Marathon Handbook Podcast

Episoder

• Running is Healthier than Cycling? Jimmy Whelan's Switch to Pro Running & 2028 Olympics Chase 13.06.2026 58min

  Jimmy Whelan raced the Giro d'Italia, wore the EF Education First jersey in the World Tour, and beat Pogačar in a U23 race. Then he broke his pelvis, lost his contract, and messaged his boss from a hospital bed in Europe to say he was done.Less than a year later, he ran a 61-minute half marathon on his professional running debut at Valencia, 13th on the Australian all-time list. He's now signed with Salomon, based in Barcelona, coached by Andy Henderson (also coach to Phil Sesemann), and openly chasing the Australian Olympic marathon team for LA 2028.In this episode, Jessy Carveth sits down with Jimmy to talk about:• Why he walked away from pro cycling after 8 years• How cycling built an engine that's tailor-made for the marathon• Training doubles, 200km+ weeks, and learning to manage load as a new runner• The Berlin half marathon blow-up and what he learned from failing publicly• His marathon debut plans and his 2028 Olympic ambitionsWhether you're a competitive runner, a cycling fan, or just love a great comeback story, this one's for you.
• Why You Have to Run SLOW to Race FAST (The Science of Easy Running) 11.06.2026 1t 6min

  Why does every marathon training plan include so much easy, slow running — even when your goal pace is well over a minute faster per mile? This week, a question from listener Seth (a former pro cyclist chasing a sub-3 marathon) opens up one of our most useful conversations yet.SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: Lagoon pillows help us sleep better, so we run better. Want to try? You can save 15% with code MARATHON. Go to https://LagoonSleep.com/marathonhandbook and take the 2-minute sleep quiz to find your match. Michael, Alex, and Katelyn break down the science behind easy running: zone 2, mitochondria, angiogenesis, the 80/20 rule, running economy, and why the world's best marathoners — including Eliud Kipchoge — run their easy days embarrassingly slow. They also share what easy running actually feels like in practice, how to gauge your effort without obsessing over pace, and why betraying the 80/20 rule is the fastest path to injury.Email: podcast@marathonhandbook.comJoin Run Club and Send Us a Voice Note: marathonhandbook.comChapters:0:00 – Intro, Banter & What We're Covering18:07 – Listener Voice Note: Martina on German Pronunciation & NYC Events21:34 – Ad: Lagoon Sleep Pillows23:47 – Why You Must Run Slow to Race Fast (Main Topic)52:37 – Pronunciation Tangent: Capillaries, Claude & Canadian Quirks54:49 – Should You Race Again After a DNF? The Revenge Race Question1:05:55 – Outro & How to Connect With Us
• Emergency Pod: Cape Town Is Officially the 8th World Marathon Major | Analysis 11.06.2026 24min

  It's official, and it's historic: the Cape Town Marathon has been named the 8th Abbott World Marathon Major — the first ever on the continent of Africa. In this surprise emergency episode, Michael Doyle and news editor Jesse Carveth break down the announcement the running world saw coming but couldn't stop talking about (00:37). They walk the full eight-major calendar from Tokyo to New York (01:28), make the case for why Africa was long overdue given that roughly 80% of the world's top 50 marathoners come from the continent (02:23), and explain what the new eight-star medal — and the provisional star for 2025 and 2026 entrants — means for star chasers (03:26).From there, the guys trace Cape Town's meteoric rise from ~16,000 to nearly 30,000 runners (03:59), revisit the brutal 2025 cancellation when severe winds stopped the race roughly 90 minutes before the gun (04:50), and unpack the 2027 ballot — open June 10, closing June 24 — including the decision to reserve two-thirds of entries for African runners (05:55). They dig into the Sanlam sponsorship extension (07:20) and ask the question on everyone's mind: with London drawing 1.4 million applicants, could Cape Town become the single hardest World Marathon Major to get into (08:20)?The conversation gets into the real reason so few races can join the club — the staggering cost of becoming a major, with even Valencia admitting it can't afford the leap (09:32) — plus entry prices (~$220 international vs. ~$48 local), Kipchoge's role as the ultimate ambassador, and how Cape Town defines its own character as a major (11:06). Finally, Michael and Jesse debate whether expansion waters down the brand or makes it truly global (16:18), and look ahead to Shanghai as the near-certain 9th major and the race for the 10th — South America, India, or the Middle East (19:30). They close on the big question: how long can the running boom keep this snowball rolling (22:31)?New episodes of The Running Story drop every Monday afternoon.
• Learning to Eat for My Biggest Running Week & Post-Run Headaches 09.06.2026 1t 9min

