Canadian standout Taryn O'Neill, a three-time NCAA Division 1 cross country finalist and All-American at Northern Arizona following a sixth-place finish March 15 at the championship meet in Stillwater, Okla., joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss the Lumberjacks competing Oct. 15 at the Florida State Invitational, which is also showcasing the Division 1 Pre-Nationals at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla. O'Neill reflects on winning her season opener Oct. 1 at the Paul Short Run in Pennsylvania, along with helping Northern Arizona prevail against Villanova on a head-to-head tiebreaker. She also revisits her breakthrough winter season and capturing the Big Sky title, along with securing her first All-America recognition and leading the Lumberjacks to an 11th-place finish in Stillwater. O'Neill analyzes the challenges of the 6-kilometer layout at Oklahoma State in comparison to her experiences representing Canada at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark. She examines the veteran experience of Northern Arizona this fall season, along with how the group has improved with the addition of impact transfers, freshmen and teammates returning from injury. O'Neill expresses her excitement about the field in the women's 6-kilometer garnet race at Pre-Nationals, which has recently added No. 4 Alabama to the field and reigning Division 1 individual champion Mercy Chelangat (news that was learned following the podcast recording), along with Mountain Region rivals Colorado and Utah, both among the top 10 teams in the country. She also explains how valuable it will be competing in Tallahassee ahead of racing Nov. 20 at the Division 1 championship, and how the preparation of Northern Arizona coach Mike Smith should produce training that addresses the strengths that the Lumberjacks need to have at the national final. O'Neill also speaks about the depth of strong programs in the Big Sky Conference, along with the demands of surviving the Mountain Region and qualifying for nationals. She also speaks about her motivation following a disappointing conclusion to the outdoor track season, and how O'Neill is using those experiences to provide inspiration this fall.