London-born, US-raised marathoner targets being first American finisher in Chicago as he begins a new performance partnership with Science in Sport
Science in Sport, world leader in endurance performance nutrition, announces Charles Hicks as global ambassador.
This weekend’s Chicago Marathon is eagerly anticipated as the next step in Hicks’s exciting journey. He runs on Sunday as an SiS athlete, with the specific goal of being the first American to cross the finish line.
The 25-year-old declared his arrival boldly in April’s Boston Marathon, placing seventh in 2:04:35. In what was only his second outing over the distance, this was the second-fastest-ever marathon performance by an American, and a remarkable progression from his debut last year in New York, where he ran 2:09:59.
Born in London, then raised in the US from the age of 12, Hicks has taken an unconventional route to the top. He began running at school, progressing to 12 miles every day during lockdown. His training volume has increased steadily since, to its current level of 130 miles a week; it’s a strategy that has seen him advance rapidly from student champion to one of the most promising distance runners in the world.
In 2022, Hicks won the Cross Country Championship of the US National Collegiate Athletic Association. Then representing Great Britain, he secured two European U23 Cross Country titles, as well as the 2023 European U23 5,000m crown. He followed this by turning pro with Nike, under coach Jerry Schumacher, before moving his focus to the roads.
Hicks’s wider credentials include the US title at the 2025 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, where he set a course record of 45:14, and fourth place at the 2026 USATF Half Marathon Championships, in 62:10. His track PBs stand at 13:09.38 for 5,000m and 27:33.58 for 10,000m.
His dramatic progress since transitioning to the marathon has been impossible to ignore. Chicago’s celebrated reputation as a fast track, and the favourable conditions anticipated, mean Hicks is sure to command attention throughout the race – not least from the fast-growing following that his refreshingly open and natural social media presence has gained.
He’s already renowned for his data-driven dedication to training planning and evaluation. This focus extends to precise fuelling and recovery in support of his prodigious workload. It’s a philosophy that aligns perfectly with Science in Sport’s commitment to exploring every possible route to optimising performance.
Alongside working with the brand’s scientific and product teams, he will contribute to the wider knowledge-sharing of its elite athlete community, helping translate the lessons of top-level marathon preparation into insights which will benefit athletes at all levels.
With his sights firmly set on the next stage of his speedy ascent, Hicks emphasised that Chicago is just the beginning:
“I’m always looking for ways to improve and understand what will help me perform at my best. Training and fuelling are central to that, so I’m excited to work with the Science in Sport team, draw on their expertise, and keep building on what I’ve achieved.
My target in Chicago is simply to be the highest-placed American. It’s a clear goal for us to work towards together. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve, first in Chicago and then moving forward.”
Dan Lampard, CCOO at Science in Sport, echoed these sentiments:
“Charles brings an outstanding combination of exceptional talent and a relentless drive to improve. His analytical approach to training and nutrition makes him a natural fit for Science in Sport and our mission to fuel every athlete, every goal, every step of the way.
We’re excited to partner with him – in Chicago and beyond – to explore what we can achieve together, to share insights from that journey, and to inspire athletes at every level to pursue their own ambitions.”
It’s both a highly compatible collaboration and an exciting potential development for distance running. Hicks and SiS will work closely together to break new ground in how innovative performance nutrition, alongside a rigorously dedicated approach to training, can unlock further gains – starting in Chicago.