  Alex Cyr and Alexis D'Souza are back for Episode 4 of For Better or For Worse, the show where a beginner runner and an elite runner chase goals together (and occasionally argue about hockey and boiled eggs).This week, Alexis just finished her biggest training week ever: 21.2km over four runs, but keeps getting post-run headaches. Alex breaks down the nutrition basics every new runner needs to know, from macronutrients and meal timing to electrolytes and why calories aren't the enemy.Plus: the running and alcohol conversation nobody wants to have, Alex's honest take on run club culture, a PB in the track 10K, and a hot debate on run/walk intervals vs. pushing through.Follow the show on Instagram!https://www.instagram.com/alex.is.pod/Follow Alex:https://www.instagram.com/cyresy_10/Follow Alexis:https://www.instagram.com/alexisdsouza.to/Chapters:0:00 - Cold open: Too many metrics?1:00 - Intro & where we're at (7 weeks to the wedding)3:00 - Strava and the social pressure on new runners7:00 - Alexis's biggest running week ever: 21.2km9:00 - Why am I getting headaches after every run?12:00 - Running nutrition 101: macronutrients explained18:00 - Post-run fueling: what to eat and when22:00 - Should new runners track calories?25:00 - Metrics overload: what actually matters31:00 - Alex's track 10K recap: 29:27 PB!33:00 - Running and drinking: can you do both?40:00 - Alex's controversial take on run club culture48:00 - Should you run on your wedding morning?54:00 - Hot or Not: Run/walk intervals (Jeff Galloway method)1:00:00 - Hot or Not: Josh Kerr's mile world record attempt#Running #RunningNutrition #BeginnerRunner #MarathonHandbook #ForBetterOrForWorse #RunningPodcast #TrackRacing #10K #RunningTips #AlexCyr
• Trump's D.C. Golf Course Could Change the Marine Corps Marathon's Blue Mile, CIM Doubles & Rory Linkletter Goes Trail 08.06.2026 23min

  This week on The Running Story, Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth dig into five stories you need to know about: from a politically charged threat to two iconic American road races, to a milestone 22 years in the making, to an elite marathoner trading the roads for a near-vertical mountain race.Chapters:0:00 — Intro & New Independent Podcast Feed Announcement2:42 — Story 1: Trump Golf Course Threatens Marine Corps Marathon & Cherry Blossom 10 Miler6:19 — Story 2: Darren Wood Completes 1,000 Parkruns (a World First!)10:10 — Story 3: California International Marathon Doubling to 40,000 Runners in 202713:46 — Story 4: Rory Linkletter's Elite Trail Debut at Broken Arrow Ascent17:57 — Story 5: Running Speed Dating in Wales
• How to Find Your Marathon Goal Pace, Super Shoes for Every Runner & Is Running Full of "Bro Science"? 04.06.2026 1t 23min

  SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:This episode is presented by Momentous. Use promo code MARATHON for up to 35% off your first order: https://⁠livemomentous.comWe use RYTHM for easy, convenient blood tests. 15% OFF : https://RYTHM.HEALTH/MARATHONFiguring out your marathon goal pace is one of the trickiest parts of training, especially if you've never run 26.2 before. This week, a listener named Phil sends in a voice note asking exactly that: with a 1:38 half marathon and an October race on the horizon, should he target 3:15, 3:30, or 3:45? Michael, Alex, and Katelyn dig into the VDOT calculator, the Riegel formula, rate of perceived exertion, and why your marathon pace should be a living, breathing number that evolves throughout your training block.Chapters:0:00 Intro2:24 Shoe Reviews: Asics Nova Blast 6 & Saucony Endorphin Elite 38:43 Big Things Are Coming: Mara App & Marathon Handbook Updates9:56 Shoutouts From the Community13:27 Sponsor: Momentus Fiber Plus14:49 Today's Big Question: How Do You Calculate Marathon Pace?15:14 Phil's Marathon Pace Dilemma (Listener Voice Note)36:01 Sponsor: RYTHM Health Test38:37 Super Shoes for Your Birthday?43:34 Finding Your Perfect Race Day Shoe55:45 Max Cushioning Meets Carbon Plate1:02:59 Is Running Full of Bro Science?1:21:47 Wrap-Up📩 Send us your questions: podcast@marathonhandbook.com🎙️ Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe, link on marathonhandbook.com📰 Subscribe to the Marathon Handbook newsletter: marathonhandbook.com
• The Fastest 10K That Won't Count, Kejelcha to Valencia Exclusive, Boulder Boulder DQ & More 02.06.2026 28min

  A packed week in running. Michael and Jessy cover five big stories including a time that would have rewritten the record books and an exclusive from the CEO of one of the world's best marathons.0:00 Intro & Jessy's Unbound Gravel 2003:00 10K in 26:01 — The Fastest in Human History (Unofficial)5:30 Yomif Kejelcha Signs With Valencia Marathon6:30 Exclusive Interview: Valencia CEO on the Appearance Fee & World Record Bid10:08 Could Valencia Become a World Marathon Major?13:30 Boulder Boulder DQ Controversy Explained16:59 Was the Runner Warned? The Anonymous Tip19:00 Bashir Abdi's Race Was 200 Meters Short24:45 Claire Elms, 62, Sets Age Group World Record for 1500m27:08 Outro & What's Coming Next
• Training Seasons, Speed Workouts & Downhill Racing Tips | MH May Mailbag Part 2 28.05.2026 1t 58min

