Marathon Handbook Podcast

The 2027 London Marathon has officially confirmed it will become a two-day event and Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth are breaking it all down in an emergency episode of The Running Story by Marathon Handbook.On Saturday, April 24th and Sunday, April 25th, 2027, London will host 100,000 runners across two days on the same course, making it the largest marathon event in history and the biggest fundraising event in UK sporting history.

Chapters:0:00 — Breaking news: London Marathon goes to two days

1:09 — What's confirmed: dates, format, course & ballot details

2:26 — Why London made this move (1.33M applicants)

5:19 — The logistics challenge & why it's framed as a one-off

7:26 — Unanswered questions: charity bibs & international quotas

9:08 — Elite field pressure after the historic sub-2 hour marathon

9:57 — A landmark moment for women's marathon coverage

12:03 — Elite wish lists: who needs to race London 2027

13:46 — The money behind running two World Marathon Major days

15:00 — One-and-done or permanent? Jessy's take

16:26 — Will New York, Chicago & other majors follow?

19:13 — Audience question & wrap-up

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/MARATHON

This week, Marathon Handbook news editor Jessy Carveth joins us to talk about everything you need to know to run your goal half marathon. Jessy is chasing a 1:27:30 at the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon this October, and we used her season as the framework for a complete soup-to-nuts guide on how to run a goal half marathon.

We cover everything: how to pick the right race, how to set A, B, and C goals based on where your fitness actually is, how long your training block should be, and what your weeks should look like. Alex reveals the threshold training hack he credits for his breakthrough half marathon in Houston. Katelyn puts her coach hat on and gives her honest assessment of Jessy's race-into-fitness approach. And... Jessy makes a surprisingly compelling case for doing things entirely her own way.

Chapters:0:00 — Intro & Channel Updates4:27 — Ranking Our Favorite Race Distances14:30 — Sponsored by Momentous15:53 — How to Pick Your Goal Race25:29 — Setting Your Half Marathon Goals31:25 — Adjusting Goals Through Training38:51 — How Long Should You Train?44:49 — Sponsored by RYTHM47:24 — Half Marathon Training Basics54:03 — Jesse's Unorthodox Training Plan1:04:58 — Long Runs & Training Evaluation1:17:37 — Gear: Shoes1:25:52 — Gear: Socks & Watch1:27:24 — Race Weekend Nutrition1:31:05 — Warmup & Start Line Strategy1:38:26 — Pacing & The Hard Part1:41:45 — Training in the Heat

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A 13-year-old from Utah just broke a mile world record that had stood since 1973. Plus: Olympic triathlon gold medalists are hitting the track, a runner completed every single street in Chicago, Yomif Kejelcha could break the half marathon world record in Buenos Aires and the marathon lottery crisis is getting very real.

Chapters:0:00 — Intro & show announcements

2:53 — Story 1: 13-year-old Angelina Alder breaks 53-year-old mile world record

5:13 — Story 2: Olympic triathlon champions Alex Yee & Cassandre Beaugrand go to the track

7:35 — Story 3: Joabe Barbosa runs every street in Chicago (4,000 miles in 680 days)

12:00 — Story 4: Yomif Kejelcha targets half marathon world record in Buenos Aires

15:40 — Story 5: The marathon lottery crisis — Copenhagen, London & what's next

20:38 — Outro

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 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.

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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: [email protected]Join Run Club and Send Us a Voice Note: marathonhandbook.com

Chapters: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

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.

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

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

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/MARATHON

Figuring 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: [email protected]🎙️ Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe, link on marathonhandbook.com📰 Subscribe to the Marathon Handbook newsletter: marathonhandbook.com

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