Road to the Trials

Tyler is back on the pod and shares his insights on a wide variety of topics. We discuss his training (he's getting closer and closer to feeling 100%), which shoes he likes and how they feel on his healing achilles, how his nutrition has/has not changed over the past year as a pro, watching races as an injured runner, his standing on NAZ Elite re: jokester or punching bag, and more. The Road to th...

Frank Lara is back on the show with a jam-packed episode. First, Frank breaks down the USATF 15k Championship (Gate River Run) where he won last year and ran very well again this year. Then he details what it's been like in Boulder, CO for him, and his team, and his community after the tragic shooting last month. Finally, he gives a preview of his upcoming 5k at the prestigious Drake Relays on Fri...

Abe Alvarado has raced the 800m three weeks in a row and he is starting to feel it. After a second place finish he has notched two consecutive victories in opposite fashion. In this episode we dissect each race, take deep dive into his training, learn was race day is actually like (hint: there's much more it that than you may think), and talk about pacing his progress so he is ready to peak at the...

Keira returns to the show to discuss a wide variety of topics - from the fun, to the important, and many things in-between. We cover her recent injury that prevented her from racing in the Gate River Run (the USATF 15k Championship), her excitement over her recent focus on intense speedwork, races against a local high schooler, the Great American 5000 featuring Team Slugs vs Team Studs, plus much...

The Texas Relays is an historic event that has traditionally brought some of the best high school, university, and professional talent together in one meet. Last weekend Abe Alvarado and Olivia Baker both competed in the 800m and both finished in second after barely getting out-kicked coming down the homestretch. Their times, 1:48 and 2:03 respectively, were solid efforts (all-thing considered, as...

Dana is back on the show with some good news to share. In our first conversation she detailed the foot injury that derailed her at the beginning of 2021. She has been steadily working her way back and things are progressing well. In this episode, we take a deep dive into what that rehab has looked like, the various benefits of having training partners, and how her plans changed a little bit regard...

Tyler Day is back on the show to talk about the rehabilitation of his right Achilles tendon. In this episode he takes us through the steps he and his support team have taken over the past three months to get him physically and mentally prepared to return to training. This week he had his first true workout in months and, as you will hear, he is stoked at the prospect of returning to action. You ca...

In our last intro episode of season two we feature the speedy and inciteful Abe Alvarado. Abe's start in running was later than most of his peers but he progressed quickly from there. Recruited by Diljeet Taylor, a coaching legend who currently works at BYU, Abe found his stride under her tutelage and elevated himself into a three time All-American. Abe's accomplishments also include 2020 USATF In...

Olivia Baker is one of the best 400 and 800 meter runners in the country and will be battling tooth and nail for a spot on the 2021 Olympic Team. It was an honor to have her on the show to discuss her training pre-COVID and how it has looked over the past few months, balancing elite track with her desire to be a neurosurgeon, pushing through performance limits, and her upcoming spring schedule. Yo...

Last weekend the Trials of Miles Racing put on the extraordinary Texas Qualifier meet in Austin, TX and it was a huge success. Citius Mag showcased the event through their YouTube channel and covered a truly elite collection of U.S. track talent. Both Keira D'Amato and Frank Lara participated, in the 10k and 5k respectively, and fared very well. The conditions in Austin were tough, the humidity ha...

Tyler Day is a professional runner for HOKA Northern Arizona (NAZ) Elite. Day was planning on focusing on this year’s U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in the 10k. As a Northern Arizona University sophomore, Day finished ninth at the 2017 USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships at 10,000 meters. In 2018, he was ninth again–this time at 3,000 meters at the USATF Indoor Championships. A year l...

Frank Lara is a professional runner for the Roots Running Project based in Boulder, Colorado. He also works part-time for Strava as a community management representative. The past two years have proven to be big for Frank. In 2020, he won the U.S. 15K champion then set a massive personal best of 27:44 in the 10,000m in 2021. In December Frank participated as a pacer at The Marathon Project, runnin...

Dana Giordano is a professional runner for the B.A.A. and Adidas. She's a 4:08 1500m and 15:18 5K runner who ran track and cross-country at Dartmouth College and hopes to compete at the 2021 Olympic Track & Field Trials. In April, Dana added another line to her impressive resume: host of the More Than Running podcast . Five years ago Dana finished one spot away from the qualifying from the 201...

