Grace Forbes, a sophomore All-American at Rice and collegiate leader in the 10,000 meters this season at 32:24.38, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss being one of only three women in the world this year to run under 32:25 in the 10,000 and 4:15 in the 1,500, joining Nike Bowerman Track Club athlete Elise Cranny and Canadian record holder Andrea Seccafien. Forbes reflects on both her 10,000 effort April 2 at the Sound Running College Invite in Irvine, Calif., as well as her 4:14.16 performance April 24 at the Duckett Twilight Meet, and shares her preparation for both events, in addition to balancing a challenging academic schedule, along with getting both vaccination shots for COVID-19. Forbes explains her transition from arriving at Rice as mostly a middle-distance runner, and how she used the time without competition during the pandemic to continue to increase her mileage, and become more focused on the 5,000 and 10,000. She revisits competing at both the NCAA Division 1 Championships in indoor track and cross country March 12 and 15, earning All-America honors at both events. Forbes analyzes how meaningful it was to compete in the 5,000, placing fifth in the final, at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark., after not having the opportunity to race in the 3,000 last year when the meet was canceled in Albuquerque, N.M. She also reveals that there wasn't an opportunity to train on a single hill in Houston, Texas, during her preparation for the cross country championship, and rarely the ability to run on grass in advance of competing in Stillwater, Okla., where she finished 19th to improve from placing 87th in 2019 at the LaVern Gibson course in Terre Haute, Ind. Forbes looks ahead to the Conference USA Championships, along with the West Regionals in College Station, Texas, in preparation to race at not only the Division 1 Outdoor Championships, but also the Olympic Trials in June at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. She also expresses gratitude for her family and support system, along with Rice coach Jim Bevan, for all of their encouragement and consistency throughout her career, especialy during the past year with the challenges presented by the pandemic.