Bethany Graham, a junior at Furman and an NCAA Division 1 cross country All-American who has won Southern Conference titles in outdoor track, indoor track and cross country, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss her return Oct. 14 to the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in Madison following an 11th-place effort in the 6-kilometer race last year in 20:20.1. Graham, an eight-time state champion and Foot Locker national finalist at John Champe High in Virginia, placed 40th last season at the Division 1 final at Apalachee Regional Park to earn All-America recognition. She examines her first two races this season, winning the Furman Invitational by clocking 16:42 in the 5-kilometer race, then finishing second at the Louisville Classic in 16:36.5 in the 5-kilometer competition, trailing only last year's Nuttycombe winner Ceili McCabe of West Virginia. Graham analyzes the challenges of the Thomas Zimmer Championship course and looks forward to testing her fitness in a 6-kilometer race, especially after rebounding from a summer injury that allowed her to only train for three weeks before returning to school. She shares her pride in how well a young Furman lineup performed at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park in Louisville to produce a 44-92 victory against West Virginia, and how valuable the experience will be for the No. 24 Paladins when the group returns to the venue Nov. 11 to compete against North Carolina State, North Carolina, Kentucky, Liberty, Virginia and many others at the NCAA Division 1 Southeast Regional. Graham also explains the learning experiences for Furman in recent years from competing at the Thomas Zimmer Championship course and the Oklahoma State layout in Stillwater and how it has helped organize the training for the program this fall in preparation to compete Nov. 19 at the NCAA championship meet. She shares the emotional challenges that Furman has faced with the recent foot injury endured by Meghan Ford and wanting to honor her with strong performances at Nuttycombe. Graham also shares her opportunities to learn more about physical therapy, with her academic focus on health science, and working with professor Dr. Chris Hopkins, in addition to the HungryRunnerz content she and her teammates have developed to share recipes and nutritional information. She also reflects on the success during the past year of friend and former teammate and Furman All-American Gabbi Jennings, who won the NACAC gold medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, along with the success of British women during the outdoor season, especially Keely Hodgkinson and Eilish McColgan.

WATCH RUNNERSPACE LIVE WEBCAST OF NUTTYCOMBE WISCONSIN CROSS COUNTRY INVITATIONAL ON OCTOBER 14