Cj Albertson
United States
Personal Bests
Marathon
2:08:17
10/13/2024
50 Kilometres Road
2:38:43
10/8/2022
10,000 Metres
29:37.89
3/30/2018
5 Kilometres Road
14:31
3/25/2018
5000 Metres
13:50.24
2/10/2017
Recent Mentions
One of the most fascinating athletes in the marathon scene right now, CJ Albertson is doing it his way and succeeding at every step of the way. From racking up ultra high mileage weeks to dropping it down to almost nothing in between cycles, to juggling running and a full-time job as a professor, coach and dad, all while managing to come out with top-10 finishes at the Olympic Trials, NYC Marathon, Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and CIM. And that was just in 2024. This was such a great look inside the training and accomplishments of one of the best American marathoners right now.
Follow CJ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cjalbertson/
Check out our Brooks running reviews: https://believeintherun.com/shoe-reviews/type/road/?shoe_brand=971
Show notes1h 2m
In a fitting theme for the city of Broadway, the 53rd edition of the New York City Marathon was all about breakout stars finally getting their time in the spotlight. Both winners of the men’s and women’s elite races in NYC are frequently recurring characters near the front of major races, but neither had completed a signature performance before today.
Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands and Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya won their first World Marathon Major titles by defeating fields full of former NYC champs, with Nageeye outkicking 2022 champ Evans Chebet down the homestretch and Chepkirui beating 2023 champ Hellen Obiri at her own game with a late surge through Central Park.
Time stamps:
Women’s race:
2:10 - Breaking down Sheila Chepkirui’s win
5:03 - Hellen Obiri talking a big game + reflecting on her career
13:20 - Kudos to Vivian Cheruiyot for her third place finish
16:10 - Sara Vaughn’s top American performance
19:42 - More top results: Jess McClain, Sharon Lokedi, Kellyn Taylor, Tristan Van Ord, Dakotah Popehn
22:38 - Reflecting on Jenny Simpson’s career
Men’s race:
26:47 - Breaking down Abdi Nageeye’s win
31:24 - Evans Chebet’s performance, 30th career marathon
33:18 - More top results: Albert Korir, Tamirat Tola
35:19 - Conner Mantz and Clayton Young’s races
39:45 - Kudos to CJ Albertson
More thoughts:
44:27 - 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials
48:40 - Valencia Half Marathon recap
54:50 - What’s ahead on the CITIUS MAG Podcast
56:18 - Sydney Marathon becoming the newest World Marathon Major
Mentioned in this episode:
Watch: NYC Marathon Watchalong
Read: Parting Thoughts From The 2024 NYC Marathon: Abdi Nageeye and Sheila Chepkirui Win + More
Listen: Jenny Simpson Reflects on Her Career from High School to 2019, Shares 2020 Plans and Hopes
Hosts: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram + Isaac Wood | @isaacew on Instagram
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Show notes1h 6m
"I was in Atlanta (for the 2020 Olympic Trials) watching on the sidewalks. Here, I was a player in the race. And now it's just focusing on 2028 and just continuing to get better each and every day. That's been my focus since I started running – just being faster today than I was yesterday and just checking off all those boxes to do that. Focusing on the process makes the outcome not easy to get over, but it makes it more bearable knowing how far you've come and how far you still have to go."
My guest for today’s episode is Zach Panning – a marathoner for the Hansons Brooks Distance Project. He just finished sixth at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando but that doesn’t tell the full story. He went for it and found himself at the front of the race by Mile 5 and led for about 17 miles of the whole thing. Eventually, Conner Mantz and Clayton Young pulled away and Panning was left on his own to fend off a challenge from a charging Elkanah Kibet, Leonard Korir and CJ Albertson. Those three guys managed to pass him in the final three miles.
Panning made that race. He fell short but he was still super proud of the effort in his interviews afterward. Almost two weeks since the race, we checked in to see how he was feeling and how he’s going to take that as a major learning opportunity for future marathons.
Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Zach Panning | @zachpanning on Instagram
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🎽 Bandit is a performance-running brand based in Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 2022, they just had 9 athletes compete in the Marathon Trials and told those stories via their documentary-style YouTube series "Dialed": Check those out here.
They also just relaunched their Membership, a program that enhances your relationship with Bandit via early access, discounts, and exclusive events/gear/content/you-name-it. For a limited time, get 20% off the Membership (and any product if it's your first order) by using code Citius20.
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Show notes42m
“I think I have a good shot, but it's also very competitive and a lot deeper than people realize. This is probably a 20-person race. You only hear about maybe five or seven names, but it's a lot deeper than that.”
CJ Albertson is back on the CITIUS MAG Podcast just days after running 2:11:08 at the Baja California Marathon in Mexico this past weekend. The thing is – it comes a week after he ran and won the California International Marathon in 2:11:09.
With the performance in Mexico, he got under the 2:11:30 mark making him eligible for selection for the U.S. Olympic Team with a top-three finish at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Instead of having to worry about a time in Orlando, he now just needs to finish in the top three.
A reminder to the listeners trying to keep track of things – The U.S. currently has two spots guaranteed for Paris thanks to Conner Mantz and Clayton Young’s performances at the Chicago Marathon. The third spot will likely be unlocked in May based on World Athletics’ rankings. It’s a bit confusing but CJ talks a bit about it in the episode as well.
We touch on his decision to run 3 marathons in 2:11ish over 40 days and why he believes his chances of making the team are better than ever. Plus, you have to hear about his infrared treadmill setup.
Hosted by: Chris Chavez – @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: CJ Albertson – @cjalbertson on Instagram
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount)
HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST
🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG
Show notes47m
Let the post-California International Marathon fun begin!!! We had another historic weekend at CIM and I'm excited to bring you a boat load of episode over the next two weeks.
In this episode we have two pre-race live shows. The first was an interview that I did with Peter Bromka of CJ Albertson. CJ went on to win CIM in his third attempt by taking the lead with just two miles to go. In this conversation, CJ talk abouts his training leading into the race, his race selection this fall/winter, how it was impacted by the birth of his second child, and much more.
The second part of this episode is with Lift, Run, Perform founder Mary Johnson. We discuss the power of the group training programs she's created for people looking to achieve big stretch goals and the characteristics of high-achieving groups and runners. Mary also talks about her multi-year recovery from injury. Mary battled for years to find the right doctors and a path forward. She entered CIM with a conservative mindset after years of struggle but ended up having a dream day.
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Show notes54m
At last week's Boston Marathon, Nell Rojas went up against some of the world's best after a less-than-ideal build and did her thing. Nell ran a 2:24:51, a personal best, which was good for 14th overall and 3rd American. Two weeks before Boston, Nell finished 3rd at Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (USATF Championship). In this episode we detail the training that led to these performances as well as the race tactics and details that defined them. Nell displays her trademark candor and good humor in describing all of it!
In the second half of the episode we hear from CJ Albertson. CJ ran a gutsy race that proved to far more impactful that his 12th place overall finish (4th American).
We dive into all of it while talking at length about his well-crafted IG post detailing his experience:
"2:10:33- 12th place at the Boston Marathon
On paper, a mediocre result. With analysis, a poor result- with a 62:20 1st half split, then fading hard for a 68:13 2nd half.
But this race was special. For awhile now, it’s been difficult to enjoy running or really anything in life- and I’ve had this feeling that I’m not exactly myself- like my life and personality has been filtered in grayscale. This weekend in Boston was full of vibrant color. Running 15 miles with the world’s best marathoners, far faster than I’ve ever ran before- felt right, and I felt like me. It’s hard to describe, but the genuine joy, peace, and fun I experienced during the race hit me in a way that I could only interpret as “this is who I am”.
Yesterday, I wasn’t fit enough to race a full 26.2 with the world’s best- and many would say I should’ve ran the first half slower (including me before the race). Analytically, they are correct. But I was rewarded anyway. I was reminded of who I am, the greatness I was created for (not just in running), and the joy of running and life.
We all have greatness within us. We may not have achieved it yet, haven’t mastered the habits/discipline necessary to get there, and sometimes may not even feel it’s true- but it’s still who we are. Time to live it out."
Sponsor:
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Show notes1h 39m
The Road to the Trials has returned for season three and we are fired up! We will be bringing you a yearlong, behind the scenes, look at the training and racing of some of America's best runners as they prepare for the Olympic Marathon Trials on February 3, 2024. In this amazing season we will be following Nell Rojas, CJ Albertson, Sara Vaughn, Dani Moreno, Nico Montañez, Carmen Graves, Ramiro “Curly” Guillen, and Jereny Rivera.
In this episode we are joined by Stefanie Flippin and Peter Bromka. Stefanie is a professional ultra runner and doctor who co-owns her own practice. She was also featured in season one of Road to the Trials! Peter is one of the best running-focused writers in the country and has chronicled his own quest for an OTQ over the past five years. In this episode the three of us dive into the eight runners that we will follow this season while Stefanie and Peter share what they learned from their own journeys and their thoughts on the year ahead.
Follow season three's runners:
Nell Rojas: https://www.instagram.com/nell_rojas_running/
Sara Vaughn: https://www.instagram.com/smevaughn/
Dani Moreno: https://www.instagram.com/dan_yell_a/
Carmen Graves: https://www.instagram.com/carmenpelar/
Jereny Rivera: https://www.instagram.com/lolspacemonkey/
CJ Albertson: https://www.instagram.com/cjalbertson
Nico Montañez: https://www.instagram.com/montanez.nico
Ramiro "Curly" Guillen: https://www.instagram.com/deejaycurly/
Sponsors:
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Show notes1h 7m
“I want to isolate everyone because I run by myself. If everyone gets isolated and they’re running by themselves, that’s a huge advantage for me. I don’t need a pack to run with. I do 100% of my hard training alone. I want to get people alone. I want to sucker people into going harder on the downhills...You have to have that mentality that I’m coming to mess people up. That’s what I think about in a race – just having that raw competitiveness."
Brooks pro runner CJ Albertson has been a pretty highly-requested guest on this show because people can see some of the untraditional training runs that he throws down on Strava. But if you ask him, he doesn’t think it’s wild.
In this episode, we discuss his rise on the US marathoning scene where he popped off to a lot of people when he led last year’s Boston Marathon for 21 miles and finished 10th. He just ran 2:12 at the Modesto Marathon with three weeks to go until the big race. The catch is that was led off course by the lead bike for a bit. His 26.2 watch split was 2:10. So he’s fit and ready to throw down on marathon Monday.
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Show notes1h 6m
CJ Albertson placed 10th at the Boston Marathon just a couple weeks ago. He lead the race up until around mile 17. We get to hear about his mindset during the race, his race plan, how he is feeling after the race, and how he wants to tackle Boston again. CJ is a 2:11 marathoner, he ... more »
Show notes1h 22m
Carrie chats with CJ Albertson, the man who led the 2021 Boston Marathon for 20 miles before finishing 10th overall (and second American)! They talk about his race and his strategy, why he thought it was important to keep the crowd engaged, how he broke through the wall to finish out the race, how his friends and family reacted to his performance, his history in the sport (including several world records), and much more!
Show notes42m
In marathoning, there are no guarantees. Yesterday at the 2021 Boston Marathon, CJ Albertson bravely led the Boston Marathon for 21 miles before ultimately fading back to a 10th place finish.
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Kevin and Lincoln are joined by U.S. marathoner CJ Albertson, who recently ran a 2:09 marathon on a treadmill and set the 50k world record on a track. Albertson will next tackle the Marathon Project on Dec. 20 in Chandler, Arizona, where he'll have a chance to further validate his unique methods.
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Show notes47m
CJ Albertson returns to the pod after an incredible 7th place finish at the Olympic Trials Marathon and signing with Brooks!
Show notes36m
Episode 1 of the Student of Running Podcast
Great discussion with CJ about his background in running, high school and college careers, his string of four marathons between November 2018 and April 2019 including his world record in the indoor marathon. We also touched on his experience starting a cross country team at a community college, what he values and teaches to athletes he coaches, and finally some of his favorites in some quick questions. Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this episode of the Student of Running Podcast, please share this episode and leave a 5 star review and a comment. Also comment any guests you would like to listen to and/or books you would like to hear reviewed. Thanks for listening and happy running!
Show notes46m