"It felt like I was playing with house money."

Let the 2025 U.S. Track & Field Outdoor National Championships recaps begin! First up: Keira D'Amato, fresh off her first track race of the year. In this conversation, recorded just 48 hours after crossing the finish, Keira talks about racing the 10,000m, running 32:19, finishing seventh, and breaking the American Master's Record. She explains why she decided to race, shares what her goals and race plan were, and talks about how she feels about the outcome.

In this episode:

• How Keira feels about her race at Nationals (2:30)
• Why racing in spikes is harder on the body than racing in super shoes on the roads (4:00)
• The last time Keira finished a race and felt satisfied (6:00)
• How Keira's body is feeling post-10,000m (9:00)
• On arriving in Eugene, and what the atmosphere was like (14:10)
• Why Keira wore a GPS watch during the 10,000m Final (18:30)
• How Keira spent race day (22:00)
• Keira's race plan, and the advice she got from coach Ed "Easy E" Eyestone (31:00)
• All about that American Master's Record (34:15)
• Keira breaks down the race, and talks about when moves were made (39:20)
• Was it fun? (43:00)
• What happened after the race (49:55)
• Keira's experience recording the audiobook for Don't Call it a Comeback (58:00)

SPONSORS:

• UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN sample pack (you'll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI for 20% off your entire UCAN order.
• Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon's 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (I'm an Otter!) Use code ALI at checkout for 15% off your next Lagoon order.

Follow Ali:

• Instagram @aliontherun1
• Join the Facebook group
• Support on Patreon
• Subscribe to the newsletter

SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you're enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!