Conner & Kylie Mantz: How to Chase Dreams Without Losing What Matters Most

Conner and Kylie Mantz are redefining what it means to chase big dreams as a team. They’re two runners with one purpose–moving stride for stride through life. Conner Mantz has become the new standard-bearer for American marathoning. After winning the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and placing 8th at the Paris Olympics (2:08:12), he stunned the running world in 2025–running 2:05:08 for 4th place at Boston, winning the Beach to Beacon 10K in a course record time of 27:26, and setting the American marathon record of 2:04:43 at the Chicago Marathon. His career arc, which was shaped by BYU coach Ed Eyestone’s patient approach, reflects eight years of steady growth from NCAA champion to global contender. Kylie Mantz, meanwhile, has forged her own remarkable path. A latecomer to competitive running, she joined BYU’s women’s distance program in 2025 and quickly ran 34:57 for 10,000m and 16:49 for 5000m–astonishing progress for someone who didn’t run track in high school. Her joy-driven approach, grounded in curiosity and consistency, mirrors Cennor’s faith in long-term development. Their parallel journeys (Conner’s disciplined pursuit of podiums and records; Kylie’s joyful rise into Division I competition) intersect in a shared belief that running is both art and anchor. Together, Conner and Kylie Mantz are proving that love, faith, and discipline can fuel world-class performance. Tap into the Conner and Kylie Mantz Special. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! S H O W N O T E S -The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs -Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz