COFFEE CLUB: a running podcast about nothing · Morgan McDonald

The Remarkable Return of Alicia Monson (plus our USA's Preview!!)

July 31, 2025·1 hr 31 min·4 clips

Her body felt like she was on eight-foot stilts—like a baby giraffe learning to walk for the first time

This episode of Coffee Club features hosts Ali, Morgan, George, and Gus previewing the US Track & Field Championships and interviewing their OAC teammate, American record holder Alicia Monson. Monson details her challenging 12-month comeback from a meniscus root repair surgery in April 2024, which required her to avoid putting weight on her leg for over five weeks. She describes the slow, patient process of rebuilding her running from scratch, starting with just eight minutes of running on a track in January. A major hurdle was a loss of proprioception, which Monson compares to trying to walk on eight-foot stilts without knowing how to use them. It took her a full year to complete a 10-mile run, a milestone she hit in Boston this past April. Her first workout back was an impromptu session on April 24th, where she ran 800-meter repeats at roughly six-minute pace. Monson qualified for the US Championships with a 15:01.63 5,000-meter race at the Sound Running meet just three weeks prior, a race she entered with minimal specific preparation. She explains that her coach, Dathan Ritzenhein, advised a conservative start, which led to her being in last place early in that race before moving up. For the upcoming US Championships, Monson states she and Ritzenhein do not have a specific race plan, acknowledging this is the least prepared she has ever been for the national meet. A key lesson she shares is learning to rely on "vibes training" and listening to her body during an injury comeback, rather than rigidly adhering to a written plan. The hosts then engage in a playful prediction game for the distance events at the championships, debating contenders like Taylor Roe, Weini Kelati, Elise Cranny, and Josette Andrews in the women's races. For the men's 10,000m, they analyze the form of Grant Fisher, Nico Young, and Graham Blanks, while acknowledging the perennial threat of Woody Kincaid. The conversation is casual, humorous, and filled with insider banter between teammates who are deeply familiar with the athletes and events. The tone is excited and supportive, blending an interview format with a free-flowing preview discussion. This episode is ideal for fans of professional distance running who enjoy behind-the-scenes athlete perspectives and meet analysis. Listeners seeking a highly structured, formal preview or those unfamiliar with the US running scene might find the insider chatter less engaging.

As heard by us

A comeback story and USAs preview that stays loose, human, and tuned to the race-day details that matter.

Coffee Club spends this episode on Alicia Munson's return after a rough, stop-start year and folds that comeback into a loose USAs preview. The hosts sound genuinely happy to see her back at the start line, and they leave space for the awkward truth of racing when she is still…

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Why you'd press play

For when you want comeback grit and a USAs preview.

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