The Squeeze - Gabby Thomas: Staying on Track

Episode Date: August 13, 2025

In this week’s episode, Tay is joined by American track and field athlete and Olympic champion Gabby Thomas for a girl-talk chat! Gabby shares how she first got into running, what drew her to study neurobiology and global health at Harvard, and how difficult it was to juggle life as both a full-time student and elite athlete. She opens up about the moment she realized the Olympics were within reach, her training journey to Tokyo, and the mental toll of discovering a tumor on her liver just weeks before the Games. Gabby reflects on the emotional crash that followed the Olympics, how she prepared for Paris 2024, and what training and life look like today. She also talks about her pre-race rituals like breathwork and meditation, the mental health tools that keep her grounded, and what it’s been like navigating public attention, from airport stalkers to fan interactions. Gabby shares advice for young athletes struggling with pressure or burnout, and talks about launching Athlos, a new women’s track league she co-founded to uplift and support female athletes!Be sure to follow Gabby on https://instagram.com/gabbythomas/!Check out Athlos here: https://www.athlos.com/To email us your questions or share your story, you can reach out to [e-mail] sure to rate, review, and follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode! Plus, follow us on all of our socials:The SqueezeInstagram: https://instagram.com/thesqueeze/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thesqueezepodcastTay LautnerInstagram: https://instagram.com/taylautner/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mrstaylautnerAmazon Storefront https://urlgeni.us/amazon/FDXj7 Taylor LautnerInstagram: https://instagram.com/taylorlautner/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@taylorlautnerTo learn more from The Lemons Foundation, follow https://instagram.com/lemonsbytay/ and visit https://lemonsbytay.comEpisode Sponsors:Right now, https://tonal.com/ is offering our listeners $200 off your Tonal purchase with code SQUEEZE Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet. Visit https://ollie.com/squeeze today for 60% off your first box of meals! #ToKnowThemIsToLoveThemFor a limited time, Tempo is offering our listeners 60% off your first box! Go to https://tempomeals.com/SQUEEZERight now LMNT is offering a free 8-count Sample Pack of their most popular drink mix flavors with any purchase. This is a great way to find your favorite LMNT flavor, or share with a friend. Get yours at https://DrinkLMNT.com/Squeeze Learn more and join using our link. The first 1,000 get a $100 credit toward their membership. Visit https://functionhealth.com/THESQUEEZE or use gift code THESQUEEZE100 at sign-up to own your health.Produced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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I didn't understand how they had my information. Thomas says a group of strange men has been following her wherever she travels. Stocker like showing up at the airport. It happened a couple of times, actually a number of times before I ended up posting about it. I was generally scared. I was flying home from Chicago. And I remember I had actually changed my flight the evening prior and they were at the airport. And so I was thinking, okay, well, this must be a coincidence.

I don't even know how I rationalized that in my head. Yeah. The first time I signed a couple of them when I stopped signing them because I was I had a flight to catch. You know, they got mad. And then it happened again, same airport. Didn't sign anything. They were very hostile and mad.

But what was really strange about that instance, too, was, yeah, they bought dummy tickets. They bought dummy plane tickets so they could follow us into the boarding area. And then it happened again at the Miami airport. They had tickets. They were at the gate. If they're capable of figuring out when and where I'm flying on last minute notice, like what else can they figure out? Even if you don't feel like you're in danger, it's just the fact that it's the entire.

that people feel like they can put you in that situation. So when I made a post about it, I was genuinely looking for answers. I was curious to know, like, does anyone know what's going on? How could this be happening? Someone working at the airline tipping them off for people to you just feel like they're entitled to that type of access just because they see you. Yeah. Like on the internet or on TV, it's just, it's really scary. Gapby, welcome to the squeeze. Thank you. Happy to be here. I'm so excited. I feel like we've been trying to like get this nailed down. for quite some time. Oh, yeah.

But you're a busy girl. Yeah, it's been a busy year. Yeah. You're running around everywhere, no pun intended. I had to do it. How many running fast puns? Will I make this episode? We will find out.

Okay, so we start each episode off with this jar. It's a game called Citrus Got Real. If you want to pull a little piece of paper out of there and read it to our lemon drops. That's right. Our listeners. Okay. What would be the title of your autobiography?

Oh, that's a tough question. Is this foreshadowing for you? Ooh, is it a foreshadow? Let's see. What would be the title of your autobiography? I think, well, off the bat, like, I think it would be something like stronger. Yeah. Like, I think it definitely speaks to like what I do, which is fitness and sports, but also

speaks to like resilience and just growing through different eras of life and coming back stronger. So that would be it. I actually am like, I'm a big autobiography. nerd. Like it's probably like the number one book genre that I read. I feel like that's a big like athlete thing. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like athletes get like motivated from other people's lives. Actually might be it. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Because I don't even like read fiction anymore. I'm just like obsessed with other people's life stories. Is there one that's been your favorite that you've read?

Okay. Best of All Time is Open Andre Agassi. I think it's true like the best memoir. I mean, yeah, it's a memoir because he wrote it. I think. technically that whatever yeah but yeah no it's incredible highly recommend oh wow i'm reading kiki palmers right now oh my gosh i'm obsessed with her i know i love kiki she pops up her like favorite like her like funniest interviews or compilations of like top five funniest moments or whatever it is pop up on my tic talk all the time i've watched the same clip like i don't even know how many times of her like mimicking her mom or like just like reading like about like that's like i'm like like the time when she was like, she's talking about like Twitter thought she was dead or something.

Y'all killed me. It's so, I'm so, I'm so, I'm so happy. It's so funny. Her like the gag is. Oh my God, sorry to this man. Yeah. She's just so quotable. She's good.

Okay, well, great. Well, I need to read that one because she, I freaking love her. Oh, yeah. But I'm excited to like chat today because I feel like I started doing some research, but I honestly just wanted to like hear it from you because I feel like there's, you have so many, like, random, maybe not random, they're not random because they're not random to you, but to someone who doesn't know you, like so many different facets of your life. Like I just kept reading the things you've done and are doing. And I was like, this girl like has a boss bitch. Like I just feel like you have like

so much going on. And it's like, oh, she also does this. Oh, there's also that like I feel like the resume just kept going. So I'm excited to just like chat and dive into more than, you know, what most of us know you as is our gold medalist. Yay. I love that. Oh my gosh. I can't I wish like I wish I could have been recording the Olympics my husband is like my husband loves sports but like when it's the Olympics he is the most it's like he's watching the Super Bowl he's a big like football fan so that is like his thing and I just remember him like screaming for you at the TV and like we like watching you was so surreal. Okay I kind of want to just like start from the beginning of your life. But I really lived to know you said Texas earlier. Is that

where you're from? No. I've been there for five or six years now. So it generally feels like home. It's like the only place I've lived like my adult life. Okay. Okay. Where are you from? Originally from Atlanta. Okay. Yep. So born spent my childhood there. And then we moved to Western Massachusetts, which is super random. Okay. When did running track start for you? So track really started for me when I was, I believe I was 12. I started in middle school because my mom just kind of forced me to do it. But I've always been into sports. Like I just from day one since I was four or five, you know, playing soccer, basketball. And honestly, I did it all. Like I did softball. I tried cheerleading. I tried gymnastics. I even did like horseback riding for a brief minute. Oh, wow.

So I think like any time I wanted to try a sport, like I just did. My mom was super supportive of that. But when it came to track and field, though, that was different. I had this idea of track and field as just running, which, I mean, technically it is, but like, to a kid, that sounds really boring. Yeah. You know. And in our sport, you don't really have a professional league to look up to. You see the Olympics all the time, but, like, I don't actually see what the sport is.

So I didn't know. So anyway, she made me do it. The first couple of years were a little questionable for me. I wasn't, like, in love with the sport, like soccer. was still my first love. But I think like my junior year of high school is when I started to really, oh wow, like fall in love with it. I, you know, I started setting goals for myself.

I started, you know, achieving some of them, continuing to work towards others. And I like, I don't know. I just fell in love with the process of getting better. Yeah. And track is a sport where you really like, you get what you put into it. Yeah. And there's something like really beautiful about that. And I've just been running ever since.

Yeah. Yeah. I feel like. Is that normal for someone to go into track that late? I think, so track and field is funny. So there are a lot of people who specialize in it really early. And I think, you know, the majority of the pros on the circuit that I race with now are like that. Yeah.

But you also see a lot of burnout when people do that. So there are a ton of people for every maybe, you know, one track athlete who started early, there are 10 that did with that person, but kind of burned out by the time they got to college. because it's a very, very mental sport, which I'm sure we'll get into later, but track is really intense. And then there are just a couple, like a small couple of us who got into it later.

Yeah. And it is a little bit non-conventional, you know, to start a sport so late and then compete at this level. But I think it's been kind of one of my advantages and almost a superpower to not have had that super early intense start. Yeah. That's so interesting. Because, yeah, I feel like we've had a lot of,

gymnasts on the podcast and I'm friends with some girls that have competed and that it is like they were like rolling out of the womb like that is like what they've been doing for so long so I always wonder like with different you know divisions I don't know what the word would be specialties what that is like yeah I mean I think like the good thing about track is you don't have like a barrier to entry like that so if you do start late it's no big deal like it's not like you missed out on a, you know, formative years of running. Yeah. I did do other sports. So I had like that basic athleticism. Yeah. And basic, like awareness of my body. I do think that's really important. Yeah. But as far as, you know,

learning particular skills or having access to certain networks, you don't need that. Yeah. This track and field is ultimately pretty, it's pretty amateur. I mean, we talk about it all the time, like in our track world about how if you want to run, like you can run. If you wanted to, for example, like sign up for Olympic trials for the LA 2028 Olympics. Like you absolutely could do it. Yeah. And then see if you make the team. So anyone can kind of jump in if they want to.

It's really a matter of like how committed are you to training for that. Yeah. And it's like it's so cutthroat that like you could commit all that time to training for it. And then still like missed the team by hundreds of a second. So a lot of people just aren't really willing to do that. To do it. Yeah. I have so many questions that are popping into my head now,

but I'm going to save it so that I can somewhat say. on track with what I have backed out. On track. Oh my gosh. On track. That one was not on purpose. That one was not on purpose. I'm going to literally be so annoying. And the TikTok I'm making her do after this too. She's just really, she's in for. That's one of my favorite parts about track though, I think, is like unlimited puns. Like there's always a way to like weave it into a conversation. Yeah. It's so, it's so good. Okay, wait. So I need to talk about Harvard because I didn't know that. And I was like, Oh my gosh, she's literally L Woods, but like super track star L Woods. You went to college for neurobiology.

Where did that come from? Also, did you go to Harvard to run? Well, kind of, yeah. So neurobiology came because I just, I knew I wanted to do neuro from junior year of high school. I have two brothers who are neurodivergent. Okay. One has autism and then the other one has ADHD. And I would watch them kind of navigate the world and kind of, and I saw just like the limited

resources that were available for them and their learning styles and just how they, they move through society. It's particularly my autistic brother. Yeah. And so I think I really just wanted to go to school and do research and figure out how as society, you know, we can just make it a better place for those learning styles. And then I ultimately just fell in love with the major. I stuck with it. And at that time, my focus in life was academics. I come from a very academic background. Like my mom was a school teacher and then went back to

school herself and became a professor, which is why we ended up moving to Massachusetts. So I had a deep appreciation for education and like what it could do for. for you and the opportunities that it could provide. For example, Harvard being one of them. Yeah. That being said, Harvard did recruit me to run track too. Now, they don't do athletic scholarships. So it's, you know, their financial aid. It's just need-based. And then you go and you also do a sport, but it's kind of separate. They don't really have these expectations of you, you know, doing whatever and maintaining your scholarship. So we didn't have that. But the intention was to run track at Harvard. But again, at the time, academic.

because it was kind of my main focus. That's so interesting. Track was, it was fun for me. Yeah, I liked it. And it was a good way to be around friends and kind of do something where I didn't have like an immense pressure, like these crazy expectations on me. For sure. How did you balance that being a student athlete?

Because I imagine even just having that degree in itself. Like it's not a defense communication majors. But like that's, you know, that is a very like high level degree. Girl, there were a lot of days where I did not think I could do it. honestly my entire freshman year I was pretty set on quitting the track team I was thinking you know something has to give at this point yeah and it's going to be like my academic career and those endeavors or it's going to be my my sports my sports career and then mind you there's also all these extracurriculars that I wanted to do like social clubs or like yeah um just exploring like

different interests like women in business and things like that yeah um and there's no like you don't get like a blueprint for like how to navigate and balance these things, especially when you're on an institution like Harvard and you're expected to compete at the D1 level. Yeah. I think when I, when I signed up for Harvard, I just didn't realize that I was signing up for at the end of the day. I didn't realize I was signing up for a track program that competed and trained like every other D1 program. Yeah. In my head, I think I had something like intramurals in my head where I was like, oh, it'll be fun. We'll run around the track, you know, for a couple hours each day. But it was really, really intense. And then, of course, like, stepping in the classroom with a bunch of really

intelligent, like, you know, top 1% in the world. Yeah. Was really difficult in its own way. And then doing a major, like, neurobiology where these are like the future best surgeons, like brain surgeons in the world. It was definitely intimidating. And then, you know, I also just had to work jobs while I was training and doing classes. So it was, it was a lot. But ultimately what kept me grounded was, I think, understanding that I'm doing what I love. And the mindset just became, you know, this is an opportunity. And something my college coach used to tell me and talk to us about was reframing things. And so I didn't really think about going to the track, for example, as like a sacrifice that I was making, but more so like an opportunity.

And, you know, nobody was making me study neurobiology, right? And no one was making me run because, like I said, we didn't have scholarships. But it was really just a choice that I was making because I loved it. And I loved what I was studying. And I loved running. And so when you reframe it like that and you know, you wake up every day with that mindset instead, it helped a little bit. Yeah. That being said, I mean, there were still many days where I was like, I don't think I can do this.

But yeah. And also really like making time for free time. And that's where I really learned how to do that. And I carry those lessons with me now. So it's like just carving out like blocks of time like for myself. Or for like resetting with friends. Yeah. And I think that's just yeah. Are you one of those people that like puts it into the calendar? Honestly, I'm one of those people who like I don't really believe in using a calendar. I don't. But it's I do mentally like block it in. Yeah. You're my husband. That's that's him. I like need. I like need. I like. I like need. I. like brightened up into a calendar and needed California and all those things. But I love, I feel like finding, being able to find that like setting aside that free time, because I will sometimes put it when I know I have a busy week or something, I'll put it in my calendar, even just like a reminder to be like, hey, just like go sit outside in the sun for a minute. Like just go have a minute to yourself. How, how was learning that? Like did you get to a point where you were like

breaking anywhere like I need like to remember my free time? Yeah. I mean, I think so. Because they tell you when you get to college, right? Or when you go anywhere where you're doing a lot, they're like, oh, time management. Like time management is key. But like you don't really know how to do that. Yeah. You know, it's like easy in theory. But then you just find out that like you're running at a time.

You have all these things to do. Yeah. And I remember my coach used to be like, okay, well schedule, you know, 20 minutes here to get your homework done. And then go to class and then come to practice. And then suddenly your homework takes like an hour and 30 minutes instead of 20 minutes. And then your schedule falls apart. Yeah. then you start to freak out and it's the whole thing. So I went through that for a while.

Yeah. Just kind of figuring it out. And I mean, I just, I learned. I also learned that it's okay not to stay on the schedule and it's okay to like have grace with yourself and be fluid. Yeah. And that might be even more important than the time management skills in itself. Yeah. But yeah, I mean, that's really it. Learning to adapt and adjust when you need to. Yeah. That's probably like the biggest part of balancing everything and having that kind of mental schedule. It's just like, you know what? Didn't get it done today. That's really okay. I'm going to be okay. The sun will still rise tomorrow. Yeah. And it's fine. And just, you know, giving and pulling when you need to. It's such a good. My husband's always like, are you going to live?

Yeah. Will you survive to see tomorrow? I'm like, okay, then it's fine. Like it can wait or whatever it is. I'm like, no, but it can. He's like, right, it really can. This isn't life or death. That is so real. And I think like even going into Harvard, this is so weird to say, I feel like I was a very type A person, but that experience like turned me into a type B person. I feel like I had to totally like reshift my brain. And like redo all that circuitry. And now I'm like, I don't know. My public is probably tell you. I'm like very, very chill. Probably drives are crazy sometimes. But like I just yeah. I love it. That's good. I mean, it's a good. It's a good reminder. one of the things that keeps a lot of us from going to the gym is not knowing where to start or if our workouts will even well work us out and that's where tonal comes in the ultimate strength training system that tracks your progress to take the guesswork out of working out so you can have the confidence to keep pushing forward i feel like one of the most discouraging things is when you're going to the gym and you're not really seeing any changes but with tonal you can

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Go to Tempomiles.com slash squeeze. That's Tempomeals.com slash squeeze for 60% off your first box. Tempomiles.com slash squeeze rules and restrictions may apply. Okay. So I'm just still when did, when did track actually start to become something that you were like, oh, okay, like I should pursue this or I could like you know go on to something bigger here I think so my junior year of college I had an incredible race I made the NCAA you know tournament for track and field and I ended up running and winning the NCAA championship and breaking a collegiate record which was very unexpected for me and something that is just not really heard of from Harvard to be a sprinter and to be competing at that level yeah and so that

changed everything overnight. Like immediately, I had a lot of attention on me. Immediately, I was expected to run really fast. But mainly I was exposed to this world of track and field that I was not aware of before. I think most people in track in college had an understanding of the track world. Whereas, like, I didn't. I was this girl coming from Western Mass. I didn't really know anything about track and field.

I wasn't, you know, these girls who run, they ran in, you know, Florida, California. in Texas. And so after that day, I mean, I just knew it was different. I knew I had an opportunity to run professionally, which I had to learn what that was. Yeah. And I knew that I could make money running. And then I realized I had a shot to try to make a Team USA team, which was crazy. It was so bizarre.

I mean, your life flip overnight like that is just so wild to me. I'm just thinking back to that time now. And I'm just like, wow, I had no idea. Yeah. I can't imagine like what that would feel like even just to, you know, have your eyes open to that world, but also realizing, hey, this other passion that I do have is also, you know, there is an opportunity for more than just running for my college. Yeah.

So even with that realization that I had the opportunity to run professionally, I still wasn't, like, quite willing to give up on like the academic journey too, I think, because that had been my entire life. Yeah. So yeah, I was still juggling both for a while, even when I did end up running professionally, which I loved. Yeah. I still did. But yeah. What, for our listeners that don't know, myself included, what does like running professionally mean? Like, what does that look like outside of the Olympics? Yeah. So outside of the Olympics, we are running every year. And if, If it's not an Olympic year, we have world championship years, and those are every other year. And so we're typically training for that.

And we're always training for a major championship. When we're not at a major championship, we are typically running in a Diamond League, and the Diamond League is global. So they have meets, I think it's 12 meetings each year, Monaco, London, Doha, China. There's one in the USA, and it's in Oregon. So that's what we're doing. Or we're competing at small meets, like a USA track and field. It's our nonprofit.

They'll put on some meets in the U.S. for us. Sometimes we'll run at college meets. But essentially, we're just setting ourselves up to train and compete at a major championship so that we can win medals for Team USA. Yeah. And then that's how we earn our money because we get sponsorships based off of our performance at major championships. Got it.

So, yeah. That makes sense. And I feel like I should have known that. Now, hearing you say all of the things, I now understand them. Because I heard of the World Championship thing. And I was like, I didn't know what that was exactly. Girl, no, same because I would see people run at the Olympics and they'd be like, oh, this is world championship from, you know, 20, whatever. And I'm like, oh, I don't know why I didn't think about that.

Yeah. But it wasn't until I, it wasn't until. So I went pro my junior year of college. I stayed at Harvard to train for my senior year. And then I moved to Texas. It wasn't until I moved to Texas to train and we were training for the world championships that I knew that there was a world championship that I knew. that there was a world championships that existed. Like I just had never seen it, never watched it.

No one of my circle had ever spoken about it. Yeah. Which I do want that to change for our sport, right? Yeah. But I had no idea. Wow. You're saying that anyone could go and basically like try to qualify for the Olympics. What was that time period like for you?

So that time period for me, oh, that was wild. So yeah, when I graduated, which was in 2019, I decided to give myself a shot and try out for the Olympic team. Because like I said, I mean, anyone can do it. And I was in a really good position to do that because I was already fit and running fast. So in order to do that, I knew I needed to be like in an environment where I could get better. Because even though I was really fast and running professionally, I still, I would not say that I was at the level that I needed to be at to make an Olympic team. Yeah. So I moved to Texas. I joined a group called the Bifford Bailey track club. And they already had Olympians in the group. My coach was,

a three-time Olympian herself. And so I felt like, okay, this is going to be a good environment for me to train and just see what I can do. And I could also get my master's degree at the University of Texas, which was a big priority for me as well. So everything worked out. I was like, this is great. We're moving to Austin, like going to live out my dreams. It's amazing. And then, as everyone knows, COVID happened. So COVID happened pretty immediately after I moved. I moved in November and then a couple months later. There were just no track meets to be had. So this was supposed to be the 2020 Olympics and they had, you know, just decided that they were going to postpone the Olympics.

Trials wasn't happening. All these meets were canceled. And so at this point, you know, I'm thinking I don't know where this track thing is going to take me. I do remember emailing my agent at the time and telling him that I think this is it for me. We're just going to have to retire. and I'm going to continue school and just go from there. Oh, wow. Because at this point, you know, we were training as if there were Olympics,

but there were no Olympics to train for. And so I was spending a lot of time and energy on the track without any certainty. Yeah. That, you know, I was going to do something with it. Yeah. So it was a really weird time. Yeah. Yeah.

It's strange to be, you know, putting blood, sweat, and tears onto the track and a workout and not knowing if you're ever going to compete or ever even. or ever even make a team. Yeah, because it almost like strips like, you know, like the motivation. Yeah. You have away and it's like, why am I putting in all of this time and energy if I don't even know if there is going to be something. Exactly. So when did that mindset flip for you?

Was it when they decided that there was going to be one? I mean, I think my mindset generally was, this is one of my favorite mantras. It's chop wood, carry water. And so that means basically keep doing the things that got you to where you are even after you found that success. Yeah. Right. So I just was like, I'm going to put my head down and keep training really hard as if there's an Olympics. I'm going to keep training the way that I have been training for the last few years to get me to this point where I can run professionally.

And I just did it. I think that's where discipline kind of ties in. And also at the same time, I loved being on the track. Yeah. I keep coming back to that because that's kind of. of my grounding experience is like I love running I love pushing myself and I love being there like with my teammates so thankfully in 2021 everything was back to normal right they at least in track and field you know they they put the competitions back on yeah and there wasn't Olympic trials and

eventually in Olympics yeah I read in here that when before the Tokyo Olympics you were undergoing some scans for a handstring injury yeah girl and then the doctors ended up finding a tumor on your liver? Mm-hmm. Girl. That was a really stressful time period. So I did have a hamstring, like a slight hamstring injury strain. And I got a routine like MRI for that. And in MRI, they found a mass on my liver that honestly for me, like I do, I read so

many like health research papers. I remember thinking it's probably fine. I think most people have masses in their bodies that they will never be aware of because they don't get MRIs as frequently as athletes do. But then I remember my doctor telling me, like, no, this looks bad. You should go get like further checked on. And I was like, oh my God, this was maybe three weeks before our Olympic trials. And so I was just, I was stressed. Yeah, I was really stressed out. And I remember telling myself, like, if I make it out of this okay, then I'm putting it all in the line because I'm so grateful to be healthy and alive. And I'm living

out my dream. I just remember like making that promise to myself and to God. And thank Hopefully everything did end up being fine. It's something that actually, it happens very frequently for women who are in birth control and I was on birth control for a very long time. So I probably have one. You might have one. I wouldn't recommend engaging imaging. I would not recommend it.

Yeah. So it's so grateful. But yeah, it definitely shifted my mindset a bit, right? It made me just really truly so grateful to be able to run and do what I love. Yeah. Well, I can't imagine, like, having, like, finding it. And you're like, oh, like, I'll be okay. And then they're like, no, actually you need to take the test.

And then you're starting to stress and you're like probably, like, how long, how long did it take for you to get after the actual testing for like the biopsy and stuff? That's another thing. It took the whole thing with such a long process. And it was frustrating. And as someone in like the healthcare space, I was like, it should not be this hard. Yeah. To especially someone like me where I have all the resources that I could ever imagine. and just getting my master's in public health and having that network and also running for USA track and field and having that network of doctors.

And I think the whole thing, I mean, it probably took six weeks, which is very long from like my initial MRI to having the conversation with doctors and getting follow up imaging and then, yeah, biopsies and like all of that just took six weeks to get like a final answer. I didn't think you were going to say six weeks. That's a lot longer than I thought you were going to say. Yeah. Oh, wow. It all finished about maybe two weeks before I left for Oregon for trials. Okay. But it had started way before that.

Oh my gosh. Yeah. That is insane. And that's why, yeah. At first it was like, okay, it's fine. But then you have so much time to overthink it and be like, okay, maybe it's not fine. And then it's taking so long and you're like, okay, well, why aren't, why is no one talking to me? Why is no one calling me?

Is something wrong? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The spiraling that comes with that I actually can't imagine. Yeah, I'm sure that really lit a fire under you once you were like cleared and you were like, I'm just going to give this my all. Exactly. I'm curious after you've talked a little bit about feeling like a crash after the Tokyo Olympics.

When you say crash, was that like a physical one or a mental one? Definitely mental. Okay. Yeah, it was mental, emotional for sure. Yeah. I think that it's fairly common amongst Olympic athletes, but Tokyo was my first Olympics. It was so much fun, like just getting to go there. And I didn't have these crazy expectations for myself.

I think I was just really happy to be there, you know, with it being my first one and not even expecting to make the team. Yeah. But also when I made the team, when I said my life changed overnight, like when I went professional in track, I mean, that was nothing compared to after I made like the Tokyo Olympic team. My life really, really changed. And then being there was so much fun. And then I did get my first Olympic medal, which was a bronze in the 200 and then a silver in the 4x1 relay. And I was just, I don't know, I felt like on top of the world. I was just so happy and ecstatic.

And I don't think I was prepared for just what came after that. In Tokyo, we also, because it was COVID still, there was not a lot of media in the village or like at the competition. So I was kind of in this happy little bubble. I was like competing at the Olympics, it was great, not too much stress. And immediately when I got back to the States after the Olympics, it was, I mean, it was instant. I just felt so drained. It was, I think, a mix of being on such a high high for weeks of like making the team going

to Tokyo and being there and experiencing that to coming down. And so you're coming down from that huge peak emotionally. And then suddenly everybody wants like a piece of you. everybody wants your time. Yeah. And I was just not familiar with that world. Yeah. I was essentially this nobody runner from Harvard.

And suddenly I was, you know, one of the best American sprinters. Yeah. Coming back to the States. And so I just wasn't prepared for that. I didn't have an adequate team ready. There is no, like I said, there's like no blueprint or protocol of how we're supposed to handle that. Yeah. And so, yeah.

I just remember being so. drained emotionally and mentally. Yeah. And like every morning I just would not want to like wake up in the morning. I would like be terrified to even pick up my phone because I didn't know like what was on it. I just didn't know like if people were going to be like asking me for favors or yeah. If like people wanted me to, you know, do something like media wise or, you know, just friends and family who obviously mean well. But like everyone just wants to talk about the Olympics.

And yeah. I didn't feel like like Gabby anymore. I just, you know, I felt like like Gabby Thomas, like this printer. Yeah. And so it was just a lot to get used to. Yeah. I don't think people like realize even though everything you said is positive. Like it wasn't like there was anything negative.

It's still that it's so overwhelming and our bodies like aren't meant to digest all of that. Especially like the influx. That's why we see so many, you know, actors or musicians. Like when they're on stage, they're like the highest high. and then they crash. And it's like, that's why there are so many people in the industry that struggle with their mental health is because our bodies are just constantly doing this. And our brains can't, like, comprehend what that is or, like, how to deal with it.

And so not being, you know, there's, there is no, even if you are well equipped and have a team and have all of the stuff in place, it's still, you still feel the crash. That's so real. Yeah. It's inevitable to feel, no matter of, like. sport or singing or whatever it is. Like it's it's all it's all like fully there. And it's like hard to talk about right because like you said it was all like positives. Yeah. Right. It's like okay no this is a great blessing and I would not take it back. Yeah. But then like yeah you're like then I sound ungrateful.

Right. It almost it makes you feel like you're not supposed to like be struggling mentally. Yeah. And you feel guilty for and then. Exactly. And then I feel guilty for not like enjoying the ride. I was like I just came back from the Olympics like I should be so happy and like celebrating. Yeah. And I was like, oh, my God, I just don't want to. Yeah. You know. What got you out of that little rut?

Did it take time? It did take time. I think I started to feel a little better and just kind of, like I said, I did the same thing with my mantra, just chopped wood, carry water. I just put one foot in front of the other. Yeah. And I just did the things that I was expected to do. I went to like the celebration events and I did all the media interviews.

I did all the sponsorship stuff. And I think it was just a lot for me to carry. it was just a really big load. And the next season definitely, I mean, it showed. I just, I was really stressed out all the time. I think I just had too much going on. And then I ended up getting injured and not being able to compete that season. And I just don't think that was a coincidence.

I think it very much had to do with not taking care of my mental health first. Yeah. Did you feel like pressure to because you had just come back from the Olympics, I won, like to perform? Well, I felt, I did. I felt a lot of pressure to perform. Yeah, I mean, I felt pressure to do like everything during that time. I just, I don't know. I feel like I didn't know that you could say no to stuff and I didn't know that I could take time to rest.

Like even on the track, I just feel like you're expected to go, go, go. And there's like a plan A for training and there's a plan for competing. And there are certain times that you're supposed to hit. And I just, I didn't realize that it's okay to take a step back and take an off day if I need to. Like rest and recover. off week if I need to, right? It's not the end of the world. But there was definitely a lot of pressure. And in a sport like track and field where like you have to be perfect because the difference between running, I think people don't realize this. Like in my event, you know, maybe a really good time

would be 22.1, like 22.1 seconds. Yeah. But if you run 22.3 seconds, like the whole world will just collapse. Like everyone's like, what happened? And it's like, well, I don't know. Maybe I didn't dorsi flex my heel like the same way. Like, I don't know. But so, You took one too many breaths when you were right. Like that's how like. Exactly. Or like maybe your reaction time was a little off or something. Like so you just have to be perfect.

And when you're not perfect, it feels like it's the end of the world sometimes, even though I know it's not. Yeah. But yeah, so the stress was definitely there. Do you feel like your love for the sport wavered at all after your first Olympics? I mean, I wouldn't say it wavered. I think I needed a healthy break. Yeah.

To be honest. I still love to track and feel. field. And I think that's evident because when I got hurt, I was heartbroken and it was really devastating and I wanted to be competing. And that's how I knew that I was still very invested and really loved it. But I think I really, I understood that I needed some time. Yeah. And I needed to like reframe, you know, take a second back and just, you know, this is where I am in life now. I just need to have a healthy balance. Yeah, for sure. How did you going into, the 2024 Olympics, how did you mentally kind of prepare for that? And was there something that you were like,

I want to go into this with this frame of mindset? Yeah. Okay. I do feel like I went into, I mean, going into your second Olympics, I just felt so much more in control. I felt like a veteran. I had been competing for a couple of years now. Yeah. Like I said, my first Olympics, I feel like I was thrown into the sport so quickly and just so naive and just like a girl who didn't know, the world of track and field. Yeah. And for the Paris 20204 Olympics, like, I felt comfortable. I'd also grown into myself, like, not only as an athlete, but, like, as a businesswoman.

And essentially, I see what I do on the track as, like, a business. And I'm running my own business. And so I had a great team around me, which I do, I feel like it's really important, like having people who I feel like I can trust who are understanding of me and who just help me navigate things, whether, you know, that's my agent, publicist, coach, um, physical therapists. Like, all of these people, like, matter so much. Um, so definitely had that. And I think I was, like, really, really motivated too. When I look back on going into the Paris Olympics in that time period, I mean, it was like tunnel vision. It really was. I was, it was, I wasn't even, like,

worried as much per se about making mistakes or not being good enough, I was just like so dialed in and motivated. I was like, I need to do everything right. Like, I need to be perfect. I'm going to train really hard. I'm going to also rest when I need to. Like, I just, I feel like I had everything under control. Yeah. Which I don't know. I feel like I do really well when I feel like have control of like situations. Yeah. And so I, yeah, going into it, I definitely felt like I had more control. Yeah, which is funny if you're a type B person. Did you know that electrolyte deficiency or imbalance can cause headaches, cramps, fatigue, brain fog, or even weakness? That's where Element comes in. Element helps anyone stay hydrated. Each pack delivers a meaningful dose of electrolytes

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What was that winning moment like for you? The winning moment was. I'm sure you've been asked this question a thousand times. It was, okay. Two things. It was incredible. It was like, I mean, the best moment in my life. I just, you can't even, it was unbelievable.

Like I almost felt like I was living in a dream. And then on the other hand, it felt like a huge relief. Like I could just breathe again. And that was such a good feeling too. Yeah. Because I know how long and hard I had worked for that. Yeah. And I also, I understood how disappointed I would be if I didn't,

at the gold medal, which I mean, I hate like thinking about it like that, but it's just the reality. So I was just like so relieved. Yeah. I was like all of this hard work. Like I did it. And wow. That was it. Like I did it.

So it was great. I do remember like right before the line, like right before the gun went off, I was like in the blocks. And I remember like having this moment where I was like, if I win, like, I'm going to be. so stressed out. I'm like, my time's not going to be my time anymore. I was like thinking back to the Tokyo Olympics where I was like, oh my God, is it going to be okay? Am I going to be okay? And I remember like having to just like brush that thought away so quickly because a gun was about to go off and just think like, I just have to go and worry about that later. Yeah. And so, yeah, I did. And then, yeah, just relief. Yeah. You mentioned earlier and I wanted to wait until we were

actually talking about track to bring it up so I didn't get sidebar. But You mentioned like how mental of a sport track is. And like I never, obviously like, I never thought about it that way until you just said it. And then I feel like I was having like a little like epiphany moment of like, I think the reason why I don't like running is because I'm like literally like alone in my thoughts. And like it's not like you're learning new tricks. Yeah. Even though even though you are running faster. And I'm sure like, you know, there is little nuances of what you said.

your dorsiflection of things that I have no freaking clue of. But it's so minute is what I'm trying to say is you're running and nothing is, nothing is changing besides like the minuscule things that you know. When, you know, you're a gymnast or whatever it is, you're learning all of these new things and you're actually like seeing the progress of a full whatever it is. And I can't imagine how, you know, trying to make your toe flex while you're like full on, like how mental that actually is. is. I mean, it is just so incredibly mental for so many reasons. And like you said, I mean,

the main one being the difference between winning and getting last, right, could be the difference of like a thousandth of a second. Yeah. You know, in like the 100 meter race in the 200, a tenth of a second. Yeah. So so much goes into that. And maybe you are physically perfect on that day, but mentally you're just not, you're not enough on that day. Or maybe you're, you're in your ludial phase and then you have to work like a thousand times harder that one day just to not run a tenth of a second slower so when i go into i mean you have to play so many like mental tricks on yourself and you have to get yourself into that zone where you have that like extra one percent that you need to win the race and it also goes with training like training can be

i mean like you said you you don't like running no yeah i don't blame you but i i don't blame you but I would prefer to sprint over a long distance. That's what I tell people. I'm like, I did prefer. I danced in my whole life. But when we would do like hell we can have to run. I was always the fastest sprinter,

but I was the last one in the mile. So it was, sprinting is fun. You win some. Sprinting is fun. I don't like long distance running either. My mile time is not good. But yeah,

so even the training of it, like the meat is just such a. small part of what we do. But we're training every day for hours. And so you have to mentally be prepared to train at that level too. Yeah. Like your training can't, you know, be subpar and then you expect to compete well. Yeah.

So it's also getting yourself ready and in that mode mentally. Yeah. And also in our sport, it just naturally comes with so many setbacks. Yeah. We are constantly, like, pushing ourselves to our limits, like physically. Yeah. And so naturally things are going to happen. Like you're going to feel pain.

You're going to have a bad day. And how can you bounce back from that? And that's really, really hard to do in an individual sport. Yeah. Where you don't have like teammates to help pull you up or to cover for you if you have a bad play. It's just you out there. And so if you can just kind of figure out how to be resilient in a way that gets you medals, that's really the name of the game.

There's so much talent out there and everyone at this level is so talented. So it becomes, you know, who can figure out the mental game. Yeah. Do you have like pre-race, like rituals or like routines that you do to get you in the mindset? I think like the only pre-race ritual that I have is meditation. I started that in college and my college coach was a big advocate for it, which I'm so grateful for. it's just it's so grounding and it has actual neurological effects that I do believe like help so before I do it in training too if I have a hard training day I'll just like incorporate it into my warm up where I do two minutes of meditation focusing on breathwork and nothing else and I do it in competition too yeah and it really calms your nervous system down but it also gets me in a place where I can be laser focused yeah and doing it over time obviously you see more benefits But other than that, I don't take it too seriously.

I think that's just how I cope and how I deal with really high pressure meets or competitions. I'm just like, nope, it's just another regular day. Like, if something different happens, that's really fine. If something like unexpected happens, that's fine. Yeah. I'm just going to go race. Yeah, trying to give yourself, like, grace with, like, during that. No, exactly.

It's so I like, I'm not going to bore our listeners with all of my, thousands of questions because I'm literally like, how do you, how do you, the, the thing that gets me with track is what you said is it's literally like a thousandth of a second. And like, there's sometimes I'm watching, I'm like, oh, why, why did they run so slow? And it's literally a second. And I'm like sitting on my couch, like eating a bag of chips. I'm like, who am I to freaking say this thing? But you know, like you don't realize. But it's also like you don't realize how good everyone is. And you're all so fast. So then when someone is, you know, a half a second behind, it looks like There's so much slower, but they're literally not.

Oh, it's so, it's so, I'm horrible. It's so bad. I'd love to know, like, any advice you have for young athletes that, you know, may be experiencing burnout or just kind of feel stuck mentally with where they're at. Yeah. I mean, I would say a couple things. One is really important. I think comparison is a thief of joy.

Everyone has heard that, but it's so true. Yeah. You cannot compare your job. journey to anyone else's and genuinely everything happens for a reason and you can always overcome something and it may have been a blessing in disguise. I think a big part of why I had so much success early in my track career was because I wasn't comparing to anyone. I just was doing my own thing and focusing on what I wanted to focus on and it was just my journey. And I go back to that now, even when I think about, you know, things I'm struggling with now or a setback. I'm like,

you know what, it's your journey, do your thing, don't compare to like what anyone else is doing. Yeah. And it's all good. And then another one would be to really prioritize rest and recovery physically and mentally and emotionally. It's non-negotiable. It's actually a part of my training. And rest could be so many different things.

It could be getting dinner with your friends or it could be, you know, contrast, cold plunge, sauna, whatever you want it to be. But whatever makes you feel, you know, just. reset and it makes your cupful. Yeah, recharged. For sure. I love that. And I feel like that's honestly like applicable for anyone experiencing any form of burnout in life. Whatever career you may have. Right. It's so important to remember that. Yeah. I mean, there are so many synergies with like sports and track specifically and just life. Yeah. So. Yeah. Okay. I have really been wanting to talk to you about something that we, I think the whole reason we started

DMing was because you shared about an incident recurring potentially thing that was happening with you at just the airport. I want you to, I've been wanting to hear about this because I remember you posted something on your story or your close friends or was like, as anyone ever dealt with, you know, people like stalker like showing up at the airport and when you had posted it I feel like not long before that something similar happened to my husband and I we were traveling and it was the first time and it had ever happened to me like obviously it wasn't for me it was for him but with him he's obviously had has experienced this back in the day a lot but we were de-plaining and someone had bought you know plane tickets to be inside of the airport and we're at the terminal and

you know, I'm with him. I'm with a male and they're not asking for my autograph. They're asking for his. But I was still so freaked out and so I was so on edge. I think I like cried in the car and he was like, it's okay. Like, because it's something that's happened to him before and he's like, you know, they're not, they're not, they're not stalking me in this, in this scenario. He's like, they're not following me.

They're just wanting my autograph, but they're going about it in a way that is unsafe. and is very uncomfortable. And so I, since then, we no longer, I'd like do the, like, VIP service every time we fly into that airport now because I'm, like, paranoid it's going to happen. And even though, like, he did make me feel better after it because I was like, you know, what if they're following the car? And I just, like, spiral in all these things. And when you shared about that, I was like, I can't imagine going through that by myself and

as a female. Yeah. So I'd love to hear that what's going on. Isn't that it's so sad that anyone just even has to feel that way? Or like even if you don't feel like you're in danger, it's just the fact that it's the entitlement that people feel like they can put you in that situation. And then for whatever reason, you have to rationalize that it's okay or that you're safe. I just don't even appreciate that. But furthermore, like making anyone feel just uncomfortable, unsafe, anxious. It's so wrong. But yeah, ultimately, I mean, It happened a couple of times, actually a number of times before I ended up posting about it. I can't even remember the first time I think I was flying home from Chicago from like family holiday. Yeah. And I remember I had actually changed my flight the evening prior and they were at the airport. And so I was thinking, okay, well, this must be a coincidence like somehow, some way.

I don't even know how I rationalize that in my head. Yeah. But I was like it must be a coincidence because I had just changed my flight. Yeah. You know, fine. At first, the first time I signed a couple of them. And when I stopped signing them because I had a flight to catch, you know, they got mad. Okay, I roll. Like moving on. Yeah. And then it happened again. Same airport. Didn't sign anything. They were very hostile and mad. Whatever. But what was really strange about that instance, too, was, yeah, they had bought dummy tickets. They bought dummy plane tickets so they could follow us into the boarding area. Yeah. And they were waiting for me at my gate. And they were waiting for me at my gate. and then it happened again at the Miami airport where they were just in the in the boarding area you know past security they had tickets they were at the gate and at this point it was just it was I felt so much confusion and I was generally scared because I didn't understand how they had

my information yeah like what was going on like I did not feel like my life was immediate danger, you know, obviously I felt like physically okay, but if they're capable of figuring out when and where I'm flying on last minute notice and having this access to me, like, what else can they figure out? And like, how are they doing this? And I, I just got to a point where I was walking to airports and I felt anxious. Yeah. You know, and I just felt anxiety when I was traveling. And I just did not feel like I deserve that. Yeah. So when I made a post about it, I was genuinely looking for answers. I was curious to know, like, does anyone know what's going on? How could this be happening? Like, is someone working at the airline tipping them off? Because I don't post anything about,

like, when I'm traveling until I get there. So I wasn't sure. And I mean, it happened to other people, too. Like, a few other female public figures had mentioned it and reached out to me about it too. And I thought, okay, well, it's good to know that I'm not, like, alone. Like, they're not targeting me for, like, you know, some type of weird harassment. But I do feel like that's a huge issue. I mean, for people to, you just feel like they're entitled to that type of access just because they see you like on the internet or on TV, it's just, it's really scary. Yeah.

And you never know what people are capable of at the end of the day. Like, I don't know them. So I'd love to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. but if you're the type of person to, you know, cross those boundaries and buy a dummy flight ticket and harass me when you know I would feel uncomfortable, I don't know what else you're capable of doing. So it was really frustrating the entire thing. Yeah. So, yeah, we've since, yeah, taken measures to not have to deal with that.

And I do the VIP. And honestly, since posting about it and speaking out, they have left me alone. Yeah. And I do think they needed to be scared. Yeah. It was an entire investigation. And I think they got spooked. Yeah.

And I think that's, I'm just really glad that I did speak out about it and it was received so well, like, amongst the online community and that other people, like, were supportive of that because, yeah, I have not seen them. Yeah. But the next time I, if I see them again, I, I know, I know. I feel like people, I feel like I have this conversation a lot when people are, you know, feel like they need to take the photo. feel like they need to sign the autograph. And I feel like it's one thing when it's a genuine fan that, you know, someone comes up to me, hey, I love the podcast. Can we take a photo? Of course, totally.

If I'm, you know, in the right mindset. But if someone is coming up to me with a clear, flimsy piece of plastic and a blue marker, I know you, blue marker so they can freaking copy it and put it on the things, then no. Like that's like you're wanting to make money off of like harassing me. Exactly. And I think now that you mentioned that, I'm like, I don't even know why I gave them the benefit of the doubt to begin with because they had like pictures of my face all printed out.

So yeah, to your point, it's not like an innocent fan who's excited to see you. It's like someone targeting you. Yeah. So it's just like an interesting. And then like a video will go online and be like, they're so rude. They didn't sign this. I know. It's like, well, yeah.

Like if you're being harassed somewhere I would. wouldn't like want to sign it either like I feel like the internet and people who aren't in positions like yours and my husband need to give people that are in those positions a lot more grace because like your flight could have been canceled and you could have you know you could be having a horrible day and someone comes up to you and you're like no actually like I'm like dealing with something right now that needs to be okay like yeah we're not going up to random strangers asking them for favors for things and I feel like you like sharing this as a good reminder like girl yes I mean I got a whole thing like I was at a track me like a couple of months ago where I, I mean, I had spent like 30 minutes signing

autographs and, you know, taking selfies with a lot of the fans who show up because we love the fans and like they make what I do possible. Then I had to go cool down. Yeah. And I just one person, I guess, didn't get a picture and just went on social media and was like, oh, she's the worst. She doesn't like make time for fans. And I'm just like, oh my gosh, so unfair. Yeah. It's, yeah, it's a very, it's a very like interesting space that I feel like we're now that more public figures are starting to like share about but then it also like adds this pressure like my husband never says no like even like that's just always how he's been but granted he has been dealing with it for a very long time so I think he's trained his mind in a certain way he knows when he's leaving the house that that could happen so he's prepared yeah when like the night we got engaged we like he proposed and then we went to dinner and we had four people come up to our table after like right after we got and get like not knowing that that had happened and we're there just having dinner like I just got engaged I'm so happy and people keep coming up and I'm like honey

you can say no it's okay and he's like do you want me to say no and then then I'm like well yeah the last girl she's really cute and like she's a sweet little girl who was it like so it's just it's just like a such an interesting thing that you don't like really really lies until you're in it and here I am just getting a ring on my finger and going to dinner and having all these people come up it's like such an interesting it's it is it's interesting because like you said like you see where they're coming from yeah like oh you just you love this person and like you want that moment and then you know it's like you don't not every day that you get to see someone that you look up to yeah and walk by them in person but then on the other hand it's like oh yeah we're

humans yeah sometimes like you just got engaged or sometimes yeah you had a really really rough And like you're not in a good mental space to give someone your best. And yeah, it's definitely tough. It's a tricky thing to navigate. But I think you said it best. Like, just everyone giving each other grace is so important. Do you deal with like online backlash or pressures at all? Girl.

You're like, we need a part two. Yeah, I know. We need a whole part too about all. I mean, online, as you know, it's just, especially now, I feel like it's just taken a whole new. reality, like especially with TikTok now too. I think TikTok, I am genuinely scared for like the future of social media and people's interactions. I think the way people interact and how online discourse is on TikTok is so frightening to me. Like where's what happened to compassion? Like what happened to nuance? Like what happened to just not being mean? I it is it's wild. So yes, I do deal with online

backlash, obviously, I think starting from Tokyo Olympics was my first experience with it. It was like kind of the first Olympics where, you know, people had so much access to athletes because social media had taken off so much since the previous Olympics. And so we were kind of getting used to that. And I have, you know, I've developed thick skin about it. Of course, you see it all the time. And in a sport like mine where we're very individual, like attacks on our performance feel really personal because it's like there's no one else yeah there's no one else i'm like this is me i'm like what like that that really hurt my feelings a little bit um because you know we put so much into it right we train so hard and put like literal physical and emotional and mental energy

into it and so when you're doing your best and someone's just like oh you suck you're like well you could have ran faster it hurts and i'm also like what i was saying to you before anyone can do it so i'm kind of like we're not in a sport where you're like you're like you're drafted or like selected subjectively. I'm like, okay, well, that wasn't fast enough. Like, you get off the couch and you do it. You train and then come and do it and race me. We'll see what happens. But no, I mean, I just see it as part of it now. And I think I have a healthy relationship with the internet. I was going to ask like what, what are like your boundaries with it now? Yeah. I think it's so hard too because I like social media. And like I love being on the

internet. I love Twitter. I love Twitter jokes. I love memes. I love TikToks. And so it's like you don't want to take that away. Yeah. And then I also, I like running. Like, I like running at the top level. So I don't want to stop doing that because of how much attention it gets. So it's like, all right, well, the only choice now is just to deal with reality. And that is that some people are going to be online and they're going to be mean and nasty. And it has no, has nothing to do with me. Yeah. And one thing that I think is really important to remember that I tell like a lot of, my younger teammates to remember too, is that, like, nobody who is on your level or doing better will ever, like, give you negative criticism like that on the internet, right?

Like, if anyone is happy with themselves in their life and they're doing something good and positive, like, they're not going to go on the internet and start, like, bashing people for their efforts. Yeah. Like, you don't see someone working hard and being like, oh. Yeah. No happy person is, like, leaving comments like that. Right.

Like you just wouldn't do it. And I thought about that. And I'm like, you know what? That's so true. The only people who do that are people who kind of like they have you on a pedestal and they just feel like they can do that. Yeah. So I think that's really important to remember. Yeah.

I love that. I want to talk a little bit about you're a co-founder for a new women's track league. I hear. Tell me about it. So Athlos is really exciting. So like I said before, like track and field is just an interesting sport where we like we rely on these major championships, but a lot of people don't know how and when to watch us. So having a new league where people are competing and fans know when and where we're

competing and it will be broadcasted is such a great opportunity. I also think we are in such a great era for women's sports. It's getting a lot of attention right now. And so we are jumping on that. Track and field is a great product. Every four years, people love it at the Olympics. Yeah. And so why can't they love it every year?

Yeah. So Athlos will be that. Yeah, right? Like it's a great opportunity and the vision's there. It's all there, but we just need to make it happen. Yeah. So Athlos will be that. I am co-founding it with Shakari Richardson and Tara Davis, who are other amazing athletes in track and field.

And so it's just, we're so excited. It's going to be a team-based format. So it's going to be kind of this new, exciting way to watch track and field and follow it. Yeah. We had our inaugural event last October. Okay. We're doing one more meet this October in New York City on October 10th. And then next season in 2026, like the league will start. Oh, cool.

So it'll be really great to follow. Wow. Yeah. So you can get tickets for Athlos this year online now. Okay. And then just follow along for next season. Sweet. But I'm really excited about it.

We'll leave a link down below for our lemon drops to go. Check it out. That's so cool. Coming into the sport was really weird for me because I was like you, I didn't understand what track was. I didn't understand where people were running, when, how, and I just, I want to leave the sport, like, better than I found it. So I want young girls when they're going into track and field to have something to look forward to. Yeah. You know, like, I feel like young boys always, like, they're always like, oh, I want to be in the NBA or like, I want to play in the NFL.

And they have these dreams because it's there and available for them. Yeah. And track just doesn't have that. Yeah. And track is so special because there is such low barrier to entry. So anyone can just train and work hard and do it. Yeah. But then what?

And I want there to be something there. Yeah. So that's why it's really special. That's so special. Yeah. Congrats. Thank you. That's so exciting.

Okay. Last question before we do, our little end segment. Perfect. You have truly just accomplished so much in your career. Both careers. We honestly didn't even dive into that because I got so sidetracked talking about all my track questions. Side tracked. You had one earlier and you were you were saying something like deep and I was like, I'm not going to cut her off. I was like, don't say it. Don't say it.

I can't remember what it was. I'm sure. I'm sure people know what it was. I can't remember. But you really have, there's just so many facets of your life. And out of all of those and everything you've accomplished, I really want to know, like, what are you most proud of yourself for? Ooh, that is a really good question. Oh, my gosh. I mean, I would say definitely how I carry myself throughout this journey and remaining humble and making sure that I am, like being a good person on top of being a good athlete. Yeah. is so important to me. And I'm actually really proud of how I've handled kind of everything and how I treat people along the way.

And yeah, I mean, I think being a positive role model for the younger generation and for people who do look at what I'm doing. I'm really proud of that because I, as I say that, I'm reminded of like people like Alison Felix and Sonia Richards-Ross, who I looked at when I was younger and I didn't follow the sport very closely, but I did see how they held themselves and how they competed. And inevitably, I do feel like I modeled myself off of that. And I felt so inspired. And if I can even be like that, even a little bit for someone else, I mean, that is something really to be proud of. So definitely that. I have that answer. And it's true, too. I see it. I see it. I believe it. Well, thanks for coming and

chatting with me. I love that we finally get to, like, sit and chat. And I think what you said, Like you truly like embody such an amazing role model too. I feel not only kids, but also like someone like me and people, you know, of older generations, just what you've accomplished and all of the different facets of what you've accomplished and the fact that at the end of the day you're still like so kind and care about people is really special. So thanks for you. It's just so fun. Thanks for having me.

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