Kenneth Rooks On His “Rollercoaster” 2025 Season And His Hopes For The World Championships In Tokyo

Kenneth Rooks On His “Rollercoaster” 2025 Season And His Hopes For The World Championships In Tokyo

"Going into Tokyo, as long as I get back to those basic things that helped me be successful in the past, I'm going to be just fine. I can focus on the process, get back to running my race, focus on what I need to do each lap in different circumstances and scenarios, have fun, and not put too much pressure on myself."

My guest for today's episode is Olympic silver medalist Kenneth Rooks. However, he hasn't quite looked like that this entire season. It left many wondering if last year's Olympic silver medalists had slipped from his form. But back at Hayward Field just a couple weeks ago in his element, Rooks gave the answer. He was calm through the opening kilometers of the U.S. Championship final, unhurried as the laps ticked by. He moved up lap after lap until he was finally leading – and he never gave that lead back.

A 59-second last lap sealed his third straight U.S. Championship title in 8:26.56, fending off his training partner Dan Michalski and veteran Bernard Keter. Rooks officially punched his ticket to Worlds and then a couple weeks later helped Michalski get the standard to secure his own berth to the World Championships in Tokyo.

It was a vintage Kenneth Rooks race: patient, poised, and relentless when it mattered most. Now the BYU alum returns to the global stage in Tokyo with the big question hanging in the air: can he summon that magic again?

We talk about bouncing back from some disappointing performances, how the results make a bit more sense when you look at the bigger picture, managing the weight of expectations, and how he's looking to summon that same grit again in Tokyo.

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Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠

Guest: Kenneth Rooks | @kenneth_rooks on Instagram

Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram⁠⁠⁠

Mentioned in this episode…

Watch: 2025 U.S. Championships Men’s 3000m steeplechase final

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Molly Huddle discusses her final track season, marathon hopes, NYC Half three-peat

Molly Huddle discusses her final track season, marathon hopes, NYC Half three-peat

Molly Huddle is one of the most accomplished American distance runners in history and this weekend, I will lose to her in the New York City Half Marathon. Huddle and I caught up two weeks ago to discuss her plans for the race and the preparation ahead of her final track season. Last season was a marquee year for Huddle as she won the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials 5,000 and 10,000 before breaking Shalane Flanagan's 10,000m American record in the Olympic final. We discussed that strange race and how long it took her to process the results before bouncing back for her marathon debut. We also talk about her feelings toward the marathon and when we could expect her over 26.2 again. Check out the latest episode and subscribe on iTunes. This episode was brought to you by Shoekicker.com. Save some money and time while searching for your next pair of running shoes. Shoe Kicker scours the internet for the best deals and brings them all to you in one place.

17 Mars 201731min

Ajee Wilson on USA Indoors, training with Charlene Lipsey, Trials 800, 1500?

Ajee Wilson on USA Indoors, training with Charlene Lipsey, Trials 800, 1500?

U.S. Olympian and 2017 U.S. Indoor 600 meter champion Ajee Wilson joins the show to discuss her recent indoor season, training with Charlene Lipsey, her perspective of things in the Olympic Trials 800m final and a decision that may have saved her. Could we see her in a 1,500 some day. All that and more in the latest episode of The Citius Mag Podcast. This episode was brought to you by EducatedRunning.com and ShoeKicker.com. Subscribe on iTunes today.

10 Mars 201725min

Drew Hunter on his first professional season, the decision, balancing training/school, more

Drew Hunter on his first professional season, the decision, balancing training/school, more

Drew Hunter made headlines last year as the second U.S. high school runner to break four minutes indoors and then followed it up with a strong outdoor campaign before foregoing his NCAA eligibility to turn professional. Hunter joins the latest episode of the Citius Mag podcast to discuss what it's been like training across the country in the fall, how he came about the decision to turn professional, how much money is in his wallet and more. Subscribe on iTunes. (Pssst..Leave a five-star review) This week’s episode was brought to you by our friends at Educated Running.

3 Mars 201732min

Kate Grace on personal bests, racing Caster Semenya/Laura Muir, meditation and more

Kate Grace on personal bests, racing Caster Semenya/Laura Muir, meditation and more

On the latest episode of the Citius Mag Podcast, I am joined by Olympian Kate Grace to discuss her streak of personal bests in 2016 and 2017. She also discusses what it was like to have a front row seat into racing Caster Semenya in Rio and most recently Laura Muir in Birmingham. Kate shares some insight into how she's come about these personal bests and how she views herself going into races. Before all her races, she has a meditation routine and does a few breathing exercises that she shares with listeners. She answers a few listener questions as well. All that and more in the latest episode of the Citius Mag podcast. Subscribe on iTunes. (Pssst..Leave a five-star review) This week's episode was brought to you by our friends at Educated Running and Shoe Kicker.

24 Feb 201735min

Donn Cabral on WR chasing, doubt ahead of '16 Trials and goals for 2017

Donn Cabral on WR chasing, doubt ahead of '16 Trials and goals for 2017

Donn Cabral joins the Citius Mag Podcast ahead of New Jersey-New York Track Club's attempt at breaking the 4xMile world record. Hear Donn's thoughts on how it could go down and how he got roped into the attempt. We also touch on Donn's two Olympic games and how differently he feels about his performances at each. You asked a few questions on Twitter and Instagram so I passed them along to Donn to answer. All that and more in the latest Citius Mag podcast. Now available on iTunes. Subscribe and catch the latest episode on your iPhone or iPad as soon as it drops. (This episode was brought to you by Shoekicker.com)

16 Feb 201739min

Robby Andrews discusses Rio 2016, the DQ, N.J. living and chicken parm

Robby Andrews discusses Rio 2016, the DQ, N.J. living and chicken parm

2016 U.S. Olympian Robby Andrews joins the show as a blizzard ravages the East Coast. Chris and Robby reflect on everything from the 2016 Olympics - from the Opening Ceremonies (snapping a pic with Carmelo Anthony) to the 1,500m D.Q. The episodes also touches on his training in New Jersey and other fun questions in the bell lap segment. (This episode was brought to you by ShoeKicker.com)

9 Feb 201737min

Introducing The Citius Mag Podcast

Introducing The Citius Mag Podcast

Welcome to the Citius Mag podcast. Every week Chris Chavez will chat with a member of the running community whether it's athletes, coaches and writers for a free-flowing conversation on their respective careers on and off the track. Subscribe on iTunes or however you get your podcasts today!

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