Relaxed and Fast

The college search can be exciting, overwhelming, and emotional for both student athletes and their families. Parents want to help, but how involved should they be?
In this episode, Coach Joe Eby and Coach Josh Fiorentino have an honest conversation about the role parents play throughout the recruiting process. They discuss how parents can be a source of support without taking ownership of the decision, how to communicate effectively with college coaches, what to pay attention to during campus visits, and how to evaluate a program beyond times, scholarships, and facilities.
The coaches also share why finding the right fit is about much more than athletics. College is where young people continue to grow academically, socially, and personally, and the recruiting process should help them build the confidence to make one of the biggest decisions of their lives.
Whether you’re a parent trying to navigate recruiting for the first time or a student athlete preparing for campus visits and important conversations, this episode offers practical advice and perspective to help you approach the journey with clarity and confidence.
Takeaway: The best recruiting decisions happen when parents, coaches, and student athletes each embrace the right role. Parents provide support, coaches provide information, and student athletes gain the confidence to choose the place where they will thrive for the next four years and beyond.

Summer training can build the foundation for a great cross country season, but it can also create problems that show up weeks or months later. Coach Josh and Coach Eby discuss the biggest mistakes athletes make during the summer, why those mistakes happen, and how runners can train consistently without arriving at preseason injured, exhausted, or mentally burned out.

Choosing a college is one of the biggest decisions a family will make together, and the recruiting process can bring plenty of excitement, questions, and uncertainty along the way.
In this episode of Relaxed and Fast, we’re talking directly to recruiting parents. We share what we’ve learned through years of coaching college athletes and recruiting hundreds of families, and we offer practical advice on how parents can play an incredibly valuable role without taking ownership of a process that ultimately belongs to their son or daughter.
We discuss why it’s important for recruits to communicate with college coaches themselves, how parents can build confidence from the sidelines, and why the best recruiting decisions are almost always centered on finding the right fit rather than the biggest name or highest division.
We also share what college coaches notice during the recruiting process, common mistakes families can avoid, and questions every parent should be asking after a campus visit.
Whether your athlete is just starting to explore college running or is getting close to making a decision, we hope this conversation gives you confidence, perspective, and a few practical tools to help your family navigate the process together.
In this episode you’ll hear about:
• Why ownership matters during the recruiting process
• How parents can support without taking over
• What coaches appreciate most from recruiting families
• Questions to ask after every campus visit
• Why finding the right fit leads to the best college experience
Our hope is simple: that every family finds a place where their athlete can grow academically, athletically, and personally over the next four years.
Thanks for listening to Relaxed and Fast! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a family beginning the recruiting journey.

In this episode, Coach Joe Eby and Coach Josh Fiorentino dive into one of the most overlooked parts of distance running: the work that happens before and after the run.
Summer is the perfect time to build strength, improve mobility, address imbalances, and develop the habits that pay off when championship season arrives. While everyone is putting in mileage, the athletes who commit to lifting, core work, strides, and corrective exercises often separate themselves when the races matter most.
We discuss why ancillary work isn’t “extra” training. It’s an essential part of becoming a healthier, more durable, and more complete runner. We also share practical ways athletes can fit these habits into their summer routine and explain why the little things done consistently often lead to the biggest improvements.
If you’re looking to make the most of your summer training and build a foundation for a successful cross country season, this episode is for you.

What do coaches really learn about a recruit during a campus visit?
In this episode of Relaxed and Fast, Coaches Joe Eby and Josh Fiorentino talk through the recruiting visit from the coach’s side of the table. Most recruits think the visit is mainly about seeing campus, meeting the team, checking out the facilities, and deciding if the school feels right. And all of that matters. But coaches are also paying attention.
We talk about the little things that stand out during a visit, from first impressions and punctuality to engagement, body language, conversation, and how a recruit interacts with current athletes. We also discuss what coaches learn from the questions recruits ask, why team chemistry matters, and how a visit can either confirm a great fit or raise some important questions.
This episode is especially helpful for high school athletes and families preparing for campus visits. The goal is not to make recruits nervous. It is to help them understand that visits go both ways. Coaches are not looking for perfect. They are looking for genuine, engaged, curious people who want to be part of something bigger than themselves.
Be yourself. Ask questions. Get to know the team. Pay attention. And remember that finding the right fit matters for everyone involved.

Everyone wants the workout that changes everything. In reality, improvement usually comes from the workouts that don’t stand out at all.
In this episode, we talk about why consistency is one of the most overlooked parts of training. We discuss the temptation to make up for missed days by hammering workouts, why that approach usually backfires, and why showing up day after day is what actually moves the needle.
We also share one of the analogies we use with our team: stop trying to hit home runs. Get on base. And on the days when you don’t have your best stuff, at least step up to the plate instead of staying on the bench.
Whether you’re a high school runner, college athlete, coach, or parent, this conversation is about building habits that lead to long term success instead of chasing short term highs.

