1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:04,000 The City of Smack podcast is presented by Lollipop. 2 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:09,320 This one's for anyone who grew up crushing D animals in the 3 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:13,400 school cafeteria. Because that's exactly what 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,760 Lollipop's new Raspberry sherbert flavor tastes like, at 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,520 least to me. That creamy, fruity rainbow 6 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:23,320 sherbert hit that you haven't thought about in 20 years? 7 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:27,400 It's back, and this time it's actually good for you. 8 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:32,040 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with real plant fiber that supports 9 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:33,800 your gut health. And unlike the sodas that we 10 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:37,800 grew up on, it's low sugar. 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I'm your host Chris Chavez, and 23 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:21,760 every week we go beyond the results to bring you 24 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,760 conversations with the biggest names on the track, the roads, 25 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,040 and behind the scenes. From world class athletes and 26 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,560 coaches to innovators shaping the sport. 27 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,800 If it's happening on the track, we're covering it with real 28 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,840 insights that sharpen minds, deep dives into the moments that 29 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:39,640 define careers and the kind of access to the pros you won't get 30 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,640 anywhere else. So let's get into it because we 31 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:47,120 love track and field. My guest for today's episode is 32 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:49,520 Sam Blaskowski. Not a ton of you probably knew 33 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,800 his name before this weekend, but on Saturday at the Music 34 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:57,000 City Track Carnival in Cleveland, TN, he ran 9.89 35 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,320 seconds in the 100 meters, a win legal personal best that shaved 36 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:04,400 .16 seconds off of his previous mark of ten O 5. 37 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,880 This made him the fastest American of 2026 so far and put 38 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,000 him at #2 in the world. This season. 39 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:13,720 He skipped the nine 90s entirely. 40 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,080 Sam is 23 years old. He grew up in Wisconsin, went to 41 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,840 the University of Wisconsin Lacrosse, which is a Division 42 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,200 Three program where his grandparents live a mile from 43 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:24,640 the stadium and both of his parents went to school. 44 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,200 He graduated without ever contemplating leaving for a 45 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,800 Division One program. He has 11 individual NCAA 46 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,040 Division Three titles. He spent the offseason working 47 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,560 at a small regional airport to save money for his eventual move 48 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:42,240 to Florida, where he now trains with the Star Athletics Training 49 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:46,000 Group under coach Dennis Mitchell and alongside the likes 50 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,080 of Kenny Bonaric, Sha’Carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson 51 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,280 Wooden. This is his first season with 52 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:52,960 the group. The headline that took over the 53 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,120 Internet this weekend is that he's now the fastest white guy. 54 00:02:55,640 --> 00:02:58,600 Over 100 meters. In History Breaking Christoph 55 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:04,800 Lemetres 992 from 2011, Sam's own take on what he'd rather 56 00:03:04,920 --> 00:03:07,360 people focus on is that he's #2 in the world right now. 57 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:09,080 That's the story that he wants told. 58 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,440 In this conversation recorded just 48 hours after the race, 59 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:16,800 Sam walks us through the full arc which includes the college 60 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,360 and swimming background, YMCA YouTube tutorials during Kovid, 61 00:03:20,640 --> 00:03:25,040 and the steady year over year drops all the way from 10/29 to 62 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,240 now 989. We get into what his college 63 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,520 coach Matt Gordy unlocked in him, what Star Athletics has 64 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,200 done to fix the back half of his 100m race. 65 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,080 We also talk about the chip on his shoulder where this all goes 66 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,080 from here as he sets his sight on the US Championships and a 67 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,240 possible shot at the Ultimate Championships later this year in 68 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,720 Budapest. So without further ado, here is 69 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:59,320 Sam Blaskowski. All right, now I'm joined by Sam 70 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:04,280 Blaskowski, fresh off of a big 100M performance this weekend. 71 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,640 I mean, you've had a, what is it like 2448 hours now to, to 72 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,000 process things, Sam, Like what? What's it been like? 73 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,560 I guess kind of going viral and then at the same time just 74 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,600 capturing America's attention. Yeah, it's been really cool. 75 00:04:19,079 --> 00:04:22,240 I mean, the first a few hours I just kind of like I just had my 76 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:25,160 hands on my head just like like I don't know how I just skipped 77 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:29,440 9 nines and went to 98 because like to me that's like 98 is 78 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:31,880 like legit like almost legit almost. 79 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,320 It feels like. But it's been really cool just 80 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:36,320 to like, you know, reach out to all my people that have been 81 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,800 supporting me, especially my close people because you know, 82 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,640 it's just running 10 O every single week and I'm telling them 83 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,080 like guys, I can do it. Like I want to make it like I 84 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:46,240 can get there. And you know, I just keep 85 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:48,120 running 10 O and then they're like, oh, nice job. 86 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:49,640 I'm like, oh man, it wasn't like, but. 87 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,400 And then for finally to come and me to just like have that phone 88 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,760 call to my parents, you know, my family, my agent, my, my close 89 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,520 friends, be like, guys, I you know, I finally, you know, I got 90 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,240 that breakthrough moment and it's just been it was good. 91 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:02,760 So yeah. Yeah. 92 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,240 So 989 is. Is like it was a jump, but also 93 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:10,240 just like a mark that you in the past I think have been known 94 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:14,080 you've been fully capable of. I guess what what's the chase 95 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:15,880 been like? I guess to to get to this point 96 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,640 and like that self belief growing over time. 97 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,760 Yeah, it's been hard, like every day, you know, you go through 98 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,240 these mental battles and it's like, OK, how do I keep going, 99 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:26,600 right. And, and so in a sport, 100 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:28,800 especially when you're in a sport that like, you know, you 101 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,600 don't just like leave college and start making $1,000,000 a 102 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:33,200 year or even hundreds of thousands, right? 103 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:37,360 So you just kind of got to like build your own, like I wouldn't 104 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,560 say brand, but you got to build yourself like by yourself almost 105 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:44,080 in your close team. You get and so like every day 106 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:46,920 just like kind of big. The biggest part has been joint 107 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:50,720 like my support and joining this group of star athletics because 108 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:53,560 not only do they bring me in the first day, they just like have 109 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,360 been giving me this unwilling support and belief of like just 110 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:58,400 help me, like just training with them every day. 111 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,760 He builds you like here a lot and like that's such a mental 112 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,480 coach too. And like it just everything kind 113 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:09,200 of adds up together and like it, it helps you really like believe 114 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:12,720 in yourself and just keep going everyday and working hard and 115 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,400 knowing that you can like if you put in the work, you will get 116 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:16,400 there. You know what I mean? 117 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,120 So especially starting the season running 10 O and then 118 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:21,200 going down to 10 O one and then back to 10 O and 10 O is just 119 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,760 like, man, like I joined the best group in the world and I 120 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,640 just can't get my like PR yet. And I know it's like you got to 121 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:28,160 have patience, but I wanted it right? 122 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,360 Like I just training has been going very well for me. 123 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:32,200 And so I was like, I've been feeling, I'm like, I can, I 124 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:34,000 feel, I can feel a nine coming, right? 125 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:36,280 And it came and I'm just like, hi there. 126 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:38,240 Like now, now I can stay in that range, right? 127 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,240 Because my body did it. And yeah, it's been, it's been 128 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,520 pretty sweet, just. But like the mental battle has 129 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:45,080 been like, it's been hard, I'm not going to lie. 130 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,280 Like there's days where just like, I mean, everyone says like 131 00:06:48,280 --> 00:06:50,120 there's days you want to quit and you just got to keep going, 132 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:51,800 right. And like days I wake up and I'm 133 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,560 like, oh, man, like, how do I get better, Right. 