2 min read
Ready to get into the best shape of your life? Get free weekly workouts and no-nonsense training insights delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here and let the gains begin.
WHILE THE LA Summer Olympics isn’t for another two years, athletes are already planning their training to win a spot on the team. Among the hopefuls looking to qualify is long-distance runner Clayton Young, one of the top Americans in the sport. The 32-year-old made his Olympic debut in 2024, where he placed 9th at the Men’s Marathon with a time of 2:08:44.
“My biggest goals right now are to do everything I can to prepare for the LA 2028 Olympic Games,” Young tells MH. “Right now, it’s all about getting as much confidence and preparation for all of the world’s major marathons—where I get to compete against some of my biggest competitors.”
Young has already shown major improvement from his first Olympics. He’s surpassed his Paris performance by a full minute, crossing the line at 2:07:04 at the 2025 Boston Marathon. He will run Boston again this year to try to shave even more off his PR, this time under new partnership—Young recently announced he signed a contract with Brooks.
As Young tells MH, long runs are the core of marathon training. But that’s not the only component of his training plan. He credits his speed gains in recent years to an increased focus on strength training in the weight room. “It’s not only made me more efficient and faster, but it’s also allowed me to stay healthy and to run 130-plus miles a week.”
Check out the full clip for the workout Young is using during this training cycle. In the video, he also discusses the most important joint in marathoning, his most difficult running experiences, and the mindset that helps him push his limits with every workout.
Clayton Young’s Full Body WorkoutRunning Drills
3 Miles
DC Skater Bounds
3 sets of 5 reps of each side
Single Leg Hop
2 sets of 20 meters each side
Sled Pushes & Pulls
3 sets of 20 meters
Leg Press Calf Raise
3 sets of 8 reps
Nordic Leans
3 sets of 8 reps
Sprint Angled Hip Flexor
3 sets of 8 reps
Raised Dumbbell Lateral Lunge
3 sets of 8 reps; 70 to 90 seconds on each side
Want more celebrity workout routines? Check out all of our Train Like videos.
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, MS is the associate health & fitness for Men’s Health and has previously written for CNN, Scientific American, Popular Science, and National Geographic before joining the brand. When she’s not working, she’s doing circus arts or working towards the perfect pull-up.
