Chasing A Harvard Degree and Pro Dreams with Graham Blanks

The pivot from the classroom to lining up with the top pro runners in the world was an adjustment Graham Blanks had to quickly figure out after announcing last December that the signed with New Balance. His remaining time at Harvard was still a priority, but Blanks knew a portion of the bigger stage was reserved for him.

Blanks spent his collegiate years stacking up the kinds of accolades that shifted the spotlight to his conference, becoming the first Ivy League runner to win the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in November 2023. Later that month he set the collegiate mark for the indoor 5,000m in 13:03.78.

More was always part of the plan as Blanks punched his ticket to the Paris Olympics in the 5,000m in 2024 and getting a glimpse of the competition he will face for rest of his career. In June, just before he posted a 12 ...