614. Alicia Monson, 3000m American Record Holder & Pro Runner with On Athletics Club

"I always have to remind myself that a race is gonna be really hard!"

Surely when Alicia Keys sang "this girl is on fire," she was referring (preemptively) to On Athletics Club's Alicia Monson. In 2021, Alicia became an Olympian in the 10K. In 2022, she represented Team USA at World Championships, again in the 10K. And just two months into 2023, the unstoppable streak continues: Alicia just broke the indoor 3000m American Record at the Millrose Games in New York City. Alicia lives and trains in Boulder, CO, where she is coached by Dathan Ritzenhein. In this conversation, she talks about training with OAC, about the team culture, and about why seemingly every member of the team is killing it right now. She also talks about how she has learned to stay focused, stay relaxed, and stay energized during races and hard workouts. (Check out this video for a perfect example.) And if you've ever thought you can't relate to the pros, rest assured, Alicia is one of us: Her on-the-run music of choice is The Greatest Showman soundtrack.

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What you'll get on this episode:

• All about Alicia's workout today (2:00)
• How Alicia feels about performance pressure and expectations, and what grounds her (6:00)
• How Alicia was feeling heading into the Millrose Games (8:40)
• What was going through Alicia's head on the starting line, and how she handles pre-race nerves (12:45)
• The women Alicia loves racing with and against, and the advice she would give younger athletes (15:30)
• How Alicia stays relaxed during races (18:00)
• On staying motivated during a long season (23:20)
• Looking back on the 2021 Olympic Track & Field Trials, where Alicia finished second, became an Olympian — and went straight to the hospital (27:00)
• All about On Athletics Club, and why the team is excelling right now (32:15)
• How Alicia has built her mental strength over the years (40:35)
• What Alicia was like as a kid (42:00)
• Alicia shares her biggest hopes, dreams, and goals (47:00)

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