Ethiopia
Tamirat Tola is an accomplished long-distance runner from Ethiopia, specializing in the marathon and 10,000 meters. He has achieved significant success on the international stage, including winning the bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the 2016 Rio Olympics and becoming the World Marathon Champion in 2022.
Marathon
TCS Amsterdam Marathon
2:03:39
10/17/2021
Half Marathon
59:13
9/8/2019
10 Kilometres Road
28:12
12/31/2018
Half Marathon
59:37
4/1/2017
10,000 Metres
Eugene Prefontaine Classic
26:57.33
5/27/2016
The XXXIII Olympic Games - Marathon
2:06:26
The XXXI Olympic Games - 10,000 Metres
27:06.26
IAAF World Championships in Athletics - Marathon
2:09:49
“Especially after 36K, I was telling myself, ‘Even if they speed up, I have to go deep today…’ I was telling myself, ‘This is my moment.’”
My guest for today's episode is Abdi Nageeye, whose journey in 2024 could only be described as redemption at its finest. The Dutch marathoner and 2021 Olympic silver medalist who just three months ago grappled with his appointment after withdrawing late in the Olympic marathon in Paris, roared back to claim the biggest victory of his career at the TCS New York City Marathon.
In a thrilling showdown against one of the strongest fields in race history, Nageeye deployed patience, strategy, and a powerful finishing kick to secure his first World Marathon Major title in 2:07:39 seconds, making history as the first Dutchman and the first European since 1996. To win the New York City Marathon from his self coach training in Eldoret to a race plan honed by years of experience on the course, Abdi turned heartbreak into triumph.
We dive into his reflections on Paris, his mental and physical preparation for New York City, and what this victory means for him moving forward. But first, you'll also hear a never before released interview with Abdi from my trip to Kenya in June 2023, where we discussed a bit more of his backstory and upbringing from being born in Somalia to settling in the Netherlands as a refugee and spending time in Syria before finally being adopted by a Dutch family.
I initially planned for this to be released last fall, but didn't have a chance to, but I'm now glad it's finally out. It's fun because towards the end of that first interview, I asked him what he wants to accomplish and he finally gets it done. Part one is my interview with him in Kenya and then part two is my interview with him reflecting on New York.
Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Abdi Nageeye | @abdinageeye on Instagram
Time stamps:
2023 Interview live from Eldoret, Kenya:
3:37 - Reflecting on training
5:02 - Why he likes to train in new places, what he enjoys about training in Kenya
9:05 - His backstory + stories from growing up
18:10 - Why he considers Africa to be his home
20:33 - Being embraced by the Netherlands
22:06 - Why shifting to the roads panned out so well for him
25:49 - What he learned from training with athletes like Eliud Kipchoge
28:20 - Future goals for his running career
2024 Interview after winning the NYC Marathon:
34:51 - How training has been going since the NYC Marathon
38:17 - What life has been like since our first interview in 2023
41:00 - Current training setup
43:28 - Paris Olympics marathon experience
47:55 - Thoughts after dropping out of the Olympic marathon
54:44 - NYC Marathon race breakdown
59:03 - The final miles of the race
1:01:03 - Thoughts when Tamirat Tola was closing on him and Evans Chebet
1:02:36 - The point when he knew he was going to win
1:06:13 - Emotions after crossing the finish line
1:08:12 - Looking ahead to future races
1:11:18 - Reflecting on his marathon career so far
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In a fitting theme for the city of Broadway, the 53rd edition of the New York City Marathon was all about breakout stars finally getting their time in the spotlight. Both winners of the men’s and women’s elite races in NYC are frequently recurring characters near the front of major races, but neither had completed a signature performance before today.
Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands and Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya won their first World Marathon Major titles by defeating fields full of former NYC champs, with Nageeye outkicking 2022 champ Evans Chebet down the homestretch and Chepkirui beating 2023 champ Hellen Obiri at her own game with a late surge through Central Park.
