Carrie welcomes Rachel (Schneider) Smith back to the show! They catch up on everything that’s happened since 2020, including getting married to Mike Smith, becoming a mom and how that’s changed her training, getting ready for 2024, staying hungry on the comeback, the ups and downs of life, and so much more!
Recorded December 18, 2023
Photo by Kevin Morris
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Rachel Smith
Bio courtesy of Bring Back the Mile
Rachel Smith (née Schneider) finished national runner-up at the 2023 USA 5K Championships, 15:26, in New York City on November 4.
On a hot evening at Hayward Field, she finished third at the U.S. Olympic Trials 5000 meters in 15:29.56 to qualify for her first Olympic team (Tokyo). Also in 2021, Rachel won the Camel City Elite Mile in 4:30.54 as well as the 3000 meters in 8:57.01 to pocket a cool $13,750 for the indoor double wins; she also achieved the same double at the 2018 Camel City Elite meet. In April, she won the USATF 1 Mile Road Championships hosted by the Grand Blue Mile, clocking 4:30.3 for her first national title.
On December 5, 2020 in Los Angeles, Schneider stepped up in distance and won the Track Meet 10,000 meters, clocking 31:09.79 (debut), #8 on the all-time U.S. list and also earning the Tokyo Olympic Games qualifying standard.
In 2019, Rachel won the Mile of Truth, setting a course record of 4:43, in Danville, CA, and on July 4th, she broke her course record to win the Flagstaff Downtown Mile in 4:46 (altitude). At the Herculis meet’s Brave Like Gabe Mile, Schneider set her personal record, clocking 4:20.91 (#5 U.S. all-time outdoors) to finish 9th overall in the race where the women’s world record was broken by Sifan Hassan (NED) in 4:12.33. In late July at the USA 5000m Outdoor Championships, Rachel qualified for her first Team USA berth at the World Championships in Doha.
At the 2018 Camel City Elite Mile, she defended her crown in 4:31.74 indoors, and in June, was runner-up in the USA 5000m Championship, her best finish on the national stage. At the Athletics World Cup in London, she won the 1500m silver medal in 4:08.04, and later in August, Rachel won the Aetna Falmouth Mile, running 4:27.23, a then outdoor track PR.
In 2017, Schneider won Camel City Elite Mile, clocking 4:28.03 indoors to set a then personal record that she broke the following week at the BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational indoor meet, running 4:25.62.
On February 28, 2016, Schneider joined the Sub-4:30 Club at the BU Last Chance Meet in Boston, recording a 4:28.50. In August 2015, she won the inaugural Boxcar Mile in 4:31.04, a stadium record, and also in 2015, the Georgetown grad placed third at the USA Indoor National Championships in the Mile with a then personal record of 4:30.62 and fifth at the USA 1500m Outdoor Championships.
While at Georgetown she was an five-time All-American including three finals in the 1500 meters.
FUN FACT: In September 2021, Rachel married Mike Smith, her coach and Director of Cross Country and Track & Field at Northern Arizona University. On April 19, 2023, the pair welcomed baby girl Nova Katherine Smith.
Show Notes:
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