1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:02,680 This. Episode of the City Smack 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,880 podcast is presented by USA track and field. 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,800 All right, if you love speed, power and championship moments, 4 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,520 lock in right now. The USATF Indoor Track and Field 5 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,880 Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York 6 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,480 City from February 28th through from March 1st at the Ocean 7 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:22,720 Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. 8 00:00:23,080 --> 00:00:26,680 This is where legends don't just race, they punch their ticket to 9 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,120 the world stage. The pressure is real, the 10 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,720 margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for 11 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,120 one thing, a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor 12 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,400 Championships. The star power? 13 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:40,600 Unreal. You'll see the likes of Olympic 14 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,200 champion Noah Lyles, Olympic champion Cole Hawker, Olympic 15 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,600 medalist Jasmine Moore, world record holder Hobbes Kessler, 16 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,040 world champion Ellie Saint Pierre, US record holder 17 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,920 Sinclair Johnson. I can go on and on and on. 18 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:56,920 This meet sells out every single year because when the fastest 19 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,880 and the strongest athletes on the planet show up, there's 20 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:03,200 nowhere to hide. No bad seats, no second chances. 21 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:05,760 So don't wait. Grab your tickets now at 22 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:11,640 usatf.org/tickets and experience track and field at its absolute 23 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:16,040 loudest. What's up everyone? 24 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:18,200 You are listening to the CDs Mag podcast. 25 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:20,840 I'm your host Chris Chavez, and every week we go beyond the 26 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,520 results to bring you conversations with the biggest 27 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:25,920 names on the track, the roads, and behind the scenes. 28 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,200 From world class athletes and coaches to innovators shaping 29 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:31,360 the sport. If it's happening on the track, 30 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,280 we're covering it with real insights that sharpen minds, 31 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,800 deep dives into the moments that define careers and the kind of 32 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,760 access to the pros you won't get anywhere else. 33 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,400 So let's get into it because we love track and field. 34 00:01:46,320 --> 00:01:48,280 Before we get into today's episode, we wanted to take a 35 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,080 moment to say thank you. This show exists because you 36 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:54,720 listen, you share it with your friends, and you care about the 37 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,480 sport the same way that we do. So truly, we're grateful that 38 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:00,560 you're here with us. If you've been enjoying the 39 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,480 podcast, leaving a five star review on Apple Podcast really 40 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:05,560 does make a difference. It helps new listeners find the 41 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:07,760 show and keeps this whole thing moving forward. 42 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,520 Here's one recent review that we loved. 43 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,600 The banter is back. I've been listening for a long 44 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,160 time now and with the whole crew back together at Melrose, Yay 45 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,240 Kyle. It was exactly what we all 46 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:21,200 needed. The banter and analysis is 47 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,440 perfection. That one's from Sedarama. 48 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:25,800 To everyone listening, thank you. 49 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,360 And if you feel the same way as Cider on taking a minute to 50 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,160 leave, a five star review on Apple Podcast is one of the best 51 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,200 ways to support the show. We love every single one and 52 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,120 they genuinely mean a line to us. 53 00:02:39,920 --> 00:02:42,520 My guest for today's episode is Riley Chamberlain and she joins 54 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,960 us fresh off of 1 of the biggest performances of the NCAA season. 55 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:51,240 Just days ago in Boston, Riley ran 420.61 for the mile, 56 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,120 breaking the NCAA record. But if you talk to Riley, she'll 57 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:56,680 be the first one to tell you that she's not always interested 58 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,440 in chasing times. With championship season around 59 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,560 the corner, her focus is already shifted to racing, competing, 60 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,560 and figuring out how to win her first individual title. 61 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,440 She has two NCAA titles on the track as the anchor leg of the 62 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,080 BYU women's DMR team that has won the last two years. 63 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,360 In this conversation, we talk about the steady progression 64 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:16,840 that has led to this breakthrough, how cross country 65 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,040 laid the strength foundation for her range from 800 all the way 66 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:24,120 to the 5K, and the training dynamic at BYU, where working 67 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,280 alongside teammates like Jane Hettergren means getting pushed 68 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,480 every single day. She reflects on the program's 69 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,080 culture of what they call high expectations, high love, the 70 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,600 lessons that she's carried from past teammates, and the mindset 71 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:40,760 shift from hoping she belonged at the top level to knowing she 72 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,040 does. We also dig into the Longview of 73 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,120 what she hopes to accomplish before closing out her 74 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:48,040 collegiate career. Although she is now an NCAA 75 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,080 record holder, she believes the most important races are still 76 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:53,600 ahead. Without further ado, here is 77 00:03:53,720 --> 00:04:06,520 Riley Chamberlain. All right, now we welcome on 78 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:10,080 Riley Chamberlain, fresh off of breaking the NCAA record in the 79 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:14,960 mile running 420.61 at BU this past weekend. 80 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,560 It's been a couple days. How have you processed that 81 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,320 performance and the fact that you get to be introduced now, I 82 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,120 guess on the starting line of your next race as NCAA record 83 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:25,960 holder? That's pretty cool. 84 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:30,920 I mean, I honestly like, I don't know, the NCAA is just so fast 85 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,960 right now and Wilmos will be like point whatever behind me 86 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:38,040 and then Jane right behind me. So I feel like I don't know, not 87 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,240 I'm trying not to focus too much on times right now, just like 88 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:44,400 into championship racing and like, I don't know, it's a 89 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,400 totally different setup versus just like pacer run fast. 90 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:51,680 Go for it. But it is very special and I 91 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,120 feel very grateful to be able to say that. 92 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:57,240 Yeah, I'm the record. Holder right now. 93 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,600 The race was set up to be fast from the get go. 94 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:04,600 I think like I think in the days leading up to it, the pacing 95 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:08,840 plan was arranged for, you know, the likes of you, Wilma Jane to 96 00:05:08,840 --> 00:05:10,840 run fast. And then I think it was a 48 97 00:05:10,840 --> 00:05:13,640 hours beforehand they announced, all right, Ellie Saint Pierre 98 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,160 has also entered the mix. What went through your mind, I 99 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,880 guess like and how did that change things a little bit? 100 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:20,920 I mean, the plan changed a little bit. 101 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,400 It was kind of like, OK, Ellie's going to do her thing and then 102 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,280 we're just going to try and key off of her. 103 00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:29,720 But honestly, it's so inspiring to step up, to align with like 104 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,720 pros, like her Olympians. Like she's just so incredibly 105 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:35,480 fast. Like, oh, hopefully one day I 106 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:36,720 can get there. And so just getting the 107 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:39,920 opportunity to gauge now where I'm at compared to that is just 108 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,360 so special. Wilma had a little bit of a 109 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,640 different race plan to try and just go and hang on as best as 110 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,600 she could to Ellie. And then with you and Jane, it 111 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:53,560 was a bit more conservative. And then having that last year 112 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:57,160 in the final 400 to really make a move and in that final 200 113 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:59,040 especially, I think it was pretty impressive. 114 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,840 So what was sort of the plan that you and Coach Taylor, I 115 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:06,040 think, devised for this one? For this one, it was kind of to 116 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,320 go out around to 10. We thought that would be like 117 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:14,240 pretty reasonable coming through the 1st 8 and yeah then move 118 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,960 from there cuz the mile like it can hit you hard that last 400 119 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:19,800 if you people send a little too hard. 120 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:23,040 And so I don't know. And I also feel stronger just 121 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:27,040 coming from behind more so. And so I think that was kind of 122 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,240 the plan was just focusing on closing hard because that's also 123 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:33,400 how championship racing will go. So yeah. 124 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,400 You're closing speed year over year. 125 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,720 Now it's just sort of I, I went back and I just saw last year, 126 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:42,520 even when you ran, was it 426 like that had been like a, a 127 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,680 four second personal best and now this is a six second 128 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:47,800 personal best. You're so good at taking chunks 129 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,040 off of your your personal best. Like what? 130 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,040 What feels different this year when it comes to just sort of 131 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,120 like your versatility from at everything from both the mile 132 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,880 all the way up to the five Ki. Don't know, I want to be able to 133 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:02,640 do as much as as much of it as I can. 134 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,680 And I feel like being good at the 5K benefits me at the mile. 135 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:07,760 Being good at the 800 benefits me at the mile. 136 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:10,960 And so also just like getting to work with Jane, she has helped 137 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:15,080 me so much with my strength. And so just like I'm inspired 138 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:17,400 every day in practice, I get my butt kicked every day in 139 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,240 practice. And so, so it's just like that 140 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:22,360 has been such a game changer for me this year, I think is having 141 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,600 her. If people were to attend a 142 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:27,680 practice and watch how the two of you work together, what is it 143 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,640 that you think she brings to the table and what is it that you 144 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,080 also bring to the table that helps the two of you get better? 145 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:37,320 For the strength sessions, I'm definitely keying off of her and 146 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,800 then for the speed sessions, she's always right behind me. 147 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:44,200 But I feel like I feel like I've helped her a little bit more 148 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:45,920 with that. I don't know, You can ask her, 149 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:51,000 but I feel like definitely like focusing on closing. 150 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:53,520 That's something that I've been able to help her with. 151 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,360 And then she's able to help me with like, pushing and grinding 152 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,640 in the middle and just, yeah, all the tempo and like, 153 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,720 threshold stuff. In addition to the fact that 154 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,120 you've spent, you know, this, this indoor season making these 155 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,960 leaps and, and jumps in on the track, I think you have to kind 156 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,880 of extend that timeline a bit further to include the cross 157 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,720 country season and maybe even parts of the summer leading up 158 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:18,680 to it post USA. And that break. 159 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,400 Like when you finally started ramping up to get back to school 160 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,240 and back to racing. I guess, like what were your 161 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:28,080 goals leading into the cross country season? 162 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:32,480 And was it just sort of how have you viewed cross country as like 163 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,280 this tool that will also benefit you come track? 