891. Laura Thweatt, On Athletics Club Assistant Road Team Coach
6/23/20261 hr 28 min
"When she said those words to me on that run, I was like, 'It's the same thing, Laura. You're gonna do the same thing that you've done. You were OK after every decision, after every scary thing you did in your career. It opened up new doors, it opened up new opportunities, I met new people. Some of those people who changed my life completely and it impacted me in ways I would never have imagined. But none of that would have happened if I didn't have the courage to trust myself to make the scary decisions and not stay in something that was no longer working because it was safe.' I just needed someone to remind me of that."
Last year, Laura Thweatt chose to retire from professional running. Now, she's the Assistant Road Team Coach for On Athletics Club in Boulder, CO, and she's thriving. But the road to post-pro fulfillment wasn't easy. In this conversation, Laura talks about that heavy retirement decision, and shares the advice she got from fellow retired pro Jenny Simpson that made the decision a little easier. She talks about how she approached the next chapter in her life, about learning the art of the corporate interview, and about the emotional side of life after going pro. Plus, how she got the OAC job, why she feared her first day on the job would also be her last, and what it's like traveling the world with Hellen Obiri.
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IN THIS EPISODE:
- Laura's "Summer of 10Ks" traveling the east coast (2:00)
- What race-day nerves are like as a coach (5:45)
- What's making Laura happy today (7:55)
- What Laura's into right now (14:40)
- Laura plays favorites with her OAC athletes (25:00)
- Laura talks about her decision to retire from professional running, and the life-changing advice she got from Jenny Simpson in the process (30:00)
- On figuring out "what's next?" (37:35)
- Laura recounts her first day as an On Athletics Club coach (52:30)
- On getting comfortable in a coaching role (1:02:00)
- Has Laura ever questioned whether retiring was the right decision? (1:05:30)
- What race weekends are like as a coach (1:10:05)
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAli Feller· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Welcome to the Alle on the Run show. I'm your host, Alle Feller, and this is where I talk with people who are doing exciting things on the run and beyond. From professional athletes and celebrity runners to the everyday amateur and back-of-the-pack runner, we are here to celebrate everyone and anyone who enjoys a life on the run. So whether you're running towards something big or away from something that's been holding you back, I'm here to hold your hand and help you pick up the pace. My guest today is returning favorite Laura Thweatt. Laura is the assistant road team coach for the On Athletics Club in Boulder, Colorado, a role that she's been in for a little more than a year. And while we talk about a whole range of topics in this conversation, from heated rivalry and Sex and the City to what it's like traveling the world with Helen Oberri, my favorite part of our chat was the part where Laura talked really openly and honestly and vulnerably about making the transition from professional athlete to life after pro running. She talks about her decision to retire in 2025, and about how she approached the next chapter of her life. Laura talks about the emotional side of retirement, about humility, about how she got the OAC job, and about how sometimes life really is just like learning how to ride a bike. That'll make sense in a bit. Laura is awesome. She is so fun, and I am thrilled to have her back on the show today, so please welcome Laura Thweatt back to the Alle on the Run show.
Unknown speaker1:27
[upbeat music]