The Agony and the Ecstasy of Connor Mantz : Mantz gets AR of 2:04:43 at Bank of America Chicago !

Connor Mantz is a just a very nice guy who can run very fast marathons.

Oh, and now he is the American record holder at 2:04:43.

Seriously, I have interviewed this remarkable athlete several times, and he is always thoughtful, even if has just finished 26.2 miles of racing! If you have run a few marathons (eighteen for this writer, in earlier life), you recall how one can feel after 26.2 miles of pounding, even with a good race.

So, here’s the scoop on Connor Mantz!

He is was not an overnight sensation! Truth is, no one really is!

You have to commit to lots of hard work, exhausting days and years (10-12 years, the writer believes) of building your mortal engine prior to getting to an elite level. Now some look like overnight sensations,  (look at Jane Hedengren), but all great athletes and all great careers require hard work, focus and a love of the sport. Our sport is not for the faint-hearted, nor for athletes who do not have patience.

Connor Mantz ran his first half-marathon at the advanced age of 12. At fourteen years of age, Connor Mantz ran 1:11.26 for 13.1 miles, a 5:26 per mile pace. A very good high school runner, Connor qualified for three FootLocker cross country finals (which means you are one of the top 40 boys in the country, it is where Suzy Favor Hamilton, Meb Keflezighi, Charles Alexander ran well, among others). In high school, Connor won one State cross country title, also taking second and third at State. In track, Connor had high school PBs of 1:56.8 at 800m, 4:10.47 for the 1,600 meters, and 8:57.99 for the 3,200 meters, while at SkyView High School (Smithview, Utah).

In college, Connor Mantz was coached by Ed Eyestone, a BYU graduate, Olympic marathon in 1992 and 1996, and one of the finest coaches on the planet. When one speaks with Connor Mantz, Kenneth Rooks, or any of Ed’s athletes, you see this quite confidence, very thoughtful, and an appreciation of the process.  When asked at the Chicago Marathon post event presser, Connor noted, when asked what was differnce between his 2:08:16 debut in Chicago in 2022, and his 2:04:43 just three years later! ” It is not insane to improve three and a half minutes in three years, ” noted a thoughtful Mantz to media queries. Connor had noted, prior in the conversation that ” I added little things.” Ed Eyestone continues to coach Connor Mantz, and his training partner, Clayton Young, among many fine athletes in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This writer has known Coach Eyestone for probably three decades, mostly by having quick, thoughtful chats with the father of six daughters, as well as watching his competitions on site at US championships, Olympics and marathons. Ed Eyestone has coached BYU athletes for twenty-five years, I believe. Ed Eyestone, per his athletes, is all about keeping it simple and focused. Simple is a misnomer, as Ed Eyestone, and this is my observations, focuses on his athletes, and that support is the secret sauce. Ed Eyestone’s athletes know that they have done everything under God’s green earth to prepare for their upcoming race. Faith is a key component in these relationships.

Like many members of the Church-of-Latter-Day-Saints,  Connor Mantz took two years as a Mormon missionary. He noted in his training log, “I had gained 30 pounds.” When Connor Mantz matriculated to Brigham Young University, he red-shirted his first year. Three years later, Connor was ready to shake things up.

Connor Mantz made history with his two back to back NCAA cross country titles, in 2020 and 2021. His victory in 2021, at Stillwater, Oklahoma, was historic: Connor’s 29:26.1 win on the fast but challenging course, was a twenty second win, and first time that an American male had won wince 2008 ( did you guess, Galen Rupp?). Connor came back in 2021 and won the NCAA cross country, then, took second in the 10,000m at the NCAA Cross Country. (Want to see how Connor Mantz trained in 2021, check here: https://fastrunningblog.com/u/conner/#google_vignette.)

Cross-country builds athletes, from the 800 meters on up! Heck, Bud Winter, long-time coach at San Jose State (Speed City) made Lee Evans (former WR holder at 400 meters) run cross country races! Connor’s strength from high school, to college, to an elite athlete , built on the miles and trails of cross country gave him that base to handle the increased level of training and focus needed to be an elite athlete a the marathon distance.

The journey to the marathon is a long one.

There are good marathons, and then, there are bad marathons.

When Connor Mantz debuted, he did so in October 2022 at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, running a superb 2:08:16. At the time, Connor Mantz’s run was the second fastest debut by an American (Leonard Korir’s 2:07:56).

In his second marathon (April 2023), Connor had that “Agony” experience. Running well through the half, in 1:02:20. At 20 miles, Connor began to gall back, dropping 45 seconds behind the leaders. Then, Connor Mantz experienced “that dark moment of the soul” where one questions why they are running marathons. Connor Mantz, told media post race that he “nearly blacked out” , running last couple miles at six minute per mile pace, finishing in 2:10.25, finishing eleventh, as third American.

Now, a 2:10:25 is pretty impressive for most marathoners, but Connor Mantz has dreams of a “a podium finish”, aka top three finish. Boston Maraton is a tough course, and must be respected. (Bill Rodgers, who won 4 Bostons (1975, 1978, 1979 and 1980) dropped out in 1977.)

In the fall of 2023, Connor Mantz when back to Bank of America Chicago Marathon and ran 2:07:47, getting the moneky of Boston off his neck and making the Olympic standard for Paris 2024.

