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

"The main reason we started was just that we didn't see that many people that look like us reporting on track and field. In other sports like basketball and the NFL, you see people of color and a lot of diversity in all of the reporting. When it comes to track, it's not really like that. I really love track and field. I love all the events. When I go to these other sites and mainly distance is getting covered, I'm thinking most of the reason why is because it's not a diverse group of people. Whenever you put culture and diversity into something, it gets better."

My guests for today’s episode are Aaron and Joshua Potts. You may know them as the Two Black Runners since they have their own podcast by that name. You may have watched some of their videos on YouTube or Instagram. They’re creating all types of running content by the culture and for the culture, as they say. I had the chance to meet them in person for the first time when we broadcast the Trials of Miles Qualifier meet in Kansas City and they served as the sideline guys while me and Kyle Merber were in the booth. The reaction on social media and reception to the energy they brought to the show was great. They were also two of the 16 members of the inaugural Magic Boost class, which is a program that I helped lead that looks to empower, amplify and mentor the next generation of track and field content creators. Some of the videos that Joshua and Aaron were able to put together from their time in Eugene for the Pre Classic were hilarious so I’ll include some in the show notes for you to check out. Get to know them a little better here. Hear their story and then support their work.

📈 Hustle Clean is a mission-driven self-care brand for the active lifestyle. It was created by athletes for high performers that want to do more and be more without compromise. The Hustle Clean Body Wipe is an extra-large, durable, full-body wipe designed to remove sweat, dirt, and body odor in moments when a shower is optimal but not possible. Products are safe on sensitive skin, hypoallergenic, paraben-free, & infused with aloe vera, vitamin E, & witch hazel. Hustle Clean is sold nationwide in Walmart, Target, & Amazon. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get a deal and get 10% off all their products, if you visit HustleClean.com and use discount code CITIUS.

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

"When I go and talk in schools and you've got these negative issues, you want to portray the positivity of 'Wow. This is such a great thing to be involved in running, sport and events.'  Even though it's frustrating, you want to put that positive message out. You want kids to get involved. You want to celebrate being together as runners. When I look back at my career, yes, I am frustrated at what my career could have been but that's the same for so many athletes...You just have to think, 'Yeah, but I've traveled all over the world. I've met amazing people. I've competed at Olympic Games. Aren't I a lucky person to have had that?' That's kind of the message I want to take forward as well. Of course, I'm gutted about people who cheat but you want to think about the positives of our sport as well. There's still work to do."

Jo Pavey is a five-time Olympian for Great Britain. She is the 2007 world championship bronze medalist in the 10,000 meters after finishing fourth but then getting upgraded to the podium following a re-test of the anti-doping samples that found Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey had tested positive for a banned steroid. However, the upgrade didn't happen for 10 years so it really did affect the course of her career. We talk about that and how she continued to press forward with her doubts for years. She is also the 2014 European champion in the 10,000 meters, which she says is the other proudest moment of her career because it came at 40 years old and as a mother. She just celebrated her 48th birthday and has plans to continue racing so you'll get to learn more about the keys to her longevity. It was fun to sit down with Jo alongside my recurring co-host Kyle Merber before we commentated at the Saucony Fast Future 10K in Essen, Germany.

👟 Mark your calendars for September 28th when you can snag a pair of the limited-edition Endorphin Pro+ on Saucony.com. It’s super limited. until then, check out Saucony’s current lineup, including the Endorphin Pro 2 and the Endorphin Speed 2, another plated fan-favorite for speed work and tempo runs. Read more about the shoe here.

📈 Hustle Clean is a mission-driven self-care brand for the active lifestyle. It was created by athletes for high performers that want to do more and be more without compromise. The Hustle Clean Body Wipe is an extra-large, durable, full-body wipe designed to remove sweat, dirt, and body odor in moments when a shower is optimal but not possible. Products are safe on sensitive skin, hypoallergenic, paraben-free, & infused with aloe vera, vitamin E, & witch hazel. Hustle Clean is sold nationwide in Walmart, Target, & Amazon. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get a deal and get 10% off all their products, if you visit HustleClean.com and use discount code CITIUS.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

"I want to point out that while I’m relaying the advice to be patient like I’ve been given from Meb, Ritz, Ryan Hall, Deena and Des to be patient. It’s still hard to be patient. You want to see the good tune-up races and the good workouts because...I don’t want to go to New York and be in the pack at 15 miles and when there’s a strong move, I run smart and I pick off a few guys over the last few miles of the race and I finish fifth to 10th. I’ve done that. I know how to do that. I want to be fit enough that I can cover a 4:40 mile going up First Avenue and I can be in that pack and I can sit in that race. That’s what motivates me."

I believe this is the third time Jared Ward has come on the show. His first time was in Feb. 2019 and then he was on last fall before he ran in the London Marathon. Now he’s back as he gets ready for the New York City Marathon and also runs in the Saucony Future Fast 10K in Germany that you can watch next Wednesday at 2 pm ET on the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel. 

Jared has raced sparingly since he ran at The Marathon Project last December so we get the details on that, how he’s worked his way back into shape after taking time off to help his wife with their newest baby and his big goals – which include the podium in The Big Apple. I appreciated this episode because Jared and I talk about what that comeback has felt like for many people during this pandemic. I just recently posted to Instagram how initially I was planning to go to the Chicago Marathon and try and break three hours but I’m just not quite there yet. I’m still shaking off the pandemic rust. So if you’re one of those people who has been hoping to get back on the string of hitting PRs and sometimes training is going right but the results aren’t coming immediately, I’m right with you and Jared’s got some good advice.

👟 Mark your calendars for September 28th when you can snag a pair of the limited-edition Endorphin Pro+ on Saucony.com. It’s super limited. You’ll also get to see the shoes in action in a special test event taking place in Germany on Sept. 22, which you’ll be able to watch LIVE on the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel and will feature commentary by me and Kyle Merber. We’re getting your favorite announcing duo back together. And until then, check out Saucony’s current lineup, including the Endorphin Pro 2 and the Endorphin Speed 2, another plated fan-favorite for speed work and tempo runs. Read more about the shoe here.

📈 Hustle Clean is a mission-driven self-care brand for the active lifestyle. It was created by athletes for high performers that want to do more and be more without compromise. The Hustle Clean Body Wipe is an extra-large, durable, full-body wipe designed to remove sweat, dirt, and body odor in moments when a shower is optimal but not possible. Products are safe on sensitive skin, hypoallergenic, paraben-free, & infused with aloe vera, vitamin E, & witch hazel. Hustle Clean is sold nationwide in Walmart, Target, & Amazon. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get a deal and get 10% off all their products, if you visit HustleClean.com and use discount code CITIUS.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

"That's honestly been the biggest change I made this year: Just mentally being so much more prepared, so much happier and just felt ready with myself. I wasn't really focused on what anyone else was doing. I knew I was ready. I think there were a few big things we worked on. I have such a perfectionist nature. It was super innate probably and then I grew up in a sport that just sort of cultivated that in gymnastics. The whole premise of the sport is perfection. We really tackled that. We realized it wasn't just in terms of running that trait was coming out. It's probably been my whole life. Whenever I get into a scenario, especially in training, where someone is pushing the pace or it's playing out differently than I think it should be, what tools do I have or what can I do to handle that vs. going into a panic mode – which is what was starting to happen pretty frequently."

Olympic and world championship steeplechase silver medalist Courtney Frerichs re-joins the show. The last time she was on was in 2018 after she broke the American record in 9:00.85 at the Monaco Diamond League. This was recorded in August just after she became the first American woman to run under nine minutes in the steeplechase. 

In 2019, she had what she believes to be a disappointing season that ended with a sixth-place finish at the World Championships just two years after taking silver behind Emma Coburn. 

When the pandemic wiped away the 2020 outdoor season, she didn’t do a steeplechase workout at all. She took a break from training for the event and then had an injury in December. You’ll learn more about that and also how the two steeplechase races before the Olympic Trials set the blueprint for one of the best performances by an American at the Tokyo Olympics. 

In Japan, she took the lead after a kilometer into the race and tried holding on but was passed in the final lap by Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai. Frerichs ended up with silver, which is the best performance by a female steeplechase at the Games since the event was added in 2008. You’ll be put in her shoes for that race and hear about Shalane Flanagan’s text message to her before the race + much more. 

At the Pre Classic just a few weeks later, she lowered her American record to 8:57.77 and then took third at the Diamond League final in Zurich after we recorded.

👟 Mark your calendars for September 28th when you can snag a pair of the limited-edition Endorphin Pro+ on Saucony.com. It’s super limited. You’ll also get to see the shoes in action in a special test event taking place in Germany on Sept. 22, which you’ll be able to watch LIVE on the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel and will feature commentary by me and Kyle Merber. We’re getting your favorite announcing duo back together. And until then, check out Saucony’s current lineup, including the Endorphin Pro 2 and the Endorphin Speed 2, another plated fan-favorite for speed work and tempo runs. Read more about the shoe here.

📈 Hustle Clean is a mission-driven self-care brand for the active lifestyle. It was created by athletes for high performers that want to do more and be more without compromise. The Hustle Clean Body Wipe is an extra-large, durable, full-body wipe designed to remove sweat, dirt, and body odor in moments when a shower is optimal but not possible. Products are safe on sensitive skin, hypoallergenic, paraben-free, & infused with aloe vera, vitamin E, & witch hazel. Hustle Clean is sold nationwide in Walmart, Target, & Amazon. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get a deal and get 10% off all their products if you visit Hustle Clean.com and use discount code CITIUS.

"I want to be top American at a World Marathon Major. I want to take that step forward. It's taken me a lot longer to get to that point. That's just how it goes sometimes with surgeries, setbacks and there not being that many opportunities...Boston is hard though."

Welcome back to the podcast, Parker Stinson. The last time he was on this show, he was getting ready to run the 2018 Chicago Marathon and still had a bit of work to prove himself as a pro runner on the roads following his successful career at the University of Oregon. After a coaching switch from Brad Hudson to Dathan Ritzenhein, Parker seemed to find a bit of that spark that he needed and had a strong 2019 campaign that included running a 25K American record of 1:13:48 and then a 2:10.:53 marathon in Chicago that fall. 

Unfortunately, he had to scratch from the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials due to an injury - which he’ll talk about in this episode and then underwent knee surgery in 2020. The road back hasn’t been easy but Parker peels back the curtain on that process and why he’s ready to give it a go at the Boston Marathon. Is a possible rivalry brewing with Scott Fauble? 

Parker will be one of the elite athletes at the Endorphin Pro+ showcase, which will be a 10K in Germany that will be streamed live on the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel with me and Kyle Merber on the mic.

👟 Mark your calendars for September 28th when you can snag a pair of the limited-edition Endorphin Pro+ on Saucony.com. It’s super limited. You’ll also get to see the shoes in action in a special test event taking place in Germany on Sept. 22, which you’ll be able to watch LIVE on the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel and will feature commentary by me and Kyle Merber. We’re getting your favorite announcing duo back together. And until then, check out Saucony’s current lineup, including the Endorphin Pro 2 and the Endorphin Speed 2, another plated fan-favorite for speed work and tempo runs. Read more about the shoe here.

📈 Hustle Clean is a mission-driven self-care brand for the active lifestyle. It was created by athletes for high performers that want to do more and be more without compromise. The Hustle Clean Body Wipe is an extra-large, durable, full-body wipe designed to remove sweat, dirt, and body odor in moments when a shower is optimal but not possible. Products are safe on sensitive skin, hypoallergenic, paraben-free, & infused with aloe vera, vitamin E, & witch hazel. Hustle Clean is sold nationwide in Walmart, Target, & Amazon. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get a deal and get 10% off all their products, if you visit Hustle Clean.com and use discount code CITIUS.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

“There’s so many stories and testimonies of amazing women in track and field – men and women. We should definitely shine a light on everybody because everybody has a story. Everybody has been through a lot. You never know who can relate to those stories as well. I’m a big advocate of showing a light on everyone.”

Teahna Daniels is a professional sprinter for Nike, who had a breakout season in 2021 to run 10.83 at the Prefontaine Classic, which ties her for No. 14 on the all-time U.S. list. This has been a season where Sha'Carri Richardson has been the No. 1 U.S. female sprinter in all of the headlines but why not spread the love and the attention on some of the women who are also running fast behind her. Teahna is No. 2 for the United States in the U.S. In this episode, you’ll learn about her upbringing in Florida, where she lit it up as a high schooler. She went on to run at Texas, where she won an NCAA title in the 60-meter dash. As a professional, she was the 2019 U.S. Champion and went on to finish 7th at that year’s world championships in Doha. Two years later, she made her first Olympic team and also took 7th in the 100 meter final (where she was the only American woman). She was a member of the Team USA 4x100 meter relay squad that took silver. We unpack all of that + her first-hand perspective as to what’s happening right now in the sprints that FloJo’s world record of 10.49 may be in jeopardy.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

📈 Hustle Clean is a mission-driven self-care brand for the active lifestyle. It was created by athletes for high performers that want to do more and be more without compromise. The Hustle Clean Body Wipe is an extra-large, durable, full-body wipe designed to remove sweat, dirt, and body odor in moments when a shower is optimal but not possible. Products are safe on sensitive skin, hypoallergenic, paraben-free, & infused with aloe vera, vitamin E, & witch hazel. Hustle Clean is sold nationwide in Walmart, Target, & Amazon. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get a deal and get 10% off all their products, if you visit Hustle Clean.com and use discount code CITIUS.

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

One-on-one with Eliud Kipchoge. The two-time Olympic gold medalist in the marathon. The 26.2 world record holder. The only person in history to get under two hours for the marathon. A legend of the sport. 

You may have seen some other podcasts out there with little mini-episodes for 15 min with him but this was the real deal. I got the chance to sit down with Kipchoge in Eugene for just an open conversation on life after winning another gold medal, where he goes from here, what his thoughts are on the greatest of all-time debate and much more.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

📈 Hustle Clean is a mission-driven self-care brand for the active lifestyle. It was created by athletes for high performers that want to do more and be more without compromise. The Hustle Clean Body Wipe is an extra-large, durable, full-body wipe designed to remove sweat, dirt, and body odor in moments when a shower is optimal but not possible. Products are safe on sensitive skin, hypoallergenic, paraben-free, & infused with aloe vera, vitamin E, & witch hazel. Hustle Clean is sold nationwide in Walmart, Target, & Amazon. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get a deal and get 10% off all their products, if you visit Hustle Clean.com and use discount code CITIUS.

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

"Initially, when I found out I broke down. I honestly went Hulk mode on a wall in the village. My room wall was torn out with a steel beam. It’s got a couple of dents in it. I went crazy. I'm not gonna lie. As I thought about how happy she was in those moments – She was actually with Athing Mu’s high school coach and Tara Davis’ mom in Orlando having the time of her life. So I think about her smile and her love and all the things and lessons that she gave me and taught me and how happy she would be for me in this moment. I really find a lot of peace in it.  I feel like you really find the true beauty of life in those high and low moments. Because just as high as I was, I went just as low as I went so fast."

