Episode 663: Laura Thweatt on Coaching the On Athletics Club: New Role, Same Love for the Sport

I’m so excited to welcome Laura Thweatt back to the podcast today, and we’ve got a little bonus reunion because my friend Peter Bromka joined us as well. Peter is one of my co-hosts on Relay and Road to the Trials, and when he found out Laura was coming on he asked if he could join which honestly made this conversation even more fun. Laura is someone who has been such a huge part of the running community for years. She ran professionally for over a decade, placed fifth at the 2020 Olympic Trials Marathon, and most recently stepped into a new chapter as a coach with the On Athletics Club, working alongside Dathan Ritzenhein and Kelsey Quinn. In this conversation, Laura walks us through what that transition has really been like, from the excitement of a dream opportunity to the intimidation and learning curve of stepping into a high-performance coaching role. She shares a hilarious story from her very first day on the job that involves borrowed bikes, missed splits, and trying to figure things out on the fly, and we talk honestly about identity, grief, and growth when you close one chapter and open another. Laura also shares what she’s learned working closely with athletes like Joe Klecker, Ryan Ford, and Helen Obiri, including how much happens behind the scenes to support athletes on race day and how coaching has allowed her to experience the highs and lows of the sport in a completely new way. This was one of those conversations that felt like it went by way too fast, and I’m so grateful Laura and Peter joined me for it.

Topics discussed:

• Laura’s transition from professional runner to coach with On Athletics Club

• How the coaching opportunity came together with Dathan Ritzenhein

• Feeling intimidated and learning to trust herself in a new role

• Laura’s chaotic and hilarious first day on the job

• Building trust and relationships with elite athletes

• Supporting athletes moving from track to roads and the marathon

• Managing expectations and pressure in a very public sport

• Grieving the end of a racing career while embracing a new chapter

• Experiencing race-day highs and lows as a coach instead of an athlete

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