Meridia Mondays | Issue 44
Annie AND Gracie are going to WORLDS! Courtney slayyyed in China
Happy Monday, Meridians!
It was a HUGE week for Team Meridia, and we are still pinching ourselves. First, Gracie went to Des Moines and absolutely delivered; she placed second at the USATF Road Mile National Championships, which means she'll be joining Annie in Copenhagen for Worlds in September!! She then turned right around on Friday to set a new world-leading time of 9:22.19 and win the Drake Relays steeplechase. Meanwhile, Courtney opened her 2026 season by racing on the Great Wall of China (casual) and took home not one but TWO podiums in the two races she did over the weekend. We are so proud of both of them and can’t wait to tell you all about it. Keep reading for the lowdown from Gracie and Courtney…
Let’s get into it!
Gracie
Gracie showed UP this week. On Tuesday night at the Grand Blue Mile, she ran 4:25.7 to finish second at the USATF Road Mile National Championships, a massive new PR and a World Athletics qualifying mark that punches her ticket to World Champs in Copenhagen in September alongside Annie. Then on Friday at the Drake Relays, she wasn't done — she won the steeplechase, set a new Drake Relays Meet Record, AND ran a 9:22.19 to become the current world leader in the women's 3000m steeplechase. 🤯 Two races, two podiums, a mile PR, a race record, and a world lead. We are still picking our jaws up off the floor.
We caught up with Gracie after the week to hear how she’s feeling and what’s next.
Q: How are you feeling after this week’s season opener?
A: This weekend was great! It really helped me gain some confidence and really feel like I’m making good progress and heading in the right direction. It’s also the first time I’ve made a US team, which has been a dream of mine. It means a lot to me to represent my country, especially in the mile, which was my favorite event growing up!
Q: On January 24th, you ran an indoor mile at CU and won by a big margin, but ran 4:46 — a time you were disappointed by. Looking back at that race and where you are now, headed to Worlds with a new PR of 4:25.7… 21 seconds faster in almost exactly three months… is there anything you would have told yourself in January?
A: In January, I was a bit disappointed with my time just because I knew I had worked really hard and was in better shape than I showed, but I told myself to stay patient and believe in my training, and it would come together eventually. A lot of the time, I chase perfection in races, training, workouts, and everyday life, but I’ve really been focused on the approach that “the goal is not to be perfect, the goal is to get better” — and I think that’s what I’d tell anyone struggling or waiting for the pieces to come together.
Q: What else is on the schedule for the season?
A: Up next is the US 5K Road Champs on May 2nd (this coming weekend!) in Indianapolis. It’s a loaded field, and I just want to put myself in it and challenge myself in an uncomfortable event.
Q: What are you most excited about after this week’s performances?
A: I’m most excited to see what the rest of the season brings! I’m in great shape, but not super race-calloused or in speedy workouts quite yet, and I think it’s really exciting to know that there’s more to come!
In addition to killing it on the road and track this week, Gracie had the opportunity to give back to the community and talk to a group of high school girls about running. She described the experience with a local Iowa high school - Johnston High School - as super refreshing and fulfilling. She shared her running journey, the hardships she's faced, and opened it up for Q&A. The girls were super engaged and asked great questions. They even showed up Friday night to cheer her on in the steeplechase. 🥹
"Knowing I could have even a small impact in inspiring the next generation to chase happiness instead of times is really important to me," Gracie said.
Courtney
Courtney kicked off her 2026 season in the most Courtney way possible, by flying to Beijing and racing on the Great Wall of China. She competed in two events over the weekend: a time trial 3.5k uphill race, and a classic format 18k race on Sunday. She placed third overall in the uphill and second in the classic, running one of the strongest races of her career on Sunday. Not a bad way to open a season!
Here’s how Courtney is feeling about it all:
Q: Going into these races, you said your goal was to feel confident at the start and end of both races, and your word for the weekend was JOY. Upon reflection, did you achieve those goals?
A: Absolutely. I am so proud that my approach coming in was DIALED! I found myself not nervous, but excited for the opportunity to see where things were at for the start of the year. I knew my training had been consistent, so I focused on confidence that my training works for me and I am ready.
Q: Racing on the Great Wall seemed like an incredible experience! Were you able to take it in during the race, or were you too focused to notice how iconic the course was?
A: All I could think about was one MASSIVE stair at a time. This kind of racing is like maxing out for 30 minutes, and everything else goes blurry. The uphill finished on top of the wall, so we were able to soak in the views and have our jaws drop looking down at what we had just come up. It was a really cool weekend to race on such ancient history — something that makes trail running super special!
Q: What was the most challenging part of the weekend?
A: The uphill course was really not my style. Big stairs are really hard for me — I do much better on a course I can run on instead of hike. I had to focus so hard the last five minutes because I felt my power slipping and knew I was losing time on others.
Q: What was the most rewarding part?
A: Feeling in absolute control of my Sunday race. I managed effort, fueling, and my headspace in a way that resulted in a really exceptional performance for me. If all those things line up, you know it’s a good day — and I am so proud they all fell together, especially on tired legs!
Q: What’s next on your schedule?
A: Back to Boulder for a four-week training block, then US Champs in New Hampshire on June 1st!
Inner Terrain
A Camp for the Athlete AND the Artist
Remember how we mentioned that everyone on Meridia is an athlete AND an artist? Well, Courtney is putting that belief into action. She and her friend Emma are hosting Inner Terrain — a weekend experience in Idaho Springs, Colorado, this October, for people who find joy in both moving and making. Think trail runs in the Rocky Mountains, guided creative prompts, shared meals, and good conversation with a small, like-minded group. Four days, three nights in a creekside cabin.
It’s October 1-4, sign-ups are live, and spots are limited. Lodging options range from $655 for a shared room to $1,000 for a private room with a private bath — all meals, guided activities, transportation, and lodging are included. You can reserve your spot with a $200 deposit now.
If this sounds like your kind of weekend, we can’t recommend it enough. This is very Courtney, and we just know it’s going to be something really special. 👇
Meridia Mentors (Session II)
In January we launched our mentorship program for collegiate athletes looking to go pro after school. This is an important endeavor to us because in our sport there is not a draft or formal process to “go pro.” So it’s up to the athletes to get information and figure it out for themselves. It’s also an individual sport, so there’s a lot of different ways to go about setting yourself up for success in the sport. We don’t have all the answers, but we are eager to share what we have learned and support these athletes as they take the next steps in their careers. If you or someone in your circle is in the NCAA right now and is looking for guidance, information, and support around the process of going pro in running, click here and fill out your information.
Our second session will be on Sun, May 17th and you don’t have to have attended the first session to attend session 2.
Thank you for reading! If you are enjoying following along with our team and know of anyone else who might also enjoy this type of storytelling, be sure to share this newsletter with them using the button below.
And if you’ve missed any of our previous issues, you can catch up here.
See you next Monday!
Team Meridia
Annie, Colleen, Gracie, and Courtney
^follow us on IG with the links here!
Those pieces finally came together! Congratulations to Gracie!
The arts and athletes initiative sounds cool! Reminds me of my “arts and sciences”!
CONGRATS! So inspiring!