The CITIUS MAG Podcast | A Running + Track and Field Show

“In 1996, Derrick Adkins came back to his elementary school on Long Island and showed everyone the gold medal he had won. I was in the crowd. I got to see it. I got to talk to him and touch the medal. I was immediately enthralled by the sport that I went home and talked to my mom about signing up for track. That left a really lasting impression on me because I know that he may not have wanted to go back to his elementary school a month after winning the Atlanta Olympics but he did it out of an obligation to his community. Whenever I’ve been invited to speak at camps or schools or any event, I always try to think of the fact that there’s a little kid there who may be sent on a different path just because he had the opportunity to hear my story.” My guest for today’s show is Kyle Merber and this is his exit interview. He spent the past seven years running for the New Jersey-New York Track Club and just a few weeks ago took to Instagram to announce that he's not done running but done getting paid for it. He finishes his professional career with personal bests of 1:47.23 for 800 meters, 3:34.54 for 1,500 meters and 3:52.22 for the mile. I wrote in my newsletter: He made an impact on the current generation of American distance running by bringing humor, transparency and personality to the track and social media. He’s arguably one of the funniest professionals to follow but also posted with honesty when things weren’t going so great in his attempted comebacks from a series of injuries. You’ll get that from this conversation we recorded this week as we go through his career but also his vision for change and fixes within the sport. 🏃 FOLLOW @trialsofmilesracing for more information on the TEXAS QUALIFIER happening in late February. If you’re a sponsor or brand with an interest in getting involved with the meet, please feel free to contact me: chris@citiusmag.com You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! ✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG 👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. 📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter, ✩ Connect with CITIUS MAG: Twitter | Instagram

20 Jan 20212h 21min

“I’m a big believer that you should really judge people at their worst and not at their best. When people are at their best and everything is comfortable and good or everything is going their way, it’s not really a fair assessment of their character. I think it’s a lot more insightful how someone acts when they’re down and facing adversity. That’s exactly what I was dealing with at that moment. I remember being like, ‘I’m just going to show just how tough I am here and how this isn’t going to shake me at all.’” NAZ Elite has added the 1500m and 5000m specialist to their roster in 2021. Ryan Hill has spent the last seven years training under Jerry Schumacher. He joined the group shortly after he made his first U.S. national team in 2013 and then competed at the world championships in Moscow. With Bowerman, he won three U.S. titles and made four world championship teams. He won a silver medal in the 3,000 meters at the 2016 World Indoor Championships that were held in Portland, Ore. We touch on those moments in his career and the lessons he learned + what he expects under coach Ben Rosario. If you got a kick out of Emma Bates doing a Nick Willis impression, just wait until you hear Ryan’s Jerry Schumacher character. Follow Ryan on Instagram: @ryanhillncstate 🏃 FOLLOW @trialsofmilesracing for more information on the TEXAS QUALIFIER happening in late February. If you’re a sponsor or brand with an interest in getting involved with the meet, please feel free to contact me: chris@citiusmag.com You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter ✩ Connect with CITIUS MAG: Twitter | Instagram ✩ Connect with Chris on Twitter and Instagram.

14 Jan 20211h

“There was consistency. There was never the breakthrough that I thought could happen. You can only control what you do. I think for the most part I did everything that I wanted to." Andrew Bumbalough is one of the OGs of the Bowerman Track Club and has been training with them since 2010. In this episode, he announces he is retiring and no longer running professionally and no longer a Nike athlete. He’s shifting his priorities and getting into coaching. On Jan. 1, he launched Highgear Running, which offers personalized coaching for runners of all levels from the mile to the marathon. You’ll hear him discuss where the name came from and what he’s hoping to accomplish there. We’ll also take a deep dive into his career from his days starting off as a soccer player in Tennessee through his consistency as one of America’s best 5K runners of the past decade. He’ll share the workout where he dropped Chris Solinsky and other fun stories like his 5th place finish at the Boston Marathon. He finishes his career with personal bests of 13:12 in the 5K and 2:10 in the marathon. It was an honor to get Andrew for his exit interview of sorts but excited for what’s to come next. Follow Andrew on Instagram: @abumbalough Check out Highgear Running: @highgearrunning on Instagram | https://www.highgearrunning.com/ You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter ✩ Connect with CITIUS MAG: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook ✩ Connect with Chris on Twitter and Instagram. If you’re interested in sponsorship of the podcast or site, please reach out to Chris Chavez at chris@citiusmag.com. Package and slots for 2021 are available.

11 Jan 20211h 33min

“Yes, you might have talent or something gifted to you but it doesn’t come without hard work. All those people that you see at the top level and you say, ‘Oh those people are so lucky!’ They work hard for it. We have to know what they came through and what they have done in their lives. For me, yes I was talented in running maybe but I put all the work I wanted to do into running. I might not be perfect for some days but I try my best....” Weini Kelati is a two-time NCAA Division I champion and 13-time All American out of New Mexico who recently decided to forego the rest of her NCAA eligibility to turn professional and sign with Under Armour and train under the Dark Sky Distance team in Flagstaff, Arizona. Weini has an incredible story that really takes off after she competed for her Eritrea at the 2014 World Junior Championships in Eugene, Ore. She decided not to get on the plane back home and started a new life in America. You’ll hear the story of how that all came together, how she settled into life in Virginia and her hopes of competing for the United States at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials possibly. I think you’ll be blown away by some of the behind the scenes of her story. Follow Weini on Instagram: @weini_kelati You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter ✩ Connect with CITIUS MAG: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook ✩ Connect with Chris on Twitter and Instagram. If you’re interested in sponsorship of the podcast or site, please reach out to Chris Chavez at chris@citiusmag.com. Package and slots for 2021 are available.

5 Jan 20211h 6min

“You have a lot of failures but that’s the point of running and learning from these failures, gaining a lot of insight from them and growing from them. Then, they don’t turn into failures anymore. They turn into life lessons and something to be gained from. Everything is something to learn from. Every race is that. Every workout is that. This year has been obviously very strange. Sometimes just getting out the door has been something that you have to feel accomplished for keeping motivated, chipping away at your goals and dreams.” Emma Bates just ran 2:25:40 to just miss her personal best of 2:25:27 with her fourth-place finish at The Marathon Project. In this episode, she’ll give us her assessment of the performance given some of the challenges that she’s faced this year, how she’s been able to pull through some of the tough times brought on by the pandemic and some of her plans and ideas for 2021. Track? Trails? All of the above? Come of The Marathon Project and Olympic Trials insights but stay for her impression of Nick Willis toward the end of the show. You can catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! Photos by Kevin Morris. Follow Emma on Instagram: @emmajanelbates FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter ✩ Connect with CITIUS MAG: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook ✩ Connect with Chris on Twitter and Instagram. If you’re interested in sponsorship of the podcast or site, please reach out to Chris Chavez at chris@citiusmag.com. Package and slots for 2021 are available.

29 Des 20201h 2min

"After Chicago, I said, ‘I’ve arrived in the arena of my marathon potential but I still feel like I’m sitting in the nosebleeds.’ Right? I’m not there yet. So now, I’m like, ‘Well fuck...I’m there now. I think.’ If I can do that again or even get a little better then that’s pretty good. I like to think I’ve proven myself as a competitor beyond just being like the puke guy or the beer-drinking hero guy.” Noah Droddy finished second in 2:09:09 behind recent guest Marty Hehir at the Marathon Project. It was major because it was his first race in 14 months. He had to scratch from the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials due to injury and then he withdrew from the Michigan Pro Half Marathon in the fall due to a COVID scare that might have been a false positive. Droddy came into the race with a personal best of 2:11:42 so it was an improvement by two minutes and 32 seconds. In this episode, we take it all the way back to Droddy’s division 3 days, his choice to take a risk on himself and running post collegiately, crashing the 2016 track trials but ultimately putting respect on his name and proving himself in the marathon. You’re gonna want to stick around all the way to the end of this one because he’s also got the funniest drug testing story in the history of this podcast. Follow Noah on Instagram: @noah_droddy Follow Noah on Twitter: @ibuilttheark SUBSCRIBE TO THE CITIUS MAG NEWSLETTER Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! Support us by picking up some CITIUS MAG merch! Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for 2021. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears. You can also pledge a dollar or two for the time that goes into producing all of these shows and more: https://patreon.com/citiusmag ✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | twitter.com/ChrisChavez | instagram.com/chris_j_chavez Photos provided by Kevin Morris

