The CITIUS MAG Podcast | A Running + Track and Field Show

Chris Chavez and Paul Hof-Mahoney share an event-by-event preview of the 2025 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships set for this weekend in Virginia Beach. Tune in for our thoughts, predictions, and insights on individual and team title contenders, rising stars to watch, and unexpected qualifiers and scratches who could shake things up. 

Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram & Paul Hof-Mahoney | @phofmahoney on Instagram

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KETONE-IQ: Level up your training with Ketone-IQ – a clean shot of energy with no sugar or caffeine. Or try the new Ketone-IQ + Caffeine, combining 5g of ketones with 100mg of green tea caffeine for a smooth, sustained boost. It’s used by pro runners like Des Linden and Sara Hall. Proven to enhance endurance, focus, and recovery, ketones are 28% more efficient than glucose. No crashes, no bonking—just next-level performance. Take the shot. Feel the difference. Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six pack of Ketone-IQ with KETONE.com/CITIUS.

RUNNA: Runna is the #1 rated personalized running app designed to help you crush your goals no matter the distance. Runna is trusted by hundreds of thousands of runners around the world and makes expert coaching accessible with personalized training plans that fit every goal, fitness level, and schedule. Whether it's someone's first 5K or it's someone chasing a marathon PB, they are here to help runners train smarter, stronger, and love every step of the way. Sign up for Runna today and get your first two weeks free using the code CITIUS.

OLIPOP: Big name sodas are rolling out bold new flavors in 2025, but the real buzz is happening in the prebiotic pop aisle. If you haven't already jumped on the Olipop train yet, now's the time. BuzzFeed just came out with an article that recently named Olipop the best overall soda for flavor — and with a lineup that includes classic root beer, vintage cola and cherry vanilla, it's easy to see why. Try Olipop today and save 25% on your order using code CITIUS25 at checkout at DrinkOlipop.com.

"I think that it has gotten to a point where we've taken the racing out of racing. We've taken the sport and turned it into something else. Track is about racing. You have eight athletes on the track for a reason. You award a champion or award a winner of the race for a reason: because they outperformed everyone else. And that's not easy. That's one of my fears: that people will start to think that it's easy, because the winner is not really being highlighted for having won. They're being highlighted for having run a personal best. 

Ultimately, if you're not careful, you end up with this deconstructed competition where it's not about the athletes in the race… We're very excited about what we're bringing...I can't wait. That's what you want. One of the things that's funny to me is when I see people in the track world on social media talking about fantasy matchups. It’s like: We have the real fantasy over here. It's real. It's not fantasy. It's actually happening."

The countdown is on. We are just one month away from the launch of Grand Slam Track, a bold new league that promises to shake up the sport of track and field—and today, we’re talking to the man behind it all, Michael Johnson.

We’ve done multiple episodes with MJ as a four-time Olympic champion, world record holder and one of the most respected voices in the sport. If you haven’t listened to those, I suggest you go back and do so. Our 2022 CITIUS MAG Live at Worlds interview with him is one of the best big picture conversations we’ve done on the state of the sport.

 Johnson has spent years analyzing what’s missing in professional track. His solution? A structured, high-stakes, athlete-driven competition that puts rivalries, personalities, and pure racing at the forefront.

With 48 signed Racers, a multi-platform media deal, and a $30 million investment, Grand Slam Track is designed to change how the sport operates, creating a true professional league that’s built to last.

Today, we dive into:

• How the league is strategically structuring itself to maximize the talent track 

• What success really looks like in Year 1 from a business standpoint

• Inside the TV deal and how it came together

• The lessons from other sports (even WWE) that can help track engage more fans

• And more on what to expect when the first meet kicks off in Kingston

Michael Johnson isn’t here to wait for change—he’s making it happen. Let’s get into it.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

KETONE-IQ: Level up your training with Ketone-IQ – a clean shot of energy with no sugar or caffeine. Or try the new Ketone-IQ + Caffeine, combining 5g of ketones with 100mg of green tea caffeine for a smooth, sustained boost. It’s used by pro runners like Des Linden and Sara Hall. Proven to enhance endurance, focus, and recovery, ketones are 28% more efficient than glucose. No crashes, no bonking—just next-level performance. Take the shot. Feel the difference. Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six pack of Ketone-IQ with KETONE.com/CITIUS.

RUNNA: Runna is the #1 rated personalized running app designed to help you crush your goals no matter the distance. Runna is trusted by hundreds of thousands of runners around the world and makes expert coaching accessible with personalized training plans that fit every goal, fitness level, and schedule. Whether it's someone's first 5K or it's someone chasing a marathon PB, they are here to help runners train smarter, stronger, and love every step of the way. Sign up for Runna today and get your first two weeks free using the code CITIUS.

OLIPOP: BuzzFeed just came out with an article that recently named Olipop the best overall soda for flavor — and with a lineup that includes classic root beer, vintage cola and cherry vanilla, it's easy to see why. Try Olipop today and save 25% on your order using code CITIUS25 at checkout at DrinkOlipop.com.

Picture this: you are a marathon runner – but not just any marathon runner. You've got a personal best under 2:45. You're a Stanford grad with a background in computer science and design. Instead of heading off to business school, you decide to start a company – one that's rethinking human metabolism from the ground up. 

That is the story of Michael Brandt. He's the CEO and co-founder of Ketone-IQ, a company pioneering the future of metabolic health. Their flagship product, Ketone-IQ isn't just a supplement – it's an entirely new category of fuel. In just a few short years, it's taken off. It gained traction with elite athletes, high powered execs, and even the U.S. Department of Defense, which awarded the company – then known as HVMN – a $6 million contract to study how ketones can optimize soldier performance.

But Michael's story isn't just about biochemistry and business strategy; it's about thinking differently about seeing opportunity where others see obstacles. It's about choosing to put yourself out there even when it feels uncomfortable and about the unexpected connection between running a business and running a marathon, from testing the limits of human performance to building a multi-million dollar company. In a brand new category, Michael Brandt is a founder who's always running fast and thinking ahead with Ketone-IQ.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram 

Guest: Michael Brandt | @michaeldbrandt on Instagram 

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

KETONE-IQ: Level up your training with Ketone-IQ – a clean shot of energy with no sugar or caffeine. Or try the new Ketone-IQ + Caffeine, combining 5g of ketones with 100mg of green tea caffeine for a smooth, sustained boost. It’s used by pro runners like Des Linden and Sara Hall. Proven to enhance endurance, focus, and recovery, ketones are 28% more efficient than glucose. No crashes, no bonking—just next-level performance. Take the shot. Feel the difference. Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six pack of Ketone-IQ with KETONE.com/CITIUS.

RUNNA: Runna is the #1 rated personalized running app designed to help you crush your goals no matter the distance. Runna is trusted by hundreds of thousands of runners around the world and makes expert coaching accessible with personalized training plans that fit every goal, fitness level, and schedule. Whether it's someone's first 5K or it's someone chasing a marathon PB, they are here to help runners train smarter, stronger, and love every step of the way. Sign up for Runna today and get your first two weeks free using the code CITIUS.

OLIPOP: Big name sodas are rolling out bold new flavors in 2025, but the real buzz is happening in the prebiotic pop aisle. If you haven't already jumped on the Olipop train yet, now's the time. BuzzFeed just came out with an article that recently named Olipop the best overall soda for flavor — and with a lineup that includes classic root beer, vintage cola and cherry vanilla, it's easy to see why. Try Olipop today and save 25% on your order using code CITIUS25 at checkout at DrinkOlipop.com.

“You can't be someone who shies away from sticking your neck out. I tell our guys: ‘We are trying to win.’ I'll say it publicly. I will say it to anybody. Maybe that puts pressure on us. But life is pressure. Athletics is practice for life. You need to figure out how to handle pressure, how to handle stress, how to handle others’ expectations, your own expectations, and manage it”.

We continue with our office hours episodes as I sit down with Coach Dave Smith, one of the most accomplished coaches in NCAA cross country history and the architect behind Oklahoma State's dominance. Since taking the helm in Stillwater, Coach Smith has built a powerhouse program leading Oklahoma State to four NCAA men's cross country titles and a Big 12 record of 13 conference championships. He guided the Cowboys to a historic team performance at the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championship, scoring just 49 points, the third lowest winning total since 2000.

Coach Smith’s accolades don't stop there. He's a four-time National Coach of the Year, a Team USA coach on the world stage, and a leader of a program that has consistently produced NCAA champions, All-Americans, and world-class athletes like German Fernandez, Taylor Roe, Alex Maier, and Sinclaire Johnson.

In today's episode, we dive into his journey from athlete to coach, how he's cultivated a championship driven environment at Oklahoma State, what's next for his program, his athletes, and his take on the future of distance running in the NCAA and beyond.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram 

Guest: Dave Smith | @coach_dave_smith on Instagram 

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

OLIPOP: Big name sodas are rolling out bold new flavors in 2025, but the real buzz is happening in the prebiotic pop aisle. If you haven't already jumped on the Olipop train yet, now's the time. BuzzFeed just came out with an article that recently named Olipop the best overall soda for flavor — and with a lineup that includes classic root beer, vintage cola and cherry vanilla, it's easy to see why. Try Olipop today and save 25% on your order using code CITIUS25 at checkout at DrinkOlipop.com.

KETONE-IQ: Level up your training with Ketone-IQ – a clean shot of energy with no sugar or caffeine. Or try the new Ketone-IQ + Caffeine, combining 5g of ketones with 100mg of green tea caffeine for a smooth, sustained boost. It’s used by pro runners like Des Linden and Sara Hall. Proven to enhance endurance, focus, and recovery, ketones are 28% more efficient than glucose. No crashes, no bonking—just next-level performance. Take the shot. Feel the difference. Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six pack of Ketone-IQ with KETONE.com/CITIUS.

RUNNA: Runna is the #1 rated personalized running app designed to help you crush your goals no matter the distance. Runna is trusted by hundreds of thousands of runners around the world and makes expert coaching accessible with personalized training plans that fit every goal, fitness level, and schedule. Whether it's someone's first 5K or it's someone chasing a marathon PB, they are here to help runners train smarter, stronger, and love every step of the way. Sign up for Runna today and get your first two weeks free using the code CITIUS.

“I remember during the race just never looking back. I was like, ‘It doesn't matter. What I need to be focused on is what's in front of me. I remember in the last 50 meters I turned back to check and make sure like, ‘Wait, is this right?’... To come away with the win – that was just never on my radar.”

Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Taylor Roe, the newly crowned USATF Half Marathon Champion and one of the most exciting young talents in American distance running. Just a week ago, Taylor took on frigid temps, biting winds, and a stacked field in Atlanta—and walked away with her first national title, a massive personal best of 1:07:22, and a spot on Team USA for the World Road Running Championships in September.

Her victory was anything but easy. She chased down national record holder Weini Kelati, battled back and forth with Emma Grace Hurley, and ultimately showed the strength and confidence that has defined her rise from NCAA champion at Oklahoma State to a force on the roads with Puma Elite.

In today’s episode, Taylor takes us inside her winning race strategy, the training that’s propelled her to a new level, and how training alongside Fiona O’Keeffe and the Puma Elite squad has changed her approach. Plus, we talk about her transition from the track to the roads, what’s next for her in 2025, and whether she’s ready for another half marathon.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram 

Guest: Taylor Roe | @taylor.roe_ on Instagram

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

OLIPOP: Big name sodas are rolling out bold new flavors in 2025, but the real buzz is happening in the prebiotic pop aisle. If you haven't already jumped on the Olipop train yet, now's the time. BuzzFeed just came out with an article that recently named Olipop the best overall soda for flavor — and with a lineup that includes classic root beer, vintage cola and cherry vanilla, it's easy to see why. Try Olipop today and save 25% on your order using code CITIUS25 at checkout at DrinkOlipop.com.

KETONE-IQ: Level up your training with Ketone-IQ – a clean shot of energy with no sugar or caffeine. Or try the new Ketone-IQ + Caffeine, combining 5g of ketones with 100mg of green tea caffeine for a smooth, sustained boost. It’s used by pro runners like Des Linden and Sara Hall. Proven to enhance endurance, focus, and recovery, ketones are 28% more efficient than glucose. No crashes, no bonking—just next-level performance. Take the shot. Feel the difference. Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six pack of Ketone-IQ with KETONE.com/CITIUS.

RUNNA: Runna is the #1 rated personalized running app designed to help you crush your goals no matter the distance. Runna is trusted by hundreds of thousands of runners around the world and makes expert coaching accessible with personalized training plans that fit every goal, fitness level, and schedule. Whether it's someone's first 5K or it's someone chasing a marathon PB, they are here to help runners train smarter, stronger, and love every step of the way. Sign up for Runna today and get your first two weeks free using the code CITIUS.