"For the longest time, my definition of mental toughness was being in the call room and not being scared and not being nervous. As I get older, I think mental toughness or mental resilience is being scared, being nervous, but knowing you're mentally robust and that you can handle these stressful situations. And trusting your fitness is there, trusting yourself and your instincts, that all the pieces are there and it's not going to fail. It's okay to be nervous."

It's been almost three years since Hobbs Kessler joined the CITIUS MAG Podcast. Back in 2021, he was a high school phenom out of Michigan before turning pro ahead of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. Now, he's the world champion and world record holder in the road mile. We caught up just two days after he ran 3:48.86 to finish second in the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games to become the second-fastest American man in history.

In this episode, he opens up about his training and adjustments he's made – including not running any run longer than seven miles, doubling every day and still sharpening his speed. Hobbs also shares how he's changed in his approach to racing and feels that he belongs among the best pros.

Time Stamps:

4:39 - Recalling his first summer as a pro.

5:15 - His confidence before becoming an established pro. 

6:23 - Some of the low points he’s experienced over the past two years.

8:16 - The people that have had the greatest impact on him. 

9:07 - His training and mindset leading into the 2024 indoor season. 

11:33 - What training in Flagstaff looked like for him in January. 

13:57 - His training philosophy + finding what training works best for him.

17:50 - Experimenting with training. 

18:31 - Breaking down his training structure. 

20:19 - How he’s been able to continue developing speed.

24:13 - Race tactics and strategy. 

26:08 - Goals heading into the Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile. 

27:50 - Thoughts leading into Indoor USAs. 

29:02 - Where his current fitness is at. 

31:12 - Thoughts on the BU track. 

32:20 - His favorite race.

33:45 - What race he would re-run if he could do it over

35:01 - Advice on managing nerves before racing.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Hobbs Kessler | ⁠⁠⁠@hobbs_kessler on Instagram⁠⁠

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