“A dream come true,” said Parkite Grant Fisher on his Olympic experience.
The 27-year-old moved to town about a year ago looking to boost his odds at an Olympic podium. It worked, twice, as Fisher went on to make running history, becoming the first U.S. man to double-podium the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races at an Olympic Games.
Paris was Fisher’s second Games — he also ran two events in Tokyo, and having finished both off-podium in the largely empty Japan National Stadium, it’s safe to say Fisher had a much better time in Paris at the Stade de France.
“When you’re a kid in running, the Olympics is the biggest thing,” said Fisher. “Just to make it to the Olympics was a big dream of mine, and then leading into this year my only goal was to get on the Olympic podium.”
Fisher was surrounded the entire Paris Games by loving friends and family that made the trip.
Reflecting on his performance, Fisher said he was able to relax and run with freedom after his first bronze medal Aug. 2 in the 10k. His body was on its last legs however.
In both of Fisher’s races, he climbed from behind to earn his bronze medals in near-photo finishes. He admitted his plan in the 10k was to lead the whole time, and in the 5k that simply wasn’t possible, despite a slower race pace.
Fisher detailed how he trains to have the confidence to break through the mental wall that tells him to stop, common amongst distance runners. He said if you’re not going to leave it all out on the Olympic track, when are you.
“You know it’s going to hurt, there’s no way around it,” said Fisher. “You can’t envision being in the Olympic final and feeling incredible with 400 meters to go, it’s just not realistic. … There have been hundreds of times before where my body is screaming at me to stop and my mind is telling me you have nothing left, but each time you overcome that and push through, it’s a little easier.”
Fisher had a successful Olympic lead up featuring the U.S. Trials double-golds, however his whole year rode on the Aug. 2 and 10 finals. He said he was thrilled everything came together and he didn’t have any fluke illnesses or injuries.
Fisher continued his season Aug. 25 at the Silesia Diamond League (the top international track league) event in Chorzów, Poland, with a 3k race. He finished in 15th place, immediately knowing it was time to shut it down for the season and return to home base in Park City.
The distance running season typically runs from February through September every year.
Fisher will begin his 2025 base training now, with specific race preparations beginning in the new year. Fisher said he loves the tracks and trails of Park City and the neighboring areas, however may pop down to Arizona as he’s done before if things get too cold and snowy.
On Fisher’s mind the most is the 2025 World Athletics Championships back at the Japan National Stadium in September. While Fisher wants to partake in the 2028 Los Angeles Games close to home, he admits the 2025 Championships could be his last big event on the track.
The majority of track’s distance runners end up pivoting to the marathon and road running after their mid-20’s.
Fisher said he may try out a road race in the next year, but until Tokyo he’ll remain committed to the track.
Already Fisher has been contacted by Grand Slam Track, a new league founded by sprinting legend Michael Johnson, looking to gather all the world’s top track stars for four big events starting next year. He sang high praises for the organization, which wouldn’t take him out of his regular Diamond League schedule.
Fisher’s love for Park City may be contagious, and he jokes he may be inviting too many others to move to town. He currently trains at some of the Olympic winter sport centers and tracks nearby and along the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail.
Fisher said Parkites may spot him out on the Rail Trail, and offered some tips for those running up here in the altitude: prioritize consistency over intensity every time and don’t push yourself over the edge because the altitude will get to you. He said he hopes Parkites are enjoying the variety of running locales, almost all with fantastic scenery.
As for lifelong memories from Paris, Fisher said his favorites will be meeting all kinds of new athletes in the village, and going out clubbing with his friends and family after the 5k finish. He wasn’t able to do much socially with Tokyo 2020’s COVID restrictions.
“The village is such a cool melting pot of athletes from every country in the world, speaking all these different languages,” said Fisher. “We all have this mutual respect for each other because everyone knows how hard it is to get there.”
He goes on, remembering: “After the 5k, I had a great group of friends and family there and we went out and went to this club. It was hilarious seeing my parents in a club and dancing. They were playing house music, it was very European style, and we just stayed there and danced at the nightclub in Paris until the early hours of the morning.”
Addressing the living conditions in the village, Fisher said he had a great time, the food was good, the U.S.’ AC units helped, however he wouldn’t necessarily rave about the infamous chocolate muffins seen on social media. He said they were good, but he thinks everyone becomes a bit obsessed with what goes on in the village.
Fisher has been watching the U.S. Paralympians, who are in Paris through Sunday, while getting back into his training. Like so many other athletes in the area, he said they welcomed him as a transplant with fully open arms last fall.
