Apologies, we're closed for now

Words by Sheridan Wilbur. Photography by Kevin Morris and On.

Ben Flanagan is a nice guy who’s used to finishing first. The Canadian long distance runner is a three-time winner of the Falmouth Road Race in Massachusetts, the 2018 NCAA champion in the 10K and the Canadian road record holder in the 5K and 10K. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Flanagan trains with the Very Nice Track Club under Ron Warhurst. “I set myself up for success with an environment that aligns with my training style, but also my lifestyle as well,” the 29-year-old says. 

Earlier this winter, Flanagan ran 13:04.62 at Boston University, the third-fastest men’s indoor mark in Canadian history, hitting the Olympic standard. But he says, “I’m not leaving it to chance to be one of the best athletes in Canada.” Because three years ago, Flanagan had a breakthrough race where he ran 13:20 and thought Tokyo was a done-deal. Just days before the qualifying window closed, Luc Bruca ran 13:12.56, snatching the last spot for Canada. 

“It was hard because I was sure I was going. My whole support network thought I was going.” Since then, he’s come to terms with the disappointment. “That athlete earned it over me. I relied too much on the situation just working out.” Flanagan, known for his gregariousness, is assertive about qualifying for Paris. “I’m earning that spot.” 

Flanagan has spent most of his running career inspired by other people. His two older sisters Kristen and Jamie, ran cross country at St. Mary’s High School in Kitchener, Ontario, and encouraged him to join the team when he started ninth grade. “Thanks to great coaching in a cool, fun environment, I fell in love with the sport. I was naturally good at it,” he says, making Team Ontario and Team Canada as a teen.

After graduating from high school, Flanagan turned to Canadian role models who thrived in the American collegiate sports system. “I saw the NCAA as where the best athletes were, who made Olympic teams and did well at the Olympics,” he explains. Reflecting on the achievements of legacy Canadian Olympians Nathan Brannen and Kevin Sullivan, both former Michigan Wolverines, he wanted to attend the top-ranked public university and follow in their footsteps. 

His first few years at University of Michigan were punctuated by coaching changes, program rebuilds and injury. Coincidence or perhaps fate, Sullivan, who Flanagan says, was “a total prodigy in Canada” replaced the coach who recruited him, Alex Gibby. “It took a couple of years for us to really find our groove,” he says about Sullivan’s arrival. “The magic started to happen during my last year.” 

“Winning NCAAs was a pipe dream,” Flanagan says. He went into the final ranked 23rd out of 24 athletes in the field, but had the confidence and conditioning to win. “That gap can feel pretty daunting between setting goals, knowing what you're capable of and actually delivering.” On the last straightaway, he passed Alabama’s Vincent Kiprop, crossing the line first. “It was one of the most euphoric moments of my whole running career.” 

Flanagan “blacked out” in disbelief. He shouted, “Where’s my mom?” to the cameras. The moment went viral. Flanagan’s fatigue-soaked brain went straight to his family in Hayward’s stands. “I'm glad it happened because my mom has been supportive through all the ups and downs of my career. She got the shout out she deserves.” For the last five years, Flanagan’s kept the nickname he earned through that win, “NCAA Certified Mama’s Boy” at the top of his Instagram bio. His sense of humor is as strong as his race strategy. 

The move to road racing was an easy pivot for Flanagan, despite the fact most young professional runners stay on the track as long as possible. “I was trying to be flexible when we started negotiating. I told them, ‘I can be whatever athlete you want, I can be a 5K guy, a road guy, marathon.’” Because his ultimate goal was to get signed as a pro runner. He earned street cred in 2018 when he came in second at Bix, a major road race in Davenport, Iowa and the prestigious Falmouth Road Race in Massachusetts.

Now, as a professional runner for On, Flanagan has shifted his focus back to the track. “I trust I can have success on the roads, and even more success, once I get faster on the track.”

Love, perhaps like Flanagan’s running success, happens when life makes other plans. In August 2018, Flanagan, clad in Michigan gear, awaited his host family at the Falmouth Road Race, a customary arrangement for elites of the event. They never showed up. Scott Ghelfi, the former president of the road race, learned of Flanagan’s predicament and offered him a place to stay. Ghelfi's daughter, Hannah Ghelfi, was a golfer at Michigan at the time, whom he didn’t know. “It might sound scandalous, but that's how I met Hannah. We just clicked.” Now they’re married. 

“A runner's dream is to go to a race, win it and come back with a wife. That worked out pretty well for me,” he says laughing.

Flanagan plays nice, but he’s strategic about his tactics, following Sullivan’s advice: “Don't take the lead until you know you’re going to win.” His racing style varies, either making his move early or late, depending on the race dynamics. Confidence underpins his ability to hold back and surge later. “But sometimes it’s too conservative. I've missed out on opportunities because of my strategy.” This year, Flanagan’s experimenting with different styles to run as fast as he can to hopefully represent Canada this summer. But regardless of the race plan, Flanagan likes to put on a show, especially when family and friends are in the crowd. In an elite landscape dominated by rivalries and standards, is there still room for Flanagan to have fun?

“The best athletes in the world can do it all,” he says. 

Now that he’s a professional, Flanagan’s dialed in to the best version of himself. “As I’ve gotten older, I've tried to prioritize the best path for me, then go all in on that path.” When we talk, he’s on a six-week altitude stint in Boulder, Colorado, his first time training in elevation for this long to prepare for 5Ks and 10Ks this season. He’s training harder than ever before so “no stone is left unturned.”  

Flanagan’s lived in the US for a decade now, and his wife is American, but he proudly wears the Canadian singlet (and a maple leaf tattoo on his leg). “I've had tremendous support from the Canadian running community. I always want to give back or get involved more locally. He's participated in group runs at Toronto-based running stores and he’s also been a guide runner for Achilles Canada’s St. Patrick’s Day 5K, an organization dedicated to people with visual impairments. “It’s given me a new appreciation for what it's like for athletes with visual impairments and their dedication.” 

Flanagan’s congeniality comes naturally. Taking time away from the track and giving back to his community, is work that brings him meaning beyond the medals. “Sometimes you have to dial in, and I’ve had to miss some events because they conflict with serious points in training or races. But whenever I can show up, I always love to.” 

When Flanagan races on the global stage, he keeps his family close. “They've always been by my side,” he says of their unwavering support. 

Fueled by the sting of watching Tokyo on the couch, and missing out on the final at world champs in Budapest last summer, Flanagan has “a lot of motivation” to make it his best year yet. “It's unconventional to drop down in distance [for the 5K], but it's the event where my skill set is best aligned with Ron’s coaching style.” He’ll still pursue the 10K with an aim for Team Canada but “my number one priority is the 5K with a long-term focus on the marathon after 2024.” 

Flanagan wants to do more than just hit standards. He wants to be competitive this season. “It would be awesome to beat his best time of 13:04,” he says. 

Ultimately, Flanagan knows his best performances are when he maintains composure. “I’m taking care of everything I can until I'm on that team. It's not over until it's over. You have to be ready for anything.”