Today on the show, I’m talking with Bailey Hertenstein! She’s a pro runner for Nike who has had such an exciting year making her debut on the pro scene. Bailey competed at Indiana University and then finished her collegiate career at Colorado—where she became a four-time All-American and placed fifth at the 2022 NCAA Cross Country Championships.

This past spring, she took second place at the USATF 5K Championships, finishing right between Josette Norris and Courtney Frerichs. Pretty incredible. She’s now coached by Pete Julian, lives and trains in Boulder, and is heading into the Sunset Tour in LA this weekend to chase that world standard in the 5K.

In this conversation, we talk about what she’s learned transitioning to the pro world, how she’s built back confidence, what motivates her now, and how she’s grown both as an athlete and a teammate. She also opens up about the hard stuff—leaving Indiana on bad terms, navigating team dynamics, and what it’s taken to move forward.

I loved this conversation with Bailey. She’s sharp, driven, honest, and someone I think we’ll be hearing a lot more from in the years to come.

Make sure to go follow Bailey on Instagram at @baileyh_.

Topics we discussed:

Transition from IU to CU

Owning past mistakes and personal growth

Choosing to transfer to CU

Signing with Nike and staying in Boulder

Adjusting to the pro running world

Imposter syndrome and mental challenges

Breakthrough race at USATF 5K Champs

First 10K experiences (track + Mini 10K)

Final message on character and kindness

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