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

Conner Mantz is a junior at BYU and just won the NCAA Cross Country Championships last month. Right from the start of the race, he went with the hot pace established early by Iowa State’s Wesley Kiptoo and eventually pulled away to win by 22 seconds. Mantz is the first American man to win the NCAA individual title since 2008. He was BYU’s first champion since 2006. 

Just two weeks or so after that race, he went on to run 13:24.78 for 5,000 meters in the men’s 5000m at the Hayward Premiere – the first meet held at the newly renovated Hayward Field. The time is a school record and a U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier. 

Hear more about his development at BYU (and way before that since he ran his first half marathon at 12 years old), his plans for the rest of the season, thoughts on turning pro 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!

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

✍️ 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

48 miles in 48 hours and more than $48,000 raised for the Release Recovery Foundation over the weekend in New York City. On national tv, Zac Clark opened up about his history with drug addiction/substance abuse and his recovery. In 2017, he co-founded Release Recovery to help others reclaim their lives from addiction. His foundation is a non-profit that helps provide scholarships to those who may not have the financial means to go and recover. A few months back, he convinced my, Ryan Welsh and Zac Price to embark on the David Goggins Challenge of running 4 miles at the top of the hour every 4 hours for 48 hours. The goal was to use running as a way to raise awareness on addiction and mental health four miles at a time. In this episode, we talk about all the highs and lows from the weekend and the power running can have for good. 🙏 The fundraising page is still open and active, if you want to consider donating to the cause: https://releaserecoveryfoundation.org/goggins-challenge/  💪 Support for this episode comes from MOMENTOUS. Use 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! 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 do some of my best thinking when I'm on my long runs. Today, we've talked a lot about my recovery and my sobriety. Running is one of the greatest tools I've been given because any time I can go reset the mind. People in my life know that. They'll say, 'Dude, go for a run. Let's talk after.' Because it's such a release for me."

Some of you might be familiar with Zac Clark since he won the most recent season of The Bachelorette and is currently engaged to Tayshia Adams. In this episode, you’ll learn a lot about Zac’s come-up in New Jersey and the many struggles along the way in his life that really spiraled after he underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor and got addicted to pain medication shortly thereafter. Drinking, drugs and partying took a toll on him and his relationship at the time. There’s a lot in his life story, which was shared a bit on national TV last fall. Zac went to rehab and got his life together and now serves as the co-founder of Release Recovery, which is a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to ensuring all who are ready and willing to seek professional treatment are able to. Release Recovery’s Foundation offers scholarships to bridge the gap between what people can afford and what they need to get the resources and help that they need.

Trust me. Running comes into the picture and it’s one of Zac’s biggest passions. He’s run the New York City Marathon four times. He plans on running London and New York this fall. He’s been joining me and some friends for workouts the past couple of months. We’re working on getting him faster. In response, he says we need to commit to doing one hard effort with him a year so that’s how I got roped into attempting the David Goggins Challenge with him next week. That’s four miles every four hours for 48 hours for 48 miles total. A bunch of people did it at the beginning of March. We recorded this conversation at the beginning of the month and now we’re doing it April 9-11. Keep your eyes peeled on Zac’s social media pages as well as my own for updates on how we’re doing. I know it’s not gonna be easy but I’m ready to push my limits and hopefully raise some good money along the way.

If you feel inspired by Zac’s story, we’re calling on you to see if you can find 48 bucks for the 48 miles we’re gonna run or maybe 4 dollars and 80 cents. Donate here: https://releaserecoveryfoundation.org/goggins-challenge/

💪 Support for this episode comes from MOMENTOUS. Use 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!

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

💵 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

Matthew Luke Meyer and I discuss all of the good things that have happened in the sport since we last caught up in early February to unpack the biggest storylines and headlines in the sport. 

In this episode we discuss:

– Our NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship MVPs and why we should maybe taper expectations on Cole Hocker

– The brilliance of BYU's women and coach Taylor at the indoor and cross country championships

– Outdoor season appears to be in full swing with the Bowerman Track Club still proving they're fast but witholding some of the top stars

– Hayward is finally opening, Des Linden is running a 50K, Eliud Kipchoge returns with a marathon and meets will be poppin' off in May

– How weird it sounds like the Olympics are going to be

– Dopers Gonna Dope with a Russian scandal that's made for a Netflix special

+ 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! Here's your chance to earn and own a piece of history! The 2021 virtual Eugene Marathon medals are crafted from the salvaged east grandstand steps at historic Hayward Field. 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

🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

✩ Connect with CITIUS MAG: Twitter | Instagram

"We brought in a copywriter to work with us for this running club. She started writing copy. One of the sentences she wrote was, "Hey, you've been behind the bar all day, you've earned your right to jog." In my conversation with my partner, I was like, "I'm not feeling that sentence." She's like, "What do you mean?" I was said, "We don't use the word 'jog." They're like, "Who's we?" I said, "Runners, we don't do that." He's like, "What the hell is up with that?" ... And I was like, "Gosh, you know what, you're right. What's my problem?" Frankly, what's the difference here? Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the bartenders are a running club? Maybe it's the first-ever jogging club? If there's one demographic who can make jogging cool and relevant again, it's bartenders because bartenders are damn cool, way cooler than I'm ever going to be."

My guests for this episode are Chris and Tim Heuisler. Chris is a good friend of mine who I’ve known for about six years now. He’s one of the nicest people and a huge fan and supporter of the sport on all levels. He worked as Westin's Run Concierge for a few years and really got to work with runners at events across the country at all levels. He's innovative and has an eye for what the general running community is into and how to connect the elite side into things. He’s been working with his brother to launch the Knob Creek Jogging Club. I can’t wait for you guys to hear more about it because I feel the same way you might when you hear the word jogger or jogging. You get a little defensive about it. There’s nothing wrong with being a jogger. So in this episode, you’ll get to know the two brothers and how they want to flip the connotation of the word “jogging” for the running community through the help of bartenders – which has been an industry hit pretty hard due to the pandemic. 

My friend Ryan Welsh, who has co-hosted with me in the past, also joins the fun chat that we recorded back in mid-January.

If you're interested in the program or know a friend who can be a match, feel free to reach out to Chris and Tim:

Chris on Instagram: @chrisheuisler

Tim on Instagram: @theuisler

💪 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.

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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

"If the Olympics had been held last year, I think I would have had a pretty outside shot of making the team. Maybe if things went perfect, I could have maybe snagged a third or something. But at the same time, I didn't even have the standard. It's tough to say but I do think this extra year has kind of served me pretty well. My confidence is much higher that I can make this team. It’s going to be incredibly hard. I don't think you should count out anybody in this situation."

I’ve covered Grant Fisher's career since he was running for Grand Blanc (MI) High School and won the Dream Mile at the 2015 Adidas Grand Prix. He went on to become the seventh U.S. high school runner to break four minutes for the mile. He was a 12-time All-American and an NCAA champion in the 5,000 meters while at Stanford. He turned professional and signed with the Nike Bowerman Track Club in 2019. He’s thriving under Jerry Schumacher's training with personal bests of 13:02.53 for 5,000 meters and 27:11.29 for 10,000 meters. He’s got both Olympic standards in his back pocket ahead of the trials. We unpack those recent performances. We look back at his high school career and career development. Of course, we discussed shoe technology. As a bonus: We discuss the famous LetsRun thread saying: "Grant Fisher is not the best kid in Michigan." 

Grant is also a podcaster now. Check out and subscribe to The Half Step Podcast that he co-hosts with Connor Lane.

💪 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.

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

✍️ 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

"Other sports like cycling and swimming are very homogeneous because the cost of bike equipment runs in the tens of thousands of dollars. Swimming is a very homogeneous sport because not everyone has access to a swimming pool. In running, we can kind of toss off those shackles and you only really need a pair of shoes and an opportunity to race and train, which is more accessible than any other sport that exists. But when you start adding the technological constraint that says 'if you want to be good in this sport you have to have the sponsorship or the money' just think about what this is going to do at the high school level with kids that are racing in your $60 Eastbay spikes vs. being able to afford a $250 shoe that gives them 10 seconds to win the state championship or run a time that gets them a college scholarship. That is all of a sudden way different than the sport we knew and creates an in-equitability that is not just at the pro level but across the entire spectrum.”

Mason Ferlic is currently an unsponsored professional runner but trains alongside Nick Willis and Hobbs Kessler in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was an NCAA champion at the University of Michigan in the steeplechase. He also teaches a statistics class there and works as a research engineer and lab manager at Michigan’s Exercise & Sports Science Initiative. He's a super-smart guy so it’s no surprise when he was asked by Flotrack’s Kevin Sully about his thoughts in the great spike debate that’s engrossed the sport that Mason delivered a great answer so I wanted to get him on the pod to talk a bit more about it, where he views the inequities are within the sport and how we move forward now that this arms race is in full swing.

💪 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.

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

✍️ 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.

Previewing all of the races at the Trials of Miles Texas Qualifier with Kyle Merber before we hit the booth. 

The Texas Qualifier is a two-night track meet happening on February 26 & 27. The first night is designed for athletes looking to achieve the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials qualifying mark. The second night of action will get faster with some of the sport’s top stars aiming for Olympic qualifying marks that will set them up for Tokyo. Tune in!

ENTRIES AND FULL SCHEDULE: https://trialsofmilesracing.com/tom/the-texas-qualifier

Here is a mutual aid directory that has been compiled by members of the Texas Sunrise Movement as other ways to help those in Texas recovering from the recent winter storm: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rdMnbzYxfXFrG1DefGqN3R1zu_lan2fml2bEYRpMcRQ/edit

🏃 Follow CITIUS MAG: https://instagram.com/CitiusMag

🎙️  Subscribe & listen to the CITIUS MAG Podcast https://apple.co/2W73Jk7

🏃 Follow Trials of Miles Racing:  https://www.instagram.com/trialsofmilesracing/

📧  CITIUS MAG Newsletter: https://citiusmag.substack.com/

It's been a while since Leah Falland (née O'Connor) joined the CITIUS MAG Podcast. Now she's got a new sponsor, a new home and a new last name after getting married to Louis Falland in 2020. Most importantly, she's running really well on the track and just paced Elle Purrier to an American record in the two-mile at the New Balance Indoor Games, which were held in New York City. I recorded this conversation with Leah at the end of January and since then she's run 4:12 for the win in a 1,500m at a small meet in Arizona. Her personal best of 4:11.04 was set in 2015 so things are trending in the right direction. She is slated to run the 5,000m at the Trials of Miles Texas Qualifier on Feb. 26 and Feb 27, which will be broadcast on the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel for free. In this episode, you'll hear much more about the refreshed perspective that she's adopted in the past 18 months that have propelled her forward in her career.

💪 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.

🏃 FOLLOW @trialsofmilesracing for more information on the TEXAS QUALIFIER happening in late February. If you’re a sponsor or brand with an interest in getting involved with the meet, please feel free to contact me: chris@citiusmag.com

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

✍️ 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

Ryan Sterner and Stephen Kersh join me for this bonus episode of The CITIUS MAG Podcast to discuss their documentary "A Time And A Place" – which follows Northern Arizona Elite's road to the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.

As I wrote in the CITIUS MAG Newsletter: "Many of us know how the story ends and if you don’t then major spoiler: Aliphine Tuliamuk ends up making the U.S. team for the Tokyo Olympics. But what you don’t know is what the road to get to Atlanta looked like. Over the past 12 months, maybe you’ve caught interviews with the athletes about the preparation and some of the workouts but this film packages it all together and really helps paint the picture of what this pursuit ultimately means for each of the athletes. I highly recommend you check out the film."

World-renowned film critic Paul Snyder wrote a glowing review of the movie.

There are very few tickets remaining for the film's virtual world premiere on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. ET. Get your tickets today.

💪 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.

🏃 FOLLOW @trialsofmilesracing for more information on the TEXAS QUALIFIER happening in late February. If you’re a sponsor or brand with an interest in getting involved with the meet, please feel free to contact me: chris@citiusmag.com

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

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.

"One of the things I feel that I’m pretty good at is the competition side of things. When I do get put up against people like that, the true competitor side comes out in me. It’s like I’m almost pushing my body beyond what it can do just because I don’t want to lose."

Bryce Hoppel is one of Team USA’s stars to watch in the Olympic year since he’s the second-fastest American 800 meter runner indoors and the seventh-fastest American outdoors for the same distance. He’s run 1:43.23 and finished fourth at the World Championships. At the University of Kansas, he was a two-time NCAA champion and a five-time All-American. In this episode, you’ll get to know him a little bit better before he takes a swing at David Torrence’s 2:16.76 American record in the indoor 1,000 meters and then you’ll be able to see him in action at the Trials of Miles Texas Qualifier men’s 800 on Feb. 27.

💪 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.

🏃 FOLLOW @trialsofmilesracing for more information on the TEXAS QUALIFIER happening in late February. If you’re a sponsor or brand with an interest in getting involved with the meet, please feel free to contact me: chris@citiusmag.com

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

✍️ 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

✩ Connect with CITIUS MAG: Twitter | Instagram

Matthew Luke Meyer and I catch up to discuss some of the best performances of January 2021. It's a weird time in the sport where there's indoor and outdoor track going on at the same time as cross country and select road races. In this episode, we unpack: – Matt won the men’s division of his first-ever ultramarathon in Moab, Utah (second overall to Sarah Cummings) so he shares what it was like racing for the first time in a while. – We share our new year's resolutions. – A rundown of recent sponsorship changes with athletes including major moves by Puma and cuts by Nike – Some of the biggest performances of the month including: Jim Walmsley's near-miss at the 100K world record attempt, the American Track League's world record showing by Ryan Crouser, Oregon's NCAA record-setting DMR and much more.  

PLUS...More details on theTrials of Miles Texas Qualifier!

💪 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.

🏃 FOLLOW @trialsofmilesracing for more information on the TEXAS QUALIFIER happening in late February. If you’re a sponsor or brand with an interest in getting involved with the meet, please feel free to contact me: chris@citiusmag.com

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

✍️ 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

✩ Connect with CITIUS MAG: Twitter | Instagram

“If I come back next year, we’re going to target all the D2 records.”

If you’re not familiar with Christian Noble's name yet that’s OK because he’s letting some of his performances do the talking for him. In the past two weeks, he set two Division II indoor track records at 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters. He ran 13:37.39 on Jan. 24 in Birmingham, Alabama and then came back a few days later to run 7:51.46 for 3,000 meters. Initially, LetsRun.com reported that the NCAA wouldn’t count the 5K record because the meet used pacing lights on the inside of the track. However, they later walked back that decision and said the mark would count. Christian is the Division II leader in the mile, 3K and 5K. Get to know a little bit more about him.

Follow Christian on Instagram: @little_nobes

💪 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.

🏃 FOLLOW @trialsofmilesracing for more information on the TEXAS QUALIFIER happening in late February. If you’re a sponsor or brand with an interest in getting involved with the meet, please feel free to contact me: chris@citiusmag.com

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

✍️ 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

✩ Connect with CITIUS MAG: Twitter | Instagram

"I'm more comfortable with betting on myself now than I have been in the past, and I think it comes from just accumulating achievements that I look back on and think, 'Yeah, I'm good enough to do this.'"

My guest for today’s episode is the Roots Running breakout star of 2020 not named Noah Droddy. Frank Lara was the US Champion in the 15K despite finishing second after the winner tested positive for EPO. We hear his thoughts on that. He ran 27:44.65 for the 10,000 meters and 61:50 for the half marathon last year. We recorded this episode a few weeks ago so we touch on his hopes for the new year and he makes his pitch to a potential sponsor. Frank will be among the athletes competing at the Trials of Miles Texas Qualifier next month.

💪 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.

🏃 FOLLOW @trialsofmilesracing for more information on the TEXAS QUALIFIER happening in late February. If you’re a sponsor or brand with an interest in getting involved with the meet, please feel free to contact me: chris@citiusmag.com

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

✍️ 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

✩ Connect with CITIUS MAG: Twitter | Instagram

“In 1996, Derrick Adkins came back to his elementary school on Long Island and showed everyone the gold medal he had won. I was in the crowd. I got to see it. I got to talk to him and touch the medal. I was immediately enthralled by the sport that I went home and talked to my mom about signing up for track. That left a really lasting impression on me because I know that he may not have wanted to go back to his elementary school a month after winning the Atlanta Olympics but he did it out of an obligation to his community. Whenever I’ve been invited to speak at camps or schools or any event, I always try to think of the fact that there’s a little kid there who may be sent on a different path just because he had the opportunity to hear my story.”

My guest for today’s show is Kyle Merber and this is his exit interview. He spent the past seven years running for the New Jersey-New York Track Club and just a few weeks ago took to Instagram to announce that he's not done running but done getting paid for it. He finishes his professional career with personal bests of 1:47.23 for 800 meters, 3:34.54 for 1,500 meters and 3:52.22 for the mile. I wrote in my newsletter: He made an impact on the current generation of American distance running by bringing humor, transparency and personality to the track and social media. He’s arguably one of the funniest professionals to follow but also posted with honesty when things weren’t going so great in his attempted comebacks from a series of injuries. You’ll get that from this conversation we recorded this week as we go through his career but also his vision for change and fixes within the sport.

🏃 FOLLOW @trialsofmilesracing for more information on the TEXAS QUALIFIER happening in late February. If you’re a sponsor or brand with an interest in getting involved with the meet, please feel free to contact me: chris@citiusmag.com

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“I’m a big believer that you should really judge people at their worst and not at their best. When people are at their best and everything is comfortable and good or everything is going their way, it’s not really a fair assessment of their character. I think it’s a lot more insightful how someone acts when they’re down and facing adversity. That’s exactly what I was dealing with at that moment. I remember being like, ‘I’m just going to show just how tough I am here and how this isn’t going to shake me at all.’”

NAZ Elite has added the 1500m and 5000m specialist to their roster in 2021. Ryan Hill has spent the last seven years training under Jerry Schumacher. He joined the group shortly after he made his first U.S. national team in 2013 and then competed at the world championships in Moscow. With Bowerman, he won three U.S. titles and made four world championship teams. He won a silver medal in the 3,000 meters at the 2016 World Indoor Championships that were held in Portland, Ore. We touch on those moments in his career and the lessons he learned + what he expects under coach Ben Rosario. If you got a kick out of Emma Bates doing a Nick Willis impression, just wait until you hear Ryan’s Jerry Schumacher character.

Follow Ryan on Instagram: @ryanhillncstate

🏃 FOLLOW @trialsofmilesracing for more information on the TEXAS QUALIFIER happening in late February. If you’re a sponsor or brand with an interest in getting involved with the meet, please feel free to contact me: chris@citiusmag.com

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

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“There was consistency. There was never the breakthrough that I thought could happen. You can only control what you do. I think for the most part I did everything that I wanted to."

Andrew Bumbalough is one of the OGs of the Bowerman Track Club and has been training with them since 2010. In this episode, he announces he is retiring and no longer running professionally and no longer a Nike athlete. He’s shifting his priorities and getting into coaching. On Jan. 1, he launched Highgear Running, which offers personalized coaching for runners of all levels from the mile to the marathon. You’ll hear him discuss where the name came from and what he’s hoping to accomplish there. 

We’ll also take a deep dive into his career from his days starting off as a soccer player in Tennessee through his consistency as one of America’s best 5K runners of the past decade. He’ll share the workout where he dropped Chris Solinsky and other fun stories like his 5th place finish at the Boston Marathon. He finishes his career with personal bests of 13:12 in the 5K and 2:10 in the marathon.  It was an honor to get Andrew for his exit interview of sorts but excited for what’s to come next.

Follow Andrew on Instagram: @abumbalough

Check out Highgear Running: @highgearrunning on Instagram | https://www.highgearrunning.com/

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

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If you’re interested in sponsorship of the podcast or site, please reach out to Chris Chavez at chris@citiusmag.com. Package and slots for 2021 are available.

“Yes, you might have talent or something gifted to you but it doesn’t come without hard work. All those people that you see at the top level and you say, ‘Oh those people are so lucky!’ They work hard for it. We have to know what they came through and what they have done in their lives. For me, yes I was talented in running maybe but I put all the work I wanted to do into running. I might not be perfect for some days but I try my best....”

Weini Kelati is a two-time NCAA Division I champion and 13-time All American out of New Mexico who recently decided to forego the rest of her NCAA eligibility to turn professional and sign with Under Armour and train under the Dark Sky Distance team in Flagstaff, Arizona. Weini has an incredible story that really takes off after she competed for her Eritrea at the 2014 World Junior Championships in Eugene, Ore. She decided not to get on the plane back home and started a new life in America. You’ll hear the story of how that all came together, how she settled into life in Virginia and her hopes of competing for the United States at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials possibly. I think you’ll be blown away by some of the behind the scenes of her story.

Follow Weini on Instagram: @weini_kelati

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

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If you’re interested in sponsorship of the podcast or site, please reach out to Chris Chavez at chris@citiusmag.com. Package and slots for 2021 are available.

“You have a lot of failures but that’s the point of running and learning from these failures, gaining a lot of insight from them and growing from them. Then, they don’t turn into failures anymore. They turn into life lessons and something to be gained from. Everything is something to learn from. Every race is that. Every workout is that. This year has been obviously very strange. Sometimes just getting out the door has been something that you have to feel accomplished for keeping motivated, chipping away at your goals and dreams.”

Emma Bates just ran 2:25:40 to just miss her personal best of 2:25:27 with her fourth-place finish at The Marathon Project. In this episode, she’ll give us her assessment of the performance given some of the challenges that she’s faced this year, how she’s been able to pull through some of the tough times brought on by the pandemic and some of her plans and ideas for 2021. Track? Trails? All of the above?

Come of The Marathon Project and Olympic Trials insights but stay for her impression of Nick Willis toward the end of the show.

You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

Photos by Kevin Morris.

Follow Emma on Instagram: @emmajanelbates

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If you’re interested in sponsorship of the podcast or site, please reach out to Chris Chavez at chris@citiusmag.com. Package and slots for 2021 are available.

"After Chicago, I said, ‘I’ve arrived in the arena of my marathon potential but I still feel like I’m sitting in the nosebleeds.’ Right? I’m not there yet. So now, I’m like, ‘Well fuck...I’m there now. I think.’ If I can do that again or even get a little better then that’s pretty good. I like to think I’ve proven myself as a competitor beyond just being like the puke guy or the beer-drinking hero guy.”

Noah Droddy finished second in 2:09:09 behind recent guest Marty Hehir at the Marathon Project. It was major because it was his first race in 14 months. He had to scratch from the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials due to injury and then he withdrew from the Michigan Pro Half Marathon in the fall due to a COVID scare that might have been a false positive. Droddy came into the race with a personal best of 2:11:42 so it was an improvement by two minutes and 32 seconds. In this episode, we take it all the way back to Droddy’s division 3 days, his choice to take a risk on himself and running post collegiately, crashing the 2016 track trials but ultimately putting respect on his name and proving himself in the marathon. You’re gonna want to stick around all the way to the end of this one because he’s also got the funniest drug testing story in the history of this podcast.

Follow Noah on Instagram: @noah_droddy

Follow Noah on Twitter: @ibuilttheark

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Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for 2021. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears.

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Photos provided by Kevin Morris

"It comes back to what I want to make sure I'm doing: Serving others. It's not to say that I could go out to Flagstaff, crank it hard and make it to the Olympics and inspire a whole bunch of people. When I see opportunities in front of me to be able to coach and directly impact kids, that's what I'm going to gravitate more toward. I could say, 'You know what...I have to use this talent while I have it to generate more money or guarantee I can make it to the Olympics or have a much better shot.' But I don't want to go out and do that feeling like I left an opportunity to truly help people behind or truly impact people who might need me."

Nathan Martin is a two-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier who finished 23rd at the trials in Los Angeles and the 69th on the super tough course and the windy conditions of Atlanta earlier this year. His personal best coming into Sunday’s race at The Marathon Project was 2:14:34. He knocked that out of the park by running 2:11:05 to finish ninth overall. After the race, I received a tip to look into and I quickly learned that his time is now the fastest marathon clocked by a Black man born in the United States. The previous best was by Herman Atkins in 2:11:52 in 1979 in a marathon that was held in Eugene Oregon. The winner of that race was Tony Sandoval and Jeff Wells, who somehow tied for the win in 2:10:20 according to a post in the Ted Corbitt archives. Herm Atkins was the co-owner of a running store, a coach and a police officer in Everett, Washington. You can find some PRs from the track online for him so I was wondering a bit more about Nate and who he is. There were a couple local news stories on him but I figured it was time to give him some more shine and learn about him and his breakout.

Follow Nathan on Instagram: @nim_i_am

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Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for 2021. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears.

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Photos provided by Kevin Morris

“I feel like I’ve been trying to prove I’m one of the best runners in the country for a very long time yet I’m consistently one of the best. It’s just I haven’t had that breakout performance or won that championship that really mattered. That’s why I feel like this race was finally a validation of my whole running career. I’m finally among in a place where I feel like I belong.”

David Melly and I reunite for another crossover episode of The CITIUS MAG Podcast and the Run Your Mouth Podcast. In this episode, we welcome Marty Hehir after his 2:08:59 win at The Marathon Project in Chandler, Arizona. The race was spectacularly fast with seven Americans breaking 2:10. One of the major stories after Sunday was that Marty finally got his big win. It's been a long time coming. I first crossed paths with him in 2012 when similarly took many by surprise to win the Big East Cross Country championship. After the race, I asked him "Who are you?" and he later shared an Instagram post in Jan. 2019 where he wrote: “I’ve been running as hard as I can ever since to make sure no one has to ask me that question again.”

Marty is a medical student in anesthesiology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College. We touch on what that consists of before he graduates in May 2021. He also is a professional runner with the Reebok Boston Track Club and coach Chris Fox, who was also his coach at Syracuse. Marty was a member of the 2015 NCAA Cross Country championship-winning team. He took to the roads shortly after graduation and has found lots of success. When we dive into his relationship with coach Fox, he shares how since 2017 he has targetted the marathon as his event. It paid off when he took 6th at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2:11:29 but had also stopped to use the bathroom at Mile 18. He'll share that story on the podcast as well.

On top of all that...he's a father to two girls. Time management is his specialty and he'll share his schedule and routine with us.

This is the behind the scenes of how he became the seventh-fastest American marathoner of all-time. Enjoy.

Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

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Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for 2021. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears.

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✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | twitter.com/ChrisChavez | instagram.com/chris_j_chavez

"It sucked at the time and it sucked for a long time afterward. But, that was a pretty useful feeling. Being disappointed is a pretty big motivator. I'm not going to cop out of the fact that I really wanted to go to the Olympics."

CITIUS MAG Podcast regular Scott Fauble returns to the show and opens up about how he processed the disappointment of his 12th place finish at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and rekindled his enthusiasm for the sport. We discuss when he started feeling more like himself again, his training and preparation for Sunday's Marathon Project, what's going to prevent this from being a "waste" of a year and much more including listener/live viewer questions.

Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

Support us by picking up some CITIUS MAG merch!

Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for 2021. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears.

You can also pledge a dollar or two for the time that goes into producing all of these shows and more: https://patreon.com/citiusmag

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“There’s no bigger high for me than watching your work get screened in front of people. Good or bad. I’ve had screenings where we’ve packed out a 250-person room with 400 people but I’ve also had screenings, where it’s a 50-person room and only six people, show up and it’s your parents and your friend that you begged to come along. For good or bad, those are the scenarios. It humbles you. It boosts your ego."

We recorded this back in August when RJ McNichols and I were in Boulder, Colorado together. He’s one of the first friends I made while covering the sport from my days with Flotrack. He is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles and he’s produced some really cool projects including 16 2 1 and Beyond"; "Running Away to Flagstaff"; "Year of the Bison"; "Fear and "Loathing from Pier to Strip" and "The 41st Day". They’re excellent and make for a great complimentary watch to this podcast. Plus, with all this extra time at home before the holidays, it’s the perfect time to catch up on some running films you maybe weren’t aware of.

How to RJ's Running Documentaries

16 2 1 and Beyond: The Fall and The Rise of North Central Men's Cross Country Team (Vimeo)

Running Away to Flagstaff (Vimeo)

Fear and Loathing from Pier to Strip: A Speed Project Documentary (YouTube)

Year of the Bison: A Portrait of Nick Symmonds During His Final Track Season (Amazon)

The 41st Day (Amazon)

Follow RJ on Instagram - @RJMCNICHOLS4

Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

Support us by picking up some CITIUS MAG merch!

Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for 2021. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears.

You can also pledge a dollar or two for the time that goes into producing all of these shows and more: https://patreon.com/citiusmag

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“When I saw that positive pregnancy test, it was basically the highlight of my year. Looking at the place I am emotionally and mentally, I am very happy. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.” – Aliphine Tuliamuk

This is a short and special episode of the podcast regarding the big news that U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials champion Aliphine Tuliamuk is pregnant with her first child. A baby girl is expected in late January. She made her announcement on Sunday afternoon in an Instagram post. I published a story for Sports Illustrated about how she came to this decision but also dives into her family history since she is one of 32 siblings. Now, she’s starting her own. The story includes some insight from Northern Arizona Elite head coach Ben Rosario on her possible road back + HOKA One One’s sports marketing manager Mike McManus on how Aliphine won’t face any reductions or have to rush back to action. Aliphine just re-signed with HOKA One One for the next four years. She is going to have plenty of time to get ready for the Olympics and this just became one of the inspirational stories to follow ahead of Tokyo.

Apologies for the audio quality. Initially didn’t intend to release this as a podcast. I recorded it off of my iPhone speaker for the Sports Illustrated story. After sharing the story with my coach, she mentioned to me just how much of a "bright light" Aliphine is for the sport so I decided it would be best if you heard from her!

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: One of 32 Siblings, Aliphine Tuliamuk Prepares to Start Her Own Family 

Follow Aliphine on Instagram: @Aliphine

Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

Support us by picking up some CITIUS MAG merch!

Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for 2021. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears.

You can also pledge a dollar or two for the time that goes into producing all of these shows and more: https://patreon.com/citiusmag

✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | twitter.com/ChrisChavez | instagram.com/chris_j_chavez

“I get it from people all the time who say, ‘You’re fairly unconventional for a pro runner.’ I’m like...Thank you? I guess i do appreciate that just because I do approach things in pro running a little bit differently than the ‘normal runner.’ I’m never going to be a Shalane Flanagan. I don’t think it’s healthy for me to be hyper-focused like a one-track mind. Everyone asks me, ‘Oh are you going to join Bowerman now?’ I personally don’t think I would do well on a team like that. I think that kind of structure works really well for people. I personally thrive off a little bit more loosey-goosey and being able to have another life outside of pro running, which is why I love being in Boston. I love living with my sister out here. I love having friends that aren’t pro runners. I love having Jon as my coach because he gives me so much independence to do that. Maybe I’ll do that...Molly the Unconventional Pro.”

EPISODE NO. 200! When I was thinking about who would be a good person to get on for this one, it occurred to me that I still haven’t had Molly Seidel on the podcast. We go back to when she was at Notre Dame and I was often visiting to cover indoor meets at the Loftus Center or I’d show up to the same football tailgate. I knew her before she was a four-time NCAA champ but always recognized that she's had tremendous talent. She won the Footlocker Cross Country Championships in 2011. And now she’s one of the most popular distance runners after her runner-up finish at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Most recently, she recorded a sixth-place finish in 2:25:13 at the London Marathon. She’s also a fan favorite for things like running the fastest known 10k in a turkey costume or a 36-minute mile as part of the CITIUS MAG Slow Mile Challenge started by David Melly. 

In this episode, we touch on some of those things but also her struggles with disordered eating especially in 2016, the road back, the response to opening up and much more – including...online dating.

 You may laugh. You may cry. I honestly think this is one of the best yet and I’m glad because it’s episode No. 200.

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Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for 2021. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears.

You can also pledge a dollar or two for the time that goes into producing all of these shows and more: https://patreon.com/citiusmag

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We're starting to get more news to discuss at the end of every month! Although COVID-19 cases continue to be on the rise in America, a vaccine appears to be on the way and there's optimism about 2021's possible plans. Recurring co-host Matt Meyer joins for episode No. 199.

In this episode we discuss:

– Track and football's beef involving people claiming Tyreek Hill is faster than Grant Holloway

– Best performances of the month: Molly Huddle's one-hour American record, Tierney Wolfgram's American junior marathon record, CJ Albertson's insane 50K on a track or his 2:09 marathon, Keira D'Amato's 10-mile American record)

– Upcoming competitions: Sound Running's Track Meet, Valencia Half Marathon & Marathon, The Fukuoka Marathon and The Marathon Project

– Is indoor track going to happen?

+ Everyone's favorite Dopers Gonna Dope segment

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✩ Connect with Matt on Instagram: Instagram.com/matthewlukemeyer

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Earlier this month, Clemson’s athletic department announced the decision to cut the men’s track and field and cross country programs after the 2020-21 academic year. Athletic director Dan Radakovich said it came as a measure that will save $2 million per year and would help other Olympic sports on campus survive. The men’s track and field/cross-country team features 51 athletes and has produced 22 Olympians and 16 NCAA titles since it was first offered up in 1953.

One of the most outspoken athletes in the fight to save the team has been high jumper Anthony Hamilton Jr. He might have the biggest following with more than 81K Instagram followers and 112.9K TikTok followers thanks to his insanely cool basketball dunks that have been featured on ESPN, House of Highlights, World Star Hip Hop and other mainstream sports social channels. We spoke on Monday to discuss his reaction to the program getting cut, what conversations have taken place with members of the athletic department and more.

We posted a video of his on the CITIUS MAG Instagram page a few days ago about how he started off playing basketball at the University of LaVerne, caught the attention of the track coach there, got involved with the sport and then jumped on an opportunity (see what I did there) to attend Clemson. It’s a cool story but one that gets lost if the men’s track and field program doesn’t exist and that’s what might happen.

Sign the Petition to Save Clemson Track

Follow Anthony on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube

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“I knew what it felt like to be an elite runner and then being a spectator trying to get into shape. That’s really tough to do: creating a routine and breaking through those barriers at first before it becomes routine. I just gained a whole different perspective about running. I think where I’m at now I just feel so much gratitude and appreciation because I’ve seen every spectrum of running in my life and I’m appreciative and thankful for where it is now.”

We might be a little late to the game in getting Keira D'Amato on the podcast because she's been on a tear in 2020. She finished 15th at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2:34:24. In June, she lowered her 5,000m personal best to 15:04 with a time trial on the track. In July, she won the MVMT Race Series in Boston with a 32:33.44 for the 10,000 meters. Most recently, she won the Michigan Pro Ekiden Half Marathon and the Sugar Run 5K over some fields with strong competition. So how she is doing this at 36? She is also a mother and a full-time realtor. 

We unpack it all by starting with her "decade of hobby jogging" before getting into serious training under coach Scott Raczko (who also used to coach Alan Webb). She shares a bit of his coaching practice and philosophy + why it works for her. She walks us through this year's races and why things have been going so well. Plus, Keira touches on vocalizing her goal of possibly breaking Janet Bawcom's 10-mile American record at the Updawg 10-Miler before shifting back into marathon focus for The Marathon Project.

Follow Keira on Instagram.

Episode photography by Kevin Morris. 

FULL SHOW NOTES ON CITIUSMAG.COM

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Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for the holiday season. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears.

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“I think people need to remember that the presidency doesn’t solve all of our problems. If you want to continue to be engaged in the political process, find your local city council member and figure out if you’re not happy with what they’re doing, elect someone else or you can run yourself. I’m now at the point where I’ve got several friends who are in elected offices in California, which is very cool. Get involved in your state races, your city races, your county races. Those are also avenues that are going to have a tremendous impact on your life and if you’re not happy about the way things are going, not just in the White House but at every other level, get involved.”

CITIUS MAG contributor Kevin Liao joins the podcast to share what his experience was like on the presidential campaign trail for the past two years. Kevin is wrapping up his time as Joe Biden's communications director in Nevada. Prior to that, he served as Elizabeth Warren's communications director in California and then as her Iowa press secretary. Kevin and I worked alongside each other briefly at Flotrack and then teamed up for the launch of CITIUS MAG in 2017. I've covered numerous races and track meets alongside him but never really dove into his professional life in politics. We talk about how that started, how it coincided with his own running. 

Totally understand if you've had your fill of politics talk after Election Day and the whirlwind that followed. Feel free to come back to this episode whenever you want. If you've followed CITIUS MAG in the past few years and seen some of our recent posts on social media, you might know that we're OK with veering into politics. The line between sports, politics or activism does not exist for me but I understand that not everyone feels this way. I've also shared some of my personal views on social media. So if you choose to skip this episode, that's OK. We hope to have you back when we continue with more chats with athletes, coaches and anyone notable in the sport.

Follow Kevin on Twitter. 

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Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for the holiday season. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears.

“I think a big reason why I went for a good beer mile time was because of that first Flotrack championship. I remember streaming it live and thinking ‘They’re running a 5-flat beer mile. This is fast.’ But, at the same time thinking, ‘These guys don’t have as good of a PR as me in the mile so why can’t I run that sort of time? I can do that.’"

Chris Robertson is the second-fastest beer miler in history and the American record holder in the event with his 4:37 personal best. The only person faster than him is world record holder and Canada’s own Corey Bellemore who has run 4:34. 

Listener’s discretion is advised: There’s obviously lots of beer talk on this episode. We wanted to make it clear that we’re not encouraging irresponsible or dangerous behavior or drinking. That’s obviously the case if you’re not 21 years old or legal drinking age. Chris is a professional at it so some of what you might hear comes from his experience getting to that level. 

In this episode, I got a chance to sit down with him while I spent a few weeks in Chicago. We talk about how he got so fast at this, we’ll dive into some of the history and evolution since the first sub-five minute beer mile was run in 2014, how fast he thinks the limit can be and more. Chris has also run 10:18 for the beer two-mile, which is just a disgusting performance so we talk about that and his hopes as the new owner of BeerMile.com

Subscribe to the Beer Mile Media YouTube channel.

Follow Chris Robertson on Instagram. 

Episode photography by Ryan Gooding Photography.

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Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for the holiday season. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears.

In the meantime, check out More Than Running with Dana Giordano. It's one of our most popular shows on the CITIUS MAG Podcast Network. Dana Giordano, a pro runner for the Boston Athletic Association, interviews inspirational women from all walks of life who are working hard to promote the sport as industry leaders. They can be athletes, coaches, entrepreneurs, activists. Dana is going to get the scoop behind some really awesome success stories .Season 2 is underway. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify now. A full list of Season 1 episodes can be found on CITIUS MAG.

"We wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to get better. I don’t have the pressure to get into a marathon build-up or if the Olympics were happening. I wanted to come out of this better. A big part of that for me was maybe taking it a little easier with the mileage and intensity and focusing back to strengthening up my leg. I lost a lot of muscle – not just in my ankle and those tendons but throughout that left leg. It’s been a long process and I think I certainly underestimated how difficult it would be. It’s been two years since  I was operated on but I feel like I’m finally getting back to my old self and getting some good push-off in my left leg. There was certainly a big hitch in my stride at the trials. I really wasn’t getting a lot of push there. It was just setting down and pivoting. My right leg was doing a lot of the work. I can certainly say that I’ve made some big improvements mechanically with that."

It’s been eight months since Galen Rupp won the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials on Feb. 29. In that span of time, he says he has not run a single step with another person. He’s still been training but he’s been grinding solo. That all changed on Friday when Eugene Marathon organizers put together the Row River Half Marathon. It was Rupp, Suguru Osako (his former Oregon Project teammate) and Patrick Tiernan. Many thought that Rupp could take a crack at Ryan Hall’s American record of 59:43 could be in jeopardy but Rupp finished the race in 60:22. His PR is still 59:47 from Prague in 2018.

However, he walked away from Friday with the new American record in the 10-mile since he split 45:53 and Greg Meyer had run 46:13 in 1983. Osako finished behind him in 61:15. In order for the record to count, I believe you need three finishers so Pat Tiernan, who paced for a bit, took third in 66:42.

Support for this episode comes from Bakline Running. We're excited to partner with this Brooklyn-based company that's making active lifestyle and streetwear-inspired apparel. I'm racing a mile in their performance singlet soon but their hits are their shirts, graphic tees and designs with inspiring mantras like "Me vs Me"; "Nothing But Miles"; "The Future Is Female Runners" and more. Check them out at https://www.bakline.nyc/ and use code CITIUS for 15% off at checkout.

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Episode photo provided by Jon Marx/Eugene Marathon

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"I was a competitive snowboarder but seeing what I'm doing in running right now is above and beyond what I thought I was doing in that sport. Finding a sport this late in life and seeing that constant progression, which is what I lost in snowboarding, I hit this point where I don't want to hit jumps anymore. I just want to have fun on the mountains. You stop seeing yourself become better at a point. You're not learning new tricks. You're skiing and snowboarding on the same trails. With running, I'm continuing to get faster and PR in different events and progress. I mostly get messages from friends saying, 'I can't believe how fast you've gotten' or 'What kind of running shoes should I buy?' or even 'Hey! You've really inspired me to sign up for a race.' It's pretty cool, especially to have people who I looked up to for so many years to reach out to me and ask for my advice on running."

If you enjoyed last week’s motivational episode with Pat Jeffers about his marathon progression after some time away from the sport, I offer up another inspirational story but this time it’s someone who found the sport much later in life. 

Brian is a super nice guy who I met in Boulder a few months ago. He’s a member of the Tinman Track Club and he’s run 2:30:14 for the marathon. He ran his first marathon in 3:18 just four years ago. His background doesn’t have much running. He was a snowboarder growing up and then really partied in college. He decided to make a change in his life when he stepped on the scale and wasn’t happy with where he was at. It led him to boxing, which then led him to running following an injury. It’s all interesting to me and I think you’ll enjoy it as well.

Follow Brian on Instagram at @schroy.

More info on Haymaker Harriers – a new community run club. All proceeds are tax-deductible and go towards the fight against cancer.

5K Virtual Turkey Trot to raise money for cancer.

Support for this episode comes from Bakline Running. We're excited to partner with this Brooklyn-based company that's making active lifestyle and streetwear-inspired apparel. I'm racing a mile in their performance singlet soon but their hits are their shirts, graphic tees and designs with inspiring mantras like "Me vs Me"; "Nothing But Miles"; "The Future Is Female Runners" and more. Check them out at https://www.bakline.nyc/ and use code CITIUS for 15% off at checkout.

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Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

“It was a really fun experiment because I don’t think anyone thought that I could have done it...In the beginning, I couldn’t maintain under 5:20 pace for four miles so I’m so far away from this thing. But, the training became reckless in a sort of fun way. When you have a goal that’s unrealistic, you sort of just have to throw yourself at it. There’s no time to think or build up slowly. One of my biggest strengths as a runner is that I’ve been fairly durable – knock on every piece of wood around me – so I knew I could probably click off some 100-mile weeks. I could probably double as often as I had time to. It progressed pretty well. The workouts started going a little bit better. I ran a half marathon in October just under 5:20 pace. So I went from not being able to maintain seven-minute pace in March to running a 5K in June at 5:25 pace to a half marathon in October at 5:20 pace. So I was getting closer. I was getting to this point where no one would really think someone who runs a 60:50 half marathon would ever have a chance to double that but the progression was really exciting for me. I knew that wherever I landed at the end of that journey, that it would have been a hell of a ride either way."

Pat Jeffers captivated me on Instagram in his pursuit of an Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier last year. He used #OTQorHospital to document his training. But what made the whole journey special is that in March 2019, he could barely hold a sub-7 minute per mile pace while he was running with a team in the Speed Project. Once he got re-motivated with running, he started making some major leaps in training. This goal was a longshot and his training was all geared for that type of marathon pace even though he’d suffer through it.

Spoiler Alert: He didn’t achieve the goal but did end up running 2:26, which is very impressive. What you’ll hear in our conversation is more about the lessons learned in the process and why it’s OK to take those shots and set those goals. He’s running a marathon in November and raising money for SisterSong: The National Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. 

Enter Pat's prediction contest by donating any dollar amount to his GoFundMe campaign here: https://gf.me/u/y35icx (Sister Song is an organization fighting to eradicate reproductive oppression for Indigenous, African American, Asian and Pacific Islander, Arab and Middle Eastern, Latinx, and queer women and trans people) If you predict Pat's time and come the closest to his result, he will send you a one of one of piece of running memorabilia - the only one that exists. Worth it.

Support for this episode comes from Bakline Running. We're excited to partner with this Brooklyn-based company that's making active lifestyle and streetwear-inspired apparel. I'm racing a mile in their performance singlet soon but their hits are their shirts, graphic tees and designs with inspiring mantras like "Me vs Me"; "Nothing But Miles"; "The Future Is Female Runners" and more. Check them out at https://www.bakline.nyc/ and use code CITIUS for 15% off at checkout.

FULL SHOW NOTES ON CITIUSMAG.COM

"This is a pretty huge East African community. A lot of these Africans don’t play basketball or football so this is their way of getting that opportunity at that highest level...I feel like one of the reasons they were able to bring back outdoor track was that they knew the amount of damage this would cause. But still, we need indoors as well because we want to be equal.”

Obsa Ali is the 2018 NCAA outdoor steeplechase champion out of the University of Minnesota. I wanted to get him on the show because last Friday, the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents voted to approve a resolution to eliminate the men's indoor track and field, men's tennis and men's gymnastics teams at the end of the 2020-21 school year. A revised proposal that was submitted on Friday removed men's outdoor track and field from the cuts that were first announced in September. 

The university said the athletic department was facing a projected revenue loss of approximately $75 million and what do these three cuts end up saving? An approximate $1.6 million dollars, which alums and others have already been able to fundraise independently in an effort to save the track team. Obsa was in the room when the decision was made so I wanted to get his account of that day, his feelings and where the fight goes from here.

Follow Obsa on Instagram.

Keep up with the latest from Save Minnesota Track.

Sports Illustrated recap of Friday's Board of Regents meeting.

Episode Artwork Photo by Al Lacey for Youth Runner Magazine.

Support for this episode comes from Bakline Running. We're excited to partner with this Brooklyn-based company that's making active lifestyle and streetwear-inspired apparel. I'm racing a mile in their performance singlet soon but their hits are their shirts, graphic tees and designs with inspiring mantras like "Me vs Me"; "Nothing But Miles"; "The Future Is Female Runners" and more. Check them out at https://www.bakline.nyc/ and use code CITIUS for 15% off at checkout.

Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter for all sorts of analysis and commentary on everything happening in the sport: https://citiusmag.substack.com/

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Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

Tyler Day joins the podcast to share what went into the decision to turn professional and sign with the Hoka One One Northern Arizona Elite team after a successful career at Northern Arizona University. Tyler is a six-time All-American and was part of three NCAA championship-winning cross country squads for the Lumberjacks. Most recently, the end of his collegiate career was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic but he managed to set the American collegiate record at the indoor 5,000 meter distance in 13:16.95 at an indoor meet at Boston University in the winter. He has also competed for the U.S. at the 2019 Pan American Games.

In this episode, we look back at his successful NCAA career, his goals for the 2021 outdoor campaign, the Flagstaff running community and much more.

Follow Tyler on Instagram.

Follow NAZ Elite on Instagram. 

Support for this episode comes from Bakline Running. We're excited to partner with this Brooklyn-based company that's making active lifestyle and streetwear-inspired apparel. I'm racing a mile in their performance singlet soon but their hits are their shirts, graphic tees and designs with inspiring mantras like "Me vs Me"; "Nothing But Miles"; "The Future Is Female Runners" and more. Check them out at https://www.bakline.nyc/ and use code CITIUS for 15% off at checkout.

Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter for all sorts of analysis and commentary on everything happening in the sport: https://citiusmag.substack.com/

FULL SHOW NOTES ON CITIUSMAG.COM

Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

This is a two-part episode from my trip to Boulder in August. I made a quick visit over to one of the Tinman Elite Houses and sat down with Jeff Theis and Cameron Griffith. 

Jeff ran at Portland and joined the team in 2018 after feeling like he wasn’t quite done with running at the end of his NCAA career and felt like there was more in the tank after injuries. Cam didn’t get hurt at the end of his time in Arkansas but COVID canceled his senior year’s indoor and outdoor season. Ready to take things to the next level, he made the move to Boulder and has been training with the group since the spring. He had a very brief summer racing season where he ran 3:40 for 1,500 meters and could be the next Tinman to land a pro contract. 

Get to know these guys better. The first half of the show is Jeff and then the second half is Cam.

Support for this episode comes from Bakline Running. We're excited to partner with this Brooklyn-based company that's making active lifestyle and streetwear-inspired apparel. I'm racing a mile in their performance singlet soon but their hits are their shirts, graphic tees and designs with inspiring mantras like "Me vs Me"; "Nothing But Miles"; "The Future Is Female Runners" and more. Check them out at https://www.bakline.nyc/ and use code CITIUS for 15% off at checkout.

TUNE IN: Friday night (Oct. 2 at 7 p.m.) – The Bakline x Trial of Miles Night of the 5K will be streamed on the CIITUS MAG YouTube page for free. Olympians, world championship qualifiers, U.S. Olympic marathon trials qualifiers, high school stars and more will be chasing personal bests under the lights at an undisclosed location in New Jersey. Races start at 7:30 with your's truly chasing a mile PR. 5Ks begin at 7:50. It will be fun. WATCH HERE: https://youtu.be/RYmjNLptdYA

Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter for all sorts of analysis and commentary on everything happening in the sport: https://citiusmag.substack.com/

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Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

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“My hope is that maybe the reason that I didn’t perform as well as I hoped at the Trials is just that I was too cooked. I was a little overtrained. Because when I look at that training block that I had in December, January and February, that was some of the best workouts I’ve ever put together. So what I’m hoping is that I’m fit enough now to have unlocked lifetime fitness. And if I can unlock lifetime fitness, then I can take advantage of some of those deposits to lifetime fitness that I made in January and February without being so burnt out that I can’t rest up in time for London. Here’s my theory: I’m fit enough to unlock lifetime fitness and that hopefully I’m a little bit more rested and maybe that will compensate for the shortened training cycle."

2016 U.S. Olympian Jared Ward returns to the podcast! The last time he was on this show was back in Feb. 2019. After that, he went on to run 2:029:25 at the 2019 Boston Marathon and was considered a strong contender to make a second Olympic team. However, tough conditions in Atlanta and how the race played out, it wasn’t his day and he finished 27th. 

In this episode, we’ll learn how he managed to put that performance behind him, found an appreciation for training amid the global pandemic (with the help of Des Linden) and how he’s preparing for the London Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 4 – where he’ll be in the same race as Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele (the two fastest marathoners of all-time). He had a shortened buildup to work with so he shares some insight into his training and theory of how he’ll find a way to make it work.

Support for this episode comes from Bakline Running. We're excited to partner with this Brooklyn-based company that's making active lifestyle and streetwear-inspired apparel. I'm racing a mile in their performance singlet soon but their hits are their shirts, graphic tees and designs with inspiring mantras like "Me vs Me"; "Nothing But Miles"; "The Future Is Female Runners" and more. Check them out at https://www.bakline.nyc/ and use code CITIUS for 15% off at checkout.

Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter for all sorts of analysis and commentary on everything happening in the sport: https://citiusmag.substack.com/

FULL SHOW NOTES ON CITIUSMAG.COM

Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

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✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | Twitter | Instagram

“What I did, anyone else can do and more people should be doing that. The running market is starting to get a lot bigger. There are more people making YouTube channels because they’re thinking, ‘I can do that.’ You know I had an iPhone until I hit 30,000 subscribers. I’m still using iMovie until this day. It doesn’t have to be unbelievable quality videos. People are a little scared to make that jump. Having no fear helps me stay motivated to put out content and also show that I’m somewhat of an elite runner and I’m trying my best to continue.”

My guest for today’s episode is Spencer Brown but many of you might know him as The Athlete Special from his popular YouTube series. Some of you who have been following CITIUS MAG from the start might be familiar with him because he was one of the original contributors to the site and ran a 4:16 Blue Jeans Mile back in 2017 to set a then-world record. He’s come a long way since. He has run 3:39 for the 1,500 meters and 3:59.97 for the mile. Recently, Brooks decided to take a chance on him and sign him to a contract that will have him training with the Brooks Beasts and coach Danny Mackey in Seattle, Washington. His goal is to make it to the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. You’ll hear more about how that deal came to be, his goals and expectations for himself as well as the background story on when he got his start in running on the competitive Connecticut high school scene and then what led him to pick up a camera to start documenting it all to the masses.

Follow Spencer Brown on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/theathletespecial/

Check out his YouTube videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTVjyeSlm3sR3N1fx-NI-Kw

😎  Support for this episode comes from GOODR SUNGLASSES  – I’ve been rocking Goodr sunglasses throughout the past couple of months. No slip. No bounce. No fog. Polarized. Ridiculously affordable starting at $25 a pair. They’re already the most affordable performance shades on the planet. | Visit GOODR.COM/CITIUS to check out some of my favorite pairs.

Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter for all sorts of analysis and commentary on everything happening in the sport: https://citiusmag.substack.com/

FULL SHOW NOTES ON CITIUSMAG.COM

Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

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“When you look at running and why we’re doing this, the ultimate pinnacle goal is to be an elite medalist but really to be an Olympian and have that title. For Sara (my wife) and I, when we think about why we do this, it’s to try and qualify for the Olympics or give it our absolute best shot. When you talk to someone who is not closely tied to the running world, that’s what they’re looking for. When they describe you to your friends, they’re thinking, ‘This guy is training for the Olympics’ or ‘He’s trying to make the Olympics’ and it’s so cool to them but if you take the Olympics out of it, it loses the allure of what we’re doing. It’s very unique.”

Consider this Part II to last week’s conversation with Sara Sutherland since we now get to interview her husband, Riley Masters. For those who may not be familiar with him, Riley was a standout runner at Maine before transferring to Oklahoma. He’s got personal bests of 3:36.49 for the 1,500 meters and 13:16.97 for the 5,000 meters. He serves as an assistant coach at Colorado where he works closely with his own coach Mark Wetmore. 

Riley hasn’t raced in 2020 because he’s making his way back from getting surgery to correct Haglund's deformity, which is a bone growth on the heel bone. 

I’ve known Riley for years and as he’s now in his 7th year of running professionally, we were both together in Europe in 2013 for our rookie seasons at the top end of the sport. We catch up on what he’s learned in that span of time, why this year is the worst one that he’s faced but keeps him motivated to explore what’s possible in 2021. 

For all my OG Real Maine fans – the documentary that brought some hype behind guys like Riley and Kyle Merber – we touch on the lasting legacy of that film.  Plus: An epic tale of a Jeep Cherokee being stolen and totaled in a drug-related bust...Riley’s Mt. Rushmore of runners from Maine and much more.

Follow Riley on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/riley_masters/

😎  Support for this episode comes from GOODR SUNGLASSES  – I’ve been rocking Goodr sunglasses throughout the past couple of months. No slip. No bounce. No fog. Polarized. Ridiculously affordable starting at $25 a pair. They’re already the most affordable performance shades on the planet. | Visit GOODR.COM/CITIUS to check out some of my favorite pairs.

Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter for all sorts of analysis and commentary on everything happening in the sport: https://citiusmag.substack.com/

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Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

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“I remember the day I ran 4:06. I was on the phone with Riley and he was like, ‘You did it! You got the Olympic standard!’ And I was like, ‘Ugh! I just want to go faster!’ We’re all wired that way. That’s how we roll. Right now, women’s distance running in the United States in the 1,500 and 5,000 is amazing. There are so many women who have taken these preconceived barriers and said, ‘I don’t care. I’m going to go way faster.’ That’s my hope as well. I feel really inspired to see what women have been able to do over the last couple of years. I definitely felt like I was missing out on so much of that. I’m really excited if I can just stay healthy and be up there again.”

Sara Sutherland is a professional runner for Saucony. She was a star at the University of Texas and the University of Colorado. She’s got personal bests of 4:06 for 1,500 and 15:26 for 5,000m. Just a few weeks ago, she raced at the Music City Distance Carnival and it was her first race in a year and a half. It’s been a challenging road back but if there’s anyone who has ever had a great attitude when faced with tough obstacles, it’s been Sara. We catch up on her work to get back to 100% and the gratitude that comes with doing what you love. This was a blast to record and Sara said I asked a lot of good questions.

Follow Sara on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/sarasutherland_/

Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter for all sorts of analysis and commentary on everything happening in the sport: https://citiusmag.substack.com/

FULL SHOW NOTES ON CITIUSMAG.COM

Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

😎  Support for this episode comes from GOODR SUNGLASSES  – I’ve been rocking Goodr sunglasses throughout the past couple of months. No slip. No bounce. No fog. Polarized. Ridiculously affordable starting at $25 a pair. They’re already the most affordable performance shades on the planet. | Visit GOODR.COM/CITIUS to check out some of my favorite pairs.

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“I just kind of wanted to write my own narrative of what it meant to be a professional runner. I knew coming out of college, I just didn’t want to give up on that dream. It was super important for me to do what I was passionate about and take a chance on myself. That meant moving to Boulder instead of moving to San Francisco and going to work at a 9-5 tech job. Basically, it’s been not giving up on myself knowing I have a lot more to give to the sport…”

My guest for today’s episode is Joey Berriatua. This is actually the first podcast episode that I recorded in person in a while and I’m glad it’s with someone who has an appreciation for CITIUS MAG from its start in 2017. Just a few years back, Joey was a diehard Citius fan. He’d buy all the merch we’d put out. He’d listen to all the podcasts, DM us and he was running some solid times at Santa Clara. Sometime around 2018 and once his eligibility was over, he decided to continue his running career and he connected with Sam Parsons and Tinman Elite. He’s seen some big improvements since his move to Boulder and he’s on the cusp of breaking four minutes for the mile. I believe he’s running a mile this weekend, which would be cool to see him finally get under. We talk about how we got to this point, why he took this risk on himself, some people give Tinman a hard time and how he takes that criticism plus what’s the endgame in this pursuit. It’s funny because when I showed up to the Tinman house, I didn’t know I’d be sitting down with Joey so there were no notes and no questions written down for this one. Just two of us having a candid and honest conversation. Enjoy!

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Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

😎  Support for this episode comes from GOODR SUNGLASSES  – I’ve been rocking Goodr sunglasses throughout the past couple of months. No slip. No bounce. No fog. Polarized. Ridiculously affordable starting at $25 a pair. They’re already the most affordable performance shades on the planet. | Visit GOODR.COM/CITIUS to check out some of my favorite pairs.

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“I can’t wait for COVID to be over so I can step in some of these schools and juvenile delinquent centers to talk to these people because they need someone to talk to. I tell people all the time that I hated growing up and hearing “No” my whole life. ‘Oh, I want to be that.’ ‘No.’ ‘Oh, I want to work.’ ‘No. You’re going to be a worker and work for somebody.’ Your whole life you hear that. ‘Oh, you want to be an Olympian. That’s funny.’ That’s what we grew up in and we’re the product of our environment. If we don’t have people coming into that environment to make the product better, then we fail.”

Trayvon Bromell is the 2015 World Championship 100 meter bronze medalist, the 2016 world indoor champion in the 60 meters and was a 100-meter finalist at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. However,  it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for him as he's battled Achilles injuries and setbacks with a bone spur in the past three years. In this episode, I told him straight up that I thought he was done. Then, last month, he popped a 9.90 in a small meet in Florida. In early August, he ran a wind-aided 9.87. It looks like the comeback is real. 

In this episode, we address everything that’s taken place since he came up as a high school star, losing some years in his 20s due to injury and why this has been a long road not only to success but out of poverty. 

I really enjoyed this conversation. Definitely think Trayvon could be a regular on the show because I’ve changed my mind on him being done.

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“With track it’s definitely a lot different than your basketball and football. With track, you’re always going to be able to compete against those mid-major schools and Power 5 schools no matter what school you’re at. For example, North Carolina A&T is an HBCU and they’re doing phenomenally well in the NCAA. Seeing that is going to get a lot of kids to want to go to those school. Seeing some of the alums that came from HBCUs like Kellie Wells or Francena McCorory is going to draw other athletes to HBCUs as well. You can say, ‘Oh if I go to an HBCU and make an Olympic team, I can still achieve my Olympic dream all while still being among the Black community.’ I think conversations like that are being had and a lot of people are considering HBCUs now more than ever. In the track world, it was always kind of popular to go to HBCUs but now it’s more than ever it’s definitely a thing.”

Edose Ibadin a pro runner with the District Track Club in Washington D.C. I decided to get him on the show after he went viral over the weekend with a cool tweet that said: “Dang I really ran 1:44 on Friday. This the same guy who never made an NCAA final. Only made NCAA in the 800 one time. Only had one scholarship offer out of high school. Wasn’t All-American in HS. Where your story starts isn’t where it ends” 

That’s just awesome. I wanted to know a little bit more to his story and how he’s gotten to this point, plus what it was like to run at a HBCU.

Follow Edose on Instagram – @eibadin

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Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

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“At the end of the day, I stepped away and I took on this mindset of ‘I’m not just a runner’ and I wanted to do other shit whether it was in work or outside of work. I wanted to distance myself from this world. The biggest thing I’ve learned from meeting people away from the sport and having experiences removed from the sport of running is that I am a runner at my core and it’s OK to admit that running is something really special. To be able to call yourself a runner is amazing. To be able to have the chance to do it at a high level – maybe even do it as your job or represent your country – besides it being something you love so much and naturally have a disposition for is a gift that maybe you shouldn’t throw away. I learned that being away from the sport. When I was in the sport, I was super frustrated like ‘Fuck this. I’m hurt all the time. This is bullshit.’ The time where I “treated my body to death” any epiphanies that I might have had have pulled me back into the sport. Now, I can look at it and say I am a runner at my core and that’s pretty cool.”

Just a while ago, I was scrolling through Instagram and a poster for what looked like a concert festival came up but instead, it was for 'The Not Dead Yet Comeback Tour' and it was Ciarán ó Lionáird announcing his comeback to professional running. It looks serious. He’s working with agent and coach Stephen Haas in Flagstaff Arizona and he’s working out with Edward Cheserek. So I wanted to know more about this comeback. We decided to jump on a call where we discuss this, his disappointment in 2012, a series of injuries, time away from the sport, adjusting to the real world and what will ultimately make this all worth it even if there is no Olympics.

This one goes out to all the listeners who want to rekindle that flame in training and sharpen their mindset for a comeback.

Follow Ciarán and keep up with his comeback on Instagram. 

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“What I know is the aspect of being looked at differently because of our national heritage – in this case as Kenyan athletes who also happen to be Black in the United States of America. It’s real...One of the things that bothered me many times was that I would go and run a race and if it was a United States championship, they would say ‘Kenyan-born Sam Chelanga.’ What do you get by that? You get to tell people this is the real champion and this is not the real champion because he is Kenyan-born. My performance and my hard work go through the window.”

Lots of people know of Sam from his success as a three-time NCAA cross country champion out of Liberty. He set the NCAA 10,000 meter record of 27:08.49 in the same race that Chris Solinsky broke 27 to set the American record. Those accomplishments came before he became an American citizen in 2015. It was something he wanted for a while and patiently waited out the process until it became official. As a professional, he had some success including being the alternate for the 2016 Olympics in the men’s 10,000 meters and then taking well to the roads. Then in 2018, he retired to enlist in the Army at 33 years old. It was a sudden announcement that surprised many because he was in the middle of an Olympic cycle. He explains so much behind what called him to do that along with many of the other major decisions in his life – on this podcast and also in his new book “With The Wind: Finding Victory Within.” The book will come out on July 28. You can order your copy here. 

More topics discussed in this episode: Why he chose to write a book, running out of poverty in Kenya, his proudest NCAA cross country title, who wins a hypothetical cross country race between the greats, Aliphine Tuliamuk's comments on track media, the decision to serve in the Army and much more...

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Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify!

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"JJ (Clark) helped me realize: 'You have to let high school go. This is a new chapter. It's a new environment. You're away from home. Your body is changing. There's a lot going on. Everything you achieved in the past four years was amazing.' He didn't want to take that away from me but he said, 'Let's start over.' That's what a lot of high school phenoms do. It's natural. You carry what you've achieved into college but my biggest advice would be to embrace this new chapter and know that it's completely different. Everybody is good. Everybody is a state champ. Find a coach that cares about you more than just a runner and athlete – someone who wants to walk this new journey with you. Because it is going to be a journey and there will be highs and lows. You can't do it alone. You're young and so you need that support from someone older and wiser who is going to be patient with you. There will be breakthroughs but give your body time. I wish I would have known that as 17-year-old Chanelle."

Chanelle Price joins the podcast to detail how she's been able to come back among the country's best 800-meter runners. The 2014 World Indoor 800 meter champion but has raced sparingly in recent years since she suffered multiple setbacks in her training including a pulmonary embolism leading to blood clots in her lungs, a battle with mono and a foot fracture. Despite the struggles, she has refused to retire and wants to give the 2021 Olympics a shot.

In this episode, we'll run through her career from being a high school star out of Easton, Pennsylvania through her identity crisis and development at Tennessee to her rollercoaster of a professional career. She shares why things are now going well right as a member of the Nike Oregon Track Club and racing amid a global pandemic. She's got tremendous resiliency. Enjoy.

Follow Chanelle: Twitter | Instagram

Women's Running: “I Am Tougher Because of What I Went Through”

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On July 1, Elise Cranny ran 14:48.02 to become the 7th fastest American woman in history for the 5,000 meters. The race was run in Portland, Oregon in front of no fans and just against her teammates. The time counts toward the all-time lists because USATF recently announced they will be counting times and marks set at USATF sanctioned events from April to November toward next year's U.S. Indoor Championships and Olympic Trials. This is arguably her biggest performance as a pro but was also very accomplished as a high school star out of Niwot High School in Colorado and then a 12-time All-American at Stanford. 

In this episode, we run through her start in sport with influence from her parents who were avid triathletes. We touch on the pressure of being a high school star and a patient transition into college training and development. Elise takes us through some of the biggest races of her college career including her runner up finish at the 2017 NCAA outdoor championships 1500 where she was .004 seconds off the win. Then she gives us the behind-the-scenes of being injured at the start of the year, her recovery process and then how that 14:48 came together. Plus, she'd one of the young and rising stars benefitting from the Olympics getting postponed.

You can watch the 14:48 race on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhFnc4xEwe0&t=3s

▶ Follow Elise on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elise.cranny/

Support for this episode comes from GOODR SUNGLASSES – Been rocking Goodr sunglasses throughout the past couple months and they're the best. No slip. No bounce. No fog. Polarized. Ridiculously affordable starting at $25 a pair. No discounts needed when they’re already the most affordable performance shades on the planet. Visit Goodr.com/citius to check out some of my favorite pairs. #EyesAreFeelinGoodr

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Duane Solomon joins the CITIUS MAG Podcast for an exit interview after announcing his retirement on June 20th with an Instagram post. He finished his career as the third-fastest American of all-time in the 800 meters with his 1:42.82 personal best at the 2012 Olympics in London.

In this episode, we'll go all the way to his high school career and how he managed to find the 800 meters as his specialty event. We'll look at how his "old school" approach to training started in college at USC and eventually landed him on his first U.S. national team in 2007 in Osaka. He opens up about issues with confidence at the college level and early into his professional career before he eventually erupted in 2012 under the guidance of Johny Gray (the former American record holder). Duane explains why it's the 2012 Olympic Trials and not the Olympic final that's the proudest moment of his career. From the warmup area to the call room to the track and off, Duane details his perspective of the London final and David Rudisha's perfect world record. We unpack the later years of his career like chasing the American in 2013/14, crashing and blacking out at the 2015 U.S. Championships, losing in the first round of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials and the curious ending to the final three years of his career. Plus, how he feels he fits into the history of America's rise to the top of the 800 meters and Donavan Brazier's world record chances. All that and more...

Support for this episode comes from GOODR SUNGLASSES – Been rocking Goodr sunglasses throughout the past couple months and they're the best. No slip. No bounce. No fog. Polarized. Ridiculously affordable starting at $25 a pair. No discounts needed when they’re already the most affordable performance shades on the planet. Visit Goodr.com/citius to check out some of my favorite pairs. #EyesAreFeelinGoodr

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Chris Chavez and Matt Meyer reunite to unpack the biggest stories in track and field for May and mid-June. Some races have returned on a small scale with the Impossible Games in Oslo, Norway. We discuss that meet and some of the rumored plans for track to take place in the United States in August.

Other topics discussed on this episode include: Jakob Ingebrigtsen is on fire; Johnny Gregorek broke the Blue Jean Mile World Record, Leo Daschbach becomes the 11th high school boy to break four minutes for the mile, The Diamond League has revised its calendar for 2020 with 11 meets starting in August and running through October; Salwa Eid Nasser and Christian Coleman were provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit for whereabouts failures. All that and more on the latest episode.

This episode is Part II to our monthly show. In Part I, we had a conversation about race and sport with Richard Issa of Issa Run Crew in Philadelphia. You can listen to that conversation here: https://apple.co/2YNcrni

Support for this episode comes from GOODR SUNGLASSES – Been rocking Goodr sunglasses throughout the past couple months and they're the best. No slip. No bounce. No fog. Polarized. Ridiculously affordable starting at $25 a pair. No discounts needed when they’re already the most affordable performance shades on the planet. Visit Goodr.com/citius to check out some of my favorite pairs. #EyesAreFeelinGoodr

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✩ Connect with Matt on Instagram: Instagram.com/matthewlukemeyer