Episode 111 highlights Siobhan Crise’s NYC Marathon fundraising efforts to support Sandy Hook Promise. Click here to help Siobhan raise money for this outstanding cause!
Episode 109 features interviews with Junk Miles podcasters Chip Chantry and Jeff Lyons, and later in the show with Dr. Ammitai Worob.
Episode 103 featured an interview with University of Colorado runners Kashon Harrison and Josh Ramos, who are helping people out through an organization FundamentalNeeds.
Episode 99 includes a monologue by Stephanie Tang about her “Backyard Boston” marathon in memory of Anick Jesdanun. Stephanie raised money for the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York: COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. Outtro music by Bosco Hogan and Ruth McGill.
Episode 90 includes interviews with David Alm and Matthew Futterman. David is putting on the East River 5000. See his articles discussed on the show. Matt read from his book Running to the Edge.
Episode 85 was a recap of Gregg’s rhino run, 100km run to Brighton, and first-ever running victory. Brenn reports on his ramping up the training under coach Ruben Sança.
The London to Brighton run has a long pedigree and may have even been the first ultra marathon. Here’s an article detailing that history, and a cool video of the 1968 edition.
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In episode 85 we discuss running for charity. Gregg is running the Hackney Half Marathon for Save the Rhinos and his fundraising page is here.
We interviewed Lukas Bates, ran the London Marathon dressed as Big Ben and became famous after this video went viral. Click here to visit Lukas’s fundraising page for his charity, Alzheimers research UK & Alzheimers Society (Dementia Revolution).
We also interviewed Simon Cowell about his half-eaten Vaporfly 4% shoes and the adorable dog who did it. Here’s an article about it.
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In Episode 81 we discussed the Millrose Games. Here’s a link to Kemoy Campbell’s gofundme page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/67e5h-kemoy-campbell-support-fund
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In Episode 80 we interviewed Ruben Sança, Olympian from Cape Verde and the founder of Lowell Running. The story of Ruben and Nate Jenkins’ epic (and foolhardy?) workout in the cold and snow can be found here, written by Nate’s wife Melissa.
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In Episode 79 we capped off 2018 by bringing back 70-year old phenom Gene Dykes, fresh off his 2:54:23 marathon in Jacksonville, Fla. (we’re calling it a world record in our books, despite a technicality). We also welcomed back marathon guru Nate Jenkins, who talks about getting fast early in a marathon cycle. Read about one workout he especially likes, the short but spicy Mona Fartlek.
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In Episode 78 we interviewed Jenna Colon who reminded us how great it is to complete your first marathon.
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In Episode 77 was all about celebration after Gregg finally broke through with his first sub-3, a cloud two-fifty EIGHT at the NYC Marathon.
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In Episode 76 we interviewed Lauren Perkins of North Brooklyn Runners about her steady, phenomenal improvement in the marathon leading to an Olympic Trials Qualifier at Chicago .
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In Episode 75 we interviewed a fellow running-crazed podcaster—Shawn Dixon of Let’s Get Running. In addition to the podcast, Shawn works with businesses to get people out and running, either at lunch or before or after work. You can find out more here.
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In Episode 74 we were thrilled to speak with newly minted Canadian marathon record holder Cam Levins. See the full results from the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Levins wore a prototype of the Hoka Carbon Rocket shoe in the race. Among the highlights from his track racing we mention the 2015 Armory Track Invitational. For more on Levins’ departure from the Nike Oregon Project, see this CBC article.
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In Episode 73 we welcomed back Reid Coolsaet more than four years after his last visit way back in Episode 18. Reid is preparing to take on the Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct. 21. Follow Reid on Twitter at @ReidCoolsaet and at his web site. For more on the “dos Santos” workout, check out Nate Jenkins’ blog entry on the topic.
Intro music: “Canadian Please,” by gunnarolla and Julia Bentley
Outro music: “Born in Ontario,” by Neil Young with Crazy Horse.
