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

"In the huddle, that's kind of what I ended with: At the end of the day, you don't know going into a season like this if everything is going to work out. We are here with an opportunity to be successful...We said it at the regional meet – because you could kind of feel it building and our Top 5 were really dialed in and running well. I said, 'Take the time and appreciate what you're doing right now. There's no guarantee of it. All you can ask for is an opportunity.' And they really took advantage of that. I'm thankful for these people I'm surrounded by. This staff is awesome. This team is awesome." North Carolina State coach Laurie Henes joins the show just days after the Wolfpack won the team’s first-ever NCAA cross country title.  Early on in the conversation, you’ll be quick to hear Coach Henes point out that NC State won AIAW Cross Country titles in 1979 and 1980 before the NCAA. She knows her NC State history because as an athlete, she was an NCAA champion and a six-time All-American for them and then went on to have a professional career that included representing the U.S. at the World Track & Field Championships in Sweden in 1995. She finished just two spots away from making the Olympic team the following year. By that point, she had already been a member of the NC State coaching staff for four years. Now, she’s been the women’s head coach for 16 years. In this conversation with me and my co-host Mac Fleet, you’ll hear more about how she’s fostered and created such a successful team and atmosphere and a bit about her thoughts on the success of female coaches within the NCAA. Right after we got off the call with her, she was named the Southeast Regional Coach of the Year and I’m sure that’s not the last honor that’s going to come from this remarkable year for her and the team. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS TRACKSMITH is a Boston-based running brand, who crafts performance apparel for training, racing and rest days. Gear up for going far with their fall running essentials and check out the Tracksmith Journal for some marathon tips from the Tracksmith team. Listeners get 15% off their purchase using code CITIUS15 at checkout. Visit Tracksmith.com today. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. 📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

"Running became this focal point for me, especially these last few years...The stigma is real. People don't want to talk about this kind of stuff, especially in the military. You're trained as much you can to be emotionless because that can be a liability." Joey Maiocco is a lead editor at Newsy and a veteran of the U.S. Army. His work at Newsy encompasses the entertainment industry as well as national news but it has all come full circle for him with his most recent project: In Real Life: Post-Trauma. It is a 22-minute special that shares his personal story on treating post-traumatic stress and how other war veterans cope and find their own treatment upon returning home. For Joey, running has played a major role in it and he just recently ran the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. I connected with him back in December through a mutual friend and sensed his excitement about what the sport has brought him and we decided to talk about it on this podcast because that’s also part of his healing and way of helping others – through sharing his experience.  You can watch the special on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayvuCeeAheU Happy to share this episode just a little after Veteran’s Day when we pay our respects to those who have served this country. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS TRACKSMITH is a Boston-based running brand, who crafts performance apparel for training, racing and rest days. Gear up for going far with their fall running essentials and check out the Tracksmith Journal for some marathon tips from the Tracksmith team. Listeners get 15% off their purchase using code CITIUS15 at checkout. Visit Tracksmith.com today. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. 📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

Tinman Elite’s Drew Hunter is making his fourth appearance on the podcast. I first had him on the show after his first pro season back in 2017 and then we did a live show in Boston in 2018. A lot has happened in his life since then... He’s run personal bests of 3:35.90 for 1,500 meters, 7:39.85 for 3,000 meters and 13:17.55 for the 5,000 meters. However, the past year was fairly difficult for him. He raced just once indoors in February and then tore his plantar, which forced him to miss the U.S. Olympic Trials. Tinman Elite also went through a very public breakup with coach Tom Schwartz and now the team is coached by his mother, Joan Hunter. We unpack all of those changes, the comeback from injury and what it was like to stamp his return with a win at the USATF 5K Championships in New York City, where he captured his second national title. My co-host for this episode is Mac Fleet, who has been working hard behind the scenes to also now bring you some of these conversations and other fun video content on The CITIUS MAG YouTube channel. Subscribe, like and comment – do everything the typical YouTubers say. We’re hoping to really grow that channel out in 2022. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS TRACKSMITH is a Boston-based running brand, who crafts performance apparel for training, racing and rest days. Gear up for going far with their fall running essentials and check out the Tracksmith Journal for some marathon tips from the Tracksmith team. Listeners get 15% off their purchase using code CITIUS15 at checkout. Visit Tracksmith.com today. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. 📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

“I truly believe in my heart that if it wasn’t for my recovery journey, I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this. I kept thinking of that during the marathon. I kept thinking about all the hard times and trials and tribulations. All the stuff that I got through and I thought, ‘If I can do that, then why can I do this?’” My guest for today’s episode is Mario Diurno. Just a few days ago, you got to hear the story of Molly Seidel who finished fourth in the elite women’s race. I want to share with you the story of a friend of mine and one of the last people across the finish line.  While many of the people who ran on Sunday were getting ready for bed, Mario was working his way through Central Park and crossed the finish line just before 11 pm – 10 hours and 55 minutes after he started in Staten Island.  Mario is a client support specialist at Release Recovery. You’ve heard me speak about Release Recovery in previous episodes. I interviewed the founder and my friend, Zac Clark, after he was on The Bachelorette and before we did the Goggins Challenge in April. Mario works to get people treatment for addiction and substance abuse and sometimes that means he travels out to meet people and get them the help they need. He’s one who speaks openly about his recovery story and message in order to inspire others.  He is a bigger fella with not much of a running background or consistent training so when he said he was doing the marathon, many of us had our doubts he’d be able to do it. We did these Monday night community runs in Central Park and Mario would be there every week pushing himself to make it through two miles, four miles, six miles no matter how long it took. The journey to the starting line was enough of a win. When I Facetimed him at 4 pm on Sunday from a restaurant and the Release Recovery afterparty, he was only at the halfway point but all smiles and he made a new friend along the way named Freddi that helped him get to the finish line.  He just kept going and truly shifted my perspective on the power of what setting your mind on a goal can accomplish. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS TRACKSMITH is a Boston-based running brand, who crafts performance apparel for training, racing and rest days. Gear up for going far with their fall running essentials and check out the Tracksmith Journal for some marathon tips from the Tracksmith team. Listeners get 15% off their purchase using code CITIUS15 at checkout. Visit Tracksmith.com today. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. 📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

"Despite everything, somehow this race turned out so much better than I could’ve imagined. I am so excited about how New York went because there were so many times throughout the build-up where we didn’t even know if I was going to make it to the line." We welcome back Molly Seidel to the podcast and I get to introduce her as the 2021 Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon and also now the fastest American woman to ever run the New York City Marathon. This past weekend, she ran 2:24:42 and finished fourth overall. The previous record was 2:25:53 set by Kara Goucher in 2008. The race was won by Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya in 2:22:39. Molly is now four for four in her marathons. Makes the Olympics in her first. Runs a PR and places high in London amid the pandemic. Earns a bronze medal at the Olympics and now breaks a record at the New York City Marathon. We touch on Molly’s run in Sapporo and New York City but also get some more details on the less-than-ideal build-up that somehow led to this incredible performance. Molly opens up about the two broken ribs she had and some of the mental struggles coming off the Games. Thanks to everyone who submitted listener questions, we got to as many as we could in the time we had with Molly.  My co-host for this episode is David Melly, the host of Run Your Mouth which is also on the CITIUS MAG Podcast Network.  There’s some good insight in this episode and a little bit of breaking news at the very end. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS TRACKSMITH is a Boston-based running brand, who crafts performance apparel for training, racing and rest days. With fall races quickly approaching they know race day is as much about reaching the finish line as it is about the consistency and determination it takes to get to the start. Gear up for going far with their fall running essentials and check out the Tracksmith Journal for some marathon tips from the Tracksmith team. Listeners get 15% off their purchase using code CITIUS15 at checkout. Visit Tracksmith.com today. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. 📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

"When you guide somebody, there is a bond that is formed that is undeniable to know that they couldn't have done it without you and also that you're doing it because of them as well." Dr. Joe Park is a good friend of mine and some of you might know of him from his time on Tayshia Adams’ season of The Bachelorette or his brief stint on the latest season of Bachelor In Paradise. But he’s more than just a reality TV show contestant. He’s a full-time anesthesiologist and interventional pain specialist in New York City. He’s one of the nicest guys out there and you’ll hear a couple of stories of why that’s the case. He and I will be running the NYC Marathon together next weekend and hoping to run under 3 hours and 30 minutes. He is fundraising for Achilles International, whose mission is to transform the lives of people with disabilities through athletic programs and social connections. There are 28 chapters in 19 states. Joe has been a guide for the New York City chapter before and in this episode, you’ll learn a lot about the power a guide can have on an athlete living with a disability. Dr. Joe's fundraiser: https://give.achillesinternational.org/DrJoe SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS TRACKSMITH is a Boston-based running brand, who crafts performance apparel for training, racing and rest days. With fall races quickly approaching they know race day is as much about reaching the finish line as it is about the consistency and determination it takes to get to the start. Gear up for going far with their fall running essentials and check out the Tracksmith Journal for some marathon tips from the Tracksmith team. Listeners get 15% off their purchase using code CITIUS15 at checkout. Visit Tracksmith.com today. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. 📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

“Everyone processes things differently. We hoped that it wouldn’t take away from the rest of my year but you never know in those moments. To bounce back with a 3:59 (for 1,500m) was like, ‘Hell yeah! I deserve to be doing this and racing at this level and competing. This is what we trained for all year.’ It was almost like a rewarding moment coming back from that disappointment...Our conversations were really positive. It was about what you could be excited about ahead. There are world champs the next two years and then an Olympic team. This sport moves quickly and there’s a lot more to be excited for right away. That definitely helped turning around on the trials.” Josette Norris is a professional runner for the Reebok Boston Track Club. If track and field had a breakout star of the year award, Josette would be a strong candidate for that. She came into the year with personal bests of 4:10.82 for 1,500 meters and 15:29.34 for 5,000 meters. Now, she’s at 3:59.72 for 1,500 meters which is No. 9 on the all-time U.S. list and 14:51.32 for 5,000 meters which is No. 10 on the all-time U.S. list. She also ran 4:22.71 for the mile this year. Her best races came after she finished 8th in the Olympic Trials final for the 5,000 meters despite having the fastest time of the year going into the race. She candidly discusses what it was like to overcome that disappointment and then go on an absolute tear, which included a third-place finish in the Diamond League final. Her trip to Europe was the first time she left the country. You’ll also get to enjoy plenty of fun New Jersey banter.  So if you’re in the Jersey or Pennsylvania area, get yourself a cup of Wawa coffee and enjoy this chat which I’d love to dedicate to Josette’s mom, who is a huge fan of the pod. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS TRACKSMITH is a Boston-based running brand, who crafts performance apparel for training, racing and rest days. With fall races quickly approaching they know race day is as much about reaching the finish line as it is about the consistency and determination it takes to get to the start. Gear up for going far with their Marathon Collection full of running essentials and check out the Tracksmith Journal for some marathon tips from the Tracksmith team. Listeners get 15% off their purchase using code CITIUS15 at checkout. Visit Tracksmith.com today. HUSTLE CLEAN is a mission-driven self-care brand for the active lifestyle. It was created by athletes for high performers that want to do more and be more without compromise. The Hustle Clean Body Wipe is an extra-large, durable, full-body wipe designed to remove sweat, dirt, and body odor in moments when a shower is optimal but not possible. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get a deal and get 10% off all their products, if you visit HustleClean.com and use discount code CITIUS at checkout. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website.

Nick Willis returns to the podcast for this episode, which was recorded live in front of an audience at the Tracksmith pop-up shop during Chicago Marathon weekend. Nick was first a guest on this show back in February 2020 before the Millrose Games when we went over his entire career up until that point. So this conversation picks up with 2021. This season, he broke four minutes for the 19th consecutive year and then qualified for his 5th Olympic Games for New Zealand. It didn’t come easy though. He squeaked into the Games via his World Athletics ranking. He tells us why his wife was a major factor in motivating him to get there and in shape within six weeks. He gives us insight ito what his experience was like in Tokyo, where he made it to the semifinals and ran a season’s best of 3:35.41. Plus, what’s next for him? He’s been playing lots of basketball and skateboarding in the meantime. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS TRACKSMITH is a Boston-based running brand, who crafts performance apparel for training, racing and rest days. With fall races quickly approaching they know race day is as much about reaching the finish line as it is about the consistency and determination it takes to get to the start. Gear up for going far with their Marathon Collection full of running essentials and check out the Tracksmith Journal for some marathon tips from the Tracksmith team. Listeners get 15% off their purchase using code CITIUS15 at checkout. Visit Tracksmith.com today. HUSTLE CLEAN is a mission-driven self-care brand for the active lifestyle. It was created by athletes for high performers that want to do more and be more without compromise. The Hustle Clean Body Wipe is an extra-large, durable, full-body wipe designed to remove sweat, dirt, and body odor in moments when a shower is optimal but not possible. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get a deal and get 10% off all their products, if you visit HustleClean.com and use discount code CITIUS at checkout. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. 📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel

"It takes a lot to get out of your comfort zone, especially in the pole vault. Because it is scary and because there is a fear element, you want to hold onto your comfort zone so badly...Changing things really is not easy. There were a lot of tears. I always bought in. My gut led me to Ashland. My gut sent me to Brad (Walker). It hasn’t been wrong yet. I knew that I was in the right place because of the way he described it. He made it so simple. I’m in control of what I’m doing so if I focus on X, Y and Z, the heights will come. He totally changed the mental game for me, which then allowed me to change the technical things. It took all of that time to make that happen. Especially in this generation, people want immediate gratification and results. I’m very much like that. I don’t like waiting for things. I’m really happy that I didn’t make the team in 2016 because I would not have done that. I would not have gone that far out of my comfort zone. I wouldn’t have let someone else challenge me that way. I’m grateful that I took the leap and my gut led me to where it is.” Katie Nageotte is the Olympic gold medalist in the pole vault. She is one of three American women to take gold in the event at the Games. In this episode, there's plenty of Ohio talk because if you've followed her on social media she's been parading around the medal all over Cleveland. The Olmsted Falls native has thrown out the first pitch at the Indians game, given a pep talk at the Browns practice and been honored by state officials. We discuss her journey and success at Ashland University at the Division II level and what pushed her to keep going as a professional pole vaulter. As a pro, she finished 5th at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2016 which led her to make a change and team up with Brad Walker as her coach. Over the past five years, she saw major improvement under the 2007 world champion's guidance. She made the 2018 World Indoor and 2019 World outdoor teams. A breakthrough in 2020 and 2021 suddenly made her the Olympic gold medal favorite. She discusses how that all happened and how she managed the pressure. At the 2020 Games, she missed on her first two tries at 4.5 meters so there was added pressure there. Then, she managed to turn it around. Listening to her recounting her experience in Tokyo is pretty thrilling so I hope you enjoy it. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS TRACKSMITH is a Boston-based running brand, who crafts performance apparel for training, racing and rest days. With fall races quickly approaching they know race day is as much about reaching the finish line as it is about the consistency and determination it takes to get to the start. Gear up for going far with their Marathon Collection full of running essentials and check out the Tracksmith Journal for some marathon tips from the Tracksmith team. Listeners get 15% off their purchase using code CITIUS15 at checkout. Visit Tracksmith.com today. HUSTLE CLEAN is a mission-driven self-care brand for the active lifestyle. It was created by athletes for high performers that want to do more and be more without compromise. The Hustle Clean Body Wipe is an extra-large, durable, full-body wipe designed to remove sweat, dirt, and body odor in moments when a shower is optimal but not possible. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get a deal and get 10% off all their products, if you visit HustleClean.com and use discount code CITIUS at checkout.

"The main reason we started was just that we didn't see that many people that look like us reporting on track and field. In other sports like basketball and the NFL, you see people of color and a lot of diversity in all of the reporting. When it comes to track, it's not really like that. I really love track and field. I love all the events. When I go to these other sites and mainly distance is getting covered, I'm thinking most of the reason why is because it's not a diverse group of people. Whenever you put culture and diversity into something, it gets better." My guests for today’s episode are Aaron and Joshua Potts. You may know them as the Two Black Runners since they have their own podcast by that name. You may have watched some of their videos on YouTube or Instagram. They’re creating all types of running content by the culture and for the culture, as they say. I had the chance to meet them in person for the first time when we broadcast the Trials of Miles Qualifier meet in Kansas City and they served as the sideline guys while me and Kyle Merber were in the booth. The reaction on social media and reception to the energy they brought to the show was great. They were also two of the 16 members of the inaugural Magic Boost class, which is a program that I helped lead that looks to empower, amplify and mentor the next generation of track and field content creators. Some of the videos that Joshua and Aaron were able to put together from their time in Eugene for the Pre Classic were hilarious so I’ll include some in the show notes for you to check out. Get to know them a little better here. Hear their story and then support their work. 📈 Hustle Clean is a mission-driven self-care brand for the active lifestyle. It was created by athletes for high performers that want to do more and be more without compromise. The Hustle Clean Body Wipe is an extra-large, durable, full-body wipe designed to remove sweat, dirt, and body odor in moments when a shower is optimal but not possible. Products are safe on sensitive skin, hypoallergenic, paraben-free, & infused with aloe vera, vitamin E, & witch hazel. Hustle Clean is sold nationwide in Walmart, Target, & Amazon. CITIUS MAG Podcast listeners get a deal and get 10% off all their products, if you visit HustleClean.com and use discount code CITIUS. ✍️ FULL SHOW NOTES + MORE QUOTES ON CITIUSMAG.com HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST 🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 💵 Pledge any dollar amount to us on Patreon.com/CITIUSMAG or Hit us on Venmo @CITIUSMAG 👕 Pick up merch from the CITIUS MAG store to show your support for the podcast and website. 📧 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG Newsletter 🎥 Subscribe to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel