Olin Hacker Just Won His First U.S. Title — Here’s the Story You Didn’t See Coming

Today’s guest needs no introduction—but he definitely earned a new one. Olin Hacker is back—and this time, he's bringing a U.S. title with him. Just weeks ago, Olin stormed to victory at the USATF 5000m Championships in Indianapolis, running 13:32 to claim his first national crown. But this moment wasn’t built in a month—it was years in the making. As a collegiate runner, Olin secured multiple Big Ten championships while running for Wisconsin in 2022, winning both the indoor 3000m and 5000m events, as well as the outdoor 5000m. The highlight came in 2022 at the Oregon Relays, where he shattered the meet record in the 5000m, clocking 13:19.34 and improving his personal best by 16 seconds. The rise continued, as Olin represented the U.S. at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, finishing fifth in the 3000m with a season-best of 7:45.4. The Wisconsin Badger alum owns impressive PRs of 13:08.76 in the 5000m, 7:38.10 in the 3000m, and 3:56.59 in the mile. He took advantage of an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, returning for a seventh year, and claiming an NCAA 5000m victory. In today's conversation, Olin walks me through his recent win at the USATF road 5k championships, winning his first national title, his new mindset going into 2025, why he's racing more this year, going back to FOM next month, his goals for USA's 2025, and starting a podcast. Tap into the Olin Hacker Special. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! S H O W N O T E S -The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs -BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run -Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz