The crew kicks off this week's episode from a freshly moved (and very unfinished) Frontrunner office to bring you a massive mix of raw training realities, major global athletics news, and technical gear deep dives.

The biggest news of the week hits close to home: Oska shares his recent scan results, revealing a linear tear at the top of the proximal hamstring alongside severe high hamstring tendinopathy. It's a tough blow that likely sidelines him from competitive racing until around December, shaking up the training block but shifting the focus to a solid rehab phase.

On the racing front, the team recaps a blistering week of athletics. They break down Sam Tanner's clinical 3:33 season opener in Nice, celebrate the seven new additions named to the New Zealand Commonwealth Games team, and track standout Kiwi performances across the NCAA circuit. Plus, they dive into the Oslo Diamond League action featuring Zoe Hobbs, Peter Bol, and Imogen Ayris, and discuss the wild crossover of triathletes Alex Yee and Cassandra Beaugrand stepping onto the track for a Monaco Diamond League 5K.

To wrap it all up, the team checks in on the Wintergrind leaderboard, debates local track infrastructure wishes, and delivers a comprehensive review of NNormal's newest release, the Cadí trail shoe—Kilian Jornet and Camper's first true maximum-cushion, user-friendly daily cruiser.

• 00:00 Welcome to The Rundown

• 01:17 New Office Setup

• 02:20 Travel Plans and Staffing

• 03:44 Training Updates and Shoes

• 05:44 Tom's Routine and Movie Talk

• 09:28 Oska's Hamstring Diagnosis & Scan Results

• 14:37 Comm Games Selection & NCAA Highlights

• 18:34 Cross Country and Parkrun Hits 1 Million Events

• 21:01 London Marathon Goes Two-Day for 2027

• 26:06 Triathlon Dating Banter

• 26:51 Monaco Diamond League 5K Predictions

• 28:52 Steeplechase Pain and Heat Realities

• 29:46 The Betting Ethics Debate in Athletics

• 30:51 Cold Weather Running Gear Essentials

• 34:56 Caps In The Dark: Running Fashion Crimes?

• 36:31 Wintergrind Leaderboard Update

• 37:19 Christchurch Track Wish List

• 41:18 NNormal Cadí Shoe Deep Dive & Review

• 49:02 New Arrivals (On Drops, Saucony Endorphin Elite 3) & Wrap Up

A tough reminder of the razor's edge of elite training. The MRI confirmed a linear tear at the top of the proximal hamstring coupled with severe high hamstring tendinopathy.

The Timeline: Competitive racing is on ice until roughly December 2026. The focus turns completely to active rehab, isometric loading, and supporting the local community from the sidelines.

Kilian Jornet's brand departs from its ultra-minimalist, hyper-technical roots to launch its first highly approachable, max-cushion door-to-trail shoe.

• Specs: 35mm heel / 29mm forefoot (6mm drop), 4mm lugs, weighing in around 270g.

• The Verdict: Built on a wider, more accommodating last than the Kjerag or Tomir, featuring a supercritical foam midsole and a rock-solid Vibram Megagrip outsole. It sacrifices a bit of snappy, playful energy return in exchange for pure, protective comfort on smooth, rolling mountain miles.

• Sam Tanner: Opens his European campaign in style with a sharp 3:33 over 1500m in Nice.

• London 2027: The iconic marathon announces plans to expand into a massive two-day weekend event to accommodate surging demand.

• Parkrun Milestone: The global community movement celebrates a mind-boggling milestone of one million unique events worldwide.

Run Spesh: The Rundown — Injuries, NCAA Chaos, World Road Champs Squad & Novablast 6 First Look Oska, Tom and Anna kick off Run Spesh from Frontrunner with a rebrand to "The Rundown," then share training updates: Anna is back running pain-free after gym strength work, while Oska is nearly two weeks off with a diagnosed tendon tear and plans a cautious return. Tom recaps a fast, tactical winter bike race series and his current swim/bike focus. They run through major results and storylines including Stockholm and Rome Diamond League highlights, NCAA Nationals hype and a collegiate hurdles world record, plus discuss questionable wind-aided sprint times. They confirm New Zealand's largest-ever World Road Champs team for Copenhagen, shout out Winter Grind Strava pattern challenges and leaderboard, and close with a first take on the ASICS Novablast 6 specs, pricing, and where it fits. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:45 Meet The Hosts 01:00 New Name Rundown 03:46 Anna Returns Running 06:33 Oscar Injury Update 11:22 Tom Bike Racing 16:12 Future Race Plans 18:57 Diamond League Highlights 25:27 NCAA Champs Hype 28:27 NCAA Kiwi Results 29:16 Kiwi Athletes at Nationals 29:42 Collegiate Hurdles World Record 31:44 Windy Times and 200m Controversy 34:16 Blind Shoe Knowledge Challenge 35:49 NZ World Road Champs Team 41:11 Reddit Running Investment Advice 46:46 Winter Grind Strava Challenges 49:23 ASICS Novablast 6 Breakdown 55:37 Wrap Up and Podcast Outro

Oska, Anna and Maia banter through a chaotic Run Spesh episode from Frontrunner, covering a week of shop life, travel, racing and brand meetings. Oska recaps flying to Melbourne, then heading to Launceston for a half marathon where he felt flat (low HRV, blocked nose, sore hamstring/ankle), fell off pace early, and turned the race into a 70-minute tempo, likely missing his last World Champs qualifying chance; he later sees a physio and gets a plan. They highlight standout performances including Izzy "Bet" Doyle's 68:30 (with her pacer) and Haftu Strintzos' 60:41 on Australian ground. The crew also share their Melbourne trip to meet Adidas, Puma, Nike (under NDA), Mizuno and On, plus a 70th-floor Airbnb disaster, great burgers and pizza, and a callout for a new Sydenham office/podcast space and tradie help. 00:00 Welcome to Runspash 00:46 Chaotic Team Intro 01:05 Socks and Laundry Talk 01:57 Mars and Moon Detour 03:02 Podcast Vibe Explained 03:51 Shop Floor Week Recap 05:28 Movies and Pop Culture 07:18 Travel Week Rewind 08:39 Melbourne to Launceston 13:32 Race Morning Mindset 15:56 Race Falls Apart 19:11 Records and Reflections 23:02 Injury and burnout 24:08 Rest and running mortality 26:16 Stress and training load 28:32 Friends check in 30:12 Early flight to Melbourne 33:48 Brand meetings kickoff 34:56 Airbnb chaos in rain 39:06 Nike NDA and showrooms 40:59 Mizuno factory detour 44:22 New podcast room hunt

Run Spesh Ep 104: Racing in Tassie, Wild World Champs Standards & the Ghost 18 Glow-Up Oska, Tom and Anna (from Frontrunner Colombo) kick off Run Spesh with winter banter and Oska's upcoming half marathon in Launceston, where he's managing sciatica/hamstring issues and choosing the ASICS MetaSpeed Sky over the Puma Fast-R for stability. They discuss a possible Global Running Day special with Matt Jewer, Tom's forced down week due to illness, and big performances from friends including Dylan McCulloch's win in China and a Kiwi taking the GC at the Four Days of Dunkerque. The team reacts to the Enhanced Games concept and crowd energy in sport, then breaks down tougher new World Athletics World Champs qualifying standards and the rule change excluding indoor times. They recap Oceania Champs in Darwin, rant about gatekeeping Friday Night Lights night-cross potential, review updates to the Brooks Ghost 18, and plug Winter Guy entries plus Selwyn Marathon mentions. 00:00 Welcome to Run Spec 01:50 Cold Weather Banter 02:38 Launceston Race Plans 04:03 Choosing Race Shoes 10:01 Global Running Day Ideas 14:40 Melbourne Networking Trip 16:22 Down Weeks and Sickness 18:43 Dylan McCulloch Comeback 21:19 Kiwi Wins and Updates 26:33 Enhanced Games Debate 29:51 Longevity Culture Critique 30:47 Crowd Energy And Performance 33:36 Enhanced Games Chaos 35:10 Sport As Art Not Betting 36:24 World Champs Standards Rant 40:35 Qualifying Impacts And Indoors 43:17 Oceania Champs In Darwin 47:53 Friday Night Lights Potential 52:54 Brooks Ghost 18 Breakdown 59:39 Wrap Up Winter Guy And Races 00:01 Podcast Sign Off

