The CITIUS MAG Podcast | A Running + Track and Field Show

Emergency podcast! Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber jump on the mic from The Armory to recap all of the thrilling action at the 2024 Millrose Games in New York City, where two world records were set and numerous national records went down.

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Bandit is a performance-running brand based in Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 2022, they just had 9 athletes compete in the Marathon Trials and told those stories via their documentary-style YouTube series "Dialed": Check those out ⁠here⁠.

They also just relaunched ⁠their Membership⁠, a program that enhances your relationship with Bandit via early access, discounts, and exclusive events/gear/content/you-name-it. For a limited time, get 20% off the Membership (and any product if it's your first order) by using code Citius20 at ⁠BanditRunning.com⁠.

This Sunday is shaping up to be a huge day for sports fans – I’m talking, of course, about the 116th Millrose Games. What snacks will you bring to your viewing party? (No wrong answers.) Which brands will have the funniest commercials? (My money’s on Peacock.) Will Taylor Swift be there? (No.) These questions are surely top of mind for all of us as we gear up for the most important sporting event of mid-February.

There’s no Usher halftime show planned, but the historic New York-based track meet and its marquee event – the Wanamaker Mile – still promise plenty of entertainment. Recent Millrose Games have seen epic records, upset victories, and previews of future World champions – and all those stars are back in action this year.

The pro races kick off at 1 p.m. E.T. on Sunday, February 11th. You can watch it live on NBC (real TV!), on the Peacock app (subscription required), or via the World Athletics YouTube channel for most international viewers.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

Bandit is a performance-running brand based in Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 2022, they just had 9 athletes compete in the Marathon Trials and told those stories via their documentary-style YouTube series "Dialed": Check those out here.

They also just relaunched their Membership, a program that enhances your relationship with Bandit via early access, discounts, and exclusive events/gear/content/you-name-it. For a limited time, get 20% off the Membership (and any product if it's your first order) by using code Citius20 at BanditRunning.com.

"I just felt like I just needed to get to the finish line, touch the finish line, and then celebrate. I don't feel like it is real yet. I don't know that it will until I'm back home and into my routine. But I keep getting little reminders that I am now going to be on an Olympic team, and I almost break down in tears every time."

An average high school runner, Minnesota Distance Elite’s Dakotah Lindwurm walked onto the team at Northern State University, but wound up a two-time NCAA Division II. She similarly entered the world of post-collegiate running as an unheralded but steady performer. But she ramped up to the marathon distance early, raced it often, and steadily chipped away at it, even winning the Grandma’s Marathon a couple of times. 

Still, despite boasting a well-filled-out resume, she seemed like a longshot to make an Olympic team. Too many big names were slotted ahead of her with PRs significantly faster. That all changed on Saturday when Lindwurm outlasted all but two members of one of the best fields ever assembled at an Olympic Trials marathon. Her story is sure to inspire, and her progression is one that I know high school coaches nationwide are sharing with their non-state-champion athletes this week. 

Dakotah was generous enough to chat with Kyle Merber over the phone following her qualification for this week's edition of The Lap Count.

Host: Kyle Merber | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@kylemerber on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Dakotah Lindwurm | ⁠⁠⁠@dakotahlindwurm on Instagram⁠⁠

Read this week's newsletter here: https://www.thelapcount.com/p/making-big-meet-france

Read Dakotah's first appearance in The Lap Count from Dec. 2021 here: https://thelapcount.substack.com/p/the-victory-lap-dakotah-lindwurm

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"Starting to talk with Alistair (Cragg), I was really excited about his ambition and excitement for the (PUMA Elite) team. He wanted to create a situation where we would be contending for World teams, Olympic teams and eventually contending on those bigger stages as well. At first, hearing those goals sounded a little bit scary. Exciting, but scary. So it's really cool to start seeing some of it actually come together."

My guest for today’s episode is Fiona O’Keeffe – the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials champion. She ran the fastest marathon debut in American history with a 2:22:10 performance to win and also break the previous Marathon Trials record held by Shalane Flanagan from 2012. She will be joined at the Paris Olympics by American record holder Emily Sisson and Dakotah Lindwurm.

O’Keeffe was so impressive in the Orlando heat and pressed from the front to pull away from her competitors about 19 miles into the race. She ran all of the last few miles under 5:30 but threw down a 5:09 at Mile 25. She ended up winning by more than 30 seconds.

In this episode, we chat about how she mastered her marathon debut, when she knew the 26.2-mile distance was calling, her excitement over the state of U.S. women’s marathoning and we had to ask about the blood on her bib, which was caused by chafing from a gel that was stashed in her top.

A star is born in U.S. marathoning.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Fiona O'Keeffe | ⁠⁠⁠⁠@fiona_okeeffe on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

Time Stamps:

3:46: Aspirations to qualify for the Olympics. 

4:45: When she decided to go all-in on the marathon.

5:40: When she shifted to marathon training. 

7:08: What her training structure looked like heading into the Trials. 

8:21: How she managed heat training. 

10:31: How she stayed composed.

12:15: What was going through her mind during the race. 

14:06: Her thoughts in the later stages of the race. 

16:49: Fueling during the race.

18:15: Breaking down the gel chafing situation. 

20:25: Her social media following. 

22:28: How she balanced school work with training as a student at Stanford. 

25:18: Why she decided to join Puma Elite. 

27:13: How she celebrated.

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"My running talent has taken me to so many places. I've come to this country, I became a citizen, and that's an opportunity that a lot of people don't have. And I got it, and I'm very thankful for that. That’s why I feel it would be a great honor for me to make the Olympics. That's why I keep pursuing that dream. And I know it's going to be valid one time."

My guest for today’s episode is Elkanah Kibet. The 40-year-old was in third place by 15 seconds going into the final mile of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials but a charging Leonard Korir managed to catch him for the final spot that will likely go to the Paris Olympics. Kibet finished fourth in 2:10:02 – which set a new U.S. masters marathon record. He was so gratuitous after the race and handled the fourth place finish with so much humility. It was remarkable.

Kibet has improved as a marathoner in his late 30s and isn’t ready to call an end to his Olympic dreams. He’ll be 44 at the 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and he’s already planning the road there.

When he’s not running in the early or late hours of the day, he is a husband and a father of three. He also works a full-time job in the U.S. Army as a financial comptroller in Fort Carson, Colorado. He has a tremendous pride for this country. He shares his story of coming from Kenya and all of the opportunities that America has given him, which is why he doesn’t hesitate to represent the red, white and blue at a World Championships and has done so four times in his career.

We know the guys who make the Olympic team. Let’s not forget the hard work of those who come close.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Elkanah Kibet | ⁠⁠⁠@airbornrunner on Instagram⁠⁠

Time Stamps:

04:45: His thoughts on placing fourth at the Trials.

06:33: What was going through his mind as third-place finisher Leonard Korir went by him during the race.

07:55: Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics, where he will be 44 years old.

08:59: Breaks down his race and how he was able to move up throughout the race.

12:32: Shares about moving to the U.S. on a scholarship, joining the army after finishing college, and how he was able to continue training while working full-time.

16:50: What running for the U.S. means to him.

17:36: His desire to bring a medal home to the U.S. next year.

19:30: How shoe technology has helped him stay consistent.

