THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST The Future of Distance Running Has a Name: It’s Quentin Nauman Closing a 3:58 Mile in 54 Seconds at The Festival of Miles | The Start of a Legacy That Might Just Catch Alan Webb
He broke the barrier—and the sport felt it.
Quentin Nauman is back on the pod in the final episode of our Festival of Miles series—a fitting finish to a week that reminded us just how far the sport is moving.
Just days ago at the HOKA Festival of Miles, Quentin lined up against the top high school milers in the country and ran 3:58.65—joining the elite ranks of sub-four athletes and pushing the ceiling of what high school runners can do.
It wasn’t just a win. It was a cultural moment in high school track.
This year has been something different. Sub-four miles are no longer mythical, they're happening. But Quentin’s not just following the wave. He’s setting it.
Earlier this season, he became the first high school athlete in U.S. history to run sub-1:50 in the 800 and sub-4:00 in the 1600 at the same meet. That’s not progression. That’s a shift in what young athletes believe is possible.
What’s fueling this surge in high school distance running? What does it mean to carry the weight of a generational leap? And where do we go from here, now that the old limits are falling?
This isn’t just a fast kid running fast. This is a flashpoint in the evolution of the sport and Quentin Nauman is right in the middle of it.
In today's conversation, Quentin takes me through a race that will define him and his legacy for years to come. We dive into the BTS of the 2025 FOM and Quentin's legendary performance, where he won in 3:58 in a 54 close; we talk about the rest of his season, his ambitions for the future, including breaking Alan Webb's record, and more.
Tap into the Quentin Nauman Special.
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