Nobody Asked Us with Des & Kara

We know you've been waiting for this one! Well, the wait is over...

Des and Kara break down all things NYC Marathon 2026 and spend 40 minutes chatting with PODIUM finisher and fellow Brooks athlete - Jess McClain. Yes, the conversation is as inspiring as you would imagine. Run don't walk to your podcast player or YouTube to listen or watch this one!

And don't worry... you will get a full rundown of Des's 100-mile finish on next week's episode!

It's a big week of racing!

Kara will call the world feed at the NYC Marathon (VPN alert!), and Des is racing the Javelina Jundred of course. We get final notes from Des on her Javelina prep and readiness, and then dig into a thorough NYC preview, before discussing the Peres Jepchirchir doping positive. It is easy to be angered by a doping positive, but it is also a sign that doping controls are working. Des and Kara break down all of the frustrating details.

This is your must-listen (or watch) podcast of the week so you are ready for this weekend!

Ok, ok, we KNOW you wanted this episode, but the title will make more sense when you listen to the opening segment. Listen and then give us your ideas in the YouTube or Spotify comments!

For most of this episode, Des and Kara catch up on the aftermath of Chicago. Kara reflects a little more on the broadcast and on what she and the team can do better next time. She talks about the Nike polo she was wearing on camera, clearing up some confusion there. Then, she shares about her Stride and Story retreat with Mary Pillon from this past weekend, which went really well thanks to her amazing retreaters. And... you gives a new book recommendation (Fruit Fly).

On her side, Des gives details of her post-race and post-Freshy Fresh festivities in Chicago, which included running into Vinny Mauri and shutting down the hotel lobby bar at the end of the night. Des can celebrate post-race with the best of them. She also answers the question: did she run the 20 miler on Monday as previously discussed OR did that wait until another 30/20 this weekend? And now, how is she thinking about the taper leading into Javelina?

Both of them provide some Chicago-Marathon, post-script thoughts on a few missing storylines from the Freshy Fresh, before giving an early preview of the competition for the Olympic Marathon Trials in 2028. Finally, they close with a little NYC marathon news, some Courtney Dauwalter chatter, and an entertaining Top 5!

You may have asked for this episode, but do you want an NAU lanyard or exploding cat toy?!

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What a day at the Chicago Marathon with fireworks in all of the races!

Des and Kara are here with your Freshy Fresh. They break it all down and get to interview Clayton Young who is now the 2nd fastest American of all-time!

Des gives an update on her race as well. Spoiler alert: she is ok. Ryan had his hamstring tighten up during the race, so she stayed with him to the finish. Plus, Kara gives her perspective on how the broadcast went.

Stop what you are doing and tune in!

It's Chicago Marathon time, and Des and Kara are on the scene. They helped kick off the weekend's festivities with Brooks Running from the Chicago Athletic Association in front of a live audience. This episode does not disappoint!

It starts with tequila shots, has all of the unhinged banter that we love, and of course, plenty of inspiration and intel on the elite races on Sunday. Whether you are racing, spectating, or watching at home, this is a must-listen to get you ready for the fireworks on Sunday! The World Majors are finally stateside, and we are here for it!

It's Chicago Marathon race week, and we are excited to be headed to the Windy City this weekend! Live pod on Friday night. 5K Saturday. Race Sunday. Freshy Fresh incoming after that. So much good stuff so stay glued to our channels (both audio and YouTube).

In this episode, we catch up on some weekend happenings with a little deep-dive into Des's hundred-mile training. She is doing back-to-back long runs like a boss, while simultaneously enduring long, painful sessions on the couch watching San Diego and Detroit sporting heartbreak. Which is more difficult for her? The jury is out, but we will learn more on Chicago weekend where she will do 30 miles (including the marathon) on Sunday and then another long run on Monday!

Kara's been through a proverbial "marathon" on her own via another type of self-inflicted suffering - lasers to the face! Yes, she literally burned her face off, and the fresh skin is just starting to peak through, just in time for being on the call in Chicago. You will have to check the YouTube for early results. She will put her new face to the test in the 5K on Saturday where she is targeting a sub-20 time. Will it make her faster?!?

Finally, for your main course in this episode, they give you two names to watch near the front of the men's and women's fields in Chicago. Vince Mauri and Emma Grace Hurley. Vince came out of nowhere with a 2:05 at Glass City in the spring, and now takes on Chicago as a sponsored athlete, even though he does most of his training on a treadmill at Planet Fitness while balancing a day job. Emma Grace led the way at the World Half Champs for the US women, running 1:06 and now debuts at the marathon distance in Chicago. She seems to have assembled all of the skills that she needs for a great debut, but she still has to run the race. Both runners seem to be taking big swings in this race, and it will be fascinating to see how it goes for them.

Tune in to the live show recording (posting late Friday or early Saturday) for a more complete breakdown of both fields in advance of Sunday!

