Cole Hocker On His Plan To Attempt The 1500m/5000m Double At The World Championships + Recapping His Tactical Masterclass At USAs To Outkick Grant Fisher
“Every year the top three resets. It doesn’t matter what you did the previous year. If you need any more evidence than this 1500 final, then I don’t know what to tell you. Everything is so cutthroat. Just getting on that top three was a big relief. I know that the big peak is coming in September, so I can live with this for now. Now I know where I’m at exactly.”My guest for today’s episode is Cole Hocker, who is no stranger to championship moments. But even Olympic champions can go through droughts. Since winning gold in Paris last summer, Hocker hadn’t claimed a single 1500 or mile final — 0-for-8 — in a year that’s tested his patience, his poise, and his place in one of the most ruthless eras of middle-distance running.But in 2025, Hocker has also been focused on something new in taking on the 5000m. On Sunday, in the biggest 5K win of his career, he stormed down the Hayward Field homestretch to take the U.S. title in 13:26.45 — closing in 51.76 for the last lap, 25.69 for the final 200, and outkicking Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher and U.S. 10,000 champ Nico Young to punch his ticket to the World Championships in Tokyo.It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t record-breaking. It was tactical execution — Hocker biding his time, slipping to fifth with 200 to go, and trusting that if the race came down to pure speed, he’d have the last word. And he did.With that win, the double dream is alive: Hocker will line up in both the 1500 and the 5000 at Worlds — just as he set out to do at the start of the year. He’s stronger than last season, more confident than ever, and ready to see if that closing gear can stand up to the world’s best in Tokyo.We talk about what it took to win this one, the mental discipline to ride out the noise of a long season while also focusing on the double, and why patience—even for an Olympic champion—combined with his supreme confidence makes him one of the most dangerous racers in the world.____________Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on InstagramGuest: Cole Hocker | @colehocker on InstagramProduced by: Jasmine Fehr | @jasminefehr on InstagramMentioned in this episode…Watch: USATF Championships men’s 5000m finalWatch: USATF Championships men's 1500m final____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOLIPOP: Straight out of Bikini Bottom, Olipop’s limited edition SpongeBob cans have arrived. Pineapple Paradise features a burst of juicy pineapples and a splash of mandarin. It's on shelves now at Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Circle K, Amazon, and select stores nationwide. You can check out all of their flavors and get 25% off your orders at DrinkOlipop.com using code CITIUS25 at checkout.NEW BALANCE: The FuelCell Rebel v5 was built to feel fast—and look the part. With a sleek, race-inspired mesh upper and lightweight PEBA/EVA foam blend, it offers a responsive, energetic ride that’s ideal for everything from steady miles to speedwork. A redesigned heel and added forefoot rubber provide comfort and traction, making this your go-to for runs when you want to pick up the pace. The Rebel V5 shows up every time. Find the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 at newbalance.com or your local running shop today.
9 Aug 47min
Sage Hurta-Klecker On Finally Making A U.S. Team, Diving At The Finish Line For Third And A Spot For The World Championships In Tokyo | Race Recap + Reflections
“I thought I had missed my moment last year. I didn’t want that to define me, but I didn’t want to put way too much pressure on this year, because it wasn’t going to make up for last year. It was really hard. But in the last month, I said, ‘We’re going to go for it. We’re going to put our ego to the side and see what happens.’”Sage Hurta-Klecker knows heartbreak. In her first U.S. Championships in 2021, she fell and broke her wrist. In 2023, she finished a painful fourth in the 800m, just one spot shy of making the team. Last year, she was fifth after getting tangled in the ripple effects of a fall by Athing Mu. Even indoors this year, she was again one place away from qualifying for a world championship team.But this past weekend at Hayward Field, Hurta-Klecker rewrote the script. Charging down the final straight in the women's 800, she leaned hard for the finish line and went down hard after crossing it. She stopped the clock at 1:59.48 to edge out 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials champion Nia Akins by just four hundredth of a second.This time, the fall didn't mean heartbreak; it meant joy, it meant redemption, and finally, it meant her first U.S. team and a ticket to the World Championships. “Don't let your narrative of the past limit your future,” she wrote afterward on Instagram. Sage did not, and now she's heading to Tokyo. We talk all about that race, the shortcomings along the way, and the overwhelming sense of relief to finally make a team.____________Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on InstagramGuest: Sage Hurta-Klecker | @hurtasage on InstagramProduced by: Jasmine Fehr | @jasminefehr on InstagramMentioned in this episode…Watch: USATF Championships Women’s 800m final____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOLIPOP: Straight out of Bikini Bottom, Olipop’s limited edition SpongeBob cans have arrived. Pineapple Paradise features a burst of juicy pineapples and a splash of mandarin. It's on shelves now at Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Circle K, Amazon, and select stores nationwide. You can check out all of their flavors and get 25% off your orders at DrinkOlipop.com using code CITIUS25 at checkout.NEW BALANCE: The FuelCell Rebel v5 was built to feel fast—and look the part. With a sleek, race-inspired mesh upper and lightweight PEBA/EVA foam blend, it offers a responsive, energetic ride that’s ideal for everything from steady miles to speedwork. A redesigned heel and added forefoot rubber provide comfort and traction, making this your go-to for runs when you want to pick up the pace. The Rebel V5 shows up every time. Find the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 at newbalance.com or your local running shop today.
8 Aug 53min
Coach Chris Capeau On Coaching Cooper Lutkenhaus To 1:42.27 U18 800m World Record + Training Talk
“The other part is that he loves it. He doesn’t miss. A ton of people are—to be cliche—talented, but they don’t do the things to maximize their talent. So how is he there? Because he’s doing everything to at least give him the chance to maximize his talent. Do we know it’s going to be 1:42? No, we don’t know that. We have no clue what it is… He’s doing the things it takes to see how good he can be—and he loves finding out what that looks like.”My guest for today's episode is Chris Capeau, the coach behind one of the most remarkable performances in American track history. As the head distance coach at Northwest High School in Texas, Capeau found success with his middle distance programs. Even before that at other Texas high schools, he was a bit of a journeyman in coaching at various universities and learning from other accomplished coaches in the sport.But this summer, the spotlight found him after 16-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus stunned the track world with a 1:42.27 in the men's 800m at the U.S. Championships. That time was a three second PR, a new U18 world record, the fastest time ever run by a high schooler, and the fourth fastest time by an American ever. More than that, it earned Lutkenhaus a spot on Team USA for the World Championships in Tokyo, making him the youngest man in history to compete at a global outdoor championships. It was a moment that defied logic, but it didn't happen by accident.Capeau has been building upon a strong foundation established by Cooper's parents. A former NAIA marathon standout and collegiate coach with deep experience in building programs, Capeau brings a thoughtful athlete-centered approach that prioritizes trust, patience, and long term development. That philosophy has now helped produce a once in a generation talent and has rewritten what we thought was possible for high school middle distance running.This conversation pairs well with our previous episode with Cooper. You can find it here. In this one, we try to make even more sense of the performance by speaking to the man who worked on making it happen day in and day out._____________Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on InstagramGuest: Coach Chris CapeauProduced by: Jasmine Fehr | @jasminefehr on InstagramMentioned in this episode…Listen: Cooper Lutkenhaus Breaks Down His 1:42.27 800m At 16 Years Old To Make History, Qualifies For The 2025 World Championships + Goals For TokyoWatch: USATF Championships Men’s 800m final_____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOLIPOP: Straight out of Bikini Bottom, Olipop’s limited edition SpongeBob cans have arrived. Pineapple Paradise features a burst of juicy pineapples and a splash of mandarin. It's on shelves now at Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Circle K, Amazon, and select stores nationwide. You can check out all of their flavors and get 25% off your orders at DrinkOlipop.com using code CITIUS25 at checkout.NEW BALANCE: The FuelCell Rebel v5 was built to feel fast—and look the part. With a sleek, race-inspired mesh upper and lightweight PEBA/EVA foam blend, it offers a responsive, energetic ride that’s ideal for everything from steady miles to speedwork. A redesigned heel and added forefoot rubber provide comfort and traction, making this your go-to for runs when you want to pick up the pace. The Rebel V5 shows up every time. Find the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 at newbalance.com or your local running shop today.
