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456: Craig Engels - Go Your Own Way · C Tolle Run

• C Tolle Run: Hey everyone, I'm Olympian Carrie Talofson and welcome to the C Tally Run podcast. Today we are catching up with one of my faves, Craig Angles. He's a US champion. He's one of the best 800 and 1500 meters we've ever seen here in the country, and especially over the last decade. And he's definitely one of the biggest personalities in our sport. Craig has done Things a little bit different in his career. He races hard, he loves adventure, he seems to be friends with everyone he competes against. And through all of the ups and downs of professional running, he somehow continues to find the joy in it. So today I want to talk about all of it: where he is with his running, some of the crazy adventures he's been on lately, what happens behind our smiles, and so much more. Craig Engels is always fun, so let's get after it. Carrie: Craig, thank you for coming on C Tolly Run. I know you don't do this very often and you know you're one of my faves, so thank you for taking the time. Craig Engels: Pleasure is all mine. I t I was telling you earlier that I have I've said no to virtual podcasts. So anyone watching this that I've said no to, I'm sorry, but Carrie is the goat. I had to get on hers, but I I want to do in-person podcasts. Those I can vibe more with the person. Carrie: And I said, let's make it happen. Let's start doing those. I love it. I have some, you know, we have all kinds of equipment. We can make it happen. But where are you right now? Tell me. Craig Engels: I'm in Flagstaff. I don't know if it'll come off well in this photo, but I finally I I was gone for a month and a half for a race in Memphis, in New York, a golf tournament, a bachelor party, a bike trip. So I just got back to Flagstaff after a month and a half hiatus. Carrie: you know we're gonna get into all of that, but I wanna I wanna Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: hear a little bit about moving to Flagstaff, you're with your your new group, all the stuff. How long have you actually been there? Craig Engels: I moved to Flagstaff last unofficially last June or July. But then I ended up buying a house here in November. So Carrie: Okay. Craig Engels: I guess officially I've been here for quite a while. Carrie: Do you love it there? Craig Engels: I yeah. I really like it. I I actually got a really good friend group outside of running here and they do like rock climbing, mountain biking, epic adventures and all that. So when I wanna get away from this like obsession of a sport, then I I I have them. So that's really nice, but the altitude is so rough on me. Carrie: Really? Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: What is rough? Is it the sleeping? Is it the training? What is it about it? Craig Engels: All of it. I don't know if I don't know if anyone else ever has this issue, but I grew up in humidity, like North Carolina my whole life. And this just feels like the opposite. So every morning I wake up with a bloody nose or like just clogged with boogers, you know? And that that's just Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: like I know that's so small, but it's like my body reacts so harshly up here. And workouts are way harder, sleep is way worse. My sleep quality is so much worse than when I was in Portland. And that's Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: huge in our sport. So it's like mentally I think it all gets to me, but also f like truly physically. Carrie: It's interesting, I'm just reading Sarah Hall's book and you know, they lived at altitude all the time, they still do. But interesting for her to kinda have to figure out exactly which which city worked for her. I mean, she didn't sleep for years. She was chronically fatigued for years. And now we're seeing her really flourish in her later stages of her career. But she had to kind of move around and I think, you know, that has helped her. But I I'm I'm listening to it too when I'm on the run. And there was moments where she would have a glass of wine mid in the middle of the night just to try to fall back asleep. Like doing all kinds of different things. Red wine. I know. I know. So you might just need to keep playing. Craig Engels: That's awesome. I yeah, I need to have a conversation with her. I need to figure Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: out what to do, but it's gotten way better. I've figured out like you have to drink so much more water. Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: And I I'm like typically doing things all day in between running. And so up here you kind of have to dial that back a little 'cause it will fatigue you. Yeah, in Portland I was like renovat Carrie: Yeah. Yeah. You gotta figure out how to relax. Craig Engels: Right, right. Which is tough. Still haven't figured Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: that one out. Carrie: you seem super happy right now, Craig, are you? Craig Engels: Yeah, yeah. I would say ha happiness is like equivalent with peace right now. like I used to like chase happiness as if it was some sort of like elusive like I'm gonna find it. But it's more so like you I just feel peaceful and like myself. And that's Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: I guess when I'm technically happy. Carrie: So Mike Smith is your coach? Craig Engels: I haven't really like t gotten into this with anyone in the running world. I've told my family and friends, but I I moved down here and he's coaching his own group already and he has like he wants to make sure a person's a good fit before they join. So basically for the whole last year I've just been joining practice, but I'm not like officially a part of the team. and it's been it's been great for me because I do like I am a hard person to coach where like Pete and Van Hoy and my high school coach, they knew like I need Sometimes where like I just go into the mountains or like disappear for a couple days. And it's hard to explain that to someone who doesn't know you. They just like he probably just thinks that I'm going to party, but instead I'm really just going to like get away from running. Carrie: Really? What okay, we're going a little deep and you can Craig Engels: Ha ha ha. Carrie: tell me if you want to keep it in or not, but I think this is really important. And I remember when you were on one of my we had, you know, we've done a number of podcasts, but there was one time when you talked about having ADHD, I think, when you were younger and you found running and it really helped you and you know, I d I think Craig, there's so many layers to you and you're Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: like me. I mean, I feel like we are kind of I always said we're like brother and sister, right? Like I have Craig Engels: Mm-hmm. Carrie: so much fun and I wear my smile for everybody. But there are hard moments. Craig Engels: Mm-hmm. Carrie: And there are, you know, like you are you have a lot of layers to you. And you're kind of just opening up there where sometimes coaches have to just figure you out and you have to go to the mountains or you gotta go away on your crazy epic trips like this bike ride where we're gonna get into because I loved following along. But like let's like talk about that a little bit. Is is that smile just something that comes naturally? Do you have to put your your game face on, your theater face on when you come out sometimes? Like what's going on? Craig Engels: This is I mean it's a good question. Sometimes like I ask myself that. I would say ninety percent of the time I'm smiling for real. And then there's like ten percent of time where I have other stuff going on just like anyone else. But no one in the track and field world ever sees that ten percent, which is nice. They just see me as like p perfect. Carrie: Yeah. They do, they do. Craig Engels: I don't mean perfect they just don't see my imperfections. But Carrie: Yeah. Yeah. Craig Engels: But that's okay. Like I have really close friends in life that I can confide in for those moments. Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: And I have a good like I'm I'm growing I have a growth mindset. So I'm always learning more about myself too, which like when you're young and you have those t that ten percent of times where you're like faking it, it can be really hard on you and the more the older I get, the more I learn and like the easier everything is. But I mean I'm just like I I enjoy almost every moment of life. This this like so sick. That we get to do this. Carrie: I love it. And even if you are going through a struggle, like I think you always look at the glasses half full, regardless. It just at least that's what it seems like. Craig Engels: Yeah. Yeah. Carrie: Tell me a little bit about this whole adventure side of you again. I mean, you know, people that want to listen and learn more about your whole like coming into the sport and all that stuff, go back and listen to the old Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: podcasts. That's not today. I have been so pumped watching you. Obviously, Craig Engels: Mm-hmm. Carrie: you raced at USA's and you ran well. It was just a little bit more of a tactical race. You ran well. Then you go into this function. You know, you don't have time to like mope around. That's not Craig Engels. Like, Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: you are a guy that's like gonna get the most out of life. So you did your race, didn't make that final, bummer, okay, get over it. Then you go and do a hundred well, you try to get a hundred K of steps in in New York. Tell me about Craig Engels: well. Carrie: it. Craig Engels: man, okay, we'll start back with like I w I got into this sport later, like I was sixteen years old, I guess. I mean, that's considered late nowadays. 'Cause everyone Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: specializes so hard in their sport from when they're like twelve years old. so I like I'm not saying this w like egotistically, but I lived the life before running where I where I would like do bike bike trips with my friends and like go whitewater rafting and do all these things. And so when I started running, I had to like stop skiing, I had to stop cliff jumping, like dangerously, I had to stop doing all these adrenaline-based things. And like I'm just, I don't know. I've been trying to find balance between that lifestyle and other lifestyles. The like Carrie: Mm-hmm. Craig Engels: the other lifestyle I want to live. But I've I've also talked to I was talking to Rory Linkletter on the fourth of July, and I was like, How many days a week do you enjoy your run? And for me, it's like two days a week, maybe. a couple runs, but he was like, I haven't I enjoy like 999 out of a thousand runs. Carrie: Really? Craig Engels: And I was like, dude, we have such a different experience with this sport. Like it w it just happened to be something I was good at, but a lot of people love this sport. Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: And so I actually forget your original question, but basically like I I am so torn all the time between this like I wanna go out and live my life like at the fullest and I don't wanna be too old when I'm done running to Carrie: Yeah. Yeah. Craig Engels: like like be good at skiing again without tearing my ACL and like I I wanna like I don't know, e experience everything life has to offer besides chasing a gold medal or the Olympic team or yeah. Carrie: I love that. And I think your adventures are so cool. I mean there's still a lot of it has to do with like endurance. You're still getting in some fitness, you know, like you're doing all the things. But we were Yeah, exactly. But Craig Engels: Mm-hmm. Has to be type two. Type two fun for me. Yeah. Carrie: Tell me about this idea of this hundred K steps around New York City Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: in twenty four hours. And not only just you, but you bring in Billy the Toad Sebaco. Like, how funny is that? Like that should Craig Engels: Mm-hmm. Carrie: have just been filmed the entire twenty-four hours. So tell me about it. Where did that thought come? Craig Engels: Yeah. dude, this was so epic. I just was on Instagram like, you know, one of those death scrolls, w which we could get into another time, but and Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: this thing popped up where this this guy started a challenge of hitting a hundred K steps in New York. And it looked really fun the way he filmed it, but but only because it was like at sixty thousand steps he started hurting. And I'm like, so it gets it's hard. I'm Carrie: Mm, okay. Yeah. Craig Engels: like, I wanna challenge, I wanna see like how far I can push my body. And it was like, okay, I'm gonna start the I'm gonna just wear my watch at midnight and see like how many steps I get out because I was I was going out with Billy the Toad the night before. So I woke up at like six AM with one and a half hours sleep because we had a late night and like six thousand steps. But I was still I sp I spent the night at a friend, so I like still in all my clothes from the night before. And I was like, all right, I gotta get back to where I'm staying, switch clothes, and then start the day. So I didn't even get started till 11 a.m. And this person who did the challenge started at like maybe 5 a.m. Carrie: Mm-hmm. Craig Engels: And and I that was my mistake where like one, I didn't sleep at all. I was dehydrated. And it was but it was so fun, dude. I like we would just stop at these random spots. The people on Instagram would suggest and We'd have a beer or we'd go see an art installation or I went and Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: saw like the World Trade Center. It was like the coolest way to see New York. We crossed all the bridges and saw parts of town that like people probably never see. Carrie: Yeah. That is so cool. Charlie, my husband, took the Craig Engels: But I I Carrie: kids around one day. We we had rented, I was there for like New York City Marathon commentary, and he rented one of those bikes with like a big seat in the back, you know, where you could fit like three kids. And I think we just had two of them, but he went all over all of the bridges, went to all the playgrounds that he could. And it was like an epic tour with, you know, dad and Craig Engels: That is so fun. Carrie: his two kids. They had a football in the backpack. Like it was very similar to what you did. I don't know how many miles he rode. But it was awesome. Then they ended up picking me up after the the marathon and I rode one of those heavy big city bikes and we went around and saw some more. But what a way to see the city. Craig Engels: So cool. Wait, so were you riding an e-bike or were you after the marathon run ride? you animal. Yeah, Carrie: No, no, we were ri I was just riding like a city bike. Craig Engels: they have the E city bikes, but you must have picked up one of the blue ones. Carrie: Yeah, this was back in the day, probably like, you know, five, seven years ago, before e bites. Craig Engels: Yeah, they're mostly E now. I was actually riding the E Bike city bikes to and from the stadium at USA. That was fun. Carrie: Really? Craig Engels: I was only staying like three miles away, so it was like if I use one of the heavy city bikes then it was it was actually an effort. But the other one was like you get there in ten minutes or twenty minutes or whatever. Carrie: my gosh. Yeah, that that is a fun way. I do that in Eugene. When I stay over by the mall, I'll bike over to the stadium. Yeah, exactly. Craig Engels: So fun. Yeah, what did you think? What did you think about USA's in New York? Carrie: I mean, I ended up watching just from home because I w had another event where I couldn't come this year. But