LINKLETTER ALSO CHASING BIG RECORD AT CHICAGO MARATHONBy David Monti, @d9monti(c) 2025 Race Outcomes Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission.
CHICAGO (10-Oct) — Whereas a lot consideration has been centered on Conner Mantz and his quest to interrupt Khalid Khannouchi’s 23 year-old USA marathon file at Sunday’s Financial institution of America Chicago Marathon, much less has been mentioned about one other athlete’s purpose of operating practically the identical time. Rory Linkletter, a Canadian Olympian and the fastest-ever Canadian on the Boston Marathon, hopes to interrupt 2:05:36 in Sunday’s race, a mark which is definitely two seconds quicker than Khannouchi’s USA file. The mark that Linkletter is chasing is each the Canadian and North American marathon file, and each he and Mantz –who had been teammates at Brigham Younger College– have the distinctive alternative to push one another in attaining these parallel targets.
“I heard from Conner that he was going for the American file,” Linkletter instructed reporters at a press convention right here this morning. “The American and Canadian data are just about the identical, simply Canada’s is 2 seconds quicker. So in concept, there must be a possibility for us to work collectively and to push ourselves. Hopefully, we each smash our nationwide data and have an opportunity of reducing the realm file by fairly a bit.”
Initially, Mantz had requested Linkletter if he would tempo him in Chicago. The 2 know one another effectively, and Linkletter gave Mantz’s concept critical consideration.
“Boston gave me the concept that possibly 2:05 was potential,” Linkletter, 29, instructed Race Outcomes Weekly in an interview. “I did 2:07 there and a sixth place end extra importantly. I had heard from Conner instantly that he could be right here going for the American file. At first he was type of recruiting me to tempo him. He was like, ‘oh, you appeared good in Boston. Perhaps you’d wish to tempo me?’ I believe he needed, like, a extra private pacer expertise that similar to whoever the race gives. I believe he was placing feelers out for that.”
However after operating one other profitable marathon in Ottawa in Might the place he ran the fastest-ever time by a Canadian on Canadian soil (2:08:31), Linkletter and his coach Jon Inexperienced felt like going for the Canadian and North American file –held by Cam Levins– could be the most effective plan for transferring Linkletter’s marathon profession ahead.
“We talked about it and we determined that we must always go for the file ourselves,” Inexperienced instructed Race Outcomes Weekly in an interview. He continued: “I believe we’re able to shoot for the file.”
To Linkletter, every little thing lined as much as strive for Levins’s file at Chicago this 12 months. Pacing Mantz would have been each significant and enjoyable, however as knowledgeable runner Linkletter additionally needed to have in mind his earnings potential from his subsequent marathon and in addition his worth to different marathons sooner or later if he breaks the file.
“It type of comes all the way down to the skilled facet of marathoning the place you’re making choices based mostly on funds, timing, what is smart and what doesn’t,” Linkletter defined. “It grew to become clear to me that Chicago was my greatest alternative that checked all of the containers of what I used to be in search of when it comes to knowledgeable alternative: a time trial course with good competitors. Assuming that Conner continues to be on observe to purpose for that 2:05 vary, then it’s good. We will work collectively the entire time and have an incredible expertise.”
In fact Mantz might take an enormous swing and attempt to run even quicker (his USA half-marathon file of 59:17 is equal to a 2:04:28 marathon based on the time-tested Riegel System). Linkletter is prepared for that.
“With Conner Mantz you’re by no means positive the place his coronary heart could lie,” Linkletter mentioned. “He could also be pondering rather a lot quicker than that.”
To prepare for Chicago, Linkletter has performed all of his coaching at excessive altitude in Flagstaff, Ariz., the place he lives. Inexperienced mentioned that his athlete has been averaging about 130 miles every week and has been attempting to get extra out of every run. Each Linkletter and Inexperienced mentioned that this marathon build-up has been wonderful.
“I can’t actually consider any spots the place he faltered within the construct,” Inexperienced mentioned. He continued: “There wasn’t any weeks or exercises essentially the place I mentioned we’re in hassle, or something like that. I’m positive if I needed to be nitpicky I might say, that exercise wasn’t 100%. General, we’re in such an incredible house.”
One of many key components of Inexperienced’s teaching has been to extend the “density” of Linkletter’s coaching: getting extra out of every mile.
“A phrase that has type of come to thoughts for Rory and I in constructing a greater construct is density,” Inexperienced mentioned. “That’s type of the phrase that we use. How can we put extra work in and get higher in that sense?”
One exercise which has been central to Linkletter’s Chicago coaching is the uphill tempo run. Tempo runs are quick, however not fairly as quick as race tempo. Doing them uphill makes them aerobically tougher whereas placing much less stress on the legs as a result of the tempo is slower than it could be had the route been flat or downhill.
“Uphill tempos have simply been a staple for us,” Inexperienced mentioned. “This cycle, each two weeks, principally. We’ve had actual success with them and he’s operating quicker and quicker instances. He did that beneath Ryan Corridor (his earlier coach) a little bit bit as effectively; staying in the fitting zone and nonetheless operating quicker instances.”
For Sunday, Linkletter will come to the beginning line with extra confidence than in any marathon he’s performed (this will likely be his 14th). He mentioned that with out self-belief nothing is feasible in athletics.
“It’s every little thing,” Linkletter mentioned of confidence and self-belief. “Should you don’t imagine you are able to do one thing there’s virtually no manner it’s going to occur. There’s going to be moments within the race the place you’re going to have alternatives to opt-out of no matter your purpose is as a result of it’s going to get laborious. Even in my greatest races ever I’ve thought there is no such thing as a manner I can hold doing this, however you keep within the combat.”
