Courtney Frerichs On Breaking the Steeplechase American Record, 8:55 Goals, Finding Her Speed

For the third time in three months, the cross country world will descend upon Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday, and the stakes couldn’t be any higher. 31 men’s teams and 31 women’s teams punched tickets last weekend and a handful of star individuals round out each field. Both team races feature heavy preseason favorites looking to reclaim their top spots after late season losses, while both individual races are deep at the top with a handful of runners eyeing national titles. Fans are planning to pack the course in Madison, and they could be treated to a picture perfect setting with snowfall potentially in the forecast. More information on how to watch the meet, with ESPNU coverage kicking off at 9:30am E.T. Below we break down all four races, with a few sleeper picks to keep an eye on amidst the chaos that is NCAA cross country. You can read our official preview here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/ncaa-division-1-cross-country-championships-2024-preview

22 Marras 202440min

“Especially after 36K, I was telling myself, ‘Even if they speed up, I have to go deep today…’ I was telling myself, ‘This is my moment.’” My guest for today's episode is Abdi Nageeye, whose journey in 2024 could only be described as redemption at its finest. The Dutch marathoner and 2021 Olympic silver medalist who just three months ago grappled with his appointment after withdrawing late in the Olympic marathon in Paris, roared back to claim the biggest victory of his career at the TCS New York City Marathon. In a thrilling showdown against one of the strongest fields in race history, Nageeye deployed patience, strategy, and a powerful finishing kick to secure his first World Marathon Major title in 2:07:39 seconds, making history as the first Dutchman and the first European since 1996. To win the New York City Marathon from his self coach training in Eldoret to a race plan honed by years of experience on the course, Abdi turned heartbreak into triumph. We dive into his reflections on Paris, his mental and physical preparation for New York City, and what this victory means for him moving forward. But first, you'll also hear a never before released interview with Abdi from my trip to Kenya in June 2023, where we discussed a bit more of his backstory and upbringing from being born in Somalia to settling in the Netherlands as a refugee and spending time in Syria before finally being adopted by a Dutch family. I initially planned for this to be released last fall, but didn't have a chance to, but I'm now glad it's finally out. It's fun because towards the end of that first interview, I asked him what he wants to accomplish and he finally gets it done. Part one is my interview with him in Kenya and then part two is my interview with him reflecting on New York. Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram Guest: Abdi Nageeye | @abdinageeye on Instagram Time stamps: 2023 Interview live from Eldoret, Kenya: 3:37 - Reflecting on training  5:02 - Why he likes to train in new places, what he enjoys about training in Kenya  9:05 - His backstory + stories from growing up  18:10 - Why he considers Africa to be his home  20:33 - Being embraced by the Netherlands  22:06 - Why shifting to the roads panned out so well for him  25:49 - What he learned from training with athletes like Eliud Kipchoge  28:20 - Future goals for his running career  2024 Interview after winning the NYC Marathon: 34:51 - How training has been going since the NYC Marathon 38:17 - What life has been like since our first interview in 2023 41:00 - Current training setup  43:28 - Paris Olympics marathon experience  47:55 - Thoughts after dropping out of the Olympic marathon  54:44 - NYC Marathon race breakdown  59:03 - The final miles of the race  1:01:03 - Thoughts when Tamirat Tola was closing on him and Evans Chebet 1:02:36 - The point when he knew he was going to win  1:06:13 - Emotions after crossing the finish line  1:08:12 - Looking ahead to future races  1:11:18 - Reflecting on his marathon career so far  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.

19 Marras 20241h 13min

Chris Chavez and cross country expert Isaac Wood are back to recap conference weekend and preview each regional meet going down across the country this Friday. Join us for our thoughts and predictions on who will qualify for the big dance in Madison, Wisconsin on November 23rd.  You can listen to our last NCAA cross country season check-in episode here. Hosts: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram + Isaac Wood | @isaacew on Instagram  Time stamps: 1:51 - Conference weekend recap  4:34 - Isaac’s biggest takeaways from conference weekend 5:31 - Wake Forest’s men’s team looking strong heading into Regionals 6:59 - Big 12s men’s recap: thoughts on BYU, OSU 11:39 - Big 12s women’s recap: thoughts on BYU, West Virginia 16:05 - Oregon women looking to become a title contender  17:45 - Projected top teams at NCAAs 20:52 - Explanation on how to qualify for NCAAs 22:36 - Auto-qualifiers + at-large predictions: men 30:05 - Auto-qualifiers + at-large predictions: women 35:10 - Regions to pay most attention to on Friday 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.

