“I’ve gone into this year with less pressure on myself and have not been afraid to put myself in a vulnerable situation. I’m not afraid to lose anymore and I’m not scared to put myself in a situation to lose. I don’t mind getting to the front of the race and pushing it or trying to control it so that it suits my needs a bit better than other people’s. That’s been the biggest change this year.”

My guest for today's episode is Gracie Morris. If you watch the final 100 meters of the USATF Indoor Championships 1500m final, you know exactly why she's here. With 100 meters to go, Gracie was sitting in 4th place. A World Indoor team spot looked just out of reach, but when that inside rail opened up on the final turn, she didn't hesitate.

She surged through on the inside, closed in 14.3 seconds for her final 100 meters, and crossed the finish line in 4:11 to claim second place and her first World Championships berth on the track. Nikki Hiltz won yet another U.S. title, so that's your team for this month's World Championships.

What makes Gracie Morris's rise even more impressive is her trajectory. At TCU, she qualified for NCAAs twice but never made a final. Fast forward a year and she's a member of Puma Elite and has transformed into a dangerous miler in the United States. In 2025 alone, she won the Sir Walter Mile and the Fifth Avenue Mile. She also claimed the U.S. 2K cross country title and dropped her 1500m personal best from 4:08 to 4:04. This year, she's already run 4:02.

In this conversation, we talk about that decisive final lap, the lessons she's learned about racing instincts, and the steady belief that got her through years of injuries in high school and college.

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Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez

Guest: Gracie Morris | @ggraciemorris

Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr

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