In 2020, Keira D’Amato had arguably the best year of any American distance runner. She set PR’s at nearly every distance including an American record in the 10 mile. She then transitioned from the country’s best amateur runner/real estate broker to a Nike pro runner. An amazing transformation for any runner in their mid-30’s and an inspiration to runners all over. Keira is now considered among a c...

The Road to the Trials have returned for season two and we are fired up! We will be bringing you a behind the scenes look at the training and racing of some of America's best track athletes as they prepare for the Olympic Track Trials in June. Specifically, we will be following Keira D'Amato, Dana Giordano, Olivia Baker, Frank Lara, Tyler Day, and Abe Alvarado. In this episode we are joined by Lin...

Diljeet Taylor is the women’s cross country and distance coach at BYU and one of the best coaches in the country, at any level. Last fall her Cougars finished second in the NCAA Championships after improving year after year since she took over. How did that same team do during the Indoor Championships? Cancelled. How about the Track Championships? Cancelled. In this episode Diljeet dives into...

In the lead-up to the Olympic Marathon Trials, Jared Ward was considered to be the safest bet to make the Olympic team on the men's side. While no means a guarantee, he was perceived to be in a very good position to represent the U.S.A in Japan. His years of success, and consistency were at the heart of this belief. Yet, when race-day came, Jared did not have the race he envisioned earning a 27th...

In our Olympic Trials wrap-up with Lou Serafini we hear from an amazingly self-aware runner who has started to channel his inner drive and goals. Lou did not run the time that he anticipated but he still achieved his over-arching goal. In addition, Lou talks about all of the work that he and colleagues at Tracksmith have done over the past year to help OTQ runners make their dreams come true. What...

What an amazing year 2019 turned out to be for Roberta Groner. The World Championships then six weeks later NYC Marathon was a marathon double of epic proportions. Unfortunately, the Olympic Trials did not go her way. Roberta did not finish the race and was forced to leave the course around mile 17. In this episode, Roberta shares the details about that experience, the amazing successes she has ex...

In the most emotional episode we have published, Sarah Bishop details the overwhelming response she had to bringing her children to the Olympic Trials to watch her compete. Sarah is one of the most competitive, no-nonsense, people we have had on this show, which makes this interview all the more special. In the past year she has rebuilt her body from a severe injury, adopted a new sport (triathlon...

In our first Olympic Marathon Trials recap we catch-up with Kellyn Taylor after she finished 8th in a time of 2:29:55. We talk about the complexity of falling short of her goal while being elated for her teammates, the shin/calf issue affected her training and race, her thoughts on going into a big race with a “Plan B,” and what the short term future holds.  Follow Matt: Instagram - @rambling...

What an amazing event the Olympic Marathon Trials turned out to be. The men’s and women’s races were absolutely spectacular. In this episode I am joined by Jason Fitzgerald, from the Strength Runner Podcast , immediately after the finish and we take a deep dive into both races, the course, and all things Olympic Trials.  Sponsor: In an era where there are more diet plans than people getting p...

In our final episode before the Olympic Marathon Trials we reconnect with Kellyn Taylor. Kellyn details her recovery post-NYC Marathon, the challenges of starting a new marathon cycle, how her coach Ben Rosario changed this up time around, and her outlook for the Trials. Kellyn also details her family's experience with foster care and how that impacted her life over the last few months. Sponsors:...

In this two-part episode with Parker Stinson he details the specifics around his decision not to run in the Olympic Trials and we do a preview of the event. The first part of the conversation is dedicated to his health  This decision for Parker was excruciating and I thank him for his candor in telling the story. In the second half of the conversation, in classic Parker fashion, he provides i...

We are now one week away from the Olympic Trials. It’s time to start analyzing the field and make predictions about what could happen on race day. In this Women’s Marathon Olympic Trials preview I am joined by two of the most knowledgeable peoplep in the industry - Erin Strout, senior writer at Women‘s Running, and Alison Wade, creator of the Fast Women newsletter.  In this episode we discuss...