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

This week, Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia dive into the biggest moments from the Silesia Diamond League, recap the NACAC Championships, break down more changes in world rankings, and lots more. Some of the top performances from Silesia include… - In her first 800m in over a year, Olympic champ Keely Hodgkinson picked up right where she left off, clocking a world-leading 1:54.74 to win by nearly t...

“It was just a matter of showing up and putting out whatever I had that day – and fair enough, that was my day! I don’t know how it happened. I didn’t expect to win. Nobody knew I was there, nobody was thinking about me. Even after the Rabat [Diamond League], I was shocked by myself!” A few months ago, Jonah Koech wasn't even supposed to be in the race. His Diamond League debut was meant to be...

“This year, with all the challenges and setbacks, gave me a lot of confidence in that I was still able to come out and deliver and make this team. I have a lot of confidence from experience and just knowing that no matter the circumstances, I'm able to stay focused and get the job done; just focus on myself and what I need to do to be the best runner I can be. That’s where I draw my confidence...

This week, Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia unpack the top highlights from the Gyulai István Memorial in Budapest earlier today, from Oordegem, Belgium on Saturday, and more of the biggest shakeups in rankings that took place over the weekend.  We preview everything you need to know about the Silesia Diamond League, including the top athletes competing, matchups to follow, and records to watch for....

“Every year the top three resets. It doesn’t matter what you did the previous year. If you need any more evidence than this 1500 final, then I don’t know what to tell you. Everything is so cutthroat. Just getting on that top three was a big relief. I know that the big peak is coming in September, so I can live with this for now. Now I know where I’m at exactly.” My guest for today’s episode is Col...

“I thought I had missed my moment last year. I didn’t want that to define me, but I didn’t want to put way too much pressure on this year, because it wasn’t going to make up for last year. It was really hard. But in the last month, I said, ‘We’re going to go for it. We’re going to put our ego to the side and see what happens.’” Sage Hurta-Klecker knows heartbreak. In her first U.S. Championships i...

“The other part is that he loves it. He doesn’t miss. A ton of people are—to be cliche—talented, but they don’t do the things to maximize their talent. So how is he there? Because he’s doing everything to at least give him the chance to maximize his talent. Do we know it’s going to be 1:42? No, we don’t know that. We have no clue what it is… He’s doing the things it takes to see how good he can be...

“With 200 to go, I felt really strong. I wasn’t really burning yet. With about 120 to go coming off the curve, I saw everybody right there. I was like, ‘I feel amazing!’ The crowd all stood up and it was super electric. I was like, ‘I have a shot now.’” My guest for today's episode is Cooper Lutkenhaus , the 16-year-old Texan who just ran one of the most astonishing races in American track and...

“The biggest mindset coming off of Paris was that because I had made the biggest final there is, it was a message to me that no matter who’s on the track, you deserve a lane. I belong here and I’ve proven myself. That message was definitely something that I carried into my senior year: just knowing that I belong here. That was very powerful for me.” My guest for today's episode is Savannah Sut...

The next time someone complains that track and field is boring, tell them about August 3, 2025. Today's epic conclusion to the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships were so packed to the gills with drama that it extended beyond the start and finish lines. You want rivalries? Got ‘em. Records? check. Emotions? Certainly. Controversy? You bet. After finishing a surprise third in the 1500m, the event...

Over and over again during the course of today’s program, the same question came up: “What just happened?!” Heading into a stacked men’s 1500m final, everyone assumed that two spots were spoken for by the two Olympic medalists in the field — Paris champion Cole Hocker and third-placer Yared Nuguse — and that the battle was for the third spot. But teams aren’t made on paper; you still have to run t...

Heading into yesterday’s U.S. 100-meter finals, Kenny Bednarek and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden were already among the best in the world at what they do. And then they got better. Both Bednarek and Jefferson-Wooden are Olympic medalists and U.S. leaders in the sprint events, and both athletes have been running fast all year. In the 100m finals, however, they ascended to a new level, one everyone knew...

Emily Infeld is one of those runners you can’t help but root for. The gritty but unflappably kind veteran of the sport has been kicking around USAs since 2010, and though she’s had plenty of success along the way, including winning World bronze in 2015 and making the Rio Olympic team, she’s never won a national title on the track — before yesterday. In recent years, Infeld has been defined by a se...

The first day of USAs delivered a little bit of everything regardless of your taste, showcasing track’s shortest and longest events a few hours apart as reigning World champions Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson cruised through the 100m prelims and two first-time champions were crowned in the 10,000m. The stakes weren’t exactly high in in the opening rounds of the 800m, where six of the eight en...

Chris Chavez and Mac Fleet are back on the podcast to give an event-by-event preview of the top athletes, matchups, and storylines to watch at the USATF Outdoor Championships this week. Stay tuned for tons more preview content across our platforms and follow along our socials for comprehensive coverage starting Thursday. Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠ ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠ + Mac Fleet | @macflee...

Entries for the 2025 U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships closed at midnight on Tuesday. The national championship—which will determine Team USA for the World Championships in Tokyo—will start on July 31st. Chris Chavez and Mac Fleet hop on the podcast to break down the top contenders, most surprising entries, and key matchups to watch for in Eugene next week. We'll have preview newslett...

Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia unpack the biggest highlights from the London Diamond League last weekend. Some of the top performances include: - Phanuel Koech continued his meteoric rise with a victory over defending World champ Josh Kerr, winning the 1500m in 3:28.82. Kerr was 2nd in a SB of 3:29.37. - Gudaf Tsegay made history in the most daring way possible, taking the women’s mile out in 59...

“My view on running is that it’s the simplest sport — but the fact of that simplicity opens up the possibility that if you think about it deeply and use it deeply in your life, it can be a tool to help you understand the really important and complicated stuff.” By day, Nick Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic shaping the future of journalism. By early morning and often late evening, he's pound...

Chris Chavez and Mac Fleet are back on the podcast to break down everything you need to know about marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich's provisional suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit after her positive test for Hydrochlorothiazide on March 14th. Hydrochlorothiazide can be used to mask the presence of banned drugs. The AIU notes she had an estimated concentration of 3800 ng/m...

This week, Chris Chavez and Mac Fleet share the biggest highlights from the Monaco Diamond League, break down the top storylines to watch for heading into USAs, and preview the London Diamond League this Saturday. Highlights from today's episode: - Top results from the Monaco Diamond League: men's 800m, men's 200m, women's 1000m, and women's 100m. - Mac Fleet’s prognosis on Jak...

“It just takes time, having people on the team with a bit of experience, and seeing people do it well. It’s definitely building and I’m excited to see what they do over the next few years. I have to leave, but one win shows them that we can keep on winning. Hopefully we get our own little streak!” My guest for today's episode as we continue our Washington Huskies takeover is Sophie O'Sulli...

This week, Chris Chavez and Mac Fleet break down the top athletes and must-watch storylines heading into Thursday’s Monaco Diamond League — from a loaded men’s 800m field with world record potential to Noah Lyles’ highly anticipated return from an ankle injury. We also share our takeaways from Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Athing Mu’s performances at the Prefontaine Classic and dive into the lates...

Chris Chavez and Mac Fleet break down all the top performances, world records and biggest moments from the 50th edition of the Prefontaine Classic. A few highlights include: - Faith Kipyegon broke her own world record in the 1500m to win her SEVENTH Prefontaine 1500m title in 3:48 .68. - Beatrice Chebet took the women's 5000m world record under 14 minutes, pulling away from Gudaf Tsegay and Ag...

We’ve got a LOADED slate of guests for a special 4th of July LIVE show from Oregon ahead of tomorrow’s 50th edition of the Prefontaine Classic. Guests featured in today’s show include: Faith Kipyegon (3x 1500m Olympic champion & WR holder) Cole Hocker (Olympic 1500m gold medalist) Yared Nuguse (Olympic 1500m bronze medalist) Grant Fisher (Olympic bronze medalist at 5000m and 10,000m) Julien Al...

“I’d been working so hard for this and had so much conscious energy going into winning this title and putting it all out there — my last attempt, last ditch effort. We’ve got to just win this thing. You could see it after in the photos. I was almost crying. I was so relieved, so happy, and so proud of the work that I’ve done.” My guest for today's episode is Nathan Green . In one of the most tacti...