21:14: How he manages his training load around working full-time.

23:41: How splits runs into singles/doubles + his focus on recovery.

25:04: His relationship with his coach. 

28:09: How he balances training while working for the army + getting deployed. 

32:25: How long he plans on continuing to run competitively for. 

36:59: What's next for him.

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"I think this one was fun because we went into it with the attitude that it's a prelim… This is the prelim and our goal is to qualify. I still had pressure, I felt like I had to beat Clayton to qualify, but also there was the scenario where we both made the team. And that was the goal. That's all we really wanted. It wasn't like, ‘I need to beat Clayton' or  ‘Clayton needs to beat me.’ Our goal was to make the team."

My guest for today’s episode is U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials champion Conner Mantz. He went one-two with his former BYU teammate and current training partner Clayton Young to qualify for their first Olympics team. Mantz was the fastest American marathoner of 2023. He and Young were the only two Americans to run under the Olympic qualifying standard before the Trials in Orlando and clinched the two guaranteed spots for the Summer Games in Paris.

In this episode, Mantz takes us through all the ins and outs of his race, how he and Young worked together, how he handled some pretty bad nerves before the race, what his hopes are for the Paris Olympics – and yes, we asked about the gesture where Young let him go ahead for the win.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Conner Mantz | ⁠⁠⁠⁠@connermantz on Instagram

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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“I just really enjoyed getting here. Maybe not the whole last eight years – it's been a road and a journey – but the last year or two of running has been so fun. I know it's been a whole thing that I don't have a coach, don't have an agent, don't have a sponsor. But I literally have just been running because I love it. It's been so freeing and there's been no pressure. I think I needed to step away from that infrastructure and that approach to the sport for a little bit. And it's just been so fun. I think enjoying the process, not having that pressure coming into the trials – I had nothing to lose. I knew I had to be smart, that it could go sideways if I wasn't. Getting here healthy was 100% the focus and enjoying every moment of training.”

Jess McClain (née Tonn) stunned America on Saturday when she finished fourth at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. She ran 2:25:46 for a personal best by nearly four minutes. She is unsponsored. She has a full-time job as the executive director of the Love Up Foundation. She also works as a marketing consultant. Before all of that, many in the track and field community remember her as Jess Tonn – the former Brooks Beast 5000m specialist and an All-American at Stanford. We didn’t have her on our pre-race predictions or our radar at all but now we will.

In this episode, we re-introduce you to Jess as one of America’s newest marathoning stars. She takes us through the past few years and how running may have always been part of her life but didn’t define her after leaving the professional ranks. She ran her first marathon in February 2022 with a 2:33 at the Mesa Marathon. She ran 2:29:25 at Grandma’s Marathon in June 2023. And then the stunner at the Trials.

Even though she was seconds away from making an Olympic team, she is all smiles and calls this her favorite running memory of all-time.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Jess McClain | ⁠⁠@jesstonn on Instagram⁠

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“I'm excited to be back there because you never know how many chances you get to represent the U.S. on the global stage. I feel like I've been really fortunate in my career and I've gotten a lot of really cool opportunities, but still - they don't happen often. So I try to really savor the moments when something big happens, when I qualify for a team, and just really take advantage of the opportunity.”

American record holder Emily Sisson, who finished second in this year’s U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2:22:42, re-joins the show. She finished behind Fiona O’Keeffe and ahead of Dakotah Lindwurm, which is your team for the Paris Olympics.

In this episode, we recap Emily’s race and how she overcame some struggles of her own yet kept her composure to qualify for her second Olympics. This will be the first time that she runs the marathon at the Summer Games.

She shares some insights into covering key moves during the race, strategy talk with Keira D’Amato beforehand and a little bit on the sisterhood of American women’s marathoning greats.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Emily Sisson | ⁠@em_sisson on Instagram

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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"You can't expect things to fall into place. I was at a place where I was so close to being in or out that I had to rely so much on these uncontrollable factors where you're just rooting for everything to work out. I left that year being like, ‘OK, I can't do that again.’ I can't just put myself in a decent place and expect everything to work out. If I want to make it, I have to step up. And luckily, since I made the change to Very Nice Track Club with Ronnie, my trajectory has been a lot better."

Ben Flanagan is a fan favorite and has been on the show a few times. He is fresh off running 13:04 at the Terrier Classic at Boston University. That got him under the Olympic qualifying standard, which is huge because if we went back to his last appearance on the podcast in 2021 – he was stressing over his ranking and chasing a fast enough time to get himself in a good spot for the Tokyo Olympic selection. He didn’t end up going.

He finally got the chance to represent Canada last year at the World Championships in Budapest and now his path is a little bit easier. He’ll explain that, how he found his speed again at The Very Nice Track Club and why he’s so excited to chase some records.

We also answered a bunch of your listener questions that we submitted via Instagram.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Ben Flanagan | @ben_flanagan on Instagram

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Heading into the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials, the consensus was that there was no consensus: Anyone could make the team.

And the races delivered big time, with topsy-turvy place changes and unexpected finishes on both the men’s and women’s side. In the men’s race, Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, the top two seeds in the field, did come away with the top two places, but the surprising news was who wasn’t in the mix, as two sub-2:09 seeds – Scott Fauble and Sam Chelanga – dropped out and reigning champion Galen Rupp struggled to a 16th-place finish.

Before Clayton Young’s 2:08:00 breakthrough in Chicago last fall, the ASICS runner’s marathon career had gotten off to a fairly rocky start. Young debuted in Atlanta in 2020 but only managed a 2:29:46 for 136th place, and in his first Chicago the following year, he was on track for a top-10 finish before falling only 300 meters from the finish line and losing 3 minutes and 5 places. Along the way, he’d picked up a few wins at shorter road races including a pair of national titles in 2023, but it wasn’t until last fall when he entered the conversation of potential Olympic contenders.

Young, who trains with Mantz in Utah, had a smoother buildup than his training partner (who dealt with a stress reaction in November) and seemed to be the most in control of all the leaders at each point in the race. He’s gotta get bonus points for sportsmanship as well, offering his training partner a pull from his water bottle after Mantz missed one of his own and hyping up the crowd even as he got passed in the final few strides.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

Host: Kyle Merber | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@kylemerber on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Eric Jenkins | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ericjenkins_ on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Clayton Young | ⁠⁠⁠@_clayton_young_ on Instagram

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

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On Saturday, Feb. 3, Orlando will host the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. The top three men and women who have met the qualifying standards and criteria will be named the U.S. Olympic team for the Paris Games.

This race features the first head-to-head matchup over the marathon distance by American record holder Emily Sisson and former record holder Keira D'Amato. Five of the six members of the 2020 Olympic team are back as Galen Rupp, Molly Seidel, Aliphine Tuliamuk, Jake Riley and Abdi Abdirahman return to try and make another team. Conner Mantz and Scott Fauble remain two of the most consistent American men of the last Olympic cycle. CITIUS MAG's team (Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber, and Eric Jenkins) will preview all the top storylines and athletes to watch. Read our full previews for the elite races: https://citiusmag.com/ Show presented by HOKA | Stay up to date on the latest news and promotions from HOKA. Check them out here: https://www.hoka.com/

"You have to measure out your peaks, especially in an Olympic year. But I'm really happy with my fitness right now. In years past, I haven't been this confident in my fitness. So I'm really happy and just excited to race (against) the world champs, the American record holders. That's really where I see myself thriving and I want to optimize those opportunities." – Cole Hocker

Former Oregon Ducks Cooper Teare and Cole Hocker have reunited and are training together in Blacksburg, Virginia under coach Ben Thomas.

