Outside the Oval

Outside the Oval is back...and there is no better way to kick off Season 2 than by telling one of the greatest stories never told. Once upon a time in Hilliard, Ohio on September 30th, 2017, some of the best distance runners in Ohio embarked on the legendary Midwest Meet of Champions. That day, Ohio High School legends Zach Kreft and Dustin Horter stole the show, running to US #1 and #2 performances in an epic duel and one that this sport rarely sees. Join me, alongside Zach and Dustin, as we tell the story of one of the greatest races in high school cross country history. Later in the show, Mark Dwyer, the face of Milesplit Ohio in 2017, joins the show to explain his perspective from this illustrious day and what it meant for distance running in the Buckeye State. This has been a story I have been wanting to share ever since I began Outside the Oval and appreciate all of your support. If you have a story you would like to be told, feel free to reach out via email at outsidetheoval@gmail.com or through Instagram and Twitter @outsidetheoval.

On this week's episode and season 1 finale of Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by NC State's 2-time National Champion, 3-time All-American Sam Bush, who quickly highlights her college success, life in Raleigh, North Carolina, as well as her high school career in the state of Ohio. Following Sam, another one of my very successful high school teammates Morgan Hicks joins me to discuss a similar range of topics but provides a whole different perspective. This conversation with Morgan is very inspirational, as she documents some of her most difficult setbacks and adversities while explaining how she was able to stay so positive through it all, maintaining such a positive attitude, and ultimately leading her where she is today - a key member of the nationally ranked Toledo Rockets. And of course, as promised last week, I breakdown my decision to transfer from Kennesaw State and attend the University of Central Arkansas while also previewing season 2 of Outside the Oval, which will return in May!! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/outsidetheoval/support

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by the newest breakout middle-distance star KC Heron from the University of Georgia. Together, the two dive into his pursuit of running a sub 4-minute mile, experiences as a Division 1 athlete and Georgia Bulldog, and the running community in the state of Georgia. Not only that, but the pair also discuss the back-to-back National Championship Georgia Football teams, as well as some of his favorite video games and sports to play growing up. And to kick off the show, Gavin gives his predictions as to who he believes will win the Mile, 3000m, and 5000m championships in Albuquerque on the women's and men's side. This, and a whole lot more, on this week's trip Outside the Oval! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/outsidetheoval/support

On this week's "Outside the Oval," host Gavin Frick is joined by a 4x New Zealand National Record Holder Toby Gualter of Eastern Michigan. Toby and Gavin discuss a wide range of topics from Strava, altitude training, racing in the United States, food, and so much more. Toby's story unfolds like a prelude to a really exciting story awaiting to be told, as he is on his way to doing incredible things. Early in the show, Gavin also discusses Jakob Ingebrigtsen and his potential to pull off the "Hassan," which is the Olympic Triple consisting of the 1500m, 5000m, and 10000m races. This, and whole lot more, on this week's trip Outside the Oval. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/outsidetheoval/support

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by two guests. First, Julian Guinane from The Runners Central on Instagram joins the show once again to take a quick look at the upcoming season and make some predictions along the way. As always, Julian provides excellent insight into key races entering the indoor season such as the Women's 3000m and Men's 5,000, while also breaking down some of his favorite meets on the horizon. Once Julian and I finish up, you may know him as Greyhound Bus Jan, the man who traveled from Tampa to Eugene by Greyhound for the World Athletics Championships, Jan Figueroa sits down and shares his journey through the sport. I can't wait for you to hear the conversation I have with Jan as we run through his career, starting with his time at Florida Gulf Coast University. From there, Jan guides me through his journey to where he is today and highlights his ambitions in the sport of Track and Field. This is an interview you won't want to miss, which does a tremendous job of putting a spotlight on other areas of our sport that help move our sport forward. All this and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/outsidetheoval/support

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick sits down with former Eastern Michigan MAC Freshman of the Year Andy Payne in a touching interview, which is sure to put our sport in perspective. Gavin and Andy start the show by talking about Andy's early beginnings in the sport, as well as his very successful years as a high school athlete, which led to several amazing and incredibly exciting moments. But as the conversation continues, Andy begins to share some of the experiences he has gone through that have perhaps negatively affected him, in both running and during his day-to-day life, which he has come to find out stemmed from the undeniable passion he shares for the sport. Through the trauma and turmoil, Andy finds ways to put a positive outlook on it all and describes how he was able to overcome the various shortcomings he has faced during his running career. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/outsidetheoval/support

