Couch to 10k with Karissa Schweizer

This week’s guest is Karissa Schweizer of Bowerman Track Club. Karissa is a Tokyo Olympian, the American record holder in the 3,000m, the #2 all-time 5,000-meter runner with a 14:26 personal best, and as of a few weeks ago, the national champion in the 10,000m who’s headed back to Eugene this week to chase at least one more national title.

We had an awesome conversation right after the Portland Track Festival last week (which is why during the episode we talk about entries for USAs with a little less clarity than we have now), and we covered everything from coming back from surgery last fall; growing up in a big running family; and how the culture at BTC has changed over the years. I also really enjoyed our conversation about the running culture in Portland Oregon and how that factors into the life of a professional runner.

This episode was brought to you by Summer of Hayward. There’s plenty to cheer for and plenty of hype to share as we on the CITIUS team gear up for USAs this week and Worlds next month, and you can follow along with us every step of the way. Learn more at citiusmag.com/summerofhayward.

This month, I would also encourage you to consider picking up a CITIUS MAG Pride T-shirt in our merch store to show your LGBTQ track and field pride. All proceeds from this campaign go toward PFLAG, a great organization that supports education, outreach, and support for families of queer youth. Pick yours up at citiusmag.com/merchtoday!

On bouncing back after surgery:

“Last year there were so many times when I felt like I was limited by my body and my mind, and being pain-free allows you to dig into deeper levels. There was just no way the race could go poorly.”

On training with her top rivals:

“Even though it’s an individual sport in some ways, you can make it a team sport. Elise and I have worked together in races, especially in trials races where top 3 matters most. Especially on the world level it’s really nice to have someone you train with day in and day out when you’re navigating the biggest stage.”

On navigating the negative press:

“We have almost a stronger team culture now because we’ve been through a lot. Everyone who stayed has had to get through a hard year together, and the group is closer as a result.”

On goals moving forward:

“At the end of the day, getting a medal on the world stage is my biggest goal. Records get broken, times get broken. But getting a medal – you can never take that away.”