Raven Saunders and I recorded this while she was in attendance at the Prefontaine Classic and popped by The Magic Boost tent. We traded a couple of messages over Twitter about how we wanted to make this interview happen for a while because she’s one of the funniest personalities in the sport and the throws deserve more love. The last time people may have seen her on TV was twerking shortly after winning a silver medal in the shot put at the Tokyo Olympics. You could have also seen her on the news since she raised her arms in an X to protest racial and social injustice in America. Just a few days later, her mother, Clarissa, passed away. Raven decided to take a short break from social media. In this episode, we touch on it all as well as where she sees the conversation around athlete mental health going from here since she’s been very outspoken about her own past struggles.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

Justin Gatlin trains with Sha’Carri Richardson under coach Dennis Mitchell and is a polarizing figure in his own right, having served two doping bans during his long career. Since the early 2000s, Gatlin has been a world-class sprinter with a Jamaican rivalry of his own and battled Usain Bolt at several global championships. I caught up with him in the mixed zone at Hayward Field (which is why the audio isn't as clear) to briefly chat about how long he plans to continue going but also what it’s like to watch Sha'Carri come up as the next sprints star for the United States. He knows what it's like to be in the media spotlight and public’s crosshairs, where Sha'Carri found herself after her last-place finish at the Pre Classic behind the Jamaican sweep of the podium and Elaine Thompson-Herah’s 10.54 No. 2 all-time mark.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

"I don't want my motivation to be other people. There's part of me that realized that's what I was leading up to the trials. I want to be more than a mullet and a mustache. I want to be more than just making teams."

Shortly after finishing second in the Prefontaine Classic men's international mile, Craig Engels sat down in the Magic Boost tent to briefly chat about how he's found fun in the sport after finishing fourth at the Olympic Trials in the men's 1,500 meters and missing the Tokyo Olympics by one spot. He addresses the recent rumors that he may be contemplating retirement. 

We kept this conversation fairly short since we'll likely record a much longer episode in person, if Craig competes at the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York City in September.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

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"For me, it's about always looking at my next race as my next big chance and always trying to prove myself at my next big chance."

This conversation with Karsten Warholm took place in October 2020. This is a never-before-heard interview that was supposed to run online as a Q&A but never ended up finding a right time to get published so it stayed in my archives for a bit. So this all before he became the world record holder and Olympic champion by running 46.70 at the Oslo Diamond League in July and then an incredible 45.94 at the Tokyo Olympics. 

We touch on the world records, his progression as a star and what his expectations were for 2021, talking with Edwin Moses, watching Kevin Young and much more. 

Knowing what we know now, it’s really cool hearing his thoughts just months ago about taking down a long-standing world record.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

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On the series finale of TORCH TALK, Chris, Kyle and Dana run through the final day of track and field at the Tokyo Olympics where seven gold medals were handed out in the women's high jump, the women's 10,000 meters, the men's javelin, the men's 1,500 meters, the men's and women's 4x400m relay and the men's marathon. We bring on Friend of The Pod David Melly, the host of the Run Your Mouth Podcast, for some extra spice on the final day of action.

In this episode, we discuss:

– Journaling in the women's high jump

– Sifan Hassan's Tokyo Olympics end with two gold medals and one bronze medal and thankfully she can now take some downtime

– India's new javelin star Neeraj Chopra has a wild Wikipedia page and may be loaded now

– Can Jakob Ingebrigtsen take down world records after setting the Olympic record of 3:28 in the 1,500 meters?

– A fitting farewell to Allyson Felix at the Olympics but what's next for her

– Rai Benjamin gets redemption with a 43.4 split to anchor the men's 4x400m

– Eliud Kipchoge continues to prove he's the greatest of all-time

+ More

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TORCH TALK WITH CHRIS, KYLE AND DANA. Our daily podcast covering the Olympics is presented by Hayward Magic.

Hayward Magic is a really unique and fresh editorial channel on IG that captures the magic and intensity of track & field.  Their mantra is #makeittohayward because Hayward is not just a place. It’s a state of mind. It's where guts meet magic. All athletes, fans and feats of guts welcome! @HaywardMagic on Instagram.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

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Chris, Kyle and Dana celebrate Molly Seidel winning a bronze medal in the women's Olympic Marathon behind Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir and Brigid Kosgei. Seidel becomes just the third American woman to medal in the women's Olympic marathon after Joan Benoit in 1984 and Deena Kastor in 2004. We also managed to get Molly's sister, Izzy, on a quick call to share with us a little bit more about the atmosphere at the Seidel family watch party in Wisconsin.

More discussed in this episode:

– Faith Kipyegon puts an end to Sifan Hassan's triple gold medal hopes with a brilliant victory

– Laura Muir with the Magical Performance of the Day

– Joshua Cheptegei gets his moment in the 5,000 meters but the race is highlighted by a mean lean by Paul Chelimo at the finish line

– Italy adds another medal with a win in the men's 4x100m

– Jamaica had to sweat it out after the results in the women's 4x100m relay as Team USA took silver

– Shaunae Miller Uibo completes a Bahamian sweep of the 400m gold medals, Allyson Felix gets medal No. 10 to tie Carl Lewis for the most medals by a U.S. track and field athlete. She has a chance to break the tie with the women's 4x400m relay

+ Much more

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TORCH TALK WITH CHRIS, KYLE AND DANA. Our daily podcast covering the Olympics is presented by Hayward Magic.

Hayward Magic is a really unique and fresh editorial channel on IG that captures the magic and intensity of track & field.  Their mantra is #makeittohayward because Hayward is not just a place. It’s a state of mind. It's where guts meet magic. All athletes, fans and feats of guts welcome! @HaywardMagic on Instagram.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

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Chris, Kyle and Dana recap Day 7 of track and field at the Olympics which was highlighted by Katie Nageotte's gold medal in the women's pole vault, where she became just the third woman to win gold in the event at the Games. This was a true moment of redemption as she missed the 2016 Olympics, switched coaches and took a leap of faith to continue within the sport. She gets the Magical Performance of the Day honors. 

The men's 400 meter final was not as delightful for U.S. fans as Michael Cherry ran a personal best for fourth place and Michael Norman took fifth but Team USA was shut out of the medals for just the third time in history. We beg the question: Is the United States (particularly the men) having a bad Olympics and what's the possible cause. 

Also discussed in this episode:

– If you're Damian Warner and you finally win gold in the decathlon after three Olympic cycles, do you keep going?

– We still need a healthy and full-on KJT vs. Thiam heptathlon rivalry

– Cole Hocker looked really good in the men's semifinals of the 1,500 meters; Reigning Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz gets eliminated

– Gutsiest performance of the day: Nick Willis runs his fastest time in four years in the semifinals of his fifth Olympics at 38 years old

– A brief women's marathon preview

+ Much More

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TORCH TALK WITH CHRIS, KYLE AND DANA. Our daily podcast covering the Olympics is presented by Hayward Magic.

Hayward Magic is a really unique and fresh editorial channel on IG that captures the magic and intensity of track & field.  Their mantra is #makeittohayward because Hayward is not just a place. It’s a state of mind. It's where guts meet magic. All athletes, fans and feats of guts welcome! @HaywardMagic on Instagram.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

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BIG THROWS ENERGY FOR THE BIG THROWS GUYS. Chris, Kyle and Dana unpack the biggest action from the Tokyo Olympics highlighted by Ryan Crouser's mega day where he unleashed six throws that either tied or broke the shot put Olympic record and repeated as Olympic champion. Andre De Grasse finally gets the gold medal that Puma shelled out millions for. The United States' men's 4x100-meter relay team faltered again. Courtney Frerichs went for it and put together the Gutsiest Performance of the Day for a silver in the women's steeplechase.

Also discussed in this episode:

– The semifinals of the women's 1,500 meters were drama-filled and fast

– The men's 800 meter final kind of felt ehhh 

– Hansle Parchment's longevity is super impressive in the men's 110m hurdles

– The men's hammer throw isn't as fun when Rudy Winkler isn't winning

– How Chris feels as a member of Team Throwvacs after adding another silver in the men's shot put to Joe Kovacs' career resume

+ Much More

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TORCH TALK WITH CHRIS, KYLE AND DANA. Our daily podcast covering the Olympics is presented by Hayward Magic.

Hayward Magic is a really unique and fresh editorial channel on IG that captures the magic and intensity of track & field.  Their mantra is #makeittohayward because Hayward is not just a place. It’s a state of mind. It's where guts meet magic. All athletes, fans and feats of guts welcome! @HaywardMagic on Instagram.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

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👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

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The kids are alright! The evening session of day 5 did not disappoint with a jam-packed schedule that included four finals. This episode, Chris, Kyle and Dana unpack a near world record by Mondo Duplantis who finally wins gold, 19-year-olds racing to 800-meter perfection in Athing Mu and Keely Hodgkinson and the golden 100/200 double by Elaine Thompson-Herah. 

The evening session back in the United States featured a long-awaited clash between Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad as a rematch of the U.S. Olympic Trials.

More things discussed include:

- Never dount the championship mindset of Anita Wlodarczyk

- Why Joe Kovacs made Chris sweat a little bit in the first round of the men's shot put

- We need to figure out Ivy league school has the most Olympic track medals?

– How good did all three American men in the 200-meter semifinal look

– Major takeaways from the first round of the men's 5,000 meters 

– Why we need to watch Chris Nielsen vs. Sam Kendricks for years to come

– Athing Mu is already talking about world records and doubling at the 2024 Olympics in Paris 

+ Much more

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TORCH TALK WITH CHRIS, KYLE AND DANA. Our daily podcast covering the Olympics is presented by Hayward Magic.

Hayward Magic is a really unique and fresh editorial channel on IG that captures the magic and intensity of track & field.  Their mantra is #makeittohayward because Hayward is not just a place. It’s a state of mind. It's where guts meet magic. All athletes, fans and feats of guts welcome! @HaywardMagic on Instagram.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

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WE ARE SPEECHLESS – BUT NOT ACTUALLY BECAUSE THIS IS A PODCAST.

Chris, Kyle and Dana try to process the men's 400-meter hurdle final, which may go down as one of the greatest Olympic final races ever. Karsten Warholm just shattered his own world record and the 46-second barrier to win gold in the men's 400-meter hurdles over Rai Benjamin.

Also discussed:

– Sifan Hassan toyed with the women's 5,000-meter field just 12 hours after falling in her 1,500-meter race

– The men's steeplechase ended up going as predicted

– The women's long jump final was epic and the world needs to appreciate the brilliance of Brittney Reese more

– Tara Davis' personality was on full display 

–Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad set the stage for an epic finale

– We discuss whether you're allowed to call yourself an Olympian if you don't compete at the Games

-Nick Willis' wave at the starting line was one of the best moment

-A special guest phone call from Tokyo from ESPN's John Andersen

+ Much More

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TORCH TALK WITH CHRIS, KYLE AND DANA. Our daily podcast covering the Olympics is presented by Hayward Magic.

Hayward Magic is a really unique and fresh editorial channel on IG that captures the magic and intensity of track & field.  Their mantra is #makeittohayward because Hayward is not just a place. It’s a state of mind. It's where guts meet magic. All athletes, fans and feats of guts welcome! @HaywardMagic on Instagram.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

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The golden hour of track and field on Day 4 included shared gold medals between friends Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Barshim, a world record in the triple jump by Yuliar Rojas and a former long jumper winning the men’s 100m in the post-Usain Bolt era. Team Torch Talk is back at it and breaking down an incredibly exciting evening session of Day 3 and morning session of Day 4 in Tokyo. Medals were won, favorites didn’t make it through and apparently it is possible to have enough energy to run, fall down, do a somersault and get up and win your 1500m heat less than 12 hours before a 5000m final. Plus: Chris has a viral tweet...for now.

Also discussed in this episode:

- The fall between Isaiah Jewett and Nijel Amos that cost only one of them a trip to the finals

- Long jump madness that results in a Greek champion

- Fred Kerley's risk pays off massively and why he decided to go for the 100 meters in the first place

- Big Italian energy

+ Much More

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TORCH TALK WITH CHRIS, KYLE AND DANA. Our daily podcast covering the Olympics is presented by Hayward Magic.

Hayward Magic is a really unique and fresh editorial channel on IG that captures the magic and intensity of track & field.  Their mantra is #makeittohayward because Hayward is not just a place. It’s a state of mind. It's where guts meet magic. All athletes, fans and feats of guts welcome! @HaywardMagic on Instagram.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

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It was as a spicy day of qualifying madness and heart-wrenching finals! But what feels like it should be an Olympic event that isn’t? Dana keeping Chris and Kyle on track. Some favorites getting the job done while others falter. Team Torch Talk had a celebrity sighting of our own as we battle sleep deprivation, but there was plenty of energy to discuss the Men’s Discus, Women’s 100m, Mixed Gender 4x400 relay, Women’s shot put and all the exciting prelims that happened on whatever channel you can find the races on.

Also discussed in this episode:

-Energetic celebrations and fashion statements

– A few stars had off performances that cast doubts for the finals...if they made it that far

- Our parting thoughts on the mixed relay

-The battle of the 19-year-olds Athing Mu and Keely Hodgkinson

+ Much more...

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TORCH TALK WITH CHRIS, KYLE AND DANA. Our daily podcast covering the Olympics is presented by Hayward Magic.

Hayward Magic is a really unique and fresh editorial channel on IG that captures the magic and intensity of track & field.  Their mantra is #makeittohayward because Hayward is not just a place. It’s a state of mind. It's where guts meet magic. All athletes, fans and feats of guts welcome! @HaywardMagic on Instagram.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

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The first track and field medals of the Tokyo Olympics were decided with Selemon Barega winning gold in the men's 10,000 meters to put Ethiopia back on top of the event for the first time since Kenenisa Bekele and Haile Gebrselassie's reign. Uganda took silver and bronze with Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo deploying team tactics but not quite following the plan. Grant Fisher may be a 10K guy, as much as he may not like that, after taking fifth to earn the top American honors. Plus, what was the gutsiest performance of the day that came out of this race? Find out. 

Also discussed in this episode:

– The women's 400m hurdles is set for a major clash of the titans again with smooth showings by Sydney McLaughlin, Dalilah Muhammad and Femke Bol

– Why the women's 5,000 meter final may end up being historically fast with Kenya and Ethiopia fielding their stars vs. Sifan Hassan

– How hard will it be for the U.S. to come away with more than one medal in the 100m hurdles after a sweep in 2016?

– No more sleeping on Clayton Murphy as the U.S. puts three men in the final but what's this mean for Nijel Amos?

– Big Throws love to Raven Saunders and Jessica Ramsey

– Examining the Blessing Okagbare positive test for HGH and the subsequent suspension mid-Games

– Kudos for Matt Ludwig making it to Tokyo to replace Sam Kendricks

+ More

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TORCH TALK WITH CHRIS, KYLE AND DANA. Our daily podcast covering the Olympics is presented by Hayward Magic.

Hayward Magic is a really unique and fresh editorial channel on IG that captures the magic and intensity of track & field.  Their mantra is #makeittohayward because Hayward is not just a place. It’s a state of mind. It's where guts meet magic. All athletes, fans and feats of guts welcome! @HaywardMagic on Instagram.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

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The first track and field session at the Tokyo Olympics is finally here! Chris Chavez, Dana Giordano and Kyle Merber reunite to cover the Games. The first session did not disappoint. 

– We had the fastest overall heat of the steeplechase but only Benard Keter will advance to the final. We answer what happened to Mason Ferlic and Hilary Bor

– Team USA put three women in the 800-meter semifinal led by Athing Mu but Kyle explains why we shouldn't sleep on the Great Britain squad that may be just as good

– The men's 400m hurdles is shaping up to be the crazy duel that we're waiting for in the final between Karsten Warholm and Rai Benjamin

– Even without Sha'Carri Richardson, the women's 100m heats provided 10.78, 10.82, 10.84 and 10.91 performances so something special could be ahead. The Olympic record is not safe.

+ More observations and thoughts from the first day at the Olympics including positive COVID tests and athletes being withdrawn from competition while in the Olympic Village.

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TORCH TALK WITH CHRIS, KYLE AND DANA. Our daily podcast covering the Olympics is presented by Hayward Magic.

Hayward Magic is a really unique and fresh editorial channel on IG that captures the magic and intensity of track & field.  Their mantra is #makeittohayward because Hayward is not just a place. It’s a state of mind. It's where guts meet magic. All athletes, fans and feats of guts welcome! @HaywardMagic on Instagram.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

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"If you look in the past at world championship races that have been in this type of humidity you never know what can happen and that kind of excites me. I know that racing in hot and humid conditions is really tough but I also know I can game up and I can do it. I like to think my Iowa roots have helped me with that."

Karissa Schweizer is a runner for the Nike Bowerman Track Club and became just the fifth American woman to qualify in the 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters at the same Olympics. She was a standout star at Mizzou, where she was a six-time NCAA champion and 10-time All-American. As a professional, she has flashed some range with personal bests of 4:00.02 for 1,500 meters, the indoor 3,000m American record of 8:25.70, her 14:26.34 personal bests for 5,000 meters is the second-fastest in U.S. history. Her 30:47.99 makes the fourth-fastest 10,000m runner in U.S. history. At the U.S. Olympic Trials in June, she pulled off runner-up finishes in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters, which she’ll be contesting in Tokyo in just a few days. Hear more about her preparation for the Olympics, why the Trials were so successful, how she handled the Shelby Houlihan news and much more.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

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Phil Knight is the co-founder of Nike, which he started back in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports with his college coach Bill Bowerman. I know…I’m also a bit surprised this happened. During the Olympic Trials, a mutual friend who has worked closely with me on launching The Magic Boost sprung on me the chance to sit down and chat with the Nike founder for 30 minutes. With little prep and everything going on at the Olympic Trials, I figured I’d just roll through and kick back to briefly discuss the new Hayward Field, his thoughts on legacy, the present state and future state of the sport and some of his favorite moments as a track fan. If you want more of the Nike talk and that whole backstory, due to the limited time we didn’t touch on much of it and you can get that out of reading his book Shoe Dog. Think of this one as basically just being a fly on the wall for two fans of the sport meeting over coffee for the first time.

📷 Podcast episode photograph by How Lao | @howlaophotography

🗣 HIRING A PART-TIME PODCAST PRODUCER http://citiusmag.com/seeking-part-time-podcast-producer/

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

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"I really wanted to make the team in 2016. When that year happened, that was the main goal. I thought it was a long shot. After that, when I made the 2017 world championship team, I said, ‘No. We are making the next Olympic team. There’s no way you’re going to be left off that list.’"

You’ll see Justyn Knight in action soon as a Canadian Olympian at the Tokyo Olympics. While at Syracuse, he was an 11-time All-American, two-time NCAA champion and has continued taking care of business with coach Chris Fox as a professional with the Reebok Boston Track Club. This season, he has set personal bests of 3:33 for 1,500 meters and 12:51 for 5,000 meters. We touch on those performances, how we got to this point from being a relatively under-the-radar runner out of Canada in high school, his thoughts on how the race could play out in Tokyo, meeting Drake and much more.

🗣 HIRING A PART-TIME PODCAST PRODUCER http://citiusmag.com/seeking-part-time-podcast-producer/

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

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“I want to be able to leave room to be able to say, ‘No, there's like real stuff to do out there beyond just doing a deal.’ And that does mean that I have to be more selective but hopefully, it also means that we'll be able to create more change. Even though you aren’t one of my athletes, you still get to benefit from the work that we're doing. And that is Nike changing our maternity policy and being able to look at a new contract like Athing’s and see that clause there that protects women's maternity. That to me is like, ‘Yeah, I don't ever have to represent you, but I'm glad I got to be a small part in putting that clause in there because that is for you. It is there for you so that you don't have to go through the stuff that I went through with Allyson that I hope no one ever has to experience. So yeah, it's a small group. It's a tight-knit group. But hopefully, the change can spread beyond just our little group.”

Wes Felix is a track and field agent and also the co-founder and co-CEO of SAYSH. Just a few weeks ago, news about the new company went public when Time Magazine published a story that his six-time Olympic gold medalist sister Allyson and he were starting their own footwear company. The Saysh One lifestyle shoe ad the spikes that she wore at the Olympic Trials are the first two products to come out of the new venture. Wes shares the story about how this came to be, a little bit on how his sister took a chance on him to become an agent and represent her after his competitive days ended, how the split from Nike motivated him and Allyson to pick up the pieces and try something new. I got a lot of solid feedback from my episode with Tracksmith CEO and founder Matt Taylor so this is a good follow-up to that one.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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"Whenever I try to sum up what that period was like after Atlanta, it's kind of hard to explain. I didn't drop out of that race to save myself...My legs were obliterated. They were not in good shape after that race. It was heartbreak. Because as runners, running is such a big part of us and part of our identity whether that's a good thing or not. It's not just our job. I felt like I poured everything into that buildup and did everything I could. On that day, it just didn't work out. My body broke down...It is heartbreaking when you invest so much and go all-in for it to not work out. And then to walk away from that race with nothing to look forward to. Even if there was something, I didn't feel good running for a while so it wouldn't have mattered anyway. It was tough. I felt like I failed so badly. I never failed like that before...To pick up the pieces, I was like, 'What can I control? What can I focus on right now?' I was sad for a little bit. I talked to my coach. I talked to my husband. I talked to my chiropractor. My coach, Ray Treacy, said, 'You're going to lose a year of races from the looks of it so invest this time wisely.'"

Olympian Emily Sisson joins the CITIUS MAG Podcast to discuss how she rebounded from dropping out by mile 22 of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February 2020 to dominating the women's 10,000-meter final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials last month in 31:03.82 for a new meet record. Sisson led for the final 21 laps in 85-degree heat at the new Hayward Field. She ended up winning the race by 13 seconds ahead of Karissa Schweizer and Alicia Monson.

In this episode, you'll hear how she got over the heartbreak from Atlanta and decided to make the most of the pandemic year to train and regroup for the track. She shares insight from how her coach helped her cast any doubt aside and reminded her of what's made her into an NCAA champion, world championship finalist and two-time U.S. champion. Plus a little bit on her plans for the marathon and track and her future...

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

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"It was doing writing, photography and short films. I was really bad at all three of them but this was pre-Flotrack, pre-you guys. If you were into this content, there really wasn't a place to find it. I just learned as I did that project what was really interesting was what people were actually interested in. I went into it thinking everyone wanted to know what splits everyone was doing in their workouts. In my first week, I was at the University of Portland and those guys were kind of wild and crazy and really fun to be around. I did the equivalent of an MTV Cribs thing to show their house, how they lived and the bikes they would ride around campus. That was the thing that everyone was like, 'We want more of that content!' They didn't care that they did 5 x mile with three minutes rest. That was really interesting and pretty fundamental in my experience with Tracksmith and how to tell stories in an interesting way and what people will resonate with."

Matt Taylor is the founder and CEO of Tracksmith. In this episode, we discuss how he built the company through his early start in track and field storytelling. We touch on how the brand has started to cater beyond the serious runner and into the athleisure and general running community + now the throws? The episode was recorded at the Olympic Trials. Kyle Merber co-hosts the conversation as we explore some of the areas that he wants to see change within the sport, what his company is doing to be part of that and much more. We’re on the cusp of a running boom and so there’s much more to come from Tracksmith.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

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For the final episode of Trials Talk with Chris and Kyle, we dissect the wildest hour of track and field on U.S. soil in a while.

In the men’s 5,000m, Paul Chelimo toyed with the field and won a scorcher of a race in 13:26 ahead of Woody Kincaid and Grant FIsher.

We had a bit of a weather delay where the meet was postponed due to extreme and record-setting heat.

We had a world record in the women’s 400m hurdles where Sydney McLaughlin took .26 seconds off Dalilah Muhammad’s previous mark.

Athing Mu did her thing with the second-fastest U.S. women’s 800m mark of all-time to win the women’s 800m over a loaded field. Ajee Wilson and Raevyn Rogers snuck in behind her for the other two spots to Tokyo.

As if anything could follow those up, we saw one of the best 1,500 meter duels in recent history with Cole Hocker defeating the reigning Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz.

Noah Lyles closed out the show with a world-leading time in the men’s 200m of 19.74.

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

Saturday's action at the U.S. Olympic Trials featured incredible sprints action so Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and Dana Giordano get together to recap all of it. Grant Holloway gave Aires Merritt's 110m hurdles world record (12.80) a scare by running 12.81 in the semifinals before coming back to win it all in the final. Rai Benjamin became the second-fastest man of all-time in the men's 400m hurdles with a casual 46.83m win. Gabby Thomas ran 21.61 to become the second-fastest 200m runner of all-time behind FloJo. We also touch on the master class by Emily Sisson to win the women's 10,000m in an Olympic Trials record in 80+ degree heat.

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

Ben Blankenship joins Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber for a candid conversation about how he managed to get to the U.S. Olympic Trials men's 1,500m starting line after suffering a stress fracture in his tibia with seven weeks to go until the Olympic Trials. Blankenship details how he was able to piece together any fitness to be able to show up on the starting line and attempt to make his second Olympic team. He made it through the first round with a 3:42 to squeeze into the semifinal as the last time qualifier. He ran 3:46 in the semifinal and was eliminated. As you'll learn in this episode, this is far from the end for Blankenship.

On Instagram, he wrote: "I watched the 2012 Trials from afar; I vowed that if I ever earned the opportunity to compete, I’d always show up. It’s the Olympic Trials."

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

Fresh off his 3rd place finish at the Olympic Trials steeplechase, Mason Ferlic, joins Chris, Kyle and Nick on the podcast to celebrate his newly booked trip to Tokyo. The group discusses his journey from the University of Michigan to getting dropped from his professional contract and to eventually finding a home with Tracksmith, both as an athlete and employee. Ferlic peels back the curtain to share his insights as to why he believes the importance of a balance between running, work and the rest of his life led him to this career highlight. Based out of Ann Arbor and training with the Very Nice Track Club, he is surrounded by the all-time great young American miler, Hobbs Kessler and one of the best veterans to ever do it, Nick Willis. This magic formula worked -- it is sending Mason Ferlic to the Olympics!

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

Val Constien finished third in the steeplechase finals here at the U.S. Olympic Trials and returns to the podcast to dissect her race and the biggest moment of her career while also looking ahead to the Tokyo Olympics.

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

There were a few surprises in the semifinals of the middle distance events during Day 6 of the U.S. Olympic Trials, with high school phenom Hobbs Kessler and 3:49 miler Johnny Gregory getting eliminated in the semifinals of the men’s 1500, and NCAA champion Sage Hurta going down in a hard fall in the women’s 800. At the end of the day, six new Olympians were named in the men’s discus and men’s steeplechase, including a friend of the CITIUS MAG pod Mason Ferlic. 

Kyle and Chris are re-joined by Mac Fleet and David “chaser of steeples” Melly to break down all the action and make some bold takes for Sunday’s finals.

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs went 1-2 in the women's 3,000m steeplechase as many expected but it was the battle for the third spot that came down to a dramatic finish between Val Constien and Leah Falland.

Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and Mac Fleet discuss all of the action from Day 5 at the U.S. Olympic Trials live from Eugene, Ore.

In this episode, we discuss the men's 1,500m semifinal that didn't take anything out of the favorites, surprising cuts in the women's 800m, another big night for Team Throwvacs and much more...

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

Fresh off his 3rd place finish at the U.S. Olympic Trials 10k, Joe Klecker joins hosts Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and Nick Willis for a conversation about his race and the training that got him there. After graduating from Colorado University, the 7x All-American remained in Boulder to be coached by fellow Buff legend, Dathan Ritzenhein. Since then he has achieved personal bests in ten straight races and a berth to Tokyo in the eleventh.

The vision for the On Athletics Club was created and built around Klecker. In its first year as a professional club, the new group has burst onto the scene and solidified its presence — first domestically and now on the world stage.

This is an episode bursting with genuine questions of curiosity as Joe shares workout details that took our breath away. Hear what went into his build-up, both mentally and physically, that prepared him for his big breakout in what will certainly be one of your favorite listens yet.

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

Heather MacLean joins the podcast after making her first Olympic team with a third place finish in the women's 1,500m final in 4:02.09. Her teammate Elle Purrier St. Pierre took the win in 3:58.03 and Cory McGee took the second spot in 4:00.67. The race truly lived up to the hype and Heather shares a bit of her approach and game plan for it.

Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber go through the shocking men's 800m where Clayton Murphy took the win in 1:43.17 and reminded the world just how good he is. They also try to make sense of how Donavan Brazier finished last.

We also discuss the women's 5,000 meter final where Elise Cranny and Karissa Schweizer put together a Bowerman 1-2 and pulled Rachel Schneider to join them on their first Olympic team.

+ Much more...

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber discuss the third day of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials live from Eugene, Oregon. We start this episode by reaffirming that we are now big throws guys. Rudy Winkler broke an American record that had stood since 1996 with his 82.71-meter heave in the men's hammer throw. Stay tuned because he will be a guest on the show later this week.

Other topics discussed: 

– The Trayvon Bromell comeback chatter really started in April after he ran 9.8 and then improved upon that to a 9.77, which ranks as the top time in the world for 2021. He backed it all up and cruised to a 9.80 win in the men's 100m. We also discuss how Fred Kerley's big risk paid off by opting to run the 100m and 200m instead of the 400m, where he won a silver medal at worlds in 2019. 

– Allyson Felix's final 100 meters were a thing of beauty and landed her on her fifth U.S. Olympic team and her first as a mother. Quanera Hayes took the win in 49.78 and will be on her first Olympic team alongside with Wadeline Jonathas. 

– Kyle gives his hypothetical men's and women's DMR teams if it was an Olympic event. 

