September 29, 2026
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“I called my shot. I’m confident in my ability to still chase the American record. I’ve already learned so much this build that it’s already been a success.”
My guest today is Brooks professional marathoner and Suunto-supported athlete Clayton Young, joining us two weeks before the 2026 Chicago Marathon.
Earlier this spring, Clayton finished 11th at Boston in 2:05:41 after a ten-week build that followed a significant injury and a change in sponsors. He’s spent months preparing for Chicago with a bigger goal in mind: chasing Conner Mantz’s American marathon record of 2:04:43.
Part of that ambition came from watching Josh Kerr call his shot at the mile world record. Clayton took to heart the idea of creating the conditions for a breakthrough, and he’s written the same declaration in his journal every day: “I, Clayton Young, will break the American record on October 11th, 2026 at the Chicago Marathon.”
But his tune-up at the Great North Run didn’t go as planned, and he had an MRI afterward. For the first time, Clayton shares the extent of the injury and what it means for Chicago.
We also talk about the psychology of stating his goal publicly, the data behind his training decisions, how Coach Eyestone has adapted, and what Clayton makes of Chicago competitors Charles Hicks and Vinny Mauri. He explains why this race feels different from Boston—and what he wants spectators to yell when they see him on the course.
We discuss:
- The daily journal ritual
- Having fun is a skill he has had to practice
- Josh Kerr’s mile world record as the direct inspiration for calling his shot with the American record attempt
- The contrasting psychologies with Charles Hicks
- Dr. Craig Manning and the purpose of a goal
- Abundant mentality on the field: Charles Hicks, Vinny Mauri and the rest of the young Americans entering this distance. There are only three Olympic Trials spots and only one American record, but this sport is growing and there’s enough for everyone. He’s actively working against the scarcity mindset and wants all of them to succeed.
- Coach Eyestone’s adaptations to recent success by other runners
- The data gathering from Commons Clinic, Stride, Suunto, Brooks Sports Research Lab
- The build being the best training of his career
- The injury and the first public disclosure of its extent
- What it means for the 2026 Chicago Marathon
- What he learned from The Great North Run
- What to yell on course for him
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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.