134 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:55,440 And so. Yeah. 135 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:58,920 We'll dive into a little bit of your your back story, which, you 136 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,400 know, I think a lot of people are going to love, especially 137 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:05,880 coming out of the D3 ranks. But before we, you know, kind of 138 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:09,880 go back in time, I do want to hear about the race itself that 139 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,400 took place this weekend. I guess take me into your shoes 140 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,440 like in the blocks. And then I guess like the moment 141 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:19,240 that you felt that it started to open up because I mean, for you 142 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,960 like it's the last 40 meters where really like you came 143 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:23,920 alive. I'll start kind of the whole day 144 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:25,320 because, you know, it's it was interesting. 145 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,640 Like, you know, we get to the meet and, and we're like, all 146 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:28,800 right, so we're there two hours early. 147 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:32,160 Coach Watts, is there a certain time we get there and it just 148 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:36,360 starts torrential downpouring like like just full on like I, I 149 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:37,960 took videos. I was like, this is crazy. 150 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:39,800 Like, and you know, our team mates are like, man, we're going 151 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,680 to go out there around 10410 three like in this rain. 152 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:44,640 And I'm like, oh man, like, come on. 153 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:47,000 Like, you know, my body's been feeling, my body felt really 154 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,840 good last week in LA And I was like, Dang, why didn't I run? 155 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:52,320 Like what I wanted to, right? I ran all right, But then I got 156 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:54,880 here and I'm like, all right, body, you know, just raced, 157 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,280 traveled week, you know, barely had any training This week. 158 00:07:57,600 --> 00:07:59,320 I'm like, well, and also I start warming up. 159 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:00,640 I start feeling really good, right? 160 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,280 I'm like, OK, you know, and the, the rain stops, the clouds start 161 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:07,440 to kind of clear up a little. The rain or the the sun shines a 162 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:09,040 little and you got that humidity. 163 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:10,840 So I'm like, I'm really sweating, right? 164 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,800 And something that I've really enjoyed is like sweating really 165 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:17,240 hard before my race has been helped me like really warm my 166 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:20,040 body up and like feel like I can, you know, really get going. 167 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:25,760 And so, but in that race I ran 10 OI think 7 in the prelims and 168 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:27,440 I crossed the line. I'm like, how did that feel 169 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:28,440 good? Like I felt like that was my 170 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:30,520 nine, Like I just felt it. And I look at the scoreboard. 171 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:34,120 I'm like, like, still not my PR close, but it's a good another 172 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:36,080 10 O race. I'm like, man, I just I got to 173 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,000 stop running these 10 OS and like get to that next level and 174 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,159 I get to the final and I'm with my teammates. 175 00:08:41,159 --> 00:08:43,080 We're excited. We're pumping each other up and 176 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:45,440 there's some other good, really good guys in the competition 177 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:47,480 that are like firing me up. Like we're just like, come on, 178 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:48,840 guys, let's go work together, right? 179 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:50,280 Like cuz it's not a big meet, right? 180 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:52,400 But it's, there's still really a competition there. 181 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:55,440 You know, a bunch of guys GO-910-O and I'm like, guys, we 182 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:57,320 got to fire it up and all work. Like we got to all work 183 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,640 together, right? Not just like be all like, you 184 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,320 know what I mean? And so I was like, let's fire it 185 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:04,640 up, let's have a good race. And I just, I got out of the 186 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:06,280 blocks. I had a really, I felt like I 187 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:10,720 had a good like an exert almost. It's like got out and it felt 188 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:13,520 powerful and I just drove as long as I could because that's 189 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:15,440 what me and coach have been working on as a drive phase. 190 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:20,400 I've never driven in a race. So I drove out of the blocks, 191 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:22,960 got to 40 meters, surged, stand up and I was like, all right, 192 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,440 now I got to get to my mechanics, but I honestly didn't 193 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:26,760 even start thinking about my mechanics. 194 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:30,680 I kind of just like I got to run scared as heck behind these guys 195 00:09:30,680 --> 00:09:32,200 because they're going to come and get me, right? 196 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:33,360 Like they're going to want to come get me. 197 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:35,480 So I'm like running for my life, running for my life and I'm 198 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:37,800 like, and then I finished line like no one got me, like no one 199 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:39,280 got me. So I'm like I, I, I beat a good 200 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,560 field, right? And I'm and I'm looking and I'm 201 00:09:41,560 --> 00:09:44,640 like, I felt good. I, I turn my lap, I see 992 and 202 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:49,080 I'm like, whoa, like not even just 999 right, 992. 203 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,280 And then all of a sudden I hear the announcer say 98 and I'm 204 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:53,520 like, so I can't really see like the exact time. 205 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:56,520 You just see the big like I guess the pop up time when you, 206 00:09:56,520 --> 00:10:00,320 when you stop the thing and I hear 98 and I just like lost it 207 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:02,120 like I right then and there my my mind. 208 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,760 I don't know what happened, but it just like it just blew up 209 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:08,800 because I was like like I'm here like I like all my like years 210 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:10,160 and years of just like going to bed. 211 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:12,720 Like I want to run 99 man, like I just want to run and then I 212 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,480 skip and not go 98. Like it just like all hit me 213 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,560 like like years, like I've been in the sport, probably not too 214 00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:21,080 not long, like very long, but I've been like since I got in 215 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:22,640 the sport. I was like, I wanted like get to 216 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,840 that level right, where I can run 9897 and you know, and my 217 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,000 first goal was 99, but I skipped that. 218 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:31,080 And that was that was like the moment where I was like, what 219 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:32,200 like I couldn't believe it, right? 220 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:35,240 Like if I ran 999 win legal. I've been like, this is awesome, 221 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,360 Like I the train's been working, but to get to the 98, it was 222 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,200 like it was just mind blowing to me. 223 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,120 I like just I sat there and I just couldn't believe it. 224 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,840 Like theoretically. Yeah, because I guess the wild 225 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,040 part to all of this is that you basically had previously, like, 226 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,440 predicted this in college. I think in, you know, previous 227 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:54,920 interviews you've said that your coach's line was that you'll run 228 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:59,280 your win dated time win legal one day and you would half 229 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,840 jokingly respond like, OK, that probably converts to like a 99. 230 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:05,040 So you literally called your own shot? 231 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,600 Yeah, yeah, that's I literally when I ran 999 with like a six 232 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:10,880 point O my sophomore junior year. 233 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:15,280 I literally just, I posted, I'm like coach said if I whatever I 234 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,600 run win dated. I run run win legal one day. 235 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,480 I don't know how long it's gonna take, but it'll happen and just 236 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:25,480 trust the process. Take me back, I guess to even, 237 00:11:25,680 --> 00:11:27,920 you know, you said you've been in the sport for a while, but 238 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:31,760 did you really, I guess, like, only have like one month of high 239 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,120 school track because you have a background as a soccer kid, a 240 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:39,400 swimmer and then like, you're one of those athletes who 241 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:42,960 definitely had their career interrupted by the pandemic. 242 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:48,160 Yeah, crazy pandemic like so yeah, I did swimming, soccer, 243 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:49,960 soccer was my main sport. I loved it. 244 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,280 I love the team aspect. It was it was my sport in my 245 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:55,560 heart right throughout high school. 246 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:00,360 And then I the pandemic hit and like I tried baseball my 247 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:03,040 freshman and sophomore year and I would, I would hit the ball 248 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,120 and I'd run to first base and like no matter where I hit the 249 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,080 ball, I was there, right? Like no, like if it was a bunt, 250 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,560 if it was a hit to the pitcher, I'm beating it out right. 251 00:12:10,560 --> 00:12:13,080 I'm getting to first base. And so one of my coaches was 252 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,000 like, you should try track. And I was like, I think I can 253 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:16,440 jump far right. I think I can jump. 254 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,640 And so I went out my my sophomore year and I did one 255 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,800 track me and I jumped like 21 feet and they thought that was 256 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:25,120 like pretty crazy. And I was like, hi, like, we'll 257 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,400 see how it goes. And then I was trying to try 258 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:31,640 track my sophomore year of I was trying track baseball and soccer 259 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:33,200 all together. I was just all trying them out 260 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,560 club soccer. I still trying to play baseball 261 00:12:35,560 --> 00:12:38,080 because I loved that I grew up playing that. 262 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:40,120 And then I tried tracks. It was like they said, you're 263 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:44,000 going to be fast and good at it. And I ran like 11-3 and I was 264 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:45,960 like, all right. And then I was balancing too 265 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:47,520 many sports and I tore my hip flexor. 