Few athletes embody the spirit of curiosity and courage quite like Sifan Hassan. From her historic triple attempt at the Tokyo Olympics to her remarkable gold medal in the marathon and double bronze on the track in Paris, Hassan has redefined what’s possible in distance running. Today, she joins The CITIUS MAG Podcast to reflect on the extraordinary highs and grueling challenges of her career, including the mental toll of her Olympic triples and her triumphant return to the marathon at London in 2023.

Hassan also shares her ambitious plans for 2025 and beyond, from chasing Ruth Chepngetich’s stunning 2:09:56 marathon world record to potentially attempting an unprecedented four major marathons in one year. What drives someone who has already achieved so much? Hassan’s answer is as compelling as her racing: it’s not about being the GOAT — it’s about pushing the limits of what she can do. Get ready for an inspiring conversation with one of the most curious, fearless, and boundary-pushing athletes of our time.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Guest: Sifan Hassan | @sifanhassan on Instagram

The following excerpt has been edited lightly for clarity. You can listen to the full episode with Sifan Hassan on the CITIUS MAG Podcast.

CITIUS MAG: The big announcement this past week is that you're running the London Marathon. What are the feelings that come back to you when you think about London?

SIFAN HASSAN: London is where I grew up as an athlete and as a human being, as a person. London is when I was like, ‘I have never raced the marathon–I'm just somebody who thinks this is possible to do.’ So I decided to do it. I was scared, but it was a challenge. You don’t know [how it’s going to go], but you’re just curious about it. In the middle of the race, I was in some pain and didn’t know how far I could go… It was crazy, but I kept going and won the race. It just taught me as a human being: you only know what’s possible when you try. When you keep going and try. That’s the time I dream about.

Everyone's seen the interview that you had after the finish line and how you talked about how crazy it was and how scared you were. Now that you've run Chicago, Tokyo, and Paris, is the marathon less scary for you?

As a human being, your brain is still scared. You’re going to struggle for two hours. For some people, four or five hours. You’re going to push yourself through pain for a long time. It’s still scary. It doesn’t matter how many marathons you run, you’re going to be scared. The brain is scared of struggling for two hours, struggling for three hours. You’re going to suffer. You have to focus on one thing for two hours.

How different was it this time in Paris the night before the Olympic marathon?

[Before racing], I think it’s possible. But when the time comes, when the day arrives, I'm the most scared person. I'm like, ‘Why did I do this?.” The 35 hours before, I had to recover, but I couldn’t sleep because I was nervous… I was telling myself, ‘Why did I race the 10K and 5K?’ I was telling myself, ‘You always do that...’ I was talking to myself like a crazy person, just talking to myself.

What were you thinking with one mile to go? At that point, did you know you at least had a medal?

The first 35 or 36 kilometers, my brain was everywhere. I heard my name. This always happens to me! Everywhere I heard my name… But the last couple kilometers, I had to focus like crazy. I was so focused the last mile. I wasn’t thinking about winning or losing, I was just running so hard. I'm also the one who raced the 5K and 10K! I was so tired but so focused that I think my brain took over my body. I told my brain, ‘Just do it.’ I was also mad at myself. The 10k, I was really punishing myself. I think my brain is so scared of me that I was like, ‘I have to win!’

You cross the finish line. It's over. You’ve finished all three events and you don't have to do any more running. What was the feeling crossing the finish line?

I remember crossing the finish line and was like, ‘I just want to lie down!’ I don’t care–I finished and just want to have a minute to enjoy this time. It felt like heaven crossing the line! They ran to me to hug me and I was like, ‘ Leave me alone. I want to hug the ground, lie down, and sit.’ It felt so good!

You beat Ruth Chepngetich in Chicago [2023]. What do you think that says about your potential for the future? Does this get you curious about your world record potential?

When she ran 2:09, I felt like I was just watching a number. My brain couldn’t even process it. It’s just very hard… As long as the female heart is strong, it just gives me confidence that maybe it’ll take a long time and I’ll have to train harder and longer, but it’s possible [to break Chepngetich’s world record].

Listen to the full episode here.

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