  It was a big race weekend for the Marathon Handbook crew, and one of them won their race outright, beating every single finisher.SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:Lagoon pillows help us sleep better, so we run better. Want to try? You can save 15% with code MARATHON. Go to https://LagoonSleep.com/marathonhandbook and take the 2-minute sleep quiz to find your match. Alex ran the Canadian 10K Road Championships in Ottawa, finishing 7th in 29:21. Then — on three hours of sleep after staying out for a friend's birthday party — he jumped in to pace Canadian women's marathon record holder Natasha Akhtar at the Ottawa Marathon, running 32 kilometres before a blister from his Fascia R3s forced him to drop. He came away with a renewed appreciation for the marathon start line vibe and a serious bug to go the full 42.Katelyn ran a 50K ultra in blazing 40°C heat in Costa Rica, running a patient, controlled race to take the overall win — first across the line ahead of every man in the field, a PR of 5:06. Her husband Victor came in third.Michael tackled the Cabot Trail Relay in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, one of Canada's most beloved and cult-like race weekends, running Leg 7 into a 50km/h headwind and returning, as always, inspired and windburned.Then it's into the listener mailbag, covering:Bridge Training — Patrick asks how to stay fit and motivated between race seasons without losing fitness or burning out before the fall block begins. Alex, Katelyn, and Michael share their personal approaches, including why doing 5K or 10K work in the "off-season" pays enormous dividends for your marathon.Speed Workouts for Sub-2:30 — Andrew from Saskatoon left a voice note. He ran 2:37 at Boston, follows a nine-day training rotation, and wants to know what speed sessions could help him crack the 2:30 barrier. The hosts recommend hill work, lactate threshold training, and exploring the Norwegian Method — specifically the work of Marius Bäcken.Marathon Recovery in Your Late 40s — Raul from Sydney is running his first marathon and targeting a triathlon three months later. He asks how recovery approaches change with age. Michael reflects on the value of mentorship from older runners, the non-negotiable importance of sleep, and why getting the "little things" right matters more than ever.Becoming a Student of Running — Daniel from Reno (one of Katelyn's athletes, currently training for Chicago) asks about books, habits, and resources for runners who want to go deep on the sport. The team recommend Advanced Marathoning, Lore of Running, Endure by Alex Hutchinson, Running with the Kenyans, The Inner Game of Tennis, and more.Choosing a Prep Race — Tyler in Australia is running Sydney Marathon and asks whether to race the half marathon or 30K option at a local tune-up race five weeks out. The debate gets lively — Katelyn and Michael lean half, Alex says race the race.Training for a Downhill Marathon — Sky from Boston is running a point-to-point race with 2,100 feet of descent and wants to know how to prepare for the pounding without access to serious hills. The team recommend running the Boston course in reverse (Heartbreak Hill backwards), eccentric quad work in the gym, and step-down exercises.Got a question for the team? Email podcast@marathonhandbook.com or send a voice message via SpeakPipe, link at marathonhandbook.com. We love hearing from you, and your message might be featured on a future episode.Subscribe to the Marathon Handbook newsletter for weekly training tips, race news, and more at marathonhandbook.com.
• Cam Hanes Doping Controversy, Enhanced Games & Cape Town Marathon 2026 | The Running Story 25.05.2026 33min

