November 13, 2025
Listen
"Sometimes you have these workouts on paper that look pretty intimidating... You don’t always nail it, but doing things that maybe you haven’t done before or that you’re not quite sure if you can do is always exciting."
My guest for today's episode is Fiona O'Keefe: the reigning U.S. Olympic Trials champion and now the fastest American woman ever on the New York City Marathon course. She's also someone who's showing us what it looks like to grow, stumble, and come back stronger.
In 2024, Fiona burst onto the scene in Orlando with a 2:22:12 performance, the fastest debut marathon in American history. But after the high of that performance came the hardest stretch of her career: an injury that forced her to drop out of the Olympic marathon in Paris after just one mile.
It could have been a moment that derailed everything. Instead, it became a lesson that shaped her next chapter. She took her time and returned to the marathon in New York to prove that patience pays off, running 2:22:49 and finishing 4th against one of the deepest fields in race history.
She beat the Olympic champion, hung tough with some of the present legends in the marathon, and reminded everyone why she's built for this distance. We talk about what it means to find herself after the Olympic heartbreak and why she really feels at home in the marathon distance. Fiona O'Keefe announced herself as America's next marathon star in Orlando and reminded people that she's at a high level again in New York.
____________
Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guests: Fiona O’Keeffe | @fiona_okeeffe on Instagram
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | @jasminefehr on Instagram
Support The Sponsor
NOMIO
NOMIO: Made with 80% broccoli sprout juice, 15% lemon juice, and 5% sugar, Nomio activates your body’s natural defense systems to reduce lactate, speed recovery, and enhance muscle adaptation. Take one 60 ml shot three hours before training or racing and feel lighter, stronger, and more resilient. Available at The Feed — use code CITIUS15 for 15% off | https://thefeed.com/collections/nomio
WAHOO
WAHOO: The KICKR RUN isn’t just another treadmill; it’s a complete rethink of indoor running. With Dynamic Pacing, it automatically adjusts to your stride—no buttons, no breaking form, just pure running freedom. Its Terrain Simulation makes the deck feel like a track or trail, while lateral tilt mimics real-world conditions so you’re always prepared for race day. So whether you’re chasing your first half-marathon finish, a marathon PR, or your next trail adventure, the KICKR RUN is built to help you Run Your Run. Check it all out at WahooFitness.com and use code CITIUS at checkout.
OLIPOP
OLIPOP: Straight out of Bikini Bottom, Olipop’s limited edition SpongeBob cans have arrived. Pineapple Paradise features a burst of juicy pineapples and a splash of mandarin. It's on shelves now at Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Circle K, Amazon, and select stores nationwide. You can check out all of their flavors and get 25% off your orders at DrinkOlipop.com using code CITIUS25 at checkout.
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.
