CITIUS MAG GOES TO KENYA + THE BEST OF NYC GRAND PRIX

Happy Wednesday, friends! I just got back to New York City after five days in Kenya visiting with the NN Running Team. I was invited on their annual press trip and got a first-hand look at how the likes of Eliud Kipchoge, Faith Kipyegon and Geoffrey Kamworor live and train in Kaptagat. I already published my interview with coach Patrick Sang on the CITIUS MAG Podcast feed and had the best parts transcribed for the show notes on the website.

Expect much more coverage from my first-ever trip to Kenya on all of CITIUS MAG’s channels over the coming weeks. I got some one-on-one time with Kipchoge, Kipyegon, Kamworor, and Olympic silver medalist Abdi Nageeye, so podcasts with them are coming soon. There will also be workout + long run videos coming to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel. If you run into me in the next few weeks, there’s also a chance I’ll talk about my session with the greatest marathoner of all-time and how I got dropped on the team’s “easy run.” 

While in East Africa, I was also super fortunate to have gotten the chance to briefly visit Iten, and see where many more of the world’s fastest distance athletes go to train. I appreciate the hospitality of U.S. marathoner Betsy Saina, who hosted me for tea and had her friend Bethwel Kiprotich show me around. As I started my way back home, I used my final few hours to take in the Kenyan Nationals at Nyayo Stadium and even scored an interview with coach Bernard Ouma, which you can now read and watch on our site.

Running culture is alive and well in Kenya. I hope they can host a global championship someday so I have even more of an excuse to go back.

Thanks to our site editor Jasmine Fehr for holding down the fort while I was away and putting the rest of this newsletter together, rounding up the best content from CITIUS MAG…

NYC Grand Prix

The second edition of the New York City Grand Prix was sold-out at Icahn Stadium. We had Katelyn Huchison and Jasmine Todd on-site to cover the action and score interviews with athletes like Athing Mu, Noah Lyles, and Abby Steiner. Our staff photographer Johnny Zhang was able to make his way through the swarm of fans to get some great shots of Lyles’ fashion walk-in, which drew the attention of The New York Times.

A few performance highlights included: Athing Mu – in her highly anticipated return to racing – running a wire-to-wire negative-split 800m in 1:58.73 to win over a stacked field; Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone running a personal best of 49.51 to win the 400m; and Zharnel Hughes stunning us and himself on his way to a new British record of 9.83 by winning the 100m title. The previous record by Linford Christie stood for 30 years.

You can read the rest of the highlights from the meet here.

Recommended Reads

– Lamecha Girma Interview: Meet The Ethiopian Star Who Shattered The Steeplechase World Record | The storytelling around some of the top Ethiopian track and field stars can be lacking in the sport sometimes. Hannah Borenstein is looking to change that and shared a thorough Q&A with Girma from her recent trip to Ethiopia.

– Coach Bernard Ouma Explains The Evolution Of The 1500 Meters, Timothy Cheruiyot's Training | More insights from one of the top coaches.

– Emily Sisson, Sifan Hassan Headline 2023 Chicago Marathon Women’s Field | This has the potential to be very fast.

– Faith Kipyegon To Race The Mile At Monaco Diamond League | Can she make it three-for-three on world records this season?

– Here are your women’s finalists for the 2023 Bowerman Award | This one is super tough to decide.

– Here are your men’s finalists for the 2023 Bowerman Award | A freshman might be the favorite to win?!

– 2023 New Balance Nationals Outdoor: Favorite Moments | Gary Martin recaps his first-ever New Balance Nationals as a media guy

– Donavan Brazier to miss 2023 championships | It’s been 11 months since Brazier last raced.

– Parker Valby becomes Nike’s first NIL NCAA track and field athlete | Florida’s NCAA champion makes history for the Swoosh.

LISTEN: Patrick Sang on His Coaching Success With Eliud Kipchoge, Faith Kipyegon

"We think of ourselves as people on a journey. So when you get to your first station, that's not the end of the journey. We still have to walk some more distance. That is their mindset and it's my mindset because if I dwell on the past, then we'll end up in that station. We still have many to cover, and I’m happy that they still trust me to cover their distance and be with them."

During his trip to visit the NN Running Team in Eldoret, Kenya, Chris sat down with one of the greatest coaching minds in the sport: Coach Patrick Sang. He’s the legend behind Eliud Kipchoge and Faith Kipyegon’s breakthrough performances and world records. You can listen to the episode here and read Sang’s notable quotes and insights here.

This Weekend’s Coverage:

The Track Lads will be back in action this weekend at not one, but TWO Diamond League meets. On June 30, Johnny Pace will be holding down the fort at the Lausanne Diamond League. He will be reunited with David McCarthy in Sweden to capture the best moments at the Stockholm Diamond League on July 2. The rest of the team is resting up and getting ready for the U.S. Championships. Stay tuned for more information as we will be hosting a group run while in Eugene.