Podcast appearances and mentions of Kyle Merber

The Grand Slam Track series heads stateside for the first time, and we're breaking it all down in this jam-packed episode of the CITIUS MAG Podcast. Join Chris Chavez, Eric Jenkins, Anderson Emerole and a special return of Kyle Merber as the crew previews the Miami Slam from every angle—diving into the matchups, storylines, and athletes you won't want to miss.Chris kicks things off by sharing some personal news: he's stepping into the broadcast booth as a distance analyst for the Grand Slam Track studio show this weekend! From there, the team dives into a comprehensive preview of what's set to be a thrilling three-day meet at the Ansin Sports Complex.You'll get a full breakdown of the unique Grand Slam Track format, where athletes compete across six event groups and accumulate points in pursuit of a $100K prize. With top talent from across the globe descending on Miami, there's no shortage of drama on tap.We highlight the key events and rivalries to watch, including:– Kenny Bednarek vs. Fred Kerley and the rest of a stacked men's short sprints field– Gabby Thomas dropping back down to the 100m to battle Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Brittany Brown– The return of Olympic 400m champ Steven Gardiner and his showdown with Matthew Hudson-Smith– Marileidy Paulino's redemption arc in the women's 400m– Dylan Beard's Cinderella story in the short hurdles– Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's last hurrah in the 400m hurdles before switching events– Deep fields in both men's and women's distance events, with stars like Grant Fisher, Cole Hocker, Nikki Hiltz, and Diribe Welteji going head-to-head with world-class ChallengersPlus, we preview which athletes are poised to cash in—or crash out—under the Grand Slam Track's high-stakes scoring system.Whether you're watching live on Peacock or tuning in on The CW, this episode will get you prepped and pumped for the action ahead. Be sure to subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Podcast on Apple or Spotify and follow along all weekend on YouTube.Read the full CITIUS MAG Preview here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/grand-slam-track-miami-preview-storylines-athletes

Happy April Fools everyone. This is no joke. 100% of the proceeds of this week's Supporters Club signups go to Jonathan Gault. Support America's #1 track journalists and get bonus podcasts every week. https://www.letsrun.com/subscribe Grand Slam Track debuts in Jamaica and we start to break it down at the 44:56 mark. The TEN was full of drama on the men's side as Ishmael Kipkurui arrived with the win while Telahun Haile Bekele came back from a fall. Outdoors got underway in Australia and Yared Nuguse came out as gay. Show notes: 00:00 April Fools' Day Special: Let's Run's Wacky Offerings 00:57 Start 03:03 Banter 07:21 The TEN: Drama on men's side 19:10 Ishmael Kipkurui arrives, Bekele comes back from missing start 31:43 Maurie Plant: Gout Gout, Cam Myers 38:17 Yared Nuguse's is gay 42:52 Discussing the Challenges of Coming Out in Sports 44:56 Grand Slam Track is HERE! *Kyle Merber thread 49:21 Some big Jamaican stars competing in Florida 53:17 Excitement for the Men's 1500m and 800m Matchups 01:04:51 How will Grant Fisher do? 01:11:02 Grand Slam scoring 01:13:09 Women's 1500/8m and Loaded 200/400 Preview 01:15:36 Final Thoughts and Supporters Club Promotion Contact us: Email podcast@letsrun.com or call/text 1-844-LETSRUN podcast voicemail/text line. Want a 2nd podcast every week? And savings on running shoes? Join the LetsRun.com Supporters Club today for exclusive content, a bonus weekly podcast, shoe savings, and more. Cancel anytime .https://www.letsrun.com/subscribe Check out the LetsRun.com store. https://shop.letsrun.com/ We've got the softest running shirts in the business. Thanks for listening. Please rate us on your podcast app and spread the word to friend. Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/letsrun/ff906b46-936c-4393-88b4-527ec65418c0

In this week's episode, Matt and Oli welcomed Kyle Merber, Director of Athletes and Racing at GrandSlamTrack.com, to the podcast. Kyle talked through the upcoming action at GST's inaugural event in Kingston, Jamaica, next weekend. Enjoy!  Presented by SportsShoes.com