Teare spent last year working with coach Jerry Schumacher and the Bowerman Track Club before announcing his departure in the fall. He took some time to make a decision but ultimately decided to reunite with his college coach, who led him to his U.S. 1500m title in 2022 and qualified for the World Championship team. Last year, Teare did set a personal best at 800 meters and 1500m but he missed qualifying for the World Championships in Budapest. He got off to a strong start in 2024 by winning the U.S. cross country title just two weeks ago.

For Hocker, he’s just elevating his training under Thomas and is hoping to have a full healthy year in the leadup to the World Indoor Championships in March and then the U.S. Olympic Trials this summer. Last year, he got off to a later start to the season due to injuries but still managed to qualify for Worlds and then finished seventh in Budapest in a personal best of 3:30.70 for 1500 meters.

Both guys have been added to the men’s two-mile field at the Millrose Games on February 11th in New York City. The field includes 1500m world champion Josh Kerr and U.S. 5000m and 10,000m record holder Grant Fisher.

The Millrose Games is the sixth stop on the 2024 ⁠World Athletics Indoor Tour⁠ Gold calendar.

Livestream and television broadcast details will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more Millrose Games athlete announcements as the pro fields come together.

Tickets to the 116th Millrose Games can be purchased online at ⁠millrosegames.org⁠.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠

Guest: Cooper Teare | ⁠⁠@cooperteare on Instagram⁠⁠

Guest: Cole Hocker | @colehocker on Instagram

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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This week in the Lap Count Newsletter, Kyle Merber spoke with Natosha Rogers.

In 2012, as a junior at Texas A&M, Natosha Rogers followed up her NCAA 10,000m victory with a second place finish at the US Olympic Trials despite a mid-race fall. Although her time of 31:59 did not qualify her for the Games, running fans took immediate appreciation of her talent. A decade later she finally qualified to represent the United States at a global track championship in the 10,000m in Eugene.

Then in 2023, representing her current sponsor and club, Puma Elite, she did it again, this time doubling in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the World Championships in Budapest.

Rogers qualified for the Olympic Trials via the half marathon and holds a personal best of 1:09:36 – it will be her debut at the distance. Given Molly Seidel’s success in her debut at the 2020 Trials, we wanted to hear how Natosha’s foray into the new distance was going.

📫 Subscribe to The Lap Count newsletter here: https://www.thelapcount.com/

Host: Kyle Merber | ⁠⁠⁠⁠@kylemerber on Instagram⁠

Guest: Natosha Rogers | ⁠@natosha_rogers on Instagram

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez.

Join more than 15,500 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://thelapcount.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this week's newsletter:

– The Altitude Conversion Debate: Part 50 🏔
Rest In Peace Shawn Barber 🕊

– Crunch the numbers: yards —> meters 📏

– USA XC Championships: Free trip to Serbia! 🇺🇸🇷🇸

– The Boston University Circuit 🏎

+ more rapid-fire highlights from the past week

You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/ab-test-5000m

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👟 NEW BALANCE is excited to share that the 2024 New Balance Nationals Indoor will return to Boston from March 7 – March 10. The best in high school track & field will compete at the TRACK at New Balance and the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center. It’s been amazing to witness all the buzz and excitement from the high schoolers following the NIL signings. There can’t possibly be more coming… can there?

“How amazing it is that (my story) can reach people and encourage them and give them a hope that their life has purpose, that their life has meaning, that their story is not over. That's something that I've trusted in and have bought into the fact that my story is not over."

Tennessee’s Ashley Jones has a tremendously inspiring story. At 14 years old, she was in an ATV accident and lost her right arm. That did not stop her from continuing in sports. She was a soccer player and then competed in triathlons before fully committing to running as a junior in high school.

She was a cross country standout for Valor Christian High School in Colorado. She started off her NCAA career at High Point and joined Tennesee’s team this past fall. She was one of the team leaders during the cross country season with strong finishes at the SEC Championships and NCAA South Regional before going on to finish 42nd at the NCAA Cross Country Championships to lead the Vols to a sixth place team finish.

Now she’s getting ready to hit the track in the coming weeks but joins us with some exciting news that she has signed an NIL deal with On.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠

Guest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ashley Jones | ⁠@ashley_carolinej on Instagram

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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"I feel good about where I'm at. Everyone else is going to bring their 'A' game and I'm going to bring my 'A' game. I'm going to have to race to win. I don't think you race to get top three. I think you have to race to win and top three will be the consolation prize if you race aggressively and fearlessly."

 Welcome back fan favorite Scott Fauble to the show. This is now his seventh appearance on the show. We’ve had a tradition of chatting after his big performances at the New York City or Boston Marathons over the years. We decided to chat ahead of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, where he’s expected to be one of the top contenders in the men’s race once again. 

Scott owns a personal best of 2:08:52 from his seventh place finish at the 2022 Boston Marathon. He backed that up with another top American finish last year – again in seventh place. Last fall, he went to Berlin to chase the Olympic qualifying standard but had to drop out after 30K. We talk about that race and how he picked the pieces back up. 

Scott’s been training hard in Boulder under coach Joe Bosshard. He’s been cranking the heat up in the treadmill room in the Team Boss gym and doing tons of heat training. He’s confident. He’s feeling good. I’m excited for everything going down in Orlando.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Guest:⁠⁠⁠⁠ Scott Fauble | @sfaubs on Instagram

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Finally! 2:59:12 at the 2024 Houston Marathon.

10 years after starting my marathoning career, I finally managed to break three hours in the marathon. This one was a long time coming.

I'm so thankful for all the kind messages, comments and texts that I received afterward so it felt like a win for the community and the everyday runner.

For this episode, I’m turning over the reins to my dear friend Ali Feller, the host of 'The Ali on The Run Show.' She is so much fun, the perfect person to joke around with and to get a chance to reflect on the journey.

Host: Ali Feller | @aliontherun1 on Instagram

Guest: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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"It's fun to come from nothing, have a dream, and then slowly chip away at it. And having those dreams become reality is just a cool story."

When Zach Panning graduated from Grand Valley State in 2019 he had three Division II NCAA titles and personal bests of 13:37 for 5000m and 28:30 for 10,000m. With a resume like that and a proven ability to withstand Michigan’s winters, the Indiana native was a prime target to join the Hansons-Brooks ODP. Panning qualified to represent the United States at the 2023 World Championships, following his 2:09:28 PB in Chicago. In Budapest, he ran 2:11:21 for 13th place, moving through the field like a veteran.

You can read the interview from The Lap Count newsletter here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/catching-up-with-zach-panning

Host: Kyle Merber | ⁠⁠⁠@kylemerber on Instagram⁠

Guest: Zach Panning | ⁠@zachpanning on Instagram⁠

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez.

