About this episode

Vinny Mauri shares his journey to becoming the fastest American marathon debutant in history.

Vinny Mauri was working the floor at a running shoe store in Ohio. Then he ran 2:05:54 and became the fastest American marathon debutant in history. Nobody was watching. That's not hyperbole. While the running world was fixated on Sabastian Sawe's sub-two-hour performance in London, a 25-year-old from Warren, Ohio quietly dismantled the record books at the Glass City Marathon in Toledo—running solo, without a sponsor, without a pacer, and without anyone outside his circle knowing what was coming. Vinny Mauri's 2:05:54 didn't just break Ryan Hall's American debut record of 2:08:24. It shattered it by nearly three minutes. Dominic sat down with Vinny just two days after the race; before the contracts, before the headlines fully caught up, before the moment had time to calcify into legend. What you get is the raw version: how Vinny built this alone in Ohio, grinding 5:40 and 5:50 pace every day, ripping 20- and 22-mile long runs at five-minute pace with no team, no coach, and no fanfare. A former Arizona State and Notre Dame runner with a 13:34 5K under his belt and a moderately successful collegiate résumé, Vinny never announced himself as a marathon talent. He just trained, showed…

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