164 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,799 Coach T always talks about strength equals speed, and so I 165 00:08:39,799 --> 00:08:43,280 think just putting my best foot forward in the strength stuff 166 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,320 and trusting that it'll benefit me later on with the speed stuff 167 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,080 has been a major thing. And then this year, like, I 168 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,600 mean, I didn't know what the dynamic was going to be with 169 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:55,560 Lexi Holiday gone and then Jane coming in. 170 00:08:55,560 --> 00:08:59,000 And so I was like, I'm just going to try to do my best for 171 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:02,760 the team and hope that it plays out for me too. 172 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:06,840 But yeah, that was kind of the goal, was the team first and 173 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,880 then take care of me. One of the things that is 174 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,840 awesome is that no one really goes away even after they 175 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,000 graduate. You know, they a lot of them 176 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:20,560 choose to stick around in Provo and in the area to continue to 177 00:09:20,560 --> 00:09:23,920 train with Coach Taylor. But how have you seen just sort 178 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,800 of the team dynamics change or what is it that you guys want to 179 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:31,920 keep about the team culture that has led to so much success? 180 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,120 Like even then when Whitney and Courtney were on the team that 181 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,480 you kind of want to just try and maintain all the way throughout, 182 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:40,760 like you're a senior now. Like, what is it about the team 183 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,000 culture that you feel like has been sustained this entire time? 184 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:47,400 Expecting each other to perform to a certain level and holding 185 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:51,040 each other to a certain level and just love, high 186 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,640 expectations, high love. That's what coach always says. 187 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,400 And I feel like that's something that we do a good job with 188 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,400 because I don't know, you can't have one without the other. 189 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,760 And so, but yeah, I think our team is definitely built on love 190 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:07,800 and gratitude and then just always trying to push ourselves 191 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,280 to be our best. How does love show up in 192 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:12,960 training? I think it shows up like, I 193 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:15,520 don't know, when you're in the middle of a Rep and you're like 194 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,560 kind of dying off and your teammates like, no, like you 195 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,280 stick right here, you can do this. 196 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:23,120 I feel like that's where it shows up. 197 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:26,400 So it's just, yeah, holding that person accountable, like, no, 198 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:29,720 like you belong here and like just building each other up, 199 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:33,440 like positive things, positive messages to each other. 200 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,480 And that's definitely how it shows up in training. 201 00:10:36,680 --> 00:10:39,960 In so many ways like that, you might be in your darkest place 202 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:43,960 or hurting the most and like, yes, it might come off as like 203 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:47,000 really tough, but it that is what you need sometimes to be 204 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,680 able to survive that next Rep or that last mile. 205 00:10:50,560 --> 00:10:52,760 And it's great to have those people around who were, I guess 206 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,960 some of the key figures in when you were a freshman or sophomore 207 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,880 that would give you that love in the in the workouts. 208 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,400 Definitely think Lexi Holiday, she's always been there for me 209 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:04,800 all along. And then Sadie Sargent, she's 210 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,920 also stuck around Provo and she helped me a lot as well. 211 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:13,400 And then just my class, like Taylor Lovell and all of them, 212 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:18,080 like just, I don't know, I feel like I got really lucky and my 213 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,440 best friends are in my class with me. 214 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:24,280 And so yeah, it just kind of all came together for me. 215 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:26,840 I feel like I feel so blessed to have the people around me that I 216 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:28,640 do. Is there anything that feels 217 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,840 different about like now having to be a leader on this team and 218 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:36,600 just sort of having to understand like what those 219 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,040 expectations, those high expectations are for for 220 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:41,520 everyone around you? Lexi kind of took care of 221 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:42,840 everyone and everything last year. 222 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,840 She was kind of like the sole senior team captain. 223 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:51,160 And so just this year, like, realizing how much she did for 224 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,440 all of us and how much time she spent, like investing into us 225 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,400 and making sure that we were OK and everything else and 226 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,480 communicating like what the plan was. 227 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,440 It's definitely like opened my eyes this year being a senior 228 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:05,800 and like, OK, like everything she did for me. 229 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:10,000 I like, I want to give that and like even more if I can to the 230 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,520 people younger than me. And it's a lot. 231 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:16,120 Lexi gave a lot, so it's yeah, big shoes to fill. 232 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,880 So if we go back even a couple years, what was it that drew you 233 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:23,600 to BYU in the first place? Coach Taylor for sure. 234 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,520 I'm a member of the church and everything. 235 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:28,960 And so that's kind of where everyone expected me to go. 236 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,560 And I was like, no, like I can run fast somewhere else too. 237 00:12:31,560 --> 00:12:34,560 Like I don't need to go there. But then like talking to coach 238 00:12:34,560 --> 00:12:37,760 like it just took once and I was like, yeah, OK, this is the 239 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,080 spot. And then I came on a visit and I 240 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:42,360 was like, Oh my gosh, the people are awesome. 241 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:44,080 So. I guess there are a few people, 242 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:46,840 people who get to experience sort of what Coach Taylor is 243 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:50,920 like on a recruiting trip and making the pitch of like why you 244 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,360 should join the program. But what is it that really spoke 245 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:57,400 to you when you're just a high school teenager and she may be 246 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:01,520 speaking about just sort of like these big, big goals that she 247 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:03,760 may see for you? Honestly, yeah, that's the 248 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:05,600 thing. Like, she sees more for you than 249 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,560 you might even see for yourself. And she loves you and cares 250 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:12,040 about you as a person, not just an athlete. 251 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,280 And so she wants to make sure that, like, your mental health 252 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:17,800 is good, emotionally, spiritually, all the things. 253 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,600 And so that's definitely what drew me to her and the program. 254 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:26,000 And then when you took your visit and got to see the rest of 255 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:27,720 the members of the team, what stood out to you? 256 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:31,920 They were so confident and happy and they just had so much love 257 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:35,000 for the sport each other. And like, you could just feel 258 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,000 the light, like, radiating off them. 259 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,880 And so I was like, I want to be a part of this and like they 260 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:41,520 were inspiring me. And like all the things that 261 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,080 Whitney and Anna and Courtney were all doing at the time as 262 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:46,720 well. And so I was like, man, like I 263 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:48,360 want to be like them when I get there. 264 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:51,280 So yeah. And then you're coming out of 265 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:54,440 California, but your roots within the sport go back like 266 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:56,280 even, I guess, when did you start running? 267 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,000 Because your family, I guess your dad, like, competed at the 268 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:01,600 US Olympic Trials. And was it steeple Chase, too? 269 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:03,320 People chase, Yeah. Yeah. 270 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,120 So I guess like how far back do your roots go? 271 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:07,280 Back to him, that's the furthest they go. 272 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:10,760 Then my grandpa was a gymnast, so totally different. 273 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:13,720 But I didn't even know my dad ran. 274 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,440 When I started running, he had like, as soon as he quit, he 275 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,440 like, hung up the spikes, the shoes, no running, nothing. 276 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,880 And so I didn't know that my dad was ever a runner until I 277 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:27,320 started kind of getting into it. And then he was like, yeah, I 278 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:29,240 ran in college. Like what? 279 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:34,400 So yeah. But I started running around 10, 280 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:37,680 so pretty early. It just, I loved competing and 281 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,240 watching myself get faster every time. 282 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,920 And so, yeah. Was there gymnastics too, kind 283 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:45,360 of in your background? When I was little, but I don't 284 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:49,200 really care a bit. But my grandpa, he competed here 285 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,840 at BYU doing gymnastics, so yeah. 286 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,000 Oh wow. OK, so the BYU connection? 287 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:56,320 Goes back. Yeah, the BYU connection goes 288 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:58,720 way back. Coming out of high school, I 289 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,800 guess like what were some of the goals that you wanted to achieve 290 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:04,000 like in your your college career? 291 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:08,400 Everybody wants to win and break records and everything else. 292 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,160 I feel like coming out of high school and so, but I like, I 293 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:15,600 wanted to focus on the process. So like, OK, like what would be 294 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,160 a good jump for freshman year? OK, I did that. 295 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:19,920 What would be a good jump for sophomore year? 296 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:21,880 OK. And then just like continuing 297 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:24,320 on, 'cause I feel like if you look at the overall golden, it 298 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,520 just gets so overwhelming. You're like, I'll never get 299 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:30,000 there. And so it's just like trying to 300 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:33,720 focus on that process, like one thing at a time, one step at a 301 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:35,120 time. And everybody's dirty looks 302 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:36,360 different. Everybody has different 303 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:39,760 setbacks. And so, but yeah, coming into 304 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:43,480 college, I mean, I feel like I'm living my dreams right now. 305 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,640 One thing that I think I've seen you talk about in in a previous 306 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:51,000 interview is that you described, I think that sophomore or maybe 307 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:53,520 it was your junior year as like a slump. 308 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:58,560 And you said, I mean, that's it's very normal for young women 309 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:01,120 who are developing and especially in those college 310 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:04,920 years to experience even just sort of like, all right, like 311 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:09,480 it's not going to be just a linear progression year over 312 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:10,720 year. Sometimes. 313 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,840 Like you just have to take time to adjust to to your body. 314 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,960 And it's so rare to sometimes hear that from an active 315 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:18,800 athlete. I guess, like, what really stood 316 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:22,880 out to you, I guess, about your sophomore and junior year as you 317 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,920 were, you know, growing. Freshman year of high school, 318 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,240 this was high school. So freshman year of high school 319 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:31,560 I came in and I was like running super fast. 320 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:33,720 Like the progression was very much upward. 321 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:37,800 And then like sophomore year I was like, why can't I run any 322 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:39,400 faster than money? Like freshman year? 323 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:43,080 Like this should be like a straight line up, like what's 324 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:46,480 going on? And then I started talking to 325 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:49,800 Coach Taylor and she's like, she's like, this is normal. 326 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,960 Like trust that you'll be OK. And I'm like, OK. 327 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:55,640 And like, I don't know, things are feeling different and like 328 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:58,720 you're trying to learn kind of to run in a different body now. 329 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:02,520 And so I feel like just patience, like my mileage came 330 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:03,920 down. We focused on speed. 331 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,680 So just having a coach that also is like willing to work with you 332 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:13,880 and your developing body. And so then finally I came out 333 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:15,800 of it senior year and I was running quicker. 334 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:19,040 And coach is like, see, like you're just fine and we'll bring 335 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,359 you into college and you'll have a great progression from there. 336 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:24,440 It'll be great. So yeah. 337 00:17:27,839 --> 00:17:31,600 This episode of the Sidious Mag Podcast is presented by Ollipop. 338 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:35,760 Polly Throw is taking over for this special ad read, so try 339 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:39,160 January may be over, but one of the best things to come out of 340 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,960 it was Ollipop's brand new Shirley Temple flavor. 341 00:17:43,360 --> 00:17:46,680 Funny story, I was still under 21 when I started working with 342 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,400 Sidious, and when I was on the road with the team last year, 343 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,280 I'd hit that awkward moment at dinner when everyone's ordering 344 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,800 drinks and I still had a few months to wait. 345 00:17:55,360 --> 00:18:00,880 That was until Chris suggested I try a Shirley Temple, and golly, 346 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:04,920 I was hooked. Just ask the hotel staff in Fort 347 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:07,360 Lauderdale. The bright pink color, the 348 00:18:07,360 --> 00:18:09,920 syrupy sweetness, the fizzy lemon lime finish. 349 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:14,720 It absolutely shook me. Now, obviously that led to a few 350 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:16,920 laughs every time I ordered a Shirley Temple at a bar or 351 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,320 restaurant. But even now that I'm 21, I 352 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:21,360 definitely haven't outgrown the craving. 353 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,080 And that's where Ollipop steps in. 354 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:27,440 Ollipop Shirley Temple is a modern grown up take on the 355 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,440 classic, made with a bright blend of tart cherry, white 356 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:34,640 grape, lemon and lime, plus Ollipop signature prebiotic 357 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:36,720 formula. It's sweet without being 358 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:40,480 overpowering, refreshing without being boring, and way more 359 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:42,360 interesting than the sugary original. 360 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:46,680 Each can has just 4 to 5 grams of sugar, 50 calories, and all 361 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:49,240 the fun of the drink without the sugar crash. 362 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,760 And honestly, we know runners appreciate tart cherry too. 363 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,240 You can find Ollipop Shirley Temple at retailers nationwide 364 00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:00,080 right now, or head to Drink ollipop.com, where Sidious Mag 365 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:04,240 podcast listeners get 25% off with the code Sidious 25. 366 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:08,000 It's not just the runner's soda. A big throws guy like me loves 367 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,480 it too. Ollipop Poly throws approved. 368 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:18,280 Sometimes I can carry over to just like freshman year of 369 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:22,320 college and still making slight adjustments from whatever your 370 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,280 high school training was to whatever Coach Taylor has in 371 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:27,360 mind. And then it's also the time in 372 00:19:27,360 --> 00:19:29,720 your life where you're like, now you have to fend for yourself 373 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,080 and eat your own dinner and breakfast and lunch. 374 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:36,960 And so fueling becomes this thing that also is now in your 375 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,840 control. And when I talked to Jane a 376 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:42,760 couple months ago, like she pointed at, OK, that was like 377 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:46,040 one of the big things that really she has honed in on and 378 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:49,080 it's been with the BYU team that has helped her. 379 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:51,880 Do you remember that also sort of being similar for you, just 380 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:55,320 sort of like fueling once you got to college was also a 381 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:57,200 priority? Yeah, definitely. 382 00:19:57,200 --> 00:19:59,640 Because high school, you're kind of used to your mom cooking the 383 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,760 meals, you don't really pay attention or whatever. 384 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:05,360 And yeah, I feel like freshman year of college is definitely 385 00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:08,240 hard trying to figure that out. And I feel like Jane is. 386 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:11,880 So mature and developed and like, I don't know, she didn't 387 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,920 have much to learn from me or whoever else. 388 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,640 But me as a freshman, I like, I had a lot to learn. 389 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:22,200 And I feel like, yeah, definitely nutrition was hard 390 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:24,560 and sleep was hard. So you're like, well, now I'm by 391 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,120 myself, I want to go out, I want to go do this. 392 00:20:27,120 --> 00:20:31,880 And so and yeah, I feel like that's also helped the 393 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:34,040 progression through college, like each year getting better at 394 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:35,840 those things. Each year you think you're doing 395 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:40,240 like all the things and then the next year you're like, but I was 396 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:43,280 missing this and this and this and it's just such a fun process 397 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:47,080 to continue to learn and add things to the list of things to 398 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:50,040 do to get better. What do you think was the thing 399 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,640 that you were missing between last year and this year that you 400 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:54,360 feel like you've implemented or changed? 401 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:58,280 Here's a few different things. I think that my strength growing 402 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:00,200 and like cross and everything helped a lot. 403 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:04,560 I like, I don't know, I feel like Jane pushing it like out in 404 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:06,840 the front really helped like tow me along. 405 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,320 So I'm like, OK, she's going faster than what coach said. 406 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:11,600 So I think I could go a little faster than what coach said, 407 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:15,400 like things like that or like just being more intentional with 408 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,960 like my cross training or like how I run my miles, just like 409 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:23,360 little details like that. And like, yeah, still learning 410 00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:25,520 different things about nutrition, and there's so many 411 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:28,720 different things I've put onto my list to continue to, yeah, 412 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:30,640 develop. What's your favorite and least 413 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:32,280 favorite method of cross training? 