Leonard Korir
United States
Personal Bests
25 Kilometres Road
1:14:45
5/13/2023
Road Race
32:50
8/21/2022
8 Kilometres Road
22:50
7/16/2022
10 Kilometres Road
28:00
6/26/2022
Marathon
TCS Amsterdam Marathon
2:07:56
10/20/2019
Recent Mentions
"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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Prosecutors and YouTube subscribers take note: Des and Kara allegedly recorded this episode in the same hoodies that they would wear to conceal their identities during a future crime. If you are watching the security cam video, Des is the one in the "nice" hoodie. What would be their crime you ask??? I don't know... maybe they could steal the job of the World Athletics marketing director?! Now, that's a crime they could pull off flawlessly... I'm not sure about any other ;).
Speaking of justice, this episode is all about that. Des and Kara talk about justice for Lashinda Demus who will finally receive her rightful gold medal in Paris. Her silver from 2012 was "upgraded," and now she has to pay her own way to get the medal that was hers all along. Kara gives Lashinda advice from her medal-upgrade experience and explains how it is so much different than you would hope for athletes in this situation.
They also talk about justice for Leonard Korir who DOES get to toe the line in Paris in the marathon after all, with World Athletics opening up additional spots for those ranked highly enough. Go Lenny (and Conner and Clayton)!
Then, they move on to establish motive for their future crimes by discussing the recently announced "innovation" in the works from World Athletics. New long jump rules, new javelin and shot put weights, the 1-mile steeple, a 4 x 100m mixed relay, and of course, the "Ultimate" World Championships that we've been missing all this time. That marketing director better watch out.
Don't worry... the episode ends on a positive note with a new "comeback" segment from Lever Movement, discussion of the Brooks PR Invitational coming up this week, and an extended Olipop Top 5 that does this episode justice...
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Chris Chavez and Anderson Emerole dissect all of the biggest performances from the Doha Diamond League, Sound Running's Track Fest, SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Jamaica Athletics Invitational + some other underrated performances.
SEC Championships – Arkansas won the men’s team title for their 23rd in school history. On the women’s side, LSU won the women’s title over Arkansas for their first SEC title since 2012. We break down why this meet rocked.
Jamaica Athletics Invitational
The biggest performance was Zharnel Hughes beating Fred Kerley in the 200m. He ran a 19.96, which a good sign for this early in the season. Plus more highlights.
Sound Running's Track Fest
This was supposed to be a meet where people targeted Olympic standards, especially in the women’s 5000m and 10,000m but no one got any. What's this mean for U.S. women's distance runners?
What's Up With Leonard Korir?
We’ve summed up some of the latest developments after World Athletics’ updated Road To Paris qualification list added 11 universality places to the rankings.
Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Host: Anderson Emerole | @atkoeme on Instagram
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Marathon season is upon us and the team at RunnersConnect is bringing you all the greatest storylines going into the Boston and London Marathon. This year’s field of professional runners is loaded leading up to the Paris Summer Olympics and we’ll give you our take on what to expect and who might surprise or disappoint at upcoming marathon majors. We’ll also chat about our thoughts on what to expect from the American Olympic Marathon team who have all opted out of running a Spring marathon.
This is not your typical sports commentary show, so expect it to feel more like a conversation among friends than a data dump of performance metrics. We’re throwing out all of our bold predictions and hot takes so you play along and feel free to disagree with anything said. This is going to be a fun conversation that you’ll love if you also get excited talking about long-distance running events. Some of the stories you’ll hear include:
- Will Olympic Trials 3rd place finisher Leonard Korir be competing in Paris? (03:26)
- Our thoughts on how the American Olympic team may be preparing for the Summer Games (14:12)
- Which elite men are likely to surprise or disappoint at the Boston Marathon? (29:58)
- Which American women are favorites to finish well at the Boston Marathon? (43:15)
- And will we see a new World Record from someone in a stacked field of Women at the London Marathon? (53:25)
This might just be the most exciting time of the year for Marathoners and whether or not you follow elites closely, you can expect to enjoy some great combination of friendly banter and heated debates.
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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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"My running talent has taken me to so many places. I've come to this country, I became a citizen, and that's an opportunity that a lot of people don't have. And I got it, and I'm very thankful for that. That’s why I feel it would be a great honor for me to make the Olympics. That's why I keep pursuing that dream. And I know it's going to be valid one time."
My guest for today’s episode is Elkanah Kibet. The 40-year-old was in third place by 15 seconds going into the final mile of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials but a charging Leonard Korir managed to catch him for the final spot that will likely go to the Paris Olympics. Kibet finished fourth in 2:10:02 – which set a new U.S. masters marathon record. He was so gratuitous after the race and handled the fourth place finish with so much humility. It was remarkable.
Kibet has improved as a marathoner in his late 30s and isn’t ready to call an end to his Olympic dreams. He’ll be 44 at the 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and he’s already planning the road there.
When he’s not running in the early or late hours of the day, he is a husband and a father of three. He also works a full-time job in the U.S. Army as a financial comptroller in Fort Carson, Colorado. He has a tremendous pride for this country. He shares his story of coming from Kenya and all of the opportunities that America has given him, which is why he doesn’t hesitate to represent the red, white and blue at a World Championships and has done so four times in his career.
We know the guys who make the Olympic team. Let’s not forget the hard work of those who come close.
Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Elkanah Kibet | @airbornrunner on Instagram
Time Stamps:
04:45: His thoughts on placing fourth at the Trials.
06:33: What was going through his mind as third-place finisher Leonard Korir went by him during the race.
07:55: Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics, where he will be 44 years old.
08:59: Breaks down his race and how he was able to move up throughout the race.
12:32: Shares about moving to the U.S. on a scholarship, joining the army after finishing college, and how he was able to continue training while working full-time.
16:50: What running for the U.S. means to him.
17:36: His desire to bring a medal home to the U.S. next year.
19:30: How shoe technology has helped him stay consistent.
21:14: How he manages his training load around working full-time.
23:41: How splits runs into singles/doubles + his focus on recovery.
25:04: His relationship with his coach.
28:09: How he balances training while working for the army + getting deployed.
32:25: How long he plans on continuing to run competitively for.
36:59: What's next for him.
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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
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In this bonus episode of the Marathon Running Podcast, we bring you an exhilarating race recap of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trial Marathon that unfolded on February 3, 2024. Tune in to hear about the remarkable performance led by Zach Panning, who blazed through the first six miles at an impressive 4:49 mile pace, steering the lead pack alongside Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, the sole runners to meet the 2:08:10 Olympic standard prior to the race. The drama unfolds with unexpected twists, including the departure of seasoned runners like Scott Fauble, Abdi Abdirahman, and Sam Chelanga. Panning's relentless pace and strategic moves beyond the halfway point set the stage for a thrilling race. The intensity peaks as training partners Mantz and Young share a high-five, navigating the last loop with determination. The race for third adds another layer of excitement, culminating in Leonard Korir's impressive comeback in the final mile, securing a third-place finish. Although Korir faces the challenge of meeting the Olympic standard, his podium finish opens doors for potential Team USA representation in Paris. The episode delves into the gripping details, providing a front-row seat to this Olympic Trials spectacle. Don't miss out on this captivating recount with exclusive excerpts from the press conference, making it a must-listen for marathon enthusiasts and sports aficionados alike.
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