The Xtra Time Podcast- Kassie Parker

The Xtra Time Podcast by Xavier Sanchez welcomes Kassie Parker to the show.

The Iowa native joins the show for its sixth episode. 

In the episode, Parker shares about her pivot into running, finding enjoyment in improving and competing, her legendary college career at Loras College, becoming a professional runner and more.

All that and more in this week's episode!

Check her out on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kassie.parker19/)!

As always, follow XtraTimePod on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/xtratimepod/) and Twitter/X (https://x.com/xtratimepod).

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Welcome to the Extra Time Podcast. I'm your host, Xavier Sanchez. Welcome back for episode six. Today's show marks another first. It's the first runner on the program. Today's guest is Cassie Parker, a national champion and an all-American at Loris College. And a pro runner running around the country. She recently placed in second at the 25K USA TF Champs, and the first place finished at the Bloomsday Run. The first American to do so since 1997, 30 years almost. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the interview. Today's show is a special one. It's our first runner. She's a national champion, an all-American, a pro runner, and fellow Loris College grad. Welcome to the show, Cassie Parker. Thanks for joining me.

SPEAKER_00 0:54

Yeah, thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_01 0:58

So I run, but nowhere near the level that you run. I'm very interested. You weren't always a runner. So when was your uh once you start running and start to enjoy it? When'd you make that pivot?

SPEAKER_00 1:13

Um, I would say my senior year of high school, um, I uh qualified for state in the 3000 and the 1500, and I placed third and seventh or eighth respectively, and that kind of just like created some motivation and momentum, and I wanted to stick with running. So when I went to the University of Iowa, I joined a club team there, and that's kind of when I grew um some interest in it, and then I was having like a rough time, and I just wanted to be closer to home. So then that's when I transferred to Loris, and everything kind of went from that moment on.

SPEAKER_01 2:04

Kind of blew up. Um, before we talk about Loris, I want to talk about club sports and at Iowa. What was that experience like? Because there's a lot of you not just running, you can do uh basketball, these sorts of things. So is there coaches involved? Is it more of just with your pairs? What did that look like?

SPEAKER_00 2:25

Um yeah, so there was like a team and then we had a coach, and I think once or twice a week we would um well we would meet up uh like Monday through Friday, whoever could um for runs, but twice a week we would do that the coach um had us do. I remember we went on to the cross-country course once and we did a hill workout once. Um and then I remember we uh competed with the like on division three teams or like unattached. Um so that was fun. And I kind of realized then like placing amongst the um like top five at like a D3 meet that uh I could really really go somewhere with running.

SPEAKER_01 3:18

You end up at Loris. Was there any other places you almost went, or how'd you land at Lores?

SPEAKER_00 3:27

Um I basically looked at Iowa and Loris. Um, those were really my only two options at the time.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

So and uh it ended up working out phenomenally. Uh you had the hard time, and then just that that uh you came at a time where they were they were they've been competitive, and then you experienced COVID, the extra year, all of that. Uh I want to talk about those early years, uh, slowly learning what it's like to run at that D3 level and what kind of transitions, what was the hardest part? You talk about even when you're in the high school, uh, about starting off where you weren't at the front of the pack, you were at the back of the pack, and just what what took time to learn for you? What was the hardest?

SPEAKER_00 4:16

That's a good question. I would say just being patient with um the final like results um of just like the training and all of that, just um making momentum into like the last meet of the season, pretty much. Um yeah, you really have to be patient with the progress as you build up for for races.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

Uh one of the things I always liked about Lorsk as a whole, but the the runners, although it's a you're individual and you're running, it does feel like a really strong team sport that you don't like to the average sports follower and fan, they don't think about that being a team sport. But you guys were very supportive of each other, hard workers on off the court. How'd that help you become a better runner, become a better student, continue to improve?

SPEAKER_00 5:12

I think it's just kind of you know, like you see them every day, and you know, we have the same motivations as each other, the same like mental mindset, and supporting each other helped a lot. Um, so just supporting one another and cats. Um basically, yeah, just supporting one another, whether that's um with whatever workout we're doing, whether that's like a staggered work.

SPEAKER_01 5:44

So you came in, knew the school transfer. Uh were there anyone that you were close to that kind of like show you the way of the land, get you comfortable with uh this new environment?

SPEAKER_00 5:59

Um I mean, the when I was a freshman there, I feel like there was um a couple girls who I believe they were juniors at the time, so they kind of helped, you know, show the path. And uh I think there was only like one senior at the time, so um we looked up to you know the juniors at the time, and we got to have another year with them too. So so that was fun.

SPEAKER_01 6:26

Uh so you did cross country and track, there's a lot of similarities and some differences. Was there a time I'm one that you preferred? Uh, and then you have track indoor and outdoor as well.

SPEAKER_00 6:41

Um, I personally enjoy outdoor track the most. I feel like cross country, I mean it's harder running on the grass, and it can be cold. I mean, it can be cold in outdoor track too. Um, so like running in the grass, but track you kind of get those like even splits. Um, so you know what pace you're running. There's no like hills or you know, any course changes that would cause you to go like slower or faster. Um, so I really enjoyed that aspect and outdoor more than indoor because indoor uh it's so dry and it's double the laps, so that's always a another factor. But yeah, I really enjoy outdoor outdoor track.

SPEAKER_01 7:30

Yeah, I feel like it would be easier to like so many of the cross-country courses they differ in so many different ways. So it's hard to get like okay, during practice each week. I'm I'm I'm doing these splits, everything seems set up, and then you're out there. Some maybe maybe the land changed in that brief week or so. Uh, but I was watching watching races when you were there, and then uh just a couple recaps. Uh that national championship when it was snowy and slick, uh, what was that like running in that moment? Uh I'll do you do you like the cold air at all? Obviously the grass is an issue, but temperature-wise, what do you is that tough on your on you, or did you just not notice it?

SPEAKER_00 8:15

Um, I mean, I I don't really like running in the cold. Um, but as a national champion go or national uh champs go, like you just have to have that drive. Like it doesn't matter what the condition is, what the weather is, like I'm still gonna go out hard. And yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Uh and then so you've had a lot of times where you're winning races getting getting records. Um, but one of the biggest time periods was that COVID's happening in a in a moment that you had a really good track, you guys as a team had a really good track season. Uh, what was that like for you and your team uh in that moment, and then to luckily be able to bring some of them back to run in those future seasons?

SPEAKER_00 9:11

It's definitely it was definitely more of like a bittersweet thing, um, at least for me. I mean, in team team-wise, it's it's very it was very unfortunate. Um, I at the time was going through a foot injury. Uh, so our plan was to just go all in on the 5k um and hopefully come out all American at that. Um, but without racing, I was able to heal and take some time from that and just kind of slowly get back into running. Um but I think that was just kind of like sweet timing and so it really makes it bittersweet, or it did at the time.

SPEAKER_01 9:55

What what's the training like uh during those seasons? What kind of mileage? Uh what was what was like a favorite training uh exercise that you did?

SPEAKER_00 10:07

Um I really liked probably our one mile repeats just on the track, um, or anything like tempo based, um, because speed isn't really like my focus. So anything kind of longer, I think I enjoyed um more. So like intervals or or tempos.

SPEAKER_01 10:37

One of the things I'm amazed at is uh watching runners run where no music. Obviously, when you're in a group, that's a little easier, but now how do you push yourself to keep going? Uh in both the practice and the races, what's going through your mind? What are you thinking about?

SPEAKER_00 10:58

Um I think it depends on how I'm feeling that specific day. Um, when I'm feeling good, it's it's kind of just like um an eagerness, like I want to keep doing more. Um on days where the motivation might not be there, it it gets a little bit trickier. Um so sometimes having music helps. Um, and then having like teammates support is always that always helps too. Um but I say it's just like a mindset, really. Like you have to know you're going in, you're going to feel uncomfortable. And once you get used to that feeling, it gets kind of is basically the just the new normal.

SPEAKER_01 11:44

Yeah, learning to become comfortable and the uncomfortable. Um I feel like when I'm running, it's I if I'm listening to music, which is mostly the case, even still listening to everything on thinking about everything under the sun, literally any thought. I've thought it. Um now you've since graduated, but the running continues at that high level. Um, a lot of people don't know what that looks like. So you've been all running all over the country these last few years, and then with a few different teams. Right now, you're with that crown running. Uh, how'd you get attached to them? What's that experience like?

SPEAKER_00 12:27

Yeah, so crown running, um, Ben and Jess, um, the people who made the group, they actually um live in Dubuque. So um I kind of knew them throughout um college. Um, and I've got a podcast with them and they used to do those, and um just kind of stayed in touch with them after college. Um, so when I moved back to Iowa, they were like, hey, like, do you just want to run on our team? Um, and I said, Yeah. Um, so I I mean since then I've kind of obviously gotten into like the longer stuff, like half marathon, uh marathon training. Um, so that's been it's been new, but it's been fun, and I think I'm really adapting to it.

SPEAKER_01 13:17

Yeah, yeah. You've had uh back-to-back races, one came in fourth, and then uh in Spokane of first place, which that was incredible. 20 plus years since uh the last American won it. Uh how does that uh how like crossing a line where you're the first one? Uh when you recall those times, you know, being in the end of the pack, uh what's that feeling like for you? I know you and I don't want the humble answer. I you're very uh humble person, but I I want to hear like what what it really means.

SPEAKER_00 13:56

Um I mean, just kind of like going down the hill, like knowing the finish line there, it's just kind of like holy crap, like I did this, I I stuck it out, and um just crossing the line, it's like all that that hard work is paying off, and um yeah, it's just like a little step forward to something bigger, I think.

SPEAKER_01 14:25

What does training so what's this first we'll start with the season? What is the season of your current running? When when does it usually start or when does it end in this competitive running space?

SPEAKER_00 14:38

Um, it just depends. I think so. You just find like a target race, like the race that it's your big race, you want it to be the best, you want it to be the fastest, and you kind of go backwards from there. Um I feel like I do well with like just running more than just like um a typical segment. Um, so kind of post-running the 25k champs. I'm kind of like taking some downtime, still running, but just um easy running, and I have some races coming up, and I just kind of want to have fun. Um, I'm not doing any like super long stuff um until the fall where I'm gonna start marathon training.

SPEAKER_01 15:27

What's what's mileage like during those more competitive times? How how much do you get up to during that week? I know you mix in some smaller uh tempo stuff, but what's the like max usually you get to?

SPEAKER_00 15:41

Um usually 85 to 90 miles um would be like my average. Um I'll do like at least one long run. If if not, I I usually just try to get at least one in, if not once every 10 to 14 days, um, if I can't, or in addition, um one like longer workout.

SPEAKER_01 16:04

Um obviously there's ways to go, but in this space currently, what's what is it uh just more glory? Is there anything like more than just a t-shirt and a medal? Uh if anything.

SPEAKER_00 16:24

Um, I think I mean more to me, it's just you know, proving myself and you know, wanting to be the best. So um if I'm gonna be the best, I have to train like the best and do all these things to to get there. So I think there's always an end goal in sight. Um so kind of making that goal and kind of how am I gonna get there? Like, what do I have to do to get there?

SPEAKER_01 16:58

One of the things that I thought was pretty cool was uh you're not solely running, you're into uh triathlons and cross training. The is the cross training more of an off-season thing or is it mixed in throughout the season?

SPEAKER_00 17:15

Yeah, I used to do cross training a lot um until I started training for the longer stuff. Um so swimming and biking. Um it's more of an off-season thing now, um, because I do more running now and I don't need to supplement the cross training. Um every now and then I'll take a day off and do cross training, or in the summer when it's warm, I like to maybe add some extra um like minutes into my day or so into my training. Um I think it's it's just a good way for people um who are injured to to supplement it for running and still be in shape and and still be fit.

SPEAKER_01 17:59

So I want to go back a little bit to uh the sport as an individual. Uh now you're running well with that crown running group a little bit, but still a lot of individual stuff. Um how how uh do you fit it into because you probably work so you're not strictly running? So we're how how does that balance into your day? Is it always in the afternoons? What do you what's the week look like leading up maybe to one of your races?

SPEAKER_00 18:32

Um leading up to a race, um I I obviously take a little bit of a taper um the week before. So that just means running a little bit less than I normally do, um, maybe like one small workout to just kind of tune up for it, um, depending on the day and how my body's feeling. Um, but typically uh like right now I work Monday through Friday um 30 to 40 hours. Um so I'll either run in the morning or I'll do a double um run in the morning and night. And then Tuesdays I get like a half day. So if I'm my body's feeling okay, I'll I'll do for a workout on Tuesday. And then on the weekends that I have off as well, I'll try to hit a workout on Saturday. Um so and that way I kind of have my workout days um planned because you really have to plan ahead for for a one and a half to two hour run. So um yeah, and then I I'm also finishing my master's in social work. Um, so use typically two nights a week, um, or what I was doing last semester, uh Monday and Tuesday nights, um, every evening after work. So I had to make sure all my runs were were done in the morning. And um yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:57

So I know knocking out a block. You're a you're a lot faster than me, but uh leading out this past year. I ran the marathon, and leading up to it, fitting in those long runs, I'm like, okay, I gotta do them on the day I don't work, and where I have ample time, I'm not doing anything because that's a three, four-hour thing um for me. Uh, but it was worth it and really cool experience. What um career-wise, what are you up to these days? What are you uh what would you like to pair aside running? Is it a similar space?

SPEAKER_00 20:34

Um, I would really like to do, I mean, social work, um, just working with um vulnerable populations and kind of doing like therapy with them. Um, if possible, I'll try to do that through telehealth so then that way I can work from home and kind of create my own schedule and be a little bit more flexible with my recovery and traveling. Um, that's kind of like the ideal um situation. Um, but I still have two more years, so I have to do some clinical hours and then kind of go from there.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

Good luck with everything in that your master's, that's incredible. Uh traveling, uh, all these races that that's tough to fit. Uh, I almost wish you should get a cal like a map, but I want to see it all highlighted. How many states do you think you've been to uh where you've ran a race in?

SPEAKER_00 21:27

Um oh that I ran a race in. I know it's over, um, just over halfway because I have a list of all the states I've ran in, um, but not raced in. So um it's probably about you know halfway.

SPEAKER_01 21:44

Race wise, what's been the the hardest uh whether collegiate or right now uh that's was the most tax, like the hardest to get through to the end?

SPEAKER_00 21:58

Um I would probably say the half marathon champs in March of 2026. Um I mean it was super hilly and I was running a solid time. And I think in the last like mile and a half to two miles, there was some really big hills that I hit lactic and I just really struggled to finish. And that was um a bittersweet race as well, given the the happenings around it. And I really wanted to kind of prove myself out there and and have a good time, but um that just didn't it just didn't happen.

SPEAKER_01 22:45

On the flip side, what's uh what's one of your favorite, uh maybe not the course, but just the entirety of the moment, the course, the surroundings, uh is one of your favorite memories.

SPEAKER_00 23:00

Um I'd say the Bix. Um the Bix is always a fun one just because it's local and it's so big and everyone knows me. So I'm always I'm always hearing my name from somewhere when I'm running on that course.

SPEAKER_01 23:16

It is uh I like hearing my name, but I don't know about you, but the cowbells. I don't like the cowbells. What are your feelings on cowbells?

SPEAKER_00 23:26

Um, it's just kind of noise. I don't know. I'm just so focused on how I'm feeling that you know sometimes I I don't even hear the background noises.

SPEAKER_01 23:38

So that's pretty lucky. Yeah, that's pretty good good for you. Um in sports, one of the big things is shoes. So uh as a runner, I'm sure they've rotated over the years. Uh, what's your thoughts on shoes in the sport right now? And what are you wearing? Have you run in everything? Is there one that you've been locked in on for a while?

SPEAKER_00 24:06

Um I've kind of ran in everything. Um trying out some some different brands that I haven't tried out before, um, just to get a feel for their shoe um and seeing if that's something I want to, you know, continue um our work with in the future. So kind of a little bit of everything and and just trying out some some different stuff lately. So so not nothing really like too particular. Um yeah, just just trying to make sure my my feet adapt well to the shoes and and seeing seeing what's gonna be a good brand moving forward.

SPEAKER_01 24:46

And then motivation going into the race. I had heard how you listen to motivational speakers. Is there is it on a rotation or is there one that you've been continuously like is there one that maybe you've repeated into races? Like where you've heard about the times.

SPEAKER_00 25:04

Um yeah, there's definitely always like the classic one that I have like repeated. Um, I don't listen to them as much anymore, but if I ever need a good one, I just kind of go on YouTube and and find one or two. But I I really try not to get too amped up before races now because it kind of um I don't know how to explain it, it gets me too like you know, nervous or jittery, and I kind of want to save that for the race going in. So I try to stay calm, cool, collected before the race starts, um, and not feeling that anxiousness, nervousness, or jitteriness.

SPEAKER_01 25:39

Outside of running, what's your escape? What do you like to do away from running to like put your mind away from work, the runs, the training?

SPEAKER_00 25:50

Uh well, I love you know my pets. Uh I have a dog and a cat, so spending time with them is always fun. Um when I have when I have time between running and and schoolwork. Um, I enjoy uh paint by numbers, puzzles, um a little bit of fortnight. So so all around some some different things.

SPEAKER_01 26:14

I did hear hear that. I I did go back and see like I knew I knew a little bit about your runs, but some of the other stuff. What else? What else is there out there on you? And obviously not much, so this is good. But the the fortnight, I was actually curious to see if that was a thing. I because there's stuff that you do in the moment, like oh you're you're in school, it's everyone's doing it, but you're still in like it's still something that you like to do and enjoy with your your friends or uh whatever.

SPEAKER_00 26:44

Yeah, a couple of times a week.

SPEAKER_01 26:46

So wow, that's right. But we had I had in the past actually when I was at Lawrence, uh a kid from my neighborhood, he's a professional video gamer. So I like to speak with people who have like can take a thing that they enjoy doing and go like wherever with it. So it's cool to uh hear different stories and see different interests that you don't typically think about.

SPEAKER_00 27:11

Oh, this person likes that.

SPEAKER_01 27:13

So that's really cool that you're still and just that's the go-to game.

SPEAKER_00 27:17

Yeah, pretty much.

SPEAKER_01 27:19

Um Black Ops every now and then, but and then it's for Xbox, yes, yeah. Because that also it it all it keeps flipping, you know. I buy the one system, and then shortly after everyone's onto the whatever's the next one. I'm like, I just thought spending 300, 400 or whatever dollars it cost.

SPEAKER_00 27:42

Yeah, no, mine's still an old one, and it's a little bit slow, but it still works good.

SPEAKER_01 27:49

Uh for people that want to get in running, what and for future runners that uh might have done something for years, like something different. Uh, what what would you tell them?

SPEAKER_00 28:03

Um, if it's you know, if that's something they want to keep doing or kind of like work into the longer stuff. Um I mean, just long runs are great. Uh they're it's so much fun to like find new places or find new loops and and just kind of uh be with nature on that on that aspect, especially if you can find a pretty cool lake. Um that's always fun. And maybe supplementing cross training, and if you're still trying to, you know, work on the endurance aspect, it it can definitely make a difference um and translate to running.

SPEAKER_01 28:41

Two more I think I have here. Uh obviously the focus is training, eating, hydration. But when you do have time to yourself and uh you can cheat a little bit. What's that cheap meal for you? Let's build the plates.

SPEAKER_00 28:57

Oh anything pasta is great. Um anything like takeout, uh, takeout's pretty good. Uh I probably indulge in something that takeout like at least once or maybe even twice a week. Um haven't had Chinese food in a while, but sometimes that's that's a good one. Or like especially crab rangoons. Um I try not to like really restrict you know my diet just because you know, if I run a 20-mile run, like I'll burn like 3,500 calories that day. So um it's kind of like I feel like I don't have to restrict that or kind of I try to be very relaxed with my diet. Like I don't count calories, you know. If I want something sweet, I'm I'm gonna have something sweet, it's not gonna affect me.

SPEAKER_01 29:51

That's that's oh right now I'm recovering from a hip surgery, but that's how I felt a lot of times. Uh because I my jobs, I'm always on my feet, I'm walking, plus I was running. So when I'm doing that much, yeah, I focus on eating right, but also I'm not gonna think bad if I eat certain things because I vote so much, it's not gonna matter. Uh that's uh as you learn what works and what doesn't work. That's like when I was running to those early 20-mile runs, uh, I noticed the the sodium, the salt on the body. I never I'm like, why is this happening? Now I gotta research a little bit and how do I fix that? Uh so it there's a lot of a lot of learning and seeing what works, and that's why I I like the way things are moving towards uh yes, eating right and doing what you need to for your intake, but not the overfocus that you're denying yourself, things you enjoy.

SPEAKER_00 30:51

Yeah, because then it just becomes a habit of focusing on those things too much. Um, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:59

And then what's next? Uh what's what's the next race? And then what are you working towards this season? What's that later on race?

SPEAKER_00 31:11

Yeah, so next week I actually have Boulder uh Boulder 10K uh next Monday on Memorial Day. Um and then I'm kind of just going to some USATF races, um, get some points, get a little bit of money. Um I'll be doing that. I'll have grandmas in later June. Um, and then I'm gonna start you know marathon training at towards the end of August, early September.

SPEAKER_01 31:42

Uh just a point on that. What was the money? The for what race? How do you how what races are those? How does that get acquired? Is it like a team thing, a personal result?

SPEAKER_00 31:54

Yeah, it's just basically a personal result, like with the USATF circuit. If you you know go from first place to 10th place, you get a little bit of prize money. Um obviously, you know, passing drug tests if you're the top three or top four, um, and they'll they'll send you a check a couple of months later for for your placement in the elite field.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

So and how many uh races and for that do you usually get to do or can do?

SPEAKER_00 32:22

Um you can do as as many as you want, basically. So there's there's really no limit.

SPEAKER_01 32:30

Because that's one of the things I was I wanted to running is such a singular thing, so I was wondering like what can you do at that level as a pro runner? You obviously watch on TV certain things, but there's there's a reachable thing for some people, and you coming from a D3 background, club even picking it up as a junior, these things are possible if you put your mind to it and you've accomplished so much, which has been incredible. Uh Cassie, thank you so much for joining me. Uh, I wish you good luck on this circle next few races. It's been incredible to watch. Uh it's super motivating too, especially when we were both on campus at the same time to see these. I'll be running and you guys are side by side. I'll stick with you for a little bit and then you guys are long gone. But it showed you where you can where you can go. Uh congrats on everything. I'm excited for your future in the running field and for your masters and all your work there. Thank you. Thank you to Cassie for taking time out of her Sunday for the show. I appreciated that. Runners have always amazed me. Cassie and her teammates pushing for greatness always motivated me. I might have to have her on again, or just another runner at some point because I still have some questions needing answers and thoughts on. Anyways, shout out to her. Wishing her all the luck with her many races to come. Thanks to all the listeners for listening and those interacting with the show on social media. I'm posting a ton of extra content on the various pages. So follow the extra time pod and myself so you don't miss anything. Once again, I'm Xavier Sanchez, and thank you for listening to the Extra Time Pod.