Citius Mag Podcast

The first-ever Grand Slam Track event in Kingston is in the books and twelve athletes are walking away $100,000 richer. That’s $1.2 million in prize money handed out across one weekend.The weekend closed the way it began: with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone doing Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone things — cruising to a 50.32 in the 400, winning her race group, and reminding the world why she’s the face of this sport. First signee. Final champion. Signature Sydney.Grant Fisher snuck into Slam Champion status with a gritty 3rd in the 3k after winning the 5k on Friday — edging Hagos Gebrhiwet by a single point. Sasha Zhoya won the men’s short hurdles group by winning the 100 flat — proving that versatility, not just velocity is the new currency for the big money.Melissa Jefferson-Wooden doubled up in the sprints. Emmanuel Wanyonyi did just enough to hold off Marco Arop in the standings. Ejgayehu Taye ran 14:54 to sweep her distance group. And Alison dos Santos? Leaned like his life depended on it to close a 400m thriller by

Chris Chavez, Aisha Praught-Leer, Eric Jenkins and Anderson Emerole unpack all the action from Day 2 of Grand Slam Track: Kingston.Kenny Bednarek — Mr. 2x Olympic Medal, now Mr. Slam Champion — swept the short sprints and made it look easy. 100m? Win. 200m? Win. $100k? Yes please. Not bad for a weekend in Jamaica.Gabby Thomas? She didn’t just win. She leveled up. A massive 400m PR (49.14!) — behind only a world-leading time from Salwa Eid Naser — locked down the Women’s Long Sprints crown. Two races. One trophy. Another six-figure payday.But it wasn’t just the Americans cleaning up. Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain edged out the 400m crew to win the Men’s Long Sprints Slam. Diribe Welteji outkicked Nikki Hiltz to take the Women’s Short Distance title in a spicy 1500m. And oh yeah — there was that absolutely loaded men’s 1500 field where 800m Olympic champ Emmanuel Wanyonyi stepped up in distance and beat the entire Paris medal stand.Tonight was the night that we believe fans started to rock with the bran

Chris Chavez, Aisha Praught-Leer, Eric Jenkins and Anderson Emerole recap all the action from Day 1 of Grand Slam Track: Kingston Highlights include:– Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone captured the victory in the Women's Long Hurdles 400m Hurdles in 52.76 winning the race by nearly two seconds. –Alison dos Santos defeated Jamaican favorite Roshawn Clarke to win the Men’s Long Hurdles 400 Meter Hurdles in 47.61. –Nikki Hiltz set a new personal best and a world-leading time in the Women’s Short Distance 800 Meters in 1:58.23. They edged out Deribi Welteji by .06 seconds in what was a thrilling finish that saw six of the eight runners in the field break 2:00.– Gabby Thomas made history as the first-ever Grand Slam Track race winner in the Women's Long Sprint 200m in 22.62.– Kenny Bednarek ended the evening with a victory in the Men’s Short Sprints 100m.

We’re talking paydays. Primetime. Professional track.Welcome to Grand Slam Track, launching this weekend in Kingston, Jamaica—the first stop in a brand-new, big-budget, athlete-first pro league created by Michael Johnson.You want Olympic stars? Try Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas, Grant Fisher, Cole Hocker, Fred Kerley, Mary Moraa—the best of the best, signed and showing up.You want stakes? How does $100,000 per event winner sound? Yeah. And you want drama? It's all baked in: Racers vs. Challengers. One weekend. Two events per athlete. Only one Slam Champion.This all kicks off in Kingston, which is basically sprinting’s holy land. If anyone’s gonna test Fred Kerley or Kenny Bednarek on their 100m trash talk, it’s the Jamaican crowd… and Oblique Seville.We’ve got Gabby vs. Marileidy. Yared vs. Kerr vs. Hocker. Elise Cranny sweating it out after a 30:36 in SoCal, now lining up in 88-degree heat for the 5000m. Sydney McLaughlin opening her season in April. And a 1500m/800m field on the men’s side that lo

It’s officially that time again: The spreadsheets are out and the ranking formulas are loaded. Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia have returned with the kind of number crunching that would make a tax accountant blush.Yes — we’re talking about The Ten, and more broadly, the increasingly anxiety-inducing state of the 10,000 meters heading into the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.Because apparently World Athletics took one look at the event and said, ‘What if we made this harder, more confusing, and fully dependent on vibes, shoe tech, and whether your country’s federation knows how to read the rankings page?’So here we are. The women’s standard dropped to a vicious 30:20.00. The men’s remains at a world-class 27:00.00. And unless you’re from Kenya or Ethiopia—or somehow running 10Ks on the road in super shoes fast enough to melt tarmac—you’re probably counting on the whims of the World Rankings gods to punch your ticket to Tokyo.In the U.S., Weini Kelati is still the queen of consistency. Parker Valby and Kariss

In the fall of 2020, while much of the world was still stuck inside wondering when things might go back to normal, Tim West was lacing up his racing shoes, logging miles, and building something new – not a tech startup, not an app, but a running brand, out of his basement. He quickly recruited his brother Nick on his vision. They didn't spend money on big splashy ads or influencer campaigns. Instead, they listened, they ran, and they asked questions. They built gear starting with socks that runners actually wanted. Over the next few years, what started as a side project for the two brothers and their designer turned co-founder Ardith  Singh, grew into one of the most exciting new names in running: Bandit Running – a Brooklyn-based company that makes premium performance apparel and centers community at the heart of everything it does. But Nick West didn't come from the fashion world. Him and his brother Tim were working in e-commerce at Jet.com. They grew up immersed in the New Jersey skate and surf scene wher

“I also learned that I just love working with athletes who truly have that passion about seeing how good they can be. The outcome isn't as important to me as I thought. It's just, ‘Let's go see how good we can be and see where that lands us...’ Stepping away from college and taking this really windy journey to where I am now, I've been able to work with all different levels of athletes and it's been equally rewarding to those who run their first mile without stopping all the way to the world stage. It's been a non-conventional path, but I've been loving it.”My guest for today’s episode is someone who’s seen—and shaped—American middle-distance running from just about every angle. Juli Benson was a 1996 Olympian in the 1500 meters, a world-class competitor in her own right, and now she’s one of the most respected coaches in the sport.Over the past two decades, Juli’s coaching journey has taken her from college programs like Georgetown, Air Force, and Penn to working with World Champi

World Indoor Championships are officially behind us so we have lots to unpack. Overall, the meet lacked in star power but was still able to produce some memorable moments. Three days. 516 athletes, one championship record, three world leads, 32 national records.We had drama. We had dominance.We had Jakob Ingebrigtsen running off with two gold medals and made it look like a tempo run. We had Gudaf Tsegay breaking a championship record and redefined what a full send means. We had Grant Holloway and Mondo Duplantis pulling off three-peats to cement their greatness.And then there’s Josh Hoey — who went from “Is he actually good?” to world indoor 800m champion all within the past 12 months. A personal highlight was Claire Bryant shocked the field in the long jump. Surprise global medals all around — the kind that make the sport so damn fun.Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram + Preet Majithia | @preetmajithia on InstagramSUPPORT OUR SPONSORSKETONE-IQ: Level up your training with Ketone-IQ – a clean

Let's go back a couple of years. It's 2017 and Ali Feller is a writer, runner, self-described talker, and she's sitting in her living room in her house with a microphone, an idea, and a whole lot of enthusiasm. She doesn't have a fancy studio, a producer, and any guarantees that anyone is going to listen. What she does have is a belief that runners, pros, weekend warriors, and people chasing something big have stories that deserve to be told. So she starts talking, listening, and asking really good questions.Today, the Ali On The Run Show is the biggest running podcast in America. It's downloaded millions of times a year. It's where elite marathoners, Olympians, and everyday runners come to share their journeys – whether they're chasing gold medals, breaking barriers, or just figuring out how to balance running with the rest of their lives. At the center of it all, this endlessly curious, deeply passionate, and incredibly warm person has built not just a podcast, but a community.But Ali’s story isn't just abo