Connor Mantz and his training partner, Clayton Young, went one, two at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials on February 4, 2024. Connor was injured , and spent lots of time in the swimming pool, up to 10,000 meters of swimming as he prepared for the 2024 Paris Olympics. One of Claytons’ workouts, as he came back from injury was uphill runs, where he would driven downhill so as not to challenge the healing muscles. Connor and Clayton prepared for the rigorous course in Paris.

Oh and at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Connor ran the 10,000m a serious race where the field just did “Raging Bull” on each other, one stomack bunch after another. Connor Mantz finished sixth in 28:00.90. Afterwards, Connor told this writer, ” I did not know if I would finish after the first two miles, I felt like I was going all out.”

A sidebar is needed here: This writer has observed or been in attendance to every Olympic marathon since 1972. The Paris 2024 Marathon course was one of the God awful courses this writer has ever seen. Connor Mantz was ranked 56th prior to the Paris Olympic marathon. In Paris, Connor took eighth! Clayton Young, his partner in training, finished 9th!

Not having enough marathons in 2024, Connor Mantz then ran the 2024 TCS NYC Marathon, finishing sixth in 2:09:00, the fastest American time in the Big Apple since 1981 and one Alberto Salazar.

My next time in seeing Connor Mantz was his PB of 2:05:08 at the Boston Marathon in April 2025. Connor was ecstatic! Connor had hoped for top three, finishing 4th in 2:05:08. As Boston Marathon, for some unfathomable reason is not ” American-record legal” , Connor knew he needed a legal course to break the twenty-three year old American record of Khalid Khannouchi.

Now a sidebar on Khallid Khannouchi. Khalid was a Moroccan, who married an American. Khalid became an American citizen, and proudly set the American record (also world record) at the time (2002), while winning the London Marathon in 2:05.08. That fall, Khalid won his fourth Chicago Marathon title (1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002, plus a second in 2001), in 2:05:55, the first man under two hours, six minutes in the marathon twice in one year!

Connor Mantz’s run in Chicago was an example of great training, great focus, some fine races building up for the near perfect storm. Connor ran the NIKE Pre Classic 10,000m on July 5, 2025, finishing twelfth in 27:33.22. It was a tough race, but reminded Connor of what he needed to do to prepare for Chicago. One month later, Connor Mantz won the #BeachtoBeacon10k, a race established by 1984 Olympic champion, Joan Benoit Samuelson, breaking the 23 year old course record (Gilbert Okari) with his fine 27:26. Connor Mantz joined Ben True as only other American male to win Beach to Beacon.

One more race, the US 20 kilometer champs, prior to the planned assault for the American record, was won by Connor in 56:16 at New Haven, Connecticutt.

Connor was ready.

The day of the race was cool, with a bit of win. Executive race director did the appropriate sacrifice to the running gods (Paavo Nurmi, Willie Ritola, plus others in runner’s heaven), to insure good weather in the Windy city.

Connor Mantz hit the splits just right, 14:23 for 5k, 29:20 for 10k, 44:04 for 15k and at 20k, hit 59:00 for 20k, that is 4:38 per mile to 4:49 per mile pace, sports fans. Connor hit the half marathon in 1:02:19, right on American record pace.

From the half marathon, Connor stayed focused, running 1:13:40 for 25k, 1:28:24 for 30k and 1:34:38 for 20 miles. Connor Mantz was on it, racing with Alex Masai, a competitor that he had run against in college. ” We spoke during the race, ” noted Connor post race.” I asked Alex to lead with six miles, and he said he would for 1k, that really helped.” Noted Connor post race. Connor hit 35k in 1:43:15.

Around 22 miles, Connor Mantz dropped from 4:51 pace, the pace needed to set the AR. Connor ran a 5:05 mile at 22 miles. In mile 23, Connor Mantz, running alongside Alex Masai, ran a 4:52, bringing him back on record pace. Post race, Connor Mantz told media that he was wondering if he would have to go to Valencia (Dec. 7) to try a second time for the American record? Connor Mantz returned to the race at hand and stayed on pace. Connor went 4:52 in mile 23, 4:47 in mile 24, and hit 40k in 1:58:12.

Connor Mantz was flying!

40k was hit at 4:44, then, the body started to protest. Connor ran mile 25 in 5:05, but from 25.2 to the finish, Connor Mantz called on everything he had, those runs at 7300 feet, those hill repeats and tempo runs, and his conversations with Coach Eyestone. Connor Mantz ran a 4:41 for the final mile, his second fastest of the entire race, to finish in 2:04:43.

The American record is now Connor Mantz. It has been nearly two weeks. I hope he is enjoying it. Media reports (via social media) note that Connor Mantz’ mobile phone has been non-stop since October 12, 2025.

Remember, Connor Mantz finished fourth? He thanks Alex Masai, who finished third in the post event presser emceed by James O’Brien, long time scribe and publisher of NYAC Winged Foot magazine.

Oh, and final deep thoughts. Connor Mantz has dreams of the marathon, but over the winter he is going back to cross country. Connor and I spoke about his desire to run World Cross Country in Tallahassee (January 10, 2025) post-race in Boston in April and after Chicago Marathon.

Cross-country is the degree of separation for many elite marathoners.

The great sports writer, Joe Henderson, way back in 1970, wrote: “Cross-country is the meeting place of the miler to the marathoner. ” How true. Cross-country builds stamina, endurance, character and focus.

Well done Connor Mantz, your journey from high school cross country to college cross country to American record holder in the marahton has been inspiring. We wish you many more great races and many “podium finishes” !

Enjoy my embed of the post race presser.