Join more than 15,500 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://thelapcount.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this week's newsletter:

– 10K World Record: SMASHED 💥

– Gabi Rooker signs professional deal with Nike ✍️

– Houston, we have a problem with so many people making this reference 🚀

– Collegiate Records: 1 - 0 🤘

+ more rapid-fire highlights from the past week

You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/whos-top-three

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🥤 OLIPOP: New year, new you! At least that’s the promise you made to yourself before waking up with a hangover on Monday, right? Well, now that a couple of days have passed and your commitment to dry January is already waning, it’s time to invest in some OLIPOP. It’s the prebiotic soda with fiber and with as little as two grams of sugar in each can – a sip will have you feeling nostalgic for the days that your parents ordered you Shirley Temples as a special treat when you went out to eat. Wake up from tomorrow’s run with an extra pep in your step and some improved gut health thanks to OLIPOP.

⁠Use code ⁠⁠CITIUS25⁠⁠ for 25% off non-subscription orders.

"When I started making senior teams, I thought, “I want to compete at all six championships.” I did that and then was like, “I want to make a final in all six championships.” I did that and then said, “I want to win a medal at all six championships” and I have done that. I've defended titles, I've broken records and championship records. The only thing that's really missing is the global title, which is very hard to get… But I'm going to keep trying and that's all I can do."

Great Britain’s Laura Muir, the Olympic 1500m silver medalist and three-time 1500m world championship medalist, will return to the 116th Millrose Games at The Armory on Feb. 11 to defend her NYRR Wanamaker Mile title.

In this conversation, Laura and I look back at her 2023 season – which was a bit turbulent at times since she parted ways with her longtime coach Andy Young, coached herself briefly and is now working with Steve Vernon. Despite the sudden changes, she still managed to run a season’s best of 3:55.16 for the 1500m and managed to make the World Championship final in Budapest, where she finished sixth. One highlight was running 4:15 for the mile in Monaco for a British record.

While we look back at last year, we also look ahead to 2024 where she plans to run the 3000m at the World Indoor Championships in March and then go all-in toward getting back on the podium in Paris.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠

Guest: Laura Muir | ⁠@lmuiruns on Instagram⁠

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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"The U.S. has become my home because it's been over ten years since I moved there. That makes me feel really emotional. My heart is full. I'm so grateful to be able to represent the U.S., after all I've gained in living there: to my two sisters living there, my son being born in the U.S. – it's a family thing for me. So I'm running for the whole family now."

With all the excitement leading into the Olympic Marathon Trials on February 3rd, it seems like a good time to reacquaint listeners with some of the top contenders. This week, Kyle Merber spoke with Betsy Saina, the former three-time NCAA champion from Iowa State and fifth place finisher in the 2016 Olympic 10,000m. In April 2021, Saina shifted her allegiance and is now eligible to represent the United States. Following her 2:21:40 finish at the Tokyo Marathon and a win at the Sydney Marathon on a hot day in September, where she ran 2:26:47, there is certainly a possibility of her being in Paris on the horizon.

Host: Kyle Merber | ⁠⁠@kylemerber on Instagram

Guest: Betsy Saina | @sainabetsy on Instagram

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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"I gained a lot of experience being in different races with different strategies and race situations. Competing at the World Championships was amazing. Competing in the prelim and final were two very different races, both of which I hadn't experienced before. I learned a lot from that. I'm excited to have had that experience, especially going into this year as an Olympic year, with the Olympic aspirations that I have. I have a lot of confidence that I can compete with the best in the world."

BYU’s Kenneth Rooks, the 2023 NCAA steeplechase champion and the U.S. champion, has decided to forego the remainder of his NCAA eligibility to turn professional and has signed a contract with Nike.

He plans to stay in Utah under coach Ed Eyestone and will train alongside Conner Mantz and Clayton Young.

Rooks was one of the NCAA’s breakout stars in 2023. He caught the attention of many with an 8:17.62 win over George Beamish and ‘22 U.S. champion Hillary Bor at the On Track Nights: Los Angeles meet in May. He backed up that performance by winning the NCAA title a month later in Austin, Texas. At the U.S. Championships. Rooks went viral after falling during the race but managed to recover in the closing stages to win in a personal best of 8:16.78. The video of that race has been watched nearly half a million times on YouTube.

At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Rooks made his debut for Team USA by beating out Olympic champion and reigning world champion Soufiane El Bakkali in the prelims. Rooks went on to take 10th in the final.

Rooks says there were opportunities to turn pro after the summer but he chose to return to BYU for one more cross country season. We reflect on his BYU career, the highlights of 2023 and what it was like going so viral outside of the track world and into the greater sports world. Plus, a few stories of his mission in Uganda.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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"If you have to flip a switch, it's too late. I've been locked in. We've been training and going at it and we’re focused on the process. The biggest thing for me is staying healthy and staying patient. You can't do anything out of the ordinary. You can't do something that you haven't practiced or do something extra. It's just another year. This is what we do every single year. It’s the top of the year – there’s newfound energy, newfound opportunity. But it’s the same level of consistency, the same level of intensity. We just continue to do what we do."

60m world record holder Christian Coleman will return to the Armory in New York City on Feb. 11th to go for his third consecutive victory in the men’s 60m at the Millrose Games.

Coleman is coming off a 2023 season in which he matched the world’s fastest 100m time of the year with a 9.83s victory at the Xiamen Diamond League in China last August. He was the runner-up in the men’s 100m at the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships and went on to place fifth at the World Championship final in Budapest. He closed out the season by winning the men’s 100m Diamond League crown at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.

You don’t hear Christian Coleman do too many longer interviews so it was a pleasure to chat with him as we reflect on 2023 and look toward 2024 – where you could make the case that he’s a gold medal favorite in the men’s 100m. He’s honest about the process of coming back from a whereabouts suspension that kept him out for 18 months and forced him to miss the Tokyo Olympics.

We get a bit technical on what makes for a great 60m sprinter and how that converts to outdoors and the 100m. I touched on why he’s not as vocal about records and fast times as some of his competitors and much more.

I think you’ll hear a side to one of the world’s fastest men that you haven’t heard before.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MILLROSE GAMES ⤵️

The Millrose Games is the sixth stop on the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold calendar.

Livestream and television broadcast details will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more Millrose Games athlete announcements as the pro fields come together.

Tickets to the 116th Millrose Games can be purchased online at millrosegames.org. For more information on all Armory Track events, visit armorytrack.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez.

Join more than 15,500 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://thelapcount.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this week's newsletter:

– Beatrice Chebet’s year goes out with a BANG 💥

– Copying tennis’s homework 📝👀

– Graham Blanks Signs with NB ✍️

– Personal Reflections on 2023 🥳

+ more rapid-fire highlights from the past week

You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/solving-track

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🥤 OLIPOP: New year, new you! At least that’s the promise you made to yourself before waking up with a hangover on Monday, right? Well, now that a couple of days have passed and your commitment to dry January is already waning, it’s time to invest in some OLIPOP. It’s the prebiotic soda with fiber and with as little as two grams of sugar in each can – a sip will have you feeling nostalgic for the days that your parents ordered you Shirley Temples as a special treat when you went out to eat. Wake up from tomorrow’s run with an extra pep in your step and some improved gut health thanks to OLIPOP.

Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders.

"But there are not a lot of Black cyclists that ride, obviously. Justin Williams' whole thing is about getting more Black people on bikes and just people on bikes in general. It was awesome because I've never met those guys before and they knew nothing about me and it was completely welcoming and friendly. It's a great community. Everyone wants to help out. Everyone wants to invite you to these social rides. You're not just addicted to riding but more being in a setting with those people."

We all know Rai Benjamin from the many global medals, but this interview is not about any of that. This fall I saw that the Mt. Vernon native had taken up a new activity, one that is most usually reserved for retired distance runners like myself. We caught up last week because I was intrigued to hear more about how and why the American record holder at the 400m hurdles had become such a serious cyclist during the off-season.

You can read the full interview from The Lap Count newsletter here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/the-lap-count-rai-benjamin-interview-on-cycling

Hosted by: Kyle Merber – @kylemerber on Instagram

Guest: Rai Benjamin – @kingben on Instagram

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

🎙️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez.

Join more than 15,000 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://thelapcount.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this week's newsletter:

– Kerr runs down a new half marathon PB 🏔

– THE Bowerman: Play for keeps 🏆

– New 25K WR… sorta, kinda, maybe not 🤔

– An American at Venta de Baños! 🇺🇸🇪🇸

+ more rapid-fire highlights from the past week

You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/runner-cycling-pipeline

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👟 The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix will be held on February 4, 2024 at The TRACK at New Balance, the state-of-the-art indoor track and field complex located across the street from New Balance's world headquarters in Brighton, Mass. Rest assured, the stars will be out as Gabby Thomas, Jake Wightman, and Noah Lyles have already been announced as starters. But that should come as no surprise – now in its 29th year, the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix has played host to nine world records and 16 American records. The 2023 edition was the first time the event was staged at The TRACK and the crowd was buzzing with excitement from start to finish. Come see what the type is all about! Get your tickets here: https://www.nbindoorgrandprix.com/tickets/?utm_source=www.thelapcount.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=the-running-cycling-pipeline

"It feels like a goal that’s within my grasp of achieving. Not only am I stronger and smarter than I was last year, but I feel like I've come a long way and will be able to attack this race with a lot more confidence to chase the world record. When I went (to Millrose) for the first time, I was just chasing the American record. So I feel like changing that mindset, just seeing how far I've come, it feels like a very real possibility at this point."

U.S. outdoor mile record holder Yared Nuguse will return to the Armory Track and Field Center in New York City for the 116th Millrose Games to defend his men’s Wanamaker Mile title.

Last year, Nuguse made his Millrose Games debut and won and set a U.S. indoor mile record of 3:47.38. He barely missed the world record of 3:47.01 set by Yomif Kejelcha in 2019.

Nuguse put together a career year in 2023 with a 7:28.23 for 3000m indoors (American record); a personal best of 3:29.02 for 1500m (the fastest performance by an American-born runner); 3:43.97 outdoor mile (an American record and the fourth-fastest performance in history; a victory at the London Diamond League 1500m and a fifth place finish in the 1500m final at the World Championships. Most recently, he ran 3:56.58 at the Merrie Mile in Honolulu to come just .45 seconds shy of breaking the road mile world record.

The Millrose Games is the sixth stop on the 2024 ⁠⁠World Athletics Indoor Tour⁠⁠ Gold calendar.

Livestream and television broadcast details will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more Millrose Games athlete announcements as the pro fields come together.

Tickets to the 116th Millrose Games can be purchased online at ⁠⁠millrosegames.org⁠⁠.

Hosted by: Chris Chavez – ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠

Guest: Yared Nuguse – ⁠@yaredthegoose on Instagram

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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“I think I have a good shot, but it's also very competitive and a lot deeper than people realize. This is probably a 20-person race. You only hear about maybe five or seven names, but it's a lot deeper than that.”

CJ Albertson is back on the CITIUS MAG Podcast just days after running 2:11:08 at the Baja California Marathon in Mexico this past weekend. The thing is – it comes a week after he ran and won the California International Marathon in 2:11:09.

With the performance in Mexico, he got under the 2:11:30 mark making him eligible for selection for the U.S. Olympic Team with a top-three finish at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Instead of having to worry about a time in Orlando, he now just needs to finish in the top three. 

A reminder to the listeners trying to keep track of things – The U.S. currently has two spots guaranteed for Paris thanks to Conner Mantz and Clayton Young’s performances at the Chicago Marathon. The third spot will likely be unlocked in May based on World Athletics’ rankings. It’s a bit confusing but CJ talks a bit about it in the episode as well. 

We touch on his decision to run 3 marathons in 2:11ish over 40 days and why he believes his chances of making the team are better than ever. Plus, you have to hear about his infrared treadmill setup.

Hosted by: Chris Chavez – ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠

Guest: CJ Albertson – @cjalbertson on Instagram

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💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez.

Join more than 15,000 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://thelapcount.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this week's newsletter:

– Katelyn Tuohy turns professional ✍️

– Foot Locker is BACK 🏁

– Euro XC — Slop ‘em up! 💩

– CJ Albertson gets the B standard ✅

– Most Valuable Players 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

– In-Season Tournaments for All! 🏆

+ more rapid-fire highlights from the past week

You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/athlete-year

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👟 Our mission at On is to ignite the human spirit through movement. Inspired by athletes. Powered by Swiss engineering. Move with us, and Dream On.

We all know it’s harder to get out for a run in the cold, dark days of winter than at other times of the year. But if you can escape the duvet and resist the comfort of the couch, it’s always worth it.

There’s a bigger sense of satisfaction after a winter run than after a workout in kinder conditions. It just always feels worth it. And if you’re training for a spring marathon or dedicated to a regular routine, then investing in winter running will pay off big time when the days finally get longer. Visit: https://www.on-running.com

"I approached that race with the mentality of just sticking my nose in it and trying to give it my all. I didn't have an idea of what place I wanted to be because that can add a bit of stress and anxiety on top of racing if you're set on getting a certain place. I just wanted to see what I could do, especially with being sick that week leading up to it."

Notre Dame senior Olivia Markezich just ran 8:40.42 for 3000m at Boston University's indoor track, which is the second-fastest in NCAA history.

It’s been a fantastic year for her. In the spring, she won the 2023 NCAA title in the steeplechase and then finished fourth at the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She returned to South Bend for one more full year and capped her final cross country season with a third-place individual and fourth-place team finish for the Fighting Irish. She also signed an NIL deal with On earlier in the fall.

I’d say she’s certainly a contender to make the U.S. Olympic team in the steeplechase and might even win the whole thing next June.

In this episode, we chat about her rise in the NCAA ranks, how she found the steeplechase, why she returned for one more year, how she’s continually surprising herself in these races and her hopes with the Olympic Trials on the horizon.

Hosted by: Chris Chavez – @chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Guest: Olivia Markezich – @oliviamarkezich on Instagram

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“It says a lot about her and her career in general. She came in struggling, having gotten hurt at the end of high school. I'm so grateful that this program was able to help her get back and that she had the teammates and support here that she was able to come back after a disappointing end to her high school career and be able to have the career she's had here at NC State. I know some of her last individual [performances] weren't what she was hoping for or what we thought could have happened, but for her to end on a team championship will mean a lot to her looking back and it means so much to our program, staff and everyone at NC State."

