My guest for today’s episode is Jane Hedengren, and if the last few months are any indication, we’re watching the very beginning of something special. She is one of the biggest breakout stars of 2025.

Just two weeks after finishing runner-up at the NCAA Cross Country Championships as a true freshman at BYU, Jane stepped onto the track in Boston and ran 14:44.79 for 5,000 meters, shattering the collegiate record — indoor and outdoor — and immediately vaulting herself to No. 2 on the U.S. all-time list indoors.

Jane came out of high school as one of the most decorated prep distance runners ever, becoming the first high school girl to break 15 minutes for 5,000 meters and setting nine national high school records along the way. She arrived at BYU this fall, dominated her collegiate cross country debut, won conference and regional titles, and then went toe-to-toe with Doris Lemngole at the NCAA Championships, finishing second on the biggest stage.

In our conversation, Jane talks openly about gratitude, patience, and keeping expectations from overshadowing the joy of competition. She reflects on how her training has become more intentional under Coach Diljeet Taylor, why fueling more has been a game-changer, and how learning to race with a level head has helped her grow faster — and happier — at the same time.

We also look ahead to the Millrose Games, where she’ll line up in the 3,000 meters against Lemngole — a race that puts Katelyn Tuohy’s 8:35.20 collegiate record firmly on watch — and what it means to develop inside a program that prioritizes long-term growth over short-term results.

The following interview highlights have been edited lightly for clarity.

Reflections from her first semester at BYU:

“It's just been so great to have a group of women right there beside me. We can push each other within workouts and be great friends off the track, so that's been one of the best parts about coming into a new program: the level of excellence that this team brings and how we can support one another.”

What she was looking for in a college program coming out of high school:

“I think it’s just coming back to gratitude and being grateful for the opportunity to have new opportunities. That's what I wanted in high school: I wanted to come into a system where there was going to be way more competition and I could line up on a random Saturday and be fighting it out with all these incredible women right beside me. It’s just being grateful for the opportunities and the chances to become a better person and hopefully put my best self out there.”

What motivated her when she was first getting into the sport:

“There was something so cool about putting in the effort, seeing those results, being able to push yourself, and have this outlet and sport in a way in which you can develop those lessons and learnings early on in your childhood years. That's something I really loved early on: this sport was a great opportunity to push my body and have that outlook, but also to learn some important lessons and hopefully apply those to life in general and how I'm showing up as a person.”

Her mindset and approach to racing:

“The best way for me to approach races is to not be focused on [expectations] and instead be focused on why I love to compete, what I'm trying to accomplish and what I've been training for in these moments, and just trying to make the most of that and enjoy that. Regardless of how I perform, if I approach it with those mindsets, I’ll be proud of my efforts and will be more happy walking away with better momentum than if I were to look at the pressure side of things. When I view racing from the lens of a not as positive outlook, I will almost always be disappointed walking away. There will almost always be more I could have done regardless of the result.

I just want to have [levelheadedness] throughout and keep building and working off things. That's something that’s really important to me when approaching races and competitions: my mindset coming in and what I'm going to take away from races, whether that's the learnings or a little bit of celebration or whatever that might be, and then just trying to keep a level head.”

On how she and Coach Taylor have adapted her training once she started college:

“Senior year [of high school] was a bit excessive to be honest. In track season, I got a little carried away and the workouts at times weren't as productive. I was doing a little bit too much, so I'm really grateful that I was able to come into a program where a coach can realize that and not build on something that was already excessive. We've brought down the training and have made it far more productive. That's allowed me to be a lot more rested and to get more out of the work I’m doing. I'm really grateful to be working with Coach Taylor and to be on this team where it's very calculated. We're doing a good amount of work, and it's productive hard work, but we're not overreaching and we have things to build on. So it feels very exciting!”

What she loves most about training and racing:

“That is the fun part for me – being able to be pushed to my limits, be out there doing it with other strong women, working off each other, and having a great coach and support staff. That's so fun to me: the really, truly hard work. There's just so much I love about this sport and this team, but that's definitely how I would describe this first semester so far. It's just been so much fun. I'm really looking forward to building with this team and just continuing to work hard and make some memories.”

Lessons she took from her first cross country season with BYU:

“Having patience. There's going to be people running around you oftentimes and it’s just [about] not having anyone else's race plan change what your goals are and what you're doing. It's great to play off of one another; obviously that's why you're competing in your race. But I think it’s just trying to keep a level head, know what you and your team want to do, securing a good spot, and then seeing how good you can make that day.”

How fueling more has helped her performance:

“I think looking at nutrition more from an athlete standpoint, not what the rest of the world views nutrition as and what healthy means, but moreso working with a sports dietitian and really dialing in that we need a ton of carbs and a ton of calories – just tailoring that specifically for an athlete's lifestyle and supporting that type of work is what I think has been really huge. It’s allowed me to recover, allowed me to be a happier person, and just overall be in a much better spot.”

What she likes to hear from Coach Taylor during races:

“That probably depends on the race and the competition of the field. I'd say in most cases, I love hearing, ‘It’s you against you’ and just trying to have that self discovery process of, ‘How hard can I push it today? How hard can I push my body and maximize that effort?’ I think there's something so liberating about that and just unlike anything else, because you don't get that in practice. I think making the most of those opportunities is huge, so that's something I always love to hear.”

Excitement for Millrose:

“It will be fun to see the field when it comes out. The 3K, I love that distance. I've only run one 3K. I've run a few two-miles, but that is such a fun distance to run. I think it will be a perfect mix of speed but also a little bit of endurance. Having that competitive field is going to be so much fun. The Armory is absolutely electric and has such an amazing track. I’m really looking forward to my time at Millrose and getting the opportunity to compete.”

Listen to the full episode with Jane here.