Fast People Mike Scannell on Coaching Grant Fisher | Episode 4
Mar 18, 2025
Mike Scannell, a seasoned high school and professional running coach, shares insights from coaching Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher. He discusses Grant's post-Olympic recovery phases and how critical pacers are to maintaining rhythm during high-stakes races. Mike reveals the unique mental traits that set Grant apart and reflects on the challenges of motivating high school athletes today. At 62, he maintains his running regime by testing training methods on himself and emphasizes the importance of learning from other coaches to enhance his strategies.
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Quick Return And Slow Absorption
- Mike returned to coaching five hours after landing from the Olympics and dove back into high school practice immediately.
- He took about a week to mentally exhale and two weeks to fully absorb the Olympic results.
Structured Post-Goal Recovery
- Give athletes a planned break after a major goal to detach from obligations and recharge.
- Encourage sleep-in days, walks, and low-pressure activity for about four weeks post-Olympics.
Focus On Process Over Records
- Mike avoided telling Grant to chase world records and instead focused on training progress and race-winning strategy.
- He credits careful training changes and appropriate race setup for the indoor world records.