266 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,760 So I, so I kind of got like put to the side and it was like an 267 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:52,200 injury. So I couldn't play all three at 268 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:52,840 all. I couldn't play it. 269 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:56,400 So I sophomore year kind of got deleted and then junior year 270 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,280 came and they're like, everything's cancelled. 271 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,000 Like you're not, you're not going to school. 272 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:02,920 Senior year cancelled too. And I was like, Oh my gosh. 273 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,160 And so during that time, I just started going to the YMCA, 274 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:08,520 looking up TikTok, YouTube videos of how can I be the 275 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,400 fastest and best long jumper in the country? 276 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,840 Like, how can I get good? So I would start doing these 277 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:17,320 like videos I follow online, like just, you know, jumping off 278 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:20,600 the ground, doing plyometric. So I'm just anything at the YMCA 279 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:23,160 who's awesome. And then senior year came in 280 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,000 like, OK, well we're going to have a season, but it's going to 281 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:27,960 be in like July. So it's like after your 282 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:31,400 recruiting time per frame, colleges already got their guys. 283 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:33,080 So it's like June, July, I'm like, all right, I'll go have 284 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:34,520 fun. And I ended up doing pretty 285 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:35,920 well. I was getting better every race 286 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:39,600 at a rate and running 1083 to win the state championship, long 287 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,840 jumping 23, six and then running the 200 and 2199. 288 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,160 It wasn't great conditions, but like they're still all right 289 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:47,360 times. But they weren't like, you know, 290 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:49,280 the 10 ones that kids are running these days in high 291 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:51,200 school. So I got to these 10 eights and 292 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,360 I'm like, OK, like I talked to my parents and I'm like, well, I 293 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:56,640 want to go to school for track now because I won state, right? 294 00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:59,920 It's a big deal to win state. And so they're like, well, let's 295 00:13:59,920 --> 00:14:02,200 look at some universities. So I looked at like, ripping, 296 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:05,840 you know, lacrosse because lacrosse is where both my 297 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:07,800 parents went. And my dad was, like, pretty 298 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:08,800 adamant. Like they have such a great 299 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:11,280 academic school. Like my parents were really 300 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,040 pushing my academics because they're like, you're a good 301 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,480 athlete, but like, you got to get a job, right? 302 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:16,880 Like you got to have a good academics. 303 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,120 And I was like, yeah, but like, I don't want to like work a job. 304 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,120 I was like, I don't want to work a job. 305 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,520 Mom and dad. And you know, so they're like, 306 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,160 well, you should go to the University of Wisconsin 307 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:27,200 lacrosse. Your grandma grand grandparents 308 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,560 live a mile away from campus. And so I was like, and they have 309 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:32,400 a good successful program of track. 310 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:34,000 My dad wrestled there in college. 311 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,360 Their team was a national runner up and so I was like, alright, 312 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:39,240 I'll go to lacrosse. So I called the coach and 313 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:41,840 they're like, yeah, like you can come here for long jumping and 314 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:44,040 Sprint coach like, you know, dabbled with me but didn't 315 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:45,760 really talk to me, but he did when I went to state. 316 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:47,920 So I was but they're like you should come here for long time 317 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:50,640 because he went 23 feet, 6 inches, which was I think it was 318 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:53,480 better than running 10/8 or I don't know, they're good, but I 319 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:55,160 don't they just were kind of like, yeah, come on out. 320 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,520 And then all of a sudden, like, you know, they took me in under 321 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:01,720 the bell and like my sprints and then like the long jumping kind 322 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:03,280 of worked out. I would get I got like a little 323 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:06,200 better went 24 feet, but it was really that sprinting that took 324 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:08,000 me off. My coach really worked with me 325 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:11,640 through like my for my mechanics on the speed work and it was 326 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:13,440 just a great team atmosphere. In my first year. 327 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:18,040 I ran 1029 win legal and then I went 10/1 went really windy, 328 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,800 like 4 point O and right. That's when I like was like, all 329 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:24,920 right, like I believed I did it. Like now got to keep taking the 330 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:27,280 steps and I was like, and you know, of course everyone's 331 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:29,000 messaging me like, Oh, you got to go to a big Division One 332 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,360 school now. And I'm like, well, it's working 333 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:32,440 for me. Why would I leave, right? 334 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,760 And I continue to just keep that mentality of like, and they, my 335 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,560 coach would my coach, Matt Gordy would just continue to support 336 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,560 me in any way possible as a human, as a athlete, as a 337 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:45,080 student, my family, everyone was just supporting me so well. 338 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:47,600 And it just worked out for me. And and then I built a really 339 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,080 good relationship with my grandparents that like I was 340 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,800 over at their house every day. And so it kind of just was like, 341 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,320 I can't really leave this atmosphere that I built because 342 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,160 like, that's how I am. I wanted to be loyal to my team, 343 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:59,560 my, my family, just everyone around me. 344 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,080 I was like, I'm going to finish my four years, see where I'm at. 345 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:06,320 And so when I finished my four years coach was like, he was 346 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:08,640 super adamant of like, all right, we got to get you a big 347 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:12,000 training group, right? And so I was like, OK, like, and 348 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:15,440 he really just kind of took me under and just started like cold 349 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:19,640 calling people here there. And we cold called Dennis and, 350 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,640 you know, we went up to a Meadow track meet and we're like, Hey, 351 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:25,400 Dennis, this is Sam. He's a sprinter D you know, runs 352 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,960 ran 10 all in 20.3. And it's like, oh cool man. 353 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:31,640 And here's my number. And my coaches kept like texting 354 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:34,680 him every race I ran, he would text him video what it did. 355 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:37,560 And and Dennis kind of noticed like, OK, this kid, like they're 356 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:40,600 continually trying to like, you know, reach out to me, be part 357 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,120 of the team. And so this this year, Dennis 358 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:45,960 gave me a chance to come down. He's like, I'm going to take a 359 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:49,000 chance on you, like you come down, see if you can survive. 360 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:52,200 And I came down and the team was just nothing but supportive and 361 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,840 like they loved it. You know, I loved it. 362 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,640 It felt like college team again, like it just felt like I was 363 00:16:57,640 --> 00:16:59,080 like, OK, this is where I belong, right? 364 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:02,200 And like it came down here the first good few weeks, went back 365 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,920 home and we kind of decided like, OK, is this the place for 366 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,200 me to move full time? And we we my agent dentist and 367 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:09,520 called me like this, like, let's do it. 368 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:12,400 Like let's move here full time. So I, you know, got an apartment 369 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,119 came down and training has just been so great. 370 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,400 The support of the team within like it's just been like it's 371 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,400 been like almost peak life for me is not not only an athlete, 372 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:23,800 but just like enjoying the time with everyone. 373 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,280 Like it feels like college, like, you know, we're going out 374 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:29,120 bowling, we're just having fun, we're working hard every day. 375 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:31,920 The competition. That's what really like my coach 376 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,720 wanted for me is like you need to go somewhere to get pushed 377 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,720 right, because in Division Three I got pushed, but it there's 378 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:40,040 levels to this right. And so, you know, getting pushed 379 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:43,120 by guys like Kenny every day and Christian and Courtney and Pete, 380 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:45,320 like all those guys in the group just getting pushed by them 381 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,160 every single day is, is what kind of, I was like, this is 382 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:50,640 going to make me take the next step and it paid off, I guess 383 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:52,760 so. Yeah, no, I could already sense 384 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:56,480 sort of like the excitement just sort of of that SparkNotes 385 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,440 version you gave of your entire collegiate career. 