Nico Young

Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber, and Preet Majithia are back with lots to unpack, including two Diamond Leagues, a half marathon world record, a robot, a Rupp record, and breaking news at the end of the episode.

Discussed in this episode:

– Yomif Kejelcha, 56:51 half marathon world record, Buenos Aires: Cuts 21 seconds off Jacob Kiplimo’s 57:20 from Lisbon in March (note: the Lisbon run hasn’t been formally ratified yet either). Kejelcha’s splits: 13:45 through 5K, 27:19 through 10K (19 seconds off world record pace), then he turns it on: 13:22 for 10K-to-15K, closes the final kilometer in 2:32.

– Silesia men’s 1500m — Ethan Strand wins in 3:30, 11th to first: Cole Hocker third (3:31.17, first race since Pre Classic, seven weeks off), Jakob Ingebrigtsen fourth (3:31.19, ten days after winning the European 5K), Phanuel Koech second (3:31.14). Splits: 1:50.4 last 800, 54.3 last lap, 26.4 last 200 (13.2/13.2 for Ethan). Strand ran wide in lane two for much of the race, avoided the traffic that boxed Cole and Jakob, and had a clear line in the final 100.

– Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s return to the 1500: Ten days since Europeans. Ran to the front from 600 to go, accelerated sharply in 13.7 for that section, closed at a level that wasn’t far off Ethan.

– World Athletics Seb Coe Super Invites — Budapest 1500 expands to 13: Both Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen confirmed. World Athletics broke their own rule because the matchup was too good to keep from fans.

– Silesia women’s 1500m — Tsigie Duguma wins in 3:55.06 (world lead, PB): Goes from fifth to first in the final 100 meters with her trademark last-50 burst.

– Lausanne 5000m — Americans go 2-3-4: Birhanu Balew wins in 12:57. Parker Wolfe second in 12:58.2, Nico Young third in 12:58.3, Graham Blanks fourth in 12:59.16. Parker Wolfe is the best American 5K runner right now.

– Lausanne men’s 800m — Wanyonyi wins in 1:42, first DL 800 victory of the year: Marco Arop went through 400 in 49.1 — deliberately trying to set up a world record attempt (Rudisha’s split was 49.2).

– Lausanne women’s 800m — Audrey Werro wins in 1:55.33, Femke Bol second in 1:55.41: Femke sets a new Dutch national record (tying, then surpassing Ellen van Langen’s 1992 Olympic final mark).

– Silesia women’s 100m — Melissa Jefferson-Wooden wins, 10.78: Extends unbeaten 100m streak to 10 races.

– Rai Benjamin confirms the double at World Ultimate: Flat 400 on day one, 400H semis and final on days two and three.

– The robot: Lightning, a humanoid robot built by smartphone maker Honor, ran 9.32 at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing — breaking Bolt’s world record of 9.58.

– Galen Rupp, 61:29 at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon: US 40+ record. Ninth place overall. Fastest half he’s run in six years.

– Looking ahead: Zurich Diamond League Thursday. Diamond League final in Brussels September 4-5. World Ultimate Championships September 11-13.

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The World XC Championships return to the U.S. for the first time since 1992, with Saturday’s races in Tallahassee offering a chance to reignite global attention on the best distance runners in the world.

How to watch: The races will be broadcast on Peacock (starting at 9:35 a.m.) and will be televised on CNBC (starting at 10 a.m. ET).

Schedule (All times ET):

• 9:45 a.m. – Mixed 4x2K Relay
• 10:20 a.m. – Women’s U20 6K Race
• 10:55 a.m. – Men’s U20 8K Race
• 11:35 a.m. – Women’s Senior 10K Race
• 12:20 p.m. – Men’s Senior 10K Race

You can read our full race preview here.

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Mixed Relay Preview:

Favorites: Kenya w/ Reynold Cheruiyot

Challengers:

• Australia (Jessica Hull, Olli Hoare)
• France (Agathe Guillemot)
• USA (Sage Hurta-Klecker, Ethan Strand)
• Morocco's NCAA stars
• Kenya has won 3 of 4 editions since 2017.

Senior Women’s Race:

Star Power Dip: No Beatrice Chebet (pregnancy), no Olympic or World medalists from 5000m/10,000m entered.

Top Teams:

• Kenya: Agnes Ngetich leads (14:01/28:46 PBs); Maurine Chebor debuts
• Ethiopia: Loaded with U20 grads like Senayet Getachew, Asayech Ayichew
• Uganda: Joy Cheptoyek, Sarah & Rebecca Chelangat return
• USA: Led by Weini Kelati; Schweizer, Kurgat, Izzo in the mix
• Wild cards: Megan Keith, Lauren Ryan

Senior Men’s Race:

Deepest Field Post-COVID: 145 entrants

Title contenders:

• Jacob Kiplimo: Two-time champ, fresh off 2:02:23 marathon win
• Ethiopia: Berihu Aregawi + rising star Biniam Mehary
• Kenya: Daniel Ebenyo returns; Weldon Langat, Robert Koech support
• France: Jimmy Gressier headlines strong squad

Team USA Outlook:

• Potential for medal with Graham Blanks, Nico Young, Parker Wolfe, Rocky Hansen
• U.S. last medaled in 2013 (silver)

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No American runner made more noise in 2025 than Nico Young.