“The really great athletes – they all have a superpower. [It’s about] what makes them uniquely excellent and helping them understand what their superpower is and how they wave that sword around…You may not have laser vision, but you can fly. How do you use your ability to fly and max that out?”In just two years, Will Palmer has overseen quite a bit of success for the Florida Gators distance program. In 2023, as the associate head coach for cross country and assistant track and field coach, Palmer led the Gators’ women to their highest national ranking since 2009, an SEC championship, and a second place finish at the NCAA East Regionals. In addition to all of that, he and his wife Samantha were the coaches behind Parker Valby's record-breaking dominance, guiding her to NCAA titles, collegiate records, and her first Olympic team.Before arriving in Gainesville, Palmer made an impact at Alabama, helping the women's team to an SEC title and a podium finish at the NCAA Championships in 2022. His coaching ca

“My mentality is if I'm going through that high mileage and adding that stress in, I don't want to also have to worry about workouts and putting my body in a hole where I can't recover for a week or two down the road. I think that's very different than how a lot of other people approach training, but for me it's been working.”For the first time in over 30 years, an American man has won the Los Angeles Marathon.On Sunday, Matt Richtman stamped his name in the history books, breaking the tape in 2:07:56—a massive personal best and a statement win in only his second marathon. The 25-year-old ASICS athlete didn’t just claim victory; he dominated, pulling away from a world-class field with a decisive move that turned the streets of LA into his own personal proving ground.The performance did have so many people scratching their heads thinking: “Who?” I am here to answer all of those questions.Today, we sit down with Matt to break it all down:– The moment he knew he could win—and the fearless mov

Chris Chavez and Paul Hof-Mahoney recap the biggest moments, surprises, and takeaways from the 2025 NCAA DI Indoor Track and Field Championships hosted in Virginia Beach this past weekend. Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram & Paul Hof-Mahoney | @phofmahoney on InstagramSUPPORT OUR SPONSORSKETONE-IQ: Level up your training with Ketone-IQ – a clean shot of energy with no sugar or caffeine. Or try the new Ketone-IQ + Caffeine, combining 5g of ketones with 100mg of green tea caffeine for a smooth, sustained boost. It’s used by pro runners like Des Linden and Sara Hall. Proven to enhance endurance, focus, and recovery, ketones are 28% more efficient than glucose. No crashes, no bonking—just next-level performance. Take the shot. Feel the difference. Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six pack of Ketone-IQ with KETONE.com/CITIUS.RUNNA: Runna is the #1 rated personalized running app designed to help you crush your goals no matter the distance. Runna is trusted by hun

Drama abounded at Day 2 of the of the NCAA Indoor Championships. When the dust of historic performances, breakthrough stars, and an hour-long 4x400m protest settled, it was the Oregon women and the USC men on top of the team podiums.

Gary Martin’s and Riley Chamberlain’s epic DMR anchors capped off a historic Day 1. Other big moments included Doris Lemngole’s 5K victory, Daniel Reynolds’ weight throw dominance, and the Moll twins doing what the Moll twins do best.

Chris Chavez and Paul Hof-Mahoney share an event-by-event preview of the 2025 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships set for this weekend in Virginia Beach. Tune in for our thoughts, predictions, and insights on individual and team title contenders, rising stars to watch, and unexpected qualifiers and scratches who could shake things up. Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram & Paul Hof-Mahoney | @phofmahoney on InstagramSUPPORT OUR SPONSORSKETONE-IQ: Level up your training with Ketone-IQ – a clean shot of energy with no sugar or caffeine. Or try the new Ketone-IQ + Caffeine, combining 5g of ketones with 100mg of green tea caffeine for a smooth, sustained boost. It’s used by pro runners like Des Linden and Sara Hall. Proven to enhance endurance, focus, and recovery, ketones are 28% more efficient than glucose. No crashes, no bonking—just next-level performance. Take the shot. Feel the difference. Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six pack of Ketone-IQ with KET

"I think that it has gotten to a point where we've taken the racing out of racing. We've taken the sport and turned it into something else. Track is about racing. You have eight athletes on the track for a reason. You award a champion or award a winner of the race for a reason: because they outperformed everyone else. And that's not easy. That's one of my fears: that people will start to think that it's easy, because the winner is not really being highlighted for having won. They're being highlighted for having run a personal best. Ultimately, if you're not careful, you end up with this deconstructed competition where it's not about the athletes in the race… We're very excited about what we're bringing...I can't wait. That's what you want. One of the things that's funny to me is when I see people in the track world on social media talking about fantasy matchups. It’s like: We have the real fantasy over here. It's real. It's not fantasy. It's

Picture this: you are a marathon runner – but not just any marathon runner. You've got a personal best under 2:45. You're a Stanford grad with a background in computer science and design. Instead of heading off to business school, you decide to start a company – one that's rethinking human metabolism from the ground up. That is the story of Michael Brandt. He's the CEO and co-founder of Ketone-IQ, a company pioneering the future of metabolic health. Their flagship product, Ketone-IQ isn't just a supplement – it's an entirely new category of fuel. In just a few short years, it's taken off. It gained traction with elite athletes, high powered execs, and even the U.S. Department of Defense, which awarded the company – then known as HVMN – a $6 million contract to study how ketones can optimize soldier performance.But Michael's story isn't just about biochemistry and business strategy; it's about thinking differently about seeing opportunity where others see obstacles. It's about choosing to put yourself out ther

“You can't be someone who shies away from sticking your neck out. I tell our guys: ‘We are trying to win.’ I'll say it publicly. I will say it to anybody. Maybe that puts pressure on us. But life is pressure. Athletics is practice for life. You need to figure out how to handle pressure, how to handle stress, how to handle others’ expectations, your own expectations, and manage it”.We continue with our office hours episodes as I sit down with Coach Dave Smith, one of the most accomplished coaches in NCAA cross country history and the architect behind Oklahoma State's dominance. Since taking the helm in Stillwater, Coach Smith has built a powerhouse program leading Oklahoma State to four NCAA men's cross country titles and a Big 12 record of 13 conference championships. He guided the Cowboys to a historic team performance at the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championship, scoring just 49 points, the third lowest winning total since 2000.Coach Smith’s accolades don't stop there. He's a four-tim

“I remember during the race just never looking back. I was like, ‘It doesn't matter. What I need to be focused on is what's in front of me. I remember in the last 50 meters I turned back to check and make sure like, ‘Wait, is this right?’... To come away with the win – that was just never on my radar.”Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Taylor Roe, the newly crowned USATF Half Marathon Champion and one of the most exciting young talents in American distance running. Just a week ago, Taylor took on frigid temps, biting winds, and a stacked field in Atlanta—and walked away with her first national title, a massive personal best of 1:07:22, and a spot on Team USA for the World Road Running Championships in September.Her victory was anything but easy. She chased down national record holder Weini Kelati, battled back and forth with Emma Grace Hurley, and ultimately showed the strength and confidence that has defined her rise from NCAA champion at Oklahoma State to a force on the roads with Puma Elite.In t

“It was just trusting my fitness. It was only my second half marathon coming in… It was a new experience, but it felt familiar to me given all the training that we've done. I felt like I was very prepared to handle what was thrown at me and the unique challenges you get in the half marathon. So coming into Atlanta, I had a lot of confidence.”My guest for today’s episode is Alex Maier – a rising star in American distance running who just made a statement at the USATF Half Marathon Championships. In near-freezing conditions and a brutally fast race, Alex surged ahead late to claim his first national title, running 1:00:48 and securing a spot on Team USA for the World Road Running Championships, which we just learned today will not be held in San Diego in September. No reason was given by World Athletics but a new host city is expected to be announced soon.Alex is a former All-American at Oklahoma State and is no stranger to tough courses and big races. But his transition to the roads with Puma Elite has tak