7 Aug 1h 25min
Cooper Lutkenhaus Breaks Down His 1:42.27 800m At 16 Years Old To Make History, Qualifies For The 2025 World Championships + Goals For Tokyo
“With 200 to go, I felt really strong. I wasn’t really burning yet. With about 120 to go coming off the curve, I saw everybody right there. I was like, ‘I feel amazing!’ The crowd all stood up and it was super electric. I was like, ‘I have a shot now.’”My guest for today's episode is Cooper Lutkenhaus, the 16-year-old Texan who just ran one of the most astonishing races in American track and field history at the U.S. Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Cooper placed second in the men's 800m in 1:42.27 — a U18 world record, a three second personal best, and the fourth fastest time ever run by an American. He finished just behind Donovan Brazier, the former world champion who made his own remarkable comeback. Cooper was in 7th place with 150m to go. He stayed calm, executed his race plan, and closed in a blistering 12.48 seconds over the final 100m, surging into second and nearly catching Donovan Brazier at the finish line. This was a performance that defied age, experience, and expectations, and announced Cooper as the future of American middle distance running.In this episode, we get into it and try to answer the main question: how did this happen and who is Cooper? It wasn't just a great race for a high schooler; it was a great race, period._____________Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on InstagramGuest: Cooper Lutkenhaus | @cooper.lutkenhaus on InstagramProduced by: Jasmine Fehr | @jasminefehr on InstagramMentioned in this episode…Watch: USATF Championships Men’s 800m final_____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOLIPOP: Straight out of Bikini Bottom, Olipop’s limited edition SpongeBob cans have arrived. Pineapple Paradise features a burst of juicy pineapples and a splash of mandarin. It's on shelves now at Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Circle K, Amazon, and select stores nationwide. You can check out all of their flavors and get 25% off your orders at DrinkOlipop.com using code CITIUS25 at checkout.NEW BALANCE: The FuelCell Rebel v5 was built to feel fast—and look the part. With a sleek, race-inspired mesh upper and lightweight PEBA/EVA foam blend, it offers a responsive, energetic ride that’s ideal for everything from steady miles to speedwork. A redesigned heel and added forefoot rubber provide comfort and traction, making this your go-to for runs when you want to pick up the pace. The Rebel V5 shows up every time. Find the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 at newbalance.com or your local running shop today.
6 Aug 52min
Savannah Sutherland On Breaking Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s 400m Hurdles NCAA Record, Being A Bowerman Finalist, How She Got So Good + Expectations for Worlds 2025
“The biggest mindset coming off of Paris was that because I had made the biggest final there is, it was a message to me that no matter who’s on the track, you deserve a lane. I belong here and I’ve proven myself. That message was definitely something that I carried into my senior year: just knowing that I belong here. That was very powerful for me.”My guest for today's episode is Savannah Sutherland, a 21 year old Canadian hurdler who just made history in more ways than one, hailing from Borden, Saskatchewan. Savannah was named a finalist for the Bowerman, which is the highest honor in NCAA track and field, awarded annually to the most outstanding collegiate athletes in the sport.She's the first Canadian female track athlete to ever reach the finalist status. I recently made an appearance on the CBC's Trackside show where I revealed that as a Bowerman voter, I already casted my vote. Savannah was ranked #1 for me.She put together a jaw-dropping season at Michigan. She didn't just win her second NCAA title in the 400m hurdles, but she obliterated the NCAA record too with a time of 52.46 seconds, becoming the second woman in NCAA history to go under 53 seconds. The record that she broke previously belonged to Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.Savannah broke her own Canadian record, climbed to the 9th fastest of all time, and last year she even took 7th place in the Olympic final in Paris. In this episode, we chat about how she got so good at this event, her hopes and expectations for this summer's World Championships in Tokyo, and so much more.Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on InstagramGuest: Savannah Sutherland | @sav.sutherland on InstagramProduced by: Jasmine Fehr | @jasminefehr on InstagramSUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOLIPOP: Straight out of Bikini Bottom, Olipop’s limited edition SpongeBob cans have arrived. Pineapple Paradise features a burst of juicy pineapples and a splash of mandarin. It's on shelves now at Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Circle K, Amazon, and select stores nationwide. You can check out all of their flavors and get 25% off your orders at DrinkOlipop.com using code CITIUS25 at checkout.NEW BALANCE: The FuelCell Rebel v5 was built to feel fast—and look the part. With a sleek, race-inspired mesh upper and lightweight PEBA/EVA foam blend, it offers a responsive, energetic ride that’s ideal for everything from steady miles to speedwork. A redesigned heel and added forefoot rubber provide comfort and traction, making this your go-to for runs when you want to pick up the pace. The Rebel V5 shows up every time. Find the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 at newbalance.com or your local running shop today.
5 Aug 50min
USATF OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS | DAY 4 REACTION SHOW: DONAVAN BRAZIER IS BACK, NOAH LYLES & KENNY BEDNAREK BEEFING + COLE HOCKER BEATS GRANT FISHER
The next time someone complains that track and field is boring, tell them about August 3, 2025.Today's epic conclusion to the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships were so packed to the gills with drama that it extended beyond the start and finish lines. You want rivalries? Got ‘em. Records? check. Emotions? Certainly. Controversy? You bet.After finishing a surprise third in the 1500m, the event that delivered an Olympic title, Cole Hocker found redemption in the 5000m, where he closed off a slow early pace in an astonishing 51.76 seconds to win his first U.S. title in the longer event. NCAA champion Roisin Willis won her first U.S. senior title in the 800m a few steps after national leader Addy Wiley got tripped up.Two World champions weren’t even present for their event finals: Grant Holloway qualified for the 110m hurdles final but, for the third time in his career, leaned on his wild card entry to Worlds and skipped the last round of racing. Sha’Carri Richardson missed qualifying for the final of the 200m by 0.01 seconds, but her training partner Melissa Jefferson-Wooden added a second U.S. title to her resume with a personal-best 21.84 run. Behind Jefferson-Wooden and runner-up Anavia Battle, who’s having a helluva season of her own, the last spot on the 200m team couldn’t have been tighter. The three women who represented Team USA at the Paris Olympics were all credited with a 22.20 finish, meaning the critical result came down to one thousandth of a second as Gabby Thomas (22.197) barely beat out Brittany Brown (22.198) and McKenzie Long (22.199).And yet somehow, that wasn’t even the most dramatic 200m race of the day. In the men’s final, Noah Lyles defended his title over Kenny Bednarek in a world-leading 19.63 to Bednarek’s 19.67, but a little post-race shoving and strongly-worded jawing occurred in plain sight of the TV cameras and Hayward fans. It’s safe to say that Lyles and Bednarek are friendly rivals — except for the friendly part.__________Hosts: Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Aisha Praught-Leer, Paul Hof-Mahoney & Anderson EmeroleProduced by: Mac Fleet & Jasmine Fehr__________Find everything you need to know about the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships here:Listen: Day 3 Recap ShowListen: Day 2 Recap ShowListen: Day 1 Recap ShowSubscribe: CITIUS MAG NewsletterRead: Distance preview | Sprints + hurdles preview | Throws + heptathlon preview | Jumps + decathlon preview__________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOLIPOP: Olipop is a prebiotic soda that tastes like a throwback to your favorite childhood drinks, but it's loaded with benefits that your body will thank you for. Each can has 2-5g of sugar, 6-9g of fiber, and a science-backed formula designed to help you support your digestive health. They've got plenty of flavor options like Classic Root Beer, Crisp Apple, Grape, Cream Soda and wild hits like Peaches and Cream. You can grab Olipop at Target, Whole Foods, and Walmart or you can go to DrinkOlipop.com and use promo code CITIUS25 at checkout for 25% off all of your orders.NEW BALANCE: The FuelCell Rebel v5 was built to feel fast—and look the part. With a sleek, race-inspired mesh upper and lightweight PEBA/EVA foam blend, it offers a responsive, energetic ride that’s ideal for everything from steady miles to speedwork. A redesigned heel and added forefoot rubber provide comfort and traction, making this your go-to for runs when you want to pick up the pace. The Rebel V5 shows up every time. Find the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 at newbalance.com or your local running shop today.
4 Aug 1h 56min
USATF OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS | DAY 3 REACTION SHOW: JONAH KOECH UPSETS FIELD TO WIN 1500M, NIKKI HILTZ WINS 8TH U.S. TITLE
Over and over again during the course of today’s program, the same question came up: “What just happened?!”Heading into a stacked men’s 1500m final, everyone assumed that two spots were spoken for by the two Olympic medalists in the field — Paris champion Cole Hocker and third-placer Yared Nuguse — and that the battle was for the third spot. But teams aren’t made on paper; you still have to run the race.Nuguse kept everyone honest early, taking the field through 400 meters in 56.23, but he didn’t manage to thin out the field enough by the final lap and would have to settle for fifth in 3:31.34. Hocker got under his meet record from last year’s Olympic Trials with a 3:30.37 finish… but that was only good for third place, as two new contenders, Ethan Strand and Jonah Koech, hit the front in the homestrech and never looked back, with Koech winning his first U.S. title in 3:30.17.The women’s 1500m was a little bit more predictable, but it was nevertheless thrilling to watch Nikki Hiltz extend their victory streak to an increasingly improbable six U.S. titles with a 4:03.15 win and a blistering 58-second last lap. Whether it’s a surprise victory, an unprecedented time, or a tight battle for the last qualifying spot, Hayward Field was delivering plot twists left and right. And with nothing but finals on the docket for the final competition session, get ready for a lot more where that came from.__________Hosts: Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Aisha Praught-Leer, Paul Hof-Mahoney & Anderson EmeroleProduced by: Mac Fleet & Jasmine Fehr__________Find everything you need to know about the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships here:Listen: Day 2 Recap ShowListen: Day 1 Recap ShowSubscribe: CITIUS MAG NewsletterRead: Distance preview | Sprints + hurdles preview | Throws + heptathlon preview | Jumps + decathlon preview__________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOLIPOP: Olipop is a prebiotic soda that tastes like a throwback to your favorite childhood drinks, but it's loaded with benefits that your body will thank you for. Each can has 2-5g of sugar, 6-9g of fiber, and a science-backed formula designed to help you support your digestive health. They've got plenty of flavor options like Classic Root Beer, Crisp Apple, Grape, Cream Soda and wild hits like Peaches and Cream. You can grab Olipop at Target, Whole Foods, and Walmart or you can go to DrinkOlipop.com and use promo code CITIUS25 at checkout for 25% off all of your orders.NEW BALANCE: The FuelCell Rebel v5 was built to feel fast—and look the part. With a sleek, race-inspired mesh upper and lightweight PEBA/EVA foam blend, it offers a responsive, energetic ride that’s ideal for everything from steady miles to speedwork. A redesigned heel and added forefoot rubber provide comfort and traction, making this your go-to for runs when you want to pick up the pace. The Rebel V5 shows up every time. Find the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 at newbalance.com or your local running shop today.
