Running News Daily

Hobbs Kessler is taking the running world by storm

Last February, Hobbs Kessler, a 17-year-old senior from Michigan who has committed to run for the University of Northern Arizona next fall, set a new high school record for the indoor mile. His time of 3:57.66 made him only the twelfth American high schooler to break the four-minute barrier since Jim Ryun first did it in 1964. The feat was all the more notable considering that Kessler’s mile PB coming into the race was a comparatively modest 4:08.4, which he ran last summer. As Track and Field News noted, Kessler’s record had come “seemingly out of nowhere.”

One explanation for Kessler’s sudden arrival into the upper ranks of American middle-distance running is that the pandemic has caused a number of rising stars to train in relative obscurity, with far fewer official meets to document the gradual progression of their talent. (Apparently, Kessler’s 4:08 mile last year was set in a time trial.) No wonder, then, that after his record-breaking run in February, the narrative around Kessler quickly morphed from Who is this guy? to What else is he capable of?

At last weekend’s Portland Track Festival, we found out. In the men’s 1,500-meters, Kessler, now 18, ran 3:34.36 to break Alan Webb’s 20-year-old high school record in the “metric mile” by almost four seconds—an eternity in such a short race. What’s more, Kessler’s time was also quicker than the men’s collegiate 1,500-meter record (3:34.68) and faster than the current Olympic standard (3:35.00). The guy few people had heard of six months ago was suddenly on the shortlist for the greatest U.S. high school runner, ever.

Until recently, track and field wasn’t even Kessler’s primary focus. In 2019, he represented the United States at the IFSC Climbing World Youth Championships. I caught up with Kessler to chat about the miraculous evolution of his young running career, choosing track over climbing, and his plans for the future.

OUTSIDE: Last summer, you cracked 4:10 in the mile for the first time. Less than a year later, you’ve run a 1,500 that converts to a 3:51. Are you shocked by how quickly you’ve progressed in such a short time? Can you still savor the moment?

KESSLER: In early 2020, I just wanted to run 4:13, indoors, in the mile. And then it kind of snowballed from there. I’ve gotten used to shifting my mindset on how I view myself as a runner. As I keep upping it, I always think, “OK, this is the last time,” but it hasn’t been so far. So, it’s been a little crazy in that regard, but I’m really enjoying it. I feel like I’ve been able to adapt my mindset really quickly—a lot faster than my folks. I think they’re still stuck six months back, which is pretty funny.

By “shift in mindset,” I’m guessing you mean a shift in expectations that you have for yourself. Are you worried that you might not be able to live up to your own standards, considering how quickly you’ve progressed?

I guess it can be a double-edged sword. In the winter, before I broke four for the first time, the 60-second-per-lap pace was everything, so that’s what we did all our workouts at. Now that I’m more fit, 57 is the new 60. But it’s all about not viewing it as fast. Because if I thought of 4:10 as fast, then I’d probably be running 4:10. So, you can control some of it with your mind. As far as not living up to expectations, I know that at some point I’m going to take a hit and not be running as well. But this season, I’ve been taking everything in stride and good things have been happening. I’ve never worried that I wasn’t going to run well.

There’s a theory that the bizarre circumstances of the pandemic might have helped some athletes nurture their talent by clearing their racing schedule. Is there any sense in which the events of last year changed your approach to training and racing?

As far as training goes, I would say the pandemic allowed me to just take a block from March 2020 to August to just get stronger. When the season got shut down, my dad switched me over to doing tempos on Tuesdays and hills on Fridays. But I was doing a lot of really fast strides because I wanted to develop my speed. Trying to work on my form. I’m a fairly fresh runner and haven’t been at it that long, so my running form is still very malleable. I didn’t have a race to worry about, so I just ran two big workouts a week and a big long run. I think people are realizing that racing less and training more can yield faster times. I’ve probably only gone all-out five times this year—but when I do decide to go all-out, I put a lot of emphasis on not wasting the opportunity.

I know that you are coached by your father, but also by Ron Warhurst—a legend in the coaching world, who is credited with “inventing” one of the sport’s most famous workouts. Do you have a favorite session that you like to do—perhaps something from Warhurst’s catalog of torture?

Both Ron and my dad have a lot of input in my training, but I’m more on Ron’s program now. I would say that my favorite workout of Ron’s has to be “Michigan,” because it’s his signature thing and you hit pretty much every pace and it can also be adjusted to wherever you’re at.

You’ve qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 1,500 as a high schooler. That’s nuts. But you’re also in a good spot in which there’s no pressure and where, presumably, you can just go and enjoy the experience. How do you plan to approach the Trials and do you have any other running goals for the summer?

After I broke four minutes in the mile, getting to the Trials was really the big goal. So I’m very excited about that race. Originally, I was just viewing it as a great experience where I could learn a lot so that, in three years, I might be in a position to compete for a spot on the team. But now that I’m one of the few people with the Olympic standard, my mindset has changed a bit. My thinking is that, if I’m there, I might as well have a run at the team. It’s a win-win because if I make the Olympic team that would be awesome, but if I don’t, I’m only 18 and will have a lot more attempts at it. I feel like I’m in a very cool spot where there’s no pressure, but I might as well give it a go.

You have an impressive climbing background, but it seems like you’ve decided to prioritize running for now. Was that decision based primarily on the fact that running is where you have the most talent, or was it something else?

I’m definitely prioritizing running, but I wouldn’t say it’s a conscious decision. That’s just the sport that I’ve drifted more towards in the past year or two and it’s what I’m more excited about. It’s not that I decided that I could be more successful at it, so much as that I’ve drifted towards it throughout high school.

Do you feel like the two sports complement each other in some way?

I think climbing really helps running, but running doesn’t really help climbing.

How so?

Well, the big carryover from both—and this does go either way—is that the mental stuff is the same. Race nerves in running and redpoint jitters in climbing. So there it’s the same stuff. In competitive climbing, I had to develop skills to deal with it, which translated directly to my running. But I think running destroys my coordination a little bit for climbing, so it’s hard to do both at the same time. I tried to be really good at both at the same time, but it just wasn’t possible because they started fighting each other a little bit. So I decided to let go of trying to be really good at climbing and to just do it because I enjoy the act of it.

You’ve now run a time that is faster than the NCAA 1,500-meter record. Unsurprisingly, this has fueled speculation that you might decide to go pro and skip college-level racing altogether. Do you think that early success can obscure the fact that running talent still needs to develop gradually?

When I was talking to colleges that was one of the biggest criteria I had. I wanted to make sure they developed me and weren’t just trying to get as much out of me while I was in school. So I’ve kind of had that view. Running aside, if I were to go pro, it would have to create a situation that would be worth missing out on the experience of being in college and being on a team. And I really want that experience. I’m not ready to be done being on a cross-country team. So going pro would have to outweigh that by a significant amount. Everything seems really immediate and important right now, but I have confidence it will even out. Whatever decision I make, I have confidence in the people who have been guiding me so far.

Most Olympic marathoners spend their youth focused on running. They join track clubs, compete in national championships, and pursue the sport from an early age.

Julia Mayer’s journey was very different.

Today, Mayer is Austria’s marathon record holder, a multiple national record holder on the roads, and an Olympian. Yet for much of her athletic life, running was not her primary sport.

For 16 years, she played soccer.

Then she discovered something that would change her life.

“I noticed that I was really fast in the fun runs and that it was really, really fun,” Mayer said when reflecting on her transition from soccer to distance running.

What began as curiosity quickly became a passion. She eventually made the bold decision to leave soccer behind and focus entirely on running. It was a move that surprised many people around her, but Mayer believed she had found her true athletic calling.

The decision proved to be the right one.

Within a few years, Mayer developed into one of Europe’s top marathon runners. Her steady improvement carried her from local races to the international stage, where she began rewriting Austria’s record books.

She now holds Austrian records in the marathon, half marathon, and road 10K. Her marathon best of 2:26:08 established her as the fastest female marathoner in Austrian history. Her performances in the half marathon and 10K have further cemented her place among the country’s all-time great distance runners.

Her rise culminated with qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Competing in the Olympic marathon represented the realization of a dream. On one of the most challenging marathon courses ever used for the Olympics, Mayer ran courageously against the strongest field in the world and finished 55th in her Olympic debut.

Behind the scenes, success has come through extraordinary dedication. During marathon preparation, Mayer trains twice a day and covers approximately 200 kilometers, or 124 miles, each week. The workload demands discipline, patience, and a deep commitment to continuous improvement. 

What makes her story especially inspiring is not simply the records or the Olympic appearance.

It is the fact that she found her greatest talent later than many elite runners.

In a sport where athletes are often identified at a young age, Mayer’s journey serves as a reminder that potential does not always reveal itself early. Sometimes it takes years of experience, a willingness to try something new, and the courage to follow a different path. 

The former soccer player who once chased a ball across a field is now chasing history on the roads of Europe.

And according to those closest to her, her best performances may still be ahead.

For runners of every age and ability, Julia Mayer’s story delivers a powerful lesson: it is never too late to discover what you are capable of.

From soccer player to Olympian, her journey proves that remarkable achievements can begin when least expected.

Megan Keith produced the performance of her career in Oslo on Thursday night, shattering one of Scotland’s longest-standing distance running records and cementing her place among Britain’s greatest female 3000m runners.

The 24-year-old clocked a sensational 8:28.35 over 3000m, breaking the Scottish outdoor record that had stood for nearly four decades. In doing so, Keith eclipsed the previous mark of 8:29.02, set by Scottish legend Yvonne Murray back in 1988, ending a record reign that had lasted 38 years.

Keith’s breakthrough run was more than just a national record. The performance also propelled her to third on the UK outdoor all-time list, placing her behind only two of Britain’s most celebrated distance runners — Paula Radcliffe, who leads the rankings with 8:22.20, and Laura Weightman, whose 8:26.07 remains the second-fastest outdoor mark by a British woman.

The significance of Keith’s achievement is amplified by the calibre of athletes she now joins in the record books. For decades, Murray’s mark stood as one of Scottish athletics’ most untouchable records, surviving generations of elite competitors. Keith has now succeeded where many outstanding runners have fallen short, announcing herself as one of the leading distance talents in British athletics.

Her time also compares favourably with the best performances produced indoors. Olympic medallist Laura Muir ran 8:26.41 indoors in Karlsruhe in 2017, underlining just how exceptional Keith’s outdoor effort in Oslo truly was.

The run continues a remarkable rise for the Scottish star, whose progression over recent seasons has transformed her from a promising prospect into a genuine force on the international stage. Running with confidence and composure against elite competition, Keith demonstrated both the speed and endurance required to challenge the very best in Europe and beyond.

With the World Championship season gathering momentum, Keith’s record-breaking display sends a powerful message. Not only has she etched her name into Scottish athletics history, but she has also established herself as a serious contender in one of the sport’s most competitive events.

In Oslo, Megan Keith did far more than break a record. She ended a 38-year wait, climbed into the upper echelon of British distance running, and delivered a performance that may prove to be a defining moment in her career.

British middle-distance talent Phoebe Gill took another significant step forward in her return to top form, producing a determined victory over 800 metres at the Meeting de Marseille in France on Wednesday.

Competing in challenging, wind-affected conditions, the 19-year-old demonstrated both resilience and composure as she held off a late charge from Switzerland's Veronica Vancardo to secure the win in 2:00.81. Vancardo finished just three hundredths of a second behind in 2:00.84, underlining the fiercely contested nature of the race.

While the margin of victory was narrow, the result represented another encouraging milestone for Gill as she continues to rebuild momentum following her injury setback. The young Briton showed impressive race awareness and strength in the closing stages, maintaining her advantage despite the difficult conditions that made fast running a challenge throughout the evening.

The Marseille triumph adds to a growing body of evidence that Gill is steadily progressing toward her best form. Earlier in her comeback campaign, she clocked 2:01.50 for 800m in Bydgoszcz before demonstrating her versatility with a strong 4:05.53 performance over 1500 metres at the BMC Grand Prix meeting in Trafford.

Those performances have highlighted not only her improving fitness but also her ability to compete across multiple distances as she carefully builds her season. The Marseille victory now provides further confirmation that the European junior star is moving in the right direction.

Gill emerged as one of Britain's most exciting middle-distance prospects through a series of breakthrough performances as a teenager, earning widespread recognition for her fearless racing style and remarkable maturity. Injury temporarily interrupted that upward trajectory, but her recent results suggest she is steadily rediscovering the form that made her one of the sport's brightest young talents.

With each race, the signs of progress become increasingly evident. Winning in difficult conditions and under pressure from a quality field is often a stronger indicator than a fast time alone, and Gill's latest success demonstrated exactly those qualities.

As the summer season gathers pace, the Marseille victory offers another confidence boost for the British teenager, whose return continues to gain momentum. If her recent progression is any indication, Gill could soon find herself back among the leading names on the European middle-distance circuit. 

The NCAA Track and Field Championships delivered a moment few could have predicted as Ja’Kobe Tharp produced one of the most astonishing performances in the history of sprint hurdling, rewriting the record books in spectacular fashion.

Competing in the opening round of the men’s 110-meter hurdles, the Auburn star stunned the athletics world by clocking an incredible 12.75 seconds, becoming the first athlete ever to break the 12.80-second barrier. In doing so, he eclipsed the long-standing world record of 12.80 set by Aries Merritt in 2012, a mark that had stood as one of the sport’s most revered achievements for more than a decade.

What makes Tharp’s breakthrough even more remarkable is the scale of his improvement. Entering the championships, the defending NCAA and U.S. champion had recorded a season-best of 13.05 seconds. Yet under the brightest spotlight, he unleashed a performance that exceeded every expectation, slicing an extraordinary 0.26 seconds from his personal best in a race that instantly became one of the greatest ever run.

The achievement sent shockwaves throughout the track and field community. While Tharp arrived in Eugene as one of the leading contenders for the NCAA title, few envisioned a performance capable of redefining the limits of the event. Instead, the American hurdler delivered a race for the ages, combining flawless technique, explosive speed, and impeccable rhythm from the first hurdle to the finish line.

The historic run not only secured his place in athletics history but also transformed the outlook of the championship. With the world record now in his possession, Tharp advances to the final as the overwhelming favorite, carrying momentum that could make an already unforgettable weekend even more extraordinary.

For years, the 12.80 barrier appeared untouchable. On a stunning day at the NCAA Championships, Ja’Kobe Tharp proved otherwise, producing the kind of performance that reminds fans why sport remains so unpredictable. In a matter of seconds, he turned a routine qualifying round into a landmark moment that will be remembered for generations.

The world record no one saw coming is now a reality—and Ja’Kobe Tharp is the man who changed history.

A new chapter in middle-distance running may have begun in Oslo after American teenager Cooper Lutkenhaus produced one of the most remarkable performances of the season, narrowly defeating reigning Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi in a thrilling men's 800m contest at the Diamond League meeting.

The 17-year-old sensation shocked a world-class field by crossing the finish line first in a race that came down to the smallest of margins. After an intense battle over the final metres, Lutkenhaus held off Wanyonyi by just one hundredth of a second, producing a dramatic finish that left the packed stadium in disbelief.

From the opening lap, the pace was relentless as the leading contenders positioned themselves for a fierce showdown. As the athletes entered the home straight, Wanyonyi appeared poised to unleash his trademark finishing kick. However, Lutkenhaus refused to be intimidated, matching the Olympic champion stride for stride before producing a perfectly timed lean at the line to secure a historic victory.

The result marks a breakthrough moment for the young American, who continues to establish himself as one of the brightest talents in global athletics. Defeating an Olympic champion at a Diamond League event is a feat many athletes spend entire careers pursuing, yet Lutkenhaus achieved it before reaching adulthood.

For Wanyonyi, the narrow defeat does little to diminish his status as one of the world's premier 800m runners. The Kenyan once again demonstrated his exceptional class and competitiveness, pushing the race to a world-class standard and forcing his young rival to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

Beyond the result itself, the race offered a glimpse into what could become one of the sport's most exciting rivalries in the years ahead. With established stars and emerging talents now pushing each other to new heights, the men's 800m continues to evolve into one of athletics' most captivating events.

On a memorable night in Oslo, the spotlight belonged to Cooper Lutkenhaus. At just 17 years old, he stood toe-to-toe with an Olympic champion and emerged victorious, announcing himself to the athletics world in spectacular fashion.