414 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:38,600 Favorite favorite on recovery days is probably swim because 415 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:41,320 you're just like you can get, you can hit flow state and 416 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:43,640 you're just kind of you forget that you're swimming. 417 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:48,640 But then probably bike. I hate the bike. 418 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,160 I can't do it. I avoid that one as much as 419 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:54,120 possible. In the end there also just 420 00:21:54,120 --> 00:21:56,800 really isn't like a super fun way of cross training. 421 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,120 Definitely not. The miles are the most what I'm 422 00:21:59,120 --> 00:22:02,840 like I'm like, I'd take high higher mileage over cross 423 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:06,520 training, but I feel like I don't know, my body does better 424 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,560 with the cross training over higher mileage. 425 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:11,800 So yeah. So at this point now, like 426 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:17,280 you've broken 2 minutes in the 800, have run four O 3 for the 427 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:22,520 1500 at four O 2 outdoors four O 3 and route to this mile. 428 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:26,080 Then on top of that, you know you ran 420, broke the NCAA 429 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:30,080 record in the mile, broken 15 in the 5K. 430 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:31,760 Do you have a favorite event right now? 431 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:35,720 I think the mile always like have a soft spot in my heart, 432 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:41,840 but the 5K was a lot of fun. And I think the way that I ran 433 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:44,640 it and just like, because the first time I ran a 5K was on the 434 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:48,760 outdoor track and that was the hardest thing I've ever done. 435 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,880 And so being able to come back and like, OK, like this is this 436 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,840 isn't too bad if you run it the right way and like, I don't 437 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:56,560 know, you're in the right shape for it. 438 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:00,840 So I don't know. I love it all, but probably the 439 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:03,200 mile. As I'm looking at some of your 440 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:07,160 PRS in front of me right now, I also spot the steeple chase. 441 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:10,600 Do you ever rule out a return to the steeple chase? 442 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:12,480 I will never return to the steeple. 443 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,840 You'll never see me back there. It was the one and done for me. 444 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:18,600 Holy cow. Was that just like a one time 445 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,920 experiment or was it like how serious was it? 446 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:24,960 I was like, pretty serious. I was like, I'm going to be a 447 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:27,000 steepler. Like my dad was a steepler. 448 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:28,840 He's like, yeah, you can totally do it. 449 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:33,400 And I did it once. My hurdling was all right, but 450 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:37,920 the water jump, I think I like, I went swimming multiple times 451 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,920 during that steeple. So Coach was like, you can go 452 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,640 back to the 1500 and we don't need to do this. 453 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:48,680 When it comes to just sort of how you and Coach Taylor just 454 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:54,240 think of yourself in before these races, like how do you go 455 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:58,400 from as a sophomore junior, thinking of yourself as like a 456 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,880 developing athlete versus now? I mean, this weekend proved it. 457 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:04,720 You're one of the best in the NCAA and like, is that a 458 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:08,440 different sort of mindset shift that you have to take to races? 459 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:11,920 I feel like you're always like fighting to be the best 460 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,720 throughout all those like beginning years. 461 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:19,600 And I feel like coach like has always seen like where I can end 462 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:24,000 up and like, I've always like believed that I can end up like 463 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:26,840 where I'm at now. It has taken a mindset shift to 464 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:29,560 shift from like, OK, I'm just, I'm trying to make it there. 465 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:31,840 I'm trying to like, like be in it. 466 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:34,360 And now I'm like, no, like I belong in it. 467 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:37,520 I will put myself in it and I will race like I belong. 468 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:42,560 And so I feel like it has taken time to develop that mindset and 469 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:46,320 that confidence and just like visualizing that, 'cause people 470 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:48,840 can smell weakness, they can smell fear when you're in the 471 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,320 race and they will take advantage of that and shove you 472 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:53,600 around. And so I feel like you really 473 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:56,320 have to believe it yourself in order to be able to put your 474 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:58,400 best foot forward. Have you gained the ability 475 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:01,200 smell it off other people yet? Maybe. 476 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:04,200 I don't know. I feel like I mostly just focus 477 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:07,600 on making sure that I'm in the position that I want to be in, 478 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:11,840 and I try not to focus on other people too much, but I don't 479 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:16,880 know sometimes. Where was sort of your mindset 480 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,960 at when it came to just like you said, it's a work in progress 481 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:24,680 and then last year you're at the US championships racing against 482 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:26,800 pros. Did you feel like I guess like 483 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,880 that you belonged in that at that point or was it also still 484 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:33,520 sort of like a work in progress? I had visualized being in that 485 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:38,320 race and making that final. And so I when I got to that 486 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,040 point, I did feel like I belonged. 487 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:44,280 And I feel like the race that really taught me how important 488 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:49,520 it was to like believe that you belong was NCAA's that summer. 489 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:54,200 Like I got in the race and like the previous year, my sophomore 490 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:56,640 year, I didn't make the final. And so just, I kind of went into 491 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:00,120 it with like, I need to make the final versus I want to make the 492 00:26:00,120 --> 00:26:02,600 final. And so that puts stress and I 493 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:05,480 just didn't race the smartest that I could have. 494 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:08,320 And so I was like, OK, I re evaluated. 495 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:11,840 I was like, what went wrong? And it was my mindset. 496 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:15,480 I like, I was afraid. I had, I don't know, I was 497 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:17,680 worried about what if I didn't make it? 498 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:20,640 What if this happened? And so after that race, I was 499 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:24,040 like, no, like, I won't like that's not going to happen 500 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:26,720 again. Where did you like turn to? 501 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:30,160 I guess after at USA is like things unfolded the way they did 502 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,640 where you you fall is unfortunate, but then what did 503 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:37,640 you learn from that and then how quickly did you all right, we 504 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:40,800 got to just move on from that. I mean, the trip was very 505 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:44,600 unfortunate, but I feel like up until that point I had raced 506 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,520 really smart and then I just like, I just swung out a little 507 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:51,000 bit like and made a, that was my one mistake in that race. 508 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:54,960 The 1500 is such a brutal race, like tactically. 509 00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:58,280 And so like 1 little mistake and you're tripped, 1 little mistake 510 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:02,080 and you're out the back. And so I just tried to swing out 511 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:05,840 a little bit and caught somebody's foot and I feel like 512 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:08,720 I was proud of how I raced that one. 513 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,000 And so I was able to move on from it good. 514 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:16,400 And I felt like I I went into it believing that I could do 515 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:18,880 something. And so all around I was like, 516 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:21,960 OK, like it didn't go how I wanted, but I put my best foot 517 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:25,000 forward so I can be proud. I've been thinking about that 518 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:29,040 race over the last couple days, especially given how well you 519 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:31,640 ran this past weekend, that I was like, oh, all right. 520 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:34,760 Well, the reason why it might come off as a shock to some 521 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:36,880 people is because we really didn't get to see what you were 522 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:42,360 fully capable of in that final. And now it's sort of like this 523 00:27:42,360 --> 00:27:44,160 performance takes people by surprise. 524 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:48,200 And I even texted Coach Taylor and I said, let me see if I 525 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:50,720 could pull it up. I was like, somehow I think 526 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:54,360 Riley's still underrated and overlooked and and then coach 527 00:27:54,360 --> 00:28:00,320 Taylor goes ha ha, sub two 4th across sub 15420 Miller 843K 528 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:02,720 best kept secret. And I was like, I guess it was 529 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:06,560 just like the Jane hype train has just been the best cover for 530 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:08,800 you. But do you also kind of feel 531 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:11,880 like you're surprising yourself a little bit this indoor season? 532 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:14,240 I don't know. I mean, obviously, yeah, the 533 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,640 season still has some time to unfold, but I feel like I 534 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,560 believed going into this year, like if you would have told 535 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:23,480 freshman year me like senior year, you will be doing this, 536 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,000 I'd be like, really? Like, Are you sure? 537 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:29,040 But, like, you know, as the time goes on, you're like, OK, like 538 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,640 one step at a time. And now it's like, OK, yeah. 539 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:34,560 Like that seems reasonable. What feels different about 540 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:37,280 Championship season? It does it feel like more 541 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:39,560 pressure? Probably, yeah, 'cause it's 542 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:43,480 like, OK, like now we're racing for like titles and titles don't 543 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:45,960 get taken away. Records are meant to be broken. 544 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:48,640 They will be broken, but titles don't get taken away. 545 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:51,360 And so and it's just like times go out the window. 546 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:53,960 You're like, I don't care how fast I run, as long as I like, 547 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:57,440 you know, I'm up there trying to, you know, win or take top 548 00:28:57,440 --> 00:29:01,000 three or whatever else. And so yeah, it's just a totally 549 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,640 different vibe and mindset and like learning how to race and 550 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:06,760 like you don't have a pacer that's out there to pull you 551 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:09,120 along. It's like it's you and your 552 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:12,400 competitors, so. And then you've obviously become 553 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:17,760 the most reliable anchor leg on the DMR over the last two years. 554 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:20,480 Thank you. Does that make it a little bit 555 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:23,680 more special when it's like you're able to win and be part 556 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:26,720 of this team and also know that it's like, all right, Like it 557 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:30,200 does come down to the final leg sometimes and there's just 558 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:33,600 something innate that comes out and you're able to deliver for 559 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:35,200 the team. Definitely. 560 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:37,160 I feel like, yeah, it's all about the team. 561 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,360 Like cross country, I feel like people do crazy things because 562 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:41,720 they're trying their best for their team. 563 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,080 Like there's just something like a little more powerful in doing 564 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:47,520 that for your team versus for yourself sometimes. 