Cj Albertson

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/

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“[Coaching] is fulfilling, but it also sincerely does make me better. It makes me a better athlete. Miguel (Marin), just the way that he wanted to get better as a person and as a runner. He was a young person, didn't have life figured out and was still trying to figure himself out. I'm still trying to figure myself out. Just seeing him put the effort into himself that he did. There were so many times that made me be like, ‘I can do this. I can be better and improve upon things about myself and my emotional stability, my mental stability.’ All these things improve just by the relationship that we had.”

My guest for today’s episode is CJ Albertson. Just three weeks after setting a personal best of 2:08:17 at the Chicago Marathon, CJ came into the New York City Marathon and delivered another stellar performance, finishing 10th in 2:10:57.

CJ's year has been nothing short of extraordinary—top American at both the Boston and Chicago Marathons, a 5th-place finish at the Olympic Trials, and now, another top-10 finish in New York. No American had ever run sub-2:11 marathons so close together, but CJ isn't one to shy away from a challenge. We'll talk about his mindset, his breakout year, and his relentless pursuit of faster times.

Plus, CJ also shares a bit about how he was running in memory of Miguel Marin, who was one of his athletes who ran track and cross country at Clovis Community College. The 22-year-old died in a car crash over the weekend. A GoFundMe has been set up to assist with his family’s expenses. You can find the link to it here.

Plus, we do our overrated/underrated segment on training elements with CJ to close out the show.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Guest: CJ Albertson | @cjalbertson on Instagram

Time stamps:

3:24 - Reflections on his past year of marathoning

8:07 - Which of his marathons was the most satisfying this year 

10:14 - How he approached racing both the Chicago and NYC marathons

13:10 - Factors that led to his improvement

15:13 - Hopes for what’s next in his career

22:25 - Race breakdown: 1st Ave

24:51 - Race breakdown: 5th Ave

28:32 - Thoughts on how to close the gap on becoming top American 

30:24 - How he hopes to continue improving 

36:30 - Race weight + fueling strategy while racing 

41:08 - Going after the 2025 World Championships team 

50:02 - Reflecting on Miguel Marin, his athlete who just passed away

56:40 - Answering listener questions 

1:02:02 - How coaching others makes him a better athlete

1:04:24 - Overrated/underrated: training methods

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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: 2024 NYC Marathon Pre-Race With Conner Mantz, Clayton Young, Hellen Obiri, Dakotah Popehn, Jess McClain + 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

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

WAHOO: KICKR RUN - a new revolutionary treadmill offering the freedom and form of outdoor running at home, from Wahoo Fitness. Run hands-free and focus solely on the joy of running with the innovative RunFree Mode - which adjusts to your stride and pace automatically. For the first time runners can now fully benefit from indoor training apps such as Zwift Run and the Wahoo app for an immersive training experience that delivers unmatched realism and results. Learn more at WahooFitness.com

OLIPOP: For the past year, we’ve redefined Olipop as more than just a healthy drink known for its gut microbiome with a low sugar content and a much better alternative to regular soda. You know there are more than 16 flavors, including classic root beer, cherry cola, and lemon-lime. You know it as The Runner’s Soda. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 25% off your orders by using code CITIUS25 at drinkolipop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We break down everything that happened at the 2024 Chicago Marathon -- including an insane 2:09:56 women's marathon world record from Ruth Chepngetich. Plus, we chat with top U.S. men's finisher in Chicago -- CJ Albertson -- to learn more about his race, prep for the upcoming NYC Marathon and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One year after the late Kelvin Kiptum obliterated Eliud Kipchoge’s previous world record by 34 seconds, running an almost unfathomable 2:00:35, Ruth Chepngetich topped that. Her astounding time of 2:09:56 is one of the greatest running performances in history, makes her the first woman to run under 2:10 in a marathon, and lopped one minute and 57 seconds off Tigist Assefa’s old world record.

On the men’s side, Kenya’s John Korir notched his first-ever World Marathon Majors victory in 2:02:44. (What a time for the sport of marathoning we’re in right now, where a 2:02 showing is basically a footnote!)

Hosts:

Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Preet Majithia | @prm_32 on X

Time Stamps:

Ruth Chepngetich:

1:31 - Breaking down her 2:09:56 world record

9:40 - More on her running history + Chicago victory 

13:52 - Stats + analysis on her record

Skepticism surrounding Chepngetich’s world record:

19:01 - Training factors

22:27 - Potential for doping

25:48 - Chepngetich being questioned in the press conference

37:19 - Language barrier

39:35 - The press center during the marathon

American women:

41:21 - Susanna Sullivan, 7th/1st American, 2:21:57

42:57 - Lindsay Flanagan, 9th/2nd American, 2:23:31

44:33 - Keira D’Amato dropping out due to injury 

45:13 - Emma Bates, 11th/3rd American, 2:24:00

Men’s race:

47:18 - John Korir, 1st in 2:02:44

50:06 - More on the top finishers

American men:

53:25 - CJ Albertson (7th/1st American, 2:08:17) and Zach Panning (10th/2nd American, 2:09:16)

Final thoughts:

56:15 - Feedback on the broadcast

1:06:29 - CITIUS live at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Mentioned in this episode…

Read: Parting Thoughts From The 2024 Chicago Marathon: Ruth Chepngetich Destroys Women’s World Record In 2:09:56 at Chicago Marathon

Read: Tweet by Steve Magness comparing Ruth Chepngetich’s world record to equivalent performances

Watch: Interviews with some of the top stars from the Chicago Marathon

Watch: Chicago Marathon full replay

Subscribe for free: CITIUS MAG Newsletter

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OLIPOP: For the past year, we’ve redefined Olipop as more than just a healthy drink known for its gut microbiome with a low sugar content and a much better alternative to regular soda. You know there are more than 16 flavors, including classic root beer, cherry cola, and lemon-lime. You know it as The Runner’s Soda. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 25% off your orders by using code CITIUS25 at drinkolipop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

"It means a lot to me. Especially to all my teammates and my leadership in the Army. If you make the Olympics while you are in the Army, it's a huge accomplishment. Making these Olympics is not only for me. It's about people serving in the Army. All those people in the Army.

Also, it's about my teammates. When I make the team I know my teammates will also want to make the team because I am one of the leaders in our platoon. If you see the leader making the team, you want to make it too...It's not about me. It's about representing other people who are looking up to me. I'm so happy. I'm grateful. I can't wait to represent Team USA and represent the Army too."

Finally! After four months of stress and uncertainty, Leonard Korir is heading to the Olympics. Just last week, World Athletics added one universality place and four rankings places to the Olympic marathon field on Tuesday. With that, Korir gets the United States’ final spot – thanks to CJ Albertson’s ranking unlocking it – and he will be racing on Aug. 10th.

Korir was third at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, which was awesome because he had just missed the U.S. Olympic marathon team for Tokyo by just three seconds. This will be his second Olympic team after representing the United States in the 10,000m in Rio de Janeiro back in 2016.

Following the Trials, Korir went to Rotterdam in April in hopes of getting under the Olympic standard but faded in the second half of the race to a 2:12:47 finish. We discuss that race, his preparations for Paris and why this means a lot not just to him but also to his fellow members of the U.S. Army.

We waited until it was official to get Lenny on the podcast. Now we’ve completed the set. We have podcasts with all six of the U.S. Olympians for Paris + the two alternates (Jess McClain and Elkanah Kibet, who have amazing stories) – you can go back and listen to those race recaps and reflections.

Time Stamps:
5:44 - How he’s feeling after officially qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team.
7:56 - How he and his coach structured his training after the Olympic Marathon Trials.
10:07 - Reflecting on his race at the Marathon Trials.
14:12 - What qualifying for his second Olympic team means to him.
15:44 - How he fits in his training while serving in the army.
17:21 - How training has been going leading into the Olympics.
19:40 - His running career trajectory.
23:06 - Thoughts on the Olympic Marathon course.
28:28 - His goals and mindset for the Olympic Marathon.

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