In this episode of the Runna Podcast, Grant Fisher sits down with us less than 24 hours after his half marathon debut at the United Airlines NYC Half with a real-time reflection.

Access a rare isight into how elite athletes actually think when things don’t go perfectly – and why that matters for every single runner.

Watch or listen to the full episode for a window into the life of an olympian.

For most runners, the goal is to feel ready before stepping up to a new challenge.

Grant did the opposite. He chose a race where the distance was unfamiliar, the competition had more experience, and the outcome was uncertain. Not because he had to - but because he wanted to see what would happen.

Listen to the episode to hear what drove that decision – and what it revealed.

Early in the race, Grant made a call: Go with the leaders. Even if it meant risking everything later.

But instead of framing it as a mistake, he explains why pushing beyond his limit gave him something more valuable than a perfectly executed race ever could. Because sometimes the fastest way to improve… is to test where the edge actually is.

Mid-race, when things start to hurt, there’s always a moment: The voice that tells you to slow down, to back off and to question whether you can hold on.

Grant describes this as a skill – not something you eliminate, but something you learn to navigate. And the more you expose yourself to those moments, the better you get at understanding them – it's something real that all runners can learn from.

You don’t need to be an Olympic medalist to take something from this conversation.

This episode is for:

Because beneath the splits and results, this episode is really about one thing:

Learning what happens when you take risks – and why that’s often where the biggest progress comes from.

Watch or listen to the full episode to hear the full conversation.