3 Aug 1h 35min
USATF OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS | DAY 2 REACTION SHOW: MELISSA JEFFERSON-WOODEN 10.65! KENNY BEDNAREK 9.79! 800M STUNNERS
Heading into yesterday’s U.S. 100-meter finals, Kenny Bednarek and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden were already among the best in the world at what they do.And then they got better. Both Bednarek and Jefferson-Wooden are Olympic medalists and U.S. leaders in the sprint events, and both athletes have been running fast all year. In the 100m finals, however, they ascended to a new level, one everyone knew they were capable of, but was still fantastically impressive to watch come to fruition.Bednarek picked up the first U.S. title of his career — despite being a two-time Olympic medalist, he’s heretofore always been overshadowed by the Noah Lyleses and Christian Colemans of the world. But not today: Today was Kenny’s day. He decisively dispatched an extraordinarily strong field and clocked the first wind-legal sub-9.80 of his career with a 9.79 victory, leading a field where the top five finishers ran under 9.90.Jefferson-Wooden continued doing what she’s done all year: win. But despite consistently beating the competition, Melissa has been plagued by unhelpful winds all year — either over the legal limit for a tailwind, or blowing in her face and slowing her down. Finally, she got favorable race conditions at just the right time, and the results were astonishing: a 10.65 victory, the fifth fastest in history, tying the likes of Shericka Jackson, Marion Jones, and Sha’Carri Richardson on the all-time list.Everywhere you looked, really great athletes were outperforming the past versions of themselves. Eugene may be 50 miles or so from the Pacific Ocean, but Hayward still felt like it was feeling the effects of rising tide in the sport, with Americans in all disciplines are forced to step up their game to new levels just to have a shot at competing with the rest of the world.__________Hosts: Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Aisha Praught-Leer, Paul Hof-Mahoney & Anderson EmeroleProduced by: Mac Fleet & Jasmine Fehr__________Find everything you need to know about the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships here:Listen: Day 1 Recap ShowSubscribe: CITIUS MAG NewsletterRead: Distance preview | Sprints + hurdles preview | Throws + heptathlon preview | Jumps + decathlon preview__________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOLIPOP: Olipop is a prebiotic soda that tastes like a throwback to your favorite childhood drinks, but it's loaded with benefits that your body will thank you for. Each can has 2-5g of sugar, 6-9g of fiber, and a science-backed formula designed to help you support your digestive health. They've got plenty of flavor options like Classic Root Beer, Crisp Apple, Grape, Cream Soda and wild hits like Peaches and Cream. You can grab Olipop at Target, Whole Foods, and Walmart or you can go to DrinkOlipop.com and use promo code CITIUS25 at checkout for 25% off all of your orders.NEW BALANCE: The FuelCell Rebel v5 was built to feel fast—and look the part. With a sleek, race-inspired mesh upper and lightweight PEBA/EVA foam blend, it offers a responsive, energetic ride that’s ideal for everything from steady miles to speedwork. A redesigned heel and added forefoot rubber provide comfort and traction, making this your go-to for runs when you want to pick up the pace. The Rebel V5 shows up every time. Find the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 at newbalance.com or your local running shop today.
2 Aug 1h 38min