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

“[It’s about] expecting each other to perform to a certain level, holding each other to a certain level, and just love. High expectations, high love — that’s what coach always says. That’s something we do a good job with. You can’t have one without the other. Our team is definitely built on love and gratitude and we always push ourselves to be our best.” 
Riley Chamberlain joins us fresh off one of the biggest performances of the NCAA season.
Just days ago in Boston, Riley ran 4:20.61 for the mile, breaking the NCAA record in a race that perfectly captured where collegiate women’s distance running is right now—stacked fields, fearless pacing, and a generation that keeps pushing the event forward.
But talk to Riley, and she’ll be the first to tell you she’s not interested in chasing times. With championship season around the corner, her focus has already shifted to racing, competing, and figuring out how to win when the pacers step off and it’s just athletes battling athletes.
In this conversation, we talk about the steady progression that led to this breakthrough, how cross country laid the strength foundation for her range from the 800m all the way to the 5K, and the training dynamic at BYU—where working alongside teammates like Jane Hedengren means getting pushed every single day. She reflects on the program’s culture of what they call “high expectations, high love,” the lessons she’s carried from past teammates, and the mindset shift from hoping she belonged at the top level to knowing she does.
We also dig into the long view—how patience, development, and belief have shaped her career, why she sees championship racing as a completely different sport than time trials, and what she hopes to accomplish before closing out her collegiate chapter.
Riley Chamberlain is now an NCAA record holder. But as you’ll hear, she believes the most important races are still ahead.
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Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez
Guest: Riley Chamberlain | @riley_chamberlain04
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr
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SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
USATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.
OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop’s Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop’s flavors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia jump on the mics to react to 800m Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson clocking a 1:54.87 in the indoor 800m at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet in Liévin, France. The mark shattered Jolanda Ceplak’s 1:55.82 (2002) record by 0.95 seconds. It’s one of the largest world record improvements in the event’s history.
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Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Preet Majithia | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@preet_athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
____________
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
USATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.
OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop’s Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop’s flavors ⁠⁠⁠⁠at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and Preet Majithia analyze yet another packed weekend of results including:
– Cole Hocker ran 3:45.94 for the mile, an American Record and the No. 2 indoor mile ever, trailing only Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s 3:45.14.
– The 16-year-old phenom Sam Ruthe ran 3:52.46 in the same race.
– 17-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus ran 1:44.03 indoors, setting a World U20 Indoor Record and moving to No. 6 all-time indoors.
– Keely Hodgkinson opened her season with a1:56.3, the No. 3 indoor performance of all time. The world record is enjoying its final days.
– Elle St. Pierre ran 4:17.83 for the mile at Boston University, the fastest women’s mile in the world this year. Her 3:59.3 split at 1500m broke the American indoor record.
– Love him or hate him but Marco Langon is becoming must-watch.
– Weini Kelati ran 66:04 at the Barcelona Half Marathon, lowering her own American Record yet again.
– Jordan Anthony clocked 6.43 in the 60m, tying him for 9th all-time indoors.
– Khaleb McRae clocked 44.52 for 400m indoors, a time that: Equals Michael Norman’s American record performance. Ranks 2nd-fastest ever run indoors. Could become the official world record...if ratified.
– World 110m hurdles champion Cordell Tinch posted an 8.29m long jump PB at the Tyson Invitational.
– Noah Lyles clocked 20.56 for 200m indoors at the Tyson Invitational, a personal best and his first indoor 200m race in five years. Says Fayetteville is one of his top 5 favorite crowds he ever raced in front of.
– Elaine Thompson-Herah returned with 7.24s 60m.
– USATF confirmed the 2026 Outdoor & Para National Championships will be held at Icahn Stadium in New York City.
– Bonus: Random Winter Olympics talk.
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Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Preet Majithia | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@preet_athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Kyle Merber | ⁠@kylemerber⁠
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
____________
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
USATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. ⁠⁠⁠Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets ⁠⁠⁠and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.
OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop’s Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop’s flavors ⁠⁠⁠at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

This week in track and field, Chris Chavez, Preet Majithia, and Kyle Merber unpack:
– Femke Bol’s highly anticipated 800m debut, which delivered a 1:59.07, which is the fastest debut in history and sparked debate about upside, expectations, and what her future beyond the 400 hurdles might look like.
– The ripple effects of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke’s move.
– Georgia Hunter Bell’s world-leading 1500m, one of the standout performances from a busy stretch of indoor meets and a sign of unfinished business ahead.
– Cole Hocker’s eye-opening 1000m, and what it suggests about his range.
– A debate over announcing world-record attempts.
– Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s injury update, and what it could mean for his season trajectory and long-term planning.
– Major changes to the world ranking system, including why fast times matter now more than ever — and how that shift could favor American athletes while discouraging head-to-head racing at major meets.
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Hosts: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Preet Majithia | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@preet_athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠ + Kyle Merber | @kylemerber
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
____________
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
USATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. ⁠⁠Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets ⁠⁠and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.
OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop’s Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop’s flavors ⁠⁠at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.

“That year at Providence was really special with what we all went through together. It was such a fun year! We were all very solid and united together. It ended up in a perfect way being able to continue that training together.” - Alex Millard 
Kimberley May, Shannon Flockhart, and Alex Millard join us us fresh into the next chapter of their careers as members of Team New Balance Boston.
All three join the team with deep NCAA pedigrees, international experience and very different paths that somehow converged at exactly the right moment. Kimberley May leaves college as one of the most accomplished 1500-meter runners in New Zealand history. Shannon Flockhart brings European championship medals and championship toughness. Alex Millard arrives fresh off world cross country relay experience and fresh off a year that included personal bests in the 1500m, mile and 5000m.
In this conversation, they talk about what it actually feels like when the dream becomes real to signing pro contracts, navigating the transition from NIL relationships. We touch on their shared history as teammates at Providence and how that’s made the leap into the professional ranks easier, what altitude training was like, and why being around a group that includes a world champion has raised everyone’s standard.
There’s also plenty of joy in the year ahead with new routines. With 2026 ahead, all three are excited for what’s next.
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Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠
Guests: Kimberley May | @kiimberleymay on Instagram + Alex Millard | @alexmillard on Instagram + Shannon Flockhart | @shannon_flockhart_ on Instagram 
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | ⁠⁠⁠@jasminefehr on Instagram⁠⁠⁠
____________
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
USATF: The USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships presented by Prevagen are back in New York City from February 28th to March 1st at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. This is where legends don't just race; they punch their ticket to the world stage. The pressure is real, the margins are razor thin, and every athlete is fighting for one thing: a spot on Team USATF at the World Indoor Championships. Grab your tickets now at USATF.org/tickets and experience track and field at its absolute loudest.
OLIPOP: A blast from the past, Olipop’s Shirley Temple combines smooth vanilla flavor with bright lemon and lime, finished with cherry juice for that nostalgic grenadine-like flavor. One sip of this timeless soda proves some flavors never grow old. Try Shirley Temple and more of Olipop’s flavors at DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.