– The women's 3,000m steeplechase saw some breakthroughs with Grayson Murphy taking her respective section by gunning for the Olympic standard and bringing Courtney Wayment along with her. This certainly makes Thursday's final much more interesting. 

– World record holder Keni Harrison gets even sweeter redemption after missing the 2016 Olympic team.

+ Much more...

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and Nick Willis sit down with the newly minted and first-ever Tracksmith Olympian, Rachel Dincoff. In Saturday’s competition, Rachel threw the discus 60.21m to finish 3rd overall and secure her spot in Tokyo.

After graduating college in 2016, where she was never a first-team All-American, Rachel made the decision to continue pursuing her childhood dream of qualifying for the Olympic Games. She had to work multiple jobs to make it happen, though on Saturday all of the sacrifices proved worth it.

This conversation not only dives into her mindset and buildup at the trials but the details of her training, technique, nutrition and lifting numbers that made it all possible!

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and David Melly discuss the second day of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials live from Eugene, Oregon, where Sha'Crri Richardson won the women's 100m in 10.86 seconds and is now a top gold medal contender in Tokyo. We also discuss the women's discus where Valarie Allman looks to end an Olympic medal drought. We theorize on how the women's 1,500m final may shake out and much more. 

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber discuss the first day of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials live from Eugene, Oregon, where Ryan Crouser demolished the world record with a 23.37m throw to win the men's shot put. 

We slept on Woody Kincaid and paid the price as he won the men's 10,000m in 27:54.62. 

We unpack the first round of the women's 1,500m after the controversy regarding Shelby Houlihan's four-year ban, Erik Sowinski out for revenge in the men's 800m and much more.   

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.  

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program. 

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

"I feel completely devastated, lost, broken, angry, confused and betrayed by the very sport that I’ve loved and poured myself into just to see how good I was. I want to be very clear. I have never taken any performance-enhancing substances. And that includes that of which I am being accused. I believe in the sport and pushing your body to the limit just to see where the limit is. I’m not interested in cheating. I don’t do this for the accolades, money, or for people to know my name. I do this because I love it. I have so much fun doing it and it’s always the best part of my day.”

On Wednesday afternoon, a virtual press conference was held by the Bowerman Track Club where it was announced Shelby Houlihan, the American record holder in the 1500 meters and 5000 meters, has been suspended for four years after testing positive for the banned substance Nandrolone. The test was taken in December 2020 and she was notified of the positive test in January by the Athletics Integrity Unit. The reason she has not raced in 2021 is that she was provisionally suspended while trying to fight the case. 

Upon learning of the positive test, Houlihan logged her meals and determined that the nandrolone likely came from a burrito that she consumed the night before her test. It is estimated that the test took place 10 hours after the burrito's consumption. Lawyer Paul Greene was hired and argued that pig organ meat can serve as one of the sources for Nandrolone. Because the Athletics Integrity Unit had not charged her yet, Greene and Houlihan's team called on them to charge her with a violation so she could appeal before the start of the U.S. Olympic Trials. Last week, on June 11, she learned that her appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport was unsuccessful and the four-year ban was upheld. A four-year ban knocks the 28-year-old out of the Trials, the Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 World Championships in Eugene and the 2024 Olympics in Tokyo in the prime of her career. A full decision and report from the Court of Arbitration for Sport will be published when it is finalized. 

What you're about to hear is the audio from the press conference and the prepared statements from Greene, Houlihan and Bowerman Track Club coaches Jerry Schumacher and Shalane Flanagan. What follows after is questions from the media present.

You can read about the case in my story for Sports Illustrated: https://www.si.com/olympics/2021/06/15/shelby-houlihan-doping-ban-nandrolone-olympic-trials-positive-test-explained

You can watch the statements by Houlihan, Schumacher and Flanagan on the CITIUS MAG YouTube page.

Update: Here is the release from CAS that says: "Finally, the CAS Panel unanimously determined that Shelby Houlihan had failed, on the balance of probability, to establish the source of the prohibited substance"

Valerie Constien is the United States’ third-fastest steeplechaser heading into the Olympic Trials with a personal best of 9:25. That’s also good enough for No. 14 in the world for 2021. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado and now competes for the Tracksmith Amateur Support Program while being coached by Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs. 

We’ll be featuring a few more Tracksmith athletes before we kickstart our daily podcast series – Trials Talk with Chris & Kyle – live from Eugene, Oregon. Kyle Merber and I will be bringing you a show recapping the biggest performances and surprises from each day of the Trials. 

The women’s steeplechase will certainly be one of them. Do not sleep on Valerie for that third possible spot on the Olympic team since there’s still a few question marks around Colleen Quigley since she hasn’t raced since February or steepled since 2019. That race has gotten super interesting in recent weeks with some big performances by Valerie, Mel Lawrence, Marissa Howard and a slew of collegiate women. Get to know Valerie before she possibly shocks the country.

Follow Val on Instagram here: @valerieconstien

Photo by Jake Willard: Follow him @runjwill

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

Ben Flanagan returns to the podcast! He first came on in 2018 after winning his NCAA title in the 10,000m. Now he’s a professional runner for the Reebok Boston Track Club and he’s currently quarantined in Canada before he competes at their respective Olympic Trials in Montreal later this month. We’re all fairly familiar with what it takes to make the U.S. Olympic team with a top three finish at each event but it’s a little more complex with Canada. He explains why. His personal best in the 5,000m is 13:20, which was run at the Platinum PT Qualifier put on by Tracksmith at the end of May. I was behind the mic for that race and while I saw it was a four-second personal best, he tells us why it was a much bigger deal in his hopes for Tokyo. We also catch up on life since his last podcast appearance, he’s got some nice things to say about Mason Ferlic and much more. 

You can watch Ben compete in the men's 5,000m on Saturday, June 26 at 8:30 p.m. ET. Athletics Canda said the event will be streamed for free on athleticscanada.tv.| Full schedule here.

Pick up a copy of Don't Count Me Out by Ben Weingart here.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

"I have a really unique privilege of being able to do both worlds. I don't know if anyone's been able to work out with pros and do their easy runs with their high school team. It's super cool. It just works because of the circumstances of my dad being the coach and Ron (Warhurst) being the assistant coach at Skyline. I definitely wish a lot of people knew I'm not just training like a pro. I work out with those guys but I'm a high schooler and I treat running like I'm a high schooler. I just have fun with my teammates and jump in the river on runs and stuff."

Hobbs Kessler is a high school senior competing for Skyline High School in Ann Arbor. He just made history this past weekend by running 3:34.36 for a new U.S. high school 1,500m record but it’s also now faster than the recent 3:34.68 NCAA record. Kessler’s time is faster than Jim Ryun’s U-20 record of 3:36.1 that was run back in 1966. And of course, this guarantees Kessler’s spot at the U.S. Olympic Trials later this month. What’s next for him? Well, he’s looking to win his first state title this weekend when he goes up against other people his age at the Michigan high school state meet. In this episode, you’ll learn more about his backstory including a better understanding of just how great of a rock climber he is, why his parents are his role models as runners, how coach Ron Warhurst plays the Yoda role in the Very Nice Track Club, the buzz about turning pro and much more.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter CITIUS at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

"We sat down and [Jerry Schumacher's] big thing was that he thinks everyone kind of has their ideal race distance. For some people, it's the 1,500m. For other people, it's the 5K. For some people, it's the 3K so if you're going to run the 3K at the professional level, you also need to be able to hurdle. He said he didn't really know what that was going to be for me, but he thought the steeplechase could be something that I'd be potentially good at and would maybe want to experiment with if I join the team. I kind of knew where his head was at before I joined the team."

