate. However, I

was honestly most surprised by the average weekly mileage on the team. Going from

college if you were running 70 mpw, then you were doing heavy mileage. Now, if you

run 70 mpw you are definitely on the low end of the mileage chart. I am still hanging on

to my 55 mpw until Jerry starts moving me up.

Altitude: love it or hate it?

I love getting to live with my teammates and getting to know them more. I love that we

go to beautiful places for altitude camp. And I love changing up the running scene by

being in a new place. I do not love how much harder the workouts feel. And I do not

love being tired majority of the time. So, I would say it’s a love/hate relationship!

How did the postponement of the Games last year affect your thinking? Were you

feeling ready to go and bummed it got moved or were you happy to have another

year to prepare?

I think the postponement was a blessing in disguise for me. I was obviously bummed

initially because it was an exciting thing I was looking forward to. But, with being a new

pro and navigating life after college running I think it gave me time to figure things out.

Knowing where I was mentally last year with having made a big change to my plans, I

think it would have been hard for me to be completely prepared to make the team. With

that year behind me and a solid 8 months of training with BTC, I think I am in a much

better position to turn my dreams in reality!

Sinclaire set an 800m Personal Best of 1:59.91 at the USATF Golden Games in May.

What’s your mental prep like in the weeks before a big race? Are you someone

who gathers all the data on your competitors and visualizes all the possibilities?

Or do you prefer to try and relax and put the race out of your mind?

For a 1500m race, tactics are crucial. I have been preparing outside of training by watching

old race videos of successful 1500m runners. I can gain insight on how to race or how to

put myself in the best position by watching these race videos. I am still figuring out my

competition at this level, but have a pretty solid idea of how people race. And I like to

visualize the race a couple times leading up to it.

The Hardest BTC Training Camp and the 5K That Followed

Professional athletes live to push their limits. But can you go too far?

Evan Jager, Ryan Hill, Dan Huling, and Chris Derrick look back on the 2014 Payton Jordan 5,000m and the wild training camp that lead up to it. They discuss workout details, living in a house with 8 guys and no WifFi, tactical mistakes, and the ethical obligations of getting out behind the rabbit. Thanks to  @FloTrack  for help with the video and the great training and racing footage!

Like and subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more content!

Activate with Kate! Full body at home session w/ Kate Grace

If the body is a temple then Kate Grace has become a guru over her many years running at the professional level. Follow along with Kate as she takes you through the rolling and activating of major muscle groups in the body. Some may seem familiar, some may be brand new, and some will catch you by surprise!

Get yo body right w/ Kate Grace

Crazy Finish, Shocking Victory: Karissa Schweizer reacts to winning NCAA XC

Karissa Schweizer, hot off her 3k American Record, remembers the race that made her a star. She discusses her breakout season, her thoughts during a wild last mile, and what it was like to make her Grandpa cry- but in a good way!

Karissa Schweizer Reacts!

Head to our Youtube channel to watch and subscribe for more content!

Most Painful Last Lap ever: Lopez Miscounts Laps and Still Wins

At the 2012 Payton Jordan 5,000m, Lopez Lomong tore away from the pack, sprinted down the homestretch, and raised his arms in victory. The only problem? He still had one lap to go. Listen to Lopez reminisce with teammates Andrew Bumbalough and Matt Tegenkamp on what went through his head during one of the most painful last laps in history. Was it the sunglasses? Was it the ease of tucking in behind Tegenkamp that lulled Lopez into losing track of laps? Watch the recap below to find out!

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Steeplechase Drills with Courtney Frerichs

Accomplishing the huge and massive often starts with the little things. Join BTC Pro Courtney Frerichs as she takes you through some Steeplechase drills you can do at home. We recommend not attempting any water pit jumps in your living room however!

Watch the full routine on our Youtube channel!

Next Level Partner Routine with Elise Cranny and Sean McGorty

Tired of all the same at home workout videos? The #McCranny team decided to up the game on y’all with a new series of partner exercises for you and your quaran-teammate. Sheltering alone? We’ve got plenty of solo exercises in our BTC: At Home playlist on our Youtube channel. Subscribe to our channel for more, and let us know what you'd like to see in the comments!

Not your average core routine!

Ryan Hill Wins World Championship Medal in Front of Home Crowd

Every track athlete dreams of winning a World Championship medal. Few get the opportunity, and even fewer get to do it with the home crowd roaring behind them. In this edition of BTC... At Home, Ryan Hill and Moh Ahmed relive what it was like to leave their house like any other morning, and return home with a Silver Medal.

Watch Moh and Ryan react on our youtube channel!

Upper Body Routine for Runners w/ Elyse Cranny and Sean McGorty

Runners often neglect their upper body and their posture. Our pro athletes incorporate some shoulder strength and stability into every core routine they do. In our latest BTC... At Home video, Sean and Elyse AKA McCranny, take you through one of our favorite routines. Not only will this improve your posture and running economy, but it will prepare you for Beach Season (we’re going to have #BeachSZN again, right?! 😬).

Watch the full routine on our youtube channel!

Looking back on the Boston Marathon with Shalane Flanagan

Growing up in Marblehead, MA, the Boston Marathon has always held a special place in Shalane Flanagan’s heart. Here she sits down with teammate Andrew Bumbalough to discuss the four times she ran Boston (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018). They talk about the highs and lows, the triumphs and the tragedies, the killer workouts and silly stories, and, yes, the godforsaken weather in 2018.

Watch on our youtube channel!

Emily Infeld and Shalane Flanagan React to 2015 World Championship Bronze Medal

In February of 2015, Emily was spending her days in the pool and gym, dreaming of one day getting back to racing. In August, she was standing on the podium at the World Championships. It’s one of the greatest and most shocking comebacks in US distance running history- and that’s before we even get to that famous final 100m! In our latest #tbt video, Emily and Shalane relive that wildly inspiring race and talk perseverance, training, race tactics, and how this all lead to Shalane’s coaching career. It’s going to be hard to get the smile off your face after this one!

Watch Emily and Shalane relieve the action and story that lead to a bronze medal!

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Physio Ball Routine w/ Gwen Jorgensen!

The physio ball (aka the Swiss Ball) is one of the most versatile pieces of gym equipment you can own. Our Professional team has a quick, compact routine that hits core, shoulders, glutes, and hamstrings. It's been a go-to for years, and after Gwen Walks you through it, we hope it will become one of your favorites as well!

Solinsky and Bairu React to Payton Jordan 10K Ten Years Later (26:59!!)

10 years ago Chris Solinsky shook up the running world and shocked himself in the process. In our latest edition of “throwback thursdays” in the “BTC: At Home” series, watch and listen to Chris and Simon take you through the training, the brotherly bickering, and the epic pre-race meal that lead to two national records in one night. Simon and Chris were instrumental in building what would eventually become the BTC Pro group so this is a special one for our club.

BTC: At Home S1_05 “10K’S, 10 YEARS”

Glutes, Hips, and Abs with Emily Infeld

The hips, as you may have heard, do not lie. Strong and mobile hips are a key component of healthy running. In our latest BTC... At Home video, Pro Emily Infeld takes you through some routines our pros use to stay healthy- and adds in some special tips she’s learned recovering hip surgery to boot. Follow the link in our bio to get those hips working!

Watch on Youtube!

Look Good, Feel Good. #FastBraidFriday

Social distancing should mean you’re seeing fewer people these days. But #FastBraidFriday isn’t about looking good for other people, it’s about feeling good for you! In our latest BTC At Home video, Colleen Quigley walks you through how to #lookgood #feelgood even when you can’t leave the house.
Check it out below!