The Forecast For August Is HOT ⏱️

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Compiled by David Melly and Paul Snyder

Where Do We Go From Here? 🗓️

Does USAs feel like it was a million years ago already?

Time moves quickly during track and field summers. They’re still mopping up two-week-old beer off the floors of the Wild Duck, but the sporting world outside Eugene has turned its eyes eastward, to Europe, or even started to look beyond the horizon and the International Date Line to Tokyo.

The six-ish weeks between national and World championships each year is a weird time to be a fan. In some ways, it’s a lot like this same exact period in time in Major League Baseball: the very best and the very worst teams have more or less solidified their fates, but a lot can still change in the middle of the pack. Fellow Angelino Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is a lot like the Dodgers: untouchably good, and likely to stay that way no matter what happens, and it would be mean to call out any specific Colorado resident by name, but the track equivalent of the Rockies would be something like barely squeaking into USAs then flaming out in the first round.

Then there’s the in-betweeners, and now is a very fun time to keep an eye on them. Luis Grijalva’s two-month turnaround from 13:27 in June to 13:17 in July to 12:58.58 last weekend in Oordegem, Belgium, is a lot like the 2025 Red Sox—surprising everyone by salvaging an exceedingly mid start to the season with a huge playoff run. And we’re all hoping that Julien Alfred’s withdrawal from the next few Diamond Leagues isn’t a sign she’s headed the way of this year’s Yankees.

The two reigning World 100m champions may be the most intriguing athletes in the whole sport to follow this month. Sha’Carri Richardson ran season’s bests in the 100m and 200m at USAs, but she still isn’t back to her top form after picking up an unspecified injury in February and we’re not exactly sure what her racing plans are moving forward. At this point, the fact that she’s even entered in Silesia is a great sign—although she’ll have her work cut out for her with Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and the Clayton twins of Jamaica entered.

Noah Lyles, on the other hand, also had a quiet start to the year but seems determined to race his way back to the top. First, he silenced the doubters (and riled up a lot of conversation) in the 200m at USAs. You may have completely forgotten the race itself given everything that happened afterward, but Lyles did win his fifth U.S. title in the event in a world-leading 19.63, beating the guy who hadn’t lost an open race all season. And now he and Kenny Bednarek are matching back up, this time over 100m, just 13 days later in Silesia… in a race that ALSO features world leader Kishane Thompson and four of the top five finishers from USAs. Everyone in your office may be taking overlapping vacations this month, but these guys are all showing up to work like it’s the World final.

Speaking of racing into fitness, Silesia will also feature the long-awaited return of Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, albeit in a non-Diamond League event. Also on the pre-TV part of the program (ugh) is Olympic 110m hurdles champ Grant Holloway, who’s been very clearly not his usual dominant self. Despite skipping the final at USAs (which he’s done several times in the past while fully healthy), Holloway deserves a LOT of credit this year for his willingness to compete in the public eye at diminished capacity rather than disappearing from the circuit. And making her return to the DL circuit is Shericka Jackson, who’s only raced once (outside a relay) since the Jamaican championships. It’s not often that Jackson, the second fastest woman of all time over 200m, toes the start line ranked seventh by season’s best, but that’s the situation she finds herself in. Jackson is in a much better position than she was in her last DL, however, as she did clock a 10.88 100m in Kingston in between.

At the other end of the racing spectrum are Beatrice Chebet (running the 1500m) and Faith Kipyegon (running the 3000m). Chebet is the Olympic champion over 5000m and Kipyegon is the World champion, and these two running off-distances at the same meet feels less like baseball and more like boxers circling each other in the ring. Chebet is bound to shatter her 4:06.09 PB, but she has historically been seen as more of a strength-based runner, so if she handily dispatches Gudaf Tsegay here like she did at the Pre Classic, Kipyegon should be nervous. Kipyegon, on the other hand, will surely shave a huge chunk off her PB of 8:23.55, and everyone will be looking to see how close she gets to Chebet’s 8:11.56 world lead.

Last, but certainly not least, everyone’s favorite part of the post-USAs racing period: the revenge tour. The men’s 1500m in Silesia features three runners who are likely steamed after getting beaten up by a bunch of youngsters at USAs: Josh Hoey (fourth in the 800m), Hobbs Kessler (fourth in the 1500m), and Yared Nuguse (fifth in the 1500m). Don’t be surprised to see one or more of these guys channeling his rage into absolutely cooking the likes of Timothy Cheruiyot, Abel Kipsang, and Narve Nordas. But it won’t just be for bragging rights: while Hoey is more likely to pursue a Diamond League wild card to Tokyo in the 800m final, Nuguse and Kessler need the next few races to break their way to have a shot at competing in Zurich. Nuguse is currently tenth in the 1500m standings, and he should be good to go if he racks up a few more points for safety. But Kessler would need to both race and place well in Silesia and Brussels on August 22nd just to have a shot at making the final, so the stakes here are sky-high.

Regardless of whether you’re tracking your faves’ redemption arc or trying to size up their true medal potential, the stretch of racing between national championships and Worlds is anything but boring. Not everything can change at this point in the season, but a lot still can—but with the playoffs just around the corner, the opportunities to turn things around shrink with each passing day.

A Brief Trip Down 1500m Memory Lane 🤓

To the best of our knowledge, Cooper Lutkenhaus was the first guest in CITIUS MAG Podcast history to call Chris Chavez “sir.” The high schooler from Fort Worth, Texas, was clearly raised with impeccable manners, but it was still amusing to hear him address our 32-year-old boss with such respect.

But the “sir” interjections were also a striking reminder of the generational gap between the sport’s up-and-coming stars and many, if not most, of its fans. This reality was stressed again when Lutkenhaus couldn’t remember the name of fellow Texas legend and all-time great middle-distance runner Leo Manzano. Lutkenhaus was all of three years old when Manzano won his silver medal in London, so it’s understandable he might be foggy on the history.

But it got us thinking: Is the career of Leo Manzano—Olympic silver medalist, 2 x U.S. champ, 4x NCAA champ, London Diamond League winner, and owner of a 3:30.98 1500m PB… pre-super shoes!— ancient history now? Is Matthew Centrowitz’s Olympic gold in 2016?

Well… basically, yeah. But that doesn’t mean ancient history can’t be cool! Covering the entire scope of 1500m specialists in the U.S. prior to the Rio Olympics would take up too much space, even with Lap Count’s middle-distance bias, so we’ll focus on the track record of Team USA in the 21st century so far.

When compared to the high water mark that is the state of the event today—the reigning Olympic 1500m gold and bronze medalists are both American… c’mon now—the early 2000s have a more complicated legacy. There were several World Championships at the turn of the millennium where the U.S. was unable to send three men and women in the 1500m as the qualification standard occasionally proved elusive. But that doesn’t mean it was the dark ages.

Regina Jacobs was the most internationally competitive American in the 1500m/mile throughout the 1990s, taking home two World Championship silver medals in that decade. She won every U.S. 1500m title from 2000 to 2002, but in 2003 she tested positive for THG—the performance-enhancing drug made world famous as a result of the BALCO doping scandal—and promptly retired from the sport when she was handed a four-year ban. Okay… maybe not the best example.

Meanwhile, percolating up through the high school ranks was a promising young Virginian named Alan Webb. It’s impossible to overstate how big of a deal Webb’s ascendance was to American track and field. In 2001 he became the first American high schooler to break four minutes for the mile indoors, then that summer set the still-intact high school record of 3:53.43 at the Prefontaine Classic. Webb breaking Jim Ryun’s record was a broadly recognized cultural event—he even yucked it up with David Letterman! Webb turned pro after one year of collegiate running at Michigan, and made his first U.S. team for the 2004 Olympics. As a professional, Webb’s career highlight was undoubtedly breaking the American mile record—3:46.91—in 2007, which he held until Yared Nuguse ran faster in 2023. Yet global medals… heck, sometimes even global finals still proved elusive. 

That changed with the next wave of American 1500m talent that began to crest around 2006. A converted steeplechaser, a handful of collegiate wunderkinds, and a Kenyan-born superstar were about to turn the state of the event on its head.

Bernard Lagat still holds the Kenyan national 1500m record—3:26.34. While representing his native Kenya, he earned Olympic bronze and silver and World Championship silver. That’s all stuff that belongs on the headstone of a completed career. But Lagat wasn’t finished, and in 2004, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen. The exact timeline of his switch from Kenyan to American allegiance is complicated, but regardless, he first represented the U.S. internationally in 2007, and promptly struck World gold in both the 1500m and 5000m. He was also the bronze medalist at the 2009 World Championships in the 1500m, and depending on who you ask, still holds the American 1500m record. He remained a medal threat at the international level into the 2010s, albeit over 5000m, taking silver in the event at the 2011 World Championships. Younger readers might know Lagat best as the person who put every U.S. masters record perpetually out of reach, but beyond that, he is probably the best American miler ever.

However, the Lagat Years were not a one-man show. We’ve already broached the topic of Leo Manzano, but let’s reiterate here that his crowning career achievement was one of the most incredible moments in American track and field history. When Manzano kicked down all but one person in the field at the 2012 1500m Olympic final, he claimed the first American medal in the men’s event since 1968.

At that same Olympics, Shannon Rowbury finished sixth. A great result for the 2009 World Championship bronze medalist. However, history—and drug testing—would vindicate Rowbury further, as that race would come to be known as one of the dirtiest ever contested. Six of the top nine finishers have at one point or another failed a drug test. Long, sad story short, Rowbury is now considered the third-place finisher from that race, making her a two-time global medalist.

Rowbury’s prime years overlapped with Jenny Simpson’s, meaning from a strictly “how many global medal threats does the country possess in this event?” standpoint, the 2010s were likely the best years for the women’s 1500m in national history. Simpson, despite being the first NCAA athlete to break the four-minute barrier in 2009, stuck with the steeplechase for a bit and didn’t rep the U.S. in the 1500m on the world stage until 2011, when her decision to switch events looked like a genius move because she won World Championship gold. She again medaled at Worlds in 2013, grabbing silver, kept the U.S.’s Olympic bronze in the 1500m streak alive in 2016, and—though outside of this exercise’s stated range of years—secured another World silver for good measure in 2017.

Then of course, our trip down recent-ish memory lane wouldn’t be complete without a dedicated paragraph to Centro, who we’ve also already mentioned. To new fans of all ages reading this, he was the man who won Olympic 1500m gold eight years before Cole Hocker did—the subject of a YouTube video coaches might show their milers to teach racing tactics. When Manzano was sprinting down the homestretch to secure silver, Centrowitz was a few clicks back, closing hard, but ultimately settling for fourth by a margin of just 0.04 seconds. Look, you win Olympic gold, you’re bound to be remembered. But if he’d retired with two Olympic medals on your mantle, Centro would be permanently entered in any future G.O.A.T. discussions.

What’s the point of all this, other than a history lesson for recent subscribers and/or Tokyo-bound high schoolers? Perhaps it’s that track and field is a sport that changes very quickly, but that it’s also a sport built for comparing the present to the past. Records get broken and legends retire. Times that were once mythical become commonplace. But to really understand the greatness in front of us now, every once in a while we’ve gotta retreat back into the realm of nostalgia to remember how we got here.

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A Beginner’s Guide To Running On Vacation ☀️

You’ve been putting in the work this summer. Whether it’s leveling up for this fall’s cross country season, training for your next marathon, or staying sharp for a bonus track PB, you’ve been LOCKED TF IN through the hardest part of the year to train.

For weeks now, you’ve been waking up at 6am to beat the heat, diligently logging your post-run strides in the sticky humidity, and doubling down on abs to get a beach body improve your running form. You’ve got a medically concerning watch tanline, a hamper full of sweaty socks, and a Strava full of high mileage… and it could all be RUINED by one poorly-timed summer vacation.

We’ve all been there. We humans are fallible creatures of routine, and hitting daily doubles plus strengthwork comes a lot easier when you’re living your normal day-to-day life than it does in a short-term rental where the shower is funky and you forgot to pack your heart rate monitor. Countless neurotics summer warriors have found themselves in a panic when a few days away with friends and family threatened to derail an entire two-month training block.

Now, we could give you a measured, calming pep talk to remind you that one down week of training does not suddenly cause your accumulated fitness to evaporate. We could even remind you that, for many if not most hardcore distance runners, you’re probably closer to overtraining right now and this is just what your body needs. But alas, those rational arguments will surely fall on deaf ears because, let’s be real, here you are reading a running newsletter.

So instead, let’s meet in the middle and share some accumulated wisdom about how to train properly while on vacation.

Tip #1: Getting it done is better than getting it right.

It’s time to temporarily change the way you measure success. For one short week, let’s abandon silly questions like “Did I hit my mileage target?” or “how much time did I spend in Zone 2?” and instead embrace gentler, more forgiving metrics like “Did I run today?” or “Did I hydrate with anything besides White Claw?” In general, making the perfect the enemy of the good is never a recipe for success, and the key to enjoying your vacation while staying sane is shifting the goalposts a bit. If you laced up your running shoes and plodded around a little, you’re probably doing fine.

Tip #2: When traveling, workout splits don’t count.

Home versus away workouts are rarely an apples to apples comparison. Sure, you can easily lock into 70-second 400s on your neighborhood track and progress down to six-minute miles on your favorite long run route, but all of a sudden, you’re in unfamiliar territory. No one runs their best when they’re hopping a fence onto a run-down, 350-meter rectangle or dodging trucks on hilly country roads after six hours of laying in the sun… so don’t be surprised when your watch tells you you’re suddenly way off pace. Your VO₂ max didn’t crater in three days; you’re just in the middle of Jimmy Buffett’s version of an altitude camp.

Tip #3: Don’t be afraid to tweak your schedule.

SUNDAY IS LONG RUN DAY… until it isn’t. Pretty much any two-to-six day trip can be carefully orchestrated so you only have to do one hard effort, max. Your body won’t know the difference if your workout happens on Wednesday instead of Tuesday or you get your long run out of the way Friday morning. And then your vacation training seems more palatable when you can tell yourself “well, it’s only an easy run.” 

Tip #4: Peer pressure can be used for good.

No one likes the “hey, what if we went to bed early tonight then woke up early and got a run in?” guy… until they actually get their atrophying butt out of bed, breathe in the fresh mountain/lake/ocean air, and start the day with an endorphin rush. This works best when you—the tightly wound runner in peak training—downshift your expectations from a heart rate perspective. Don’t half-step your aunt. Certainly don’t launch into an off-the-cuff fartlek. Your high school buddy who occasionally plays rec soccer? They’ll appreciate it more if your short exploratory jog involves periodic stops to take in the scenery. Play it right, and your fellow vacationers might even thank you for inviting them to exercise, and you’ll seem slightly less crazy for doing it yourself. 

Tip #5: Take a chill pill.

At the end of the day, the type-A distance-runner urge to not relax when you’re relaxing is omnipresent, but you can conquer it! Fight the urge to get up from your towel and start doing A-skips in the sand. Tell yourself recovery is training every morning in the mirror until it sinks in. Arm yourself with non-running conversational fodder by breezing through a trashy beach read. 

It’s not realistically possible to win or lose a championship in a four-day span in August base-building. But developing a deserved and lifelong reputation as the extremely weird and annoying cousin/girlfriend/brother-in-law is shockingly easy! We hope you’re reading this from somewhere warm and sunny, and remember: you’re going to be just fine. Enjoy your time off!

More News From The Track And Field World 📰

– The big news out of the Istvan Gyulai Memorial meet in Budapest, Hungary, was Mondo Duplantis breaking the pole vault world record for an incredible 13th time, leaping 6.29 meters on his second attempt. Other highlights included a big Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith win in the 100m with a 10.97 over Tina Clayton, Shericka Jackson, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a huge 19.69 200m PB by Jamaican Bryan Levell, and a world-leading 83.18m hammer throw victory by hometown hero Bence Halasz.

– NACAC start lists are out, ahead of the meet beginning on Friday. Though not nearly as competitive as certain other regional championships, there’s still lots to care about if you’re locked into the post-USAs rankings conversation. Taylor Roe is in the 10,000m, a four woman race without much in the way of competition, and will look to shore up her ranking. Drew Hunter is in the 5000m to do the same—in the event Nico Young or Grant Fisher qualifies for then wins the DL final, Hunter could see himself on the team. Dan Michalski also needs to improve his ranking or nab the standard to ensure he’s on the team; Kenneth Rooks (his training partner) is in the race, and ought to help out the cause.

– Cooper Lutkenhaus isn’t the only record-setting teenager around: 19-year-old Polish decathlete Hubert Troscianka broke the U20 world record in the decathlon at the European U20 championships, scoring 8,514 points to claim the gold. Other notable performances included Brit Innes FitzGerald’s 15:09.04 5000m/8:46.39 3000m double victory and a nutso 800m final with shoving matches, passes on the infield, falls, and what initially looked like a GB sweep until William Rabjohns was disqualified after crossing the finish line first.

– Her heart will go ON and ON! NCAA record-holder and World Championship qualifier Doris Lemngole has signed with On. Unlike Jack and Rose, Lemngole has shown she can pretty much walk on water in the steeplechase.

– In more collegians-entering-the-workforce news, the Brooks Beasts have signed NCAA 800m champion Sam Whitmarsh and 15:05 5000m runner Chloe Scrimgeour.

– Aussie Ky Robinson took top honors at the Sir Walter Miler (3:50.80) in Raleigh in meet and state record time. North Carolina based Gracie Morris won the women’s race in a PB of 4:23.74.

– The very next day, Morris doubled back and won the Guardian Mile in Cleveland, going 4:30. Brandon Kidder won the men’s race in 3:57, out-dueling Gracie Morris’s twin brother, Graydon Morris, who finished second.

– Jasmine Camacho-Quinn shared that she’s been dealing with foot injury, and if she does make it to Tokyo, it won’t be in top form. That’s a bummer because JCQ, the Tokyo Olympic champion in the 100m hurdles, has been on the podium of the last four straight global championships.

– Remember Yulimar Rojas? The world’s greatest triple jumper hasn’t competed since 2023 after undergoing Achilles surgery last year, but she’s still planning on defending her title in Tokyo. Rojas was initially slated to return to competition in Spain Friday, but seems to have indicated she’s holding off for the moment.

– Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s road back to full strength appears to have faced some speedbumps—he has withdrawn from the next two Diamond League meetings, Silesia and Brussels.

– Fred Kerley’s rough 2025 continues. The 2022 World 100m champion was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit Tuesday for whereabouts violations. His lawyer released a statement indicating Kerley’s intent to appeal the decision.

– Time for a marathon debut, eh? Canadian Olympian and 61:00 half marathoner Ben Flanagan announced he’s making his debut over 26.2 at the 2025 Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 19.

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