From College Standout To Pro Athlete: Samirah Moody On Transitioning To the Big Leagues, the Importance Of Staying Even-Keeled & Finding Strength In Faith

About this episode

Samirah Moody discusses her transition from collegiate standout to professional runner, sharing insights on training, resilience, and personal growth.

Samirah Moody is a professional runner for On, recednt USC graduate, and a founding member of the newly minted OAC (On Athletics Club) Sprint team. Coming off a stellar collegiate career—including a 2025 NCAA championship in the 100 meters—Samirah is stepping onto the global pro circuit with a fresh perspective, a deeply hardened sense of resilience, and a powerful inner drive. In this episode, Samirah pulls back the curtain on the intense physical and mental grind of elite training under renowned head coach John "JB" Bolton. She details the dramatic shift from the college routine to the professional world, where the job requires balancing world-class track workouts with photo shoots, media appearances, and constant networking. Samirah opens up about the devastating meniscus injury that threatened her trajectory, the grueling rehabilitation process that followed, and the exact moment she shifted her mindset from "I have to do this" to "I get to do this." Plus, she shares what it’s like to navigate a high-pressure environment as the only short sprint woman on the OAC roster, and how journaling helps her process the weight of big expectations. IN THIS EPISODE The…

People in this episode

Host: Emily Abbate

Guest: Samirah Moody

Topics covered

• professional athletics
• transitioning from college to pro
• mental resilience
• elite training
• injury recovery
• personal growth
• setting boundaries

Keywords

• Samirah Moody
• professional runner
• OAC Sprint team
• injury recovery
• mental health
• elite training
• NCAA championship
• resilience
• boundaries
• journaling

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: On Athletics Club, On, USC

More episodes of Hurdle with Emily Abbate

• 5-MINUTE FRIDAY: The Powerful Perk of Repetition · June 5, 2026 · 9 min
• Egg Freezing 101: Unpacking My Experience & Talking Fertility Q&A With Dr. Michelle Kappy · June 2, 2026 · 1h 8m
• 5-MINUTE FRIDAY: Stepping Into a New Chapter · May 29, 2026 · 7 min
• 5-MINUTE FRIDAY: The Importance Of Finding Your Own Rhythm · May 22, 2026 · 10 min
• Built on Consistency: Katie Ledecky on Reframing Hard Days, Swimming Into the Record Books & Inspiring the Next Generation · May 19, 2026 · 58 min
• 5-MINUTE FRIDAY: Being A Beginner Is A Prerequisite For Greatness · May 15, 2026 · 10 min