I liked it. I mean Craig Engels: Shoot. Carrie: I love that stadium. I've raced there and I've done other events there. I think it's fun out there, but it is hard to get to at times. Yeah. Did you like Craig Engels: Yeah. It was tough. Yeah. Carrie: it? It was hot. It was humid. Like that's East Coast for you. You're used to it. Craig Engels: Yeah. I don't know. I was really excited for it. I was excited to be somewhere other than Eugene, but Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: it didn't feel fully like USA's when it wasn't a Eugene. It was a weird feeling. Yeah. Carrie: Yeah. Well when you have something when you have it at Eugene for so many years, that just becomes what you you want. Like when I was racing Craig, we did not go to the same place. Like we were all over. We were in Indy, we were in New York. We were like all over the place and it was fun. I mean we got to see different parts of the country and run in different places and you know, different people could come to it. Craig Engels: I know, I yeah. I watch a lot of races on YouTube and I'll see them at like Sacramento and Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: when I first when I first went pro, it was actually a lot of that. It was Carrie: Mm-hmm. Craig Engels: like my first one of my first USAs was Sacramento and then my the one I won was in Des Moines. But this was all pre Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: new stadium. Yeah. Been in it a long time. Carrie: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Craig Engels: It was crazy seeing Corey Leslie actually got the job at Ole Miss. He's now coaching the Ole Miss team. Carrie: I didn't know that. Okay. Craig Engels: And and I'm like, man, I used to I think I used to race them. I'm like, I've been in this game too long. Carrie: Yeah. There's a lot of those. No, you haven't. We're not ready. We're not ready for Craig Engels to be done. We need you out there. But yeah, Corey Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: Leslie, I mean he was out in Baltimore, wasn't he, coaching for a little bit. Now so now he's at Ole Miss. Okay. Craig Engels: Yeah, yeah. I think there's a little bit more job security and college coaching than pro. A little Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: bit. Not not much though, honestly. Carrie: tell me, okay, I want to go back to this. So you you end up getting 75k around Brooklyn. Yeah. Craig Engels: Yeah, steps. We're back to the steps. Sorry. I'm my my ADHD's bringing this everywhere. Carrie: No, as okay, as me too. I just have notes in front of me. That's what I have to do. I have to walk around with notes in in front of me the for the rest of my life. Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: you saw you said you went over all the bridges, you got to see well, you saw the Statue of Liberty. Craig Engels: Yeah, from afar fr on one of the bridges. Carrie: Yep. You I saw that you found a basketball, you shot some baskets. Like what was your favorite part of it besides maybe, you know, seeing the big things that we like to see as tourists? I feel like some of the conversations that you maybe had, the food, tell me about that. Craig Engels: That's funny. Yeah. So I in the end, if you didn't if you didn't follow along, I failed. But purposefully, Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: I th I could I could have done it. It would just would have been walking around at night, which Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: I guess isn't it's not a bad city to walk around at night, but I wanted to like see parts that I haven't seen. Carrie: Hmm. Craig Engels: so I I I'll go back again and do it again. One day I'll just act I'll start at nine a.m. Carrie: Yes. Craig Engels: But it was gonna be I was at I was probably at fifty miles. So it would have been sixty to sixty-five miles total walking or running, which is Carrie: Gosh. Craig Engels: An ultra and and with stops. Carrie: That is. And were you sore? Craig Engels: I was so sore. Carrie: I know you had to stop and buy some Vaseline. Craig Engels: That was a good part. That's like one of the highlights. But because Billy and I both both of us slept like an hour to or me he might have got three hours. Midday we just went and took a nap at his house on the f like hard wood floors. And I woke up and I'm like, all right, let's do this, bro. And that's when that was like one of the hardest mindsets of like, we could just stop. Like any of the times we could have stopped whenever we wanted, but it was it was really fun. Honestly, it's really it's hard. I'd like to see a lot of people try it, but sixty miles in a day Carrie: Yeah. Is it a Craig Engels: is crazy. Carrie: I feel like our I don't know what it is. I just did a podcast with a woman, Diminy McDowell. It's gonna come out on the pod. talking about our twenty-seventh mile. So she is her body has given up. She's done running. She ran for 30 years. Craig Engels: Ooh. Carrie: she's just a b a force in in the running world, especially with women. She co-founded a a women's community called Another Mother Runner. And so like her life has been running, running, running, like ours, you know? And I just feel like that's I mean, that's the thing. We Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: have to figure out how to keep it going even when our body says no we gotta keep on finding these adventures like you do. That's that's the whole fun about following Craig Engels is like you make it more. Your life is more than just the run. Craig Engels: Yeah, yeah, for sure. I mean, yeah, that's like back to the balance thing I was talking about from growing up of like the split split of I w still want to be as elite as I can. I w I still wanna I would love to make another USA team, but I'd also love to live my life before my body gives out. And my body will give out one day. Carrie: Mm. Well, okay. I don't know. I think that you done the one thing that I do like what you do is that you are agile and you're having like Working muscles when you don't even realize you are. I mean, that's the thing. Like Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: on your we're gonna get into your bike adventure, but even then, like you're playing tennis and you're doing things that yes, you're not maybe skiing down a mountain, or you're not maybe like, you know, putting yourself in situations. Although I was a little nervous, you took a dip somewhere, and I'm like, there's alligators all over there. What are you doing? So let's go. Craig Engels: You like my mom? Carrie: Like I know you're agile and you gotta run this way if there's an alligator like chasing you, but let's get into this bike adventure. No! Craig Engels: But but my mom sent me bear spray. The bike adventure. Yeah. The bike adventure was awesome. my mom sent me bear spray just because she's just like you. She's like, there could you could be attacked and they and they would eat roux. my god. Carrie: Did you see any? Craig Engels: No. But I I did I actually held the bear spray up against some dogs. Just at they I didn't know if they were gonna attack me or not. Carrie: really? Okay. Fur let's go backwards. When did you plan this? Craig Engels: I didn't plan it. I mean I did, but I didn't. I there was no plan, but the it was just like, hey, I texted my homies in North Carolina. I was like, you guys want to bike across the state or at least some of it? And as everyone this day is, they said yes, and then bailed. So I I was going home for USA's and Ed Murphy Classic and this bachelor party and a golf trip, and I had Rue with me. And I was like, you know what? I'm gonna make this even more complicated. I'm gonna bring my bike. So I flew with my bike, which was a crazy pain carrying Rue and the bike Carrie: Uh-huh. Craig Engels: and and everything. ended I finally ended up getting home and I did USAs and everything. And the whole time it's like in the back of my