386 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:03,400 And I guess I'm definitely curious more on the recruiting 387 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:08,160 side of things where it was, you know, you wrap up your NCAA 388 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,440 career and coach it. It's Coach Gordy, right? 389 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,560 I guess who's texting Dennis throughout that whole entire 390 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,680 process? Like was it mostly Coach Gordy? 391 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,600 I guess like pitching you and you just sort of performing the 392 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,720 entire time without like a ton of outreach to Dennis. 393 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:27,600 Yeah, for sure. That's a great question. 394 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:31,680 So during this process, you know, it was right after NCAA S 395 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:34,560 and Dennis was like, hey, you should try to find an agent. 396 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:37,080 And I was like, OK. And I've been in touch with an 397 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,200 agent of Team Total, like be like, hey, like because one of 398 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:43,880 one of Gordy's best friends is with Team Total, Gabby Rooker. 399 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:47,200 So we know Gabby Rooker and she got us connected with Team 400 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:48,800 Total. So that was super helpful 401 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:50,560 because it was like, I didn't really have any connections to 402 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:52,080 the agencies. We reached out to agencies, but 403 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:54,360 they wouldn't respond. So this connection helped us, 404 00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:56,120 right? And so they were like, Oh yeah, 405 00:18:56,120 --> 00:18:58,440 like we'll sign Sam on. I'm like, yes, I just like, you 406 00:18:58,440 --> 00:18:59,880 know, I just need that chance, right? 407 00:19:00,120 --> 00:19:03,280 So they took me on, supported me, like helped me. 408 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,040 But this whole time, Gordy's doing everything right? 409 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,160 He's texting coaches, He's calling coaches. 410 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:10,200 I'm copping on the call here and there. 411 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,560 But it's mainly like he's doing a lot of it while I'm like 412 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:17,040 training for Usas also working a part time job at the airport, 413 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:19,480 you know, kind of just building money so that when I do move, I 414 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:21,840 have a little bit of a foundation to help support me. 415 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,200 And so like, he was just, he was the biggest support. 416 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:27,680 He's just very good communicating wise. 417 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:30,640 And like, yeah, he he has helped me support a lot. 418 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:33,280 And like, without him, I probably would have been like, 419 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:35,360 you know, still at the university trying to like, get 420 00:19:35,360 --> 00:19:38,480 my way, you know, running. But like, without him, like, I 421 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,120 couldn't have got the chance down here with Dennis. 422 00:19:40,120 --> 00:19:42,080 And then without Dennis, you know, just kind of it all 423 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,120 staggered down, like with I needed this whole team to get 424 00:19:45,120 --> 00:19:46,880 where I am. You know, it's not just me. 425 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,680 It's like the foundation that built around me to help me get 426 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,120 to where I am so. What were you doing at the 427 00:19:52,120 --> 00:19:55,160 airport? I was like an airport agent. 428 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,560 So like I would get free flights for my family so that they could 429 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,760 fly out to watch my meets or I could, I could maybe try to get 430 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:03,600 hop on a free flight, but it was standby. 431 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:06,000 So like for me as an athlete, I, I didn't really want to do 432 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:07,080 standby, but you know, I would go. 433 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,040 See places, you know, fly down to Dennis Camp. 434 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:12,520 I don't know, I was just like, I want to work at the airport 435 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:14,600 because you get free flights and it's pretty fun to just go 436 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,560 travel the world. And it was super like a good job 437 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:21,040 because training and working at the airport sounds crazy, but 438 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:24,560 it's such a small airport in Lacrosse that what I did is I go 439 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,160 into work at like 4:00 PM. I would do a couple things, 440 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:28,920 check customers in and get the flight out of four. 441 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:31,440 And then you could stay there till 11 when the next flight 442 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:33,080 comes in and get paid for 8 hours. 443 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,480 Or you can leave in between and go home but not get paid. 444 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:38,560 So it was kind of more of a sit on your sit on your butt job. 445 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:41,520 And it was, it was kind of perfect for the, you know, like 446 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:46,120 I'm not, I'm pro now, but like I need to get money and I don't, 447 00:20:46,120 --> 00:20:48,320 I'm waiting to get in the group. And you know, it's that, it's 448 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,440 that it was a perfect job for what I was, what I where I was 449 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:52,360 in right now. So. 450 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,640 From the results, I guess of the last couple chances that you've 451 00:20:56,640 --> 00:21:00,280 had at at USA is like what instilled the self belief in you 452 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,400 that you're like, OK, even though like I'm seeing the times 453 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:07,000 it requires to crack the top three make the final. 454 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:12,360 They're faster than than your PR, but there's you still, I 455 00:21:12,360 --> 00:21:15,640 guess like carried this belief that you can get to that level. 456 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:17,520 I guess like what? What did you take away from 457 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:22,200 those USA's experiences? USA's was it's a it's kind of 458 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,320 crazy almost because coming off a collegiate season, you've ran 459 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,320 since December, you've ran, I don't know, 40 times, you know, 460 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,520 a hundred 260. And so like to me, I'm like, OK, 461 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:33,560 like I've had a really good season, like I can go there and 462 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:35,200 compete, right? And the pros are sitting here 463 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:36,840 like, ah, you guys have ran too much. 464 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:38,800 You guys aren't going to be able to stay with us and I didn't 465 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:40,080 know that. So you know, of course I'm 466 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:42,160 believing, right, I'm going to get there and every time I'll 467 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,880 get there. I run 10110 two finished top 20, 468 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,760 which is good, but it's not it's going to get you almost nowhere 469 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:50,960 in the United States, which is crazy, but that's what it is, 470 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:51,800 right? That's what we live in. 471 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:54,600 And so I was like, all right, like, if I want to take this 472 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:59,240 step, I got a a almost not run indoor, keep my speed and like 473 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:01,920 races under my belt because like that's how sprinting is. 474 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:04,560 And I was like, I think the stars legs Cam doesn't race 475 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:07,080 indoor and I think they're going to like, I think they know how 476 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:09,280 to peek you at USA. And I was like, if I can get 477 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:12,040 just get a chance to like, you know, have a support system to 478 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:15,040 like focus on that USA, focus on those big meets. 479 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,440 I think I can succeed because if I peek at the right time, it can 480 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:20,680 go really well. And I know I did just run 98, 481 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,040 which is really fast, but it's like I I don't think we're 482 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:25,080 peaked. I really don't like just based 483 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:27,520 on how we train. I'm like, we haven't, we have 484 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,640 touched speed, but like it seems like we haven't almost at 485 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:33,680 practice from what teammates in the past have trained here for 486 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:35,560 years. Like I'm new, so I just kind of 487 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:37,800 roll with it, show up every day. But like based on what they say 488 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:40,560 at practice, I'm like, I, I don't think we're, we're running 489 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:42,080 our fastest yet. So which is really good. 490 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:45,680 Very Polish last name. Did you ever, I guess like 491 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:47,440 consider I was like, all right, you know what? 492 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:51,960 Maybe we it's it's hard to make TVSAI can make Team Poland. 493 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,800 Yeah. That's I am a blast Kowski, 494 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:57,000 which is, you know, skis is a very big Polish name. 495 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,480 And, you know, there has been lots of talks recently. 496 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:03,320 I've never actually thought about it until now because, you 497 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:06,160 know, my family's very Polish, you know, I talk about it 498 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:11,560 through like everyone and. But yeah, it's definitely like 499 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:15,920 something cool to hear. But it's I yeah. 500 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,240 I'm not sure what is going to happen yet, but yeah. 501 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:21,640 Yeah, well, also just sort of, I also view sometimes athletes 502 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,040 just welcome the challenge of just sort of like, yeah, making 503 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:28,440 Team USA is hard, but like, I'm going to try to do it. 504 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:31,640 That's how that's always been my mentality and like, I just don't 505 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:32,880 think that's going to change. So yeah. 506 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,600 This episode of the City of Smack podcast is supported by 507 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,360 Vellas. You know that walk back to your 508 00:23:40,360 --> 00:23:43,640 car after a long run? The one where every step feels 509 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:47,400 like a negotiation? That's exactly the moment VELOUS 510 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:50,640 is built for. 