“8 months ago I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease and it’s been one of the toughest, most frustrating, and emotional comebacks I’ve faced in the sport.” With those words, Kaela Edwards had cracked open the door to a reality most fans never saw coming. Once a top-tier American star with World Team credentials, Edwards has spent the past year quietly fighting a battle far tougher than anything she faced on the track. What began as a promising return in 2023 was later clouded by physical setbacks, leaving her to confront a future where running fast wasn’t just about medals anymore. It was about surviving the storm.
Back in 2021, Edwards was already grappling with adversity. After competing at the USATF Golden Games in California, she was hit hard by COVID-19, so hard that she couldn’t return to full training. When her symptoms lingered longer than expected, the true culprit emerged. Graves’ disease, a chronic autoimmune disorder that wreaked havoc on her thyroid and her athletic career.
It left her fatigued, drained, and forced into an unwanted hiatus. And yet, here she is in 2025 to race again, resilient as ever and quietly roaring back to life. DyeStat took to X, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going .” And few athletes embody that grit like Kaela Edwards. A 2023 U.S. World Championships team member in Budapest, Edwards is stepping up with the kind of honesty and resilience only born through fire.
When the going get tough, the tough get going @kaelaAedwards, a 2023 member of Team USA at the World Outdoor Championships in Budapest, joins DyeStat’s @kgray5555 on the latest episode of DyeStat Discussions to talk about her 2025 outdoor season, which makes a stop in… pic.twitter.com/7wQcEVJuH0
— DyeStat (@DyeStat) May 26, 2025
She joined DyeStat Discussions ahead of her appearance at the Music City Track Carnival in Cleveland, Tenn., on May 30–3. An event that will stream live on @runnerspace. It marks her fifth time competing there, a track she once dominated with a runner-up finish in the 800m back in 2020. But this time, it’s not just about racing. It’s about reclaiming joy and purpose.
Reflecting on the toll of Graves’ disease and the long road to physical and emotional healing, Edwards confessed, “I probably showed up with a little bit more gratitude, and my perception of racing changed because I was just like, well, it can’t be as bad as last year.” There’s a raw vulnerability in her voice as she details how her mindset shifted from fear to quiet hope. That internal battle ran parallel to every lap on the track, but somewhere along the way, she loosened the grip of fear.
“Eventually, I was able to kind of let go of that. I probably took a lot of pressure off myself.” And that change in headspace? It’s beginning to show in her stride. Now, under the guidance of a new coach and part of a fresh training environment, Edwards admits it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. There were moments of deep self-doubt, and the weight of public perception didn’t help.
“I like, you know, I have a new coach. I wanted to, like, prove that it’s a good choice because everyone has something to say about everything you do as athletes. It was so devastating to not run as well as I wanted to and as well as I could.” But with her business, “On Track Creative Solutions,” gaining traction and her competitive fire still flickering, Edwards is rewriting what a comeback looks like.
From NCAA glory to professional grit: How Kaela Edwards fought through the darkness
Kaela Edwards’ career has always been marked by talent, tenacity, and transformation. Hailing from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Edwards first etched her name into the collegiate record books when she won the NCAA Indoor Mile Championship in 2016, later breaking the Oklahoma State University mile record in 2017 with a blazing 4:28.75.
When she turned professional, her decision to return to Colorado and train alongside world champion steeplechaser Emma Coburn set the stage for her next breakthrough. But nothing would test her like the stretch that followed. After missing crucial training blocks due to Graves’ disease and struggling to maintain basic endurance, her return to competition in 2023 felt nothing short of miraculous. “I thought I’d never come back again,” she admitted.
“I couldn’t even run a 10-minute pace, which is not what I run or anyone at this level.” And yet, not only did she come back. She came back swinging. That year, Edwards opened her indoor campaign in Seattle with dominant wins in the mile and 1000 meters, including a personal best in the 800. She capped that momentum at the Lilac Grand Prix, clocking a 59-second opening 400 and surging ahead to win by more than two seconds.
The road, though, was brutal. “I worked really hard to get back to this,” Edwards said. “A lot of tears, a lot of days where I just wanted to stop, a lot of days where I could not get through training, like emotionally or physically.” Her candid reflection shines a light on the emotional toll of high-level athletics, especially for an athlete who has weathered injury, illness, and internal battles.
At the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships, Edwards placed runner-up in her 800m semifinal with a swift 2:00.62. Now, with renewed drive and a fresh perspective, she’s eager to make her mark once again on the track.
The post “Kicking My Ass”: Forced Into Break With Poor Performances Ex-American World Team Star Airs Feelings Over Comeback appeared first on EssentiallySports.
