Luis Grijalva
Guatemala
Personal Bests
800 Metres
1:51.22
1500 Metres
3:35.32
Mile
3:53.53
3000 Metres
7:29.43
2 Miles
8:21.98
5000 Metres
12:50.58
10,000 Metres
27:26.02
Guatemala
"I had done great things in the sport before, but I had never won a medal. That was something that had tormented me and eluded me for so long. And I finally got two of them. So it feels great. It feels even better when you feel so much ownership over them. I know that it was my decision-making and risk-taking that led to those outcomes."
My guest for today's episode is U.S. Olympian and two-time bronze medalist Grant Fisher. Grant had a career-defining year in 2024, standing on the podium twice at the Paris Olympics in the 5000m and 10,000m. But true to his form, he's not content to rest on those accomplishments. He's gearing up for a new challenge in 2025 by signing on for the inaugural season of Grand Slam Track.
In this interview, he shares his thoughts on how the Grand Slam model can elevate track visibility, attract new fans, and give athletes like him more opportunities to test themselves against the best in the world. He's in a racer group that will contest a 3K and 5K against the likes of Luis Grijalva, Ronald Kwemoi and one more racer that is expected to be announced soon.
We dive into Grant's reflections on his breakout 2024 season, the lessons he's carrying into 2025, and how he's preparing for a shot at both glory and Grand Slam Track and some more hardware at the world Championships in Tokyo.
Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Grant Fisher | @grantfisher_ on Instagram
Time stamps:
4:08 - Where he’s at with training and racing coming off the Olympics.
5:15 - Reflections on his 2024 season.
6:42 - How he built his confidence heading into the Olympics.
7:47 - Goals for the 2025 season.
8:48 - Why he decided to sign with GST.
15:24 - Why he might have an edge over other GST racers.
17:12 - Thoughts on racing the 3K/5K double in Jamaica.
21:05 - Why fans should care about watching GST.
23:19 - Thoughts on his GST competitors, who else he wants to join.
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"I’m actually very excited to sign with Grand Slam Track because I really enjoy racing. Time trialing is fun and all, but I’ve run 12:50 in the 5K, and there’s only so much of a difference between 12:40 and 12:50. I figure at this point in my career, it’s not the world record, I just want to compete and I just want to race."
Two-time Guatemalan Olympian and national record holder Luis Grijalva has signed with Grand Slam Track ahead of the professional track league’s inaugural season in 2025.
Grijalva joins Grand Slam Track as the third Racer in the “long distance” category that will contest the 3000m and 5000m at each respective Slam. He will be joined by 5000m Olympic silver medalist Ronald Kwemoi and 5000m and 10,000m Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher.
Grijalva finished fourth in the 5000m at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships and ran a personal best of 12:50.58 at the Oslo Diamond League in May. He owns a 3000m personal best of 7:29.43 from the 2023 Prefontaine Classic and finished third in the 3000m at this year’s Stockholm Diamond League in a season’s best of 7:33.96.
In this episode, Grijalva joins Chris Chavez to break down why he signed with the league, why he’s excited for it, and what he’s looking forward to most heading into next year.
Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Luis Grijalva | @luisgrijalva_ on Instagram
Time Stamps:
5:01 - What he’s most excited about with joining Grand Slam Track.
7:47 - Perspective on championship racing vs. rabbited races.
11:19 - How GST will help prepare athletes for global Championships.
14:42 - Thoughts on GST’s prize money.
17:18 - Thoughts on his GST competitors + other athletes he wants to see join.
20:11 - What sets GST apart from other competitions.
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OLIPOP: For the past year, we’ve redefined Olipop as more than just a healthy drink known for its gut microbiome with a low sugar content and a much better alternative to regular soda. You know there are more than 16 flavors, including classic root beer, cherry cola, and lemon-lime. You know it as The Runner’s Soda. Get 25% off your orders by using code CITIUS25 at drinkolipop.com.
Today on the podcast is NAU's Assistant Coach Jarred Cornfield!
