2x NCAA XC Champion Graham Blanks Turns Pro & Signs With New Balance, Reflecting On His Career At Harvard And Running 12:59.89 For 5000m

“Take accountability. We are tired of educating you. We are tired of getting racially profiled and getting racially discriminated against. We're tired of being killed. We can't do both. White people have to take the burden...Help us because we can't do it by ourselves." Last year, Gwen Berry raised her first on the podium of the Pan American Games after winning the gold medal in the hammer throw. Her protest against racial and social injustice in America landed her a 12-month probation from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. After nationwide protests broke out at the end of May, I caught up with Gwen for a Sports Illustrated interview in which she said she would do it again in 2021 once her probation is up. On social media, she demanded an apology from USOPC CEO Sarah Hershland after they released a statement saying the USOPC stands "stands with those who demand equality." They had a phone call where Hirshland apologized for the effects of the decision to put Berry on probation. Berry grew up in Ferguson, Mo., and marched with protesters in St. Louis in 2014, after Michael Brown was shot and killed by former police officer Darren Wilson. The death ignited weeks of unrest and conversation about race relations, but Wilson was never prosecuted. In 2020, Berry has taken to the streets to protest George Floyd's death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. Gwen Berry will not be silenced. In this podcast, we discuss what the past few weeks have been like for her, conversations among elite athletes possibly protesting in 2021 and much more. Read my Sports Illustrated interview with Gwen here: https://www.si.com/olympics/2020/06/02/gwen-berry-us-olympic-thrower-athlete-protests-george-floyd Gwen's donation suggestion for the Black Lives Matter movement: https://buytheblock.com/ Support for this episode comes from GOODR SUNGLASSES – Been rocking Goodr sunglasses throughout the past couple months and they're the best. No slip. No bounce. No fog. Polarized. Ridiculously affordable starting at $25 a pair. No discounts needed when they’re already the most affordable performance shades on the planet. Visit Goodr.com/citius to check out some of my favorite pairs. #EyesAreFeelinGoodr ▶ Follow us: twitter.com/CitiusMag | instagram.com/citiusmag | facebook.com/citiusmag ✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | twitter.com/ChrisChavez | instagram.com/chris_j_chavez

16 Juni 202038min

"Here’s the thing: For a kid who plays squash in Connecticut, it doesn’t matter if they go to Brown, Princeton or Harvard. They can go to some other school and they’re likely going to be OK. Their families have money. They have connections. They’re going to be alright. They’re going to go to college. A kid who ran really fast and ran a really great 1,500 at their small state meet or their local city conference, gets a call from somebody – they have a life-changing opportunity. They have an opportunity to change their future in a way that otherwise would not have been possible. Why am I going to sit back and let that happen? I’m not so that’s why I wrote the article." On May 28, Brown University announced its decision to cut 11 varsity sports as part of their Excellence in Brown Athletics Initiative. The teams that were cut were men's and women’s fencing, men's and women’s golf, women’s skiing, men's and women’s squash, women’s equestrian, and men’s track, field, and cross country — will transition to club status. Former Princeton middle distance specialist Russell Dinkins joins the CITIUS MAG Podcast after writing "Brown University, If You Were Actually Serious About Racial Justice You Would Not Be Cutting the Men’s Track Team." Nearly 50,000 people have signed a petition to retain the program's varsity status. David Melly, the host of the Run Your Mouth Podcast and a contributor to CITIUS MAG, joins me as well because he wrote his own open letter to the Brown University president on Calling For Excellence. We discuss why we're all disappointed by Brown's decision and why it should be reinstated to show true advocacy for diversity in athletics. And in light of the current events in the world, this ties very well into the ongoing discussion of diversifying organizations and making sure there is equality in the opportunities presented to people of color. 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.

9 Juni 20201h 21min

"My grandfather told us from the jump, ‘Don’t ever let color separate you from anything. Don’t the color of green get you into any kind of trouble with another color but always accept another color besides your color and because we can all be a family together. Don’t worry about whoever it is that hates your color. You were born this color for a reason and wear it with pride.’ That’s what I’ve been doing since that day. I’m not afraid to speak my mind because I’m black. I just pay attention to my surroundings at all times at 110% level." ----- Like many people throughout the country, I've been processing and thinking about all the current events happening since the murder of George Flloyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. It's absolutely heartbreaking. I wanted to share this podcast episode that Leigh Anne Sharek and I shared on the Runners of NYC Podcast last month. I promise you that there will be more from me. I know in my role and with the platform that I've built, we can amplify, support and elevate Black voices. You can't make any progress or change in silence. So while I could have not posted any podcast this week, I'm re-posting this conversation onto the podcast feed with the most subscribers in our network because it deserves to be heard widely. Our guest for this episode is Coffey. He is a father, husband, filmmaker, Nike running pacer and the founder of Define New York Run Club. This conversation was on our schedule before the Ahmaud Arbery shooting but we take the first 30 minutes of our talk to address the story, its impact on him and how he relates to the likes of Ahmaud Arbery, Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin. We go back to his roots in North Carolina, how he got his start in fashion and filmmaking, why he got hooked on group running and then ultimately starting his own group. You may have seen him on recent episodes of ‘For Life’ but his big project has been the short film “About the People” which hosts a very powerful and honest conversation about social justice and inequalities by black and brown men at the hands of police brutality. Coffey was one of the writers on the film and drew some inspiration from the conversations he’s had to have with his oldest son on police brutality. Follow Coffey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ThatCoffeyBoy/ Follow Define New York Run Club: https://www.instagram.com/DefineNewYorkRunClub/ More on 'About The People': https://www.instagram.com/AboutThePeopleFilm/ WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MItfknF6Yb0

5 Juni 20202h 10min

Johnny Gregorek joins the CITIUS MAG Podcast ahead of his world record attempt in the Blue Jean Mile on May 30. He is a professional runner for Asics and a member of the New Jersey-New York Track Club. Johnny is also the second-fastest American indoor miler in history. His 3:49.98 is just behind Bernard Lagat's 3:49.89. His other personal bests include 3:35 for the 1,500. He was a member of the U.S. national team for the 2017 World Championships in London, where he made the final and finished 10th in the world. He was an All-American for Columbia and Oregon. In this episode, we'll take a dive into his career thus far since he's certainly someone in the mix for an Olympic team spot next year but...this Saturday (May 30th) he will be spiking up for a world record attempt. He will be going for the blue jean mile world record of 4:11.80 and who knows if sub-4 is in the cards. Not only is he providing the world with some good ol' entertainment in a time when there are no races, but he's also doing it for a great cause. He has already raised more than 12,000 dollars for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in memory of his brother and for mental health awareness month. We talk about all that and more. CITIUS MAG popularized the Blue Jean Mile in 2017. We said we'd cough up some money for someone to break four minutes in it. CITIUS Mag will be donating $1,000 for a sub-4, $500 for a world record and regardless we're cutting a check for at least $250. If you want more information about Johnny's attempt, Paul Snyder has covered it for CITIUS MAG and you can also donate through Johnny's personal pages. Johnny Gregorek’s Blue Jeans Mile Will Be More Fun Than The Olympics: http://citiusmag.com/johnny-gregorek-blue-jeans-mile-history/ Donate to the National Alliance on Mental Illness: https://donate.nami.org/fundraiser/2749965 Support CITIUS MAG & pick up some merch on CITIUSMAG.com ▶ Follow us: twitter.com/CitiusMag | instagram.com/citiusmag | facebook.com/citiusmag ✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | twitter.com/ChrisChavez | instagram.com/chris_j_chavez

26 Maj 20201h 29min

"The race day is the reward. It's what you put in all those hours for and those segments and sessions. It's why you get out the door in the morning when you want to hit snooze on the alarm. As nerve-wracking as that is, you have to recognize why you're nervous and it's because you care. You put in all this time and energy. The training log, if it looks really good and the better the training goes, you're almost a little more nervous heading into that race because you have this incredible opportunity to showcase what you've been doing...Then you have your moment where you get to go and all eyes are on you. It's a really cool opportunity to showcase what you've been doing. it's that one day and that special day where you put on the shoes and it means a little bit more. Obviously having eyeballs on you from the community around you watching makes you dig a little deeper but it's all the hours that you invested over that buildup that you can just dig a little deeper on those days." 2018 Boston Marathon champion and 2x U.S. Olympic marathoner Des Linden sits back and sips some whiskey to catch up about how she's been dealing with all the uncertainty amid the coronavirus pandemic. We discuss how she's gone about appreciating "the process" – which is all we have right now – and the odds of her running the track trials in 2021. How is she framing her career at the moment and looking ahead to what's next. More importantly, we get the whiskey aficionado side of Des. We hear about her first introduction to whiskey, where to start if you want to get into it, her best post-race drinks and vacation stories and much more. Thanks to Brooks Running for setting this up and helping create a cool concept for possible future interviews. If you want to watch the conversation, it is available here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAMCK52pm8f/ What did we drink? Booker's, Woodford Reserve and Screwball Whiskey. Support CITIUS MAG & pick up some merch on CITIUSMAG.com ▶ Follow us: twitter.com/CitiusMag | instagram.com/citiusmag | facebook.com/citiusmag ✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | twitter.com/ChrisChavez | instagram.com/chris_j_chavez

22 Maj 20201h 8min

Coach Chris Bennett joins the podcast. His voice might be familiar to you if you've ever used the Nike Run Club training app. He is the Swoosh's global head coach. He's been a longtime supporter of CITIUS MAG and I've always wanted to get him on the show. Now seems to be the perfect time because it feels like we're on the cusp of a potential running boom once the pandemic subsides. People are getting out there whether it's part of their regular routine and training or they're discovering the sport for the very first time. I have a few friends who are getting started and they don't have a GPS watch or Strava so they simply have downloaded the Nike app and started going on these guided runs with Bennett. We spend much of the first half discussing what that's been like to see and then we'll take a dive into his own career from being a New Jersey star, running for UNC, learning from coaches like Jerry Schumacher, Vin Lananna and Frank Gagliano, returning to coach at Christian Brothers Academy (where they became a national powerhouse), what his mantra Every Run Has a Purpose means and ultimately watching his son now come after his own PRs. ▶ Follow Coach Bennett: https://www.instagram.com/coachbennett/ Support CITIUS MAG & pick up some merch on CITIUSMAG.com ▶ Follow us: twitter.com/CitiusMag | instagram.com/citiusmag | facebook.com/citiusmag ✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | twitter.com/ChrisChavez | instagram.com/chris_j_chavez

13 Maj 20201h 44min

“I honestly never expected entering CU to leave the way I did. I know that Colorado gave me everything I needed to succeed. Mark and Heather gave me every opportunity and every chance in the world to be great. Because of that, I’ll always root for them and I’ll always root for the Buffs. I’m really just grateful for the experience I had and I know there will be more athletes like me.” Dani Jones joins the CITIUS MAG Podcast after announcing that she has decided to forego her remaining NCAA eligibility to turn professional and sign with Hawi Management. The four-time NCAA champion out of the University of Colorado said she will be joining Joe Bosshard’s Boulder-based training group that includes Emma Coburn, Aisha Praught, Dominique Scott and Cory McGee. We run through the decision-making process that took place after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped away her attempt at an 800/mile double at the 2020 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships and then her last remaining outdoor season. This outdoor season was going to be focused on winning the NCAA 1,500 meter title, hitting the Olympic standard in the same event and making a push at the U.S. Olympic trials. With the Summer Games and trials postponed a year, Jones is among the athletes who could reap the benefit of one more year of training. Jones takes us through the biggest races of her Colorado career including the 2017 NCAA indoor titles in the DMR and 3,000m, the 2018 NCAA cross country individual and team title and last year’s NCAA 5,000m outdoor title, which came shortly after her father’s passing. We also touch on the influence of coaches Mark and Heather Burroughs in her development, training with Jenny Simpson and where she stands among the greats that have come out of Colorado. (Plus, her Mt. Rushmore of Colorado Buffaloes) Support CITIUS MAG & pick up some merch: https://www.bonfire.com/store/citius-mag/ ▶ Follow us: twitter.com/CitiusMag | instagram.com/citiusmag | facebook.com/citiusmag ✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | twitter.com/ChrisChavez | instagram.com/chris_j_chavez

8 Maj 20201h 10min

Chris Chavez and Matthew Luke Meyer catch up from New Jersey and Montana to unpack the biggest storylines in the sport for Aprl 2020. With races and events cancelled through most of the summer, the sport has gotten creative with virtual races, time trials, backyard ultra marathons and pole vault competitions. This is how we're staying active and entertained amid a pandemic. We did our best to not say the c*********s word in the podcast. Among notable news from the month of April: World Athletics says that no performance between April 2020 and November 30, 2020 will count toward Tokyo qualification. The new window will run from Dec. 1 to May 31 for the marathon and then through June 29 for all other events. Some athletes were a bit upset by this blanket suspension. The Berlin Marathon was the first major marathon to be affected by the pandemic and gathering limits. It will be postponed or scaled down to an extent. The re-scheduled Boston is scheduled to take place two weeks before that. No Diamond League Meets through June but Oslo will be putting on The Impossible Games. Oregon 2021 becomes Oregon 2022 with the world championships being held from July 15 to July 24 at the new Hayward Field. The meet is early and will be held before Commonwealth Games and European Championships oddly enough. 'Dopers Gonna Dope' with Asbel Kiprop still saying he's innocent, Daniel Wanjiru getting busted for a biological passport violation and athletes recording whereabouts failures. Bad news: Coogan's, the popular track and field NYC bar by The Armory, has closed for good. Good news: Shalane adopted a baby! What's the most impressive run we've seen on Strava since quarantine? All that and more on the latest episode. ▶ Follow us: twitter.com/CitiusMag | instagram.com/citiusmag | facebook.com/citiusmag ✩ Connect with Chris via Email: chris@citiusmag.com | twitter.com/ChrisChavez | instagram.com/chris_j_chavez ✩ Connect with Matt on Instagram: Instagram.com/matthewlukemeyer

4 Maj 20201h 8min