Episode 354: Grace Barnett; Breakthrough Year: 7th at the Olympic Trials & 2nd at the USATF 5k Champs

Grace Barnett runs with the Mammoth Track Club and is coached by Andrew Kastor. She is also a STEM lab teacher for an elementary school. Grace was 7th place at the Olympic Trials this summer in the 1500m where she ran a 4:05 in the final! Grace ended by being a three time All-American at Clemson University after initially being a walk-on for the team. In November, the weekend of the NYC Marathon, she placed 2nd at the USATF 5k Championships. In this episode, we hear about what it is like to live in Mammoth and work with Andrew and Deena Kastor. Grace is one to be watching in the coming year! What we talked about: 4:15- Recapping her race at the USATF 5k Championships where she finished 2nd 5:55- Her work as a teacher and balancing that as a professional runner 8:10- Why she decided to move to Mammoth to train professionally and what it is like living there 14:35- Growing up on the beach in South Carolina 18:50- Walking onto the team at Clemson University 22:10- Living far away from home 24:00- How she met her fiance 29:30- Her fiance being deployed in the spring 31:10- Earning a scholarship 34:00- Her fifth year at Clemson 36:20- What it was like when she first joined the team at Mammoth Track Club 38:10- Who she trains with 39:35- The family feel that she has on the Mammoth Track Club with Deena and Andrew Kastor 41:15- The community that she has in Mammoth 42:15- Her race at the Olympic Trials 44:55- Her mindset after finishing 7th at the Olympic Trials 46:10- Finding the right mindset with running as a professional 49:00- Her fiance’s military experience 51:25- Her experience at the Sir Walter Mile 55:20- Just missing the Olympic standard in the 5k 57:45- What she is going to focus on in training 58:40- Her favorite thing about working with Andrew Kastor as a coach 1:03:05- End of podcast questions Show notes: Grace on Instagram The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Connect with Lindsey: Lindsey on Instagram Lindsey on Twitter Lindsey on Facebook Join the I’ll Have Another Facebook Group Support the I’ll Have Another Podcast on Patreon Follow SandyBoy Productions: Sandyboy Productions on Twitter Sandyboy Productions on Instagram SandyBoy Productions Shows: Why is Everyone Yelling? The Up and Running Podcast The Illuminate Podcast The Herban Farmacy Podcast Sponsors: Zocdoc Goodr Use code “another15” for 15% off your order Donna Marathon Race Series Use code “another10” for 10% off any of their races