head of like, should I still do this? It's like I'm doing it alone. It's 700 miles. I'm towing a dog. And I got home and I was like, let's do it. So I just rented a car one way and drove out to like the closest place I could drop it off was in Georgia. And I biked like twelve miles to Carrie: Okay. Craig Engels: the North Carolina border and then just ripped. And it was no there was no plan. Carrie: Mm. Craig Engels: It was just like every morning I'd wake up and be like, what's the coolest route on Google Maps? What what like what can I stop and see? Do I have any friends? And like that was it. Carrie: But I mean you knew it was gonna be about seven hundred miles. Craig Engels: Yeah, the longest it could possibly be was seven hundred. I actually planned to when I got to the the furthest that was literally the furthest west point of North Carolina, biking to the furthest east, Carrie: Hm. Craig Engels: which was like in the outer banks. And I wanted to bike the whole outer banks, but my friends ended up coming to the last day to just stay in an Airbnb with me. They didn't bike with me, but we stayed in an Airbnb and had a good time. Yeah. Carrie: So cool. but a hundred miles a day, roughly. That's a lot. Craig Engels: Yeah, yeah. Yes, dude, I was sore again. Muscles that you never use. Especially your butt. Yeah. Carrie: I know, you had to get your diaper rash stuff 'cause you had some saddle sores, it sounds like. Craig Engels: Wow, you r yeah, you really paid attention to the videos. Carrie: I did. I was doing my homework because I I f I was following, but I went back yesterday. I'm like, my gosh, this is crazy. Okay, so you camped like half of the time. And what was Craig Engels: Mm-hmm. Carrie: up with your tent? Craig Engels: I didn't know I like grew up. I had never seen a tent without a pole. But apparently that's a thing. And it was like a pretty expensive tent 'cause it had to be light. So I set up camp the first day, I'm like, where's the pole? And I read through the directions and you're supposed to have a like a hiking pole. my god, I couldn't have biked with that. And this is like the sun is setting, I'm like, no. So I just tied the like rainfly up to a bunch of branches so that the bug net would be at it like It was like four inches from my face. And the whole night I slept in like a coffin with Rue. But the the next I the Carrie: my gosh. You know, just go ahead. Keep telling me. Craig Engels: the next night I or that that night I actually I was like, I think I could whittle a stick. So I had brought a pocket knife and I cut a a branch and whittled a stick, but it didn't work. I felt like I'm like a Boy Scout again. Carrie: I love how you yeah, like you are persevering through these hard times. You're doing it. That's what we learn in this sport. Craig Engels: Yeah. It was fun. It was fun. The camping was okay. I'm a I'm a pretty bougie sleeper, just like every runner is. Like we really value our sleep. And so I Carrie: huh, huh yeah. Craig Engels: think the adventure would have just been way more fun if I just done hotels or Airbnbs. And I did for half. But the camping nights Carrie: Okay. You did do that sometimes, yeah. Craig Engels: Yeah. The camping nights were still like so an experience. It was just not not the best sleep, not the best recovery, not the best move. Carrie: Okay, well I saw that you you camped, you swam, you bowled, you played tennis, you did all kinds of activities. Like, how and why did you want to do that on top of biking a hundred miles a a day? Craig Engels: Honestly, okay, so I I don't know the if people listening care about this adventure as much as me and you do, but I was wanted Carrie: Yes, I do. Craig Engels: to bring my dog. I yeah, I really wanted to bring Rue, but the mountains of North Carolina aren't a joke. I did 300 Carrie: Mm. Craig Engels: miles towing her, and it was tw it was 28,000 feet of vert. I got up to 42 Carrie: Ooh. Craig Engels: miles an hour towing her. It was crazy. It was like it was a it was every day I was like, do I think I can make this? Like towing 50 extra pounds. Carrie: huh. Craig Engels: And I hadn't been in bike shape. Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: I hadn't been biking at all. So I was like kind of nervous. But on day three, I was so sore. But I had a great day biking where you like I just went 86 miles and it was no issue stopping at restaurants, stopping at like to hang out, stopping to feed Rue, stopping to walk her. And it was like so easy that I was like, I got this. Carrie: That is wild. Did you run on the trip? Craig Engels: I tried one time because okay, so the first day I had my seat too high. Sor sorry, too low and got a knee injury. And I've had that before. Last bikepacking trip I did that. Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: So I learned I I raised the seat but I raised it too high and got an Achilles injury. And so for like thro the first three or four days, I I would like get off the bike and could barely like bend my knee or like when I'd walk I'd limp. Carrie: Shoot. Mm-hmm. Craig Engels: And so I finally got the seat in the perfect spot and one of the one of the days I'm like, I'm gonna run to dinner. It was a mile. I went nine minute pace and my heart rate was at like 160. I was like, uh-oh. I don't know what muscles I'm using, but Carrie: just too much. Craig Engels: I might have just erased every fitness I've ever built for the last 10 years. Carrie: All right, Craig. You and I having adventures, your phone overheated. Craig Engels: Yeah, that flagstaff sun's pretty strong, I guess. Carrie: my gosh. And what cracked me up was you were like, It's okay. I texted you and you were like, I'm throwing in the freezer. Craig Engels: It worked. Put it with a bag of peas. Carrie: my gosh, I love this. This is why you and I need to go on some runs together because we'd have some epic chats. Okay, so we're back talking Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: about North Carolina and your epic, you know, bike ride across it. what I love the most was you sharing the food. But listen, I you had an incident but with eating some food. Like you said, you were having some issues coming out the other end. Craig Engels: Yeah, I I didn't talk to I didn't like you only get a f you only get people's attention for so long on the Instagram video I didn't want to like s just start start talking about diarrhea with them. But Carrie: I I perked up, I'm like, what? Craig Engels: I don't know w what I got, if it was that lettuce thing or what, but I was biking by a lake and there was a marina. I was like, I'm gonna eat there. It looks it looks like it would be an awesome time, I'll jump in. And so I I just ate like whatever was on the menu and and later that night I'm like something something is wrong. I could barely eat dinner that night and like you have to fuel on these things. Like I burned, Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: I don't know, 8,000 calories a day. And so I couldn't eat and I was like, I know something's wrong. Woke up in the middle of the night sweating, dreaming about like everything, and then that morning was just chaos. I had to stop Carrie: No. Craig Engels: on the side of the road like three or four times and Before I had been doing I would stop every 10 miles, take a break for me and Rue and hang out, drink water, eat. And then I thought I was doing every 10 miles. It happened to be every five, because I was in such shambles. And Carrie: yeah. Craig Engels: then it turned into two miles. And then I was like, my gosh, I think I'm gonna die. There's Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: no gas stations or anything. And so I was just like on my last bit of water, and I got a text in my AirPods, because I was wearing them for directions, from Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: my mom that was like, Hey, we're hiking in Western North Carolina. If you want us to come