The 23-year-old prodigy smashed the 5,000m American record, claimed his first national title, and battled the world’s best in Tokyo. 

In June, he stormed through the Bislett Games in Oslo, running 12:45.27 for 5,000 meters, which was a new American record. Barely two months later, he claimed his first U.S. title at 10,000 meters in Eugene, clocking 29:02.12 to solidify his dominance on home soil. 

Then, on the world’s biggest stage in Tokyo, Young placed fifth in the 10,000m at the 2025 World Championships, closing his breakout season in a dynamic way.

Young’s rise has been meteoric but methodical. 

A former NCAA champion from Northern Arizona University, he first stunned the sport in 2024 by debuting at 26:52.72 for 10,000 meters–an NCAA and American collegiate record–then qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he finished 12th. Turning pro with Adidas that summer, he entered 2025 with sharper focus and the freedom to train through longer, uninterrupted blocks under coach Mike Smith in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Now a national champion, world finalist, and record holder, Young owns personal bests of 12:45.27 (5,000m), 26:52.72 (10,000m), and 7:37.73 (3,000m). His performances are redefining what’s possible for American distance runners, and he’s doing it with trademark composure and humility.

Tap into the Nico Young Special.

  

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It’s officially that time again: The spreadsheets are out and the ranking formulas are loaded. Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia have returned with the kind of number crunching that would make a tax accountant blush.

Yes — we’re talking about The Ten, and more broadly, the increasingly anxiety-inducing state of the 10,000 meters heading into the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

Because apparently World Athletics took one look at the event and said, ‘What if we made this harder, more confusing, and fully dependent on vibes, shoe tech, and whether your country’s federation knows how to read the rankings page?’

So here we are. The women’s standard dropped to a vicious 30:20.00. The men’s remains at a world-class 27:00.00. And unless you’re from Kenya or Ethiopia—or somehow running 10Ks on the road in super shoes fast enough to melt tarmac—you’re probably counting on the whims of the World Rankings gods to punch your ticket to Tokyo.

In the U.S., Weini Kelati is still the queen of consistency. Parker Valby and Karissa Schweizer skipped The Ten entirely. Elise Cranny has re-entered the picture and Jessica McClain quietly garnered some valuable points by PR’ing by half a minute.

On the men’s side, it’s a little simpler: Grant Fisher, Nico Young, Graham Blanks, and Woody Kincaid are qualified. All they have to do is battle at USAs.

There’s still time. A 10K at Mt. SAC is coming. Maybe Pre will host a last-minute 10K.  So let’s break down who’s up, who’s down, who’s close and who’s hoping UK Athletics doesn’t screw them over again.

Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram + Preet Majithia | @preetmajithia on Instagram

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The fastest high school 3,000m runner in history, Tayvon Kitchen, is on the show today for the first time, ready to break down his record-shattering senior season and what's next for him.

Tayvon clocked a 3:59.61 at the BU Terrier DMR Challenge this past February 21, cementing himself as the seventh-fastest indoor high school miler ever.

The senior from Crater High School in Central Point, Oregon, has been on a heater as of late, putting himself in the same conversation with the best 18 year olds in the nation.

He ran the fifth-fastest indoor 2-mile in US history with a time of 8:41.21 at Chicago's Gately Park on January 31 of this year. He also broke Nico Young's aforementioned high school 3,000 meter record with a time of 7:55.48 at the 2025 Husky Classic in Washington. He also owns a 5,000m PR of 14:18.75.

Tayvon won the 2023–2024 Gatorade Player of the Year award for boys cross country in Oregon; he came in fourth at the Nike Cross Northwest Regionals that year. He is also a National Honor Society member, and has volunteered locally as part of his church's Welfare Farm program.

This Coros-affiliated stud is also well-known for doubling at the 2024 Nike U20 Championships by running a 14:24 in the morning and then a 14:31 in the evening. 

In today's conversation, we go into Tayvon's 3k HS record, him breaking 4:00 minutes in the Mile, his ambitions for the outdoor season, what makes Crater so special, and what his training looks like. 

Don't miss the opportunity to learn from one of the best to do it at the high school level. 

Tap into the Tayvon Kitchen Special.  

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Comment the word "PODCAST" below and I'll DM you a link to listen. 

If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!

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The 2025 U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta delivered fireworks, with PUMA Elite’s Alex Maier and Taylor Roe claiming national titles and locking in their spots for the World Road Running Championships. Roe’s late-race surge past Weini Kelati underscored Oklahoma State’s pipeline of elite talent.

Meanwhile, indoor track is officially in chaos mode. Heather MacLean ran 4:17.01 for the mile, which also unknowingly broke the U.S. indoor 1500m record. Nico Young continued his meteoric rise, clocking 12:51.56 for 5000m—second-fastest by an American ever. Yared Nuguse chased the mile world record but settled for 3:47.22. Also at BU – Graham Blanks broke 7:30 in the 3K and Aidan McCarthy ran a historic 1:45.19 in the 800m.

With NCAA Indoors, World Indoors, and outdoor season approaching fast, the distance scene is more competitive than ever. Tune in as we break it all done.

Bonus: Harry Styles ran 3:24 for the Tokyo Marathon.