Road to the Trials

Ashton Swinford joins Lindsey and Peter after running 2:36:51 at the Indy Monumental Marathon, securing her Olympic Trials qualifier with just seconds to spare.Ten years and 30 marathons after debuting in 3:20, Ashton shares her incredible progression from a college runner who couldn't break 20 minutes in the 5K to an Olympic Trials qualifier. She breaks down her dramatic sprint to the finish, why doing less finally helped her break through a plateau, how she races marathons just three weeks apart, and her unconventional fueling strategy involving homemade sugar water.A story of patience, persistence, and finding success on your own terms.Support our Sponsors:Learn more about being coached by Peter: https://pbrunning.coNomio: A 60 mL broccoli sprout shot designed to support hard training by helping reduce oxidative stress and blood lactate levels, so athletes can push harder with lower perceived exertion. Take it three hours before a key session, and use code RTTT15 for 15% off at Drink Nomio or The Feed.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/relayandtrials

Courtney Alama joins Peter and Lindsey to share her journey from running a 3:02 marathon to qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Trials at CIM. She reflects on overcoming an Achilles injury just weeks before her breakthrough race, the importance of finding joy in running, and the unexpected opportunity to race in the elite field at Boston after her original marathon was canceled. Courtney also shares how she's balancing competitive training with her role in the growing Cooldown run club community and why she's setting her sights on even faster times.Support our Sponsors:Nomio: A 60 mL broccoli sprout shot designed to support hard training by helping reduce oxidative stress and blood lactate levels, so athletes can push harder with lower perceived exertion. Take it three hours before a key session, and use code RTTT15 for 15% off at Drink Nomio or The Feed.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/relayandtrials

Caroline Hill of the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project joins Road to the Trials after earning a third-place finish at the Twin Cities Marathon in just her second marathon.Caroline shares how a heartbreaking end to her collegiate career at Wake Forest led her to professional running, why she knew the marathon was her future, and how the Hansons' high-mileage training approach has helped her thrive. She also discusses the shift from chasing a time to racing for a podium spot, the importance of teammates, and what's next on her road to the 2028 Olympic Trials.Support our Sponsors:Nomio: A 60 mL broccoli sprout shot designed to support hard training by helping reduce oxidative stress and blood lactate levels, so athletes can push harder with lower perceived exertion. Take it three hours before a key session, and use code RTTT15 for 15% off at Drink Nomio or The Feed.Arrive at the starting line feeling race-ready with CEP's medical-grade compression socks, trusted by elite athletes for travel and recovery. Road to the Trials listeners can save 15% off their entire order at CEP Running through November 15 with code LRLNYC-15 at checkout, or shop at ceprunning.comSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/relayandtrials

Andrew Kaye knew the marathon was where he belonged. After six years of Division II running at Colorado School of Mines, he realized the shorter distances weren't bringing out his best. So he turned his attention to the roads, started coaching himself, and eventually made his marathon debut at Twin Cities, running an impressive 2:12 and finishing second overall.In this episode of Road to the Trials, Andrew joins Peter to break down his unconventional path to marathon success, from delaying his debut when training and life weren't lining up to building a training program around double workout days, treadmill sessions, and 25-mile long runs.They discuss how Andrew connected with some of the country's top marathoners, including Hillary Bor, what he's learned from training alongside elite athletes, and why he believes finding what works for your body matters more than following someone else's training plan.Andrew also shares his race strategy at Twin Cities, including why he refused to check his watch until mile 23, how he's balancing a new full-time job with elite-level training, and why he believes there's still plenty of room to improve as he prepares for the Houston Marathon.With his sights set on 2028, Andrew is proving that sometimes finding your distance is all it takes to unlock an entirely new level of running.Support our Sponsors:Nomio: A 60 mL broccoli sprout shot designed to support hard training by helping reduce oxidative stress and blood lactate levels, so athletes can push harder with lower perceived exertion. Take it three hours before a key session, and use code RTTT15 for 15% off at Drink Nomio or The Feed.Arrive at the starting line feeling race-ready with CEP's medical-grade compression socks, trusted by elite athletes for travel and recovery. Road to the Trials listeners can save 15% off their entire order at CEP Running through November 15 with code LRLNYC-15 at checkout, or shop at ceprunning.comSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/relayandtrials

Ari Fisher isn't following a traditional path to the Olympic Trials. At 37 years old, she's running faster than ever, incorporating Orangetheory classes into her marathon training, and just ran 2:34:15 at the Twin Cities Marathon to earn her first Olympic Trials qualifying time.Ari joins Lindsey and Peter to talk about her incredible marathon progression, from a 2:50 debut in Eugene to a 2:40 at Boston and now a fourth-place finish at Twin Cities. She shares how Orangetheory has become part of her training, why she stepped away from a 12-year career in the medical field to pursue running more seriously, and what she's learned about building mileage, strength, and confidence.The conversation also explores Ari's return to competitive running after years of injuries and burnout, navigating the loss of both parents, and why she believes her best performances are still ahead of her.With the Olympic Trials officially on her calendar, Ari is just getting started.Support our Sponsors:Nomio: A 60 mL broccoli sprout shot designed to support hard training by helping reduce oxidative stress and blood lactate levels, so athletes can push harder with lower perceived exertion. Take it three hours before a key session, and use code RTTT15 for 15% off at Drink Nomio or The Feed.Arrive at the starting line feeling race-ready with CEP's medical-grade compression socks, trusted by elite athletes for travel and recovery. Road to the Trials listeners can save 15% off their entire order at CEP Running through November 15 with code LRLNYC-15 at checkout, or shop at ceprunning.comSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/relayandtrials