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So what kept you, I guess, like 556 00:26:30,360 --> 00:26:33,200 at lacrosse, Like, was there any moment that you came close to 557 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:35,120 leaving for a Division One offer? 558 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:39,520 I would say no just because of how I developed my relationship 559 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:43,440 and the loyalty and just like I said earlier in the like, just 560 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,120 the foundation I built in the environment of my family and 561 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:49,960 coach Gordy, my teammates. It's a pretty cool culture at UW 562 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:51,760 lacrosse. I know not many people see it, 563 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:55,000 but like, you know, our team just won woman and men national 564 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,360 titles at home. And like, I could just see like, 565 00:26:57,360 --> 00:26:59,440 you know, everyone in the bleachers, the pictures, I'm 566 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,760 just like, man, I just, I wish I could, I wish I could stay one 567 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,600 more year to, you know, just run on that track with the with the 568 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:08,320 team and the, you know, we have 140 kids try out for the team 569 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:11,080 and only 50 can make 55 to 60 can make it. 570 00:27:11,360 --> 00:27:15,040 And you got kids 20 to 30 people that like get cut and they 571 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:17,280 continue to work hard outside of practice. 572 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:19,600 It's pretty cool there. The environment. 573 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,920 And that's just like everything combined obviously made me stay. 574 00:27:23,360 --> 00:27:26,040 It wasn't just one thing, right? It's the family, the culture, 575 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:28,840 the my coach, my team, my development, everything. 576 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:32,440 So yeah. All right, so now in this post 577 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:37,320 collegiate phase of your career, take me to the first day of 578 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:39,960 practice when you show up at star athletics. 579 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:43,480 Like you look around and I mean, there's Olympic medalist 580 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:45,960 everywhere, world championship medalist everywhere, national 581 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,800 champions, and it's like you're the the D3 kid. 582 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:51,920 Yeah, yeah, it was great. The first day I rolled up, we 583 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,920 just had weight room. It was like 30° in Florida. 584 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:57,280 And I walk in, you know, I'm meeting everyone. 585 00:27:57,280 --> 00:27:59,200 They're probably wondering like, oh, who's this guy coming in? 586 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,560 You know, like I'm sure Dennis has told him, but because so I 587 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:05,160 walk in and everyone kind of right away is just like, hey, 588 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:07,200 like here's my number. If you need anything while 589 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:09,600 you're in town, like just text us. 590 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:11,640 You know, Christian, Sha’Carri and Kenny all gave me their 591 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,080 number the first day. And that's what stood out to me 592 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:17,080 the most is like, you know, it's the, these are the like those 593 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:19,880 people, like just giving my number, you know, asking you, 594 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:21,960 saying we'll support you right away stood out to me. 595 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:24,120 Kind of brought me back to my universities. 596 00:28:24,120 --> 00:28:26,640 Like when I came there, you know, the the seniors that when 597 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,840 I was a freshman developed, they were the first ones to be like, 598 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,160 hey, like come over to our house anytime you get bored in the 599 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:33,960 dorms. And it's just like, it just 600 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:37,800 right away just wired something to my brain to be like, OK, like 601 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:40,440 this, this, this feels just like where I was and like I feel like 602 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:42,480 I would succeed where I am now so. 603 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:45,520 On the technical side of things, right, Like if we look at just 604 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:49,640 sort of how you raced in college, like your acceleration 605 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:51,800 was, I guess like what made you like really successful. 606 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:54,560 But there would be times I think where you would even say like on 607 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:58,440 your team, like you didn't have the best top end speed of of the 608 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,040 bunch. What has Star Athletics and like 609 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:04,240 that training group unlocked that now we get to see all of it 610 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:07,200 come together? Yeah, it's been crazy. 611 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:09,680 I've never ran a workout over 200 meters. 612 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:12,520 And my that was kind of our coaches, you know, our style is 613 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:14,640 like, you know, we don't run over 200 meters. 614 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:17,560 We'll do a couple of repeat 200. We don't run over 200 meters, 615 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:19,280 right? And I get down to Dennis's group 616 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:22,600 and the second day I'm there, actually we got three hundreds, 617 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:26,880 two 50s, like couple sets and I'm here like just puking on the 618 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:28,960 fence, right? Just puking like I can survive. 619 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:30,240 I can do it. Like I'm going to puke and I'm 620 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:32,160 ready to go, right? I'm getting on the line, you 621 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:33,400 know, I'm just like, this is crazy. 622 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:35,200 I'm running three hundreds. I never like I never thought I 623 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:38,120 was going to run 3 hundreds. And then I get I knew like I 624 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:41,280 knew coming in, like if I join star athletics where it's going 625 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:43,480 to be hard work, right, You kind of see that on social media, 626 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:46,280 like it's a hard working group. So I get there and I'm like, oh, 627 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:48,120 this is real, like this is real like this. 628 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:51,160 I got to work hard, right? Like this is they they go 629 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:54,200 through like the trenches, right, Like I'm puking on the 630 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:57,520 side running the next Rep and and so like kind of going back 631 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:00,520 to your point is like my top end speed. 632 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:04,720 Dennis has worked with me a lot like he day one recent like he 633 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:09,040 was just like, I can see exactly why you're losing your last 100 634 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:11,320 like 50 meters, right. You know, it's, it's, there's 635 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:14,160 certain points and like it was just everything we've been 636 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:16,600 working on. Like it started out, I went to 637 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,080 Africa and you know, I'm, I'm out through for 80 meters, I'm 638 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:21,400 driving well, and then I get to 80 meters and the whole field 639 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:23,600 closed on me. I'm sitting here like like I 640 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:25,960 can't let the whole field close on me, you know. 641 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:28,800 And so like we go back to practice and we continue to work 642 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,000 on that and like it's not going to change overnight, right? 643 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:32,840 So it's like practice by practice. 644 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:35,480 We're working on these things and just slowly getting a little 645 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:37,480 bit better and, you know, it's paying off so. 646 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:39,320 We look at just sort of these training groups. 647 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:41,800 They're down in Florida, right? Like we've got, you know, Noah 648 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:45,200 Lyles, his group with Lance Brahman and then we've got the 649 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:47,800 Star Athletics group. It's like you could assemble 2 650 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:51,160 four by ones out of both those teams and it'd be a hell of a 651 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:53,800 race. And I think I remember just sort 652 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:56,560 of in when people were assembling like these fantasy 653 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,080 lineups for both these teams. Like you weren't really 654 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:03,840 mentioned in the star Athletics like 4 by 1, but like options. 655 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:07,680 But what do you see from the 100 meter specialists that are 656 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:10,720 around you in practice that you kind of look at and you're like, 657 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:13,680 OK, I need to add that to my repertoire. 658 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:16,120 Yeah, it's cool. I mean, the whole team, I mean, 659 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:18,400 yeah, they, I mean, they deserve it, you know, they've all run 660 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,840 9897, you know, And so it's like, yeah, it's like I'm just 661 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:24,600 this new guy coming in trying to work hard and just be like them 662 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:27,520 almost. And I mean, it's cool, like it's 663 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:30,320 definitely really cool. Like iron sharpens iron every 664 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:31,560 day. Like I get to see what these 665 00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:33,560 guys are doing, how they're continuing to get better. 666 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:35,560 You know, it's not like they're hiding it, right? 667 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:37,880 They're talking to me every day. Like not only is Dennis talking 668 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:39,560 to me, but they're telling me like, here's the thing that I 669 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:42,480 can see that like I did and now, now you can do it, right? 670 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,800 So it's such a team atmosphere that I love. 671 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:46,840 And, you know, we all just trying to get each other better. 672 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:49,120 And that's why I think it's so important to be here. 673 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:51,800 It's not like, you know, it's not everyone just kind of for 674 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:53,120 themselves. It's everyone together and we're 675 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:55,320 all support each other, You know, we go everywhere together. 