411. Kara Goucher, NBC Olympics Distance Analyst

Ali on the Run Show

Ali Feller

Run, Health & Fitness, Women, Inspiration, Runner, Entrepreneur, Sports, Fitness, Health, Running

4.9 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 18 August 2021

⏱️ 81 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“When you compete at that level, there’s this high that comes with that. And I’ve missed that. And nothing has replaced it, really… And I got little bit of that feeling calling some of those races. I started to feel that little high again that I used to get when I raced.”

Last month, Kara Goucher joined the Ali on the Run Show to talk about her experience being part of the NBC broadcast team at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene, OR. Today, Kara's back — and this time, she's here to talk about what it was like commentating at the Tokyo Olympic Games! Kara just returned from Tokyo, where she served as an NBC Olympics Distance Analyst, calling the men's and women's races from the 1500m up to the marathon. She talks about how this experience compared to the Trials, and breaks down her studying process for each race, including what she did to make sure she pronounced every name of every athlete correctly. She shares the one thing she said on air that kept her up at night, reflects on getting choked up when Molly Seidel went for the bronze in the marathon, and explains why she wasn't allowed to cry on air. She talks about having to keep it together when one of her closest friends, Emma Coburn, was having a tough race in the steeplechase final, and talks about what it was like calling the men's marathon after having a complicated history with former teammate and Team USA competitor Galen Rupp. Finally, Kara, a two-time Olympian herself, answers listener questions about her time in Tokyo and what's next.

SPONSOR: Oiselle — Use code ONTHERUN for 15% off.

What you’ll get on this episode:

Kara explains what her role was at the Tokyo Olympics, and when she could be heard commentating (3:55)
How Kara was feeling confidence-wise heading into the Olympics broadcast (16:45)
How Kara studied and prepped for the races she’d be calling (22:00)
How Kara decompressed each night after working the races (27:45)
The races Kara was most excited to call, and how to find the line between excitement and emotion (30:00)
How Kara recalls her own experiences on the run during these races — without talking about herself too much (43:00)
How Kara and her team called the men’s and women’s marathons (44:30)
Does Kara feel respected in this role? (50:20)
What’s next for Kara on the commentating front and beyond? (51:30)
How being at the Games this year gave Kara a different perspective on her own time competing (56:15)
Kara answers listener questions from the Ali on the Run Show Facebook Group (1:03:30)

What we mention on this episode:

Kara Goucher on Episode 43 of the Ali on the Run Show

Kara Goucher on Episode 86 of the Ali on the Run Show

Kara and Adam Goucher on Episode 208 of the Ali on the Run Show

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode of The Alley on the Run Show is brought to you by the women at Wazel.
0:04.8	Go to wazel.com to check out all of the brand's newest arrivals and use code on the run for 15% off your order.
0:13.2	Welcome to The Alley on the Run Show.
0:19.9	I'm your host, Allie Feller, and I am very excited to bring you today's conversation with Kara Goucher.
0:27.3	Last month, Kara was here to tell us what it was like being a part of the NBC broadcast team during the US track and field trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
0:37.7	And that conversation was so fun and so well received that we just had to do it again.
0:44.0	Because this time, Kara is fresh off a two week trip to Tokyo where she was again part of the NBC broadcast team.
0:52.3	But this time, it was at the Olympics.
0:55.2	Kara, of course, is no stranger to the Olympics.
0:58.0	She's competed there as a professional athlete twice before.
1:01.4	But this time around for Tokyo 2020, Kara had a new view of all the action.
1:06.4	Because this time around, she was there as an NBC Olympics distance analyst,
1:11.8	calling the men's and women's races from the 1500 meters up to the marathon.
1:16.4	On this episode, Kara talks about how this experience compared to the trials,
1:20.4	about what her studying process was like, which, wow, sounds very intense.
1:25.1	And about how she worked on pronouncing every name correctly.
1:29.2	She also shares the one thing she said on air that kept her up at night.
1:33.0	Kara talks about getting choked up as Molly Cytle was coming in for the bronze in the marathon
1:38.4	and about why she could not let herself cry on air, even though we were all crying on our couches at home.
1:44.7	And she talks about what it was like watching Emma Coburn, one of her closest friends,
1:49.3	have a really tough race out there.
1:51.2	But having to keep it together because, well, she was on air.
	...

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