This is a bonus episode that complements our interview with Katelyn Tuohy, who has decided to forego the remainder of her NCAA eligibility to turn professional and has signed a contract with adidas.

We chatted with coach Laurie Henes just a few weeks after leading the Wolfpack to their third consecutive NCAA cross country title. Henes and Tuohy are just two of the faces behind the women’s cross-country dynasty that resulted in those trophies along with NCAA regional titles and ACC titles.

In addition to the team's success, Henes has also overseen Tuohy’s training for four individual NCAA titles and three collegiate records. As one chapter closes for the duo, and another begins, not too much will change. Tuohy will remain under Henes’ guidance into the Olympic year.

In this episode, we’ll talk about Tuohy’s legacy at NC State, how coach Henes oversaw her development and what’s coming next.

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is actually good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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“It’s cool to see one of your dreams come true. I remember one meeting we had in high school where my coach was saying how he'd never coached a professional runner. And then he turned to me and was like, ‘Yet.’ So that was the first time I was like, ‘OK, someone believes that I can make it happen’. It's been really cool over the past few years chasing this dream and finally having it come true.”

My guest for today’s episode is NC State’s Katelyn Tuohy, who has decided to forego the remainder of her NCAA eligibility to turn professional and has signed a contract with adidas, she told CITIUS MAG in an exclusive interview before her announcement on Wednesday afternoon.

Ahead of the Olympic year, Tuohy plans to remain under the guidance of NC State coach Laurie Henes and may split time between Raleigh, North Carolina, and a possible training stint in Flagstaff, Arizona, to train at altitude for the first time in her career.

Last month, Tuohy wrapped up one of the most decorated NCAA careers by a distance runner with four individual NCAA titles; three NCAA cross country team titles; three NCAA records, 11 All-American titles, and five SEC championships.

Despite her long list of credentials, Tuohy is still only 21 years old. In 2022, she became one of the first collegiate cross country runners to sign an NIL deal - also with adidas - and has amassed a sizable fandom that includes over 100,000 followers on Instagram.

At the most recent U.S. championships, she finished 7th in the 5000m, the top collegian in the event. If Tuohy achieves the qualifying standard (14:52.00) and finishes in the top three of the upcoming U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials next June, she could become the youngest woman to make the U.S. Olympic team in the 5000m.

In this episode, we talk all about the decision to turn pro and what she’s looking forward to most. She reflects on her Wolfpack career and opens up a bit about what it’s been like being in the spotlight from a high school star to now.

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💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez.

Join more than 15,000 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://thelapcount.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this week's newsletter:

– Boston University: Still FAST!!! 🔃

– The closing of the window — CIM 🔚

– NXN: Talent is a dominant trait 🧬

– This Cross race was Sound 🎵

– Valencia Marathon — Ciudad del Running 🇪🇸

– Sliding into those Strava DMs 🚴

+ more rapid-fire highlights from the past week

You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/dm-not-dm

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👟 Our mission at On is to ignite the human spirit through movement. Inspired by athletes. Powered by Swiss engineering. Move with us, and Dream On.

We all know it’s harder to get out for a run in the cold, dark days of winter than at other times of the year. But if you can escape the duvet and resist the comfort of the couch, it’s always worth it.

There’s a bigger sense of satisfaction after a winter run than after a workout in kinder conditions. It just always feels worth it. And if you’re training for a spring marathon or dedicated to a regular routine, then investing in winter running will pay off big time when the days finally get longer. Visit: https://www.on-running.com

"In my mind, I have the situation going on in Ukraine. So it was really complicated for me to turn off this emotion and to be focused only on high jump. I'm really thankful to my coach because she said to me, ‘We come to show the results. We come for the gold medal. And we come for our country, to show all people that we are strong and will fight in all areas.’"

Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh will make her debut at the ⁠116th Millrose Games⁠ at The Armory on Feb. 11 in New York City.

Mahuchikh just wrapped up a stellar 2023 season in which the 21-year-old claimed gold in the women’s high jump at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest by clearing 2.01m on her second try. She completed her global outdoor medal set after earning a silver medal at the 2019 and 2022 World Championships and an Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo in 2021. 

Mahuchikh also earned a gold medal at the 2022 World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia – which took place just weeks after fleeing her home in Dnipro due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She traced by car for three days to make her way to the championships.

She has been training in Germany and Turkey within the past year. At 21 years old, she has been very vocal about using sport as a platform for promoting peace and awareness about how the war has devastated Ukraine.

In September, Mahuchikh cleared a world-leading 2.03m to win the women’s high jump at the Prefontaine Classic and defend her Diamond League trophy. Following the meet, she spent a few days in New York City to celebrate her 21st birthday.

The Millrose Games is the sixth stop on the 2024 ⁠World Athletics Indoor Tour⁠ Gold calendar.

Livestream and television broadcast details will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more Millrose Games athlete announcements as the pro fields come together.

Tickets to the 116th Millrose Games can be purchased online at ⁠millrosegames.org⁠.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is actually good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

🎙️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez.

Join more than 15,000 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://thelapcount.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this week's newsletter:

– Making 4.748 Mile PB jokes is an American tradition 🦃

– The NCAA All-Merber Team 🧑‍🎓

– LAST CALL FOR THE OLYMPIC TRIALS!!! 🔔

– How much is a PB worth to you? 🤑

+ more rapid-fire highlights from the past week

You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/stop-procrastinating-otq

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👟 NEW BALANCE: Here's the thing about the Fresh Foam x 1080… I like them. I use them for running seven-minute pace from my house, and for walking to my car to drive somewhere else to go run seven-minute pace. They’re workhorses, and about as reliable of a shoe as you can ever ask for. When someone new into running asks me, “What shoes should I get?” then the New Balance 1080s are my go-to recommendation because everyone likes them and that theoretical person probably will too. Get a pair at https://newbalance.com/running

"I have this road map for what I believe will make the best Olympic final for me...I just want to make sure that the training's there. If the training is there, I am the best 1500m runner in the world. I just need to make sure there's consistency. So the way that I look at races is: What can I do to bring the most value to that race as well as learning as much as possible from that race?"

2023 1500m world champion Josh Kerr of Great Britain will headline the field for the men’s two mile at the 116th Millrose Games at The Armory on Feb. 11, race organizers announced.

Kerr, who is also the reigning Olympic bronze medalist in the 1500m and European indoor mile record holder, will be competing in his fifth Millrose Games since 2018. In 2022, he took second in the Millrose Wanamaker Mile. Earlier this year, Kerr opted to run the men’s 3000m against one of the most talented fields ever assembled. The decision paid off as he kicked to victory with a 26.98 final 200m to win in 7:33.47. 

The Millrose Games is the sixth stop on the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold calendar.

Livestream and television broadcast details will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more Millrose Games athlete announcements as the pro fields come together.

Tickets to the 116th Millrose Games can be purchased online at millrosegames.org.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is actually good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

🎙️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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"It's not like I'm jogging on those days [that I’m running] or that I'm cross-training easily. I think people underestimate what I'm doing. When I cross-train, there are puddles of sweat on the floor to the point that our recreational center has to put out 'Wet Floor' signs because I sweat that much. One time, they put an 'Out of Order' sign on my machine because they thought it was leaking. Little did they know, it was my sweat."

 Florida’s Parker Valby just won the 2023 NCAA Cross Country individual championship title after a runner-up finish behind NC State’s Katelyn Tuohy in 2022. She wrapped up an undefeated 4–0 season that includes wins at the Nuttycombe Invitational, the SEC Championships and the NCAA South Regional before winning it all in Charlottesville just nine days ago. She dominated the race and covered the 6K course in 18 minutes and 55 seconds to win by just over 10 seconds.

Parker is also the NCAA Outdoor 5000m champion and owns a personal best of 15:20 for 5000m and 8:49 for 3000m. 

She has drawn a bunch of attention to her training methods after telling the media that she only runs two to three days a week while cross-training a lot in between. We dive into and clarify a bit about her training. We discuss what’s got her excited for track season and we answer a few of your listener questions submitted via Instagram.

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is actually good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📊 VDOT is offering 20% off their coaching subscription using the code citiusmag. Download V.O2 in the app stores or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vdoto2.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to start your 30-day free trial. Athletes without a coach can use the same code and try out their fully automated VDOT Adaptive Trainer and sync to an Apple Watch, COROS or Garmin. Leverage the world-famous VDOT formulas and take your running to the next level with V.O2

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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“I think the thing that characterizes DII, DIII and NAIA athletes is that they're super passionate about running in a way that differs from DI athletes. I always see the DIII guys and gals who are going to keep running well after college. They love it and that’s why they’re going to the smaller schools out of high school – because they want that opportunity to keep running. There’s way more passion rather than ‘I’m the best at this and there’s a scholarship on the line so I may as well do it.’”

The Lap Count’s Kyle Merber and Noah Droddy, 2:09 marathoner and D3 Glory Days Podcast host, talk through their experience covering the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships. Kyle was on the call for the ESPN broadcast for Division I while Noah was behind the mic for the Division III stream on YouTube.

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🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is actually good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💻 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

🎙️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

💵 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎥 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez.

Join more than 15,000 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://thelapcount.com/⁠⁠⁠

In this week's newsletter:

– NCAA XC at Panorama Farms 🚜

– Parker gets hers! 🐊

– Back-to-Back-to-Back 🐺

– 387 years in the making! 🎓

– The passing of the dynasty torch? 🤠

– Thoughts from the booth 🎤

– Minus One Olympic Trials Qualifier 🇺🇸

+ more rapid-fire highlights from the past week

You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/gobbling-miles

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"I try to divert a lot of the attention from me towards the team because it really is a lot bigger than just me and my performances. I have a lot of supportive teammates and great staff at Harvard – so that's one thing I try to do. The other thing is just to stay in the moment with the guys. In the end, I'm a part of this team and that's the most important thing. I don't really want to isolate myself as an individual on the squad. We are the squad. We refer to ourselves as 'the hive mind'. I think we even said that on the line at NCAAs – three, two, one, hive mind.”

Harvard’s Graham Blanks just won the NCAA Cross Country men’s individual title and became the first man from the Ivy League to do so. Blanks completed a perfect 5–0 season that included wins at the Battle in Beantown, Nuttycombe Invitational, Ivy League Championships and the NCAA Division I Northeast Region Cross Country Championships before Saturday’s victory.

At 21 years old, he is also the youngest person to win the NCAA Cross Country Championships since Dathan Ritzenhein in 2003. The future is bright and now he turns his attention to the indoor track season as early as next weekend in Boston. He already owns personal bests of 7:44.76 for 3000m and 13:18.45 for 5000m.

Get to know the former Athens Academy star, go inside his training and much more in this episode. Plus, we answer a bunch of your questions from Instagram.

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MEN’S INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION | GRAHAM BLANKS

– Harvard’s Graham Blanks made history as the first-ever man from the Ivy League to win the men’s cross country individual title. He raced patiently before starting to make his move with a kilometer remaining in the race and was able to pull away from New Mexico’s Habtom Samuel (a 17th place finisher at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships). Blanks covered the 10K course in 28:37.7 to win by three seconds.

– Blanks completed a perfect 5–0 season that included wins at the Battle in Beantown, Nuttycombe Invitational, Ivy League Championships and the NCAA Division I Northeast Region Cross Country Championships before Saturday’s victory.

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MEN’S TEAM CHAMPIONS | OKLAHOMA STATE

– One year after losing on a tiebreaker on their home course, Oklahoma State left nothing to doubt and downed the defending champion Northern Arizona 49–71.

– The Cowboys put five runners in the top 15.

– Freshman Denis Kipngetich was the top OSU runner in fourth place overall in 28:59.7 for the 10K course. Fellow freshman Brian Musau was not far behind with an eighth place finish in 29:11.0. Fouad Messaoudi was 10th in 29:13.3. Victor Shitsama took 12th at 29:16.1. Alex Maier was 15th in 29:20.2.

– This is Oklahoma State’s first men’s team title since 2012. 

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WOMEN’S INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION | PARKER VALBY

– After finishing second at the 2022 NCAA Cross Country Championships, Parker Valby dominated this year’s race to win in 18:55.2 for the 6K course. She won by 10.6 seconds.

– Valby completed an undefeated season that included four victories at the Nuttycombe Invitational, SEC Cross Country Championships and the NCAA South Regional before Saturday’s victory.

– She is the first runner from the Florida Gators to win an NCAA Cross Country title.

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WOMEN’S TEAM CHAMPIONS | NC STATE THREEPEAT!

– The NC State women won their third consecutive team title with a narrow one-point victory victory Northern Arizona, which marked the closest team finish in NCAA Cross Country Championship history for the women’s side.

– NC State is the first school to win back-to-back-to-back NCAA team titles since Stanford won from 2005 to 2007.

– The Wolfpack was led by 2022 NCAA champion Katelyn Tuohy, who was dealing with a slight sickness and still managed to finish fifth overall in 19:23.0. Amaris Tyynismaa (25th in 19:55.3) and Sam Bush (28th in 20:00.7) also earned All-American honors.

– The Wolfpack had big performances by Leah Stephens (43rd in 20:08.2) and Grace Hartman (20:24.4) as the team was without Kelsey Chmiel, who was third at last year’s championships.

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A Wide Open Race At The Top

"Nico Young feels due for an individual title on the grass. From his fourth place finish as a freshman, to falling just short over the final stretch last year, Young has never had a bad performance at NCAAs – his lowest career finish is 11th. A breakthrough in his senior year would be reminiscent of Adam Goucher’s legendary 1998 win, some great company for Young to join.

Young’s only two losses this season have come to arguably his biggest rivals heading into this weekend. Just last week he was edged by New Mexico’s Habtom Samuel at the Mountain Regional. Samuel is a newcomer to the NCAA scene this fall but is a two-time World U20 Medalist, placed 17th at the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships – the senior race! – for his native Eritrea, and boasts a 27:20.08 10,000m PB. He’s also won three of the four races he has run this season as a Lobo.

At the biggest regular-season meet of the year, the Nuttycombe Invitational, they finished in the two spots behind Harvard’s Graham Blanks. While Blanks (6th at NCAAs in 2022) was considered a surprise champ on the day, winning is all he has done this year. Blanks has started four races this season and crossed the finish first in each and every time. The big caveat to Blanks’s win at Wisco was that it came in incredibly muddy and rainy conditions that will look nothing like the weather in Charlottesville on Saturday. It is worth wondering if the fair weather in the forecast favors one of the contenders with quicker track PBs more.

Another big regular-season winner was Nico Young’s teammate Drew Bosley, who started the year strong with wins at NAU’s home opener and the Virginia Invitational, but didn’t run the Lumberjack’s conference meet and was the third finisher on his own team in their regional race. There is certainly concern there but Bosley should not be counted out as you only have to look to a year ago where he stayed with Young until the closing stages of the race.

Lastly, it would be impossible to move on without mentioning last year’s 5000m/10,000m champion on the track, Stanford’s Ky Robinson. Although Robinson (10th last year at NCAAs) doesn’t have a signature win over a national field on the grass this year, the 2022 Nuttycombe champion has put together a solid campaign. The Cardinal crew hasn’t made much noise in the team conversation this year, but they’ll be looking to cap the season with back-to-back individual champions.

Read our full preview here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/2023-ncaa-cross-country-championships-preview

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Katelyn Tuohy vs Parker Valby: Part III

"Stop me if this sounds familiar. Florida’s Parker Valby (2nd at 2022 NCAAs) is running eye-popping times that make her look untouchable, while Katelyn Tuohy is racking up big wins by leaving competitors in the dust over the final mile, setting up a head-to-head matchup with the hype of a heavyweight title fight. It feels like deja vu, when both runners were co-favorites headed into 2022 NCAAs. We all know how that turned out, with Valby going out hard on a grueling course and Tuohy hunting her down to run away with a convincing win.

This year though, there is one key difference: unlike 2022, Tuohy and Valby have a head-to-head matchup on their cards already headed into the championships. At the Nuttycombe Invitational five weeks ago, Valby set a course record in brutal conditions, running away from the NC State star over the second half of the race. It was a shock to see Tuohy – who went undefeated last season – get outclassed and an incredible sign for Valby believers to see her speed translate over the hills that hurt her last November. Tuohy has cruised to impressive wins in her two races since the defeat, and should still be considered a slight favorite until someone takes the trophy from her hands, but it's clear Valby is on a different level than she was last year, and it might just be enough to give the University of Florida its first individual cross country champion."

Read our full preview here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/2023-ncaa-cross-country-championships-preview

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NCAA Cross Country Championships Women's Team Preview: Will NAU Break Up The NC State Three-peat? "It was only a matter of time before the Northern Arizona University women caught up to their male counterparts. With the same team resources as the men, a beneficial training environment, and one of the best coaches in the country, there was no reason why top female talent wouldn’t flock to Flagstaff. Now, as the Lady Jacks sit atop the national coaches’ poll headed into the big dance in Charlottesville, the question worth asking is if they are a bigger favorite than their dynastic men's squad. Reigning champion Katelyn Tuohy is expected to add, at most, 2 points to the team score, but she’ll be relying on her teammates to outplace the competition as well. That starts with the Scottie Pippen to Tuohy’s Michael Jordan, fifth-year senior Kelsey Chmiel (3rd at 2022 NCAAs). Chmiel has been the most consistent member of the Wolfpack supporting cast in what has been a bit of a rocky season by NC State’s sky-high standards. This will be her fifth appearance at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, and she has managed to improve her result at each and every one (22nd in 2019, 9th in 2020*, 6th in 2021, and 3rd in 2022). Behind their top two, NC State has a number of important question marks that could make or break the team’s attempted threepeat. Expectations were high for the Wolfpack when they added Alabama transfer Amaris Tyynismaa (9th at 2022 NCAAs) ahead of the track season last year; however, the reigning ACC 5000m champion on the track has struggled with injury this fall and hasn’t finished either of the two races she has started. Two-time All-American Samantha Bush (15th at 2022 NCAAs) seems to be rounding into form with her sixth place finish at the Southeast Regional meet, but she opened the season with a seventh place finish on her own team, followed by a DNF at Nuttycombe. NC State may have to rely on their talented crop of young runners to cover the gaps. Keep an eye out for redshirt freshman Grace Hartman (8th at 2023 Southeast Regional), who edged out standout true freshman Leah Stephens, the Wolfpack’s third runner at both ACC Championships and Nuttycombe." Read our preview here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/2023-ncaa-cross-country-championships-preview

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Can NAU Keep The Dynasty Going? Can Oklahoma State Get Redemption? "Flashback to 2022: there was chaos at the finish line of the OSU Cross Country Course in Stillwater, Oklahoma, as officials tried to sort out the final score of the meet. The frequently-changing unofficial results made their way to the runners, and for just a moment, Oklahoma State thought they had won. It seemed that they used their home course advantage to upset the Northern Arizona dynasty, it was a storybook ending. But joy quickly turned to heartbreak as both teams ended up with a final score of 83 points – the first tie in NCAA Championship history – and the recently changed tiebreaker rules awarded the title to the Lumberjacks.

There was plenty of debate following the race about whether the tiebreaker rules were fair, but no amount of arguing was going to change the result. Barely missing a prime opportunity on their home course and losing two of their top five runners as NAU improved meant that the Cowboys may have missed their best chance in recent years… or so we thought." Read more in our preview here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/2023-ncaa-cross-country-championships-preview

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As Chris recovers from the marathon, Kyle Merber, Eric Jenkins and Mac Fleet took over the show for a special episode of "Office Hourse" – where we answer our followers, readers and listeners' questions.

We'll try and do more of these when we're all together in-person. Here are the questions answered in this week's episode:

– Do you like the way the U.S. selects its marathon team through the Olympic Trials system?

– How much alcohol do pros actually drink?

– What do you think is reasonable mileage for a "working runner" to attempt when aiming for a hypothetical sub-2:45 marathon PR?

– Why don't we host more professional cross country meets in the United States?

– Shouldn't pro runners practice racing without pacers more?

– What does it mean when pros say they "get work done" in their training or at races? Like PT/massage/chiropractor? Who is paying for that?

– Why is there a Bowerman Track Club exodus? What is happening?

– Is Kelvin Kiptum and his fast performance good for the sport?

– Why don't runners like Scott Fauble and Emma Bates run more races than marathons?

+ more

To submit a question to the pod, please email us or send a voice recording to thelapcount@gmail.com.

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This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez.

Join more than 15,000 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://thelapcount.com/⁠⁠

In this week's newsletter:

– The top storylines of the 2023 NCAA XC Meet ✍️

– In defense of NCAA international athletes 🌍

– Only 50 miles to GLORY! 🙌

+ more rapid-fire highlights from the past week

You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/collegeee

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

👟 Thank you to New Balance for sponsoring this week’s newsletter! I’m a diehard repeat user of the 1080s and also a sucker for all-white shoes. Hey – you don’t make it to the 13th version of a shoe without it being special. Visit NewBalance.com/Running to get your pair.

🥤 What goes better with NCAA cross country than an OLIPOP on the side? Come for the 15 different flavors and stay because you care about your digestive health too! It’s a prebiotic soda with 9g of fiber (32% of your daily needs) that only has 2-5g of sugar and helps your gut in a way that a threshold workout never could. We love OLIPOP because they love track and field! And I am sure if we asked they’d agree cross country should be an Olympic sport.

Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders.