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

"There's a fine line between knowing I was ready and confident to run a sub-two and then actually doing it. To see the 1:59 on the board really took so long to sink in because it was such an amazing feeling and something I had been wanting for so long. The fans and the atmosphere were an awesome feeling. I definitely would not have wanted to do this at any other meet."

Juliette Whittaker rejoins the show. She is a senior at Mount De Sales Academy in Maryland and is committed to Stanford for next year. If you haven't listened to her episode from March, it takes a deeper dive into her story and rise as one of the top 800m high school stars in the country. We caught up this week to chat about her 1:59.80 to win the women's 800 meters at Trials of Miles' Track Night NYC. Only Mary Cain’s record of 1:59.51 from 2013 is faster in high school history.

If you haven't seen the race yet, it's available on the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel along with a full replay of the meet. Juliette takes us through that day, why this goal has been a long time coming, the rest of her race schedule for the summer and what her top high school career moments have been.

Watch the race here: https://youtu.be/cVXVf9f0kRM

Listen to Juliette's previous appearance on the podcast here: https://apple.co/3aggZvV

SUPPORT THE SPONSORS

GARMIN: Music. Training. Data. The Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is my favorite running partner. You do the running. This GPS running smartwatch does the thinking. It even gets to know you and your body better, mile after mile and song after song. Get one for yourself here >> https://bit.ly/3Pcu0qo

HYDROW: Hydrow is a state-of-the-art rowing experience. Hydrow works 86% of major muscle groups, compared with only 44% from cycling. That’s twice the benefit in half the time! It’s a perfect low-impact workout to add to your training cycle for both endurance and resistance training. Use code CITIUS100 for $100 off of the rower (stackable with any current offerings) >> https://hydrow.com/

OREGON22: We are less than 60 days until the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon (7/15-24). The outdoor track season is underway and the journey to Hayward has begun. Don’t miss out. Buy your tickets today to see the world’s best athletes in action at the first-ever world outdoor championships being held on U.S. soil. You can get your tickets by visiting WorldChampsOregon22.com/Tickets

"Right after I ran it, there was so much commotion with people coming up to me and talking to me that for the first half-hour after the race, it didn’t settle in. I went on a cooldown by myself and it started to set in. Honestly, I started to tear up a little bit because it’s incredible to think of where I’ve come from. I knew I was in shape to run sub-four. I thought I could do it. It’s a big difference between actually going out there and doing it and just thinking you can do it. I realized the company that I’m in and it’s pretty surreal."

Archbishop Wood High School (PA) senior Gary Martin joins the podcast. Earlier this month, Gary made headlines by becoming the 14th US high school boy to break four minutes for the mile by running 3:57.98 at the Pennsylvania Catholic League Championship. He is the fifth-fastest high school miler of all-time indoors or outdoors but he is the fastest high schooler to ever do it against high school only competition. He solo’ed the race and beat Jim Ryun’s 3:58.6 miles record, which stood since 1965. In this episode, you’ll get to know Gary better, what motivates him and what’s got him most excited about his potential and his future at the University of Virginia. We also take a bunch of your listener questions submitted from Instagram.

SUPPORT THE SPONSORS

GARMIN: Music. Training. Data. The Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is my favorite running partner. You do the running. This GPS running smartwatch does the thinking. It even gets to know you and your body better, mile after mile and song after song. Get one for yourself here >> https://bit.ly/3Pcu0qo

HYDROW: Hydrow is a state-of-the-art rowing experience. Hydrow works 86% of major muscle groups, compared with only 44% from cycling. That’s twice the benefit in half the time! It’s a perfect low-impact workout to add to your training cycle for both endurance and resistance training. Use code CITIUS100 for $100 off of the rower (stackable with any current offerings) >> https://hydrow.com/

OREGON22: We are less than 60 days until the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon (7/15-24). The outdoor track season is underway and the journey to Hayward has begun. Don’t miss out. Buy your tickets today to see the world’s best athletes in action at the first-ever world outdoor championships being held on U.S. soil. You can get your tickets by visiting WorldChampsOregon22.com/Tickets

Happy Friday! This is the seventh edition of Track Snacks – a mini-series taking you into the weekend where Chris Chavez and a CITIUS MAG staffer or friend share the story of an athlete who they're excited about right now that you can expect to see compete at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 (July 15–24, 2022).

For this episode, Joshua Potts (Host of The 2BlackRunners Podcast) joins me to chat about Olympic pole vault champion and world record holder Mondo Duplantis. The New York Times called him "The Tiger Woods of the pole vault" as a high schooler. We dive into Mondo's childhood and how he got so good at a young age, dominated the high school scene and has literally propelled himself as one of the sport's biggest stars for the next decade. Duplantis owns the indoor and outdoor world records with a 6.20m jump indoors and a 6.15m jump outdoors. He's got the records and the Olympic gold medal but he's still missing a World Championship gold. That seems to be on the way in Eugene this summer. Can anyone stop him?!

Track Snacks is presented by Hayward Magic. Everyone knows how much all of us in the CITIUS MAG family love track & field, and how much we enjoy sharing that love with you all. Well, we’ve got a few big love-sharing ideas in the works and it all takes place in Eugene, Oregon this summer. Hayward Field will be the home to the Prefontaine Classic, the USATF Outdoor Championships and the World Athletics Championships. We'll be there and you should be too. Visit https://citiusmag.com/summerofhayward/ for all the information on dates and tickets.

Track Snacks is sponsored by @HaywardMagic, the Instagram home for the true track & field diehards, dreamers and fans. Sharing the magic of the sport and elevating the athletes that push it forward. Follow them on Instagram @HaywardMagic.

Intro music: "Believe In Yourself" by Norm Cotone

"Running has been super therapeutic for me these last couple of months. I've really taken time to heal and prioritize healing...When my own personal running isn't going well. I get so much joy out of watching my friends crushing it."

Rachel Smith (née Schneider) is one of the nicest people in track and field. Last summer, she fulfilled one of her biggest dreams when she crossed the finish line in third place in the U.S. Olympic Trials 5000m finals and qualified for the Tokyo Games. She just missed out on making it into the final when she ran 15:00 in the first round of the Olympics. We got the chance to catch up a few weeks ago when we were both in Washington, DC for the Team USA athlete summit ahead of their White House visit. It’s been a very hard year for Rachel. Earlier this year, she had a bout with COVID in January. In February, she shared that she learned she had skin cancer and underwent surgery to treat it. In April, she opened up on Instagram about having a miscarriage. It’s very sad to hear and we briefly touch on it. Through it all, Rachel still has turned to running and the sport as a way to heal. She’s at practice and helping her husband Mike coach the NAU team and the small professional squad that includes Elly Henes, Nikki Hiltz and Luis Grijalva. When she is ready to return to racing, she is certainly someone to root for.

SUPPORT THE SPONSORS

GARMIN: Music. Training. Data. The Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is my favorite running partner. You do the running. This GPS running smartwatch does the thinking. It even gets to know you and your body better, mile after mile and song after song. Get one for yourself here >> https://bit.ly/3Pcu0qo

HYDROW: Hydrow is a state-of-the-art rowing experience. Hydrow works 86% of major muscle groups, compared with only 44% from cycling. That’s twice the benefit in half the time! It’s a perfect low-impact workout to add to your training cycle for both endurance and resistance training. Use code CITIUS100 for $100 off of the rower (stackable with any current offerings) >> https://hydrow.com/

HAYWARD MAGIC: The Instagram home for the true track and field diehards, dreamers and fans. Sharing the magic of the sport and elevating the athletes that push it forward. Follow them on Instagram @HaywardMagic. 

Happy Friday! This is the sixth edition of Track Snacks – a mini-series taking you into the weekend where Chris Chavez and a CITIUS MAG staffer or friend share the story of an athlete who they're excited about right now that you can expect to see compete at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 (July 15–24, 2022).

For this episode, Ali Feller (Host of The Ali On The Run Show) joins me to chat about Olympic 800m champion and U.S. record holder Athing Mu. Last year, she put together one of the best seasons of any athlete by running personal bests of 49.57 for 400m, 1:55.04 for 800m and winning two NCAA titles and the Olympic gold medals in the 800m and 4x400m relay. We discuss what impresses us the most about her talent, the excitement around her potential and the New Jersey pride that comes with it all. Oh, we also discuss her pug, Bentley. 

Track Snacks is presented by Hayward Magic. Everyone knows how much all of us in the CITIUS MAG family love track & field, and how much we enjoy sharing that love with you all. Well, we’ve got a few big love-sharing ideas in the works and it all takes place in Eugene, Oregon this summer. Hayward Field will be the home to the Prefontaine Classic, the USATF Outdoor Championships and the World Athletics Championships. We'll be there and you should be too. Visit https://citiusmag.com/summerofhayward/ for all the information on dates and tickets.

Track Snacks is sponsored by @HaywardMagic, the Instagram home for the true track & field diehards, dreamers and fans. Sharing the magic of the sport and elevating the athletes that push it forward. Follow them on Instagram @HaywardMagic.

Intro music: "Believe In Yourself" by Norm Cotone

"From the moment I step foot in this sport in 2011 in college, I had no idea what to expect. I always had heard of Trey Hardee, Dan O’Brien and Ashton Eaton so they were my role models. As someone who is so competitive at heart, I wanted to be like them and push my scores to get up next to them. The fact that I’ve passed a few and I’m getting so close to the others, I’m just honored. That’s the only word I can think of and I’m so blessed to have the path that they set for me to carry on this tradition.”

This past weekend, Garrett Scantling secured his place for the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon by winning the USATF Combined Events Championships. His 8,867 points not only gave him the victory but moved him up to No. 3 on the U.S. all-time list and makes him the 7th best decathlete ever in the world. He finished fourth at last year’s Tokyo Olympics but the most interesting thing about his path to success is that he took a break away from the sport. After finishing fourth at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, Scantling decided to retire and then signed with the Atlanta Falcons as a receiver for their 2017 spring camp. He also spent some time with the Jacksonville Jaguars. And when football didn’t work out, he took a desk job as a financial advisor. We go through all of that and what eventually drew him back into the sport, which he really loves and wants to grow. He’ll be joined by Georgia junior Kyle Garland, who broke the NCAA decathlon record this weekend, and two-time Olympian Zach Ziemek on Team USA for Worlds.

SUPPORT THE SPONSORS

GARMIN: Music. Training. Data. The Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is my favorite running partner. You do the running. This GPS running smartwatch does the thinking. It even gets to know you and your body better, mile after mile and song after song. Get one for yourself here >> https://bit.ly/3Pcu0qo

HYDROW: Hydrow is a state-of-the-art rowing experience. Hydrow works 86% of major muscle groups, compared with only 44% from cycling. That’s twice the benefit in half the time! It’s a perfect low-impact workout to add to your training cycle for both endurance and resistance training. Use code CITIUS100 for $100 off of the rower (stackable with any current offerings) >> https://hydrow.com/

OREGON22: We are less than 90 days until the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon (7/15-24). The outdoor track season is underway and the journey to Hayward has begun. Don’t miss out. Buy your tickets today to see the world’s best athletes in action at the first-ever world outdoor championships being held on U.S. soil. You can get your tickets by visiting WorldChampsOregon22.com/Tickets

THERABODY: Their new RecoveryAir JetBoots are the first of its kind as the world’s most advanced pneumatic compression system ever created. RecoveryAir flushes out metabolic waste more fully and brings back fresh blood to your legs at three times the speed of competitors. Faster cycles mean faster recovery, so you don’t have to wait for..the legs to be feelin' great. For more information and to get a discount visit: https://therabody.com/citius

Happy Friday! This is the fifth edition of Track Snacks – a mini-series taking you into the weekend where Chris Chavez and a fellow CITIUS MAG staffer share the story of an athlete who they're excited about right now that you can expect to see compete at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 (July 15–24, 2022).

For this episode, Mac Fleet (CITIUS MAG's video specialist) joins me to chat about Bahamian sprinting and its current stars. Shaunae Miller-Uibo is the reigning Olympic champion in the 400m. Steven Gardiner is the reigning Olympic champion in the 400m and has not lost a race since earning silver at the 2017 World Championships. Both sprinters have been working on their one-lap craft for a decade and now they're the best in the world. In Tokyo, Miller-Uibo became the first woman since Marie-José Pérec in the 90s to win back-to-back Olympic 400m gold medals. Gardiner became the first man from the Bahamas to win Olympic gold in the 400m.

In total, the Bahamas has won 25 medals – 8 gold, 9 silver and 8 bronze. That’s more than the 16 medals they have at the Olympics across all sports. At the Games, they’re always in the mix for a relay medal. They have six medals in the 4x100 and 4x400 combined. This country loves its sprints and we love a country that loves track and field.

Track Snacks is presented by Hayward Magic. Everyone knows how much all of us in the CITIUS MAG family love track & field, and how much we enjoy sharing that love with you all. Well, we’ve got a few big love-sharing ideas in the works and it all takes place in Eugene, Oregon this summer. Hayward Field will be the home to the Prefontaine Classic, the USATF Outdoor Championships and the World Athletics Championships. We'll be there and you should be too. Visit https://citiusmag.com/summerofhayward/ for all the information on dates and tickets.

Track Snacks is sponsored by @HaywardMagic, the Instagram home for the true track & field diehards, dreamers and fans. Sharing the magic of the sport and elevating the athletes that push it forward. Follow them on Instagram @HaywardMagic.

Intro music: "Believe In Yourself" by Norm Cotone

"I never saw any of this as a way out. I just went through life and just survived. Whatever happens, happens. I never dreamt big. I just wanted to go to college and get a job like the typical college student. But it was never this. This came into the picture when I was 18 years old. After running a 55 in the 400m and then watching the Olympics in 2016, I was like, 'Pshh...I'm only like four seconds away. I can do this.'"

Wadeline Jonathas' story is truly remarkable. She was bullied. She went to three different high schools. She was homeless. She found inspiration to get serious about track by watching the 2016 Olympics on TV which led to her to one of the most successful Division III careers at UMass Boston – where she initially walked onto the team. After sophomore year, she transferred to the University of South Carolina, where she truly blossomed into the star that she is now. She won the 2019 NCAA title, qualified for the U.S. national team and then finished fourth at the World Championships in 49.60. 

She opens up about the struggles of the pandemic and why she had her doubts about making the U.S. Olympic team in 2021. Last summer, she took third at the Trials to accomplish her dream and then reached the semifinals of the 400 in Tokyo. She earned a gold medal as a member of the U.S. 4x400m relay. She's still hungry for that individual medal and at 24 years old, she's got potential. Outside of the track, she also wants to make some big changes. I loved this conversation that we recorded at the Team USA summit ahead of their White House visit.

SUPPORT THE SPONSORS

GARMIN: Music. Training. Data. The Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is my favorite running partner. You do the running. This GPS running smartwatch does the thinking. It even gets to know you and your body better, mile after mile and song after song. Get one for yourself at Garmin.com

HYDROW: Hydrow is a state-of-the-art rowing experience. Hydrow works 86% of major muscle groups, compared with only 44% from cycling. That’s twice the benefit in half the time! It’s a perfect low-impact workout to add to your training cycle for both endurance and resistance training. Use code CITIUS100 for $100 off of the rower (stackable with any current offerings) >> https://hydrow.com/

OREGON22: We are less than 90 days until the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon (7/15-24). The outdoor track season is underway and the journey to Hayward has begun. Don’t miss out. Buy your tickets today to see the world’s best athletes in action at the first-ever world outdoor championships being held on U.S. soil. You can get your tickets by visiting WorldChampsOregon22.com/Tickets

THERABODY: Their new RecoveryAir JetBoots are the first of its kind as the world’s most advanced pneumatic compression system ever created. RecoveryAir flushes out metabolic waste more fully and brings back fresh blood to your legs at three times the speed of competitors. Faster cycles mean faster recovery, so you don’t have to wait for..the legs to be feelin' great. For more information and to get a discount visit: https://therabody.com/citius

Happy Friday! This is the FOURTH edition of Track Snacks – a mini-series taking you into the weekend where Chris Chavez and a fellow CITIUS MAG staffer share the story of an athlete who they're excited about right now that you can expect to see compete at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 (July 15–24, 2022).

For this episode, Dana Giordano (Host of the 'More Than Running' Podcast) joins me to chat about Sifan Hassan. She is the reigning Olympic champion in the 5000m and the 10,000m and the Olympic bronze medalist in the 1500m. Hassan burst onto the scene in 2014 as she started putting The Netherlands on the podium at European championships. In the last eight years, she's gone on to break world records in the mile, road 5K and one-hour run. She's got some of the best range in the sport and demonstrated it best at the 2019 World Championships in Doha where she became the first person to win gold in the 1500m and 10,000m. At the Tokyo Olympics, she attempted an unprecedented triple. We're excited to see if she can do it all over again in 2022.

Track Snacks is presented by Hayward Magic. Everyone knows how much all of us in the CITIUS MAG family love track & field, and how much we enjoy sharing that love with you all. Well, we’ve got a few big love-sharing ideas in the works and it all takes place in Eugene, Oregon this summer. Hayward Field will be the home to the Prefontaine Classic, the USATF Outdoor Championships and the World Athletics Championships. We'll be there and you should be too. Visit https://citiusmag.com/summerofhayward/ for all the information on dates and tickets.

Track Snacks is sponsored by @HaywardMagic, the Instagram home for the true track & field diehards, dreamers and fans. Sharing the magic of the sport and elevating the athletes that push it forward. Follow them on Instagram @HaywardMagic.

Intro music: "Believe In Yourself" by Norm Cotone

“One of my colleagues said this in a meeting, and I’ve heard this before, but it really had an impact on me during 2020/2021. It’s the Maya Angelou poem where she says, and I’m paraphrasing to a degree here, ‘You may not remember what I said. You may not remember what I did. But you’ll remember how I made you feel.’ That right there is it. That’s what we can all do in our own little space: have people feel amazing, have a great experience, walk away with a smile on their face.”

Last year, Ted Metellus made history when he was named the race director of the New York City Marathon. Not only that, he became the first Black race director of any of the World Marathon Major races. In 2020, New York Road Runners faced criticism and allegations of discrimination and racism and vowed to make changes within its leadership roles and internal structure to make things better. The move with Metellus also came at a time when the running industry was coming back from a year full of cancellations and postponements for major races. New York Road Runners canceled all in-person races from March 2020 to September 2020. In this episode, you’ll learn more about how an event like that comes together but also learn a bit about Ted’s story from growing up as a kid in the Bronx to lessons he learned from the entertainment industry and other sports. He’s so down to earth. 

We recorded this conversation in late February at the Running USA Conference. For this episode, I’m joined by Joshua and Aaron Potts of the 2 Black Runners Podcast. 

SUPPORT THE SPONSORS

FINAL SURGE: No matter if you are an athlete or a coach, Final Surge helps plan and attain both short, and long-term training success. Their free online training log is compatible with Garmin, Strava, Polar, Stryd, COROS and a slew of other apps and devices. If you are a coach, Final Surge makes planning and analyzing workouts simple and helps streamline communication with your athletes. If you’re an athlete out there hammering miles and tempo runs solo with no guidance or direction, Final Surge is also here to offer up some world-class training programs. Check out their offerings today: FINALSURGE.COM – USE CODE CITIUS FOR 10% OFF.

BROOKS RUNNING: The Brooks Hyperion Elite 3s were released earlier this month and its Brooks' latest road-running shoe built for speed with ultralight foam and a carbon fiber plate to help propel you forward.

THERABODY: Their new RecoveryAir JetBoots are the first of its kind as the world’s most advanced pneumatic compression system ever created. RecoveryAir flushes out metabolic waste more fully and brings back fresh blood to your legs at three times the speed of competitors. Faster cycles mean faster recovery, so you don’t have to wait for..the legs to be feelin' great. For more information and to get a discount visit: https://therabody.com/citius

OREGON22: We are less than 90 days until the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon (7/15-24). The outdoor track season is underway and the journey to Hayward has begun. Don’t miss out. Buy your tickets today to see the world’s best athletes in action at the first-ever world outdoor championships being held on U.S. soil. You can get your tickets by visiting WorldChampsOregon22.com/Tickets