Sean McGorty is a member of the Bowerman Track Club. Way before that he was a standout runner out of Virginia who went on to become an NCAA champion at Stanford. Since graduating in 2018, he’s run personal bests of 3:36.61 for 1,500m, 3:55.21 for the mile, 13:06.45 for the 5K and most recently 8:20.77 for the 3,000m steeplechase. His win in his steeplechase debut at the USATF Golden Games gave him the Olympic standard and now an option to possibly make that team for Tokyo this summer. However, maybe two years ago all of that would’ve seemed distant since he was facing a mysterious infection that required multiple surgeries to alleviate. He made a comeback from that last summer and hasn’t looked back since. You’ll hear more about that mystery and why he still has no answers behind it. Plus his outlook on the 5K and steeplechase scene ahead of the U.S. Olympic Trials.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter “CITIUS” at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

"Nike was trying to offer me less than what they offered me when I came out of college. To me, it was just a slap in the face. I was like, ‘I've made the Olympic team. I'm pretty much, you know, not to sound cocky, but like I'm probably going to make another Olympic team. I've made five USA teams since I graduated. How could I possibly be worth less than I was when I came out of college?’ They were able to come up a little bit when I was just straight up, like, ‘No. That's not a starting point.’ And they came up a little bit, but I'm still making almost three times what that was, with the same bonus structure, with the same incentives and no reductions. So now I don't have to worry about ‘Oh you didn't race ten races this year.’ Yeah like I've raced eight. Who really cares? I didn't make it off by doing things like the local turkey trot to get my tenth race. Lululemon isn’t ticky tacky and counting every little thing. They want me to be happy. They want me to live the values that their brand holds to be important, which I also believe in and stand behind. They want to be a good ambassador for their brand, which I always felt like I did for Nike. I always felt like I was a good ambassador for their brand, but it just was never enough."

Colleen Quigley was a previous guest on this show back in February 2018. Now, she’s back with some BIG news. After five years of training with the Nike Bowerman Track Club, she announced she was leaving the team in January. Under coach Jerry Schumacher and Pascal Dobert, the FSU grad became one of the best U.S. female steeplechasers and has made every U.S. national team since the 2015 world championships. She’s the 3rd fastest U.S. steeplechaser ever with a 9:10.27 PR. She’s run 4:03.02 for 1,500m & 4:20 for the mile. She is now coached by Portland State’s Josh Steitz and will be running for Lululemon. That’s the big news. That’s her new sponsor. You’ll hear all about that decision and more.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter “CITIUS” at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG

👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

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“I’m thankful for the opportunity I have to make the U.S. Trials. It’s always easy to talk about things you don’t have but I’m so thankful for this club. For the first time in my career, I feel like I have opportunities to run times that I dreamed of when I was 13 or 14 years old and first started the sport. If you told my sophomore year high school or 15-year-old self that I’d have an opportunity to run 3:55 or 3:54 (for the mile), I probably wouldn’t believe you. But now I 100% believe it."

Eric Holt is a member of Empire Elite, a new pro group in New York coached by John Trautmann and Tommy Nohilly who used to be part of Frank Gagliano’s coaching staff with the New Jersey-New York Track Club. In this episode, you’ll get to know Eric a bit better after he recently won the Trials of Miles Kansas City Qualifier men’s 1,500. He’s one of the guys on the cusp of break 3:40 and trying to get into the U.S. Olympic Trials. Eric went to Binghamton, where he was a six-time America East track and field champion. Eric took a break from the sport after graduating but is now fully back in. He’s run 3:40.77 for the 1,500m and 3:58.88 for the mile. This one goes out to all of the people who know there’s more to give after college and are still willing to give it your best shot, because that’s what he’s doing.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter “CITIUS” at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG

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📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter

Jarret Eaton is a world championship silver medalist in the 60m hurdles. He’s a two-time national champion in the event. At this weekend’s Trials of Miles Kansas City Qualifier, he finished second in the men’s 110 hurdles. In this episode, he takes us through what it’s been like for him to push himself in this event since 2012 through some ups and downs, why he goes after it unsponsored, how to size up the 110 hurdles at the Olympics Trials and much more. We recorded this a week before the race in Kansas City.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter “CITIUS” at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG

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"I do think that it's important for athletes to consider different revenue streams. I'm still trying to get my finger on the pulse of what even lands a sponsorship 15 years into this. I don't know if it's potential, if it's past times, if it's making teams, if it's Instagram followers, if it's marketability – whatever that means, if it's age, I still can't figure it out. I just think it's important for athletes to make their own way, make their own brand and use their voice. Hopefully, you find a brand that aligns with you, which is kind of what I've done with &Mother and Cadenshae."

Sara Vaughn is a 1,500m specialist dipping her toes back in the steeplechase soon. You can catch her in action at this weekend’s Trials of Miles Kansas City Qualifier on May 1. Sara will be in the steeplechase for the first time since 2014. Since then, she’s made the US national team for the 2017 world championships as a mother of three, added another baby and then announced her plans to chase the US Olympic Trials for Tokyo back in April 2019. She’s an ambassador for And Mother, a brand that was co-founded by Alysia Montano and strives to break the barriers that limit a woman’s choice to pursue and thrive in both career and motherhood. No better person to represent that company than Sara.

💪 Support for this episode comes from MOMENTOUS. I've been able to try Momentous' ArcFire Strength Recovery Proteinas one of the newest additions to my training regimen. Try it for yourself. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners will generously receive 20% off their first order of Momentous by using the promo code CITIUS at checkout on LiveMomentous.com. That's CITIUS at checkout for 20% off your first order of plant protein, whey protein, sleep formula and more.

📈 Support for this episode comes from WHOOP. WHOOP is offering 15% off with the code “CITIUS” at checkout. Go to WHOOP and enter “CITIUS” at checkout to save 15%. Sleep better, recover faster, and run faster. Get to the start line healthy with WHOOP.  https://join.whoop.com/citiusmag

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"I was talking to my mom the other day and she said, 'It's important to be who you are so that the right people love you.' I was like, 'Yeah. That's what it is.' I just felt like it is really important to continue to show up as myself in all areas of my life so the right people are on my side, the right people are following me and I can lean into that more than anything." Nikki Hiltz is now a two-time guest on this show. Our first episode together April 17th, 2019 during the Boston Marathon weekend. For this one, I’m joined by David Melly, the host of the Run Your Mouth Podcast, for another crossover episode. April 2019 was just the start of Nikki’s hot streak that year. They finished third at the U.S. Championships and qualified for the world championships. They went on to make the final in Doha and ran a personal best of 4:01.52. Expect Nikki to be in the mix for that Olympic team in the 1,500 meters, which is shaping up to be one of the must-watch events at Hayward Field during the Trials. We touched on Nikki’s recent announcement that they identify as trans non-binary on Transgender Day of Visibility, which was March 31. Now if you caught us using multiple pronouns for Nikki during this episode, it’s because Nikki explains that they now use she/they as personal pronouns.  We also touch on plans for the 2021 Pride 5K, Olympic Trials training and much more. 💪 Support for this episode comes from MOMENTOUS. I've been able to try Momentous' ArcFire Strength Recovery Proteinas one of the newest additions to my training regimen. Try it for yourself. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners will generously receive 20% off their first order of Momentous by using the promo code CITIUS at checkout on LiveMomentous.com. That's CITIUS at checkout for 20% off your first order of plant protein, whey protein, sleep formula and more. 🥇 Support for this episode also comes from the Eugene Marathon. Register for the 5k, Half Marathon, or Marathon today and use code CITIUS25 to save 25% on your race entry! ✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG 👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. 📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter