Kenneth Rooks

THE COACH ED EYESTONE SPECIAL

Today on the podcast is Ed Eyestone, not only one of the best distance coaches in the history of collegiate and professional running, but also a well-rounded person who loves theater and reading and has evolved a ton through his years of miles.

Ed is a BYU athlete and coaching legend. Even though he was cut from his high school baseball team, he won a state XC championship at Bonneville High. 

Ed holds PRs of 13:32 in the 5k, 27:41 in the 10k (then a 10k record!), and a speedy 2:10:59 in the marathon. Ed has a plethora of accolades as an individual, which include being an 8-time member of the U.S Cross Country National Team; a 5-time US Road Runner of the Year as a Professional Runner. Ed is one of four men to claim the collegiate triple crown: winning the Cross Country, 5k and 10k titles.

Ed Attended BYU as a student and received a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Minor in Spanish. He then went on to acquire a Master's Degree in exercise Science. Ed went on to have a decorated running career after he graduated; he competed in the Olympic Marathon in 1988 in Seoul, Korea (29th place, 2:19:09), and then in the Olympic Marathon 1992 in Barcelona, Spain (13th place, 2:15:23).

Ed is a very multifaceted individual. He served as a writer for Runner's World and a TV Commentator on ESPN after he stopped running competitively at 39. (He was a Reebok-sponsored runner for a few years. Ed also has a passion for theater and reading.

As a coach, Ed returned to BYU in 2000 as an Assistant Coach and then took over as Head Track Coach in 2013. Prior tocoming back, he coached at Weber State University. There is a laundry list of accolades to list as far as his BYU coaching career goes. 

To name a few: he was named "Coach of the Year" for NCAA D1 for Cross Country twice (2019, 2024); he is a BYU Hall of Fame inductee; he was named head coach of Team USA at the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships; and won cross country NCAA Division 1 titles in 2019 and most recently in December of 2024. There are many more achievements, but suffice it to say he has had success wherever he has gone as a coach.

In terms of Olympic athletes, Coach Eyestone has overseen James Corrigan and Kenneth Rooks in the steeplechase, as well as Conner Mantz and Clayton Young during the 2024 Paris Olympics marathon.  He has also coached Jared Ward and Casey Clinger.

In today's conversation we go in depth into Coach Eyestone's career, 

Tap into the Coach Eyestone Special.  

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. 

If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! 

S H O W N O T E S

-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run 

-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ

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

THE KENNETH ROOKS SPECIAL IS HERE

Kenneth won Silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the Men's Steeplechase. He ran an incredibly gutsy race coming through the line in 8:06.41.

A month prior, he was first at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the steeplechase with a time of 8:21.92. 

Kenneth competed for BYU before becoming a professional with NIKE. He was the 2023 NCAA DI steeplechase National Champion, a Four-time All-American (three outdoor, one indoor), and holds three BYU top-10 records: No. 1 in the steeplechase (8:17.62), No. 1 as part of BYU's DMR squad (9:21.18) and No. 7 in the indoor Mile (3:59.65). 

In today's conversation, Kenneth takes me through his Olympic Silver performance, everything that led up to it this year, his ambitions for the future, exclusive stories from the Olympic Village, and much more! 

Tap into the Kenneth Rooks Special. 

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. 

If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! 

S H O W N O T E S

-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ

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

-My Newsletter: https://therunningeffect.substack.com

"I realized I was starting to open up a little bit of a gap and I'm like, ‘Oh my gosh, am I going to win?’ I probably was looking around way too much. But in my mind I was like, ‘Is this really happening right now? That’s what was going through my head. It was just adrenaline and just taking in the moment of, ‘Wow, this is incredible. Is this really happening?’ Then just trying to dig deep to finish the race."

Kenneth Rooks just brought home a silver medal in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase at the Paris Olympics. How’d he do it? Well, if you haven’t watched the race yet. Go on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel, watch it and then pick this podcast back up because he comes from the back of the pack to nearly pull off one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history. His final time of 8:06.41 shattered his personal best by an astounding nine seconds and makes him the second-fastest American ever in this event.

Kenneth’s past 14 months have been amazing. Just a year ago, he was relatively unknown on the international stage, but after winning the NCAA title, the U.S. Championships in dramatic fashion by falling and getting back up and now an Olympic silver, he’s shown the world what he’s capable of. We have at least two past episodes with Kenneth that you can go back and listen to.

In a race dominated by the likes of world record holder Lamecha Girma and defending Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali, Kenneth’s surge in the final lap put everyone on notice. He boldly took the lead with 400 meters to go, and although El Bakkali eventually reclaimed the top spot, Kenneth’s audacious run secured him a place in history.

It was one of the biggest surprises of the Games but Kenneth takes us through why he believes it was possible, the training it took to get there and why he believes he can go a little faster. He’s just 24 years old and just getting started.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Kenneth Rooks | ⁠⁠⁠@kenneth_rooks on Instagram

TIME STAMPS

5:35 - Reflecting on his experience at the Olympics

7:12 - The support he received from his family and the BYU community

10:09 - His improvement between the U.S. Trials and the Olympics

14:04 - What stood out most from the steeplechase prelim

16:06 - When he shifted his mindset to going for a medal + his race plan

19:41 - Rai Benjamin’s parting words to him before the final

20:26 - Breaking down the bell lap of the final

23:02 - “The Kenneth Rooks side-eye”

27:15 - Reactions after finishing the steeplechase final

30:05 - Coach Ed Eyestone’s reaction to him getting silver

31:12 - How he celebrated after

32:35 - What's next for him this season

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"I was going in with the mentality that I could medal even before we left. I just knew my fitness was at a different level. Yes, eighth is great and I'm happy about that, but I don't think my fitness really showed in this marathon. I think I have another level that I'm trying to bridge the gap to. But seeing them do so well, I was definitely thinking of it in the race. Kenneth was second, Grant was third, like I can go out here and medal… I know these guys, I run with these guys, I get my doors blown off by these guys, but I can go medal."

My guest for today's episode is Conner Mantz, who recently finished an impressive eighth place at the Paris Olympics Marathon with a time of 2:08:12.On a course that was as unforgiving as it was historic, Conner mixed it up with the best marathoners in the world, tackling the relentless hills and intense heat of Paris.

At mile 9, when Tamirat Tola, the eventual Olympic champion, made his first big move up one of the course’s steepest hill, Conner was right there and decided to go with him. It was a bold decision and the kind we've come to expect from Conner, who’s never been afraid to take risks in a race. Even though Tola’s second move eventually separated the field, Conner’s courage to hang with the lead pack for so long is a testament to his racing mindset.

Conner proved that he’s not just one of the top U.S. marathoners, but a true competitor on the world stage. The energy of the Parisian crowds, reflections on the work put in this training block, and the high-five he shared with Clayton right before the toughest part of the course are some of the highlights that he recounts in this episode. Plus, if you listened to our last episode, Clayton Young was bold enough to talk about going after the American record. Conner has similar thoughts!

Time Stamps:

4:49 - How Conner evaluated his success in the Olympic marathon.

5:37 - How he trained to prepare for the hilly marathon course.

9:57 - What cross training looked like while injured during his build. 

15:42 - On having one of his most consistent builds yet post-injury. 

19:28 - How he sized up his competition heading into the race.

29:49 - Watching Kenneth Rooks take silver in the steeplechase.

22:57 - Pre-race traditions. 

27:58 - Breaking down his Olympic marathon experience.

31:45 - Mid-race high-five with Clayton Young. 

35:23 - Details on the epic marathon course hill. 

38:12 - The downhill portion following the epic hill. 

44:45 - Reuniting with Clayton after the race + welcoming other finishers in. 

47:46 - The support from his friends, family, and team. 

52:17 - Setting his sights on the American record.

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Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Conner Mantz | ⁠⁠⁠@connermantz on Instagram

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First, we have to thank a special sponsor Ketone-IQ for helping to make these Olympic episodes possible. Save 30% on your first subscription order & receive a free six pack of Ketone-IQ with https://ketone.com/NOBODYASKED.

Thank you also to our other sponsors - presenting sponsor Brooks Running and Olipop - for their support for these episodes in Paris. As usual, to support the podcast and get your Olipop fix, use code NOBODYASKEDUS for 15% off at drinkolipop.com.

Des admits to skipping a night of track to recover, and thus missing live perhaps the biggest shocker of these races so far. Plus, your editor gets a cameo appearance to assist with the breakdown. We talk all about the surprise silver from Kenneth Rooks, the scary fall for Girma, rehash a few other moments from these Games, and give you a preview of the marathon course with on-course intel from Des herself.

Team USA's Yared Nuguse sits down and chats with CITIUS MAG after taking third for bronze at the Paris Olympics 1500m final in 3:27.80 – just 0.01 seconds behind Josh Kerr. Nuguse lowered his personal best by 1.23 seconds.

This is the first time since 1912 that two American men finished on the podium at the Olympics.

This was Nuguse's first Olympic medal. He joins Grant Fisher, Kenneth Rooks and Hocker as the breakout American stars who have medaled at the Paris Olympics.

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The sixth day of track and field at the Olympics was another huge one for Team USA! Quincy Hall claimed the 400m gold medal while Kenneth Rooks shocked the world with a silver medal finish in the 3000m steeplechase. As the events roll on, it’s clear that the American athletes are making a big splash and setting the stage for an exciting finish to the Games. In tonight’s edition of the Torch Talk, the team breaks down…

– Quincy Hall won the Olympic gold in the 400m at Paris 2024 in 43.40, making him the 4th-fastest man ever. Brit Matthew Hudson-Smith took bronze and Muzala Samukonga of Zambia took bronze. This was the fastest 400m race in history, as five men dipped under 44 seconds.

– Soufiane El Bakkali became the first man in nearly 100 years to successfully defend his Olympic steeplechase gold, winning with a time of 8:06.05. Kenneth Rooks won silver with a big PB, and Abraham Kibiwot of Kenya won bronze.

– Nina Kennedy won the women's pole vault at the Paris 2024 Olympics, clearing a height of 4.90m. Her gold is the first at an Olympics by an Australian female vaulter. Reigning Olympic champ Katie Moon finished in silver, and Alysha Newman broke the Canadian record to win bronze.

– Roje Stona of Jamaica set a new Olympic record with a 70.00-meter throw, earning the gold medal in men's discus in Paris. This marks Jamaica's first gold medal at the Paris Games and the nation's first-ever Olympic gold in men's discus.

– In the 110m hurdles semifinal, Grant Holloway posted the fastest time of the day at 12.98 seconds. American athletes Daniel Roberts and Freddie Crittenden also advanced to the final.

HOSTS:

Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Mac Fleet | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@macfleet on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Mitch Dyer | ⁠@metchosketch on Instagram⁠

Eric Jenkins | @_ericjenkins on Instagram

Aisha Praught Leer | @aishapraughtleer on Instagram

Katelyn Hutchison | @_kxnaomi on Instagram

We’re excited to have a full CITIUS MAG team on the ground in Paris providing daily live shows before and after the action, including interviews with competing athletes, our TORCH TALK recap show, and the return of GOOD MORNING TRACK AND FIELD.

Make sure you’re subscribed to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel for live shows

Subscribe (and share with your friends!) to the CITIUS MAG newsletter for daily newsletters in your inbox after every day of track and field competition: https://citiusmag.beehiiv.com/

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Today on the podcast is newly minted Olympian Matt Wilkinson! 

Matt crossed the line in second, finishing in 8:23.00, securing his Olympic spot for Team USA. 

Matt was the race leader through six laps before Kenneth Rooks made his move to the front with 800 meters remaining. Those two pulled away from the rest of the pack over the final lap, with Wilkinson turning in the fastest final 400-meters(59.87) in the field.

Matt was a 2xDIII Champion while at Carleton College before ultimately finishing out his college career at the University of Minnesota, where he had a successful career.

Matt runs for Under Armour Mission Run Dark Sky. 

In today's conversation, Matt takes me through the emotion of making the Olympics, what it's taken to get to this point in his career, his time in DIII, his hopes for the future, and so much more!

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

-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ

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

-My Newsletter: https://therunningeffect.substack.com

Former NCAA national champion Kenneth Rooks won the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a fierce kick and led a 1-3 BYU finish with James Corrigan. Rooks earned his second U.S. Championship title and his first U.S. Olympic team berth. He joined Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins and Mitch Dyer on Good Morning Track and Field on Day 5 of the U.S. Olympic Trials from Eugene, Ore.

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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 three of the Olympic Trials include Quincy Wilson, Kendall Ellis, Chari Hawkins, and Clayton Young.

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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The CITIUS MAG team breaks down another action-packed evening at Hayward Field! Some of the biggest highlights from Day 3 of the U.S. Olympic Trials include:

– Men’s 100m final: The pre-race drama and hype delivered on the track as Noah Lyles won the U.S. title in 9.83, tying his lifetime best. Kenny Bednarek made his first 100m team with a lifetime best of his own running 9.87. Currently unsponsored Fred Kerley’s big bet on himself paid off with a season’s best 9.88 and a third place finish to make his second Olympic team.

– Women’s 400m final: After going 6 years between personal bests, Kendall Ellis got her second PB in two days with a 49.46 in the 400m final to win the title and book her ticket to Paris. 

– Men’s 400m semifinal: 16-year-old Quincy Wilson advanced to the 400m final with a 44.59 – which broke his own U18 world record and U.S. high school record that he set just two days ago.

– Women’s 800m semifinal: Athing Mu led all qualifiers to the final in 1:58.84 + led three other women under two minutes in her heat. 

– Men’s 3000m steeplechase: Kenneth Rooks won his second straight U.S. title in 8:21.92 and made his first Olympic team.

+ More

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CITIUS MAG LIVE From Eugene! will bring you daily interviews with athletes, coaches and notable folks in town at noon PT each day. 

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/