Can four days really change your running?
We believe they can.
In this episode, Coach Joe Eby and Coach Josh Fiorentino take you inside XC in the Hills, our four day high school cross country camp at Mohican State Park. We share why we started the camp, what makes it different from other running camps, and why we believe some of the biggest moments happen away from the stopwatch.
From scenic trail runs and Camp Olympics to river floating, beach time, a pizza party, and an unforgettable dance party, every part of the experience is designed to help athletes grow as runners, teammates, and people.
Whether you’re a high school runner looking to improve, a parent wondering what camp is all about, or a coach searching for ideas to build team culture, we hope this conversation gives you a glimpse into why this week has become one of our favorite traditions of the summer.
If you’re interested in joining us this July, we’d love to have you!
Register for XC in the Hills here:http://midohiorm.com/xc-in-the-hills.html
As always, thanks for listening to Relaxed and Fast. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave us a review, and share the episode with a runner, coach, teammate, or parent who would enjoy the conversation.

In this episode of the Relaxed and Fast podcast, Baldwin Wallace University Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Joe Eby and Coach Josh Fiorentino recap the 2026 Midwest Elite Meet held at George Finnie Stadium. This high school track and field invitational was built to bring together top distance running and sprinting talent from across the Midwest for a college-level meet experience, and the coaches reflect on whether it delivered on that vision.
Joe and Josh discuss the original goals behind creating the Midwest Elite Meet, the feedback they received from athletes, coaches, and parents, and the standout performances, personal records, and close finishes that defined the day. They also take listeners behind the scenes of hosting a major track meet — covering meet management, working with officials and volunteers, weather adjustments, and the unexpected challenges they solved in real time.
The episode closes with honest lessons learned, planned improvements for next year, and a bigger conversation about why high school track and field athletes deserve elite competition opportunities like this one.
Whether you are a high school runner, a college track and field recruit, a parent navigating the recruiting process, or a coach interested in hosting and meet operations, this recap offers an inside look at building a championship-level high school track meet.
Topics covered in this episode:
The vision and goals behind the Midwest Elite Meet
Standout races, PRs, and breakthrough performances
Behind-the-scenes meet management and operations
Lessons learned and improvements for next year
Why elite competition opportunities matter for high school athletes
Hosted by Coach Joe Eby and Coach Josh Fiorentino of Baldwin Wallace University Track and Field and Cross Country.
Follow the program on Instagram: @bw_tf_xcFollow Coach Eby: @Run800met
#RelaxedAndFast #TrackAndField #CrossCountry #HighSchoolTrack #DistanceRunning #TrackMeet #MidwestElite #BaldwinWallace #D3Running #CollegeRecruiting #RunningPodcast #TrackPodcast #XC #TrackNation #TrackFamily

Down to your final two college programs and can't decide? In this episode of Relaxed and Fast, Baldwin Wallace University Head Track and Field and Cross Country Coach Joe Eby and Coach Josh Fiorentino walk recruits and parents through how to make the right college decision when both schools look great on paper.
This recruiting-focused episode covers what college running recruits tend to over-value (uniforms, facilities, social media) versus the factors that should actually drive a final decision — academic fit, team culture, coaching relationships, and where you'll genuinely thrive over the next four years. The coaches share the tie-breaker questions they give their own recruits, plus the green flags to watch for on a visit and the things athletes don't think about until after they arrive on campus.
Whether you're navigating NCAA Division III recruiting, weighing multiple offers, or supporting a high school distance runner through the process, this episode gives you a practical framework for choosing the right fit.
Hosted by the coaching staff at Baldwin Wallace University. Follow the program on Instagram @bw_tf_xc and Coach Eby @Run800met.
#CollegeRecruiting #TrackAndField #CrossCountry #D3Running #DivisionIII #CollegeRunning #RunningRecruit #DistanceRunning #NCAARecruiting #CollegeDecision #BaldwinWallace #RelaxedAndFast #TrackRecruiting #XCRecruiting #CollegeVisit

The Midwest Elite Meet delivered one of the most memorable nights in meet history.
In this episode of Relaxed and Fast, Coach Joe Eby and Coach Josh Fiorentino recap an incredible evening at George Finnie Stadium where nine meet records fell, dozens of athletes ran season bests, and a new generation of stars announced themselves on one of the Midwest’s fastest tracks.
The conversation starts with Megan Puleio’s historic double as she broke meet records in both the 800m and 1600m, then expands into the deeper story of the meet: why great competition creates breakthrough performances. Joe and Josh break down the boys 1600m that produced a wave of personal bests, Blake Glass’s near record 1:50.99 800m, and the underclassmen who may become some of the region’s biggest names over the next few years.
The episode also highlights standout performances in the sprints, relays, jumps, throws, and hurdles, including record setting efforts from Cole Taylor, Hayden Keith, Dontrelle Bailey, Claire Liposky, Kamryn Wadsworth, and many more.
Most importantly, the coaches discuss what athletes, parents, and coaches can learn from a meet like this. Why do some athletes thrive in deep fields? How should young athletes think about development? And what does this meet tell us about the future of track and field in the Midwest?
Whether you competed, coached, watched from the stands, or simply love the sport, this episode celebrates the performances, the people, and the magic that made the 2026 Midwest Elite Meet special.
Topics Covered:• Nine meet records in one night• Megan Puleio’s record setting 800m/1600m double• The boys 1600m breakthrough performances• Distance running development and race strategy• Sprint, hurdle, relay, and field event standouts• Underclassmen to watch in the coming years• Recruiting and coaching takeaways• Why great competition accelerates growth
Thanks to every athlete, coach, parent, and volunteer who helped make the Midwest Elite Meet such a special event.
Relaxed and Fast PodcastHosted by Coach Joe Eby & Coach Josh FiorentinoFollow @bw_tf_xc and @Run800met for more content and updates.