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There is Eliud Kipchoge, and then there’s the rest of us. In Episode 55 we cover Kipchoge’s 2:00:25 at Nike’s Breaking2 project. Slowing down a bit, Gregg offers a race report from the London Marathon, where he viewed the elites on his Cloud259 Breaking3 project. Late in the episode we gas about David Alm’s article for Runner’s World concerning a wardrobe malfunction, which inspires Brenn to dig out audio from the runningontilt vault and share another oopsie poopsie. Not for the faint of heart.

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Gregg and Brenn look at clouds from both sides in Episode 54: the figurative clouds of doping in the sport, and the literal clouds forecast for Sunday’s London Marathon. We collaborate on Gregg’s A to F goals for London and offer shout-outs to listeners and teammates who are primed to break three.

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Image by PhotoRun

Among the Americans to cheer at the Boston Marathon on April 17 is 2008 Olympian Blake Russell. The 41-year-old mother of two is fit and hopes to add an outstanding result to a career that includes wins at the 2003 and 2015 U.S. marathon championships. After Gregg grills Blake, Brenn grills Gregg on his preparation for the London Marathon, which takes place the following week. Elsewhere in the episode, Gregg speculated on what will happen at the Nike-sponsored attempt to break 2 hours at the marathon, and whether (or not) Jordan Hasay will beat Desi Linden at Boston.

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Guest host James Chu helps Brenn break down the Millrose Games in 79 minutes or less. In post-race interviews, we hear from Kate Grace on signing with Nike, Stephanie Garcia and Kate Van Buskirk on their thrilling 3000m duel, and Ben True on his winning kick. Ajee Wilson and Cristian Soratos reflect on extraordinary runs.

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Standing at the start of the New York City Marathon in 1976 were 10-year-old Brad Kelley, who thought splits every few miles meant ice cream, and 15-year-old high school sophomore Tony Ruiz, who a day after setting a cross-country PR at Van Cortlandt Park was looking to work in a long run with one of his buddies. What could possibly go wrong? Their stories of the race and more recent feats—wearing a Central Park Track Club singlet, Brad returned in 2016 to run a 2:50 at age 50, and Tony has become one of the club’s iconic coaches—complete our series on the kids who ran NYCM in the disco era.

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Episode 50 is all about the New York City Marathon…and breaking three hours, of course. Imagine doing that as a nine-year-old. Gregg chats with Wesley Paul, who in 1977 zipped around the five boroughs in 3:00:39 at the tender age of eight, then went sub-3 the next year. Paul offers a childhood peek at the race and wise advice both for young runners generally and for adults looking to run their best at 26.2. Brenn will take Cloud259’s next crack at sub-3 at the NYCM on Sunday, and he bubbles over with pre-race denial about just how awful those last six miles will be.

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In his first marathon since a sacral stress fracture postponed his quest for Cloud 2:59, Gregg braved the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. He offers a race report under intense grilling from his co-host. We highlight the top performances at that race, discuss the mysteries of ideal pacing, give a few shout-outs to listeners, and take a look at the elites who will be running the New York City Marathon on November 6. And Gregg mentions the T-word.

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In Episode 48, we recount the high drama at the U.S. Olympic Trials, where America’s best distance runners left nothing on the track, and we discuss the participation of Intersex athletes at the Games. Gregg welcomes a new runner to the fold.

Jenny Simpson and Brenda Martinez, here pictured at the 2015 5th Avenue Mile, won spots on the Olympic team in a dramatic 1500m race. 

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Esther Atkins at the 2015 World Marathon Championships. Photo courtesy Esther Atkins.

In Episode 47, we cover the recently completed Boston Marathon and upcoming London Marathon. Our guest, 2014 U.S. Marathon Champ Esther Atkins (nee Erb), discusses how to accomplish even pacing over 26.2. In a wide-ranging interview, she also covers the business side of the sport, the “Erbbot,” and her plans for the future (hint: Tokyo Olympic Games, 2020). We revisit the issue of the harassment of women’s runners, and provide shout-outs to listeners whose impressive performances all ended with a “9”.

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Ian Burrell and his daughter. Photo courtesy Ian Burrell.

In Episode 46, we let our guests do (most of) the talking. Ian Burrell describes to Gregg his approach to the April 18 Boston Marathon, his recent sponsorship changes, running with Tourette’s syndrome, and the daily routine of an elite distance runner who’s also a family man and a partner in a law firm. In our second interview Polly Jones speaks out about the troubling and pervasive issue of the harassment of women runners.

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