Fall marathon season is officially here with the Berlin Marathon this past weekend, and as usual, there is much to discuss.

First, Des and Kara catch up on life's happenings. Des is in Arizona previewing the Javalina course for her upcoming 100-miler. She had a near-miss with a rattlesnake who was taking over a dirt road, and she learned that she is more nimble than she thought. Kara commiserates with her own rattlesnake stories and then shares about a bobcat siting. They talk 100-mile prep, driving instructors and tests (Happy Birthday Colt!), and dance-partying the night away. Who remembers their driving test? Did YOU have to parallel park?

Of course, then they turn the discussion to the Berlin Marathon where Tigst Assefa ran the 3rd fastest time ever, finishing the final miles on a completely torn Achilles tendon. An insane finish. Also insane... the uneven discussion of men's and women's performances as it relates to chasing records. Kara just can't get over the fact that the men are always glorified when they run fast, while the women's performances are always questioned for cheating. As for the men in Berlin, the winner (Adola) ran a 2:02 ;). Meh?

Finally, we finish with a top-5 to close things out in yet another fun episode!

Last week, Des and Kara recorded a bonus episode live from Washington DC, hosted by Pacers Running. The highlight of the episode was re-living the 2012 US Olympic Trails with Julie Culley, co-owner of Pacers. Julie made the 2012 Olympic team after WINNING the 5K at the US Trials in a performance that perhaps has never gotten its due because of the close battle between 3rd and 4th that day. Julie tells her side of the story and gives you some insight into her Olympic experience as a teammate of Des and Kara in London that year. They also chat with Julie about poopgate as someone who is getting into Hyrox herself.

Then, Des and Kara turn to chat about all-things half marathon to prep the audience for the DC Half last weekend. They give their own experiences with the distance, both the love and the hate, and provide some tips to the audience for racing that distance.

Finally, they finish with an audience Q&A which has amazing questions as always, including questions about frequency of hair washing after running, the funniest thing heard from a fan at a race, tips for someone doing a 100-miler, and more!

It's a bonus episode - no extra charge ;) - so please enjoy! Thank you again to Pacers Running and to Julie for hosting the podcast in DC!

This past weekend essentially marked the end of track season, punctuated by the Athlos meet in London and the World Road Championships in Copenhagen (where a lot of track athletes finished their season). It was a fun way to cap the track year, and now we turn the page to major marathon season with Berlin and Chicago on deck in the coming weeks!

Before we discuss this episode, here are two podcast notes for your planning purposes:

• Chicago live pod tickets will go on sale THIS Thursday (9/24) at 10 am CST. The Chicago live podcast will be on the Friday night of race weekend. The ticketing link will post at this link: https://events.brooksrunning.com/26chicagohyperionhouse. The show will sell out FAST so plan accordingly!
• We will have a bonus podcast release this Friday (9/25) from the Live Nobody Asked Us in DC last week. Mark your listening (or viewing) calendars for the bonus episode. It was a fun one as always.

In this episode, Des and Kara recap Athlos and the World Road Champs, covering all of the highlights including the impressive US results in Copenhagen. They give their reactions on the formats for both and have some feedback for Athlos in particular as it continues to find its place in the sport.

Unfortunately, they must also cover Nike's negligence in an extremely sad and concerning incident at a Nike Track Camp where a female athlete was allegedly raped. The response from Nike officials and representatives, based on the lawsuit's allegations, were completely unacceptable, and both the company and those in charge should be held accountable. Des and Kara discuss their reactions and also raise bigger questions about protecting young athletes in the NIL era.

On a lighter note, they share some fun catch-up time early on, give an update on the Hyrox poop-incident, and congratulate Jessie Diggins on her 100-mile WIN within the top 5.

As always, NAU is a must-listen in the middle of your week!

You know it's going to be a good one, when the episode starts with Kara and Des beat-boxing and dancing to a Jock Jams anthem. Call us Netflix or Spotify...

Des brings a book recommendation to the table for the history buffs, and Kara catches us up on her rainy trip to Stamford, Connecticut to call the Ultimate World Champs.

Speaking of rain, the clouds exploded in New Jersey where a half marathon should have been canceled due to rain and floods (but continued anyway). And at a Hyrox event in China, there was another type of explosion that should have resulted in a pause to the event or a DNF for the athlete involved (but didn't). Des and Kara give their *explosive* takes on both before turning to recap the action from the Great North Run and the Ultimate World Champs.

How did Clayton Young do in his prep race for Chicago? Plus, did the Ultimate World Champs live up to the hype? Spoiler alert: it mostly did! Des and Kara break down the pros and cons of the new format and then give you their takes on the major action, both from the track and the mixed zone.

Now with the Ultimate World Champs a success, they talk about what might be improved for next time before finishing with a top 5. Take your bathroom break before you listen and then settle in for another good one with Des and Kara!