Ella Baran, an NCAA Division 3 record holder and All-American during her career at Johns Hopkins and now a graduate student-athlete competing at Colorado, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss the preparation to compete in her first Pac-12 Conference Championship race Oct. 28 at the Ag-Ops course in Riverside, Calif. Baran explains the motivation for both Colorado teams to defend their conference titles and her excitement to contribute after missing several Centennial Conference championship meets at Johns Hopkins as a result of injury or the COVID-19 pandemic. She revisits finishing 17th in the 6-kilometer race Sept. 24 at the Cowboy Jamboree at the Greiner Family course at Oklahoma State in Stillwater and the benefit of being able to get a preview of the course that will serve as host Nov. 19 for the NCAA Division 1 Championships, in addition to placing 47th in the 6-kilometer competition Oct. 14 at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational in Madison, helping the Buffaloes take ninth overall, right behind Pac-12 rivals Stanford and Utah. Baran examines the impact of former Indiana standout Bailey Hertenstein on joining the Colorado program as well this fall, in addition to the benefit of learning from fellow veteran India Johnson, who previously transferred from Michigan State. She explains the challenges of training at elevation for the first time in her career, in addition to overcoming testing positive for COVID-19 before the season began. Baran shares the similarities in the coaching philosophies of Mark Wetmore at Colorado along with Bobby Van Allen at Johns Hopkins, and how much she has appreciated the collaboration with both mentors. She also speaks about following the success of her former teammates at Johns Hopkins as they pursue an NCAA Division 3 women's cross country record eighth national championship Nov. 19 in Michigan. Baran analyzes how significant the Colorado athletic training staff has been in helping her remain consistent in workouts and aiding in her recovery. She also shares her academic pursuits in environmental science, focusing on natural resources and environmental policy.