Zouhair Talbi, an Olympic marathon competitor representing Morocco with a lifetime-best 2:06:39 in addition to being a seven-time NAIA national champion at Oklahoma City University, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss competing Aug. 10 in the men's race in Paris. Talbi, 29, also qualified to compete for Morocco in the 10,000 meters at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and traveled to Japan, but was unable to race as a result of the country's Athletics Federation not coordinating enough out-of-competition drug tests in order to meet the requirements to allow him to participate. He reflects on competing at the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Serbia and placing sixth in the 3,000-meter final, before deciding to shift his focus to competing on the roads and racing a pair of half marathons, before transitioning to the marathon in 2023. Talbi also revisits competing for Morocco internationally for the first time in 2013 at the World Athletics U20 Cross Country Championships in Poland and finishing 14th overall, including the second athlete on the team, after placing fifth at the country's national final in order to secure a spot on the roster. He examines the learning experiences following his victory at the Chevron Houston Marathon in January, as well as his 10th-place finish at the Boston Marathon in April, and shares the challenges that he expects to face in Paris racing in the deepest and most elite field of his career. Talbi also analyzes his activity this year, including half marathon races in March in New York and June in Chicago, and how he enjoys racing as often as possible. He speaks about a strong connection with racing in France throughout his career, with Talbi not only having family in the country, but also having competed for a French club team for several years. Talbi also explains how beneficial it has been to train in Morocco in preparation for the Olympics and how the favorable travel to France has allowed him to plan his schedule accordingly. He discusses how significant it is for Morocco to have three female athletes in the marathon, in addition to the trio of men's competitors, with Othmane El Goumri returning to the Olympics following a ninth-place finish in 2021 in Tokyo, in addition to Mouhcine Outalha also joining Talbi in the race. Talbi also shares the insight and perspective he has gained about racing in the Olympic marathon from fellow Moroccan athlete Mohamed Reda El Aaraby, who finished 11th in Tokyo. He discusses how inspiring the performances at global championships have been in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase by Moroccan competitor Soufiane El Bakkali, the reigning Olympic gold medalist and winner of the past two World titles, and how Talbi is looking forward to watching him race Aug. 5 and 7.