Raw Talent. Real Grit. Unreal Times. The Cordell Tinch Episode Is Track & Field’s Hollywood Script

THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

Dominic Schlueter

Running, Sports

4.8 • 686 Ratings

🗓️ 30 May 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

He’s back. Not just on this show — but back in the sport, back on the world stage, and back to blow your mind with what’s possible when talent meets resilience.

Returning to the show is none other than Cordell Tinch — the hurdler whose journey reads like a Hollywood script. A former cell phone salesman turned world-class athlete. The guy who stepped away from the sport, then came back to dominate Division II track with three national titles in one weekend — and now he’s out here running 12.87 in the 110 hurdles, tied for the fourth-fastest time ever."

From selling phones in Green Bay to beating world champions on the Diamond League circuit — Cordell's story is a masterclass in self-belief, raw talent, and grinding when no one's watching.

In June 2023, Tinch clocked a world-leading 12.96 seconds in the 110m hurdles at the Arkansas Grand Prix. He furtherimproved to 12.87 seconds at the Shanghai-Keqiao Diamond League in May 2025, tying him for the fourth-fastest time ever in the event.

At the 2023 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships, Tinch made history by winning the 110m hurdles, long jump, and high jump—becoming the first athlete in Division II history to secure three individual titles at a single championship.

In today's conversation, Cordell takes me through his past two years as a pro, being friends with Tyrese Haliburton, what his story means to him, why he thinks he can beat Grant Holloway at the highest level, his ambitions for the season, and wisdom to anyone willing to hear it.

Tap into the Cordell Tinch Special.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Speaking of that man, Grant Holloway, absolute dog, he's owned this event for years and years.
0:07.2	What's it going to take to beat him out of championship?
0:10.5	Cordell Tinch.
0:16.0	That is Cordell Tinge today back on the Running Effect podcast. And in the two years since
0:22.7	Cordell has been back on the podcast, he's made a world championship team. I believe he's ran
0:28.6	12.87 in the 110 hurdles, which is tied for the fourth fastest time ever. And he signed a professional
0:34.4	contract with Nike, which is absolutely remarkable. Two years ago, when I had him on the podcast, we shared a lot of his story, which recapped him,
0:42.0	dropping out of college, thinking he would never run track again, becoming a cell phone salesman,
0:46.6	to ultimately getting back in the track and field world.
0:49.6	And at the 2023 NCAA, D2 outdoor championships, Bordell made history by winning the 110 hurdles,
0:56.2	the long jump and the high jump, becoming the first athlete in Division II history to secure
1:00.9	three individual titles at a single championship.
1:03.9	And as I mentioned, that 1287 and the 110 is season thus far, he is on a progression and
1:10.4	trajectory to do some remarkable things in the sport.
1:12.9	I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation. I'm confident you guys are going to walk away
1:16.2	with a lot of practical takeaways that you can apply directly into running and into your
1:21.9	life immediately. If you do enjoy this one, make sure you are following or subscribe to the
1:25.7	podcast. Wherever you listen, so you never miss another episode. Give us a five-star review and share the show with a friend or two.
1:32.2	That would greatly help us out. Without further ado, enjoy my conversation with the one and only,
1:36.8	the man the mental legend, Cordell Tinch. Mr. Cordell Tinch, welcome back to the running effect
1:43.7	podcast. A lot of people might scratch
1:45.5	our head and say back, when was this guy on? Guys, he was on two years ago when he was
	...

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