Zach Panning Chipping Away Toward A Dream At The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials
"It's fun to come from nothing, have a dream, and then slowly chip away at it. And having those dreams become reality is just a cool story." When Zach Panning graduated from Grand Valley State in 2019 he had three Division II NCAA titles and personal bests of 13:37 for 5000m and 28:30 for 10,000m. With a resume like that and a proven ability to withstand Michigan’s winters, the Indiana native was a prime target to join the Hansons-Brooks ODP. Panning qualified to represent the United States at the 2023 World Championships, following his 2:09:28 PB in Chicago. In Budapest, he ran 2:11:21 for 13th place, moving through the field like a veteran. You can read the interview from The Lap Count newsletter here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/catching-up-with-zach-panning Host: Kyle Merber | @kylemerber on Instagram Guest: Zach Panning | @zachpanning on Instagram SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) ☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place. 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
18 Jan 202419min
Agnes Ngetich Decimates The Women's 10K World Record In 28:46; Takeaways From The Houston Half & Marathon + Bring Back The Kilometer | The Lap Count
This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,500 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at http://thelapcount.com/ In this week's newsletter: – 10K World Record: SMASHED 💥 – Gabi Rooker signs professional deal with Nike ✍️ – Houston, we have a problem with so many people making this reference 🚀 – Collegiate Records: 1 - 0 🤘 + more rapid-fire highlights from the past week You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/whos-top-three SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 🥤 OLIPOP: New year, new you! At least that’s the promise you made to yourself before waking up with a hangover on Monday, right? Well, now that a couple of days have passed and your commitment to dry January is already waning, it’s time to invest in some OLIPOP. It’s the prebiotic soda with fiber and with as little as two grams of sugar in each can – a sip will have you feeling nostalgic for the days that your parents ordered you Shirley Temples as a special treat when you went out to eat. Wake up from tomorrow’s run with an extra pep in your step and some improved gut health thanks to OLIPOP. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders.
17 Jan 202417min
Olympic Silver Medalist Laura Muir On Mastering The 1500m For The Past Decade + Navigating A Turbulent 2023
"When I started making senior teams, I thought, “I want to compete at all six championships.” I did that and then was like, “I want to make a final in all six championships.” I did that and then said, “I want to win a medal at all six championships” and I have done that. I've defended titles, I've broken records and championship records. The only thing that's really missing is the global title, which is very hard to get… But I'm going to keep trying and that's all I can do." Great Britain’s Laura Muir, the Olympic 1500m silver medalist and three-time 1500m world championship medalist, will return to the 116th Millrose Games at The Armory on Feb. 11 to defend her NYRR Wanamaker Mile title. In this conversation, Laura and I look back at her 2023 season – which was a bit turbulent at times since she parted ways with her longtime coach Andy Young, coached herself briefly and is now working with Steve Vernon. Despite the sudden changes, she still managed to run a season’s best of 3:55.16 for the 1500m and managed to make the World Championship final in Budapest, where she finished sixth. One highlight was running 4:15 for the mile in Monaco for a British record. While we look back at last year, we also look ahead to 2024 where she plans to run the 3000m at the World Indoor Championships in March and then go all-in toward getting back on the podium in Paris. Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram Guest: Laura Muir | @lmuiruns on Instagram SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) ☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place. 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
16 Jan 202437min
Catching Up With 2:21 Marathoner Betsy Saina Before The 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials
"The U.S. has become my home because it's been over ten years since I moved there. That makes me feel really emotional. My heart is full. I'm so grateful to be able to represent the U.S., after all I've gained in living there: to my two sisters living there, my son being born in the U.S. – it's a family thing for me. So I'm running for the whole family now." With all the excitement leading into the Olympic Marathon Trials on February 3rd, it seems like a good time to reacquaint listeners with some of the top contenders. This week, Kyle Merber spoke with Betsy Saina, the former three-time NCAA champion from Iowa State and fifth place finisher in the 2016 Olympic 10,000m. In April 2021, Saina shifted her allegiance and is now eligible to represent the United States. Following her 2:21:40 finish at the Tokyo Marathon and a win at the Sydney Marathon on a hot day in September, where she ran 2:26:47, there is certainly a possibility of her being in Paris on the horizon. Host: Kyle Merber | @kylemerber on Instagram Guest: Betsy Saina | @sainabetsy on Instagram SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) ☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place. 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
12 Jan 202420min
NCAA & U.S. Steeplechase Champion Kenneth Rooks Got Knocked Down, But Got Up Again And Won Big In 2023
"I gained a lot of experience being in different races with different strategies and race situations. Competing at the World Championships was amazing. Competing in the prelim and final were two very different races, both of which I hadn't experienced before. I learned a lot from that. I'm excited to have had that experience, especially going into this year as an Olympic year, with the Olympic aspirations that I have. I have a lot of confidence that I can compete with the best in the world." BYU’s Kenneth Rooks, the 2023 NCAA steeplechase champion and the U.S. champion, has decided to forego the remainder of his NCAA eligibility to turn professional and has signed a contract with Nike. He plans to stay in Utah under coach Ed Eyestone and will train alongside Conner Mantz and Clayton Young. Rooks was one of the NCAA’s breakout stars in 2023. He caught the attention of many with an 8:17.62 win over George Beamish and ‘22 U.S. champion Hillary Bor at the On Track Nights: Los Angeles meet in May. He backed up that performance by winning the NCAA title a month later in Austin, Texas. At the U.S. Championships. Rooks went viral after falling during the race but managed to recover in the closing stages to win in a personal best of 8:16.78. The video of that race has been watched nearly half a million times on YouTube. At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Rooks made his debut for Team USA by beating out Olympic champion and reigning world champion Soufiane El Bakkali in the prelims. Rooks went on to take 10th in the final. Rooks says there were opportunities to turn pro after the summer but he chose to return to BYU for one more cross country season. We reflect on his BYU career, the highlights of 2023 and what it was like going so viral outside of the track world and into the greater sports world. Plus, a few stories of his mission in Uganda. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) ☕️ THE CITIUS CAFE (PRESENTED BY HOKA) will be open for the weekend of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando. We’re super stoked to share that we will be partnering with HOKA for all of the weekend’s festivities next month in Florida – which will include live panels with special guests, giveaways, a big shakeout run and a race day watchalong from the CITIUS Cafe at 151 E Washington St. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place. 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
9 Jan 202439min
Christian Coleman On His Plan To Return To The Top Of The Sprints
"If you have to flip a switch, it's too late. I've been locked in. We've been training and going at it and we’re focused on the process. The biggest thing for me is staying healthy and staying patient. You can't do anything out of the ordinary. You can't do something that you haven't practiced or do something extra. It's just another year. This is what we do every single year. It’s the top of the year – there’s newfound energy, newfound opportunity. But it’s the same level of consistency, the same level of intensity. We just continue to do what we do." 60m world record holder Christian Coleman will return to the Armory in New York City on Feb. 11th to go for his third consecutive victory in the men’s 60m at the Millrose Games. Coleman is coming off a 2023 season in which he matched the world’s fastest 100m time of the year with a 9.83s victory at the Xiamen Diamond League in China last August. He was the runner-up in the men’s 100m at the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships and went on to place fifth at the World Championship final in Budapest. He closed out the season by winning the men’s 100m Diamond League crown at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. You don’t hear Christian Coleman do too many longer interviews so it was a pleasure to chat with him as we reflect on 2023 and look toward 2024 – where you could make the case that he’s a gold medal favorite in the men’s 100m. He’s honest about the process of coming back from a whereabouts suspension that kept him out for 18 months and forced him to miss the Tokyo Olympics. We get a bit technical on what makes for a great 60m sprinter and how that converts to outdoors and the 100m. I touched on why he’s not as vocal about records and fast times as some of his competitors and much more. I think you’ll hear a side to one of the world’s fastest men that you haven’t heard before. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MILLROSE GAMES ⤵️ The Millrose Games is the sixth stop on the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold calendar. Livestream and television broadcast details will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more Millrose Games athlete announcements as the pro fields come together. Tickets to the 116th Millrose Games can be purchased online at millrosegames.org. For more information on all Armory Track events, visit armorytrack.com. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place. 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
5 Jan 202449min
Courtney Frerichs Leaves Bowerman, Beatrice Chebet Breaks The Road 5K WR, More Ideas To Fix Professional Track | The Lap Count
This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,500 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at http://thelapcount.com/ In this week's newsletter: – Beatrice Chebet’s year goes out with a BANG 💥 – Copying tennis’s homework 📝👀 – Graham Blanks Signs with NB ✍️ – Personal Reflections on 2023 🥳 + more rapid-fire highlights from the past week You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/solving-track SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 🥤 OLIPOP: New year, new you! At least that’s the promise you made to yourself before waking up with a hangover on Monday, right? Well, now that a couple of days have passed and your commitment to dry January is already waning, it’s time to invest in some OLIPOP. It’s the prebiotic soda with fiber and with as little as two grams of sugar in each can – a sip will have you feeling nostalgic for the days that your parents ordered you Shirley Temples as a special treat when you went out to eat. Wake up from tomorrow’s run with an extra pep in your step and some improved gut health thanks to OLIPOP. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders.
3 Jan 202418min
Rai Benjamin On How He Fell In Love With Cycling During The Offseason
"But there are not a lot of Black cyclists that ride, obviously. Justin Williams' whole thing is about getting more Black people on bikes and just people on bikes in general. It was awesome because I've never met those guys before and they knew nothing about me and it was completely welcoming and friendly. It's a great community. Everyone wants to help out. Everyone wants to invite you to these social rides. You're not just addicted to riding but more being in a setting with those people." We all know Rai Benjamin from the many global medals, but this interview is not about any of that. This fall I saw that the Mt. Vernon native had taken up a new activity, one that is most usually reserved for retired distance runners like myself. We caught up last week because I was intrigued to hear more about how and why the American record holder at the 400m hurdles had become such a serious cyclist during the off-season. You can read the full interview from The Lap Count newsletter here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/the-lap-count-rai-benjamin-interview-on-cycling Hosted by: Kyle Merber – @kylemerber on Instagram Guest: Rai Benjamin – @kingben on Instagram SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 🍊 OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. Learn more at https://DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place. 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel
20 Dec 202332min