23 Des 20201h 12min

"It comes back to what I want to make sure I'm doing: Serving others. It's not to say that I could go out to Flagstaff, crank it hard and make it to the Olympics and inspire a whole bunch of people. When I see opportunities in front of me to be able to coach and directly impact kids, that's what I'm going to gravitate more toward. I could say, 'You know what...I have to use this talent while I have it to generate more money or guarantee I can make it to the Olympics or have a much better shot.' But I don't want to go out and do that feeling like I left an opportunity to truly help people behind or truly impact people who might need me." Nathan Martin is a two-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier who finished 23rd at the trials in Los Angeles and the 69th on the super tough course and the windy conditions of Atlanta earlier this year. His personal best coming into Sunday’s race at The Marathon Project was 2:14:34. He knocked that out of the park by running 2:11:05 to finish ninth overall. After the race, I received a tip to look into and I quickly learned that his time is now the fastest marathon clocked by a Black man born in the United States. The previous best was by Herman Atkins in 2:11:52 in 1979 in a marathon that was held in Eugene Oregon. The winner of that race was Tony Sandoval and Jeff Wells, who somehow tied for the win in 2:10:20 according to a post in the Ted Corbitt archives. Herm Atkins was the co-owner of a running store, a coach and a police officer in Everett, Washington. You can find some PRs from the track online for him so I was wondering a bit more about Nate and who he is. There were a couple local news stories on him but I figured it was time to give him some more shine and learn about him and his breakout. Follow Nathan on Instagram: @nim_i_am SUBSCRIBE TO THE CITIUS MAG NEWSLETTER Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! Support us by picking up some CITIUS MAG merch! Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for 2021. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears. You can also pledge a dollar or two for the time that goes into producing all of these shows and more: https://patreon.com/citiusmag ✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | twitter.com/ChrisChavez | instagram.com/chris_j_chavez Photos provided by Kevin Morris

22 Des 202045min

“I feel like I’ve been trying to prove I’m one of the best runners in the country for a very long time yet I’m consistently one of the best. It’s just I haven’t had that breakout performance or won that championship that really mattered. That’s why I feel like this race was finally a validation of my whole running career. I’m finally among in a place where I feel like I belong.” David Melly and I reunite for another crossover episode of The CITIUS MAG Podcast and the Run Your Mouth Podcast. In this episode, we welcome Marty Hehir after his 2:08:59 win at The Marathon Project in Chandler, Arizona. The race was spectacularly fast with seven Americans breaking 2:10. One of the major stories after Sunday was that Marty finally got his big win. It's been a long time coming. I first crossed paths with him in 2012 when similarly took many by surprise to win the Big East Cross Country championship. After the race, I asked him "Who are you?" and he later shared an Instagram post in Jan. 2019 where he wrote: “I’ve been running as hard as I can ever since to make sure no one has to ask me that question again.” Marty is a medical student in anesthesiology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College. We touch on what that consists of before he graduates in May 2021. He also is a professional runner with the Reebok Boston Track Club and coach Chris Fox, who was also his coach at Syracuse. Marty was a member of the 2015 NCAA Cross Country championship-winning team. He took to the roads shortly after graduation and has found lots of success. When we dive into his relationship with coach Fox, he shares how since 2017 he has targetted the marathon as his event. It paid off when he took 6th at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2:11:29 but had also stopped to use the bathroom at Mile 18. He'll share that story on the podcast as well. On top of all that...he's a father to two girls. Time management is his specialty and he'll share his schedule and routine with us. This is the behind the scenes of how he became the seventh-fastest American marathoner of all-time. Enjoy. Catch the latest episode of the podcast on iTunes so subscribe and leave a five-star review. We are also on Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! Support us by picking up some CITIUS MAG merch! Sponsorships for the CITIUS MAG Podcast remain open just in time for 2021. If you’re interested in supporting this show, hit me up chris@citiusmag.com to get the word out about your brand, product or event. I’m all ears. You can also pledge a dollar or two for the time that goes into producing all of these shows and more: https://patreon.com/citiusmag ✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | twitter.com/ChrisChavez | instagram.com/chris_j_chavez

22 Des 20201h 8min