May 7, 2025
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"It’s almost been ten years and for me it was just kind of time... A lot of factors all came together at the right time for me to make the decision."
My guest for today’s episode is Clayton Murphy, who’s been part of American middle-distance running history for the better part of a decade and is now officially hanging up his spikes.
From the small town of New Madison, Ohio, to the Olympic podium in Rio — Clayton’s career is the stuff of dreams. He was the kid from the Mid-American Conference who took down giants. The collegiate star who doubled up at NCAAs. The 21-year-old who kicked his way to Olympic bronze in the 800 meters — running 1:42.93, still the fifth-fastest time by an American in history.
Over the years, Clayton’s worn the red, white, and blue across the globe — from the Pan Am Games, where he struck gold, to two Olympic Games, multiple U.S. titles, and countless memorable finishes.
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. He’s battled injuries, coaching changes, and the highs and lows that come with being one of the best in a brutal event. And now, after a career that spanned over a decade at the professional level — Clayton is here to reflect on what it meant, how he made peace with the decision, and what’s next.
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Chris Chavez
Chris Chavez launched CITIUS MAG in 2016 as a passion project while working full-time for Sports Illustrated. He covered the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and grew his humble blog into a multi-pronged media company. He completed all six World Marathon Majors and on Feb. 15th, 2025 finally broke five minutes for the mile.