13 Marras 202438min

Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia review the second season of the Netflix documentary series, SPRINT. We share our thoughts and analysis on all four episodes and break down the top storylines throughout the season. You can listen to our review of the first season of SPRINT here. Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram + Preet Majithia | @prm_32 on X Time stamps: 1:22 - Season 2 overview: cast, notable athletes missing  3:42 - Season 1 highlights  Episode 1: ALL AMERICAN 5:32 - Noah Lyles 10:21 - Fred Kerley 13:10 - Christian Coleman  15:40 - Gabby Thomas, Dennis Mitchell’s pro group  17:57 - Little focus on athletes’ personalities outside of track  19:48 - Highlights of episode 1 Episode 2: CHANGING OF THE GUARD 20:35 - Jamaican storylines 22:23 - Kishane Thompson, Oblique Seville  25:53 - Shericka Jackson  31:27 - Julien Alfred Episode 3: GOING FOR GOLD: PART 1 33:45 - Series shifts to the Olympics 37:00 - Marcell Jacobs  39:01 - Sha’Carri Richardson, Melissa Jefferson, TeeTee Terry   44:10 - Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 48:17 - Shericka Jackson  50:24 - Julien Alfred Episode 4: GOING FOR GOLD: PART 2 56:32 - Men’s 100m final  1:02:19 - Kenny Bednarek 1:03:50 - Letsile Tebogo 1:05:10 - Men’s 200m: Noah Lyles getting COVID 1:08:36 - Women’s 200m: Gabby Thomas, Julien Alfred 1:11:32 - How the series ends + U.S. men’s 4x100m relay Final takeaways: 1:14:39 - Parting thoughts and final rating  1:17:53 - What comes next + will there be a Season 3?  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.

13 Marras 20241h 24min

“What made me sign on is just how it was pitched: the fastest people in the world. There’s not many leagues that sign you on as contracted racers. That’s new. And I like to be a part of change.” Grand Slam Track has confirmed that Kingston, Jamaica will be one of four cities that will play host to the action in the professional track league's inaugural season. In 2025, the first slam will be held at the national stadium at Independence Park on April 4th, 5th and 6th. Back in June when the league was first announced, Los Angeles was one of the four cities that was announced, but Kingston is the first city confirmed with dates. This is the same stadium that hosts the Racers Grand Prix and the same stadium that is packed for five days when it hosts the ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships in March. Grand Slam Track’s events will take place over three days with athletes racing twice. Athletes will receive points for their finishing position in each race and then the athlete with the highest points total after both events will win the slam and the $100,000 grand prize. So what does this mean for the league? Grand Slam Track will have a host city where the Diamond League has not tapped into with one of the most devout track and field fan populations in the world. The fandom around the sprints is a national tradition from the high school to the Olympic level and the league has already invested in Jamaican talent with three Jamaican racers in Roshawn Clark, who will contest the 400m and 400m hurdles; Ackera Nugent, who will run the 100m and 100m hurdles; and Rushell Clayton, who will run the 400m and 400m hurdles. So to get excited about the league and the first slam in Jamaica, we caught up with two-time world championship medalist Rushell Clayton at the Grand Slam Track Racer Summit in Los Angeles. Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram Guest: Rushell Clayton | @rushellclayton on Instagram Time stamps: 6:04 - Excitement for racing in Kingsport for GST 8:06 - Why she decided to sign on with GST 9:32 - When the 400m hurdles event rose to a new level  10:27 - What led to her 5th place finish at the Paris Olympics 12:30 - Chasing after a new 400m PB 13:05 - Thoughts on her competitors  14:21 - Goals for 2025 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.

12 Marras 202417min

“We’re kind of on this journey to the marathon. The next logical step is a half marathon. That will be in the new year. We don’t know exactly where yet but we want to go attack a half marathon. That’s what all the training is focused on and that’s why it’s been so fun. Not that the training is easy but it’s the training that comes the most naturally to me.” My guest for today's episode is U.S. Olympian Joe Klecker of the On Athletics Club. He joins us with some news that he’s gearing up for his half marathon debut in early 2025 after a challenging comeback from injury. Joe is back and looking to tackle a new distance with a keen eye on Ryan Hall's American record in the half marathon. While his 2024 outdoor season was sidelined by a torn abductor, he's now fully focused on the 13.1 mile distance. He doesn't say it, but I think all signs point that it will likely be at the Houston Half Marathon in January, which is traditionally perfect weather and very fast. And while he's not quite ready to step away from the track just yet, Joe is already embracing the marathon mindset and this is one step forward to getting to the full distance with a personal best of 12:54 for 5K and 27:07 for 10K.  Joe's incredible speed and dedication are setting him up for a strong entry into the longer distance. So in this episode, we'll hear about his approach to injury recovery, his plans for that debut, all with the guidance of his coach Dathan Ritzenhein and the support of his training partner and Olympic medalist, Hellen Obiri. He also shares why he's hoping for one more team on the track.  Many thanks to New York Road Runners for allowing us to host this conversation in front of an audience at the Citizens Bank stage at the TCS New York City Marathon Expo. Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠ Guest: Joe Klecker | ⁠@joe_klecker on Instagram ⁠ Time stamps: 3:43 - Getting to ride on the lead vehicle at the NYC Marathon  5:21 - Thoughts on racing the marathon himself in the future.  5:19 - Thoughts on teammate Hellen Obiri’s build leading into NYC  7:09 - Details on Hellen’s workouts 9:30 - Coming back from injury this summer  11:04 - How his training has evolved since graduating college  12:16 - Future races on the calendar  15:03 - Going after the half marathon American record  17:14 - OAC’s team culture  22:30 - What keeps training exciting  23:37 - How he approaches his future career in the marathon  24:34 - Why track and the marathon feel like different sports  25:48 - Overrated/underrated: training methods 32:51 - Goals for 2025 34:29 - Why now is a good time to shift to the marathon  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.

11 Marras 202437min

“I think as I run more and more and get more miles on my legs, I'll be able to hang with that lead pack later and later. But I stuck to my guns. I didn't really have a race plan going in other than taking the first few miles to feel it out. Then really just believing that I belonged in that lead pack for as long as I could hang with them.” My guest for today’s episode is Jess McClain, who just wrapped up a heck of a year with an eighth-place finish at the New York City Marathon, running 2:27:19 and finishing as the second American. It was Jess’s first World Marathon Major, and she showed incredible grit, moving steadily from 11th to 8th in the final miles and securing a spot among the top marathoners in the world. As we’ve explored on this show with her in January, Jess’s journey to the marathon stage has been anything but typical. A former Stanford standout who took a hiatus from professional running, she’s reemerged with stunning results. Earlier this year, she finished fourth at the Olympic Marathon Trials, making her the alternate for Team USA and nearly earning a spot at the Paris Olympics. She’s since signed with Brooks and built a strong racing resume, including wins at the USATF Road 10K Championships and a second-place finish at the USATF 20K Championships. Today, we’ll dive into her self-coached approach, her bold comeback, and what drives her heading into 2025. Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram Guest: Jess McClain | @jesstonn Previous episodes with Jess McClain: Jess McClain On Signing With Brooks Running (Again) + Deciding To Return To The Track Jess McClain After Finishing Fourth At The 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:25:46) + How She Did It Self-Coached and Unsponsored | Race Recap  Time stamps: 3:15 - Reflections on her 8th place finish at the NYC Marathon 5:58 - Rediscovering her love for racing 8:03 - Why she decided on racing NYC as her fall marathon  10:34 - Details on her training throughout her build  13:34 - Importance of being grounded outside of running  16:31 - How her training setup has evolved + what she wants to change next  19:39 - How she strikes the balance between working and training 24:01 - Nerves before the race  27:35 - Starting line + first few miles 29:37 - Story about accidentally reversing her bibs 35:49 - Thoughts when the big move was made during the race  43:07 - Feelings after crossing the finish line 45:38 - Looking ahead to future marathons  49:01 - Thoughts on racing a track 10K next year 51:16 - Overrated/underrated: training methods 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.

8 Marras 20241h 3min

“I’m not in charge of how fit those guys are. No matter how hard I work, they could be working harder, they could be doing something better, they could be more talented. I was trying to take that out. My main goal in this race was just to execute. Execute my race plan, make sure I ran a race that afterward I felt good about. I think I did really well for most of the race.” My guest for today's episode is Conner Mantz, the American Marathoner who just capped off an extraordinary year by setting an American course record at the New York City Marathon. He placed 6th overall in 2:09:00. Conner was the top American as usual and he showed us his relentless competitiveness. He pushed through a conservative start and a fierce mid-race surge led by Evans Chebet, the 2022 New York City marathon champion, that splintered the rest of the field. Conner hung tough and ultimately finished with the fastest closing mile among all of the runners in the top ten. In his young marathoning career, Conner has already established himself as the top American in Boston, Chicago, the Olympic Trials and an 8th place finish at the Olympics. Now he's setting his sights on closing the gap between being the best in America and being among the best in the world. In this episode, we dig into his journey, his strategic approach under coach Ed Eyestone's “deploy, enjoy and destroy” race plan, and how he handles a little bit of friendly competition with training partner Clayton Young. Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠ Guest: Conner Mantz | ⁠@connermantz on Instagram⁠ Time stamps: 4:03 - Why he wasn’t satisfied with his performance at the NYC Marathon 5:46 - What would’ve made it a satisfying race  7:43 - Overall fitness heading into the race 8:17 - Best workouts leading into the race  13:07 - Going after the half marathon American record at the Houston Half in 2025 16:09 - Pre-race chat with coach Ed Eyestone: deploy, enjoy, destroy 19:30 - Responding to moves during the race  25:40 - Sharing bottles during the race, Evans Chebet makes his move  34:19 - Clayton catching up to him, snapping back into the race, final few miles 42:40 - Feelings after crossing the finish line  47:27 - Grading his marathons throughout 2024 52:50 - Looking ahead to spring marathons  54:35 - Future training plans with Clayton  58:53 - Thoughts on joining Grand Slam Track as a challenger 1:03:34 - Overrated/underrated: training methods 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.com⁠OLIPOP: 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.

7 Marras 20241h 13min