Coach Cornfield, with a background in Sports Management and a master's degree in Educational Leadership from NAU, has spent nine years at Northern Arizona University, progressing from a Graduate Assistant Coach to his current role as an Assistant Coach, specializing in distance and mid-distance running, while also playing an active role in recruitment.
His coaching prowess is evident through his instrumental contributions to the Lumberjack teams' multiple victories at the Big Sky Championships and NCAA National Championships. Notably, he helped guide athletes like Luis Grijalva, Drew Bosley, Nico Young, and Abdihamid Nur to impressive feats, including NCAA titles and Olympic participation. Under his guidance, the men's track & field and cross country teams have achieved remarkable success, culminating in championship wins and numerous All-America honors.
Coach Cornfield also recently started coaching his first professional athlete, Elise Cranny, who made her second Olympic Team in June in Eugene, Oregon, in the 5k.
In today's conversation, Coach Cornfield takes me through the scene at the Paris Olympics, coaching Elise Cranny, how to have a successful upcoming XC season, the importance of being more process oriented, and much more!
If this episode blesses you, please share with a friend!
Tap into the Coach Jarred Cornfield Special.
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching "The Running Effect Podcast." If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo
S H O W N O T E S
-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-My Newsletter: https://therunningeffect.substack.com
Join us (and sign an NIL deal) at the Penn Relays: https://forms.gle/gsUqsik5q5ChX2uH6
Welcome back to the pod! On this NAU/Kiwi special episode, George catches up with his friends from Flagstaff while Morgan prepares for Shanghai Diamond League and Olli travels back to the Boulder. From Theo's breakout season to Luis' recovery from injury, life in Mike Smith Elite versus life as an NAU student-athlete, from avoiding professional runners to jogging with Jingy, this one gets you up to speed on life in Flag.
Hope you guys enjoy!
Follow us here:
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George Beamish: https://www.instagram.com/georgebeamish/
Morgan McDonald: https://www.instagram.com/morganmcdonald__/
Olli Hoare: https://www.instagram.com/ollihoare/
Coffee Club Merch: https://coffeeclubpod.com
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Intro Artwork by The Orange Runner: https://www.instagram.com/theorangerunner/
Intro Music by Nick Harris: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3Zab8WxvAPsDlhlBTcbuPi
Today on the podcast are two of the greatest coaches in NCAA History, Coach Chris Miltenberg & Coach Mike Smith.
Coach Chris Miltenberg is the Director of Cross Country and Track & Field at University Of North Carolina.
Coach Mike Smith is the Director of Cross Country and Track & Field at Northern Arizona University. During his tenure at NAU, Coach Smith has earned 23 Big Sky Coach of the Year awards, 5 Chick Hislop Awards for USTFCCCA Mountain Region Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year, 5 USTFCCCA Mountain Region Coach of the Year awards, 4 Bill Dellinger Awards for the National Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year, and 1 USTFCCCA National Men's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year awards. He's coached so many legends over the years including Luis Grijalva, Abdi Nur, Geordie Beamish, Nico Young, and many others.
Coach Chris Miltenberg is the Director of Cross Country and Track & Field at The University of North Carolina. Under his leadership, UNC's teams achieved significant milestones, qualifying for the NCAA Cross Country Championships and earning high ACC finishes. Coach Milt's athletes consistently earned All-America honors and excelled at NCAA Championships. During his tenure at Stanford, the teams secured ten podium finishes in NCAA Championship competitions, with the men's track and field/cross country program winning the John McDonnell Division I Program of the Year in 2019. His coaching prowess was evident as he led the women's cross-country team at Georgetown University to a national championship in 2011.
In today's conversation, Coach Milt & Smith discuss their friendship, being roommates in college, lessons learned from their college coach, Coach Patrick Henner, how they help each other in the day-to-day, and so much more!
This conversation was truly legendary and such a privilege to have. I hope you all take the time to listen and be enlightened by two legends of the sport!
Tap into the Coach Chris Miltenberg & Coach Mike Smith Special.
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching "The Running Effect Podcast." If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo
S H O W N O T E S
-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-My Newsletter: https://therunningeffect.substack.com
Today on the podcast is NAU's Assistant Coach Jarred Cornfield!
Coach Cornfield, with a background in Sports Management and a master's degree in Educational Leadership from NAU, has spent eight years at Northern Arizona University, progressing from a Graduate Assistant Coach to his current role as an Assistant Coach, specializing in distance and mid-distance running. His coaching prowess is evident through his instrumental contributions to the Lumberjack teams' multiple victories at the Big Sky Championships and NCAA National Championships. Notably, he helped guide athletes like Luis Grijalva, Drew Bosley, Nico Young, and Abdihamid Nur to impressive feats, including NCAA titles and Olympic participation. Under his guidance, the men's track & field and cross country teams have achieved remarkable success, culminating in championship wins and numerous All-America honors.
In today's conversation, I pick Coach Cornfield's brain on a plethora of subjects relating to NAU's success and his experience as a coach. I learned a ton from this conversation, and have already listened to it twice, learning something new every time. I hope you all take the time to listen to this episode as I know you'll learn from it immensely!
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-GET 15% OFF VIVOBAREFOOT SHOES WITH CODE "THERUNNINGEFFECT15%": https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
"Last year, I can’t even begin to tell you where my head was at. I was dealing with a lot. My dad had passed away. My girlfriend had just broken up with me. We found out that we were making this move to Eugene...Finally, this year – I’m in a new situation. The training is going super well. I feel my engine is stronger than ever. This is a good time. What do I think I can do? I think the pipedream is that I can win the whole thing. But that’s not how I’m going to go in. I’m going to go in to compete, take every wave and hit every move."
My guest for today’s episode is Woody Kincaid. The former CITIUS MAG Podcaster is back after winning the U.S. 10,000 meter title for the second time in three years. He won in 28:23.01 – which was highlighted by a 54.76s for the final lap and a 26.43 for the last 200m. He finished 9th in the 5000m, which he will lend further context to. This is the first time that he joins the show since switching coaches from Jerry Schumacher and the Bowerman Track Club last year to Mike Smith.
The training group that includes World Championship 4th place finisher Luis Grijalva, as well as the newly-minted U.S. 5000m champion Abdihamid Nur and 1500m champion Nikki Hiltz, has started to go by Death Row Records. Kincaid has been on fire. During the indoor season, he broke Grant Fisher’s U.S. indoor 5000m record with a 12:51.61. He also ran 27:06.37 for the 10,000m in March. He also ran 12:54.40 while unleashing an epic 54-second final kick to move from 15th to 6th on the final lap. He’s got big aspirations for the world championships, where he will focus all of his efforts on the 10,000 meters.
Host: Chris Chavez | @Chris_J_Chavez on Instagram
Guest: Woody Kincaid | @priceofamile on Instagram
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This final episode of 2022 is a compilation of highlights from 12 of the most impactful conversations I’ve had over the past 12 months. As I’ve written in years past, putting this annual episode together is equal parts exciting and impossible. It’s a treat to revisit all of these exchanges but it’s also a tough task to pick 12 that stood out. Each and every person that's been gracious enough to give me an hour or two of their time has taught me, inspired me, entertained me, moved me, or changed me in some way—and it’s my hope that they’ve done the same for you. This year's "best of" lineup, in order of release date, are: Bolota Asmerom, Luis Grijalva, Amy Leedham, Phil Shin, Nell Rojas, Tommy Rivs, Jinghuan Liu Tervalon, Tommie Runz, Peter Gilmore, Alison Mariella Désir, Chris Mosier, and Marielle Hall.
This episode is brought to you by:
— New Balance. TheFreshFoam X 1080 v12 is the shoe I run most of my miles in and it holds up week in and week out. The FuelCell Rebel v3 is my go-to go-fast shoe for workouts. And finally, the soon-to-be released FuelCell SC Elite v3 is my racer. Check 'em out at your favorite run specialty store or on newbalance.com.
— Precision Fuel & Hydration. Check out this webinar on fueling and hydration for marathons and ultras or these articles about carbohydrate needs and how to train your gut to take in more fuel. The Fuel & Hydration Planner is a great tool to dial in your fueling and hydration needs. Use the code TMS22 when you check out at precisionfuelandhydration.com and save 15% off your first order.
Click here for complete show notes. Music and editing for this episode by John Summerford.
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"Running has been super therapeutic for me these last couple of months. I've really taken time to heal and prioritize healing...When my own personal running isn't going well. I get so much joy out of watching my friends crushing it."
Rachel Smith (née Schneider) is one of the nicest people in track and field. Last summer, she fulfilled one of her biggest dreams when she crossed the finish line in third place in the U.S. Olympic Trials 5000m finals and qualified for the Tokyo Games. She just missed out on making it into the final when she ran 15:00 in the first round of the Olympics. We got the chance to catch up a few weeks ago when we were both in Washington, DC for the Team USA athlete summit ahead of their White House visit. It’s been a very hard year for Rachel. Earlier this year, she had a bout with COVID in January. In February, she shared that she learned she had skin cancer and underwent surgery to treat it. In April, she opened up on Instagram about having a miscarriage. It’s very sad to hear and we briefly touch on it. Through it all, Rachel still has turned to running and the sport as a way to heal. She’s at practice and helping her husband Mike coach the NAU team and the small professional squad that includes Elly Henes, Nikki Hiltz and Luis Grijalva. When she is ready to return to racing, she is certainly someone to root for.
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"There are over 600,000 dreamers in America. When I think about my situation at the Olympics, out of the 600,000 Dreamers, imagine if there was someone else in the same exact situation higher than Olympics or even better than the Olympics – something better than that and they can’t get the opportunity to go to their event or do this or that. That’s why my whole movement when it started it was really big for all the Dreamers in the U.S. It was an inspiration I think to say if I could do it, they can do it. It’s really difficult to be in the situation we are in because there are a lot of obstacles we have to go through. It’s really hard to leave the country in the first place. Imagine if you’re somebody who wants to travel and see the world, you might not ever have the opportunity to do that because if you leave you can’t get back in. I think I kind of started something and got more recognition for what DACA is and what Dreamers are.”
Luis Grijalva was an Olympian for Guatemala at the Tokyo Olympics and finished 12th in the 5,000 meter final. His road to get to the Games was not easy. In his final race as an NAU Lumberjack, he qualified for Tokyo when he ran 13:13 for the Olympic standard when he finished second at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Shortly after that performance, he had to figure out a way to get to Tokyo because his status as a beneficiary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals prevented him from leaving the United States without being able to return to the United States. He hired a lawyer and through the support of many members of the running community and mounting media pressure, he was able to get permission from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to leave. You’ll hear his backstory going back to moving to the United States as a one-year-old, the opportunities that sports and his education presented him and the lasting legacy that he hopes being able to compete at the Olympics was able to provide inspiration to many of the other Dreamers in America.
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This is the first podcast Luis Grijalva has ever been on and he’s got a great story to tell. Luis is a 22-year-old Olympian for Guatemala and finished 12th in the 5000m final in Tokyo, running a personal best of 13:10.09. He now runs professionally for HOKA and recently graduated from Northern Arizona University, where he was a multiple time All-American.
In this conversation, Luis tells his story of coming to the U.S. as a baby, growing up in Fairfield, California, and how getting into running at the age of 14 changed the course of his life. He told me about his experience qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, navigating the challenges of traveling outside the country as a DACA beneficiary, and what it meant for him to represent not only his home country, but over half a million other Dreamers on the world’s biggest stage. We also discussed his relationship with coach Mike Smith, where he he draws his confidence from, and a lot more.
This episode is brought to you by:
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Click here for complete show notes, sign up here to get the morning shakeout email newsletter delivered to your inbox every Tuesday morning, and/or join our growing community on Patreon, where for as little as a buck a week, you'll also gain access to exclusive content like The Weekly Rundown, my Patreon-only podcast with Billy Yang, a live monthly Coaches' Corner discussion, the occasional “emergency pod,” and other perks that pop up from time to time.
Music and editing for this episode of the morning shakeout podcast by John Summerford.
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