Josh Hoey On His Breakthrough Season: Shattering The American Indoor 800m Record (1:43.24), Coaching Changes, Mental Shifts, Lessons Since Turning Pro

“Some of what this journey has been about is just the relentless pursuit of excellence through this gift. I really have made that my mission this year and I hope I can do that for people.”

My guest for today's episode is Josh Hoey – one of the most compelling comeback stories in American distance running right now. At just 18 years old, Josh made headlines by turning pro straight out of high school, signing with Adidas after setting the national high school indoor 800m record. But instead of a smooth trajectory to stardom, the years that followed were filled with coaching changes, setbacks, and hard lessons about what it truly takes to succeed at the highest level.

Now at 25 years old, Josh is having the season of his life. In just the past month, he broke the American indoor 800m record twice, first at the Millrose Games and then again at the U.S. Indoor Championships this past weekend, where he ran 1:43.24. It's a world leading time and the second-fastest indoor 800m time in history. The win also secured him his first Team USA berth for the upcoming World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China. 

In this episode, Josh opens up about his rollercoaster journey from the struggles of turning pro at such a young age to finding stability with his coach Justin Rinaldi and a training system that finally clicked for him. We talk about the mental shifts, training breakthroughs, and the faith that has carried him through it all. And finally, what his hopes and expectations are as he gets ready for World Indoors.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram 

Guest: Josh Hoey | @joshhoey21 on Instagram

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