Angel Piccirillo on resilience in the face of track training group changes

More Than Running with Dana Giordano

Angel Piccirillo graduated from Villanova University with a clear plan in mind: run fast, secure a contract, join a training group, represent national teams, and repeat the process. However, little did she expect that, despite being a 9-time All-American and graduating in 2017, she would find herself on her fourth training group in just six years, finally hitting her stride as a professional athlete in 2023 setting a personal best in the 1500 in 4:07 this past April.

In this episode of More Than Running, we delve into Angel's remarkable journey, beginning with her training in Philadelphia alongside Ajee Wilson and Raeyvn Rodgers. From there, she transitioned to the Oiselle Little Wing Group under the guidance of coach Lauren Fleshman, followed by a stint with the Oregon Track Club in Eugene, Oregon. Now, she finds herself in North Carolina, training with the Puma Elite Training group under the coaching of Alistair and Amy Cragg. This journey would have tested even the most resilient of athletes, requiring immense persistence and the challenge of maintaining a long-distance relationship with her husband, Australian Olympian Patrick Tiernan. Through it all, Angel's unwavering self-belief in her own potential has been a driving force.

More Than Running is supported by COROS! Use code DANA for a free accessory

The new COROS Update brings a redesigned app and significant upgrades to the entire COROS training solution with an all-new running fitness system, improved EvoLab, brand-new Explore page, location and map manager, and many more improvements. Whether you're training for a goal or exploring outdoors, the ultimate GPS watch just got even better.

More Than Running is edited by Mike Zurzolo.