"The thing that they just really want is to race the best people, and for people to watch them. They legitimately want to race really good people, and they want it to matter." You've probably seen the hype for track's newest league. But what, exactly, is Grand Slam Track, and why should we care about it? In this conversation, Grand Slam's Senior Director of Racing, Kyle Merber, returns to the Ali on the Run Show to tell us everything we need to know about the "Slams." He talks about his role, and about the athlete recruiting process. Plus, what he's most excited for, why he thinks everyone should watch, and a bit of celebration for his 2:26 marathon PR from the Houston Marathon earlier this year. SPONSOR:  Shokz: Use code ALI for $10 off your next purchase. Code valid in the U.S. and Canada. (Check out the limited edition Boston Marathon OpenRun Pro2!) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you're enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

“Being able to build off that 2023 year and have momentum going into 2024 is what created all those PRs, created all those achievements. It's like, ‘I did it this year – why can't I do it again?' That was my mindset going into 2024. I'm trying to reach bigger goals in 2025 as well.” My guest for today's episode is Caleb Dean, one of the most electrifying athletes in collegiate track and field. If you're listening to this when it gets released on Thursday morning, he's also a finalist for the Bowerman, which is the highest honor in college track and field. It's like the Heisman Trophy. The award ceremony is tonight. Caleb is one of three finalists, so in a couple of hours you'll find out whether or not he wins. He had a remarkable 2024 season, earning the title of USTFCCCA Men's National Track Athlete of the Year and also made history as the first Division One male to win both the 60m hurdles indoors and the 400m hurdles outdoors in the same year. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships, he delivered a jaw-dropping 47.23 in the 400m hurdles, which is the second-fastest time in NCAA history and the 11th fastest in the world all-time. He ended up finishing the year No. 4 in the world. Unfortunately, he did not qualify for the U.S. Olympic team in the 400m hurdles after clipping a hurdle and falling in the race. He had to stay home and watch the race. We talked a little bit about that in this episode. He managed to pull all this off after battling injuries for much of the outdoor season, making his resilience and his ability to peak when it all counts even more impressive. We also have some news to share in this episode: he has signed on as the final racer for Grand Slam Track's 400m and 400m hurdles group. He'll be committed to racing in Miami, Kingston, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles at the four slams next year. He shot his shot: he DM'ed CITIUS MAG, he DM'ed Kyle Merber, and he DM'ed Grand Slam Track looking for a spot in the new professional track league. And guess what? He got it. So shoot your shot, kids. With his sights set on 2025, it's going to be a hard year to top 2024, but I'm optimistic after this conversation with Caleb. Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram Guest: Caleb Dean | @caleeb_dean on Instagram Time stamps: 3:53 - His recent move to Florida 4:38 - Reflections on his 2024 season 5:42 - Excitement for joining Grand Slam Track 7:43 - What led to his improvement this year  9:36 - Thoughts on racing the 400m 14:40 - How the 400m helps with the 400m hurdles 16:49 - On redeeming himself after not making the Olympic team 18:21 - How he's built his speed  19:13 - Why he made a coaching change  20:27 - Building his confidence  21:42 - Transitioning from college to pro track 22:43 - Goals for 2025 SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS WAHOO: KICKR RUN - a new revolutionary treadmill offering the freedom and form of outdoor running at home, from Wahoo Fitness. Run hands-free and focus solely on the joy of running with the innovative RunFree Mode - which adjusts to your stride and pace automatically. For the first time runners can now fully benefit from indoor training apps such as Zwift Run and the Wahoo app for an immersive training experience that delivers unmatched realism and results. Learn more at WahooFitness.com OLIPOP: For the past year, we've redefined Olipop as more than just a healthy drink known for its gut microbiome with a low sugar content and a much better alternative to regular soda. You know there are more than 16 flavors, including classic root beer, cherry cola, and lemon-lime. You know it as The Runner's Soda. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 25% off your orders by using code CITIUS25 at drinkolipop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

"I like to go hard at these events, work myself to the bone, and bring people as much track and field content as they can take." Few people love track and field more than Chris Chavez. In this episode, Chris talks about his experience at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials with Citius Mag. Chris and his team produced three live shows every day of the Trials, conducted countless mixed zone interviews, and acted as a nonstop hype machine for the duration of the event.  SPONSOR:  New Balance: Click here to shop New Balance's latest releases for the season. What you'll get on this episode: What's next for the Citius Mag crew? (2:20) Citius's greatest hits from the Trials (14:15) How Citius books guests for the shows at the Trials (19:15) The races Chris is still thinking about after the Trials (25:40) On watching the races in person and from the mixed zone (29:20) The highest high from the Trials (37:45) …and the lowest low (48:30) Life at Citius Mag in the post-Kyle Merber era (51:20) Wedding planning, gifts from Kipchoge, and big dreams (54:10) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you're enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

