Running--State of the Sport

In this podcast, George Hirsch and Amby Burfoot talk with Clayton Young, who recently finished second in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, Florida. Since Young had run a sensational 2:08:00 in last fall's Chicago Marathon, he is now fully qualified for this summer's Olympic Marathon in Paris. In the Marathon Trials, Young gained a lot of attention for the pair of shades he elect...

In this podcast, Amby and George talk with Sara Hall, who recently finished fifth in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Sara, who's married to former marathon star Ryan Hall, has perhaps the longest running resume of any U.S. distance star. She won the first of 4 California state championships in 1997, and the Footlocker XC Champs her senior year in high school. Since then she has starred at St...

In this podcast, Amby and George talk with Jared Ward, who explains the reasons behind the success of so many great marathon runners from Brigham Young University. Ward is a 2:09:25 marathon runner himself, and sixth place finisher in the 2016 Rio Olympic Marathon. Ward was at the finish line of the recent U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials to congratulate his friends and training partners, Conner Mantz...

Frank Shorter (1972) and Joan Benoit Samuelson (1984) are the only two Americans to have won BOTH a U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and the subsequent Olympic Marathon. Here, just a week before the 2024 Marathon Trials, they talk with George and Amby about their experiences, especially in the pivotal Trials race.  Samuelson recalls waking up from surgery 17 days pre-Trials, looking at the bandages co...

In this episode, George and Amby talk with prolific fast marathon runner CJ Albertson--a fan favorite and dark-horse contender to make the U.S. Olympic Marathon Team at the Feb. 3 Trials in Orlando. Prior to the 2020 U.S. Marathon Trials in Atlanta, Albertson was a little known road racer competing without a shoe contract. That changed after he finished 7th in 2:11:49. He signed a contract with Br...

In this episode of "Running: State of the Sport," George and Amby chat with Chris Chavez, founder and prime mover-shaker behind Citius Magazine. In just a few years, Citius has become a top media player in coverage of elite track/field and road racing.  While carrying old media nomenclature, ie, "Magazine," Citius is a thoroughly modern digital operation. It includes podcasts,...

In this episode of "Running: State of the Sport," George and Amby chat with Kevin Hanson, one-half of the dynamic Hanson brothers behind the Hansons Brooks Running Team.  The Hansons team will have a strong group of entrants in the U.S Olympic Marathon Trials on February 3, including top male runner Zach Panning. Panning, while not as well known as some of his competitors, is considered...

In this episode of "Running: State of the Sport," George and Amby chat with Conner Mantz, a favorite in the Feb. 3 Olympic Marathon Trials, based on his recent 2:07:47 at the Chicago Marathon. Mantz also won two NCAA Cross Country Championships in his days as an undergrad at Brigham Young University. He’s part of a strong BYU marathon contingent that includes Clayton Young, 2:08:00 at Ch...

In this episode of "Running: State of the Sport," George and Amby chat with Keira D'Amato, the American record holder at 10 miles and the half-marathon, and the second fastest ever in the marathon with her 2:19:27. These performances make Keira a top contender in the February 3 Olympic Marathon Trials. Keira has followed an unusual path to her current running. Soon after college, she...

In this episode of "Running: State of the Sport," George and Amby chat with Patti Catalano Dillon, who received the prestigious Abebe Bikila Award at the recent TCS New York City Marathon. In the 1980 Marathon, Patti became the first American female to break 2:30 in the marathon, finishing second to Grete Waitz. Patti scored many major road race victories in her meteoric career, includin...

In this episode of "Running: State of the Sport," George and Amby chat with Rob Simmelkjaer, the CEO of the New York Road Runners, who of course are organizers of this coming weekend's TCS New York City Marathon. It's arguably the biggest, most globally recognized marathon in the world, and hence a hugely important event on the running calendar every year.  Rob tells us how to pr...

In this episode of "Running: State of the Sport," George and Amby chat with Merhawi Keflezighi, younger brother of Meb Keflezighi. "Hawi" is also an important agent-manager to top track and marathon elites. He fills us in on the current financial state of the sport--who’s earning significant money, and who’s not. He also proposes that every winner at the World Championships sho...

In the third episode of "Running: State of the Sport," we chat with American marathon legend, Deena Kastor. Kastor took a bronze medal in the 2004 Athens Olympic Marathon, was outright winner of the Chicago and London Marathons, and also the first American female to break 2:20 in the marathon. And that's just for beginners. In addition, Kastor won 8 National Cross Country Championshi...

In Episode 2 of the podcast, "Running: State of the Sport," we chatted with Mark Milde, race director of the Berlin Marathon. The 2023 Berlin race will be held on Sunday, September 24, with Eliud Kipchoge returning to his favorite course. In 2022, Kipchoge established the marathon world record in Berlin when he ran 2:01:09. Among other things, Milde talked about: * His family's long...

In this episode we talk with Boston Marathon CEO Jack Fleming about * his main job responsibilities * his history with the BAA/Boston Marathon * the spirit and tradition of the Boston Marathon * where he was during the bomb blasts of 2013 * the significance of the 2014 Boston Marathon * his all-time favorite Boston races * what it was like to host Eliud Kipchoge last April * what happened when loc...