Time stamps:
Women’s race:
2:10 - Breaking down Sheila Chepkirui’s win
5:03 - Hellen Obiri talking a big game + reflecting on her career
13:20 - Kudos to Vivian Cheruiyot for her third place finish
16:10 - Sara Vaughn’s top American performance
19:42 - More top results: Jess McClain, Sharon Lokedi, Kellyn Taylor, Tristan Van Ord, Dakotah Popehn
22:38 - Reflecting on Jenny Simpson’s career
Men’s race:
26:47 - Breaking down Abdi Nageeye’s win
31:24 - Evans Chebet’s performance, 30th career marathon
33:18 - More top results: Albert Korir, Tamirat Tola
35:19 - Conner Mantz and Clayton Young’s races
39:45 - Kudos to CJ Albertson
More thoughts:
44:27 - 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials
48:40 - Valencia Half Marathon recap
54:50 - What’s ahead on the CITIUS MAG Podcast
56:18 - Sydney Marathon becoming the newest World Marathon Major
Mentioned in this episode:
Watch: NYC Marathon Watchalong
Read: Parting Thoughts From The 2024 NYC Marathon: Abdi Nageeye and Sheila Chepkirui Win + More
Listen: Jenny Simpson Reflects on Her Career from High School to 2019, Shares 2020 Plans and Hopes
Hosts: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram + Isaac Wood | @isaacew on Instagram
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
WAHOO: KICKR RUN - a new revolutionary treadmill offering the freedom and form of outdoor running at home, from Wahoo Fitness. Run hands-free and focus solely on the joy of running with the innovative RunFree Mode - which adjusts to your stride and pace automatically. For the first time runners can now fully benefit from indoor training apps such as Zwift Run and the Wahoo app for an immersive training experience that delivers unmatched realism and results. Learn more at WahooFitness.com
OLIPOP: For the past year, we’ve redefined Olipop as more than just a healthy drink known for its gut microbiome with a low sugar content and a much better alternative to regular soda. You know there are more than 16 flavors, including classic root beer, cherry cola, and lemon-lime. You know it as The Runner’s Soda. Get 25% off your orders by using code CITIUS25 at drinkolipop.com.
The final World Marathon Major of 2024 is almost here! In a banner year for road running, it’s hard to imagine how anything could top the Olympics, a historic Chicago, or even the early thrills of the U.S. Trials, but NYC has assembled a field full of living legends, rising stars, and fascinating narratives primed to end the year on a high note.
Three 2024 Olympic medalists are hitting the five boroughs: Olympic champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia, silver medalist Bashir Abdi of Belgium, and bronze medalist Hellen Obiri of Kenya. Obiri and Tola also happen to be the reigning NYC champions, and Obiri will be trying to win the Boston-New York double for the second straight year. Five other former NYC champions are in the mix (three men and two women), plus a pair of stacked U.S. fields vying to produce top-10 overall finishes… or even higher.
Here’s a compilation of our interviews from the NYC Marathon press conference, including Conner Mantz, Clayton Young, Hellen Obiri, Dakotah Popehn, Jenny Simpson, Sharon Lokedi, Evans Chebet and Jess McClain.
Time stamps:
0:05 - Conner Mantz
6:10 - Clayton Young
15:30 - Hellen Obiri
20:17 - Dakotah Popehn
24:29 - Jenny Simpson
34:09 - Sharon Lokedi
40:31 - Evans Chebet
43:35 - Jess McClain
Read: 2024 New York City Marathon Insider Notebook: What The Pros Had To Say Ahead Of Sunday’s Race
Read: Top Storylines To Watch At The 2024 New York City Marathon
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
WAHOO: KICKR RUN - a new revolutionary treadmill offering the freedom and form of outdoor running at home, from Wahoo Fitness. Run hands-free and focus solely on the joy of running with the innovative RunFree Mode - which adjusts to your stride and pace automatically. For the first time runners can now fully benefit from indoor training apps such as Zwift Run and the Wahoo app for an immersive training experience that delivers unmatched realism and results. Learn more at WahooFitness.com
OLIPOP: For the past year, we’ve redefined Olipop as more than just a healthy drink known for its gut microbiome with a low sugar content and a much better alternative to regular soda. You know there are more than 16 flavors, including classic root beer, cherry cola, and lemon-lime. You know it as The Runner’s Soda. Get 25% off your orders by using code CITIUS25 at drinkolipop.com.
The final World Marathon Major of 2024 is almost here! In a banner year for road running, it’s hard to imagine how anything could top the Olympics, a historic Chicago, or even the early thrills of the U.S. Trials, but NYC has assembled a field full of living legends, rising stars, and fascinating narratives primed to end the year on a high note. Three 2024 Olympic medalists are hitting the five boroughs: Olympic champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia, silver medalist Bashir Abdi of Belgium, and bronze medalist Hellen Obiri of Kenya. Obiri and Tola also happen to be the reigning NYC champions, and Obiri will be trying to win the Boston-New York double for the second straight year. Five other former NYC champions are in the mix (three men and two women), plus a pair of stacked U.S. fields vying to produce top-10 overall finishes… or even higher. The race kicks off on Sunday, November 3rd with the women’s race starting at 8:35am E.T. and the men following at 9:05am E.T. (Don’t forget to set your clock back an hour the night before!) The race will be streamed nationally on ESPN and locally on ABC.
You can read our full NYC Marathon preview here: https://citiusmag.com/articles/new-york-city-marathon-2024-preview
CITIUS MAG is proud to partner with HOKA for our coverage of the 2024 NYC Marathon.
The New York City Marathon is Nov. 3, and in this episode our editors Alex, Katelyn and Michael share with you everything you need to know about the New York City Marathon, whether you're running the race this year, or following along at home. First we get the necessary details out of the way: when the race starts, and how to live stream the race.
Then delve right into the significance and crazy history of the New York City Marathon, from it's beginnings with just 127 runners (and only 55 finishers), running loops in Central Park.
We discuss the evolution of the event since its inception in 1970, and the unique challenges of the marathon course. The conversation highlights the marathon's cultural impact, the growth of participation, and the conditions runners can expect on race day. We describe the intricacies of the New York City Marathon course, discussing its challenges and notable landmarks.
We also break down the men's and women's elite fields, and our picks for who will win the New York City Marathon.
Follow our live updates from New York here on race day:
https://marathonhandbook.com/live-updates-the-2024-new-york-city-marathon/
NYC Marathon Race Day Schedule:
Sunday, Nov. 3
Hosts: Alex Cyr, Katelyn Tocci, Michael Doyle, Jessy Carveth
Thanks to our presenting partner, Wahoo. Check out our first look video of the Wahoo KICKR RUN:
https://youtu.be/-IrHrfjvzHU
Watch this episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/Xit1_8JfECg
Show Notes:
Everything You Need To Know About The 2024 New York City Marathon:
https://marathonhandbook.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-2024-new-york-city-marathon/
Here’s How To Get Into the 2025 NYC Marathon:
https://marathonhandbook.com/nyc-marathon-entry/
Jess McClain Is Out To Prove She’s More than An Alternate:
https://marathonhandbook.com/jess-mcclain-2024-nyc-marathon-interview/
Defending Champions Tamirat Tola And Hellen Obiri Headline Stacked Elite Fields For 2024 New York City Marathon:
https://marathonhandbook.com/2024-new-york-city-marathon-elite-field-list/
Our free marathon training plans:
https://marathonhandbook.com/trainingplans/marathon-training-plans/
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"I was going in with the mentality that I could medal even before we left. I just knew my fitness was at a different level. Yes, eighth is great and I'm happy about that, but I don't think my fitness really showed in this marathon. I think I have another level that I'm trying to bridge the gap to. But seeing them do so well, I was definitely thinking of it in the race. Kenneth was second, Grant was third, like I can go out here and medal… I know these guys, I run with these guys, I get my doors blown off by these guys, but I can go medal."
My guest for today's episode is Conner Mantz, who recently finished an impressive eighth place at the Paris Olympics Marathon with a time of 2:08:12.On a course that was as unforgiving as it was historic, Conner mixed it up with the best marathoners in the world, tackling the relentless hills and intense heat of Paris.
At mile 9, when Tamirat Tola, the eventual Olympic champion, made his first big move up one of the course’s steepest hill, Conner was right there and decided to go with him. It was a bold decision and the kind we've come to expect from Conner, who’s never been afraid to take risks in a race. Even though Tola’s second move eventually separated the field, Conner’s courage to hang with the lead pack for so long is a testament to his racing mindset.
Conner proved that he’s not just one of the top U.S. marathoners, but a true competitor on the world stage. The energy of the Parisian crowds, reflections on the work put in this training block, and the high-five he shared with Clayton right before the toughest part of the course are some of the highlights that he recounts in this episode. Plus, if you listened to our last episode, Clayton Young was bold enough to talk about going after the American record. Conner has similar thoughts!
Time Stamps:
4:49 - How Conner evaluated his success in the Olympic marathon.
5:37 - How he trained to prepare for the hilly marathon course.
9:57 - What cross training looked like while injured during his build.
15:42 - On having one of his most consistent builds yet post-injury.
19:28 - How he sized up his competition heading into the race.
29:49 - Watching Kenneth Rooks take silver in the steeplechase.
22:57 - Pre-race traditions.
27:58 - Breaking down his Olympic marathon experience.
31:45 - Mid-race high-five with Clayton Young.
35:23 - Details on the epic marathon course hill.
38:12 - The downhill portion following the epic hill.
44:45 - Reuniting with Clayton after the race + welcoming other finishers in.
47:46 - The support from his friends, family, and team.
52:17 - Setting his sights on the American record.
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Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Conner Mantz | @connermantz on Instagram
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"I've had this question asked once before, right after the Olympic Trials: What would you tell Clayton of four years ago, three years ago, two years ago? I had to think about it for a while and I kind of came to the conclusion that I would just give him a big hug and say, ‘Keep doing what you're doing,’ because I wouldn't want to rob him of all of the experience that he had to gain. The only reason that ninth place finisher Clayton Young – 2:08 on the Paris course – exists is because of what I had to go through the last four years. So I wouldn't want to rob him of those opportunities. There's no shortcut to this. While I wish that podium would have come sooner, I think there were valuable lessons that I had to learn that are going to continue to pay off for the next decade, whether that's in life or whether that's in sport.
That’s all I would really do: Just give Clayton of 2019 when he's suffering, or 2020 in the marathon, a big hug and say, ‘It will all work out. That's all you’ve got to know’. And I could honestly say it has…"
My guest for today's episode is Clayton Young, fresh off his strong performance at the Paris Olympics Marathon, where he finished in ninth place with a time of 2:08:44. Clayton, along with his teammate Conner Mantz, ran smart and fearlessly on a challenging course that was anything but easy. The race took place on a hot, hilly course yet it ended up being a fast day as Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola ended up breaking the Olympic record in 2:06:26.
At one point, right before tackling the steepest hill of the course, Clayton and Conner even shared a high-five again – which just continued to highlight the camaraderie and confidence the former BYU stars carried into this race. Clayton held his own, hanging back slightly but managing to rejoin the lead pack before the final push. Despite the brutal conditions, he found a second wind in the last 10K, surprising even himself with how strong he felt in those closing miles.
This kind of strategic racing is a testament to his growth as a marathoner, and it’s no surprise that he’s emerged as one of the top Americans. He takes us through the highs and lows of the training block, how he executed the race plan, how much he fed off the excitement of Team USA at the Games and much more.
Time Stamps:
5:22 - His reflections on the Paris Olympics marathon.
7:41 - The factors that led to the Olympic marathon being so fast.
10:42 - What his build looked like heading into the Olympics.
14:57 - What his and Conner Mantz’s race plans were for the marathon.
16:49 - Breaking down the last half of the race after the top pack broke away.
22:22 - What was going through his head during the massive hill on the marathon course.
24:27 - His thoughts on his competitors leading into the marathon.
26:51 - How he approached the downhill stretch after the epic marathon hill.
33:08 - The story of him and Elroy Gelant working together and pumping up the crowd.
35:27 - How his wife, Ashley, has been his biggest supporter.
38:10 - The pressure involved with documenting his buildup to the marathon.
42:23 - How he was able to feed off the energy of Team USA’s performances at the Olympics.
47:00 - What he would tell his younger self.
50:32 - Goals for his next marathon.
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Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Clayton Young | @_clayton_young_ on Instagram
HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST
💻 Visit CITIUSMAG.com | Our brand-new website hosts tons more podcasts, articles, videos and more. Track and field storytelling all in one place.
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Editors Alex Cyr and Michael Doyle jump into the studio for an emergency pod, right after the finish of the men's Olympic marathon in Paris on Saturday morning.
SPOILER ALERT: we talk about how the race played itself out, and who won.
Be sure to follow this pod feed for an instant reaction episode after the women's Olympic marathon as well, shortly after the race concludes on Sunday morning.
________
Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia was the big winner of this Olympic marathon, taking gold. We talk about his incredible race, the experience of watching the Paris Olympic marathon overall, as well as Eliud Kipchoge's shocking result and what this means for the GOAT's legacy long term.
The men's marathon podium in Paris:
🇪🇹 Tamirat Tola 🥇 2:06:26
🇧🇪 Bashir Abdi 🥈 2:06:47
🇰🇪 Benson Kipruto 🥉 2:07:00
Read our full recap of the 2024 Olympic marathon, plus full results, here:
https://marathonhandbook.com/2024-olympic-men-marathon/
Follow our live coverage of the track and marathons here:
https://marathonhandbook.com/live-updates-athletics-track-2024-paris-olympics/
Hosts: Alex Cyr, Michael Doyle
This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez.
Join more than 15,000 people who stay up-to-date with all the thrilling action and biggest stories in the world of track & field – delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday morning. Subscribe at http://thelapcount.com/
In this week's newsletter:
– USATF 5K Championship 🇺🇸
– Elise Cranny’s turn to say goodbye ⚡️
– New York, New York — Obiri, Obiri 🍎
– Put some respect on Tamirat’s name! ✍️
– Wrapping up the PanAm Games 🇨🇱
+ more rapid fire highlights from the past week
You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/no-pacers-no-problem
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In this special marathon day edition of Set the Pace, Rob and Meb interview 2023 TCS New York City Marathon champions Catherine Debrunner, Marcel Hug, Hellen Obiri and Tamirat Tola.
SPONSORS:
The episode is brought to you by New Balance, the official apparel and footwear of NYRR, and the TCS New York City Marathon. Head to newbalance.com to check out this year’s official TCS New York City Marathon collection – and for all you New Yorkers, come check out the collection in person or even take a pair of New Balance shoes for a Test Run at the NYRR RUNCenter.
Sign up for the Peloton App this October to try it for 60 days free, no strings attached. From strength and meditation to outdoor running and step-by-step gym plans, the Peloton App makes workouts and workout tracking simple and fun. No equipment needed. Find it in the Apple, Android, and Google App Stores. New paid memberships only. Offer ends October 31, 2023. Terms apply. Peloton—the official digital fitness partner for the TCS New York City Marathon.
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