Getting to Know Noah

USATF Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta. Photo: Kevin Morris

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Noah Fisher joined Greenville Track Club-ELITE in June of 2025 and has shown steady improvement since arriving. Recently he ran 1:03:41 to place 13th in the USATF Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta, GA. 

Congratulations on your recent personal best and 13th place finish at the USATF Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta. Was that what you were expecting?

Noah: Thank you! I didn’t exactly know what to expect coming into the race. The half marathon is still a relatively new event for me, and I know I have a lot more experience to gain moving forward. Workouts had been going really well recently, so I was confident I could run a PR even on a course that was much more challenging than Hardeeville in November. At a U.S. Championship event, you never quite know how things will play out, but I felt confident I could finish in the top 20 and was aiming for the top 15. Ultimately, you can only control your own race, and I would have been happy walking away with a PR.

That was just your second half marathon. That seems like a big step after graduating from college where the 10,000 was probably the longest distance you raced. How do you feel about running over twice as far?

Noah:  I’ve always enjoyed running longer distances, so I looked forward to moving up in distance throughout college. I feel like it plays more to my strengths as a runner. I’m excited to make my marathon debut in a few months.

Most memorable race in college?

Noah: My most memorable race was probably the 2023 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in Joplin, Missouri. I finished 12th, and I believe it was the best race I put together during my college career. I also had several conference championship races where my teammate and I both finished on the podium, which was a lot of fun.

Jason Weitzel, Noah Fisher, Jack Mastandrea and Eduardo Garcia

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When did you decide to pursue post-collegiate running and also to join Greenville Track Club-ELITE?

Noah: I’m very much a planner, so I reached out to Coach Mike heading into my final year of college to open the door to post-collegiate running even though I still had a full year of eligibility left. I took a visit in the fall of 2024 and knew that if I decided to pursue running after college, Greenville Track Club–ELITE was where I wanted to be. I didn’t have the best fall season during my grad year at Findlay and was still on the fence about whether I wanted to run professionally or start my teaching career. After going home for Christmas break, I realized this was an opportunity I would only have once. I knew I might regret it later if I didn’t give it a shot. I’m extremely thankful I made the decision to come down here and have enjoyed every second since.

What has been your biggest learning since joining GTC-ELITE?

Noah: One of the most common misconceptions in distance running is that you need to run more mileage. Mileage definitely helps, but it isn’t everything. Many professional and even college programs push 100+ miles per week, with some getting close to 120. Our group typically averages around 80 miles per week, with most of those miles coming from four days of the week. On the other days, we prioritize recovery, which allows us to stay more consistent (both mentally and physically) throughout long training blocks. Looking back, I think I sometimes forced extra miles in college just to hit a certain number. Not only did that fatigue me physically at times, but it also took a mental toll over the course of a training cycle. Coach Mike puts a big emphasis on getting on the timing of our HGH (Human Growth Hormone) spikes without doing more that does not get the same benefit. I've learned a great deal of the physiology that goes into the timing of runs, lifts, and workouts since getting down here, and how it all comes together with our lower-mileage, higher-intensity group I've learned how to balance all aspects of training and have taken a step forward in my maturity as an athlete since arriving to Greenville.

Eduardo Garcia, Ryan Drew, Jason Weitzel, Patrick Lyell, Noah Fisher and Jack Mastandrea

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Coming from Ohio, how are you liking Greenville?

Noah:  It’s been awesome. The weather is much better and more consistent throughout the year, minus the summer humidity. I really enjoy being close to the mountains and living in a town that always has something going on. Greenville has been easy to adjust to even though it’s a larger city, but not so big that it feels overwhelming.

What is your favorite place to run in Greenville?

Noah:  I enjoy running on the backroads north of Greenville. They’re usually low traffic and very peaceful, with gentle rolling hills and winding roads that offer a different kind of challenge.

GTC-ELITE’s athletes usually work part time to meet personal expenses. Where are you currently employed?

Noah:  I currently have two part-time jobs that combine for about 30 hours a week. I typically start my day with JOY Real Estate, working on their property management side of the company. I also work a few afternoons each week at Fleet Feet. Both jobs are very flexible and allow me to prioritize morning training and travel for races on weekends.

You majored in math in college. What is that about?

Noah:  I dual-majored in mathematics and adolescent math education. After my post-collegiate running career, I plan to begin my career as a high school math teacher. Adding the mathematics degree only required one extra course, and it also gives me a backup option in case I ever get burned out from teaching.

Noah with lead group at 2025 Hardeeville Half Marathon

Noah en route to 4th place.

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What is your favorite running shoe to train in?

Noah: My favorite shoe is the ASICS Novablast. I also train in the Gel-Nimbus for easy runs and the Metaspeed Sky for workouts. 

How about competition shoes?

Noah: ASICS just released a new racing shoe last fall called the Metaspeed Ray that we broke out for the first time at the USATF Half Marathon Championships. 

ASICS Novablast 5

ASICS Gel Nimbus 28

ASICS Metaspeed RAY

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Favorite meal: breakfast or dinner?

Noah: I have always been more of a dinner fan. 

Favorite place to eat in GVL on a limited budget?

Noah: I really enjoy Stax's off of Poinsett. 

Running goals for 2026?

Noah: Once I got down here, I set the goal of qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the marathon (sub 2:16:00), but I believe in adapting goals to the present situations. I believe I am fit enough to run well under 2:16. To run a faster full marathon, you have to be able to run a faster half. And in order to run a faster half, you have to be able to run a faster 10k. I want to keep developing my speed on top of my aerobic capacity and focus on being consistent day-to-day. 

Favorite GTC-ELITE workout?

Noah: My favorite workout is 4 x 3miles @ marathon pace w/ 2min float. I've always enjoyed longer intervals at a controlled fast effort since high school. Another workout I really enjoy is the lactate shuttle workout (3k intervals alternating 300 on @ 5K/10K pace with 200 float between each 300). All of the guys work really well together, especially on the shuttles to hit the assigned paces. 

Jason and Noah post-race smiles

Noah at GTC Running Series Awards night.

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Most recent book read?

Noah: The last book I finished was Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. I am currently reading Educated by Tara Westover. 

If you had to listen to a song consecutively for an entire hour, what would it be?

Noah: 'Til You Can't by Cody Johnson. I love the lyrics of this song. ​