Casey Clinger

“The only magic thing about running is consistency. Consistent competence equals eventual excellence. That's kind of my mantra. So we try to stay healthy so that we can be consistent. We just keep on getting the miles in, getting the workouts in, and over time, good things happen. What was special about 2024? Who knows other than having the right athletes in the right position, the right belief and faith in their parts and goals, and going, ‘Hey, maybe we can do this.’”

My guest for today’s episode is BYU director of track and field and cross country Ed Eyestone, the architect of one of the greatest years ever for American distance running.

From Olympic medals and top-10 marathon finishes to NCAA titles, 2024 was nothing short of historic for Coach Eyestone and his athletes. Just this weekend, Ed capped it all off by leading the BYU men to their second NCAA cross country title in six years, holding off a stacked field at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course. It’s been a dream season for Eyestone, whose year began with Conner Mantz and Clayton Young finishing 1-2 at the Olympic Marathon Trials and ended with BYU completing a historic NCAA sweep—both the men’s and women’s teams claiming national titles for the first time since 2004.

We dive into Ed’s coaching strategies, his reflections on this monumental season and how he’s built a culture of resilience and excellence at BYU. From the roads to the track to the grass, no one’s had a better 2024 than Ed Eyestone, and we can’t wait to hear his take on how it all came together.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Guest: Ed Eyestone | @edeyestone on Instagram

Time stamps: 

3:30 - Returning to campus after BYU won the NCAA XC Championship team title

5:13 - Feelings and emotions after winning the NCAA team title

7:16 - Strategy + plan for the men heading into the race 

10:54 - Using a whiteboard during the race to communicate with the team

12:29 - Using olive oil to stay warm during the race

14:18 - Backstory on the affirmations notecard on his arm during the race 

19:25 - Similarities between the men’s and women’s programs at BYU

23:23 - Why everything clicked for the team in 2024

27:53 - How the 2024 season was a dream come true 

30:44 - His process-oriented coaching philosophy 

33:19 - What the team got up to in the final days before the race 

36:48 - Casey Clinger’s impact on the team + how going on missions affects training

42:42 - How his coaching style has changed + how he structures workouts

45:56 - Thoughts on upcoming changes to the NCAA

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Harvard senior Graham Blanks successfully defended his NCAA Division I cross country championship on Saturday, winning the 10,000-meter race in 28:37.2, narrowly edging New Mexico's Habtom Samuel.

BYU became the first school since 2002 to win both men's and women's team titles at the same championship.

Men's Championship

Blanks' Victory: Blanks is the 13th runner in history to defend his title, cementing his legacy on the Thomas Zimmer course.

BYU's Team Triumph: The Cougars scored 124 points for their second men's title, led by Casey Clinger's 6th-place finish and Creed Thompson's 12th. All BYU scorers placed in the top 50.

Team Standings: Iowa State (137 points) finished second, followed by Arkansas, Wisconsin, and Northern Arizona. Defending champion Oklahoma State placed eighth.

Women's Championship

Doris Lemngole: The Alabama runner won the 6,000-meter race in 19:21, improving on her runner-up finish from last year. Pamela Kosgei of New Mexico was second in 19:27.8.

BYU Women Dominate: The Cougars scored 147 points to win their sixth title, with Lexy Halladay-Lowry finishing as the top scorer in 14th place overall.

Team Standings: BYU edged out West Virginia, with Providence, Northern Arizona, and Oregon rounding out the top five. Defending champion NC State finished eighth.

Historical Context

BYU’s sweep marks the first dual-team victory since Colorado’s achievement in 2002, highlighting their depth and dominance.

Blanks joins an elite group of repeat champions in the 86-year history of the NCAA men's cross country race.

The Big Picture

BYU's historic team wins and standout performances from Blanks and Lemngole underscore the competitiveness and unpredictability of collegiate cross country’s biggest stage.