676 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:57,720 It's just I like the togetherness and it's really 677 00:31:57,720 --> 00:31:59,640 helped me succeed a lot for the first year or so. 678 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:03,120 This sort of like chip on your shoulder that, you know, maybe 679 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:07,040 you had being looked at as you know, D3 versus D1 and that kind 680 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,120 of stuff. Now it's sort of also just kind 681 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:12,840 of like materializes like as the new kid just sort of on on the 682 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:17,680 scene, like do you feel like you compete better with just sort of 683 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:19,200 flying under the radar a little bit? 684 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:23,000 Yeah, I do like it. Like I was talking to my team 685 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:25,240 the other days, like, you know, I go to the hotel and we all 686 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:27,800 walk together, We eat together. And, you know, everyone's asking 687 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:29,240 like, who's this guy you guys are walking with? 688 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:31,440 Oh, it's Sam, you know, he's part of the team. 689 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:33,480 And I'm like, yeah, hey, like, you know, hey. 690 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:36,280 And so now it's like, it's just pretty cool. 691 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:37,320 I like it. I enjoy it. 692 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:39,560 I mean, but at the end of the day, it's like it's all right, 693 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:41,240 it's all good. It's whatever it is. 694 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:43,720 But I do. Yeah, it's cool. 695 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:45,800 It's cool to be under the radar. And, you know, now it's out 696 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:47,640 there, which is cool. But at the same time, you know, 697 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:49,680 like you got to, you got to always stay who you are and 698 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:52,360 never really change, no matter if you're like doing really well 699 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:55,200 or you're not doing well, right? You just stay in that zone of 700 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:58,680 like who you are and you know who you've always been so. 701 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:02,160 There are a lot of Wisconsin talk between you and Kenny, 702 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:03,880 because I guess he's got that connection, too, yeah. 703 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:08,160 Yeah, it's super cool. Cordell's also from Wisconsin, 704 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:10,840 you know, But like, just watching Kenny run 19 six 705 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:13,680 yesterday, it just, it almost gave me the goosebumps watching 706 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:15,400 it because I was like, this is so cool, right? 707 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:19,240 Like to see like not only like is he doing well and I'm doing 708 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:21,880 well, but like, you know, the, I'm sure everyone in Wisconsin 709 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:24,600 on like Facebook, Instagram is just thinking this is so cool to 710 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:26,240 see. Like because, you know, everyone 711 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:29,040 talks about that Texas speed and that Florida speed and, you 712 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:32,160 know, we're just coming up from up the up north and coming down 713 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:34,080 and running fast, you know, so it's pretty cool. 714 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:37,400 Your parents, I guess like what are, what are their sort of like 715 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:39,160 athletic backgrounds? Because you did say, I guess 716 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:42,480 your dad wrestled, you said. Yeah, yeah, my so, my dad was, 717 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:44,800 he was a good wrestler in high school and college. 718 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:48,240 That's really all he did. Mom did club, ski team, you 719 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:50,400 know, nothing crazy, but that's about it. 720 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:52,840 Yeah. And your dad is, I think I've 721 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:55,880 read online, like gotten into more of the distance side now, 722 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:57,960 yeah. Yeah, so he ran the Boston 723 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:00,680 Marathon. I think he went 310, which to me 724 00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:03,560 as a kid was like, holy moly, you can run a marathon three 725 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:05,480 hours. And now I'm like teammates like 726 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:08,560 Ethan Gregg, he's running 210 pace, 215 pace. 727 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:11,960 And then obviously the pros going too low break in two and 728 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:15,960 it's like three hours is like not even you know, it's, but 729 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:18,679 it's cool. You know, he's doing the 50 KS. 730 00:34:18,679 --> 00:34:22,600 He's he ran 15 miles this morning and it's cool to see cuz 731 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:24,040 you know, he's always had the love for running. 732 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:27,800 You know, I was a kid as a kid, I went and ran cross country. 733 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:31,400 I ran 5 KS. I used to race a guy who went to 734 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:34,080 NAU. I think injuries held him back. 735 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:37,520 But his name is Jack Shearer. He went to high school by me. 736 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:39,960 Then I saw him end up going to NAU and I thought it was pretty 737 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:41,280 cool. I was like, Dang, I used to run 738 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:44,639 with him, you know, 6 minute mile pace in middle school and 739 00:34:44,639 --> 00:34:46,639 keep up with him and now he's going to NAU and I'm going 740 00:34:46,639 --> 00:34:48,320 sprinting. You know, it's just like the 741 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:51,960 little things that are really cool when I grew up like a 742 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:53,960 distant side and now I'm a sprinter so. 743 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:56,480 So I ran cross country all the way up until middle school and 744 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:59,640 then went to high school for different sports and stuff so. 745 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:03,000 With your builds did the multis ever? 746 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:04,520 And with the jumps background I guess. 747 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:07,280 Was that ever an option? No, I don't, I don't. 748 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:09,720 I just know. I, it always just was like if I 749 00:35:09,720 --> 00:35:12,080 put all my bread in one basket as a sprinter, I think I can 750 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:14,960 make it one day. And and you know, I, I long jump 751 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,480 pretty well, but I never as a, I'm not very tall. 752 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:19,040 So like hurtling would have never been good. 753 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:21,920 I don't know. I just, I never really no one 754 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:23,760 ever mentioned it to me. Honestly, people would always be 755 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:26,520 like, I would always be like I could beat you in the heptathlon 756 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:28,600 to one of my buddies and they'd be like, no, you can't. 757 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:29,800 I'm like, give me a chance one day. 758 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:31,640 I bet I can't, you know, and they, they would argue. 759 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:34,800 We'd we'd go to bed like mad at each other because we were like, 760 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:37,280 man, I can like I can beat you in the hep because he's a good 761 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:39,680 hurdler and I'm a good sprinter, you know, and I'm like, who can 762 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:41,920 do the pole vault the best? You know, it's, it's like, it's 763 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:43,960 pretty cool. Just from the sounds of things 764 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:47,080 like you're big team guy, like you feed off of like a A-Team 765 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:48,360 atmosphere. I mean with the team that you 766 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:50,520 had at lacrosse and now just sort of with this training 767 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:53,720 group. I guess what is it about that 768 00:35:53,720 --> 00:35:57,560 element of the sport that that you think leads to and or how 769 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:00,520 does it manifest in in sort of your own individual success? 770 00:36:01,240 --> 00:36:04,640 I think I've just come from sort of team background in terms of 771 00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:09,040 like soccer, I think because I just like it's even like now 772 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:11,240 that you ask that question, like the other day I was like, it 773 00:36:11,240 --> 00:36:13,920 was, I think it was me, Kyrie and PJ in LA. 774 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:16,360 And I was like, you got like, it's pre me, we're doing pre me. 775 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:19,120 And I'm like, guys, if we go 123, I don't care what place I 776 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:20,840 get. Like if I get third and we go 777 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:23,560 123, I'm going to like just start screaming at you guys no 778 00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:25,480 matter what the time. Like because it's just like, I 779 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:28,040 don't know what it is, but I just love the fact that when the 780 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:31,160 team does well, it just makes it feel 10 times better. 781 00:36:31,240 --> 00:36:34,240 That are like when I finished that 98, it was it was pretty 782 00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:36,760 cool, but I was like right away I was just like, what did you 783 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:38,600 guys run? Like B Stew and B Hick and you 784 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:41,600 know, they both seasons best for B Hick PR for B Stew. 785 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:45,280 It was really cool to see just everyone succeed because it just 786 00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:47,680 gives the vibes overall up and then, you know, you go, you get 787 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:50,280 a hang out after you know, you it's just you see them every 788 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:52,040 day. So you want everyone to succeed 789 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:54,560 because otherwise it's just, you know, weird. 790 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:56,920 It just feels like you wouldn't be as successful if you were 791 00:36:56,920 --> 00:37:00,720 just kind of your own thing and not really being together on it. 792 00:37:00,720 --> 00:37:04,000 And so again, going back to the point of like when I got the 793 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:06,320 star and it seemed like such a team atmosphere and Dennis is 794 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:08,720 all about like being together, I just was like this. 795 00:37:08,720 --> 00:37:11,480 I think this is the place just based off how I've heard things 796 00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:15,320 so. Who is the first call you made 797 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:18,280 after the 989? I called my agent. 798 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:20,840 I thought I did. I did call my agent. 799 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:23,760 I was because, you know, like without my agent, I wouldn't 800 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:27,080 have been able to fund myself to come down and try out Dennis's 801 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:29,640 camp. And like she just her name's 802 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:32,080 Natalia and she's with team total and she just like has been 803 00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:35,840 such a support for me and she's always seen it through of like 804 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:38,400 I, I think you can get there one day, like just based off and, 805 00:37:38,720 --> 00:37:41,120 and for me to get to the top of the world, I just called her. 806 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:43,400 And I was like, and then I called my dad right after her, 807 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:45,120 but right after the race I called her. 808 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:47,400 I was like, we did it like we're we're getting there, you know, 809 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:51,760 like we're one step closer, you know, so that was my first call. 810 00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:53,400 It was pretty cool. And then I called my dad, of 811 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:55,680 course, and. What did your dad have to say? 812 00:37:55,920 --> 00:38:00,600 Yeah, that was hype. You know, he, you know, I can 813 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:04,160 see it from his, the way I see my dad's hype is like he sends 814 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:08,200 it to all his friends and brothers and and his family and 815 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:09,840 our family. And it's cool to see him like 816 00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:11,920 how he's like. And then then those people 817 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:13,960 message me, you know, it's cool to see that kind of stuff. 818 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:16,880 But it was just, I was like dad, like, because you know, with all 819 00:38:16,920 --> 00:38:19,960 my same with my age and like my parents, you know, like they've 820 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:22,480 had to like help me get through college because I didn't have a 821 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:24,280 scholarship, right? And they had to help me get down 822 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:28,080 here and be like, hey, guys. Like I like I got my funds to 823 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:29,640 get through a little bit. But like, wait, are you guys 824 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:31,800 willing to support me if I do run out of funds, you know, and 825 00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:33,920 they're like, yes, we're willing to support you. 826 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:36,920 Like, you know, it's just those small things of like, OK, I have 827 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:40,720 a A-Team behind me to help support me in case things don't 828 00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:42,640 go well. And so it's like having that 829 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:45,840 mental like away from you is just, it's pretty cool to have 830 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:47,560 such a good support system around me so. 831 00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:51,360 Then there's also just sort of like the viral component that 832 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:55,840 kind of spiraled after this race where, yeah, I mean, I guess to 833 00:38:55,840 --> 00:38:59,200 put it bluntly, like you ran the fastest 100 ever by a white guy. 834 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:03,080 Well, what I guess, like, what did you take away? 835 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:05,840 I guess like from that side of things starting to garner, I 836 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:08,440 guess, a bit of attention. I I go back to just sort of like 837 00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:13,080 how it was somewhat of a sensitive framing and 838 00:39:13,080 --> 00:39:15,360 conversation when Matthew bowling was like running all 839 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:18,560 those fast times in high school. Yeah, I remember when Matt Bolen 840 00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:22,400 went 999 and had that comeback split, that was like to me, 841 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:25,000 'cause I was like, I can't, that was like, I remember this. 842 00:39:25,240 --> 00:39:27,320 I was like, I can get there. I can, I can be like him one 843 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:29,400 day. And so it's cool to see for 844 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:31,280 sure. I don't know, I don't. 845 00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:34,280 It is a little crazy how the internet's taking it and it's, 846 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:37,120 it's fine, but it's like, I mean, at the end of the day, 847 00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:40,000 it's like, I mean, I can't control what they say so. 848 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:42,600 Yeah, what would you rather they focus their attention on? 849 00:39:43,240 --> 00:39:47,240 I would say like that I'm #2 in the world right now because it's 850 00:39:47,240 --> 00:39:50,080 kind of, I had no one's really talked about that, right? 851 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:52,480 Or the top American, right? It's they're all just bringing 852 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:55,800 the, the whiteness into it, which is like, I like, I just 853 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:57,800 don't really comment on that almost because I just, I don't 854 00:39:57,800 --> 00:40:00,800 really, I'd rather see it on the different side of like he's a 855 00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:03,720 top American right now. You know, it's cool to see like 856 00:40:03,720 --> 00:40:05,920 that kind of stuff. And it's just like, we don't 857 00:40:05,920 --> 00:40:07,840 really need to bring race into it, if that makes sense, you 858 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:11,120 know for sure. You took this you, you described 859 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:12,560 it as like taking a step forward. 860 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:15,040 A step forward towards what? Like what is, what is the 861 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:18,080 ultimate goal? I guess for a year like 2026 862 00:40:18,080 --> 00:40:22,640 where there is like no traditional world championship 863 00:40:22,640 --> 00:40:24,560 or, or an Olympics. So like what? 864 00:40:24,560 --> 00:40:25,960 What are you working towards now? 865 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:30,480 My whole focus this year has been performing well at USA 866 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:32,560 making that final. I've never made AUS final 867 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:35,400 because it's a big deal to make US final because then, you know, 868 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:38,760 you get in that relay pool, you know, and so to run 98 and it's 869 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:42,720 like, OK, I can, if I can run 9/9 at US in the US semis, like 870 00:40:42,720 --> 00:40:45,880 I'll make that final, right. And so that's been my focus this 871 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:48,040 year. But now I listen to run 98 and 872 00:40:48,040 --> 00:40:52,640 you know, ultimate champs is this year and I know I don't 873 00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:56,520 have enough races to run at the US champs like to finish top 16. 874 00:40:56,520 --> 00:40:59,880 These these world breaking points, but it sounds like they 875 00:40:59,880 --> 00:41:01,480 might take top times in the world. 876 00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:04,200 So say I finished like top five in the world in times. 877 00:41:05,840 --> 00:41:07,560 I hope they take me, you know, because it'd be cool to run 878 00:41:07,560 --> 00:41:10,560 ultimate champs because it's basically like world champs, 879 00:41:10,560 --> 00:41:14,760 just I guess said differently almost. 880 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:20,800 Yeah, it's like 3 days of like a Diamond League final just yeah 881 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:24,480 with with like a crazy TV sort of spotlight in a setting like 882 00:41:24,480 --> 00:41:25,960 that, you've got nothing to loot. 883 00:41:26,360 --> 00:41:28,920 Exactly. Exactly like and I think it'd be 884 00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:32,840 such a good first world champs type feeling so that when we get 885 00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:37,480 to world Champs next year, I can have that like like almost 886 00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:39,920 experience. And then going into LA when it's 887 00:41:39,920 --> 00:41:42,320 in home, you know how the Americans are going to perform 888 00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:44,360 when it's at home, we don't got to fly 12 hours. 889 00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:46,680 You know, it's going to be a great like, you know, I've been 890 00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:48,760 into LA already, you know, and it's like it's going to be just 891 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:50,560 like home, right. So it'll be another meet, so 892 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:53,320 that'll be cool. When you said just sort of 893 00:41:53,320 --> 00:41:57,000 making the final and potentially being in the mix for like a, a 894 00:41:57,000 --> 00:42:03,400 relay pool spot, what's your preferred relay legs spot? 895 00:42:03,400 --> 00:42:06,800 Because I guess we've seen you go viral in that sense too, I 896 00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:08,160 guess from from your college days. 897 00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:10,400 Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. That's a great question. 898 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:14,200 So we we tried me out on 1st like this year with the star 899 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:16,480 athletics teams and and it's cool. 900 00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:20,920 I think I did pretty well. But honestly, like every time I 901 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:23,480 ran the first leg, I'm like, I don't like that right? 902 00:42:23,480 --> 00:42:27,080 I just I'm not a big first leg guy, but I think the way I run 903 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:29,480 and the more experience I get, because I've never ran first leg 904 00:42:29,480 --> 00:42:31,880 in my college career, we always put me on second leg to get the 905 00:42:31,880 --> 00:42:35,360 most meters. I think like if I do make that 906 00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:37,760 World Team and become the part of the relay, like I'm sure I'll 907 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:41,960 get put on the first leg because of my start ability, right or 908 00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:44,360 third leg and because you got guys like Kenny and Noah who 909 00:42:44,360 --> 00:42:47,320 have these just like very crazy top end because that's what 910 00:42:47,320 --> 00:42:49,000 second and fourth leg is top end. 911 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:52,080 So it's like I do got to like keep working on that first and 912 00:42:52,080 --> 00:42:55,160 third leg because when I do get my chance, like I think that's 913 00:42:55,160 --> 00:42:57,920 where I'll get put and I want to make the most of the opportunity 914 00:42:57,920 --> 00:42:59,600 so. What have you made of like the 915 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:01,320 mixed relay? Yeah, that's cool. 916 00:43:01,320 --> 00:43:03,960 I've never been a part of it yet, but it's cool to see like, 917 00:43:04,120 --> 00:43:06,960 you know, we get more options as sprinters because you see the 4 918 00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:09,680 by 4 and 4 by 4 mix. You know the if you make the 919 00:43:09,680 --> 00:43:12,400 four, if you make the 400 final US champs, you're you're on the 920 00:43:12,400 --> 00:43:15,480 team, right, Because you get the 4 by 4, you got the 4x4 mixed, 921 00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:18,760 whereas the four by one, it's like you got to be top five, top 922 00:43:18,760 --> 00:43:23,200 6 to get in that pool because 11 team, right, one team of four 923 00:43:23,520 --> 00:43:26,400 and you so I wouldn't say you don't get tired running the four 924 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:29,520 by one, but the four by 4 is a lot more like there's levels to 925 00:43:29,520 --> 00:43:31,640 it right? And so they don't take as many 4 926 00:43:31,640 --> 00:43:33,600 by ones. So now to see the mixed relay, 927 00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:35,880 you know, then they you make the file, I bet you're going to the 928 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:39,160 team so. So now that you broke 10 929 00:43:39,160 --> 00:43:41,400 seconds, like this thing that you've been focusing on for like 930 00:43:41,400 --> 00:43:45,840 the longest time is gone. What is sort of the road to USA 931 00:43:45,840 --> 00:43:49,600 is look like from here till I guess it's end of July. 932 00:43:49,880 --> 00:43:52,920 Yeah, I think I'm going to race like probably two to three more 933 00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:54,560 times. Not I don't want to like just 934 00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:56,920 keep running every week because I did that right. 935 00:43:56,920 --> 00:44:01,040 I want to be smart and run in an important races, but not too 936 00:44:01,040 --> 00:44:03,040 much. So I'm going to my next meet 937 00:44:03,040 --> 00:44:05,280 will be at La Grand Prix with the team. 938 00:44:05,280 --> 00:44:08,400 So, you know, that'll be pretty fun to be like with the team and 939 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:11,520 go there, you know, treat it again like I just love travel 940 00:44:11,520 --> 00:44:13,160 with the team. It just is a it's a really good 941 00:44:13,160 --> 00:44:14,640 feeling and it's fun time, right? 942 00:44:14,640 --> 00:44:16,560 You don't you don't got to go out there alone. 943 00:44:16,560 --> 00:44:18,560 You don't have to like do everything alone. 944 00:44:18,560 --> 00:44:20,520 And you know, it's it's pretty fun. 945 00:44:20,520 --> 00:44:23,920 So yeah, I'll probably race at that and then hope to get in 946 00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:27,240 Prefontaine classic because, you know, that's a historic meet and 947 00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:29,800 it it would mean a lot to be in the Diamond League too. 948 00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:34,560 And so that those two races is my goal and then get to USA and 949 00:44:34,560 --> 00:44:36,360 have still fresh legs and run well. 950 00:44:36,360 --> 00:44:39,280 So. Turning pro also was another 951 00:44:39,280 --> 00:44:41,800 part of I guess like your dream, now that you've got like a 952 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:43,480 contract, you're wearing a pro kit. 953 00:44:43,480 --> 00:44:45,360 Like it's a double edged sword, right? 954 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:48,800 Because 1 you feel like you've arrived, but then two it's. 955 00:44:48,800 --> 00:44:52,240 This is actually only the point where the work actually starts. 956 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:56,520 It's been really cool because a lot of what my agent says like 957 00:44:56,520 --> 00:44:58,880 it's your first year, like we, we understand it's going to be 958 00:44:58,880 --> 00:45:02,080 really hard to transition and like we're here to support you. 959 00:45:02,080 --> 00:45:04,760 If it, if it is, it probably might not go very well. 960 00:45:04,760 --> 00:45:06,920 And I'm sitting here like, how much I want to change that 961 00:45:06,920 --> 00:45:09,520 narrative, right? Like, I think, I think like if, 962 00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:11,960 if I just get a chance, I'm going to take that opportunity 963 00:45:11,960 --> 00:45:13,560 and continue to get better every year. 964 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:16,440 And I just, I don't want everyone talks about all like, 965 00:45:16,440 --> 00:45:18,400 if they have a really good year, you know, you're going to fall 966 00:45:18,400 --> 00:45:20,480 back a little next year. It's like, well, no, there's 967 00:45:20,480 --> 00:45:22,960 always something you can find to get better every single year. 968 00:45:23,280 --> 00:45:26,520 And so finishing college and going to Pro is like, OK, 969 00:45:26,960 --> 00:45:29,760 there's so much for me to learn, so much to like find to get 970 00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:31,720 better. So that's what's awesome. 971 00:45:31,720 --> 00:45:33,760 So. What's the biggest thing you 972 00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:36,880 missed from Wisconsin? Honestly, like just mopeding 973 00:45:36,880 --> 00:45:41,320 around, like campus mopeding to grandma's, I miss my grandma a 974 00:45:41,320 --> 00:45:43,800 lot. And just mopeding around from 975 00:45:43,800 --> 00:45:45,400 friend to friend and just hanging out. 976 00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:48,240 Like it's just, it's a pretty good vibe in the lacrosse town. 977 00:45:48,240 --> 00:45:50,840 You know, it's just got the Bluffs and I just love my moped 978 00:45:50,840 --> 00:45:52,760 and it's just a, it's a good time. 979 00:45:53,120 --> 00:45:56,440 There's a lot of like, you know, living in Orlando, it's like, 980 00:45:56,480 --> 00:46:00,120 oh, it's just Disney and traffic, like, all right. 981 00:46:00,120 --> 00:46:02,480 Like I just want to be able to moped and scooter around to 982 00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:04,520 practice and stuff. So that's probably the number 983 00:46:04,520 --> 00:46:06,960 one thing I miss. I think it was on the D3 Glory 984 00:46:06,960 --> 00:46:09,840 Days podcast that you said that if it wasn't running, you'd want 985 00:46:09,840 --> 00:46:13,800 to get into the timing business. Yeah. 986 00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:17,680 So I did an internship with PT Timing, which is now their 987 00:46:17,840 --> 00:46:22,040 official partner of USATF meets. They are all from Milwaukee, 988 00:46:22,040 --> 00:46:25,360 which is in Wisconsin and they timed all our college meets And 989 00:46:25,360 --> 00:46:27,520 I was, I was like, well, this would be kind of fun to fall 990 00:46:27,520 --> 00:46:30,400 back on to like just go to every track meet, you know, and just 991 00:46:30,520 --> 00:46:32,560 sit there and like click everyone's time, right. 992 00:46:33,000 --> 00:46:34,400 And so I did an internship with them. 993 00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:37,280 My I don't know if it's sophomore or junior year or 994 00:46:37,280 --> 00:46:38,240 what. No Olympic trials. 995 00:46:38,240 --> 00:46:41,880 So I ran up the Olympic trials. I ran the 100, ran the 200 and 996 00:46:41,880 --> 00:46:44,080 then I worked it. I've I've worked take it down, 997 00:46:44,080 --> 00:46:47,120 help set up, learn some things. And then the rest of the summer 998 00:46:47,120 --> 00:46:51,480 I did like 5 KS high school meets and just like worked with 999 00:46:51,480 --> 00:46:53,680 PT timing. And then it's pretty fun. 1000 00:46:53,680 --> 00:46:56,080 I mean, it's pretty laid back and you just like you just 1001 00:46:56,080 --> 00:46:59,440 travel to track meets and it's like, it's a lot of like driving 1002 00:46:59,440 --> 00:47:02,640 and like time like that and like, but it's, it's just like 1003 00:47:02,960 --> 00:47:06,760 it's in zero stress, hanging out, having a good time, time 1004 00:47:06,760 --> 00:47:08,080 and track meets. Yeah. 1005 00:47:08,080 --> 00:47:10,520 Well, now I guess like those plans are on hold because like 1006 00:47:10,520 --> 00:47:13,920 the pro track career is is flourishing at the moment. 1007 00:47:13,920 --> 00:47:17,800 So I guess last one is, you know, somewhere out there right 1008 00:47:17,800 --> 00:47:23,200 now, there's probably like a kid at a tiny D3 program or a kid in 1009 00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:27,600 high school with no big offers. I guess what do you want them to 1010 00:47:27,600 --> 00:47:30,640 take away from your story so far? 1011 00:47:30,640 --> 00:47:33,040 Because it's still being written, But like the path to 1012 00:47:33,040 --> 00:47:35,080 get to this point has already kind of been set. 1013 00:47:36,080 --> 00:47:39,760 Yeah, I continue to try to express this like it just, it 1014 00:47:39,760 --> 00:47:42,200 takes a few things, you know, it takes hard work, it takes 1015 00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:45,040 dedication, and it takes belief. So it's like those three things 1016 00:47:45,480 --> 00:47:47,640 and a good environment, right? Like if you can find the 1017 00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:50,160 environment that you strive and you love, like you can have 1018 00:47:50,160 --> 00:47:55,080 anything can work out, right? So I think it's just finding 1019 00:47:55,080 --> 00:47:58,560 where you as like a person, don't change yourself. 1020 00:47:58,560 --> 00:48:00,920 Don't be like go somewhere and change who you are. 1021 00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:05,160 Go somewhere that like where you find that you can be as you and 1022 00:48:05,160 --> 00:48:06,440 you'll succeed at anything you do. 1023 00:48:06,440 --> 00:48:08,800 So are. We going to see you in 200 1024 00:48:08,840 --> 00:48:11,880 before US as. I'm trying. 1025 00:48:11,920 --> 00:48:15,720 I'm trying I just I really want to take advantage of this 100 1026 00:48:15,720 --> 00:48:18,000 and like learning that like back half my 50. 1027 00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:22,200 And so I, I think coach has been like, I don't even want to see 1028 00:48:22,200 --> 00:48:23,600 in the 200. I don't know what he's thinking, 1029 00:48:23,600 --> 00:48:26,280 but I think I'm going to run the 200 for sure because there's a 1030 00:48:26,280 --> 00:48:28,720 college, because the collegiate athlete I was running every 1031 00:48:28,720 --> 00:48:32,680 week, you know, like I was running that 200, run that 104 1032 00:48:32,680 --> 00:48:35,280 by 1. So I can run that 200 pretty 1033 00:48:35,280 --> 00:48:36,480 well. I think I can break 20 now that 1034 00:48:36,480 --> 00:48:39,080 I just broke 10. So I hope I get my chance. 1035 00:48:39,080 --> 00:48:42,320 But you know, with all these meets, it's so hard to get into 1036 00:48:42,320 --> 00:48:44,640 this year because like there's just not as many meets. 1037 00:48:45,120 --> 00:48:47,720 And so it's like, I want to take advantage of these fun 1038 00:48:47,720 --> 00:48:49,880 competitive meets in the 100 that it's like, Oh my gosh, when 1039 00:48:49,880 --> 00:48:51,080 am I going on this 200, you know? 1040 00:48:53,000 --> 00:48:56,760 What's, is there one Diamond League or whatever it is that is 1041 00:48:56,800 --> 00:48:58,880 on your radar? You're like, ah man, or I guess 1042 00:48:58,880 --> 00:49:01,000 pre's also up there. Like if you get invited into 1043 00:49:01,000 --> 00:49:05,120 that 100, that's a fast one. For sure pre and then Poland 1044 00:49:05,120 --> 00:49:06,400 like. Just because of all that's 1045 00:49:06,440 --> 00:49:09,000 right. I would love to go experience 1046 00:49:09,000 --> 00:49:12,600 what the crowd is like and just be over in Europe, right and see 1047 00:49:12,640 --> 00:49:14,960 how them because I heard when I went to Africa, like the 1048 00:49:14,960 --> 00:49:18,200 atmosphere in Kenya and Botswana, it was just like I've 1049 00:49:18,200 --> 00:49:19,560 never met. I've met AD three meet where 1050 00:49:19,560 --> 00:49:22,320 there was 25 people watching. You know, you're just just you 1051 00:49:22,320 --> 00:49:26,560 and the athletes watching right. And so to go to Kenya when Oman 1052 00:49:26,560 --> 00:49:30,200 Yala ran and have 30,000 people supporting him and like in that 1053 00:49:30,200 --> 00:49:32,480 walking out of that crowd, I just like, I was sort of just 1054 00:49:32,480 --> 00:49:34,960 like, wow, like it was just so cool, right? 1055 00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:40,400 And so I think like to go to Poland and run as a Blaskowski 1056 00:49:40,840 --> 00:49:42,720 and run in front of them. Like it'd be pretty cool to see 1057 00:49:42,720 --> 00:49:46,080 what they would think 'cause like I know Kenny said his name, 1058 00:49:46,080 --> 00:49:48,960 his last name is Polish and they go crazy when every time he gets 1059 00:49:48,960 --> 00:49:50,600 introduced. And I'm like, I, I think that'd 1060 00:49:50,600 --> 00:49:52,120 be pretty cool to like run in Poland. 1061 00:49:52,920 --> 00:49:54,480 Where did you sign your first autograph? 1062 00:49:55,160 --> 00:49:57,800 I honestly have no idea. Probably had some D3 meet. 1063 00:49:57,800 --> 00:50:02,040 I think I I don't know. I know like my first pictures 1064 00:50:02,040 --> 00:50:04,680 have been kind of the first time I've been asked in the airport 1065 00:50:04,680 --> 00:50:06,840 was was in the Tennessee airport. 1066 00:50:06,840 --> 00:50:08,160 Someone was like, hey, can we get a picture of you? 1067 00:50:08,160 --> 00:50:10,480 I was like, oh, of course. Like I've never really been 1068 00:50:10,480 --> 00:50:11,880 asked to take a picture of someone. 1069 00:50:11,880 --> 00:50:13,760 So that was pretty cool. That was like, I'll be like, 1070 00:50:13,760 --> 00:50:16,480 that was my first, first photograph with these sprinters 1071 00:50:16,480 --> 00:50:18,400 from the meet. So that was cool for sure. 1072 00:50:19,160 --> 00:50:21,960 Well, Sam, this is really exciting, I guess to introduce 1073 00:50:21,960 --> 00:50:24,480 you to to more people. Your performance spoke for 1074 00:50:24,480 --> 00:50:28,160 itself this past weekend and it seems like you've got lots of 1075 00:50:28,160 --> 00:50:31,640 joy happening so far in this. I I would dub it like the rookie 1076 00:50:31,640 --> 00:50:37,160 season and so excited to see more from you as the ramp up to 1077 00:50:37,160 --> 00:50:38,800 the USA continues. All right. 1078 00:50:38,800 --> 00:50:42,680 Thank you Chris for having me. All right, that's a wrap on 1079 00:50:42,680 --> 00:50:44,920 today's episode. Thanks for listening, for the 1080 00:50:44,920 --> 00:50:47,920 time, the curiosity, and for making this show part of your 1081 00:50:47,920 --> 00:50:51,000 routine or your run. A big thanks to our producer 1082 00:50:51,000 --> 00:50:53,880 Jasmine Fair and to everyone behind the scenes who helps make 1083 00:50:53,880 --> 00:50:57,040 the CITIUS Magic Podcast happen. If you enjoyed today's episode, 1084 00:50:57,040 --> 00:50:59,920 a quick five star review on Apple Podcast or Spotify helps 1085 00:50:59,920 --> 00:51:03,120 people find this show and we read every single one. 1086 00:51:03,240 --> 00:51:06,360 You can find muchmoretrackandfieldcoverage@sidiousmag.com 1087 00:51:06,360 --> 00:51:08,720 and you can follow along across all of CITIUS Mag social 1088 00:51:08,720 --> 00:51:10,200 channels. We'll see you next time. 1089 00:51:10,440 --> 00:51:11,440 Thanks again for listening.