Run Spesh Returns: Range Showing Chaos, Launceston Countdown, Trail Wins & Nike Structure+ Oska, Tom and Maia return to Run Spesh after a missed week, explaining how exhausting "range showing" week is as they review upcoming footwear across brands and debate what's exciting versus terrible. They highlight Adidas Evo SL2 and Adios Pro 5, discuss ASICS delays and rumored updates, Brooks' improved Elite 6, Puma refinements, and argue plated daily trainers may be fading as foams improve. Oska shares being two weeks out from Comrades while managing sciatic/hamstring issues and choosing an ASICS Metaspeed Sky for ankle comfort; Maia battles a seasonal illness and skips racing. They cover trail headlines including Rachel Indrickan winning Cocodona 250 outright and UTA results featuring Ruth Croft, Dan Jones and other Kiwis, mention NZ track performances, plug the Winter Grind challenge, and finish with a detailed breakdown of the Nike Structure+ stability trainer. 00:00 Welcome to Run Spec 00:50 Back After Hiatus 02:07 Range Showing Chaos 06:48 Shoe Highlights and Leaks 11:28 Adidas Pro 5 Talk 16:01 Saucony and Merrell Updates 18:10 Brooks and Puma Preview 22:53 Comrades Training Update 30:52 Anna Gets Sick Too 37:03 Tom FTP Test Pain 41:07 Christchurch Bike Races 43:05 Why Bike Racing Beats XC 44:07 NZ Track Highlights 46:14 Wind Readings Debate 50:07 All Blacks Selection Rant 53:15 Cocodona 250 Shock 57:21 Ultra Trail Australia Recap 01:01:21 Running Lessons QandA 01:11:13 Wintergrind Challenge Plug 01:13:05 Nike Structure Plus Review 01:20:05 Wrap Up and Sign Off

Run Spesh #102: Rotorua Marathon Recap, Oska's Achilles Comeback, Wild Run Sightings + Nike Pegasus ACG Trail Oska, Tom and Anna kick off with Tom's birthday banter, then recap the Rotorua Marathon: Daniel Belch wins in 2:19 by nearly six minutes on the hilly course, the women's race is won in 2:43, and Catherine Camp runs 1:16 and places second overall. They preview upcoming NZ races (Wellington, Selwyn, Blenheim) and discuss Oska's rough injury patch, his heavy eccentric calf-raise "boom or bust" approach, and training toward the Launceston Half in 3.5 weeks with several Kiwi men attending. Tom shares a Superblast 2/Mega-heavy rotation while Anna returns to run-walks and strength work. Internationally they cover World Relays in Botswana, including Botswana's 4x400 win in 2:54.47 and Wayde van Niekerk's 42.66 split, plus strong Australian results. Listener submissions share outrageous run sightings, and they review the Nike Pegasus ACG Trail as a $250 road-to-trail all-rounder. They plug Winter Grind 2026 (Run the Board) and briefly discuss Ned's Milk business challenges. 00:00 Welcome to Run Spec 00:46 Tom Birthday Banter 02:11 Rotorua Marathon Recap 04:26 Is Rotorua a City 06:38 Winners and Upcoming Races 09:59 Oscar Injury Comeback 14:37 Launceston Half Plans 16:04 Tom Cycling Winter Training 19:41 Shoe Rotation Talk 24:21 Anna Strength and Run Walks 28:13 World Relays in Botswana 29:50 Relay Rolling Starts 30:06 World Relays Atmosphere 31:00 Aussie and Jamaica Highlights 31:55 Wild Run Sightings 36:21 Bottle Lake Shock Story 39:26 Pegasus Trail Review 43:21 Trail Shoe Specs 45:40 Who This Shoe Suits 47:05 Weekend Plans and Training 51:52 Stadiums and Rates Rant 53:58 Winter Grind Returns 57:52 Neds Milk and Monopolies 01:00:22 Wrap Up and Goodbye

Run Spesh: 100 Episodes, Hagley Park Toilet Chaos, London Marathon WRs & Maia Wins Skidaddle Oska, Tom and Maia celebrate (belatedly) 100 episodes of Run Spesh, swap grim stories from Hagley Park—including a shocking Saturday-morning toilet encounter—and invite listeners to share their wild Hagley moments. They react to an extraordinary weekend of distance running as both men's and women's marathon world records fall in London, discuss the "unicorn" conditions, the spectacle of the race, shoe tech and skepticism around Adidas-funded testing, plus notable performances on the men's and women's sides. Tom recaps the brutal, tactical Tour of Canterbury cycling weekend (cramps, breaks, pies), while Maia explains Skidaddle's grassroots trail event, her 15K win, clinching the Kia trail series, and the pressure of expectations. They touch on Abby Steiner's lawsuit against Puma, review the premium Norda 005 trail shoe, and plug Frontrunner's June "Winter Grind" challenge. 00:00 Meet the Hosts 00:59 Podcast Premise and Banter 02:05 100 Episodes Missed 03:26 Prime Minister Ponytail Talk 04:40 Hagley Park Toilet Tale 09:19 London Marathon Records 14:35 Unicorn Conditions Explained 19:21 Adidas Testing Debate 28:18 Shoe Spotting and Prototypes 30:42 Christchurch Stadium Weekend 32:02 Tour of Canterbury Recap 37:39 Breakaway and Getting Caught 39:22 Trail Racing Mindset 40:33 Skedaddle Race Breakdown 42:31 Clinching the Kia Series 46:49 Winning Pressure and Motivation 49:15 Prize Pack and Poles 50:48 Hayden Wilde Dominance 54:39 Altitude Training and Injuries 59:14 Heat Training and Sauna Talk 01:02:06 Abby Steiner Puma Lawsuit 01:08:32 Norda 005 Trail Shoe Review 01:16:22 Winter Grind Challenge Details 01:17:55 Winter Reality Check Wrap Up

Run Spesh: Nike Billboard Drama, Boston Dominance, New Shoe Drops & Trail Tech Oska, Tom and Maia from Frontrunner Colombo riff on Nike's Boston Marathon billboard ("runners are welcome, walkers are tolerated") and the backlash, noting Nike had nobody on the Boston podium while ASICS prototypes featured heavily. Oska shares he's back near full training at ~95 miles with doubles and new hill-600 workouts; Tom reports a right-hip impingement diagnosis, an uphill-only running phase, and a strength plan with Emily and Todd. They recap big results: John Korir's Boston course record and Sharon Lokedi's win, plus Ironman standout Magnus Ditlev, and NZ mountain running champs where Toby ran in loose laces and lost a shoe. The crew also covers new product in-store—Nike racing shoes returning, premium Norda trail shoes—and travel plans to Paris, plus Grind's relaunch aligned with Global Running Day. 00:00 Podcast Intro and Banter 01:03 Nike Billboard Controversy 02:27 Boston Podium Shoe Talk 04:46 Oscar Training Update 09:01 Maya Hip Rehab Plan 13:55 Tour of Canterbury Preview 18:22 International Racing Highlights 18:59 Boston Records and Prototypes 26:23 Trail Champs and Toby Drama 29:42 Shop News New Shoes 29:59 Race Walking Madness 30:59 Olympic Events Rant 32:09 Nike Super Shoe Review 32:51 Fit Foam Plate Breakdown 34:02 Cornering Stability Test 36:28 Norda Trail Shoes Arrive 37:52 Trail Tech Specs 41:32 Paris Europe Travel Plans 44:21 Jet Fuel Supply Worries 48:53 Grind Event Update 51:55 Winter Gear Merch Drop 53:18 Sports Weekend Wrap 54:31 Sign Off And Promos

Christchurch Marathon Chaos, PBs & Vomit + Speedgoat 7 Is Back | Run Spesh Oska, Tom and Maia recap a huge Christchurch Marathon week for Frontrunner, from the shakeout run and expo to racing and supporting runners on course. Maia details her half marathon debut, going out too fast, battling humidity, managing gels, vomiting near the finish, and running 1:18:42 to earn a National Champs medal, while Tom describes racing under the weather, cramping badly in the final 5–6km, and finishing despite a rough day. Oska reflects on not racing due to a calf/ankle issue, enjoying contributing off the start line, and the event's congestion and medical carnage, arguing the course format needs updating. They run through key results (including Toby's 1:03:15 win and other podiums), discuss standout Aussie track moments and controversy, note Sam Ruth's stress reaction, preview NZ Mountain Running Champs, and review the Hoka Speedgoat 7's feel, fit, and sizing advice. 00:00 Welcome to Run Spec 00:46 How People Listen 01:45 Tom the Stabilizer 02:54 Tom Calls in Sick 04:02 Maya Half Recap 07:18 Vomit at the Finish 08:23 Race Morning Routine 11:59 Gels and Survival Mode 12:27 Maya Time and Takeaways 18:37 Tom Half Struggles 20:47 Cramping and Crowds 26:53 Oscar Injury and Pacing 32:26 Expo and Shoe Launch 34:33 Helping Runners Midrace 37:19 Crowding and Course Laps 40:32 Nationals Half Marathon Recap 43:05 Marathon Standouts and PBs 44:50 Gout Gout Wind Debate 48:54 Mayers Clinic and Aussie Champs 50:55 Womens 1500 Controversy 55:50 Cycling Sprint Finish Tangent 57:49 Sam Ruth Injury Update 01:00:40 NZ Mountain Champs Preview 01:07:01 Post Race Reflections 01:08:15 Speedgoat 7 Review 01:15:48 Winter Plans and Sign Off