Latest / The Red Banner Race Report / Trenton Sweet, Indiana Wesleyan University

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Trenton Sweet, Indiana Wesleyan University · The Red Banner Race Report

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to another episode of the NAI Red Banner Race Report Podcast, the show where we dive deep into the minds, the miles, and the mindsets of the athletes chasing Collegiate Running's ultimate prize.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: Representing the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats is Trenton Sweet, our guest in this episode.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: If you look back at his TFRRS page in early 2025, he opened his Collegiate 5,000 meter career with the 1529.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: This past season, Trenton blew the doors off the track.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: He broke the legendary 14-minute barrier at the Bison Outdoor Classic with a blazing 1359, pulled in a pair of third-place All-American finishes at indoor nationals in the 3K and the DMR, and then went down to Asheville to capture the NAI Outdoor National title in the 5K in 1415.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: He is officially an NAI national champion, a sub-14-minute 5K runner, and now one of the most dominant distance forces returning in the NAIA, and he will only be a junior in the fall.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: We'll chat with Trenton about how he managed the tactical pressure of being the man to beat on the national stage, what it's like chasing red banners alongside his teammates, and how the powerhouse culture of the Crossroads League prepares him for the biggest moments in the sport.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Plus, we'll get a look into his goals for the upcoming cross-country season and find out what hobbies and time off look like for a guy who seems to rarely slow down.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome, Trenton, to the Red Banner Race Report Podcast.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_01: Glad to be here.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we're excited to have a newly minted national champion.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: So, first off, let's start with some congratulations, right?
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: The national title.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: So about a month after uh setting your personal vest, you ran a sub-14 5K, which is a huge accomplishment.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Then you went on to the NAI Outdoor National Championships.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: You took home the win in the 5K.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: And then, you know, you're only a sophomore.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: So, well, I guess heading into your junior season.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: So lots left to look forward to on the national stage.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: So uh let's talk about that championship.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, racing is pretty tactical at the national level.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: It's not always the fastest time that wins.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: We see that a lot, especially in mid to uh distance races.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: And the weather was a big factor.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: There were some delays with lightning, many, many delays.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: The humidity was pretty high.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: So what was your strategy going in?
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, were you thinking I could win this?
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: Did that come to you as a surprise when you did?
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um, all the things.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: How did you manage the pressure?
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: Let's just chat about that.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think going in, I was I had a pretty good game of where I was gonna be at.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um I knew I had a pretty decent chance to win.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't know if it actually would happen, but um yeah, going in, I was kind of just like expecting to let somebody else lead it.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: I had no idea what the pace would be.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_01: I kind of didn't really care what the pace would be.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_01: I just wanted to, you know, like I did, sit right there in like third or fourth and let somebody take the lead and um make my move when I thought I was ready.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, I think I got I got pretty lucky with the weather delays.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think it really even moved my race at all.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_01: But I know like some of the 10K guys got um just repeatedly just kept delaying it over and over, which was pretty brutal, but yeah, I knew uh going in I was gonna be on the fresh legs and there was gonna be some guys coming back from the 10K or the four by eight doubling, and I knew that kind of helped me out a little bit, so um yeah, that was just my thoughts going in and um worked out pretty well.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, it did.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I was there, I watched the race.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not sure if I'm correct, so you can you know correct me if I'm wrong, but was it like two laps to go?
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: You kind of started cranking it down.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I took it with about 600 to go and kind of just went.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: Um I think we probably did start to speed up a little bit with around 800 to go.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you defeated someone who was no small competition, right?
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: The national championship at cross country was won by someone that got second to you.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: So that's a pretty pretty big bragging rates there.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: So let's back up from the national meet to your PR of 1359.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: You broke 14 minutes, like I said.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: That's a pretty big both physical milestone, but it's kind of this psychological barrier, I think, for a lot of 5K runners collegiately.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: So when you crossed the line and you saw that you were sub-14, what went through your mind?
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it was pretty surreal, honestly.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't I didn't know what to expect.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I didn't think that was gonna happen until maybe my senior year of college.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, and I kind of I kind of took a pretty big jump.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_01: That was only like my I think that was my second 5k of the year, only like my third 5k in college.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: So um, yeah, that was that was pretty crazy.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: Uh going into the race, I was like I was like 11th, I think, or something like that.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_01: And I was kind of just expecting to, you know, just sit on the guys and kind of get pulled to a fast time.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: I think the timing I had my mind going in was like 1415 or 1420-ish.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um but then when we got to the line, they were saying they were pacing for sub-14.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_01: So I was like, you know what, I might as well just take a risk and hop on and uh run free and have fun.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, it ended up feeling amazing and just I took the lead when the pacers stepped off and kind of went from there and had to close pretty hard and got there barely under 14, but it was it was so fun, and yeah, it's a a race I won't forget for sure.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: Do you feel like because you didn't have an expectation to run a certain time and you kind of went in with an open mind and maybe a little less pressure, that that helped you run better?
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, for sure.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_01: I think um, you know, I I kind of in my mind was like, like I said, I was going for like 14-15 or like standard-ish, because that was my first 5k of the outdoor season, and I was like, I don't know.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: I figured if I when they were saying they were going for 14 flat, I figured if I hopped on them and even if I had a bad day, like even if I fall off 15 seconds or 30 seconds, 20 seconds, I'll still hit standard and it'll be a good day.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that um yeah, that like you said, having no expectations going in kind of put my nerves at ease, I guess.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I've heard from quite a few athletes that when they least expect it is when big things happen.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that that's kind of a cool, cool environment to uh maybe have a little less stress when you're running with less pressure.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you also had great performances at the indoor national championships.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: You your team was third in the DMR.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you took third individually in the the 3K.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: So take us through that weekend and your approach to having to double because the DMR has a prelim.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh did the 3K, I don't think it did.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_01: No, we didn't have one for the 2K.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um, were you in the DMR heat that ran an extra lap for the anchor like that?
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: I was not.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_01: I was I going into it, I didn't even know if I was gonna run the final of the DMR, honestly.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: Like it wasn't, I think that was like a decision after I crossed the line after the 3K of running the final.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: So you didn't have to do the prelim then?
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: No, I didn't.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: So that's not, I guess, too horribly taxing.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, not to downplay your your effort, but I know there's some guys that ran the prelim.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's that's a long time.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_01: That's a lot of racing.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: So take us through that weekend and um how you come back from a really strong performance in a longer distance event, and then you have to speed up, you know, for a shorter race with a little more speed.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, I think the 3K camera went in with like a kind of similar mindset as the 5K outdoor.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_01: Like I had a good chance of contending.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't really have an expectation to win because this was like my first national, I tracked nationals.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so I just, you know, went in there and I kind of hung on the back of a pack through the whole race, if I remember right, um, and then kind of made a move trying to close pretty hard and I couldn't get Jack or uh Ryan, but it was still a really fast race.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_01: And when I even when I crossed the line until 8 05, I was kinda really shocked because I was yeah, I wasn't really what I was expecting, but it was a fun race.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_01: That was a great race.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um I think that was kind of like a stepping stone in the outdoor, like knowing that I can can compete with all the guys on the national stage.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um and yeah, I think that kind of helped me outdoor going into that nationals.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um but then the DMR, I yeah, like I said, I didn't know I was racing it until after the 3K.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_01: So like when I crossed the line of the 3K went over to my coach, I said like he kind of congratulated me.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_01: And then I was like, I heard he said something about do you want to run the DMR?
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, uh, give me like five minutes.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: I need to think about this.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_01: I was my legs were kind of shot from like the fast race, and I was like, I want to make the best decision, but then I decided um that I think I could run a pretty good time, and so going on the DMR in the 1200, kind of like you said earlier, with like having little or no expectation, I kind of just wanted to put myself in a good spot, and if I had it left in me with 400, 200 to go make a move, and I had I honestly felt almost better in the 1200 of the DMR than I did in the 3K, which is kind of crazy, but um yeah, closed pretty hard.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_01: I think I split like 258 or 7 or something like that.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, that was a fun race.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_01: Came down to a crazy mile.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_01: That was crazy to watch.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: Are you one of the runners who feels a little bit better physically, like loosened up when you have a race under your belt?
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: I know some athletes like the second race better because they feel like they've kind of you know busted out the dust, so to speak.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think like my freshman year, I struggled a lot with having back-to-back races.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_01: But I think recently I've been able to like handle it a lot better.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if I would say I've usually feel better in the second race.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_01: For some reason I did in indoor, but um yeah, I think I've just like maturing as a runner, I've been able to double back better.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: I think just takes years of experience and figuring out what works.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I've been lucky, like I haven't had to run a prelim yet with the 5k, the 3K, which I know that's usually what happens, but yeah, that I can't not enough standards I haven't had to run a prelim, which has been good for me.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_01: I think.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, definitely.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: Good for your body too.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's a rough, uh, rough gauntlet there.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: Well, if we look all the way back to like early 2025, and you open up your collegiate career with about a 1529, and then you fast forward to the next year, now you're a sub-14-minute 5K runner, you're a national champion, and you said, you know, I I didn't expect to run uh, you know, a sub-14 until maybe my senior year, but here we are, and you're just heading into you know, half of your career is only done.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_00: So, how has your training or your approach or your you know championship racing mindset, how have all those things evolved since you were a freshman that has made you so successful, maybe a little more quickly than you had expected?
• 11:58
  unknown: Yeah.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, I think just like I've been constantly just like every race going into it, which it's been a blessing.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_01: I've like seen improvements and I've um, you know, just felt like I can compete with the guys I'm in every race with.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that has definitely helped as well as my coach's confidence in me.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: I think Coach Baylor's just been with me through every race, and he's instilled the confidence that um he's like he sees success in me, and I think I I definitely couldn't have done it without him.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, I think um I would say like my the first race where I thought like I could actually compete at the highest level, like run up front um was at Great Lakes um in cross country where in my PR 24 uh 24 and got fourth there.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I think just like I realized I run best when I'm up front and then the front pack, like just at the front of the race.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_01: It just gives me confidence compared to trying to catch up.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, I think just that that mindset shift has helped me in the championship style races too, because like in this 5k outdoor, that's where I was, was up front, and letting somebody else lead it was still up in that front pack.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that's the mindset that's changed a little bit since my freshman year.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, knowing that you should be there and you deserve to be there and you can do it.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_00: I love it.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you have a unique situation.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: You get to run on a team with your cousin.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: So Braden was on your was he on your DMR?
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_01: He was, yeah.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_01: He was the 1600 leader.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, that's what I thought.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so what is it like having family with you on your team?
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_00: That's a really cool dynamic.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, does that cousin connection give you guys a little something extra?
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_01: Uh I would say yeah.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we're only we're like third cousins, so we're not like too close.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_01: And even growing up, like we live pretty close to each other, but we never were like close.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: Like we rarely talked to each other, maybe only had a few family reunions growing up, but like we were not close at all.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: But then coming into college, I think like brought us together.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_01: We ended up being roommates my like this past year.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, it's definitely a a cool dynamic, and it was fun.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_01: Uh kind of sharing the track with them and I kind of looked up to him because he's uh obviously a very good runner.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: Well, who has the bragging rights?
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, if you're if you're heading to a family event and you know, people start talking cross country and uh track stats, I mean, do you have a little banter there or do you just kind of team up against the rest of the family?
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: We don't we haven't like I said, we're kind of distant relatives we don't have too many family family things, but I don't know.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's a good question.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_01: He's kind of paved the way for me to take the take the batons.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: I was gonna say, I guess uh if you did, you can throw out national champ now.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_01: That's right, yeah.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_01: Well, he's a national champ too in cross country.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's that's true.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yep.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_00: While you have pretty incredible range, I mean you can run a quick 800, a quick 1500, you've got this sub-14 5K.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you've got a great time in cross country.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: So which of these distances do you feel maybe highlights your identity as a runner or you just enjoy the most?
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think um I I always tell people the 3K is my event because it's just right in the middle there of the 5K and the 800.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um I grow like through high school, I was always the 800 miler.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um I was I would stick to the mid-distance, but obviously not coming into college.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_01: I've done a lot of 5K and that's worked out pretty well for me.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_01: So I would say the 3K is kind of in the middle of there.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_01: I'd say that's probably my favorite event to run.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_01: It's just I don't know.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_01: I always tell people that the 3K in college feels like the mile did in high school compared to like the 5K feels like the 3200 did in high school.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_01: It's like it's just a quick, quick race, and yeah, I I feel like that I still have a pretty good pick, and I think that kind of gives me the chance to show that in the 3K more.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_01: So, yeah.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: Well, as I mentioned, you're heading into your junior year, and I was part of the Crossroads League, which if you look at the stats from across the NAIA, is notoriously one of the deepest, most competitive conferences for middle distance and long distance in the NAI.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I mean, you have Tristan Trevino of Marion, he's a national champ in the mile, DMR four by eight.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_00: They've got records nationally.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_00: You've got Camden Kuhn of Spring Arbor, who won the crossroads league last year, set the course record.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_00: He's running low fours in the mile.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: You got Taylor University, not too far from Iowa, actually.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: They're always strong in distance events.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: You've got Drew Hogan, Duncan Koskai from Goshen.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, Hogan was second in the Crossroads League meet last year, fourth in the mile indoors, Koskai was sixth in the 10K outdoors, third in the league in cross country.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_00: So just some of those, I mean, that's not even everybody.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_00: Mountain Vernon and Nazarene, if we throw them in.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_00: So you've got really solid distance guys, I would say, in my opinion, in the most competitive distance league in the NAIA.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so now you're going to be facing, you know, that level of competition just in your conference before you even get to the national meet.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_00: So, how do you think that helps you in the regular season prepare for championship racing?
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it it definitely has a factor in why the crossroads league always shows up at nationals pretty well.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think just like even we race each other outside of just our conference to make it the week before, two weeks before nationals.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: We race each other almost every week.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_01: So almost every race I'm in, I have a national contender in the race with me, and I think that just sets up really well for going into nationals at kind of we're used to the the high competition and we're seeing familiar faces on the national stage.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_01: And I think for like other conferences who may not have that level of depth, it kind of gives the crossroads leagues guys uh definitely an advantage because we're so used to running at that such high of a level um every week, like week in and week out.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I think that definitely um yeah, that that's definitely a reason why the crossroads league is so strong on the national stage, is because we're always you know challenging each other almost every meet.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: Well, this podcast is all about chasing the red banner, right?
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_00: The NEI championship.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_00: And Iwo took one home in cross country.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: So let's reflect on that historic moment for a moment.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, what is it like to bring a national banner back with your team after putting in months and months and months of hard work?
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think um it it meant a lot because IWo has always been a program that's been at the top of the night of the nation.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_01: But um, like just never got it done.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_01: And I think, you know, even though we're like our group of seven guys is the group that got it done, it was more than just the seven guys that like all the alumni that came through IWU and even the 27 guys we have on our team this past year, we couldn't have done it without them.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um and Coach Foss, his 30, like 36 years of coaching at IWU.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, every single year, and every every guy on the team through those 36 years set the stage for our group to go out and win that national meet.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that's just what makes it so special, is because we just know like the history of IWU and just the amount of amazing runners that have come through the program and that we're the group of guys that could get it done, not just for ourselves, not for just the alumni, but just to like, you know, worship God, and that's always our main goal at IWU.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_01: And we went out and ran free and we had fun and we ran as a group.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um and yeah, it was special.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_01: It was uh definitely a day I won't forget.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, I'm sure I'm thankful for those group of guys.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_00: Well, it was awesome seeing you up on that stage.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: That was a really cool moment.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_00: I was there, so yeah, it was it was really fun to see you know a team from our league take it home.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_00: Um I attended Spring Arbor.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_00: And when my okay, yeah, when my coach um was coaching me, he and still is to this day, is very good friends with Coach Voss.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: So when I was running, Coach Voss was coaching iwoo.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_00: So I know him, he's been around a long time.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_01: He's amazing.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_01: He is, he's a legend.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, he is.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_00: He's just I think he's really one of the reasons that IWU has built their program into this phenomenal culture of distance running.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, my brother attended Iwo, so he's a Wildcat alumni.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_00: So let's chat about that.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_00: You you touched on that.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_00: But how do you think your coaches, that culture of that program, help you balance what you want to accomplish as an athlete because you have elite goals and those are very noteworthy and take a lot of hard work and dedication?
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_00: How do you balance that with both the mental and the spiritual side of being a student athlete?
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_00: Because running is an important part, but it's just a part, right?
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_00: There's those other components.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_00: So, how do you balance all of those things?
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think our coaches do a Amazing job of um just like being with us not only in running but spiritually and mentally.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_01: Like we have meetings, individual meetings with coach about sometimes we may even not even speak about running at all during those meetings, and I think that's important because like especially in the NAI, it's like sometimes in the NCAA you see it as such a business, and I think in the NAI that's something special is that it's it's more than just running, and I think that's what we saw at Nationals when we won and cross countries.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_01: Like there's an interview with Coach Bylier where he was saying it's more than running, and it's more about like who we'll become as people and and uh followers of Christ and stuff like that.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um and yeah, I think our program and like even our school in general does a great job of like showing us the way through that and we have a I don't know, it's like a statement or like a saying in our athletic program, it's like the both hand.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um it's like we can both be excellent in our sport and excellent followers of Christ, and um you don't have to choose one or the other, and I think that's what's so special about our culture at Iowa is that yes, we're really good at all the sports we do.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_01: Our volleyball teams three peat national champs with our cross-country team to swallow nationals, um, but also we're great followers of Christ, and um we can we can show that on the field as well and on the court course, whatever.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, that's a great perspective.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_00: Well, what is training looking like for you now?
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I'm hoping you had a break after nationals crack.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about you know, what does the summer entail as you're moving forward and some of your goals maybe for cross-country?
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, um, yeah, I just took like 10 days off after outdoor.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but now I'm just you know, slowly building back into it with like easy mileage and some like well, like we'll start some slower workouts next week or this week or sometime soon, but nothing definitely nothing crazy yet.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_01: Just building the base back up.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_01: So we still have what four and a half months, five months till cross-country nationals.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_01: So um yeah, that's definitely the the date on my calendars that cross-country nationals meet, hopefully.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_01: As a team, we can try and repeat.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_01: I think we have a really good shot.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_01: We have a lot of good guys that are coming in that are definitely really motivated.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um not that if we don't win, it's not gonna be a successful season, but that's definitely the goal every year going into it is how can we, you know, put the best team out there and yeah, have fun.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have any specific individual goals that you want to share?
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um Yeah, I mean I I definitely want to win cross-country nationals.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_01: I know that's kind of a big goal.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_01: There's a lot of names out there, and I um I don't think it would be a I don't know.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think I'd be doing myself right to not have that goal to win.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um I I'm not gonna be disappointed if I get top five all American anything.
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna be good no matter what, but um yeah, I definitely want to try and try and defend my 5k title with the win.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um There's a lot it's gonna be not gonna be easy, there's a lot of guys out there to beat, but yeah, that's that's definitely on in my mind.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_00: Well, dream big dreams, right?
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_00: Nothing wrong with that.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_00: Well, when you aren't running, you aren't in school studying, you're not working or traveling for a meet, what are the things that you would do on a really completely lazy, shall we say, day off?
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I like to golf.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_01: That's definitely a hobby of mine.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um other than that, I kind of just hang out with family and friends.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um yeah.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_00: Well, if we're honest, runners are kind of notorious for having pre-race rituals or post-race meal cravings.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_00: You know, some people they just really have to stick to something that's familiar to them to make them feel calm or to make them feel prepared.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: So, what is your ultimate non-negotiable pre-race meal or your non-negotiable post-race craving?
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_00: Either one or both.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um I honestly don't have like a staple one meal before or after, but uh I definitely try and get him like a lot of carbs and maybe some protein, like pasta or chick or yeah, chicken, or maybe steak before.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um I try not to do too much so I'm not feeling heavy the next day, but I definitely don't have like a superstitious have to have the same meal every race.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_01: But um I think after races it's sometimes it's hard to force myself to eat because I'm either really excited or I'm dead from the race.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_01: But I think uh I travel staple is definitely Chipotle.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_01: We I think we hit Chipotle almost on every trip, so I gotta give us that one for a post race.
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_00: That's good.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's one of my favorites too.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_01: Oh yeah.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so you mentioned you like golf.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_00: If you could be a professional athlete in any other sport, what sport are you picking?
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_01: It would definitely be golf.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I do it for a hot lead, and if I could go out there and do it as a professional and as my full-time job and make a lot of money doing it and having fun, I think that would definitely be my sport.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_00: So that is definitely not my sport.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_00: I could maybe putt-putt.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_00: Anything other than that, no, not happening.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_00: Which is a shame because where I live in Michigan, I mean, the state is filled with just spectacular golf courses.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I I've run on them as a runner for cross country, but yeah, not golf.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_00: No, not for me.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_00: I always admire people who can do that.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_00: So kudos to you.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_00: Well, if you had to listen to one song on repeat for a 15-mile run, what what are you listening to these days?
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like what's at the top of your playlist?
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um I'm a big I like worship music.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if I have one specific song.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_01: I would I don't know, I'd probably repeat a worship song.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes on runs I like to listen to podcasts, so I'm more of a podcast guy.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_01: It kind of takes my mind off of the run.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_01: Especially in the summer when it's super hot.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_01: I can kind of I'm thinking about other things, listen to a podcast.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_00: So well, you can listen to this episode next time.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: There you go.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have a particular podcast you enjoy?
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um I listen to Coffee Club.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if you know who that is.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um it's just like a running.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_01: They're professional runners for on, and they just have a podcast.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_01: It's kind of random every week, talk about random stuff.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_00: But I'll have to check it out.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_00: It looks good.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_01: I'm a pre-med biology major, so that makes sense.
• 29:11
  SPEAKER_01: I kind of nerd out about that stuff sometimes.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_00: So uh side note did you know that Google Notebook LM, which is kind of part of their AI platform, you can have it turn your notes into a podcast.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_01: Really?
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_00: So I I work for a college and I help our um adjunct faculty or our professors because a lot of our programs are online, and they can take, you know, their lectures or their slide presentations or anything material-wise they want to give to their students, and they can plop it in there and it will create a podcast that students can listen to if they're driving to class or whatever, which has been super helpful for some of those people.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's a really cool little tip there.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um that's cool.
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_00: And then one of my favorite podcasts is uh Nobody Asked Us.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_00: It's with Des Linden and Carrie Goucher, both who were Olympic pro runners.
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but it's extra special for me because Des Linden lives about 10 miles from me.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_00: So that's awesome.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_00: I see her running sometimes.
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, looks like an animal's chasing her because you know she's dropping like 530s for a 20 mile run.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, she's she's pretty cool.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_00: She won Boston.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, yeah, it's pretty awesome.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_00: Well, last question to wrap things up.
• 30:31
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's kind of just to get a feel for you and your personality.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_00: But if you could run with anyone, they could be from the past, maybe they're not even living, like a historical figure, and you could run anywhere.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_00: Who are you picking and where are you going?
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think my Indiana bias has to say Cole Hawker.
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um I've I've loved watching him on the you know the Olympic stage and stuff, and I've always been a big fan, so I I'd have to pick him.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_01: Uh but where are we running?
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_01: That's a good question.
• 31:07
  SPEAKER_01: Probably I would say probably Boulder, Colorado, Magnolia Lane.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_01: It's kind of iconic, so I'd have to go to that.
• 31:17
  SPEAKER_01: Co-hawker on Magnolia Lane.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_00: That is a great choice.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_00: That's a fantastic answer.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I agree.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Trenton, it has been awesome getting to chat with you.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so excited for what comes next for you because you're only halfway through your collegiate career.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_00: And man, look at what you've already accomplished.
• 31:36
  SPEAKER_00: It's really exciting, something to be really grateful for, but also thrilled about what comes next.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll definitely keep an eye on you and wish you all the best.
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for having me on.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much for tuning in to the Red Banner Race Report.
• 31:51
  SPEAKER_00: I can't wait to feature more cross-country and track and field athletes from the NAIA.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_00: So stay tuned because it just might be you.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_00: If you enjoyed today's podcast, please share, subscribe, and leave a review.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_00: You can find the Red Banner Race Report podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and other major media players.
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_00: You can also ask for SmartSpeaker to play the podcast.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_00: If you have an idea for a great topic or guest you'd like to hear about, feel free to contact me through the show notes or reach out on Instagram.