Conner Mantz

“I was like, ‘I just want to run fast.’ My ‘A’ goal for this race was to break the American record. If I was fifth, sixth, first—I didn’t really care. I was just concerned about the American record. That’s all that was going through my mind.”

My guest for today's episode is Conner Mantz, the newly minted American record holder in the half marathon. Conner's historic performance at the 2025 Houston Half saw him cross the finish line in 59:17, taking a remarkable 26 seconds off Ryan Hall's long standing record from 2007.

Conner joins us to break down every step of that historic performance, from his strategic surges, to his final kick, and how he overcame setbacks in training to achieve one of the most coveted records in American distance running. He reflects on his journey from running his first half marathon at age 12 to becoming the fastest American over the distance.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram 

Guest: Conner Mantz | @connermantz on Instagram

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SPOKANE SPORTS COMMISSION: In Spokane, Washington, there’s Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and now, Fast.. Fifth Season is hosting elite indoor track and field events all throughout January and February. All events take place at the Podium Powered by STCU, SPOCAN’s state-of-the-art indoor track facility. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at SpokaneSports.com/FifthSeason⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

OLIPOP: I’ve got a question for you: how’s your Dry January going? Whether you’re crushing it or just dipping your toes in, our friends at Olipop are here to make it a lot more fun—and way more delicious.  It’s not just another soda—it’s soda reimagined. Think of all the nostalgic flavors you love, but with way less sugar and a third of your daily fiber in every can. ⁠Get 25% off all your orders at DrinkOlipop.com using code CITIUS25 at checkout.

Before we get to Boston, the elite American [half-]marathoning circuit kicks off this Sunday in Houston, Texas, where fast times historically abound thanks to pancake flat topography, mild Texas “winters,” and top-tier talent converging from all across the country and world. And while the rest of us were deep in winter hibernation, plenty of the sport’s best and brightest spent their holiday season with one weekend in January circled on the calendar. 

CITIUS MAG’s been cooking up an exciting behind-the-scenes docuseries following Conner Mantz, Clayton Young, and Joe Klecker as they prepare for the Houston Half. [Check out the trailer here, and stay tuned for the first episode, which premieres later today… like, subscribe, etcetera!] Klecker has already gone on record stating that the American record—59:43, set by Ryan Hall back at this same race in 2007—is something he’s been training toward in his debut at the distance.

But perhaps the most likely American record performance may come from the very athlete who already holds the women’s mark: Weini Kelati. At Houston last year—are you sensing a trend here?—Kelati ran 1:06:25 in her debut at the distance, kicking off a banner year highlighted by an eighth-place finish in the Olympic 10,000m. With her confidence buoyed and another full year of training under her belt, Kelati seems poised for a big day. 

Chris Chavez chatted with Kelati’s coach, Stephen Haas, to check in on what fans might expect come Sunday, and learn a bit more about Kelati’s preparation with her Under Armour Mission Run Dark Sky Distance teammates in Flagstaff, Arizona. (Read the full interview here.) 

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

SPOKANE SPORTS COMMISSION: In Spokane, Washington, there’s Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and now, Fast.. Fifth Season is hosting elite indoor track and field events all throughout January and February. All events take place at the Podium Powered by STCU, SPOCAN’s state-of-the-art indoor track facility. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more at SpokaneSports.com/FifthSeason⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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: I’ve got a question for you: how’s your Dry January going? Whether you’re crushing it or just dipping your toes in, our friends at Olipop are here to make it a lot more fun—and way more delicious.  It’s not just another soda—it’s soda reimagined. Think of all the nostalgic flavors you love, but with way less sugar and a third of your daily fiber in every can. ⁠Get 25% off all your orders at DrinkOlipop.com using code CITIUS25 at checkout.

“The only magic thing about running is consistency. Consistent competence equals eventual excellence. That's kind of my mantra. So we try to stay healthy so that we can be consistent. We just keep on getting the miles in, getting the workouts in, and over time, good things happen. What was special about 2024? Who knows other than having the right athletes in the right position, the right belief and faith in their parts and goals, and going, ‘Hey, maybe we can do this.’”

My guest for today’s episode is BYU director of track and field and cross country Ed Eyestone, the architect of one of the greatest years ever for American distance running.

From Olympic medals and top-10 marathon finishes to NCAA titles, 2024 was nothing short of historic for Coach Eyestone and his athletes. Just this weekend, Ed capped it all off by leading the BYU men to their second NCAA cross country title in six years, holding off a stacked field at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course. It’s been a dream season for Eyestone, whose year began with Conner Mantz and Clayton Young finishing 1-2 at the Olympic Marathon Trials and ended with BYU completing a historic NCAA sweep—both the men’s and women’s teams claiming national titles for the first time since 2004.

We dive into Ed’s coaching strategies, his reflections on this monumental season and how he’s built a culture of resilience and excellence at BYU. From the roads to the track to the grass, no one’s had a better 2024 than Ed Eyestone, and we can’t wait to hear his take on how it all came together.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Guest: Ed Eyestone | @edeyestone on Instagram

Time stamps: 

3:30 - Returning to campus after BYU won the NCAA XC Championship team title

5:13 - Feelings and emotions after winning the NCAA team title

7:16 - Strategy + plan for the men heading into the race 

10:54 - Using a whiteboard during the race to communicate with the team

12:29 - Using olive oil to stay warm during the race

14:18 - Backstory on the affirmations notecard on his arm during the race 

19:25 - Similarities between the men’s and women’s programs at BYU

23:23 - Why everything clicked for the team in 2024

27:53 - How the 2024 season was a dream come true 

30:44 - His process-oriented coaching philosophy 

33:19 - What the team got up to in the final days before the race 

36:48 - Casey Clinger’s impact on the team + how going on missions affects training

42:42 - How his coaching style has changed + how he structures workouts

45:56 - Thoughts on upcoming changes to the NCAA

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.

“You never know which build you're pulling from on race day. The most recent build is the most important build and indicator of what you can do on race day, but there's no reason why you can't be pulling from the Paris build, the Chicago build, and the Olympic Trials build. Fitness stacks over years and that lifetime fitness is just getting really, really big for me. I tried to lean into that. I think I did alright.” 

Within the past 14 months, Clayton Young and his training partner Conner Mantz have become synonymous with performing in high stakes marathon racing, finishing neck-and-neck at four marathons. Now, most recently at the New York City Marathon, Clayton crossed the finish line in an impressive seventh place finish just 21 seconds behind Conner Mantz, clocking 2:09:21.

This year has been nothing short of remarkable for Clayton, from the Olympic Marathon Trials to the Paris Olympics and now New York. We've got episodes with him after each one of those. We decided to keep the tradition alive as we dive into how New York City played out and reflect on Clayton's emotional and triumphant year in marathoning. Plus, we get to thinking about what's next in 2025.

Time stamps:

3:46 - Returning to training post-marathon

5:51 - Reflection coming off the NYC Marathon 

8:18 - His build leading into NYC: overcoming his achilles injury

11:56 - Pre-race plans with Coach Ed Eyestone

15:19 - Thoughts on the depth of the men’s field

18:57 - Breaking down the first part of the race 

22:19 - What happened after crossing the Queensboro Bridge 

32:01 - Tracking power (watts) during the race 

36:04 - “What ifs” from the race 

38:01 - Looking ahead to trying to qualify for the World Championships marathon 

42:17 - Future training plans with Conner Mantz 

48:08 - How this year transformed his running career 

51:10 - Being in the midst of the good ol’ days 

56:50 - Underrated/overrated 

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Guest: Clayton Young | @_clayton_young_ 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.

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.

“The fans really do love field events. They know a lot of our stories. it ‘s just unfortunate that it doesn’t get shown on TV as much. That's where I come in. I'm trying to find common ground so that we can get the athletes their love just as much as the sprinters and distance runners get.”

Brittney Reese, 2012 Olympic gold medalist, 7x World champion and 2x Olympic silver medalist, shares about using her post-retirement platform to bring more broadcast attention to the field events side of the sport. She also previews the stars that she will be watching closely at the Olympic Trials. Hear more from Brittney in this episode of the CITIUS MAG Podcast.

Hosts: Katelyn Hutchison | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@_kxnaomi on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Anderson Emerole | @atkoeme on Instagram

Guest: Brittney Reese | @daljbeast on Instagram

_________

CITIUS MAG LIVE From Eugene! will bring you daily interviews with athletes, coaches and notable folks in town at noon PT each day. Our guests for day two of the Olympic Trials include Brittney Reese, Lex + Leo Young, Conner Mantz, Drew Hunter, and Mark Coogan.

