During in the beginning of a pandemic era that rattled the world in 2020, Isabella Whittaker saw her own beginnings as a student at the University of Pennsylvania. But it was after those days at Penn — after enrolling at Arkansas in 2024 as a graduate student — that Whittaker kickstarted the current state of her place in the track landscape.

Her times in the 400m fell and fell again with her 50.48 performance at the 2024 U.S. Olympics trials propelling her to the women's final. And while she finished sixth, the time earned her a slot in the American relay pool — with her biggest moment coming as her collegiate career was coming to a close.

On March 1, she hurled herself to seventh all-time on the women's 400m world indoor list with a 49.90 at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships.

And suddenly, Whittaker progressed, with the pace of the professional ranks — and her performances — ensuring that she will likely be a factor as world championships approach.

In her own words, she illustrates her own great progression.

The pivot from the classroom to lining up with the top pro runners in the world was an adjustment Graham Blanks had to quickly figure out after announcing last December that the signed with New Balance. His remaining time at Harvard was still a priority, but Blanks knew a portion of the bigger stage was reserved for him.

Blanks spent his collegiate years stacking up the kinds of accolades that shifted the spotlight to his conference, becoming the first Ivy League runner to win the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in November 2023. Later that month he set the collegiate mark for the indoor 5,000m in 13:03.78.

More was always part of the plan as Blanks punched his ticket to the Paris Olympics in the 5,000m in 2024 and getting a glimpse of the competition he will face for rest of his career. In June, just before he posted a 12:48.20 personal best in the 5,000m at the Bislett Games, Blanks spoke with me about his journey within a journey as we all witness him leveling up in real time after walking the graduation stage at Harvard.

Humble beginnings and major childhood challenges kept Alison dos Santos well aware that guarantees were not easy to come by in his native São Joaquim da Barra, Brazil.

Still, he found his way, navigated toward track and field, and a bronze at the 2018 World U20 Championships proved to be a breakout moment. The next year, he followed it up with efforts at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha that shifted attention his way as he battled to the 400m hurdles final.

By 2024 dos Santos's wins at Diamond League stops in Doha and Oslo set him up for another Olympic stint after his Bronze in Tokyo in 2021. In Paris, he won bronze again in the 400m hurdles, a sign that dos Santos would be a mainstay in the sport — mixing colorful personalty with intensity on the track.

Behind the scenes, dos Santos is candid and in today's show he explores legacy, early life in Brazil and gives a glimpse of a side the crowds and cameras simply don't get a chance to see.

Emily Sisson has navigated the track, the road and found her way to the Olympic stage.

After making a statement in last year's marathon trials in Orlando and punching her ticket to Paris with a second place finish (2:22:42), Sisson is poised to ride a running wave in 2025 that is loaded. Outdoor track season has the calendar stuffed, while the addition of Sydney to the marathon majors means we'll get a glimpse of Sisson on the road before the year is done.

When I connected with Emily in New York last week, days before the Mini 10K, she was hyped about being part of the charge to lead the current generation of American distance running, her ten years in the New Balance family and finding ways of keeping the feeling of fun in the sport.

In the first episode of Axel's Personal Best, we chat with Olympic 800-meter silver medalist Marco Arop — who has a 1:41.2 PB and Canadian national record — about blazing the track in Grand Slam Track's inaugural season, the state middle distance running and the nuances of training for the 1,500 meter.