  Thomas Watson fills in for Michael Doyle this week as he and Jessy Carveth run through five stories dominating the running world right now — from a doping controversy that broke the internet to a heartwarming marathon moment featuring the sport's greatest athlete.Cape Town Marathon emerged as one of the most significant races of the year, not just for the performances on the day but because it represents Cape Town's final year as a World Marathon Majors candidate. Muhammad Esa took the men's title in 2:04:55 — a new course record by nearly three and a half minutes — while Dara Deida won the women's race in 2:23:18. Eliud Kipchoge, competing in Africa for the first time, finished 16th in 2:13:29 as part of what's being called his world tour. The real highlight for Thomas and Jessy? Kipchoge's wife completing her first marathon, with Kipchoge waiting at the finish line.The Cam Hanes vs. Sage Canaday controversy is the most talked-about story in running right now, and for good reason. Elite ultra runner Sage Canaday filed a tip with USADA against 58-year-old podcaster, bow hunter, and social media figure Cam Hanes, after Haynes ran a 2:39 at the Oregon USATF Marathon Championship — a PR by 13 minutes at age 58 — while having publicly acknowledged using BPC-157, a peptide banned under the WADA code. Thomas and Jessy explore the nuance: should the rules apply equally at age group level? Is enforcement even realistic? And what does a 2:39 at 58 tell us about the future of peptides in recreational sport?The Enhanced Games took place in Las Vegas on the night of May 24th. Billed as the "Doping Olympics," the multi-sport competition promised record-breaking performances from athletes using banned substances under medical supervision — and backed by million-dollar prize money. The reality was less dramatic: self-proclaimed clean athletes won most events, just one world record was broken (in swimming), and 250,000 live stream viewers were left with more questions than answers about the event's future. Thomas and Jessy also note the organization's business model — an online supplement store selling the same substances the athletes use — and ask what that means for the enterprise.A Charlotte high school sprinter was disqualified from the anchor leg of the 4x400 relay at the North Carolina State Track and Field Championships after raising his hand and holding up five fingers — ruled as unsportsmanlike conduct. The call wiped out 10 team points and cost his school the overall state title. The video spread to nearly 8 million views on X. Thomas and Jessy unpack the two separate conversations the internet is collapsing into one: was the rule fairly applied, and should the rule exist at all?Emma Bates has signed with NeverSecond as a nutrition partner. This comes months after Bates very publicly fell out with her previous sponsor, alleging she was dropped because she was pregnant — a claim the sponsor disputed. With Bates currently around six to seven months pregnant and not racing this year, Never Second's decision to sign her is being read as both a statement of values and a smart strategic play as the brand looks to expand from trail/ultra/cycling into road running.Chapters:0:00 – Intro & Jessy's Impromptu 10K (Third Place in Belgium!)3:36 – Story 1: Cape Town Marathon – Kipchoge, Course Records & World Marathon Majors9:02 – Story 2: Cam Hanes vs. Sage Canaday – Running's Biggest Doping Controversy18:06 – Story 3: Enhanced Games Las Vegas – Did the "Doping Olympics" Deliver?23:56 – Story 4: High School Sprinter Disqualified for Raising Hand at NC State Championships29:18 – Story 5: Emma Bates Signs with NeverSecond After Sponsor Controversy32:29 – Wrap-Up
• Voicemail Bag: Cadence Truths, Adidas Pro Evo 3 Tech & The Great Rest Day Debate 21.05.2026 1t 25min

  We're cracking open the voicemail bag this week and taking on your best marathon training questions.SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:This episode is presented by Momentous. Use promo code MARATHON for up to 35% off your first order: https://⁠livemomentous.comWe use RYTHM for easy, convenient blood tests. 15% OFF : https://rythmhealth.com/marathonTimothy from St. Louis wonders why his cadence barely changes as he speeds up and whether his long loping stride is what gave him rectus femoris tendonitis. Paul from Minnesota asks the question every Adidas fan is thinking: will the carbon ring and proprietary foam from the world-record-setting Pro Evo 3 ever trickle down to the consumer-friendly Adios Pro 5? Kyron from Trinidad and Tobago floats a spicy idea — should marathons have weight categories like boxing? And Elena asks the question that quietly haunts every training plan: rest day after the long run, or easy run?Before we get to your questions, Alex explains the four stitches on his face (it involves sushi, fainting, and a cautionary tale about being too fit for your own good), Katelyn previews her new YouTube guide for first-time marathoners, and all three of us are racing this weekend — Alex at the Canadian 10K Championships, Katelyn at a 50K in Costa Rica, and Michael at the Cabot Trail Relay in Nova Scotia.Plus: a teaser for Alex's 2026 super trainer rankings video, a plug for the Jakob Ingebrigtsen interview, and a hot-take debate where Michael argues you don't really need rest days and Katelyn says give her a rest day or give her death.Chapters:(00:00) Intro(02:18) Katelyn's new first marathon video(04:17) Alex's sushi restaurant fainting story(10:23) Triple race weekend(17:42) Super trainer roundup teaser(22:31) Followup on the relationships episode(25:53) Q: Cadence vs stride length — Timothy(38:44) Sponsor: Rhythm Health(41:19) Q: Will Adidas Pro Evo 3 tech trickle down? — Paul(52:24) Q: Should marathons have weight categories? — Kyron(1:07:56) Q: Rest day after the long run? — Elena(1:22:51) When do YOU take a rest day?Got a question? Record a voice note at marathonhandbook.com/podcast and we'll answer it on a future episode.
• 1,000 Miles on a Track, Sawe to Berlin, Kejelcha to Valencia, Soweto Pay Scandal & Is Bolt the GOAT? 18.05.2026 36min

  The fall marathon season is already taking shape and Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth are here to break it all down. On this episode of The Running Story, the team runs through the five biggest stories from the past week in running.In this episode:The Soweto Marathon prize-money scandal — six months after the November 2025 race, the winners are still owed roughly $15,000, runners-up about $7,000, and the South African government is now threatening to step in. We unpack the broken sanctioning process, why the doping-results excuse fell apart, and the criminal charges that could be coming for the organizers.Mason Wright runs 1,000 miles on a Utah high school track — 18 days, 13 hours, 11 minutes, roughly 4,000 laps, and only the third person in history to finish the distance on a track. We talk about the mental load, the nerve damage by halfway, and where this fits next to Yiannis Kouros and Ned Brockman.The fall marathon field is set up early: Sabastian Sawe is officially racing the Berlin Marathon on September 27, Yomif Kejelcha is heading to Valencia on December 2 (with a $1 million-euro world-record bonus on the line), and Jacob Kiplimo is reportedly bound for Chicago. Who are we more excited to watch? Can either of them run sub-2 again without the other one in the race?A 15-year-old girl dies at the Leiden Half Marathon — and the conversation about minimum age limits in distance running comes roaring back. We get into how she was able to enter a 16+ race, the differences between European and North American bib pickup and ID checks, and why this debate shouldn't need a tragedy to happen.Sports scientists name the GOATs — a team of 16 researchers, published in Sports Medicine, used Olympic medals, world championship titles, world records, and record longevity to rank running's greatest. Usain Bolt and Faith Kipyegon take the top spots. We debate the men's and women's top five (Bekele, Johnson, Gebrselassie, Nurmi; Dibaba, Fraser-Pryce, Hassan, Ottey), the apples-to-oranges problem of comparing sprinters to marathoners, and the glaring omissions of Eliud Kipchoge and Kelvin Kiptum.Plus: Jessy's impromptu 5K podium ("Running Revenge Vol. 2"), and a preview of the new Alex Cyr / Alexis podcast dropping into this feed soon.
• Jakob Ingebrigtsen: Achilles Recovery, the Josh Kerr Rivalry & His Marathon Future 16.05.2026 25min

  Jakob Ingebrigtsen is one of the most dominant runners on the planet: two Olympic golds, multiple world championship medals, and five world records by age 25. He's also coming back from February Achilles surgery and rebuilding toward a season that could include three more world record attempts.Jessy Carveth sits down with Jakob for a candid, gear-nerd-friendly conversation about how he's actually training right now, what he really thinks of the "Norwegian Method" label, and how he uses lactate testing and elliptical work to keep VO2 high when he can't run. Jakob also breaks down one of the biggest shoe rotations in the sport, his hands-on role developing the Nike Victory spike that helped him break world records, and the new Coros watch he co-designed as part of the Fearless campaign.And yes, we get into the Josh Kerr question. How real is the rivalry? Are they friends? Would they ever line up at a marathon together? Jakob answers all of it, plus opens up about why he sees himself debuting at 26.2 in his late 30s and what fearless actually means to him.In this episode:Inside the Copenhagen Marathon weekend (and his brother's 2:29 debut)Why Jakob wants to wait until his late 30s for the marathonWhat the "Norwegian Method" actually is — and isn'tLactate testing, intensity control & avoiding the most common training mistakeHow he used 14x3 minute elliptical intervals to maintain fitness post-surgeryA full tour of his Nike shoe rotation: Pegasus, Vomero, Structure, Alphafly, Streakfly & VictoryWorking hands-on with Nike R&D on the spike that broke world recordsThe truth behind the Josh Kerr rivalryWhether a Jakob vs. Kerr marathon showdown could ever happenThe new Coros watch & the "Fearless" campaignWhat's next for Jakob the rest of 2026
• May Mailbag: Being in a Relationship with a Runner, the Late-Starter Marathon Window & Fueling for 24 Hours 14.05.2026 1t 34min

  It's the May Mailbag — and Michael, Alex and Katelyn are getting personal. With their spouses conveniently out of the house, the three of them dig into what it's actually like to be in a relationship with a runner: pace mismatches, "morning person" catfishes, who gets the long-run slot on Sunday, and what happens when your non-running partner slowly, accidentally becomes a runner.SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:Lagoon pillows help us sleep better, so we run better. Want to try? You can save 15% with code MARATHON. Go to https://LagoonSleep.com/marathonhandbook and take the 2-minute sleep quiz to find your match. Alex also previews his new podcast with his fiancée Alexis — tentatively called "For Better or For Worse" — which follows the two of them training for very different goals (Alex chasing a fast Valencia half; Alexis chasing her first-ever 10K) on the way to their wedding day. Katelyn shares her first non-running vacation in years (Hawaii — and yes, she still snuck in a three-hour long run), and Michael confesses to running shifts with Kelly.Then into the mailbag:— Tibo (36, started running in 2023) asks if there's any science on how much room a late-starter has to keep improving. Spoiler: a lot.— Adam is taking on Endure 24, a 24-hour trail race in the UK, and wants to know what to eat for an entire day of running. Katelyn breaks down her ultra fueling playbook (grilled cheese, quesadillas, Coke and broth all make appearances).— A listener pushes back on a previous comment about London Marathon qualifying times — the team clarifies what they actually meant and pitches a two-day London Marathon format.— Gavin wants a sub-2:50 marathon plan. The crew talks volume, threshold work, periodization and how to graduate from the sub-3 plan.Plus: a teaser of Jessy Carveth's new interview with Jakob Ingebrigtsen, dropping later this week.Got a question or comment? Email podcast@marathonhandbook.com — or send a voice memo for the upcoming summer voicemail mailbag.Timestamps(02:06) Katelyn's first non-running vacation in years(06:25) Buying super shoes from a Hawaiian beach(09:55) Alex's new podcast with Alexis: "For Better or For Worse"(13:15) Dating a runner vs. dating a non-runner(25:30) Life in a two-runner household(31:30) Whose running takes priority?(35:00) Type A vs Type B runners(40:00) The wedding 5K and the sub-15 curse(46:50) Mailbag: Late-start marathon progression(1:01:00) Mailbag: Fueling for a 24-hour race(1:14:30) Listener feedback on the London Marathon lottery debate(1:24:30) Mailbag: Building a sub-2:50 marathon plan(1:29:00) Jakob Ingebrigtsen interview teaser
• Rachel Entrekin SHOCKS Cocodona, London Marathon Ballot Breaks 1.3M & Cross Country DENIED at 2030 Olympics 11.05.2026 25min

  Michael and Jessy run through the five most intriguing stories in running this week.Rachel Entrekin became the first woman to win Cocodona 250 outright, demolishing the overall course record and finishing nearly 10 miles ahead of the next runner. We dig into the body-composition science behind why women keep closing — and surpassing — men at extreme ultra distances, and acknowledge the tragic death reported on course.Then to Cincinnati: 22-year-old Sophia Dick says she missed a turnoff at the Flying Pig half marathon and accidentally ran her first full in 3:30 alongside Harvey Lewis on his 100th marathon. Locals say the course is impossible to miss. We weigh the heartwarming version against the conspiracy version.The 2027 London Marathon ballot closed with over 1.3 million entries, nearly 2% of the entire UK population, making a two-day London Marathon feel increasingly inevitable.French star Jimmy Gressier is going after Mo Farah's One Hour Track World Record on September 4th at the Brussels Diamond League final. We talk pace (67-second laps for an hour), venue, and the strange charm of attrition racing.And finally: the IOC has reportedly declined to add cross country running to the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps. Chapters:00:00 Intro: this week's top 5 stories01:26 Rachel Entrekin makes history at Cocodona 25005:40 Sophia Dick "accidentally" runs her first marathon11:18 London Marathon 2027: 1.3 million ballot entries15:10 Jimmy Gressier targets Mo Farah's One Hour Track World Record19:56 Cross country DENIED at the 2030 Winter Olympics23:00 Preview of Next Week
• Super Shoe Power Rankings: Spring 2026 | After the First Sub-2 Marathon 07.05.2026 1t 25min

  SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:This episode is presented by Momentous. Use promo code MARATHON for up to 35% off your first order: https://⁠livemomentous.comMichael Doyle and Alex Cyr (Katelyn is on a well-earned vacation) reset the Marathon Handbook Super Shoe Power Rankings for Spring 2026. We cover the full overall Top 10, including prototypes, then run a second Top 10 of the most accessible super shoes — the ones you can actually buy.Previous Power Rankings — Winter 2025 (December)1. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 22. Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 33. ASICS Metaspeed Tokyo Sky / Edge4. Nike Alphafly 35. Saucony Endorphin Elite 26. Adidas Adios Pro 47. ASICS Metaspeed Ray8. On Cloudboom Strike LS9. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 110. New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite 52. Current Power Rankings — Spring 20261. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 32. Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 33. ASICS Development Shoe (ME5 Type One / Type P)4. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 25. ASICS Metaspeed Tokyo Sky / Edge6. Nike Alphafly 47. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 18. ASICS Metaspeed Ray9. On Cloudboom Dev 5 (LS)10. Brooks Hyperion Elite 63. Accessible Top 10 — Spring 2026 (shoes you can actually buy)1. Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 32. ASICS Metaspeed Sky / Edge3. Nike Alphafly 34. Adidas Adios Pro 45. Saucony Endorphin Elite 26. Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 47. Hoka Cielo X1 v3.08. New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite 59. Brooks Hyperion Elite 510. On Cloudboom Strike
• An 11-Year-Old's Viral Half Marathon, Vinny Mauri's 2:05 Debut, Steiner vs. Puma & the Brand Quietly Crushing Running 04.05.2026 24min

  Michael and Jessy are back after covering Boston and London, and this week's five stories cover everything from a polarizing youth running debate to one of the most shocking marathon debuts in American history.In this episode:An 11-year-old from Indiana, Ben Dick, ran 1:20:14 at the IU Health 500 Festival mini marathon — reportedly the fastest half ever run by a boy his age. He dropped his dad at mile seven. The internet is split. We dig into what happens to these kid phenoms long-term, and why pediatricians (and Jessy's kinesiology background) say the half marathon distance is too much for a developing 11-year-old body.Sprinter Abby Steiner is suing Puma and Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix, claiming the carbon-plated shoes and spikes she wore caused the foot and Achilles injuries that have kept her off the track since the 2024 Olympic Trials. We unpack the questions this raises about athlete responsibility, sponsor accountability, and how you even quantify a derailed sprinting career.While the running world was glued to Sebastian Sawe's near-sub-two London Marathon, 25-year-old Vinny Mauri quietly ran 2:05:54 at the Glass City Marathon in Toledo, Ohio — the fastest U.S. marathon debut on record. Before the race he joked that if he didn't break 2:16 he wasn't a real marathoner. He broke the course record by more than 13 minutes. Nobody had heard of him. His Twitter feed is mostly Bitcoin memes. Expect a major brand to scoop him up fast.Cocodona 250 has kicked off in Arizona — 253 miles from Black Canyon to Flagstaff with 40,000 feet of climbing and a 125-hour cutoff. Courtney Dauwalter is the clear women's favorite (and looking for redemption after dropping out last year), but the field is deep with Rachel Entrekin, Heather Jackson, and surprise headliner Randy Zuckerberg. The men's race is wide open with Jeff Browning, Joe McConaughy, Ryan Clifford, and Adam Kimble all in the mix.And finally — the running brand quietly dominating the industry isn't Nike, Adidas, or Asics. It's Brooks. Their best quarter ever: 23% global growth, North America up 20%, EMEA up 30%, China up 136%. Eleven straight quarters as the #1 specialty performance running brand in the U.S. Michael shares early thoughts on the unreleased Hyperion Elite 6 (out August), which Jess McClain and Clayton Young raced in Boston.Subscribe to the Marathon Handbook newsletter at marathonhandbook.com/newsletter for new episode alerts and a heads up when The Running Story moves to its own dedicated feed.Follow along on Instagram: @marathon.handbookNew episodes every Monday.
• The Science Behind the Sub-2 Hour Marathon: Alex Hutchinson on Sawe, Kejelcha & the New Era of Running 30.04.2026 1t 15min

  SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:Lagoon pillows help us sleep better, so we run better. Want to try? You can save 15% with code MARATHON. Go to https://LagoonSleep.com/marathonhandbook and take the 2-minute sleep quiz to find your match. The two-hour marathon barrier is gone. At the 2026 London Marathon, Sebastian Sawe became the first person ever to run under two hours on a record-eligible course — and Yomif Kejelcha did it too, in his marathon debut.Outside columnist and Endure author Alex Hutchinson joins Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr and Katelyn Tocci to make sense of it.We get into:Why Hutchinson thinks the shoes (the Adidas Adios Pro Evo 3) are still the biggest single factor — and why Nike has lost its grip on the super-shoe raceSawe's astonishing negative split: 60:29 out, 59:01 back, with a final 5K that put him on 1:52 marathon paceWhether the marathon is even the same race anymore — and whether "marathon pace" as a training concept is dyingNorwegian-style threshold blocks vs. classic long marathon-pace workResilience and durability — what they are and how (or whether) you train themBicarb / sodium bicarbonate: the science of why it works, and whether marathoners should botherWhy drafting "like a zombie" might be the most underrated tactic in distance runningWhat's actually possible from here: 1:57? 1:56? Are we further from our potential than we think?The recreational-runner takeaways: shoes, fuel, sleep, and what to skipA wide-ranging, occasionally contrarian conversation about an inflection point that may reshape the sport for the next decade.📚 Books by Alex Hutchinson:Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human PerformanceThe Explorer's Gene📰 Sweat Science Substack: alexhutchinson.net
• The First Sub-2 Marathon: Sawe & Kejelcha Make History | 2026 London Marathon Instant Reaction 26.04.2026 48min

  Sebastian Sawe just ran 1:59:30 on the streets of London — the first sub-two-hour marathon in history on a sanctioned course. And he wasn't alone. Yomif Kejelcha, in his marathon debut, ran 1:59:41 to make it two sub-2s in a single race. On the women's side, Tigst Assefa lowered her own women's-only world record, with Hellen Obiri running a huge PB just under 2:16 for second.Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr and Katelyn Tocci recorded this instant reaction from Knees Up on Hackney Road, with Jessy Carveth dialing in live from the finish line media center — including a quick word with Sawe himself before the press conference.In this episode:The moment the media center went silent — and then erupted — as Sawe came around the final bendHow a 90-second negative split delivered the first official sub-2Yomif Kejelcha's astonishing marathon debut and what it means for the next decade of the eventTigst Assefa, Hellen Obiri, and the women's race that almost got lost in the sauceThe Adidas Pro Evo 3: why Adidas held it back from Boston, and what it does to the shoe warsWhere John Korir's 2:01 in Boston now sits in the conversationAthlete vs. shoes vs. nutrition: the Maurten data on Sawe's pre-London blockWhether the marathon has finally been "figured out" — and what that means for the rest of usBoston vs. London as a race weekend, the case for a two-day London in 2027, and why this one race may have just changed the sport
• Top Storylines of the London Marathon: Sawe vs. Kiplimo, Assefa, Obiri & Potential a World Record? 24.04.2026 32min

  Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth sit down for their full elite preview of the 2026 London Marathon, breaking down the top five storylines ahead of Sunday's race.Sebastian Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo headline a men's field that Sawe himself says will require a course record to win: 2:01:25, set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2024. Kiplimo arrives fresh off a ratified 57:20 half marathon world record in Lisbon and a World Cross Country title in January. Sawe is expected to debut the Adidas Adios Pro Evo 3, setting up a head-to-head super shoe war against Kiplimo's Nike Alphafly 4.The women's race took a hit when two major names withdrew, but Tigst Assefa (defending champion and women's-only world record holder) and Helen Obiri make it a showdown worth tuning in for: Obiri finally gets her shot at a flat, fast course after a career built on the hills of Boston, New York, and Paris.In the men's field behind the big two: three former track stars: Yomif Kejelcha, Hagos Gebrhiwet, and Joshua Cheptegei: try to translate their 5K/10K brilliance into 26.2. Cheptegei is still looking to crack the marathon; Kejelcha and Gebrhiwet are both making their debuts.The British field takes a hit with Emile Cairess withdrawing injured, leaving Mohamed Mohamed, Phil Sesemann, and Patrick Dever to chase Mo Farah's national record of 2:05:11. On the women's side, Eilish McColgan enters with a healthy buildup and a European 10K record (30:07 in Valencia) to her name.
• London Marathon 2026 Preview: Course, Weather, Predictions, Hot Takes & Two-Day Race 2027 Rumors 23.04.2026 1t 29min

  It's London week. Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr and Katelyn Tocci deliver the Marathon Handbook one-stop preview of the 2026 TCS London Marathon: course, elites, weather, the jacket design, shoes, ballot drama, and the looming question of whether London Marathon Events can pull off a two-day "Double London" in 2027.What's in this episode:A brief history of London from the 1981 inaugural race (6,255 finishers) through the 1.3 million applicants now fighting for roughly 60,000 spots. Why the ballot has made London the single hardest World Marathon Major for internationals to enter, and how the charity-bib and running-club routes actually work.A course walkthrough of one of running's great spectacles — the staggered southeast start, the 9:05 elite women's gun, Cutty Sark at mile six, Tower Bridge at the halfway inflection, Canary Wharf, Big Ben, and the jaw-dropping finish down The Mall past Buckingham Palace into St. James's Park.Weather check: a probable high-40s to low-60s°F day, sunnier than ideal but dry and low humidity. The crew think we're lined up for a Boston-style "no excuses" day and some serious times.The 2026 New Balance London kit, a.k.a. the "Cheetah Girl" jacket — the crew rate it, debate whether London should have a defined color system, and land on an official Marathon Handbook freshness score.The Adidas Pro Evo 3 is expected to formally launch in London, likely on the feet of Sebastian Sawe and Tigst Assefa. The shoe wars angle, why Adidas held it back from Boston, and what a "win on the shoe" does for the brand narrative.The Double London 2027 rumor: reporting out of the UK suggests London Marathon Events is exploring a two-race weekend. The crew debate every format — men/women split, elite/mass split, same weekend vs two seasons — and Michael lands on an elegant Boston-flavored solution: a qualifying race Saturday for performance runners, the iconic lottery mass race Sunday for everyone else.Predictions and hot takes:Will London break the 60,000-finisher barrier for the first time in history?Does Sebastian Sawe go sub-2 on the London course?Does Tigst Assefa finally take down Paula Radcliffe's 23-year-old course record of 2:15:25?Where does Hellen Obiri land on a flat course she has never run before?Which brand wins the day — Adidas, Nike, or a dark horse?Plus the updated Marathon Handbook World Marathon Majors Power Rankings as of April 22, 2026.Coverage plan for the weekend:The crew will be on the ground Thursday through race day. Shakeout run Saturday at 10 AM in Hyde Park (Serpentine loop) — all welcome. Live watch-along Sunday at Knees Up cafe in Hackney, streaming on the Marathon Handbook YouTube channel as a second-screen companion to the broadcast. Instant Reaction podcast drops the moment the race wraps.