Will Sumner
United States
Personal Bests
600 Metres
Millrose Games
1:14.04
2/8/2025
800 Metres
1:44.26
6/9/2023
600 Metres
1:15.32
1/21/2023
400 Metres
45.90
6/15/2022
200 Metres
21.74
3/11/2022
United States
600 Metres
Millrose Games
1:14.04
2/8/2025
800 Metres
1:44.26
6/9/2023
600 Metres
1:15.32
1/21/2023
400 Metres
45.90
6/15/2022
200 Metres
21.74
3/11/2022
Mid-distance star Will Sumner is back on the show after smashing the Millrose Games 600m record in February, clocking an impressive 1:14.04The former Georgia Bulldog, who attended Woodstock High School in Georgia, comes from a lineage of stand-out runners. Will's parents, Brad and Tosha, both ran collegiately in the 1990s–Brad at Villanova and Tosha at Georgia. Will's sister, Brynne, has run for Villanova and Clemson and specializes in the 800m and 1500m. In high school, Will ran the (current) fourth-fastest outdoor 800m with a time of 1:46.53. He was named Gatorade Georgia Track and Field Player of the Year in 2021. He has since lowered that to an eye-popping 1:44.26 in 2023 when he won the NCAA Championships in June of that year as a freshman. Will then went on to compete in the stacked 800m field at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Oregon and finished fifth with a time of 1:47.41.Will has a gold medal to his name, competing as part of the winning 4x400m team at the 2023 U23 NACAC Championships in Costa Rica. After an accomplished year with UGA, Will decided to turn pro in 2023, signing with Adidas. Will has current PRs ofWhile the USA 800m scene is chock full of all-time greats, Will is primed to be in the mix for years to come.Will's career PRs include 21.55 in the 200m, 45.78 in the 400m, 1:14.04 in the 600m and 1:44.26 in the 800m.In today's conversation, Will takes me through his setbacks and challenges in 2024, insights from them, how to overcome your own challenges, what his training is looking like these days, his goals for 2025, and his Hot Wheels collection. Tap into the Will Sumner 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. 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!
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
“When I was running the race, I really didn’t have a time in mind. I knew when I crossed that line that it was going to be a decent time…When I looked at the time, that was not what I was expecting to see there. That was pretty surreal. I’m super, super grateful.”
Texas A&M junior Sam Whitmarsh popped onto our radar with a 1:44.46 at LSU’s Battle on the Bayou meet on March 30th, which moved him to No. 7 on the all-time collegiate list.
When we put the call out on the CITIUS MAG team for bold predictions for the 2024 season, Kyle Merber predicted that Whitmarsh would make the U.S. Olympic 800m team. Only U.S. champion and World Indoor champion Bryce Hoppel and 2023 NCAA champion Will Sumner ran faster than 1:44.46.
The reason that people may not be as familiar with Whitmarsh is that his 2022 season was cut short as a freshman because he was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome – a heart condition that leads to periods of rapid heart rate. In 2023, he was the SEC Championship runner-up and then only reached the NCAA West Regional in the 800m. This past indoor season, he missed qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships by 0.01 sec.
It feels like at every U.S. Olympic Trials or U.S. Championships there’s a rising star out of the NCAA who can shake things up. Whitmarsh is looking like he could be that guy in 2024.
Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Host: Sam Whitmarsh | @samwhitmarsh on Instagram
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Today on the podcast is who I would consider "The Godfather" of NCAA Coaches, Coach Patrick 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.
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 episode, Coach Henner goes through his career, both coaching and his personal running journey, discusses lessons from each coaching job, principles of good coaching, what it takes to be excellent in the sport of running, and so much more. This conversation is filled to the brim with wisdom, and I'm beyond confident you'll walk away from this one with some newfound knowledge.
Tap into the Coach Patrick Henner Special.
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
-2Before: Code: "THERUNNINGEFFECT30" for 30% off: https://2before.com/
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
Today on the podcast is NCAA Champion & Professional Runner for Adidas, Will Sumner!
Will recently competed at the 2023 USATF Track & Field Championships in the 800m a few weeks after winning his first NCAA title in Austin, Texas, where he ran a school record of 1:46.00 in the semifinal round and then a 1:44.26 to collect Georgia's first NCAA outdoor 800m title. This past weekend he placed fifth in the 800m at the US Championships.
In high school, Will left an indelible mark in the world of track and field. He dominated the 400m event, winning the GHSA 7A state title as a junior, and also set a state record of 45.78 seconds. Additionally, his versatility went through in the 800m category, where he held impressive all-time U.S. indoor and outdoor rankings.
In this conversation, Will goes deep into his story, journey, and the incredible past year of results. Through Will's story and dedication, you will be inspired to chase after those goals you once thought to be impossible.
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 30% OFF YOUR 2BEFORE ORDER WITH CODE "therunningeffect30": 2before.com
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en