I was so excited to have Sage Hurta-Klecker back on the show, this time fresh off making her first U.S. team in the 800 meters. This has been a long time coming for Sage, who’s been one of our top middle-distance runners in the U.S. for years and has been heartbreakingly close to making teams in the past. We talked all about that thrilling lean for third place at USAs, her mindset and tactics during the race, and how she handled the nerves and physical risks of running in such a tightly packed field. Sage shared what it meant to finally have that “checkmark” moment in her career, while still staying grounded in knowing her worth as an athlete beyond team selections. We got into the differences between the 800 and 1500 for her, why she’s excited to explore the 1500 more in the future, and how races like Sir Walter Miler have helped her bounce back from setbacks. She opened up about the emotional recovery from missing past teams, what her training looks like with teammates like Josette Andrews, her pacing experiences (including Faith Kipyegon’s world record), and how she’s preparing mentally and physically for Tokyo. It was such a fun, honest conversation, and I can’t wait to see what Sage does on the world stage.

Topics Discussed:

• Making her first U.S. team in the 800 meters


• The lean at the line and race tactics at USAs


• Managing nerves and risk in crowded 800s


• Differences between racing the 800 and 1500


• Training alongside teammates like Josette Andrews


• Pacing experience, including Faith Kipyegon’s world record


• Shifting focus toward the 1500 in the future


• Bouncing back from missing previous teams


• Mental and physical prep for the World Championships in Tokyo


• Support from family and what this moment means in her career

Media Recommendations:

• Book: The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green


• Book: Paper Towns by John Green


• Book: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green


• TV Show: The Gilded Age (HBO Max)

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