August 9, 2025
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"Just getting on that top three was a big relief. I know that the big peak is coming in September, so I can live with this for now. Now I know where I’m at exactly."
My guest for today’s episode is Cole Hocker, who is no stranger to championship moments. But even Olympic champions can go through droughts. Since winning gold in Paris last summer, Hocker hadn’t claimed a single 1500 or mile final — 0-for-8 — in a year that’s tested his patience, his poise, and his place in one of the most ruthless eras of middle-distance running.
But in 2025, Hocker has also been focused on something new in taking on the 5000m. On Sunday, in the biggest 5K win of his career, he stormed down the Hayward Field homestretch to take the U.S. title in 13:26.45 — closing in 51.76 for the last lap, 25.69 for the final 200, and outkicking Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher and U.S. 10,000 champ Nico Young to punch his ticket to the World Championships in Tokyo.
It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t record-breaking. It was tactical execution — Hocker biding his time, slipping to fifth with 200 to go, and trusting that if the race came down to pure speed, he’d have the last word. And he did.
With that win, the double dream is alive: Hocker will line up in both the 1500 and the 5000 at Worlds — just as he set out to do at the start of the year. He’s stronger than last season, more confident than ever, and ready to see if that closing gear can stand up to the world’s best in Tokyo.
We talk about what it took to win this one, the mental discipline to ride out the noise of a long season while also focusing on the double, and why patience—even for an Olympic champion—combined with his supreme confidence makes him one of the most dangerous racers in the world.
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Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Cole Hocker | @colehocker on Instagram
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | @jasminefehr on Instagram
Mentioned in this episode…
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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.