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Episode 72 was our Berlin recap. The greatest of all time, Eliud Kipchoge, set a world record and Gregg came through only 1 hour and 4 minutes later.
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Episode 71 included Brenn’s coverage of the Fifth Avenue Mile including interviews with several elite milers, and we also preview Berlin.
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Episode 70 included a mention of Jeff Dengate’s article covering the evolution of running shoe foam leading to pebax.
Here is one summary of Renato Canova’s training philosophy including the various phases of training. If you want something a bit simpler here’s Nate Jenkins’ adaptation.
Nate recently joined Lowell Running as a marathon coach, along with his training partner Ruben Sança. We talked about an Instragram post which, if true, means there’s some funny business going on with Vaporfly 4% shoes (see both photos).
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In Episode 69 we talked again about the Vaporfly 4% shoes and this NY Times research using Strava data.
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Episode 68 featured a recap of the London Diamond League, a/k/a the Muller Anniversary Games. Gregg interviewed a number of athletes trackside, and we also have a photo gallery from the meet. Lastly, read about Millicent Fawcett if you don’t know who she is. The women’s mile at the London Diamond League is now named after her.
Intro and Outro music: “Diamonds are Forever” by Shirley Bassey
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Episode 67 was the second in our mini-series about Gregg’s prep for Berlin under the tutelage of 2:14 marathoner Nate Jenkins. Nate joins us to talk about proper pacing for log runs and speedier sessions on the track. (hint: keep it smooth)
Intro music: “You’ve Got Me Running in Circles” by Sonny Cleveland
Outro music: “Smooth Operator” by Sade
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Episode 66 is all about coaching. We talked with 2:14 marathoner Nate Jenkins, who recently took on the task of coaching Gregg to hopefully a Cloud 259 in Berlin in September.
Nate’s plan for Gregg can be found here.
Nate also shares tons of general wisdom about running and some personal stories at his excellent web site.
Intro music: “I’ve Been Working” by Van Morrison
Outro music: “Coach” by Marco Violent
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Our guests in Episode 65 were Stephanie Bruce and Fernando Cabada.
For more about Stehpanie and her fellow pro runner husband Ben, see their web site Running with the Bruces and her popular Instagram feed
Fernando Cabada’s coaching web site is at www.cabadatrainingsystems.com and he’s also active on Instagram.
We mentioned a talk the great Eliud Kipchoge gave earlier in the year at Oxford University. That video can be found here.
Intro music: “The Heat” by Jungle
Outro music: “Time” by Jungle
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Our guests in Episode 60 were Allie Kieffer and Angela Ortiz.
For more on Allie, see Joe Battaglia’s profile “Allie Kieffer: Chasing Happy”
For more on the Nike Vaporfly, see Ross Tucker’s piece on The Science of Sport. We also mentioned Nicholas Thompson’s article on the Vaporfly in Wired.
ESPNW had a nice write-up on Beverly Ramos, our guest in Episode 59.
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Beverly Ramos joined us in Episode 59.
For tips on helping hurricane victims in Puerto Rico, see https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/can-help-hurricane-victims-puerto-rico.
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Jared Ward is the guest in Episode 57. In addition to his running feats, Ward wrote a thesis at BYU on marathon pacing. For another essay on pacing, check Brenn’s “Aesop Weeps” on NYC Marathon splits.
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In Episode 56 we interview Alison Désir. She has a new podcast titled “Find Meaning (On the Run)” and can be found on social at @alisonmdesir.com.
During the interview Brenn mentioned other podcasts that feature interviews with Alison: Episode 3 of the Ali on the Run Show, Episode 68 of the HWYRT (How Was Your Run Today?) podcast, and Episode 50 of the Zooma Life Radio podcast.
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In Episode 50 we discuss marathon age group records, which can be found here: http://www.arrs.net/SA_Mara.htm
Liz Robbins in a New York Times article wrote about Wesley Paul and children running the NYC Marathon.
