Ednah Kurgat, a U.S. Army Sargeant representing the World Class Athlete Program and the reigning U.S. national 10-kilometer cross country champion, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss competing Feb. 18 at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia. Kurgat, the 2017 NCAA Division 1 cross country champion for New Mexico, is joined on the American roster by former Lobos' teammate and 2019 Division 1 cross country champion Weini Kelati, after both athletes gained their U.S. citizenship within the past two years. Also competing for the U.S. is Makena Morley, Emily Lipari, Katie Izzo and Allie Buchalski. Kurgat reflects on winning her first national championship Jan. 21 at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Va., and returning to the state she first visited upon arriving in the U.S. in 2015 from Kenya to compete for Liberty University. She explains how significant coaching has been in her development, most notably with Scott Simmons and the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program after being mentored at New Mexico by Joe Franklin, and how much she is looking forward to collaborating with Katie McGregor, the U.S. women's national team coach for the World Championships. Kurgat examines how motivating it was to be teammates with athletes from several different countries during her experience at New Mexico and how it inspired her to achieve her goal of representing the U.S. in international competition. She speaks about maintaining balance with her role in the Army, in addition to often training by herself and the challenges that are presented mentally and emotionally in completing workouts. Kurgat shares how meaningful it has been to have her sister Caroline Sang, a former standout athlete at Charlotte University, join the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program and the support she has received from her entire family throughout her running career. She also shares about playing the piano and being able to apply her degree in public health to working in the field of infectious diseases. Kurgat also revisits learning from several male athletes in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program and benefiting from their international experiences, including previous appearances at the World Cross Country Championships.