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We look back at the Olympic Trials with Katie Ruhlman and ahead to a return to normal races. Katie, who competed at last year’s Trials in Atlanta, is also a full-time nurse and college running coach. Brenn and Gregg compare their recent running streaks, and mull a half-baked idea to capitalise on the sports card boom.

Today’s youth help us take on 2021 with renewed optimism. University of Colorado runners Kashon Harrison and Josh Ramos join the interview booth, describing their running exploits and their organization Fundamental Needs, which is offering support to Navajo Nation lands in the Southwest.

Photo by Matt Parker (insta @mattflynnparker)

Kim Conley, a runner’s runner, rejoins the booth with an update on her quest for a third Olympics team, a look back at inspiring finishing kicks on the track, and lessons from her marathon debut in New York City. We touch upon the wildfires in California, where Kim attended high school. We also welcome back Nate Jenkins, who outlines the Lydiard base phase of training. 

The elite-only London Marathon Oct. 4 will feature multiple superheroes of distance running, but only one Spiderman. Paul Martelletti is a New Zealand-born marathoner and ultramarathoner who enjoys toeing the line as often as he can, and occasionally in costume. In 2015, he set a record by running a 2:29 dressed as everyone’s favorite web-slinger. Lately he’s cranking out training runs of up to 40 miles. Brenn and Gregg discuss virtual marathons, which are inspiring and uplifting in unexpected ways. Brenn also shares some thoughts on a tragic death that has roiled his home city of Rochester.

Joseph Gray shares the rarefied air of a mountain running champion in Episode 100. Gray, who broke barriers as the first Black American at the top echelon of his sport, has racked up eight mountain running world championships and is motivating young Black athletes to take up distance running through his Project Inspire Diversity. Meanwhile, track is back in a big way, and we look forward to Kipchoge vs. Bekele in their elite-only clash at the London Marathon.

We’ve got two stories to tell in Episode 99. One of the victims of Covid-19 is Anick Jesdanun, an AP reporter and beloved member of the NYC running community. We hear from his NYC Flyers teammate Stephanie Tang, who ran her “Backyard Boston” marathon in his honor. Med school student Martin Hehir then joins the interview booth and describes his 6th place finish at the Olympic Trials marathon. Bosco Hogan and Ruth McGill contribute a catchy tune.

We hear from listeners in such far-flung locations as Paris, Valencia, and New York City during this time of both deep stress and unity. In our main interview we talk shop with “The Morning Shakeout” podcast host Mario Fraioli, who offers a level-headed look at running right now and memories of a thrilling showdown with Gregg’s coach Nate Jenkins.

“Hill”-lanta was the setting of the epic, windblown 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials, and we’ve got post-race interviews with the top five women’s finishers —Aliphine Tuliamuk, Molly Seidel, Sally Kipyego, Des Linden, and Laura Thweatt—in addition to Distance Project NYC stars Caitlin Phillips, Angela Ortiz, and Lauren Perkins. Gregg and Brenn discuss what it was like to cover the race from a journalistic standpoint, and the growing impact of the coronavirus on marathon racing and society in general.

We look ahead to Saturday’s Olympic Trials in Atlanta with 2:13 marathoner Patrick Rizzo, who plans on making this his last race as a pro. With typical heart and candor, Rizzo shares highlights of his career, assesses the governing bodies and drugs in the sport, and offers a glimpse at what comes next. Rizzo picks a few darkhorses to medal on Saturday, and Brenn and Gregg chip in with a few longshots of their own.

NYC brings us the world as Millrose Games stars Chris O’Hare (Scotland), Justyn Knight (Canada), Natoya Goule (Jamaica), and Ally Ostrander (Alaska, USA) grace the airwaves with post-race interviews. Coach James Chu relives the action with his third annual Chuey Awards, and Gregg takes a quick peek at the upcoming Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta.