by Deji Ogeyingbo
Graham Blanks is opening as a pro athlete for New Balance at the 2025 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on February 2, 2025. This story is written by our senior writer, Deji Ogeyingbo.
Graham Blanks: Harvard’s Distance Star Takes on the Pro Circuit
Graham Blanks has taken an unconventional but highly successful path at Harvard. For a few years, he flew under the radar. Still, he finished his college career with back-to-back NCAA Cross Country Championship wins, set a then-collegiate record in the 5,000m, and represented the United States at the Paris Olympics, where he placed ninth in the 5,000m.
In December 2024, Blanks announced he would forgo the rest of his collegiate eligibility and sign a professional contract with New Balance. His professional debut will be at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston on February 2, 2025, where he will compete in the 1,500m. He plans to run the 3,000m at the U.S. Indoor Championships three weeks later. His primary focus, however, is The Ten, an outdoor track meet in March where elite U.S. runners chase the world standard of 27:00 in the 10,000m. Blanks hasn’t raced the 10,000m since 2023, but his dominant cross-country performances indicate he is ready to meet the challenge.
Blanks’ transition to professional running comes with challenges. One of his biggest struggles has been staying healthy in January. Each year at Harvard, injuries interrupted his winter training. He dealt with Achilles issues as a freshman, an adductor problem the following year, and a stress reaction in his femur last year. His left leg is slightly longer than his right, which may contribute to his injuries, especially when running on tight indoor tracks. His coach, Alex Gibby, believes these turns put too much strain on his inner leg. Last year, Blanks missed most of the indoor season before returning in the spring. He finished fifth in the NCAA 5,000m, but his performance at the U.S. Olympic Trials was the turning point. Placing fourth in the 5,000m, he was initially the Olympic alternate. However, third-place finisher Parker Wolfe didn’t meet the Olympic standard, and Blanks’ December record secured him a spot in Paris.
Rather than turning professional immediately after the Olympics, Blanks returned to Harvard for one last season of cross-country. It wasn’t just about competing but finishing what he started with his teammates. “Coming back for cross was never a question,” he said. “I wanted to be part of this team.” Blanks dominated the season, winning his second straight NCAA title in the 10,000m. His decisive move in the final mile sealed the victory, making him the 13th runner in NCAA history to win back-to-back titles. Two weeks later, he ran a personal best of 12:59.89 in the indoor 5,000m, securing the qualifying standard for the 2025 World Championships.
The World Championships will take place in Tokyo this year, and Blanks has his eyes on making the U.S. team in either the 5,000 or 10,000m—or both. His next big test will be at The Ten on March 29, where he hopes to hit the world standard in the 10,000m. After graduating with degrees in economics and philosophy in May, he will likely head to Europe for outdoor races before joining an altitude training camp in Park City, Utah. Gibby, who has trained Blanks since 2019, will continue coaching him through this next phase.
Blanks has made history at Harvard. He became the first Ivy League athlete to win the NCAA Cross Country title and was named the USTFCCCA Northeast Region Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year four times—the first runner to achieve that. He thrived on strength-based running, preferring to break away late in races rather than relying on a final sprint. He even studied topographic maps before races to determine where to move.
Blanks’ intellectual curiosity extends beyond running. He loves reading philosophy, analyzing pedestrian infrastructure, and watching urbanism videos. Just hours before his final collegiate race, he submitted a rough draft of his economics thesis on pedestrian infrastructure.
As he enters professional running, Blanks will face new pressures. There will be fewer races, longer training cycles, and more time between competitions. He has always thrived on structured routines, and adjusting to the professional schedule could be challenging. However, he is determined to impact the U.S. distance-running scene.
Blanks has already proven himself against top collegiate competition. Now, the next step is establishing himself on the global stage. With his dedication, intelligence, and ability to peak at the right time, he has the potential to become one of America’s top distance runners. The journey ahead is uncertain, but one thing is clear: Graham Blanks is just getting started.
