Conner Mantz Predicts His NYC Marathon Time and Weighs In on Jepchirchir

Conner Mantz, the American marathon record holder, sat down with Marathon Handbook at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon media day for a one-on-one interview and lightning round, three days before the race.

Mantz told us the goal he had promised to set on October 30: a top-five finish and the Olympic qualifying standard. He predicted a 2:05 finishing time, and he said New York’s hilly course makes that a fair target. He talked about the resurgence of American men’s marathoning, why he doesn’t think much about whether he or Zouhair Talbi is the fastest American, and why winning a Major and an Olympic medal matter more to him than his American record. He also told us about a 26-mile training run that happened because someone took a wrong turn, and how his coach rebuilt his training around Clayton Young’s Chicago build.

In the lightning round, Mantz covered carbs per hour, sodium bicarbonate and Nomio, his race mantra, his healthy toenail count, whether he has ever been trash talked mid-race, and how he reads his 10 percent chance on the Kalshi prediction market. He closed with his view on Peres Jepchirchir’s provisional EPO suspension: a four-year ban rather than a lifetime one, but with every past title and result stripped.

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CHAPTERS
0:00 Conner Mantz reveals his NYC Marathon goal
0:30 Dad duty and diaper stats
1:20 The American record and Zouhair Talbi
2:34 NYC Marathon training and a 26-mile long run
4:02 Lightning round: race shoes
4:20 Carbs per hour, bicarb and Nomio
4:49 His race mantra
5:05 Harry Styles at MSG vs. winning New York
5:50 Healthy toenail count
5:55 Trash talk
6:22 Racing for an Olympic qualifier
6:45 Who he doesn’t want next to him at mile 25
7:10 Finishing time prediction
7:25 Kalshi odds
7:45 Peres Jepchirchir and doping bans