565 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:51,680 And so, yeah, like you have your teammates on the inside, like 566 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:53,760 watching you wrap it up. I'm like, OK, they did their 567 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:55,440 job. I need to do mine for them. 568 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:58,160 And so yeah, definitely. I feel like different type of 569 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:02,400 dog comes out during your leg. What's been your favorite race 570 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:08,800 in a BYU uniform so far? Oh gosh, that's so hard too. 571 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:11,960 Many good ones to choose from. There's plenty of great ones and 572 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:14,240 like just different, like different people, different 573 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:17,360 experiences. But I feel like it's probably 574 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:24,040 between winning the DMR after our 2023 season because we were 575 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:26,720 like, we're on a comeback train because we took 14th. 576 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:28,400 We weren't supposed to take 14th. 577 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:33,840 And so I feel like that comeback was like, so magical for me and 578 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:37,640 my team. Or there we came back and won in 579 00:30:38,560 --> 00:30:41,920 2024. Yeah, one of those two. 580 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:46,040 I think I talked to Coach Taylor on the podcast right after the 581 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:49,360 title in 2024. I think tried to focus on the 582 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,680 fact that, like, the plane ride back from Virginia probably 583 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:58,280 wasn't all that fun, but it did plant the seeds for sort of the 584 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:00,720 redemption arc that happened that indoor season. 585 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:05,240 And then I guess you do have to wait 365 days until you get your 586 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,040 next shot to try and claim a title. 587 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:12,840 What did you remember about that year and like how formative it 588 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:17,560 was for the team? I think mindset like just all of 589 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:20,800 us are like, OK, like physically we are ready to get on that 590 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:22,600 line. But like mentally and 591 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,600 emotionally like, I don't know, it just had been like kind of a 592 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:27,640 battle. Coach called us like a ticking 593 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:30,760 time bomb. I think at some point and we 594 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,920 just like weren't quite working as good together as we should 595 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:35,680 have. And so I feel like the next year 596 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:39,280 we really focus on like, OK, like we're here to build each 597 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:40,960 other up, do our best for the team. 598 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:44,640 Like our mindset like matters like just as much as like our 599 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:47,480 physical. And so focusing on like, OK, 600 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:49,440 like what can we do to better that? 601 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:51,640 Where are our weaknesses? How can we make those better? 602 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:53,720 How can we make our teammates weaknesses better? 603 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:57,240 And so that was definitely the focus for the next year. 604 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:01,520 It's so interesting to hear you just kind of describe all those 605 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:03,040 lessons that you took from one year. 606 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,120 And I'm like, this is probably more valuable sometimes than we 607 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:08,560 can learn in a classroom. But it's like this is part of 608 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:12,480 the being a student athlete at at BYU and just all the things 609 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:15,600 that you can pick up that will be super valuable come, you 610 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:18,920 know, a year or so when you become a professional runner. 611 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:20,600 Were those always sort of like the dreams? 612 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:23,720 I know you still have like some eligibility and, you know, the 613 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:27,640 outdoor season to come, but the the prospect and the opportunity 614 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:29,720 will probably be there to be a professional runner. 615 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:32,600 Like when did that sort of pop into your mind as like a career 616 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:35,040 path? High school, high school, I was 617 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:38,040 like, it would be pretty cool to be able to, I don't know, 618 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:42,480 represent some brand and just run for, run for work. 619 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:44,480 And it's just what you love to do. 620 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:49,440 And but I feel like my freshman year of college, I finally, I 621 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:52,480 was like, OK, like I believe that I can probably like, I can 622 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:55,640 do it now. Like it's like, yeah, it's 623 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:57,840 becoming a reality. It was a dream in high school 624 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:00,480 and it's becoming a reality. All right, So in the months 625 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,400 ahead, like what are some of the goals that you have for 626 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:05,920 yourself? Sometimes it's like I don't want 627 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:08,560 to speak about into existence. That's fine. 628 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:14,360 But I like, I would like, I would like to win eventually, 629 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:18,760 yeah, like a title individually somewhere, I don't know, or that 630 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:22,000 would be the main goal or this fighting for the win. 631 00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:25,040 I want to be up there in every race that I run fighting for the 632 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:29,280 win, whether it happens that way or not, that's OK as long as I 633 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:32,840 put my best foot forward. But I mainly just want to like 634 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:36,480 leave college knowing that I tried my best and I did the best 635 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:40,280 that I could to be my best so. Well Riley, I appreciate you 636 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:43,960 taking the time and best of luck in the weeks ahead as 637 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:46,960 championship season kicks off with conference. 638 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:50,000 And then from there it'll be NCAA's before we know it. 639 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:54,400 And given how the race played out this past weekend, it's it's 640 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:58,440 going to be quite the fight. Even in the mile, mile 3K5K, 641 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:00,760 there's no easy title to try and go out and win. 642 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:03,480 Yeah, well, thank you for having me on. 643 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:06,600 And yeah, this, it's going to be a great season, rest of the 644 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:09,800 season. All right, that's a wrap on 645 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:12,080 today's episode. Thanks for listening, for the 646 00:34:12,080 --> 00:34:15,040 time, the curiosity, and for making this show part of your 647 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:18,120 routine or your run. A big thanks to our producer 648 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:21,000 Jasmine Fair and to everyone behind the scenes who helps make 649 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:24,199 the Sidious Mag Podcast happen. If you enjoyed today's episode, 650 00:34:24,199 --> 00:34:27,120 a quick five star review on Apple Podcast or Spotify helps 651 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:30,280 people find this show and we read every single one. 652 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:33,520 You can find muchmoretrackandfieldcoverage@sidiousmag.com 653 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:35,880 and you can follow along across all of Sidious Mag social 654 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:37,400 channels. We'll see you next time. 655 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:38,679 Thanks again for listening.