In this exclusive sit down with Kyle Merber (Senior Director of Racing & Athletes) of Michael Johnson's new Grand Slam Track circuit and SLAM him with all of the hard hitting questions. We cover everything from the idea of the Grand Slam, our questions from a distance running perspective, how this could affect the season, and what the impact overall impact will be on the landscape as a whole.We also go through our picks for the upcoming USA Olympic Trials in Eugene this upcoming week!Guest:Kyle Merber: https://www.instagram.com/kylemerber/ Grand Slam Track: https://www.instagram.com/grandslamtrack/Follow us here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coffeeclubpod/George Beamish: https://www.instagram.com/georgebeamish/Morgan McDonald: https://www.instagram.com/morganmcdonald__/Olli Hoare: https://www.instagram.com/ollihoare/Coffee Club Merch: https://coffeeclubpod.comMorgan's discord: https://discord.gg/uaCSeHDpgsMorgan's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorganMcDonaldisaloserIntro Artwork by The Orange Runner: https://www.instagram.com/theorangerunner/Intro Music by Nick Harris: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3Zab8WxvAPsDlhlBTcbuPi

In this episode we catch up on some track news we have missed amongst all of the traveling and competition! We have a great chat about Michael Johnson and Winner's Alliance new track league, Kyle Merber's departure from Citrus, Jakob's latest quote bombs, Gabby Thomas and Alexis Ohanian's 776 all womens meet, and Flo Sports acquiring exclusive streaming rights to the diamond league.Hope you guys enjoy!Follow us here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coffeeclubpod/George Beamish: https://www.instagram.com/georgebeamish/Morgan McDonald: https://www.instagram.com/morganmcdonald__/Olli Hoare: https://www.instagram.com/ollihoare/Coffee Club Merch: https://coffeeclubpod.comMorgan's discord: https://discord.gg/uaCSeHDpgsMorgan's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorganMcDonaldisaloserIntro Artwork by The Orange Runner: https://www.instagram.com/theorangerunner/Intro Music by Nick Harris: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3Zab8WxvAPsDlhlBTcbuPi

“When I was running the race, I really didn't have a time in mind. I knew when I crossed that line that it was going to be a decent time…When I looked at the time, that was not what I was expecting to see there. That was pretty surreal. I'm super, super grateful.” Texas A&M junior Sam Whitmarsh popped onto our radar with a 1:44.46 at LSU's Battle on the Bayou meet on March 30th, which moved him to No. 7 on the all-time collegiate list.  When we put the call out on the CITIUS MAG team for bold predictions for the 2024 season, Kyle Merber predicted that Whitmarsh would make the U.S. Olympic 800m team. Only U.S. champion and World Indoor champion Bryce Hoppel and 2023 NCAA champion Will Sumner ran faster than 1:44.46. The reason that people may not be as familiar with Whitmarsh is that his 2022 season was cut short as a freshman because he was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome –  a heart condition that leads to periods of rapid heart rate. In 2023, he was the SEC Championship runner-up and then only reached the NCAA West Regional in the 800m. This past indoor season, he missed qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships by 0.01 sec. It feels like at every U.S. Olympic Trials or U.S. Championships there's a rising star out of the NCAA who can shake things up. Whitmarsh is looking like he could be that guy in 2024. Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: Sam Whitmarsh | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@samwhitmarsh on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 16,000 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: – Boston Marathon — Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner 

Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and Eric Jenkins will preview all of the top athletes and storylines to watch for the men's and women's elite races at the 2024 Boston Marathon. Evans Chebet, Hellen Obiri, Emma Bates, Sharon Lokedi, Zouhair Talbi, Gabriel Geay, Des Linden, CJ Albertson, Jenny Simpson, Sara Hall are among the notable stars competing at the historic race. We will also share our picks at the end of the show. HOW TO WATCH THE RACE ON TV: All the Marathon Monday action gets underway on April 15th with pro races beginning at 9 a.m. The professional men's field starts at 9:37 am E.T. and the pro women at 9:47 am E.T. Locally, the race will be viewable live on TV or online at WCVB-5. If you're not in Massachusetts, the race will be shown live on ESPN2 with coverage beginning at 8:30 am E.T. READ OUR PREVIEW: https://citiusmag.beehiiv.com/p/2024-boston-marathon-preview-evans-chebet-hellen-obiri

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 16,000 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: – BACK-TO-BACK JACKS 

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 16,000 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: – The TEN heard ‘round the world

"When Elle races in a championship, I always say, ‘You want to be in the race with 400m to go for a shot at making the team or winning. Just give yourself a shot.' Because you can't control what other people are doing and you don't know how the chips are going to fall. I was really confident she was going to be there with 400m to go. I was just watching her closely. I watched her chop her steps a couple of times and was thinking, ‘Gosh. She's just chomping at the bit.' I didn't know she was going to beat (Gudaf) Tsegay because she's run 14:00. But, (Elle's) an animal." This is an episode of Office Hours with Kyle Merber and Mac Fleet kicking back and chatting with coach Mark Coogan of Team New Balance Boston. We had a chance to just catch up with him at The TRACK at New Balance on our recent visit to Boston for New Balance Nationals and the NCAA Indoor Championships. At this year's World Indoor Championships, he was trackside to watch Elle St. Pierre win gold in the 3000m and Emily Mackay take bronze in the 1500m. He takes pride in the fact that he's been able to help develop their talent coming out of the America East conference. He discusses what he looks for in athletes, how he carefully approaches their training intensity and how his philosophy has changed or not really with all of these modern advances. Host: Kyle Merber | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@kylemerber on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: Mac Fleet | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@macfleet on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest: Mark Coogan | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mark_coogan on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 16,000 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: – The Best of Boston: Presented by Kyle

"Cherish the people around you. Coming to Stanford and having such an amazing team has made such a difference for me in the sport and just how I view it...This sport is tough. Some days it's so rewarding and you feel like you're on top of the world but then other days, it crushes you. Having that great support system and realizing that's the best thing you can gain from the sport. I've won a lot of races but at the end of the day, the people I've met and the friends I've made is most important." Stanford sophomore Roisin Willis, the 2023 NCAA indoor 800m champion and a New Balance NIL athlete, caught up with Kyle Merber to chat about how her first two years of college have gone and her hopes for preparing for a second U.S. Olympic Trials run. She was previously a guest on the show as a high school senior when she won the 2022 New Balance Nationals indoor 800m title. Host: Kyle Merber | ⁠@kylemerber on Instagram⁠ Guest: Roisin Willis | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@roisin.willis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

"With the NCAA, you just never know. You always have someone coming around...It's cool to see. People get to have their moments every season. There are highs and lows. It's sweet to see so much change between the athletes." While at New Balance Nationals Indoor in Boston, Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber caught up with 2023 NCAA Cross Country Champion Graham Blanks. Unfortunately, he had to miss the indoor championship season due to injury but has returned to running ahead of the 2024 outdoor campaign. He shares his thoughts on Nico Young's breakout to break Graham's indoor 5000m record and what it's like racing while hot. Plus, why this is one of the most competitive eras in collegiate track and field. Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: Kyle Merber | @kylemerber on Instagram Guest: Graham Blanks | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@graham_voted_for_pedro on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

"I am so hungry. As soon as I finished the race, I said, 'I know I can do better. I know I raced wrong.' I need to go back to how I raced in high school. Even in high school, if I didn't get out front in an 800m, I didn't win. For outdoor, I need to race the way I race best." Georgetown freshman Tinoda Matsatsa, the NCAA 1000m record holder and a New Balance NIL athlete, chatted with Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber while at New Balance Nationals Indoor in Boston. Matsatsa was just coming off an appearance at the NCAA Indoor Championships, where he didn't make it out of the semifinals but shares what he took away from his freshman indoor campaign. He ran a personal best of 1:46.87 for 800m, which was the eighth-fastest in the country. He also shares a little bit of news on which country he has decided to represent interationally. Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: Kyle Merber | ⁠@kylemerber on Instagram⁠ Guest: Tinoda Matsatsa | @tinoda_m on Instagram SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 16,000 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: – US Indoor Championships: Let the record show 

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 17,000 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: – The Tragic Loss of Kelvin Kiptum

Emergency podcast! Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber jump on the mic from The Armory to recap all of the thrilling action at the 2024 Millrose Games in New York City, where two world records were set and numerous national records went down. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Bandit is a performance-running brand based in Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 2022, they just had 9 athletes compete in the Marathon Trials and told those stories via their documentary-style YouTube series "Dialed": Check those out ⁠here⁠. They also just relaunched ⁠their Membership⁠, a program that enhances your relationship with Bandit via early access, discounts, and exclusive events/gear/content/you-name-it. For a limited time, get 20% off the Membership (and any product if it's your first order) by using code Citius20 at ⁠BanditRunning.com⁠.

"I just felt like I just needed to get to the finish line, touch the finish line, and then celebrate. I don't feel like it is real yet. I don't know that it will until I'm back home and into my routine. But I keep getting little reminders that I am now going to be on an Olympic team, and I almost break down in tears every time." An average high school runner, Minnesota Distance Elite's Dakotah Lindwurm walked onto the team at Northern State University, but wound up a two-time NCAA Division II. She similarly entered the world of post-collegiate running as an unheralded but steady performer. But she ramped up to the marathon distance early, raced it often, and steadily chipped away at it, even winning the Grandma's Marathon a couple of times.  Still, despite boasting a well-filled-out resume, she seemed like a longshot to make an Olympic team. Too many big names were slotted ahead of her with PRs significantly faster. That all changed on Saturday when Lindwurm outlasted all but two members of one of the best fields ever assembled at an Olympic Trials marathon. Her story is sure to inspire, and her progression is one that I know high school coaches nationwide are sharing with their non-state-champion athletes this week.  Dakotah was generous enough to chat with Kyle Merber over the phone following her qualification for this week's edition of The Lap Count. Host: Kyle Merber | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@kylemerber on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest: Dakotah Lindwurm | ⁠⁠⁠@dakotahlindwurm on Instagram⁠⁠ Read this week's newsletter here: https://www.thelapcount.com/p/making-big-meet-france Read Dakotah's first appearance in The Lap Count from Dec. 2021 here: https://thelapcount.substack.com/p/the-victory-lap-dakotah-lindwurm SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

On Saturday, Feb. 3, Orlando will host the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. The top three men and women who have met the qualifying standards and criteria will be named the U.S. Olympic team for the Paris Games. This race features the first head-to-head matchup over the marathon distance by American record holder Emily Sisson and former record holder Keira D'Amato. Five of the six members of the 2020 Olympic team are back as Galen Rupp, Molly Seidel, Aliphine Tuliamuk, Jake Riley and Abdi Abdirahman return to try and make another team. Conner Mantz and Scott Fauble remain two of the most consistent American men of the last Olympic cycle. CITIUS MAG's team (Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber, and Eric Jenkins) will preview all the top storylines and athletes to watch. Read our full previews for the elite races: https://citiusmag.com/ Show presented by HOKA | Stay up to date on the latest news and promotions from HOKA. Check them out here: https://www.hoka.com/

This week in the Lap Count Newsletter, Kyle Merber spoke with Natosha Rogers. In 2012, as a junior at Texas A&M, Natosha Rogers followed up her NCAA 10,000m victory with a second place finish at the US Olympic Trials despite a mid-race fall. Although her time of 31:59 did not qualify her for the Games, running fans took immediate appreciation of her talent. A decade later she finally qualified to represent the United States at a global track championship in the 10,000m in Eugene. Then in 2023, representing her current sponsor and club, Puma Elite, she did it again, this time doubling in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the World Championships in Budapest. Rogers qualified for the Olympic Trials via the half marathon and holds a personal best of 1:09:36 – it will be her debut at the distance. Given Molly Seidel's success in her debut at the 2020 Trials, we wanted to hear how Natosha's foray into the new distance was going.

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: – The Altitude Conversion Debate: Part 50

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 

"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

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 

"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

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: – Kerr runs down a new half marathon PB

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: – Katelyn Tuohy turns professional ✍️ – Foot Locker is BACK 

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: – Boston University: Still FAST!!! 

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: – Making 4.748 Mile PB jokes is an American tradition

“I think the thing that characterizes DII, DIII and NAIA athletes is that they're super passionate about running in a way that differs from DI athletes. I always see the DIII guys and gals who are going to keep running well after college. They love it and that's why they're going to the smaller schools out of high school – because they want that opportunity to keep running. There's way more passion rather than ‘I'm the best at this and there's a scholarship on the line so I may as well do it.'” The Lap Count's Kyle Merber and Noah Droddy, 2:09 marathoner and D3 Glory Days Podcast host, talk through their experience covering the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships. Kyle was on the call for the ESPN broadcast for Division I while Noah was behind the mic for the Division III stream on YouTube. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: – NCAA XC at Panorama Farms 

As Chris recovers from the marathon, Kyle Merber, Eric Jenkins and Mac Fleet took over the show for a special episode of "Office Hourse" – where we answer our followers, readers and listeners' questions. We'll try and do more of these when we're all together in-person. Here are the questions answered in this week's episode: – Do you like the way the U.S. selects its marathon team through the Olympic Trials system? – How much alcohol do pros actually drink? – What do you think is reasonable mileage for a "working runner" to attempt when aiming for a hypothetical sub-2:45 marathon PR? – Why don't we host more professional cross country meets in the United States? – Shouldn't pro runners practice racing without pacers more? – What does it mean when pros say they "get work done" in their training or at races? Like PT/massage/chiropractor? Who is paying for that? – Why is there a Bowerman Track Club exodus? What is happening? – Is Kelvin Kiptum and his fast performance good for the sport? – Why don't runners like Scott Fauble and Emma Bates run more races than marathons? + more To submit a question to the pod, please email us or send a voice recording to thelapcount@gmail.com. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: – The top storylines of the 2023 NCAA XC Meet ✍️ – In defense of NCAA international athletes

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: – USATF 5K Championship

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: – Rewarding mid-tier marathon races? – Faith vs. Sifan vs. Sydney vs. Mary vs. Athing vs. Keely vs. Femke in an 800 – Track in football stadiums – How a road race fan can get into cross country and track – Best places to train in America – NIL athletes and wearing their school's sponsor – Most notable XC conference championship performances and early NCAA XC predictions – Predicting the future of the Bowerman Track Club – Trading pro runners – How to attract more non-endemic sponsors to the sport – U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials start time latest – Biggest underdog who can qualify for Paris – NYC Marathon storylines to pay attention to + more rapid fire highlights from the past week You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/welcome-new-york SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: –The Valencia Half Marathon got real!

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: - The New Age of Marathoning: Short Loop

This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: • Word Record Holder: Kelvin Kiptum • Is there anything Sifan Hassan cannot do? • Two down, one to go for Team USA • Japan's Grand Championship Marathon + more Rapid Fire Highlights You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️  https://www.thelapcount.com/p/goat-now SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

On Sunday, October 8, the penultimate World Marathon Major of 2023 kicks off through Millennium Park and through the streets of Chicago. The site of multiple American and world records, the Chicago Marathon is often considered one of the fastest courses in the United States and always draws strong domestic and international elite fields chasing fast times. Last year, the women's race saw an American record from Emily Sisson and the second-fastest performance of all time (at the time) from winner Ruth Chepngetich. Chicago's men's course record of 2:03:45 was the world record when it was set in 2013 by Dennis Kimetto and the women's course record of 2:14:04 set by Brigid Kosgei in 2019 was the world record until a few weeks ago – this is the place to run fast. The first wave of runners goes off at 8:30 a.m. E.T. (men and women start together). Right now, the forecast looks promising, with a low of 46F and a high of 57F. It'll be a little breezy with 10-15mph winds, but the looped Chicago course lined in many spots by high rises is relatively tolerant to wind. We could be in for some seriously special racing! CITIUS MAG's team (Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and Declan Murray) will preview all the top storylines and athletes to watch. Show presented by Bandit Running | Bandit Running is a performance and lifestyle running apparel brand founded by members of the NYC Running Community in 2020. What started as socks and accessories has grown into a full-fledged apparel assortment. Check them out here: https://banditrunning.com/ GET 15% OFF YOUR ORDERS AT BANDITRUNNING.COM THROUGH OCT. 31

We're testing something new and having an audio version of The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez. Join more than 15,000 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: – The start of something new on the roads

Kyle Merber and Katelyn Hutchison sit down with Joseph Fahnbulleh, an Asics pro runner representing Liberia on the global championship stage. He unpacks his 9th place finish at the 2023 World Athletics Championships 200m final. In the last two years, he finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics and fourth at the 2022 World Championships. This year was his first full year as a professional runner so he shares how life and training has changed while still being surrounded by some of the best athletes in the world within coach Mike Holloway's Gainesville-based training group. Hosts: Kyle Merber and Katelyn Hutchison Guest: Joseph Fahnbulleh CITIUS MAG's coverage of the 2023 World Athletics Championships is powered by ASICS. CITIUS MAG LIVE AT WORLDS: The show will air on the CITIUS MAG YouTube Channel between the morning and evening sessions of competition (Every day at 8 a.m. EST in the U.S.).  CHAMPS CHATS ON THE CITIUS MAG PODCAST DAILY: The CITIUS MAG team of Chris, Kyle, David McCarthy, Jasmine Todd and Katelyn Hutchison will unpack all of the day's biggest surprises and offer up their insights and analysis from being at the new National Athletics Centre and interviewing athletes each day. The podcast recording will be streamed on YouTube at the end of every day and will also be available on The CITIUS MAG Podcast feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to shows.  DAILY CITIUS MAG NEWSLETTER: David Melly will recap all of the biggest moments, highlighting his must-watch athletes and events for each day while also pulling together some of our best content, photos and social moments that the CITIUS MAG team captures.

Canadian marathoner Rory Linkletter surprisingly stopped by the CITIUS MAG studio to chat with Kyle Merber and David Melly just hours after running 2:12:16 to place 19th in the World Athletics Championships marathon in very hot conditions. It was the second consecutive World Championships for Linkletter. He ran his personal best of 2:10:24 when he finished 20th at the '22 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Now, he turns his attention to qualifying for the Paris Olympics. Plus: We get the truth about the BYU split shorts that have become a meme. Hosts: Kyle Merber and David Melly Guest: Rory Linkletter CITIUS MAG's coverage of the 2023 World Athletics Championships is powered by ASICS. CITIUS MAG LIVE AT WORLDS: The show will air on the CITIUS MAG YouTube Channel between the morning and evening sessions of competition (Every day at 8 a.m. EST in the U.S.).  CHAMPS CHATS ON THE CITIUS MAG PODCAST DAILY: The CITIUS MAG team of Chris, Kyle, David McCarthy, Jasmine Todd and Katelyn Hutchison will unpack all of the day's biggest surprises and offer up their insights and analysis from being at the new National Athletics Centre and interviewing athletes each day. The podcast recording will be streamed on YouTube at the end of every day and will also be available on The CITIUS MAG Podcast feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to shows.  DAILY CITIUS MAG NEWSLETTER: David Melly will recap all of the biggest moments, highlighting his must-watch athletes and events for each day while also pulling together some of our best content, photos and social moments that the CITIUS MAG team captures.

U.S. mile record holder Nikki Hiltz joins Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and David McCarthy after competing at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. This was the U.S. champion's first global championship experience since the 2019 World Championships in Doha. Hosts: Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and David McCarthy Guest: Nikki Hiltz CITIUS MAG's coverage of the 2023 World Athletics Championships is powered by ASICS. CITIUS MAG LIVE AT WORLDS: The show will air on the CITIUS MAG YouTube Channel between the morning and evening sessions of competition (Every day at 8 a.m. EST in the U.S.).  CHAMPS CHATS ON THE CITIUS MAG PODCAST DAILY: The CITIUS MAG team of Chris, Kyle, David McCarthy, Jasmine Todd and Katelyn Hutchison will unpack all of the day's biggest surprises and offer up their insights and analysis from being at the new National Athletics Centre and interviewing athletes each day. The podcast recording will be streamed on YouTube at the end of every day and will also be available on The CITIUS MAG Podcast feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to shows.  DAILY CITIUS MAG NEWSLETTER: David Melly will recap all of the biggest moments, highlighting his must-watch athletes and events for each day while also pulling together some of our best content, photos and social moments that the CITIUS MAG team captures.

“I think my very initial emotions straight after the race was one of a little bit of disappointment. I really backed myself this championship to come in and felt for once I was coming onto the global stage thinking, ‘I have a chance at a medal' so I was going to grasp that with both hands. I was a little disappointed but after chatting with my team around me, it will settle and I'll realize just how phenomenal fourth in the world really is…It's definitely sinking in and I'm very proud of that fourth place finish. Sometimes that's nice. It's a little fire in the belly for next year.” Irish 1500m record holder Ciara Mageean joins Kyle Merber and David McCarthy after finishing in 4th place at the 2023 World Athletics Championships 1500m final. She came a long way from being in a boot in January to contending for her first global medal. Last year, she earned silver medals in the 1500m at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships. This season, she broke the Irish mile record at the Monaco Diamond League. Hosts: Kyle Merber and David McCarthy Guest: Ciara Mageean CITIUS MAG's coverage of the 2023 World Athletics Championships is powered by ASICS. CITIUS MAG LIVE AT WORLDS: The show will air on the CITIUS MAG YouTube Channel between the morning and evening sessions of competition (Every day at 8 a.m. EST in the U.S.).  CHAMPS CHATS ON THE CITIUS MAG PODCAST DAILY: The CITIUS MAG team of Chris, Kyle, David McCarthy, Jasmine Todd and Katelyn Hutchison will unpack all of the day's biggest surprises and offer up their insights and analysis from being at the new National Athletics Centre and interviewing athletes each day. The podcast recording will be streamed on YouTube at the end of every day and will also be available on The CITIUS MAG Podcast feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to shows.  DAILY CITIUS MAG NEWSLETTER: David Melly will recap all of the biggest moments, highlighting his must-watch athletes and events for each day while also pulling together some of our best content, photos and social moments that the CITIUS MAG team captures.

Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber speak with Cole Hocker after he finished 7th in a personal best of 3:30.70 at the 2023 World Athletics Championships 1500m final. Hocker discusses what he learned from another fast global championship final and the experience he's taking into 2024. This year was not without its own set of hardships for Hocker as he missed the first four months of the year due to Achilles injuries but worked his way back to finish second at the U.S. Outdoor Championships. Hosts: Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber Guest: Cole Hocker CITIUS MAG's coverage of the 2023 World Athletics Championships is powered by ASICS. CITIUS MAG LIVE AT WORLDS: The show will air on the CITIUS MAG YouTube Channel between the morning and evening sessions of competition (Every day at 8 a.m. EST in the U.S.).  CHAMPS CHATS ON THE CITIUS MAG PODCAST DAILY: The CITIUS MAG team of Chris, Kyle, David McCarthy, Jasmine Todd and Katelyn Hutchison will unpack all of the day's biggest surprises and offer up their insights and analysis from being at the new National Athletics Centre and interviewing athletes each day. The podcast recording will be streamed on YouTube at the end of every day and will also be available on The CITIUS MAG Podcast feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to shows.  DAILY CITIUS MAG NEWSLETTER: David Melly will recap all of the biggest moments, highlighting his must-watch athletes and events for each day while also pulling together some of our best content, photos and social moments that the CITIUS MAG team captures.

Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber sit down with Keira D'Amato a day after she competed in the 2023 World Athletics Championships marathon, where she finished 17th overall in 2:31:35 in scorching conditions. She was dealing with pain in her right leg but decided to finish the race for her kids, who were watching at home. We unpack the race, discuss her thoughts on the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and more. Hosts: Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber Guest: Keira D'Amato CITIUS MAG's coverage of the 2023 World Athletics Championships is powered by ASICS. CITIUS MAG LIVE AT WORLDS: The show will air on the CITIUS MAG YouTube Channel between the morning and evening sessions of competition (Every day at 8 a.m. EST in the U.S.).  CHAMPS CHATS ON THE CITIUS MAG PODCAST DAILY: The CITIUS MAG team of Chris, Kyle, David McCarthy, Jasmine Todd and Katelyn Hutchison will unpack all of the day's biggest surprises and offer up their insights and analysis from being at the new National Athletics Centre and interviewing athletes each day. The podcast recording will be streamed on YouTube at the end of every day and will also be available on The CITIUS MAG Podcast feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to shows.  DAILY CITIUS MAG NEWSLETTER: David Melly will recap all of the biggest moments, highlighting his must-watch athletes and events for each day while also pulling together some of our best content, photos and social moments that the CITIUS MAG team captures.