like say hey or pick up Rue, I was like, how about you pick me up? Carrie: so that was the one day you cut it short. Craig Engels: Yeah. And that was supposed to be the most fun day. So I'm actually really glad I cut it short. I was Carrie: Hm. Craig Engels: like thirty miles or twenty miles outside of my hometown, and I wanted to like go through memory lane. And I Carrie: Okay. Yeah. Craig Engels: would have not enjoyed it that day. Carrie: Yeah. I mean but you figured it out. You like pivoted and figured it out. Craig Engels: Yeah. Went home for a day and then came back. They dropped me back off at the same place to pick me up and Carrie: Okay. Craig Engels: and then got to that was like the best day of the trip. I hit a hundred twenty miles that day 'cause just 'cause I was so amped. Carrie: So you kinda yeah, you you felt better pretty quick then. It w it was short lived. Craig Engels: Yeah, and that was the day I dropped Rue off at home. I was like, I can't it was so hot in eastern North Carolina that she would have died and like I was almost dying. It was it was feeling like one eight or something. And mid Carrie: my gosh. Craig Engels: midday I I got I have so much sunburn and I maybe look tan now, but it was crazy. Yeah, she would have she would have been struggling back there. So I'm glad I dropped. Carrie: little girl. So did she stay with your folks the rest of the trip? Craig Engels: Yes. Yeah, they were so they're they're the best grandparents for her. But they overf Carrie: Yeah, I love that. Craig Engels: they they overfed her and I flew here with her. She weighed like twenty pounds and when I got back she weighed twenty six. And like the airlines you can only weigh twenty two with your bag. I was like, no. But they didn't care. Luckily they didn't care, but she's a big ol' big old chunky mama now. Carrie: That's exactly what grandparents are supposed to do with their grandpuppies and grandbabies. Overfeed them. Okay, Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: I'm gonna give you a couple things and I wanna know, like I just wanna know what you think of. Seventeen Dixie. Tell me what that is and what comes to mind first and foremost. Craig Engels: 17 Dixie. Wow, I don't know where you got this from, but this is my college house at NC State that I lived in with Sam Parsons, Sam Robertson, and then a couple other guys on the NC State team. and we actually like we we all wanted to be in fraternities and stuff, but so we made our own fraternity. It was XC on our Carrie: my Craig Engels: roof. We cut out these huge wood letters that were XC on our roof. Carrie: That's amazing and we are such nerds. Craig Engels: There is actually Flowtrack used to do something called track shacks. Carrie: Mm-hmm. Craig Engels: And they would do like cribs tours of of runners' homes because they're always like the dirtiest, grossest, like cheapest places. Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: And they d I think they did one with our house, but I can't quite remember. Carrie: Okay, tell me about the Hampton Inn and Sweets. Craig Engels: That's that's a good story for another day, but I I needed a summer job at I didn't see state to pay for college and so I worked at a hotel and I got fired. I crushed the job. Carrie: Why? Craig Engels: It's honestly like kind of embarrassing, but I well it's probably illegal to tell a story, honestly. Carrie: maybe you shouldn't then. Maybe we should just like just think about how Craig Engels could get fired from Hampton and in Swedes. Craig Engels: No, I crushed. I was such a good front desk person because I could talk to a wall. So I crushed. Carrie: Yeah, I know. Craig Engels: But one day my boss, who I'd become friends with, invited me to a golf tournament and we had a few beers. And I realized like I asked him, I'm like, Hey, hey, can you get me off work and we can hang out the rest of the day? And he was like, No. And so I showed up to work drunk, but not like too drunk. Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: I was just like, just it's like social. Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: And some like the because I had done such a good job, like there was this program that showed who got better who got more like more positive reviews on the website. And it like made made whoever like whichever worker got the most positive reviews had the biggest name. And it was this one guy who was 40 years old who had been working front desk forever. It was always him until I joined. And then I started p passing him. So he hated me. And he re reported me. He was like I I I was crushing it. I was I wasn't like falling over drunk or anything. I just had like a few Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: beers and was social. And he told management and they fired me. Carrie: that is their loss. Craig Engels: Yeah. Well no, I think legally they had to 'cause I was also nineteen. Carrie: Oo Crag Hilarious Well Craig Engels: Hey in Europe it's in Europe it's all kosher but not in America. Carrie: N not in the States. There's a lot of other things we can get away with, but not that for sure. Did Craig Engels: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Carrie: you see any alligators? Craig Engels: No alligators on the whole trip. I was looking so hard in those like swampy areas and at the beach I was looking but didn't see any. And and there was signs for Carrie: Do you normally see them at the beach? Craig Engels: they're in like the s the freshwater bays Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: at the beach. But there's there's w red wolves in eastern North Carolina. There's a wolf species. Carrie: Yeah. Were y and that's what you were nervous about? Craig Engels: So I didn't see any of them, but no, I think they're so scared of humans. But I wanted to see one. The Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: the red wolves, I think they only live in eastern North Carolina or something. Carrie: interesting. tell me about seeing your home, your like childhood home. I thought that was really kind of cool. And I feel like I don't know, maybe it's the commentator and me, maybe it's the storyteller in me, but that like to me is like what I wanna see from all of these pro athletes. Like, I wanna see how you grew up. I wanna so it was so fun to see your home. Craig Engels: I appreciate that. I mean, yeah, I like that too. I think a lot of people a lot of people idolize athletes and celebrities like for for the wrong reasons. And I don't want people to idolize me, but I would like people to get to know me and so that I don't feel like they only like me for my running. But Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: it's you you make me feel special there, so that's really nice. So thank you. But yeah, Carrie: That was cool. Craig Engels: that was my that was a neighborhood I grew up in for eighteen years and it was like pre phones. I this whole tri bike trip, all I could think about was like how damaging phones are for us as a species. Like it literally just takes away our our ability to be human, which is free thinking and deep Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: thinking and cr like creativeness, creativity. But like the whole time I was thinking that and I I just like went down this memory lane of when I was a kid we didn't have phones yet. It's so you'd literally Carrie: Mm-hmm. Craig Engels: sprint to your friend's house, knock on the door and say, Hey, can Andrew play? Carrie: Exactly. Craig Engels: Like we had home phones where we could like w as we got older we would call each other, but it was like this this this nostalgic time of like the world seems like a better place before phones. And I don't I Carrie: Yeah. I it does. Craig Engels: we don't have to get too deep into that, but you you saw it too. Like we've gotten to see the change in the world. Carrie: Yeah, for sure. Actually I was just speaking at a cross country