"I approached that race with the mentality of just sticking my nose in it and trying to give it my all. I didn't have an idea of what place I wanted to be because that can add a bit of stress and anxiety on top of racing if you're set on getting a certain place. I just wanted to see what I could do, especially with being sick that week leading up to it."

Notre Dame senior Olivia Markezich just ran 8:40.42 for 3000m at Boston University's indoor track, which is the second-fastest in NCAA history.

It’s been a fantastic year for her. In the spring, she won the 2023 NCAA title in the steeplechase and then finished fourth at the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She returned to South Bend for one more full year and capped her final cross country season with a third-place individual and fourth-place team finish for the Fighting Irish. She also signed an NIL deal with On earlier in the fall.

I’d say she’s certainly a contender to make the U.S. Olympic team in the steeplechase and might even win the whole thing next June.

In this episode, we chat about her rise in the NCAA ranks, how she found the steeplechase, why she returned for one more year, how she’s continually surprising herself in these races and her hopes with the Olympic Trials on the horizon.

Hosted by: Chris Chavez – @chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Guest: Olivia Markezich – @oliviamarkezich on Instagram

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