United States
Hobbs Kessler is a prominent American middle-distance runner who gained attention for his impressive performances in the 1500 meters and mile events. He gained national recognition in high school, setting a new American high school record in the indoor mile. Kessler's talent and potential have made him a rising star in track and field athletics.
The XXXIII Olympic Games - 1500 Metres
3:29.45
The 2025 Millrose Games delivered historic performances, with Grant Fisher setting a 3000m world record (7:22.91) and Yared Nuguse breaking the Wanamaker Mile world record (3:46.63) in a night that rewrote the record books.Breaking it down:🔹 Fisher vs. Hocker in the 3000mFisher, the Olympic 5000m & 10,000m medalist, held off a stunning challenge from Olympic 1500m champion Cole Hocker in a race for the ages.Fisher ran 29.82, 29.82, 29.54 splits in the closing laps but couldn’t shake Hocker. With three laps to go, Hocker surprisingly surged into the lead, pushing the pace in pursuit of a world record.Fisher reclaimed the lead in the final stretch, securing the win and the $25,000 WR bonus with7:22.91, as Hocker clocked7:23.14—the second-fastest time in history.🔹 Nuguse dominates the Wanamaker MileJust an hour after Fisher’s record, Nuguse made history with a world record of3:46.63, breaking Yomif Kejelcha’s3:47.01 mark.Despite Josh Kerr withdrawing due to illness, the race delivered fireworks.Hobbs Kessler (3:46.90) also broke the previous WR, finishing second.Australia’s Cam Myers set a world U20 record (3:47.48), and France’s Azeddine Habz set a national record (3:47.56).+ more highlights and analysis
He's coming for it all.
2025 is the year of Hobbs Kessler.
Back on the podcast today is 21-year-old mid-distance Olympic star Hobbs Kessler, who is gearing up for the Wanamaker Mile at the Milrose Games in New York City on February 8, 2025. (Hobbs came in 2nd last year at this race with a time of 3:48.66; fellow American star Yared Nuguse took the win.)
Hobbs was most recently on the episode right after placing 5th in the 1500m in Paris, running a 3:29.45, in the most stacked and competitive 1500 race of all time. He also ran the 800m in the Olympics, but was eliminated in the semifinals.
Hobbs competed for Skyline High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan (the school he attended for academics did not offer competitive sports). It was in high school that Hobbs ran an indoor mile record of 3:57.66. Hobbs then ran a 3:34.36 in the 1500m while still in high school, which was faster than the NCAA record at the time; this catapulted him to his first Olympic Trials in 2021.
While Hobbs' father was his high school coach, he delegated most of the planning for his son's training to Michigan coach Ron Warhurst, whom he still trains under as a member of the Very Nice Track Club in Michigan.
This 21-year-old is chock full of professionalism and has a laundry list of accomplishments.
In today's conversation, we dive into Hobbs's fall training, his mindset for the Millrose games and the 2025 season, how he views breakthroughs, advice to make your 2025 your best year yet, why 2025 is the year of Hobbs Kessler, and so much more.
We can't wait for you to hear this episode. Lace-up your shoes, throw in your AirPods, and enjoy this conversation with the legend Hobbs Kessler.
Tap into the Hobbs Kessler Special.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.
If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!
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-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run
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Today's podcast is an exploration and deep dive into how to go from "good" to "great" in the sport of running in the coming months, and many insights on training, racing, and well-being. All with Coach Patrick Henner, one of the greats.
If you're not familiar with Coach Henner, Coach Henner has coached Mike Smith (current coach of NAU), Chris Miltenberg (current coach of UNC, formerly Stanford), Brandon Bonsey (current coach of Georgetown), and more in his tenure. He has also coached studs Isaiah Jewett and Will Sumner over the past few years.
This past year, Coach Henner worked extensively with Hobbs Kessler going into his performances at the US Olympic Trials, where he placed in the top-3 in both the 1500m and 800m to send himself to the Paris Olympics, where he then went on to place 5th in the 1500m.
Prior to successful coaching stints at Georgia & USC, Henner was the director of track and field and cross country at Georgetown from 2007-15, and prior to that he had spent eight seasons as the Hoyas' head men's cross country coach and assistant coach for the men's and women's track and field team. Henner's coaching resumé also includes a nine-year stay at James Madison, where he led both the men's and women's cross country teams to their first CAA titles, trained 28 track and field All-Americans, and was twice named CAA Coach of the Year. He began his coaching career at Blacksburg High in Blacksburg, Va., where both the men's and women's teams won state championships in 1984, 1985, and 1986.
In today's conversation, Coach Henner and I dive-deep into training theory, speed development, the things great athletes do during this next month of the year, his thoughts on racing, lessons and insights from working with Hobbs Kessler, and so much more.
This one is PACKED with wisdom from truly one of the greatest coaches of all-time. You'd be a fool not to listen. It's free wisdom.
Tap into the Coach Henner Special.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.
If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!
S H O W N O T E S
-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run
-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
Back on the podcast after placing 5th in the Olympic Games is Hobbs Kessler!
Hobbs placed 5th in the 1500m in Paris, running 3:29.45. This was the greatest 1500m championship race of all-time.
Hobbs competes professionally for Adidas, having turned professional directly after high school. He holds the North American U20 record in the 1500 meters, having run 3:34.36 at the Portland Track Festival in May 2021. He also holds the American high school record for the indoor mile, with a time of 3:57.66 set in February 2021. He was named the 2021 Gatorade National Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Hobbs competes for The Very Nice Track Club based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Hobbs is one of the greatest runners of our generation.
Hobbs is also a World Road Running Champion and holds the World Record for the Road Mile. Hobbs is also a Bronze Medalist from the 2024 World Indoor Championships in the 1500m.
In today's conversation, Hobbs takes me through his 1500m performance at the Olympics, his take on USA 1500m running, his 2024 season, his thoughts on Jakob sticking with the 1500m, him never winning an XC State Title, going pro out of HS, and so much more.
Hobbs is such an awesome guy and I always love my conversations with him. Put in your airpods, lace up your shoes, and hit the pavement with Hobbs.
Tap into the Hobbs Kessler Special.
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.
If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!
S H O W N O T E S
-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-My Newsletter: https://therunningeffect.substack.com
Last one, fast one?!
The final day of the Olympic Trials was one for the history books. In every. single. event. that took place on the tracks yesterday afternoon, the Olympic Trials meet record was broken. In multiple events, simply qualifying for Team USA meant you had to produce a performance that ranked in the U.S. top-10 of all time.
12.37 in the 100m hurdles, 3:56.75 in the women’s 1500m, and 1:44.12 in the men’s 800m were only good enough for fourth place. The mantra of “iron sharpens iron” normally applies to training groups, but it certainly also applies to American track and field right now. When being top 10 in the world is not a guarantee of being top 3 in the U.S., the choice is simple: you elevate your game or you go home.
The afternoon began with the 5000m final, where last year’s U.S. champ Abdi Nur and this year’s 10,000m champ Grant Fisher treated the fans to an epic duel over the final few laps. It took a sub-4 1600m to break the rest of the field, and in the final strides, Fisher was able to re-pass Nur and get his second title of the week, the first time he’s completed the 10/5 double. Behind them, it was a similar battle for third between collegians Parker Wolfe and Graham Blanks, and it’s still not clear whether Wolfe or Blanks will end up on Team USA. Wolfe needs a few scratches in the world rankings ahead of him, and Blanks has the auto standard.
In the men’s 800m, Bryce Hoppel won his sixth straight U.S. title (counting indoors), but he did it in the fastest time of his career, a 1:42.77. His training partner Hobbs Kessler snagged third and qualifies for both the 800m and 1500m, the first time an American man has done that since 1976. In the women’s 100m hurdles, you could throw a blanket over the whole field with two hurdles remaining, but it was Masai Russell who closed the best and clocked a 12.25, the good for #4 on the world all-time list.