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In Episode 42 Brenn referenced the post “Take a Risk!” by Uli Fluhme on mzungofire.blogspot.com. Intro and outro music: “New York City” by Cub.
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In Episode 41 we interviewed Angela Ortiz of North Brooklyn Runners before her Chicago Marathon. Follow Angela at @AngelaOrtiz. Intro music: “Sweet Home Chicago” by Magic Sam
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Episode 40 was all about the Fifth Avenue Mile. Intro and outro music: “Fifth Avenue” by Shirley Temple.
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In Episode 39 we interviewed Peter Giambaccini who covers the elite racing scene for Runner’s World. We focused on his article on the mystery surrounding the U.S. men’s marathon team for World Champs. Peter’s articles can be found here.
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In Episode 38 we focused on the controversy surrounding Alberto Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project. Intro and outro music: “Everbody Knows” by Leonard Cohen.
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In Episode 37 we welcomed back Tyler McCandless, fresh off his Pittsburgh Marathon. If you’re into scenic run photos from the Rockies, follow Tyler on Twitter @TrackTy
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In Episode 36 Brenn and Gregg discussed the highs of lows of spring marathon season and of their own training. Recent guest Nate Jenkins wrote a terrific wrap-up of his Boston performance which managed to be upbeat despite his DNF. After taking turns on the psychiatrist’s couch, Brenn and Gregg discussed some wagers on the upcoming action at the London marathon.
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In Episode 35 we interviewed the inspirational Nate Jenkins, who is aiming for a big comeback to the marathon at Boston after 7 years of injuries. Nate has a terrific running blog with loads of training insights and personal stories. We discussed the exciting indoor track season so far, which we covered live in New York not once but twice. We started a new segment called The Backroom to discuss how politics intrudes on the sport. Dueling memos between USATF and Bob Hersh are worthwhile reads.
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In Episode 34 we were joined by Kim Conley who discussed her recent win at the US Half Marathon Championships in Houston, as well as her past thrillers on the track. Kim’s web site was undergoing a makeover in early 2015, but promises to be back with a new design and fan-friendly features.
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In Episode 33 we caught up with marathon phenom Alana Hadley and her father Mark. Alana keeps a blog growing up fast, and Mark’s training advice can be found at Maximum Performance Running. Later in the episode we discussed the USATF Stephanie Hightower/Bob Hersh votes. Lauren Fleshman’s blog post and David Greifinger’s financial breakdown of the USATF/Nike deal are great reads on the votes and the long-term Nike/USATF deal.
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In Episode 29 we interviewed rising star Tyler Pennell, on the heels of his victory at U.S. Marathon Champs. Tyler has a running blog with training info and race insights. We discussed a few lasting images from the Berlin Marathon, including Ryan Vail’s misspelled bib and Anna Hahner’s perpetual smile. In previewing the Chicago Marathon duel between Kenenisa Bekele and Eliud Kipchoge, we referenced some long-ago battles between the two runners, including the 2003 World Championships 5,000 meters, and the 2005 World Cross Country Championships.
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We talked with elite milers and master’s milers in Episode 28. After some post-5th Ave Mile interviews with Jenny Simpson, Brenda Martinez, Jordan Macnamara and Paul Robinson, our featured guest was Daniel Gercke, a rapidly improving master’s runner with Central Park Track Club. Daniel has an exceptionally good blog about running (although he needs to write more often!). Brenn talked about running not once but twice at 5th Avenue, and Gregg gave initial impressions of the UK including his desire to run Parkrun.
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We caught up with the globe-trotting and debut-smashing Becky Wade in Episode 27. Before her debut victory in 2:30:41 at the California International Marathon in December, Becky spent a year on a Watson Fellowship surveying running cultures abroad. She wrote a blog about her experiences. Entries for the European Champs include no U.K. men in the marathon, and here is Andi Jones’s take on the subject. We finished with a clip of the Hampstead and Marylbone Rock Choir singing “Someone Like You” by Adele.
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Our guest on Episode 26 was Christo Landry, king of the USA road racing circuit so far in 2014. His web site has lots of great info including his running logs. You can keep tabs on the the USARC standings here.
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In Episode 25 we were inspired by Craig Leon who has been steadily improving and has now notched three straight top 15 s in World Marathon Majors. You can follow Craig at his web site. We also discussed our coverage of the Adidas Grand Prix in New York, and photos from that meet by Andy Kiss can be found here.
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In Episode 24 we were honored to talk with Buzunesh Deba, she of the 2:19:59 at Boston, the second fastest time ever run on that hallowed course. We also discussed a controversial Instagram photo altered and then taken down by the apparel brand Oiselle.
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In Episode 23 we interviewed our vastly more talented Central Park Track Club teammate Jane Vongvorachoti who ran a 2:44 at the Pittsburgh Marathon and is confident about making Thailand’s Olympic squad in the marathon for 2016. Brenn praised Flotrack’s premium coverage which can be found here (subscription required – we have no commercial relationship with Flotrack).
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Episode 22 featured a recap of the London Marathon, a preview of the Boston Marathon, and a report on the inaugural Race for the Golden Toad in Manchester, England. Tyler McCandless offered a few tips on tapering. In the library, Brenn looked at Kenny Moore’s article for the 1983 Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year and at Moore’s book Best Efforts, which included another excellent article on Decker, among others. Gregg stepped on the soapbox to discuss the possibility of a “shadow” outdoor track nationals, should the USATF continue to draw the ire of pro runners. We also mentioned Tony Audenshaw’s fantastic “The Things You Hear” song and video.
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Ben True visited cloud259 in Episode 21. In the library, Brenn reads a telling passage from Alberto Salazar’s 14 Minutes, and on the soapbox Gregg gets gripes about training in winter.
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We chatted with U.S.-born Croatian marathon star Lisa Stublic in Episode 20.
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In Episode 19 we took a look at marathoning in the UK and interviewed Martin Yelling and Tom Williams of the British running podcast MarathonTalk. In the library Brenn praised Michael Crawley‘s article in the Guardian and blog about taking on an old-school high mileage approach to training. On the soapbox Brenn discussed his new Garmin and the mileage tracking site Strava.
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Episode 18 featured blazing Canadian Reid Coolsaet. We took a look at the Canadian marathon record chase, and Reid filled us in on his latest attempt. The library was closed for the holidays. In the soapbox Gregg picks his favorite of all our rants in 2013.
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In Episode 17 we interviewed Tyler McCandless, who shared his throwback approach to marathon training under the guidance of his coach (and marathon legend) Steve Jones. In the library Gregg discusses “Anatomy for Runners,” and Brenn gets on the soapbox to critique Nick Symmonds‘ quest in the beer mile.
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Episode 16 was our NYC Marathon preview. We interviewed Sam Grotewold of New York Road Runners about the elite fields. Then we chatted with Alan Ruben, who has run 25 straight New Yorks, including the last 23 under 3:00. We discussed the impressive field for the Dash to the Finish 5K. In the library, Brenn discussed Tony Reavis’ commentary on keeping up with the Kenyans and Ethiopians. Gregg used the soapbox to say enough with all the advice for Ryan Hall.
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In Episode 15 we interviewed another top young American marathoner, Ryan Vail. You can follow Ryan’s progress toward NYC and training info at his web site. We discussed Jaymee Marty’s blog in our library segment, and Brenn got on the soapbox and commented on the anticipation surrounding Ryan Hall’s return to the long race.
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Jason Hartmann was our guest on Episode 14. In our library segment, we praised David Epstein’s “The Sports Gene” but took issue with Malcolm Gladwell’s New Yorker article on genes and drugs. In the soapbox we added our two cents on the Competitor Group’s decision to bail on elite racing at their U.S. events.
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Jeffrey Eggleston joined us in Episode 13. In our library segment, Brenn mentioned a few photos from the tullyrunners.com website. Scroll to the the bottom of this page to see a young Jeffrey compete in high school (good form). The second photo on this link shows Lopez Lomong struggling to the finish of the 1600 in the high school NYS championship. In the soapbox, Gregg rants about the Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Marathon premium pass.
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In Episode 12 we conducted two interviews, Dot McMahan and Glen Redpath, and touched upon several articles. Our library segment covered Ken Goe’s article on making a living in track and field, and Peter Gambaccini’s piece in Runner’s World on Andrew Begley’s survey of runners. In the soapbox Brenn expands on an article regarding journalism and public relations posted on Jesse Squire’s tracksuperfan.com.
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We take a trip to world of ultras in Episode 11, previewing Badwater 135, which is forecast to be even more blisteringly hot than usual. We interviewed Glen Redpath, the top American finisher at last year’s Spartathlon, who will be taking his first crack at the race. Glen shares how on earth you train for this thing. In the library section Gregg discusses a book on the Hansons training method, and Brenn gets on the soapbox to reflect on run/life balance.
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Episode 10 featured a recap of the U.S. Nationals results, with an eye to the results by sponsor. We interviewed US National Team member Jeannette Faber. Jeannette has run 13 consecutive PRs in the marathon, and she discussed her training and progression. In the library section, Brenn took aim at a Sports Illustrated article on Leo Manzano. Gregg got on the soapbox to rant about the confusing standards used to determine which runners will represent the US at Worlds, and to offer a solution.
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In Episode 9, we discussed the Americans who have run sub 2:10 in the marathon. Alan Culpepper, a member of the sub-2:10 club, joined us for the interview. We had a nice back-and-forth about Alan’s career highlights and his transition to working behind the scenes in the industry. In the library section, Brenn praised Matt Fitzgerald’s “The New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition.” Brenn then got on the soapbox to rant about the dilution of Nike’s signature singlets.
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In Episode 8, we took our second crack at the business side of running (first was Episode 5) though a brief inventory of shoe contracts among elites and a discussion with some women who are bringing a new approach to the industry. Lauren Fleshman, Kate Grace, and the company’s founder and CEO Sally Bergesen joined us for the interview segment. Lauren has recently written about ethics in sports and her competitive instinct as she nears her due date. Oiselle has released a hilarious video to the beat of Devo’s “Satisfaction” cover on the absurdities of trying to configure a singlet to meet USATF/USOC standards. In the library section, Gregg read from Bill Roger’s “Marathon Man.” The soapbox was dedicated to race day baggage policy.
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In Episode 7, we recapped the major spring marathons, Boston and London in particular. We interviewed Patrick Rizzo, who was the top American finisher in London with a 2:16 and has a 2:13 PR from the Olympic Trials in 2012. Check out Patrick’s web site, or if you’re in Colorado you might see him in person at this store. In the library section, we read from two outstanding blog pieces on the Boston tragedy: one by Bruce Clark, another by Claire Walsh. Our soapbox covered the NY Post’s marathon coverage. If you agree with our take, sign a petition demanding a front page apology.
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Episode 6 was our Boston Marathon episode. We interviewed multiple 2:11 marathoner Nick Arciniaga, who runs for Team USA Arizona in Flagstaff and has toed the line at Boston twice. In addition to previewing Boston with us, Nick shared insights on his training approach and recent performances. Nick writes a “Marathon on My Mind” column for Running Times. His earlier blog entries are at “Run Nick Run”. Gregg talked about the Sports Illustrated archive in our library section, particularly an article about the Boston Marathon’s woes in 1985. You can search the archive for any other story in the magazine’s history. Brenn got on the soapbox to talk bout the volatile weather at Boston. If you’re running this year, you’ve probably been to this this site many times already. Brenn’s misadventures at Boston last year are captured in his turfcasts episodes.
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In Episode 5, we took our first whack at the business side of running. We interviewed U.S. Olympian Amy Begley. Amy has written several thoughtful pieces on how pro athletes are funded, including the difficulty of relying on shoe contracts as a primary source of income. Some of her recent pieces can be found at women talk sports. On her personal website she shares her latest idea for a different funding model for elite runners. Amy walked (ran) us through some of her pivotal moments on the track, including her battle with Shalane Flanagan to the finish of the 10,000 meters at the 2009 U.S. Championships. In our library section, we discussed and read from John L. Parker Jr.’s novels Once a Runner and Again to Carthage. In our soapbox, Brenn recommends exactly where in the Olympics to put cross-country.
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In Episode 4: “Splits and (Im)perfect Pacing,” we discussed world record splits, which show even or negative splits in every record-breaking race from the mile to the marathon. Brenn pointed out his research from the 2010 NYC Marathon which indicated how few runners manage to avoid slowing down in the second half. Of the top 100 finishers in each age group, 8.2% of women and just 3.4% of men ran negative splits. We interviewed James Chu about splits and optimal pacing for various races. James was formerly an 800 meter runner and miler for Princeton and now runs and coaches for North Brooklyn Runners. After the show, James told us about this good article on pacing strategies. In our library section, Brenn discussed Lopez Lomong’s “Running for my Life”. In his soapbox, Gregg ranted about Runner’s World’s March Madness-style competition for the Greatest Runner of All Time, in which Paula Radcliffe was ousted in the second round.
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In Episode 3: “Running Performance and PEDs,” we discussed the staggering improvement in marathon performance statistics over the past decade, in the increasing shadow of drug use. In discussing the performance statistics among the elites, we partly relied on data from the Association of Road Racing Statisticians. We interviewed Ulrich Fluhme about drug use in running and whether it’s as rampant as in cycling. Ulrich is a 2:33 marathoner and also chief executive of the Gran Fondo New York bike race. We mentioned his editorial on age group dope testing. In our library section, Brenn discussed Roger Robinson’s “Running in Literature.” See Roger’s web site for links to his writing. In his soapbox, Gregg discussed some ideas for age-graded scores. Number crunchers may be interested in the current math behind AG running.
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In Episode 2: “Running as a Spectator Sport,” Gregg provided evidence of how poorly the mainstream media covers distance running. One measure of this came from the searchable archive of Sports Illustrated covers. We counted all mid- and long-distance runners who have graced the cover by decade, and the numbers look like this:
2010s – None
2000s – None
1990s – None
1980s – 7
Mary Decker (’80, ’82, ’83, ’85)
Sebastian Coe (’80)
Alberto Salazar (’80)
Steve Scott (’80)
1970s – 17
Sebastian Coe (’79)
Bill Rodgers (’78, ’79)
Eamonn Coghlan (’79, ’79)
Dick Buerkle (’78)
Mike Boit (’77)
Frank Shorter (’70, ’76, ’76)
Filbert Bayi (’75, ’78)
Jim Ryun (’71, ’72)
Marty Liquori (’71)
Steve Prefontaine (’70)
1960s – 11
Jim Ryun (’64, ’66, ’66, ’66, ’68)
Michel Jazy (’65)
Marie Mulder and Janelle Smith (’65)
Tom O’Hara (’64)
Jim Beatty (’60)
Herb Elliott (’58, ’60)
1950s – 4
Herb Elliott (’58)
Ron Delaney (’58)
Tom Courtney (’55)
Roger Bannister (’55)
In our library, Gregg discussed Chris Lear’s book “Running with the Buffaloes.”
Brenn got on his soapbox to critique the tweets of the elites.
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In Episode 1: “The Running Boom,” Brenn posited that we are not in second or third running boom but rather are in the midst of one long, sustained increase in running participation. We looked at causes of the boom, including demographic shifts and the flood of business interests into road racing, and discussed where and whether the boom will continue. We crunched participation numbers from the following sites:
In our library, Brenn briefly discussed Joe Henderson’s “Running Encyclopedia” and “The Running Revolution.” Joe’s website is joehenderson.com. Go to call number 796.42 in your local library to find books on running. Gregg got on the soapbox to dish on the 5k Foam Fest.
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