LIVE SHOWS

Good Morning Track and Field will start your day with some takes and updates from Eugene hosted by Eric Jenkins, Mitch Dyer and Karen Lesiewicz at 8:30 a.m. PT.

TRIALS TALK – our hit daily podcast series from 2021 – returns on The CITIUS MAG Podcast feed + streaming live immediately post-race to unpack all of the action immediately following the meet.

LIVE MEET COVERAGE

Stay updated on live results, mixed zone interviews and more on the CITIUS MAG Instagram, X and Threads pages while the meet is underway each evening. All interviews will be uploaded to our aforementioned YouTube channel.

MORNING RUNS

CITIUS MAG and New Balance will be hosting group runs on Sunday, June 23rd at 8 a.m. ET; Tuesday, June 25th at 8 a.m. and Saturday, June 29th at 7:30 a.m. Come on by to our pop-up next to Prince Puckler’s Ice Cream shop to meet for some easy morning miles.

All paces are welcome. We’ll be giving away shirts, hats and more. Plus, you’ll have an opportunity to try all of the latest and greatest from New Balance. We’ll also have Olipop, coffee, games and cold plunges to enjoy afterward.

Also, CITIUS MAG Newsletter subscribers will be getting daily emails from the Trials as David Melly rounds up all of the biggest results, stories + our best interviews, photos and original content from Eugene. If you want to hook a friend, there’s no better time than the Trials so forward them the emails or encourage them to sign up today for FREE here: https://citiusmag.beehiiv.com/

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👟 NEW BALANCE: New Balance celebrates runners of all levels and styles. They believe there’s no single ‘right’ way to run - just your way. If you run, no matter the distance, pace or frequency, you’re a runner. New Balance, Run your way. NewBalance.com/Running

Rory Linkletter is a Canadian marathoner for PUMA. He just ran 2:08:01 at the Seville Marathon to get under the Olympic qualifying standard. He is in a good position to get selected by Athletics Canada for Paris. Canadian record holder Cam Levins has already been selected for the team and assuming no one else runs faster than Rory in the next two months, he’ll be set to go to his first Olympics.

Rory was a standout runner at BYU and then turned professional in 2019. He spent some time with HOKA NAZ Elite before choosing to leave the team in 2022 and has been working with Ryan Hall in Flagstaff, Arizona. In this episode, you’ll hear all about why the training has worked so well. He shares a bit about Ryan’s coaching and training philosophy. Plus, I try to start some trash talk between Rory and Conner Mantz or Clayton Young – his former teammates.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Rory Linkletter | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rory_linkletter on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

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

🎽 Bandit is a performance-running brand based in Brooklyn, New York. 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. Get 20% off the Membership (and any product if it's your first order) by using code Citius20.

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"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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🍊 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)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎽 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.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

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

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Today on the podcast is Conner Mantz! 

Conner runs for NIKE and runs distances from the 1500m to Marathon. He is currently intently training for the 2024 US Olympic Marathon Trials, which will take place on February 3rd in Orlando, Flordia. 

Previous to his professional running career, he competed for BYU, where he was a multiple-time NCAA Champion and debatably the greatest runner to ever come out of that program. 

Conner holds PRs of 1:46.99 in the 800m, 3:36.29 in the 1500m, and 3:52.76 in the Mile. 

In today's conversation, Conner and I discuss NCAA athletes running fast at altitude, his recent training, closing a workout in a 4:09 mile, being mentored by Jared Ward, his thoughts on the trials, and so much more!

Anytime I get to sit down with Conner is a good time. I loved getting a look inside his process as he goes into one of the biggest races of his life. 

Tap into the Conner Mantz Special. 

You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. 

The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.

S H O W N O T E S

-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

-2Before: Code: "THERUNNINGEFFECT30" for 30% off: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://2before.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hosted by: Chris Chavez – ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠

Guest: CJ Albertson – @cjalbertson on Instagram

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"We want to compete with the best and we want to have a run at the American record soon. It’s not going to happen next year with the Olympic Trials and the Olympics, but we want to compete with the best. American distance running will eventually get to that level. It would be better to do it with us now than in three to five years with someone else. We’d rather be the ones to get that rather than reacting to someone else hitting it.”

Conner Mantz and Clayton Young just became the first two American men to hit the Olympic marathon qualifying standard for the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. At the Chicago Marathon, Mantz finished 2:07:47 for sixth place. Young took seventh in 2:08:00.

Going into last weekend, no American man had dipped under the 2:08:10 standard so there was a bit of stress about whether any American marathoners would have the mark before the U.S. Olympic Trials in February. Athletes can qualify for the Olympics by hitting the time, placing top five at a Platinum Label Marathon or getting within the world ranking quota.

Mantz and Young assured that we will have at least two U.S. men’s marathoners at the Paris Olympics. Now, they’ll have to just finish in the top 3 of the U.S. Olympic Trials to get on the team officially. We’ll discuss that a bit more within the episode.

While the performances were strong, we actually didn’t get to watch any of it on the TV broadcast since Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum was much further ahead while on his way to a 2:00:35 world record. In this episode, we’ll unpack how the races played out for them, their key takeaways, what their early thoughts are for the trials and much more.

Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Guest: Conner Mantz | @connermantz on Instagram

Guest: Clayton Young |  @_clayton_young_ on Instagram

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

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On this week's show, it's silly season in the track and field world with athletes switching teams and signing new contracts. The Boston Marathon unveiled its deepest fields maybe ever. The Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile and men's 800 fields were released. World Athletics has posted the schedule for all athletics action at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

3:25 – Recent athlete signings & moves: Natosha Rogers to PUMA Elite | Josette Norris to On Athletics Club | David Ribich to Union Athletics Club | Charlie Grice, Eric Avila to Very Nice Track Club | Paige Stoner, Cruz Culpepper to HOKA NAZ Elite | Stephanie Bruce unretires, re-signs with HOKA NAZ Elite 

11:15 – Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile: Olli Hoare is back to defend his Wanamaker mile title after setting the indoor Australian mile record with last year's 3:50.83 victory. His biggest challengers this year include Cole Hocker, Mario Garcia Romo, Yared Nuguse, Johnny Gregorek, Sam Tanner, Sam Prakel, Neil Gourley + more.

15:57 – Millrose Games Men's 800m: Bryce Hoppel returns after last year's victory but will be up against Clayton Murphy, Noah Kibet and Cade Flatt.

18:09 – The Boston Marathon fields include Eliud Kipchoge, Evan Chebet, Benson Kipruto, Albert Korir, Daniel Do Nascimento, Conner Mantz and Scott Fauble on the men's side. There are five women with sub-2:18 marathon PRs and the big stars are Amane Beriso, Sharon Lokedi, Lonah Salpeter, Sara Hall, Gotytom Gebreslase, Emma Bates and Edna Kiplagat.

26:57 – World Athletics' 2024 Olympic schedule has all evening finals. Track and field at the Games will be held from Aug. 1 to 11.

32:58 – Buy or Sell: World Bests, World Record Pending Ratification*, Off Distances, Jake Wightman Losing, Bobby Kersee, Track Meets In Los Angeles.

42:17 – What else is happening inside CITIUS MAG

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Today on the podcast, I have the one and only Conner Mantz. This is an interview I've been wanting to make happen for a while. Conner has one of the brightest futures for the US distance runner and has already accomplished so much in his short professional career so far. Conner won back-to-back NCAA XC titles in 2020 and 2021, cementing himself as one of the greatest American NCAA runners of all time. In 2022, Conner did what few runners have ever done in the same year, compete at the highest level in a short event like the 5k and a long event like the marathon. Conner placed 4th in the 5k at USAs and then a few months later ran 2:08:16 at the Chicago Marathon, the fastest debut marathon ever by an American. 

This conversation is a deep dive into Conner's career, from his early curiosity of the sport to the present day, where he is eyeing a big race at this weekend's Chevron Houston Half Marathon. We discuss Conner's upbringing in the sport, his two NCAA titles representing BYU, signing with Nike, how much his faith means to him, and of course, the classic Gordon Ramsay question. 

Hearing Conner's inspiring story will motivate you to chase after your goals. Whether you're a seasoned runner or just starting out, you'll find something to relate to and learn from in this episode. I'm very confident that you'll find something valuable in this episode.

Enjoy the podcast? Please consider subscribing and giving us a five-star review on Spotify & Apple Podcasts! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.

The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.

S H O W   N O T E S

-Conner's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connermantz/?hl=en

-Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en

-Goodr Sunnies: https://goodr.com/collections/top-sellers