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick toucheS base with some recent performances and news in the NCAA during the lead-up to the 2023 indoor season. In the spirit of the holiday season, Frick also shares his favorite holiday story about Seb Coe's 1979 Christmas, preparing for his Moscow Olympic duel with Steven Ovett the following summer. And to close out the show, Northern Arizona's Aidan Puffer joins Outside the Oval and discusses his high school career, college recruitment, aspirations as an NCAA athlete, and a whole lot more on this week's episode of Outside the Oval! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/outsidetheoval/support

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by his high school teammates Luke Malone, who runs for the University of Illinois-Chicago, and Michael Gray, who runs for Otterbein University. Together, the three share stories from their time competing for Jonathan Alder High School in Plain City, Ohio, reminiscing in old times such as their freshman cross country and track season, favorite (and least favorite) memories from high school, and even their historic frisbee golf games. Luke and Michael also take the time to list their dream Ohio HS cross country lineup, while also nominating who they believe has excelled the most since graduating high school in Ohio. After spending much of their conversation looking back on old running stories, the group also spends time discussing the highs and lows of being a fan of Ohio sports teams such as the Cleveland Browns, Guardians, and Ohio State Buckeyes. This, and much more on this very special episode of Outside the Oval. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/outsidetheoval/support

On this week's episode of Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by three notable names throughout the Texas running community. First, Texas A&M's Jonathan Chung, a 2022 NCAA Cross Country National Championship Qualifier, joins the show and breaks down his magical season, as well as his experiences as a high school runner in Texas. One of the most prominent members of the DFW running scene, James Allen shares how he developed his passion for the sport, the story behind re-igniting the growing Celina Runners running club and how he came to be co-running multiple other run clubs across the DFW metro area. And to close out this special episode, the Texas Track Dad discusses how he became a household name in the Texas Track and Field community. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval. This episode of Outside the Oval is sponsored by the Texas Independence Relay. More information about this race can be found on their website: www.lonestarrelays.com/tir --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/outsidetheoval/support

On this week's episode of Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by Indiana University's Dustin Horter, who guides Gavin through memory lane, sharing stories from the beginning of his running days and through his historic high school career. Dustin shares stories from his duels at the Eastern Relays and the Brooks PR 1 Mile in Seattle, as well as the story behind why he missed his high school graduation due to a racing conflict, while also sharing his experiences as an athlete at the Nike Elite Camp in Oregon. During the show, Dustin also shares his experiences as an Indiana Hoosier and shares a little backstory on his personal life, including his preferred music and his fandom for the Indianapolis Colts. All this, and a whole lot more on this episode of Outside the Oval! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/outsidetheoval/support

On this week's exciting edition of Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick breakdowns everything that happened at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Gavin is joined by Julian Guinane, owner of The Runners Central on Instagram, who analyzes the tiebreaker between Northern Arizona and Oklahoma State in the Men's Championship race. All-Americans Yaseen Abdalla of Tennessee and Bethany Graham of Furman also join the show and analyze their own races at the NCAA Championships. Then to close out the show, Gavin's former teammate Sam Balboa joins the show to discuss whether or not Charles Hicks was giving him a shoutout as his Fantasy Cross Country coach during his post-race interview. All this, and a whole lot more on this episode of Outside the Oval!

On this special episode of Outside the Oval, Gavin Frick is once again joined by Cincinnati's Christian Stevens and Eastern Michigan's Andy Payne, and together, the three host the inaugural Fantasy Cross Country Nationals Draft. The three conduct a live snake draft, choosing seven men's individuals and one individual woman as a tiebreaker. Join us on this special episode of Outside the Oval and enjoy this unique perspective on our sport!

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by Jonathan Gault, who is a staff writer for letsrun.com. Together, the two break down on the upcoming cross country national championship, making predicitions and analyzing the field of teams and individuals. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by Julian Guinane of "TheRunnersCentral" on Instagram, and the two break down this week's regional races from across the country. Together, the two discuss their bold predictions for this weekend, what teams have the most to prove, and potential sleepers, while also predicting their own Field of 31 for the Men's Championship race in Stillwater. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick breaks down a loaded Conference Championship weekend. From the SEC to the ACC, to NC State and Northern Arizona, Frick covers it all. During the show, Notre Dame's ACC Champion Carter Soloman joins the show and talks about his recent victory, while Utah's PAC 12 runner-up Emily Venter joins the show to share a little bit about her race and the rest of her season as well. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by Sarah Watts from Queens University of Charlotte and she helps Gavin take the show Outside the Oval once again, discussing how she fell in love with the sport, what about running brings her the most happiness, and her experiences at the Fleet Feet Ohio XC Camp. Later, Gavin breaks down this week's upcoming conference championship races, including the women's Big Ten and PAC 12 races, as well as the men's SEC and ACC races. And finally, the 'Hub of Distance Running' Derek Rubis finishes the show officially announcing his 2022 National Championship predictions. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by his high school teammate Michael Gray, who helps Gavin breaks down this past week in the sport. Together, the two analyze the fallout from the Nuttycombe Invitational, as well as Parker Valby's return, Tennessee's unique racing schedule, and what is to come during the remainder of the season. Later in the show, Gavin is joined by Andrew Kent, who briefly runs through his career as a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket, while also highlighting his time in Boulder and what else is to come from this Colorado team in 2022. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by his high school teammate Jase Headings who breaks down his high school career, while also sharing a few personal stories with us as well. From how he fell in love with our beautiful sport to his Indoor State Championship and even his unfortunate ending to his collegiate running career, Jase tells all in this incredible interview. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick discusses the past weekend of Cross Country racing at Paul Short, Joe Piane, Chili Pepper, and Live at the Lou. During the show, Gavin breaks down his new Top 3 in each classification (Men and Women's Individual and Team) and is joined by Alabama's Brady Grant to discuss the Crimson Tide's season more in-depth. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick discusses the past weekend of Cross Country racing. While breaking down the Cowboy Jamboree, Gavin analyzes the Arkansas women's team, Natalie Cook's debut, and the men's individual and team battles. Gavin is also joined by Will Muirhead of Oklahoma State and Harper Moore of Kentucky, who share their experiences from this past weekend in Stillwater. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval. Please be sure to leave a 5-star review on whatever platform you use to listen, thank you for all the support!

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by his All-Time favorite distance runner, NAZ Elite's Matt Baxter. Together, the two take a deep dive into Matt's career, breaking down his career at Northern Arizona, including the infamous 2017 Cross Country National Championships, as well as his career with Hoka's NAZ Elite. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval. Please be sure to leave a 5-star review on whatever platform you use to listen, thank you for all the support!

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick discusses the upcoming weekend in Cross Country, while also highlighting Michigan's Arjun Jha's quick start to the new season in an exclusive interview. Later in the show, Gavin is joined by Georgia transfer Anna Marian Block and Princeton transfer Caroline Timm, who both recently transferred to Kennesaw State. Together, the two break down their decisions to attend KSU, discuss their running careers and share a fun conversation as new teammates. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval. Please be sure to leave a 5 star review on whatever platform you use to listen, thank you for all the support!

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick debuts the Runner's Roundup where he analyzes the past week in Division 1 running, both men and women. Also on the show, Gavin is joined by Jack Antsey who runs for Under Armour's Dark Sky Distance team, and he breakdowns his career at Illinois State, training in Flagstaff, and life as a professional runner. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by Zak Kirk and Matt Strangio, who both run for the University of Portland. Together, they break down the Pilots upcoming Cross Country season and the entirety of the NCAA Cross Country scene, while also going over Portland's impeccable team culture and how they manage to continue cultivating such a strong team dynamic. That, and a whole lot more, on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by Christian Stevens, who runs for the University of Cincinnati. Together, they break down the upcoming NCAA Division 1 Cross Country season and analyze the impact the season has on their Fantasy Cross Country league following the drafts' completion. Christian also shares insight on his own season, as well as the Bearcats' goals at the American Conference and Regional Championship meets. That, and a whole lot more, on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by former Ohio State Buckeye and Colorado Buffalo Abby Nichols, who discusses her time at at the two schools, as well as her decision to join HOKA's NAZ Elite, and much more. Natalie Cummings also joins the show and details the upcoming Kennesaw State Cross Country season and her future goals. This, and a whole lot more on this week's second trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by the American Indoor 1,000m record holder and Atlanta Track Club Standout Shane Streich, who discusses his time at Minnesota, Lipscomb, and as a professional, so far, as well as his record-breaking race and other experiences in Atlanta. Jack Stansell also joins the show and details the upcoming Kennesaw State Cross Country season, his future goals, and dishes on the upcoming Fantasy Cross Country season. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick breaks down his newly released Men's NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Preseason Rankings, while also discussing some major news around the distance community as of late, including Stanford's recent heist of Newbury Park and what this means for the NCAA's most forgotten runner Thomas Boyden. Later, Youngstown State runners Ryan Meadows and Hunter Christopher join the show to discuss their upcoming season and the dynamic culture surrounding the Youngstown State distance program. This, and a whole lot more on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by University of Illinois-Chicago's Luke Malone. Together, the duo discuss the upcoming 2022 NCAA Cross Country season and lay out who the country's top contenders are. Later in the show, former Georgia Tech standout Nicole Fegans joins the show to discuss her stellar career on the Flats as a Yellow Jacket, breaking down her NCAA Championship race experiences, as well as her professional running career prospects. All that, and more, on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by some of Ohio's best distance runners of all-time including 2-time State Champion Hunter Moore, 2021 NCAA Division 1 Cross Country National Championship Qualifier Arjun Jha, and Brooks PR, New Balance Indoor, and 6-time State Champion Dustin Horter. The trio dives into the past and analyzes some of their favorite moments and races from their high school careers, as well as detailing their college recruitment coming out of high school. This, and a whole lot more, on one of the most highly anticipated episodes of Outside the Oval, yet!

On this week's Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick is joined by Michael Gray, who runs at Otterbein University in Ohio, and together, they discuss Gavin's pride and joy - his Fantasy Cross Country league. The two run through the ins and outs of the league they have participated in since their freshman year of high school together. Frick also continues his Division 1 Regional Previews for the upcoming season, covering the South Central Regional this week. At the end, Arkansas Razorback Nyah Hernandez joins the show and shares her decision to transfer from Kennesaw State to Arkansas, while also discussing her tremendous high school career and past two years at Kennesaw State. That, and a whole lot more, on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

In the first-ever Outside the Ova Doublel, host Gavin Frick discusses the United States Men's Distance team heading to Eugene for the World Championships and breaks down the NCAA Division 1 Northeast Regional. Frick is also joined by 2022 Division 3 5,000m National Champion, who discusses his 2022 championship, his time at John Carroll, and his decision to transfer to the University of Cincinnati. This, and a whole lot more, on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

In this week's edition of Outside the Oval, host Gavin Frick discusses the United States Women's Distance team heading to Eugene for the World Championships and breaks down the NCAA Division 1 Midwest Regional. Frick is also joined by 2-time Ohio State Champion and former Ohio State Buckeye Aziza Ayoub, who explains her transition from the 400m to 800m, college career, and desire to compete for Puerto Rico at the 2024 Olympic Games. This, and a whole lot more, on this week's trip Outside the Oval.

5-time Texas State Champion, Footlocker South Champion, and North Carolina Tar Heel Judson Greer joins the show and reminisces about his high school running career, while also going into detail about his return to running from multiple back injuries and his time at UNC, so far. This, and a whole lot more, on this week's Outside the Oval.

On the first-ever episode of Outside the Oval, 4-time Ohio High School State Champion, Footlocker Finalist, and Notre Dame graduate joins the show and discusses some of his historic high school running moments and also details his college career so far, as well as his decision to return home and use his final year of eligibility at D2 powerhouse Walsh University. Zach also highlights several side projects he enjoys such as woodworking and hosting the Central Ohio Milk Mile, as well as his experiences at the Ohio XC Camp. This, and a whole lot more, on this week's Outside the Oval.