In this episode, we cover…
(0:05) Gionna’s introduction and background as a former Division I runner and coach
(0:36) Starting as a competitive swimmer and transitioning into running
(1:22) Choosing running over swimming and committing to track and cross country
(1:33) Training with a club team in Morgantown and realizing her high-level potential
(2:27) Multi-sport development and why kids should be allowed to explore early
(5:31) The reality of Division I running: confidence, pressure, and mental demands
(6:05) Recruiting setbacks, missing major meets, and trusting her own path
(10:39) Race-day nerves, mental preparation, and calming routines
(15:52) Transitioning into coaching and wanting to give athletes the support she once needed
(28:54) Final reflection on confidence, perspective, and enjoying the sport while you can
From the Pool to the Starting Line: How Gionna Found Her Path in Competitive Running
In this conversation with Athletes Untapped, Gionna Quarzo joins us to talk about her journey from competitive swimming in Pennsylvania to becoming a Track & Field star at NC State. As a high school swimmer to track coach, her message is consistent throughout the episode: athletes develop best when they’re confident, grounded, and learn to enjoy the process. She didn’t begin as a “track kid,” she stuck with swimming through her sophomore year of high school. Running entered her life in seventh grade because her friends were doing it, and she loved it more than she expected. Those friends also encouraged her to try cross-country, where she inevitably had to choose between running and swimming. As she grew in high school, she realized running was where she felt most excited and most herself.
How a Club Team Changed Everything: Finding the Right People to Grow as an Athlete
Gionna’s running team was small at her high school in Pittsburgh, which made her development difficult. She lacked training partners, so her mom found a club team in Morgantown, West Virginia, where she could train with girls who pushed at a higher level. Her twice-a-week workouts provided her with structure, competition, and belief. This environment pushed her to see her full potential: she wasn’t just someone who liked running. She was someone who could compete seriously, and she started building the mindset to match.
Multi-Sport Development vs. Early Specialization
When asked her opinion on early specialization vs. multi-sport development, Gionna shares that she believes kids should try everything early. Success is hard to sustain, and kids shouldn’t force a sport; they should discover what fits. If a young athlete doesn’t truly love what they’re doing, they shouldn’t carry it out because it was a parent’s dream.
The Truth About High-Level Running: Confidence, Setbacks, and Staying on Your Path
Looking back, Gionna says confidence was the biggest separator in her career. Running is not linear: PRs come and go, injuries happen, and some races don’t match your expectations. She shares a real-life example from high school where she was mentally stuck on not qualifying for major meets like Foot Locker Nationals, especially knowing some athletes were recruited through those performances. Instead of letting that define her, she kept reaching out to coaches, stayed committed to training, and focused on her own timeline, and eventually, the time came. She shared one of the most meaningful lessons from her NC State coach, Lori Hennis: “comparison is the thief of joy.” When she went D1, she struggled with always comparing herself to someone faster. Now, as a coach, she looks back and wonders why she wasn’t prouder of what she accomplished. She sees that same pattern in her athletes, which fuels her motivation: every athlete has a role and strengths, and progress comes from focusing on what you can do today.
How Gionna Builds Confidence in Young Athletes: Perspective Beyond One Race
When athletes struggle, Gionna returns to perspective. She notes how easy it is for runners to tie their self-worth to outcomes, especially because they’re measured by numbers. She encourages athletes to trust the process and their coaches, and to remember that the world keeps moving even after an off-day. For her, fun isn’t just an add-on; it’s protection against the spiral that comes from making a sport your entire identity. She emphasizes stepping outside the sport mentally sometimes, leaning on friends and hobbies, and remembering that simply having the chance to compete is something not everyone gets.
Race-Day Prep: You Can’t Fake Fitness, But You Can Calm Your Mind
Physically, you can’t “fix” months of training in the last two days. The best tool for race-day is to trust what you’ve already built. Mentally, she focuses on calming nerves through distraction and routine: music, podcasts, hobbies, and time with friends, to name a few, and to keep you from obsessing over tomorrow’s race. She admits to getting nervous before races, but she learned how to manage it by shifting her attention away from the pressure.
Running Shoes, Coaching, and the Training Basics That Actually Matter
On the practical side, Gionna swears by Brooks Glycerin for running shoes. These shows always prevented foot and ankle pain when she was running higher mileage. Along with this, she shares her reasoning for getting into coaching, remembering what it felt like to not have a big team or the right training environment. This pushed her to want to give other athletes the support that helped her grow. Her biggest training belief for distance runners is to build mileage slowly, build volume consistently, and create a real base. Workouts matter, but they only work if the foundation is there. She also highlights the little things many athletes skip: stretching, drills, warm-up routines She learned these habits at NC State, and they helped prevent injuries and create structure.
What Makes a Great Coach Today: Communication and Care Beyond the Sport
When asked what separates great coaches now, Gionna leads with communication. Athletes need to feel safe telling their coaches about injuries and mental struggles, because training depends on honesty. She also values coaches who have lived the sport and can truly relate, even though she acknowledges you don’t have to be an elite to be a great coach. Her favorite example is her NC State coach, Lori Hennis, who felt like a second mom, was easy to talk to, and cared about her success as a person, not just a runner.
The Advice She’d Give Her Younger Self: Be Present
If Gionna could coach her seventh-grade self, she’d say: believe in yourself, be present, and don’t assume you’ll always get “next season.” She reflects on how quickly things can change, and how much she wishes she had appreciated certain moments more when she was living them. Her final message lands hard: work for your goals, but don’t let the chase steal your joy.
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