camp and I was they asked me what what would I change about training now? And I said, You know what I would tra change is that you kids aren't playing night games. You kids are on electric scooters and on electric bikes, like you're looking at your phone and not like being outside kicking the can or, you know, doing Craig Engels: Yeah, yeah. Carrie: something that is adding a five K to your day and you don't even know you are. Craig Engels: Hundred percent. Yeah, just being a more active kid. And Carrie: Yeah. Yeah. Craig Engels: honestly I was really sad on the bike trip not to see much of that. Like the I Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: bike through my old neighborhood where we all like we would get home from school, put our backpacks down and just start playing soccer, playing tag, Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: hide and seek, like everything, you know? And like kids these days they're like, I need to get home and play Fortnite, like I need to see how many likes I got on stuff and it Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: was just kind of like nostalgic for me to be li like put myself pre phones and those times where like they're you can we'll never have those again. It's crazy. But I I I was like Carrie: Yeah. Yeah, it is really. Craig Engels: I I was like preparing a manifesto on the bike ride of like anti phones. Carrie: Hey Craig Engels: But I'm like, no one is gonna listen to me anyway. And like I'm preaching to people that are on their phones. So I was like, whatever. Carrie: I know. It's almost like we can't get away from it, but I do think the reminder is so important. I did like I don't know why I have this on here, but Grape Crush. I saw you just guzzle one of those and it just was like, or Fanta. I was like, I wonder Craig Engels: Panta. Carrie: how good that tasted to him. Craig Engels: So good. I I I don't really drink soda, but on these trips you're just burning carbs. Carrie: Uh-huh. Craig Engels: And like I'm not I'm not buying Morton to bring with me. So I'm stopping it and drinking I'm drinking cheer one, I'm drinking a Slurpee or getting ice cream. It was like you have to eat so bad. And I've actually heard people that do extended bikepacking trips come back with cavities. Yeah. These people Carrie: Really? I get that. Craig Engels: I yeah. I mean, people they've come back with a lot of problems too, 'cause you're probably hunched over. I've had a nerve problem since where like you I you're on your handlebars for so long that it like made my hand numb and now I can like these two fingers are not strong anymore. And like that Carrie: Huh. Craig Engels: was like ten days. What are these people that are gone for a year? There's so there must be a different Yeah. Carrie: Yeah. Well, it's just like basically I mean you're just gonna have to recover a little bit from it, you know? I mean, when was Craig Engels: Yeah, yeah. Carrie: the last day that you actually rode your bike? Like how many days has it been? It's six Okay. Yeah. Craig Engels: six. So Friday. Yeah, Friday. I evening last week I finished. Carrie: Yeah. Tell me now that your six Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: days post, like, where's were there aha moments? Was what'd you learn from it? Craig Engels: It was a lot of thinking, a lot of thinking about everything. In like I'll I am the reason I do so many activities and so many things is to distract myself from like we this is actually really deep. It's but it's to distract myself from like feeling things, whether it's good or bad. I just wanna like move on to what's next so that like I don't feel too strongly because sometimes I can I get anxiety from that. So Carrie: Yeah, yeah. Craig Engels: a lot of distracting myself and this trip was a lot of time to like be doing something, but also to catch up with my brain. Cause I had Carrie: Mm. Craig Engels: just been non-stop. Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: And yeah, it was cool though. but I I would highly recommend bikepacking. It's such a cool way to like meet the people of the communities that you would never see, places that you would never eat at places you would never and like a lot of time to yourself. A lot y like a lot of times we just fill our void with phones now and Carrie: Mm. Craig Engels: Whether that's if you're in like fourth in line at a store, you pull out phone instead of like thinking. Instead of like creating a business plan. Yeah. Yeah. Carrie: Yeah. It's such a good reminder. I love it. Yeah. so we're gonna talk a little bit about your run now. So there's there's some time here. There's not a world champs, there's not an Olympic Games, the ultimate games are happening, but not much left for this summer. There's the Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: Fifth Avenue mile, is that on your list? Are you thinking about that or are you kinda shutting it down now for a little bit? Craig Engels: That would be tough because today I tried to run four miles. This is my first run back since USA's. I took I probably Carrie: Okay. Craig Engels: took like a whole month off, I think. Carrie: Good for you. Craig Engels: I I just mentally needed it. This year has been like a big year for me. I'm I moved here to Flagstaff. for this team and for a girl and like it did it didn't work out and running was like kind of not working out, but I was having such a good time. So it's been a big year for me and I was just like I need to shut it down and like reevalu like I'm thirty-two years old. These people that are beating me are twenty. And I'm like, I have to evaluate like what goals I have in the sport. Because Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: before all the only goals were to make teams. Like that was my goal. Once you make a team, like you don't go backwards and say, like I wanna make USAs. I want to make the final USAs. Like you like I want to make a team. And so I have to reevaluate because I like I I think I'm still really good and like can PR and do all these things, but I'm not a never gonna be a three twenty seven guy, like whole in them. And I so I have to figure out what I want to do with running and I don't really want to move up that much to like the half marathon and everything, but I do like I wanna make the Olympic trials in the marathon. The same year I make the Olympic trials in the eight hundred. So I'm I I'm gonna train really hard this fall. I'm just gonna get back into it and train really hard and probably run more and commit more than I have ever in s Carrie: Okay. Craig Engels: in hopes of running like sixty two fifty nine and a half marathon this January. Carrie: you could do that! Craig Engels: It's four forty eight pace, so like it's pretty borderline of like could I do it or not? Like there's not many eight hundred guys that could I don't if any, they could do that. Hobb I Hobbes Kessler probably could, but I don't know. Like it's it's gonna be a very hard challenge and I'm excited for it. So th that's what I'm excited for to stall, yeah. Carrie: That's really fun. That's exciting. What's the like what's your biggest week? Craig Engels: Ever. So Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: far my my biggest week ever is probably like seventy nine miles. like Carrie: Okay. Craig Engels: but but before that is like a seventy mile. Carrie: Okay. Craig Engels: Like I don't I've never gone above seventy and I'll try and I'll probably try and hit eighty to ninety for like consecutive month and a half just to see how my body does. Because that's what all these good guys Yeah. Carrie: Mm-hmm. And how your body reacts to that plus then you still gotta keep your speed up. Craig Engels: Yeah, exactly. So it'll be it'll be a cool challenge and to see like maybe I maybe I give up on the eight hundred and if I do really well at this like all the guys that are in the fifteen hundred they run eighty to ninety miles a week. Carrie: Sure. Craig Engels: It and I've never even tried that because I'm worried about getting hurt because I do other so many other things in my life. So Carrie: Yeah. Well. Craig Engels: I don't know I don't know how it's gonna go, but it might help my fifteen hundred to where I could make another team. Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: You know, there's like no there's not much risk in this plan. so it's a cool like adventure, but it might help the fifteen hundred, it might not, and it like if it if I end up moving up to the five K I could handle that, but I don't want to go above Carrie: Mm-hmm. Craig Engels: that really. Carrie: But listen, dude, like you are not old. Like, I think I thought the same way when I was your age. And I was a little bit different. I was a woman. I had been married for seven years. Like I was thinking about children and and like life and how I was gonna do it all. And I I don't think that you need to think that you're old. Like you have been around for a long time. Yes, you've had long contracts. You've had like things like that. there is pressure still on you. I get that. But I don't think at thirty-two you're old. I think there might just be some things that you need to slow down with or you know, finding the what makes it fun. But to me I feel like you have as long as you want. You just have to figure out how to stay fresh and how to keep it fun where you want to go work out where you don't just enjoy two runs a week. Craig Engels: Yeah. I mean I appreciate that s sentiment, but yeah, it's hard when you're racing against seventeen year olds. But Yeah, true. Yeah, it's weird. Yeah, that's Carrie: I know. I wa and you know what? So was I. I mean, I was raised against Jordan Hasse and she was in high school. And she beat me at the Olympic trials. After I was an Olympian. Craig Engels: Crazy. I mean that's Cooper Luchtenhouse and Brett Meyer or something Meyer, what's his name? Cam Myers. Carrie: Yes. Craig Engels: there's all these guys, yeah, that are that but the but the hardest thing I'd say, like I physically I feel eighteen years old. Like I'm good. But holding that fire you have when you're eighteen till you're thirty-two is a lot harder. Carrie: Yep. I know. It is hard. Craig Engels: Because when you're that age, not many people will have beat you if you're at the top. The The like the older you get, the more people have beat you. And once you've beaten someone in this sport, you have that mindset of I can beat them anytime now. Like Yard Carrie: Yep. Yep. It's true. Craig Engels: and Cole were both unbeatable and now people have seen them get beat and so all these American people are like catching up. And so Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: I don't I don't know. I I there's like there's a lot of mindset about it that people don't really understand unless you've been at like the most elite level. But Carrie: Mm-hmm. Craig Engels: It's hard for me to have the fire. So I have to have goals. Like I can't I'm not just like Rory where I enjoy it that much to where Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: I'm gonna succeed from enjoyment. I have to have goals. And so my I like it's been very hard to shift that of like, for sure I'm gonna make a team. Like in two thousand nineteen I was certain I was gonna make the team and then I like, Okay, twenty twenty is the Olympic year, I'll make it then. You know, all these things would have like rolled, but then COVID hit and other guys came onto the scene. I don't know, like a lot of stuff happened. but I'd love to like figure out what fires me up like it did back then of like being being so certain and like so confident. Carrie: I know. I know, it's a hard that's that's the name of the game. It really is. Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: And I appreciate the fact that you're trying to figure it out and you're still going for it, you Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: know. You you aren't one of the fabes without being it as dynamic and as awesome as you are. Everybody loves it. So and I hope that you feel that love. And I think you do, but I mean, there it has to feel heavy at times, but I think that you should look at it, especially when you're looking in the mirror, you have to know that people are in your corner and I like not only all of us fans but like your competitors. Everybody loves to see you line up. Craig Engels: You are too kind. Seriously. Carrie: No, don't you do you feel that though? Craig Engels: Kind of. I'm I fe those feelings I feel way stronger from people that know me truly. Like Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: strangers loving me is cool and everything, but they don't know me. It's like they like me because I ran fast and like have a social media that like is funny. But if they if like they actually got to know me and still like me then, which I would hope is Carrie: gosh. They'd love you more. Craig Engels: ev ev everyone besides my romantic partners in life, but Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: it's just like it's cool. Yeah, I can feel it. I still like when I go to races and people are cheering for like, wow, I can't believe people still know who I am. Carrie: Uh-huh. You know what got me today? was Jenny Simpson finally gave an update. I don't know if you saw that, but Craig Engels: I read that. Yeah. Carrie: So she she gave an update and just to see in the first two hours of her update, to see how many people were like, Jenny, Craig Engels: Mm-hmm. Carrie: we love you, we stand with you, like and you know, me, I I say it a lot. I feel like the big sister because I'm old. And so I feel like with all of you younger athletes, I'm like, you know, I've kind of I've been through all of it. I've been through it. And when that happened to Jenny, it floored me. Like it was like I had to s Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: you know, for the two weeks that she was in the hospital, I was texting everyone I knew. I didn't need to be on the inside like getting all the inside scoop, but I was like, this is one of mine. Like this is one of my little sisters, you know, and I want to take care of everybody. And I was just so proud of our community again, of like this sport is different. And we do, yes, there Craig Engels: Yeah, yeah. Carrie: are things we have to work on, obviously. But we'll really when you know the stuff hits a fan, people come together. And Craig Engels: Yeah, you're right. Carrie: I know. Wasn't that isn't have you have you gotten to read about Craig Engels: So many examples, so many examples. Carrie: it? Craig Engels: I haven't gone through a tough time, but I mean you saw like when Gabe Greenwald, Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: there there's so many so many examples, like David Torrance, everyone or Kiano Linard recently. Everyone comes together Carrie: Mm-hmm. Yep. Craig Engels: and that is really cool. Like we have a community and I can't speak Carrie: Mm-hmm. Craig Engels: for the NBA, NFL, MLB. Like they obviously make all the money and that's usually what people's complaints are, is like where the money Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: is in our sport. But we are able to meet our fans. Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: Like I could literally go talk to them in the stands and not have to have like a security guard or anything. Like it's literally Carrie: huh. Craig Engels: so chill of a sport. And like I appreciate that all the time. Carrie: Yeah. Yeah. Craig Engels: And I appreciate these people that have backed me, but I I've I haven't been through a tough time to where like I've needed the support of the community, thankfully. Carrie: Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Craig Engels: but yeah, but they've given so much to me that like when someone messages me s forever since I have have had Instagram, I've tried to respond to every single person. And there Carrie: Yeah, you're so good at that. Craig Engels: There was times where it would be like, my gosh, I have a hundred and like or maybe like three hundred that when you're when you're at your peak, all these kids message you and they wanna know the silver bullet. And like Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: that's but but those messages have gone away. So th it's like I used to I used to feel the support in that way of like that's how I connected with them. And now Carrie: yeah. Craig Engels: it's like the support from the swoosh TC members that like I love all of them and they've been so accepting of me just to like come and practice with them without joining. And Carrie: Mm-hmm. Craig Engels: like I'm friends with Parker and Liam and Woody and and Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: Maggie and Elisa and and everyone now be because of like how cool this community is. Like people get Carrie: Cool. Yeah. Craig Engels: stoked. Like I I was traveling for a while and everyone would be stoked to like I'd be I'd be like, Can I join your workout? And everyone's like, Yeah. But and Carrie: I know. Craig Engels: I don't know yeah, I don't know if an NFL player or NBA player would be that way. Carrie: Well, that's the thing. I don't there's n I mean, I feel like most of us would invite another runner, but everybody likes to run with you and I think that that's cool too. Even you're like got stuck in wherever you were, Dallas or wherever and you get to go visit friends. Like that's the the cool part. Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: But I just hope you appreciate the fact that this this sport does love you. And remember that always. I have to do my Rundot rapid Craig Engels: There you you making me blunt. Carrie: fire questions. You know I love them and you do such a good job. So I'm gonna get like ten more questions with you, and then you gotta get out and and move your body because I know you need to. So yeah. Craig Engels: No, this has been so fun. Thank you. First off, thank you. This has been awesome. Sorry, I feel like I've rambled the whole time. Hopefully people enjoy it. But I like I would love to ask Carrie: You have not rambled. It has been amazing. Craig Engels: you questions. I want to hear about like I I don't know. I don't know, but whatever. We got we got more we got more time. We'll host a show together. Carrie: Okay, next time you come on see Tally Ron, you can ask me the questions, okay? Okay, but we Craig Engels: Cool, cool, cool. Carrie: got we got like ten more. Ready? Flagstaff or North Carolina? Craig Engels: North Carolina. Carrie: I figured that's home. Okay. 800 meters or 1500 meters? Craig Engels: Eight hundred. Yeah. It's over it's over quicker. Carrie: Ooh, I didn't know if I would pick that. Okay. Yeah. You don't have to think as long. Okay. Pacelights or just let it rip? Craig Engels: Let it rip. my gosh. Get the pace lights out of here. I I hate them. Carrie: I know you don't like those. Okay. I I think I know this one. But sit and kick or lead it. Craig Engels: sit and cake. Never lead it. Gosh. Carrie: Okay, mullet or mustache? Craig Engels: If I had to choose one for the rest of my life, mustache. I feel like a Carrie: Yeah. Yeah. Really? But you you would Craig Engels: old it a mullet ever after a while people are like, hey bits bit's old. Mustache, you never Carrie: No. Craig Engels: know if it's a bit or if it's serious. Carrie: it's good. I love the mola. Okay. RV Craig Engels: Yeah. Carrie: life. Like we gotta I haven't even asked you about the R V, but RV life or life on the bike? Which were you were calling what were you calling it? Camp no. Bike packing. Okay, yeah. Yeah. Craig Engels: Bike packing. It's like backpacking, bike packing. who good one. R V life. I have my house with me. A bed, my bed. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Carrie: I love an RV. It is like the best. Okay. Biscuits or bagels? Okay. Become Craig Engels: Biscuits. come on. That's my favorite food. Carrie: an agent or become an actor. Craig Engels: Actor. Which I might have big Carrie: it is Craig Engels: news on this in the following months. Carrie: What? Craig Engels: I'll I'll I'll I'll let you know. I'll text you first. Carrie: my gosh, if you need a big sister or a mom or anything, I'm your gal. I would love it. I have missed my calling as well. I n I wanted to be an actress so bad. I don't know. Okay. Craig Engels: You would have crushed. you would be so good. You could still do it. You would be great. You'd be so funny. Carrie: I don't know. You kind of get a little s nervous now being on a stage. Like I l I like to, you know, do things in our space, right? And I like to speak, but like acting is different. Craig Engels: Yeah. Okay, acting i in when I say acting for the screen. I could never memorize all the lines for a stage. I I had to in college and I Carrie: No. They don't do that anymore though. Craig Engels: couldn't Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I can't sing. Carrie: They have teleprompter, they have everyone in your ear. It's way different than when like, you know, I think you and I think of starting to act. Like, it's way different. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm way older than you, okay. Craig Engels: Shakespeare. Back when we were growing up with Shakespeare. Carrie: Lead singer or drummer of a big hairband. Craig Engels: Good question, man. I love drumming. Carrie: Really? Craig Engels: lead singer. I have an ego. We all do. We all want to be the lead singer. I just watched the Nickelback documentary and I'm like, damn, that looks like a cool life. Carrie: Me too. So fun. Okay, then run with Harry Styles or with Travis Barker. Because they both like to run. Craig Engels: I I w honestly I I me and Travis Barker are more similar, but I think he would just not speak. But I'd actually really I'd I'd more so like to run with Wiz Khalifa than anyone. Carrie: Yes. I I didn't know how exactly how to say his name when I quickly wrote these, so I was like, I'm gonna just go with Harry Styles. Craig Engels: Yeah. WhizCali will be fun. A little pregame with them. Carrie: Y my gosh. Hey, but Travis Barker's new documentary is pretty good. I did. Craig Engels: you watched it. Yeah, I tried to watch it but I don't have any of the streaming services, but whatever Carrie: Yeah. Craig Engels: it's Carrie: No, it's good. When you can, you should watch it. Okay, last question. Keep getting after it or keep getting after it. Craig Engels: Haha, let's get after it, my dog. Let's get after it. Till at least 2028. One more trials. One more trials. Carrie: Let's go, man. I appreciate you. Okay. Okay. I heard ya. You said it here. Love ya, dude. Thank you for everything. C Tolle Run: Thanks so much for joining me today and see Tally Run. My guest was Craig Engels. You can find him at Cragethor on Instagram. And make sure you do because he's really fun to follow along with. Hey, before we go, big shout out to Rundot for supporting the show and to Andrew Harley and Sarah Bernie, the amazing producers behind the Try Dot, Rundot, and CTally Run podcast. Thank you for everything that you do. And another big thank you to Tailwind Nutrition for supporting the show. If you'd like to give Tailwind a try, head on over to TailwindNutrition.com and use the code TOLI20 for 20% off your order. That's T-O-L-L-E 20 for 20% off your order. And finally, if you enjoy the pod, we'd love your support. Take a minute to leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and share CTOLirun with all of your friends. You can head on over to Ctolerun.com/slash review and let us know what you think about the show. We're on Facebook, we're on YouTube. We're on X, we're on Instagram at CTolyron and at CarrieTelefson. Or you can visit us anytime at ctolyron.com. Thank you so much for joining us today. And don't forget to get after it.