Rai Benjamin did Rai Benjamin things in the men’s 400m hurdles, cruising to a 46.47 world lead and meet record well ahead of the competition. The women’s 1500m was an absolute battle — more on that below. And then we closed the weekend with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
McLaughlin-Levrone is used to being the star of the show, and honestly her biggest competition is usually the shadow of her past self. In the 400m hurdles final she had the benefit of a fast-starting Anna Cockrell on her outside, who stayed even with the Olympic champ for the first three hurdles and kept the pressure on early. But the real difference was that, coming around the final turn, McLaughlin-Levrone didn’t shut it down like she normally does through the rounds, instead powering down the homestretch to an incredible new world record 50.65.
For those keeping score at home, that’s the fifth time McLaughlin-Levrone has lowered the world record. When she started, the world record she was breaking was Dalilah Muhammad’s 52.16 from 2019, and now it’s an incredible 1.51 seconds faster.
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LIVE from Eugene, Oregon! Chris Chavez and Karen Lesiewicz are on-stage at Hayward Field for the 2024 Prefontaine Classic. We'll be previewing some of the day's best races, chatting with some of the athletes and doing fun giveaways with fans. Our coverage kicks off with the Pre-Show on the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel at 9:30 am PT on Saturday and 10 am PT on Sunday! Read our full preview of the meet here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/prefon... The TV window for Prefontaine is 4pm-6pm E.T. on Saturday, May 25 across NBC, CNBC and Peacock. Special thanks to TrackTown USA and the Prefontaine Classic meet organizers.
Woohoo! This week we have a very exciting friend and guest on the show: Hobbs Kessler!! Hobbs is the reigning World Road Running Mile champion, Indoor Worlds Bronze Medalist, and almost professional climber. We welcome Hobbs on today to catch up on (part-time) life in Flagstaff, our upcoming races at the LA Grand Prix and Pre-Classic, recap his experience at World Indoors, his unique new training method, his climbing background, and much more.
Hope you guys enjoy!
Guest:
Hobbs Kessler: https://www.instagram.com/hobbs_kessler/
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Episode Notes
When it comes to the sport of running, every sprint, every breath, and every challenge is a testament to the resilience and spirit of an athlete. Today on the RunnersTribe podcast, I dive into the remarkable journey of a good friend of mine, Will Leer, a former professional American middle-distance star renowned for his dedication and achievements on the track. As a two-time indoor national champion in 2013, a world relays silver medalist in 2014, and a top 8 finisher in the 1500 meters at the World Indoor Championships in 2014, Will's career epitomizes the relentless pursuit of excellence.
But there's more to Will than just his accolades. Beyond the track, he has embraced new passions, finding as much joy in the tranquility of nature as in the adrenaline of competition. This conversation isn't just about running; it's a deeper exploration of life after the finish line, the pursuit of new challenges, and the enduring spirit that defines a true athlete.
Join us as we uncover the layers of Will Leer's journey, from the peaks of his racing career to the new adventures that keep the essence of his athletic spirit alive. Lace up for an inspiring episode that goes beyond the track, right here on the RunnersTribe podcast.
Summary
In this conversation, Jon Rankin and Will Leer discuss their experiences in running and the state of Track and Field. The conversation covers various topics related to track and field, including athletes' showmanship and storytelling, standout American athletes, field events, the Prefontaine Classic, and the mental side of running. They also dive into the role of storytelling in sports marketing and the impact of shoe technology on performance. They highlight the importance of creating visibility for athletes and celebrating their achievements. The conversation concludes with a discussion on standout athletes in track and field and the highly anticipated race between Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr.
Takeaways
Chapters 00:00: Introduction and Skiing
00:30: Rediscovering Running and Skiing
04:00: Running as a Social Outlet
05:06: Finding New Passions
07:02: Unfinished Business in Running
08:12: The State of the Sport
09:38: Athletes' Stories and Social Media
11:32: The Power of Storytelling in Sports Marketing
13:05: The Impact of Shoe Technology
14:31: Making Track and Field Entertaining
16:26: Under Armour's Focus on Running
20:28: The Challenge of Making Track and Field Popular
22:35: Telling Athletes' Stories
23:34: The Excitement of Fast Running
25:12: The Evolution of Running Shoes
27:07: Elevating Athletes and Celebrating Their Achievements
29:21: Creating a Special Experience for Runners
31:42: Standout Athletes in Track and Field
34:29: Athletes' Showmanship and Storytelling
36:24: Standout American Athletes
38:21: Field Events: Shot Put and Discus
39:17: Ryan Krauser's Dominance in Shot Put
40:15: The Athleticism of Field Event Athletes
41:14: Emerging Stars in Field Events
42:21: Yared Nuguse and His Story
47:12: Prefontaine Classic: Ingebrigtsen vs. Kerr
49:18: Yared Nuguse's Competitiveness
52:29: The Mental Side of Running
55:08: The Pursuit of Excellence in Running and Life
59:09: Question for the Next Guest
References:
Yared Nuguse - @yaredthegoose
Jakob Ingebrigtsen - @jakobing
Josh Keer - @joshhkerr
2024 Prefontaine Classic - https://www.preclassic.com/ | @preclassic
Guest:
Will Leer - @williamleer
Host:
Jon Rankin - https://gobemore.co/ | @chasejonrankin
Learn More:
RunnersTribe - https://runnerstribe.com/ | @runnerstribe
"We're here to medal. We worked so hard and no one worked harder than any of us. You just have to do it on the day. I think we all did it and it's so cool – obviously, it's indoors and sure there's an asterisk because it's not the Olympics or World Outdoor Champs, but it's a race when it matters. It's a championship. There are medals on the line and we are so competitive. We're going to run fearless. We're going to be like Hobbs Kessler, who is 20 years old and led that whole thing or Emily (Mackay) in her first world champs and she's like, 'F**k it. I'm just going to take the lead.' We're going to make bold moves. We're gonna be really hard to beat. And I think that's the momentum we're taking into outdoors. That's a statement we're making."
This is Nikki Hiltz's fifth time on the show. Our last interviews came after last summer’s World Championships in Budapest and also after they broke the U.S. outdoor mile record at the Monaco Diamond League. The hot streak has continued into 2024.
Last month, Hiltz won the U.S. Indoor Championships for the second consecutive season. And just this past weekend, they ran two personal bests at the World Indoor Championships to earn a silver medal in the 1500m final. Ethiopia’s Freweyi Hailu earned gold in 4:01.46. Hiltz came in less than a second behind her for the third-fastest indoor 1500m performance in U.S. history. Team New Balance Boston’s Emily Mackay finished third for bronze.
The U.S. had a super strong showing at the World Indoor Championships. We topped the medal table with 20 total medals. Seven of those medals came in middle distance events – including four in the 1500m between Hiltz, Mackay, Cole Hocker and Hobbs Kessler.
In this episode, Nikki recaps their whole trip to Glasgow, the learnings from another World Championship experience, the statement made by American middle distance runners and how their outlook shifts to the outdoor season now.
Read our recap of World Indoors here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/2024-world-indoor-championships-winners-losers
Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Nikki Hiltz | @nikkihiltz on Instagram
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👟 NEW BALANCE has officially launched the long-anticipated FuelCell SC Elite v4, including upgrades that focus on the details that are vital for athletes to perform to their best this year. The shoe was designed to excel in both innovative technology and all-around comfort that lasts through 26.2 miles. Check it out here: https://www.newbalance.com/pd/fuelcell-supercomp-elite-v4/
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CITIUS MAG's Anderson Emerole reports from Glasgow, Scotland with a recap of Day 3 of the World Indoor Championships.
– Team USA earned FOUR medals in the 1500m as New Zealand's George Beamish and Ethiopia's Freweyni Hailu came away with victories but Nikki Hiltz, Emily Mackay, Cole Hocker and Hobbs Kessler all came away with medals.
– Bryce Hoppel clocked a world-leading 1:44.92 to improve upon his bronze medal from 2022 to win gold in the 800m final. Ethiopia's Tsige Duguma claimed gold in the 800 – just ahead of Team GB's Jemma Reekie.
– Tara Davis-Woodhall and Monae Nichols went 1-2 in the women's long jump.
– Bahamian Devynne Charlton broke her own 60m hurdles world record to claim her country's first-ever gold medal in the 800m
– There was controversy over Noah Lyles being named to the 4x400m relay team and then they came away with a silver medal as Belgium's Alexander Doom kicked down Team USA in the closing meters. Lyles split 45.68, which was the third-fastest of the American team.
– Mondo Duplantis claimed yet another gold in the men's pole vault.
+ more
🔜 We'll be sharing Anderson's daily recaps and dispatches from Scotland on the CITIUS MAG Podcast feed and YouTube channel.
Keep tabs on the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel as we have tons of interviews from the mixed zone there. We'll be sharing live updates on Twitter/X; Instagram and Threads all throughout the weekend.
Welcome to another episode of Hang With - a series where Sweat Elite Founder Matt Fox hangs out with a professional athlete to learn all about their training and lifestyle to share with the listeners. in this episode - Matt speaks with American 1500m/MIler Specialist Hobbs Kessler. The two discuss the quite significant changes Hobbs has made to his training in the last one or two years.
This podcast episode is sponsored by Precision, Fuel & Hydration - the brand that produces the best carbohydrates and electrolytes in the game. Score 15% off by using code SWEATELITE-YT at https://visit.pfandh.com/sweat-elite-yt
"For the longest time, my definition of mental toughness was being in the call room and not being scared and not being nervous. As I get older, I think mental toughness or mental resilience is being scared, being nervous, but knowing you're mentally robust and that you can handle these stressful situations. And trusting your fitness is there, trusting yourself and your instincts, that all the pieces are there and it's not going to fail. It's okay to be nervous."
It's been almost three years since Hobbs Kessler joined the CITIUS MAG Podcast. Back in 2021, he was a high school phenom out of Michigan before turning pro ahead of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. Now, he's the world champion and world record holder in the road mile. We caught up just two days after he ran 3:48.86 to finish second in the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games to become the second-fastest American man in history.
In this episode, he opens up about his training and adjustments he's made – including not running any run longer than seven miles, doubling every day and still sharpening his speed. Hobbs also shares how he's changed in his approach to racing and feels that he belongs among the best pros.
Time Stamps:
4:39 - Recalling his first summer as a pro.
5:15 - His confidence before becoming an established pro.
6:23 - Some of the low points he’s experienced over the past two years.
8:16 - The people that have had the greatest impact on him.
9:07 - His training and mindset leading into the 2024 indoor season.
11:33 - What training in Flagstaff looked like for him in January.
13:57 - His training philosophy + finding what training works best for him.
17:50 - Experimenting with training.
18:31 - Breaking down his training structure.
20:19 - How he’s been able to continue developing speed.
24:13 - Race tactics and strategy.
26:08 - Goals heading into the Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile.
27:50 - Thoughts leading into Indoor USAs.
29:02 - Where his current fitness is at.
31:12 - Thoughts on the BU track.
32:20 - His favorite race.
33:45 - What race he would re-run if he could do it over
35:01 - Advice on managing nerves before racing.
Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Hobbs Kessler | @hobbs_kessler on Instagram
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I have the great privilege of welcoming Hobbs Kessler to the podcast today.
Hobbs competes professionally for Adidas, having turned professional directly after high school. He holds the North American U20 record in the 1500 meters, having run 3:34.36 at the Portland Track Festival in May 2021. He also holds the American high school record for the indoor mile, with a time of 3:57.66 set in February 2021. He was named the 2021 Gatorade National Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Hobbs competes for The Very Nice Track Club based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Hobbs is one of the greatest runners of our generation.
Hobbs is also an outstanding rock climber. Growing up, he represented the United States many times growing up.
In today's episode of the podcast, Hobbs takes us through his incredible story and rise to the top of distance running. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and hearing more in-depth about the races that have shaped his career. Going through Hobb's incredble story and lessons he's learned along the way was incredibly enjoyable and inspiring.
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-GET YOUR FREE SAMPLE PACK OF LMNT: drinklmnt.com/therunningeffect
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-Hobb's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hobbs_kessler/?hl=en