Isaiah Givens, a standout runner for the Colorado Buffaloes men’s track and field team, continues to make progress in his collegiate career, according to a Jan. 22 announcement from the program.
Givens’ achievements are significant for both his personal development and the Buffaloes’ standing in national competitions. His steady improvement has resulted in multiple school records and All-American honors, highlighting his impact on the team’s success.
Givens first broke the four-minute mile barrier as a freshman at the 2023 Ken Shannon Invitational with a time of 3:55.99, setting a new school record. He later improved this mark at the 2025 NCAA Division I Indoor Championships in Norfolk, Virginia, running 3:54.84 to place fifth overall and earn All-American status. “Probably when I broke the school record my freshman year,” Givens said. “That was kind of the start of really coming into my potential as a runner. It taught me a lot about who I could be.” Reflecting on recent performances, he added, “It’s been an inconsistent couple of months. This felt really good. It felt like a breakthrough and a chance to start building momentum again.” In his latest race at the Potts Invitational, Givens ran 3:57.52 in the mile; after conversion adjustments, this performance currently leads both the Big 12 Conference and NCAA rankings.
Versatility has been key to Givens’ development as he balances cross country with middle-distance events such as the mile and 1500 meters while contributing to team efforts during fall seasons. “I think they complement each other really well,” he said regarding cross country and track racing. He also spoke about overcoming challenges: “One of the biggest things I learned is that no matter how perfect your training is, things can still go wrong… You have to be ready for anything, especially in cross country.” Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Sean Carlson has played an important role since Givens’ sophomore year by focusing on sustainable training methods.
Born in Spain and raised in Pasadena before moving to Boulder for college, Givens credits altitude training with enhancing his performance: “Training here is hard to beat… It makes me really grateful that I get to live here, go to school here and run with this team in such a beautiful place.” Off the track, he studies environmental science while enjoying snowboarding and mountain biking when possible.
Looking ahead, Givens remains focused on qualifying for more NCAA championships and pursuing an individual title for Colorado—a feat not achieved by a Buffaloes athlete in some time. “I want to qualify for more NCAA championships, earn more All-American honors and win an NCAA title,” he said.
The Colorado Buffaloes will host their next meet at the Ford Practice Facility during the Colorado Invite on Jan. 23-24.
