JUCO Champion to NCAA Contender: The Michael Maiorano Mindset & and Why Greatness Starts When No One’s Watching

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THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

Dominic Schlueter

626 episodes

18 hours ago

The Running Effect is changing the way the world sees running. Every week, host Dominic Schlueter sits down with the fastest, smartest, and most inspiring people in the sport to share untold stories, elite insights, and powerful conversations that move the culture forward. Whether you're chasing a personal best or dreaming bigger about what running can mean in your life, The Running Effect is your home for passion, performance, and possibility. 🚀 Join the movement that's reshaping running media. More than a podcast — a revolution in how running is told, lived, and loved.

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JUCO Champion to NCAA Contender: The Michael Maiorano Mindset & and Why Greatness Starts When No One’s Watching

THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

58 minutes 49 seconds

1 month ago

JUCO Champion to NCAA Contender: The Michael Maiorano Mindset & and Why Greatness Starts When No One’s Watching

Michael Maiorano stormed through his first cross-country season at Utah State with fearless racing and an appetite for altitude.

After debuting at the Utah State Alumni Challenge in August, he clocked 23:58 for 8,000m at the Paul Short Run and followed with a gritty Nuttycombe finish.

Maiorano’s route to this moment has been anything but linear. A star at South Medford High School (OR), he rose to national attention after placing 12th at Eastbay Nationals (2021) and taking runner-up at the Brooks PR 2-mile (8:52.85) in 2022.

That same year he represented Team USA at the World Mountain & Trail Running Championships, finishing 7th; he repeated as top American the next season in Austria. He began college at Gonzaga, transferred to Salt Lake CC to reset his trajectory, and promptly won the 2025 NJCAA 3,000m steeplechase title in 8:56.70, earning his return to Division I with Utah State.

With personal bests of 8:36 (3,000m indoor), 8:56 (steeple), and 23:58 (8,000m XC), Maiorano blends mountain grit, track speed, and mental composure rarely seen at the collegiate level.

Michael has been down an unorthodox path–from Medford to mountain worlds, from JUCO champion to Aggie front-runner–and how his mindset of patience, faith, and self-belief fuels a breakout 2025 cross-country campaign that’s just getting started.

Tap into the Michael Maiorano Special.

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