The Drop

Reese and Taylor take the time to reflect on a big 2025. First they chat about the new Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 and then dive into the deep end of 2025 where they talk about everything from the idea of time itself to skin care routines.

As CEO of The Atlantic, father of three boys, and age group record holder for the 50K, Nick Thompson has a lot on his plate. That includes writing a new book, The Running Ground, one of our most favorite running books in recent memory. Part memoir and part love letter to the sport, it explores the ups and downs of life and the thread of running through it all. Robbe talks to him about all of that and more in this episode of The Drop.

Pick up The Running Ground: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/678434/the-running-ground-by-nicholas-thompson/

Happy E420 from the team! While we didn't ingest anyting to celebrate, we did go stream of consciousness on this episode. From Jimmy Eat World to the Army/Navy game to Meg's pre-race sickness, Baltimore had a lot going on this weekend. Speaking of races, Meg is headed out to Arizona to run the Marathon Project in a very special prototype. We also talk about The Running Ground, overzealous soccer parents, Taylor Swift's generosity, and Kim Conley's incredible comeback at the 2012 Olympic Trials. Finally, we end up covering the Puma Magmax Nitro 2, a great max cushion trainer that can kind of do anything.

Pick up The Running Ground by Nicholas Thompson: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/678434/the-running-ground-by-nicholas-thompson/

Watch Kim Conley's comeback at the 2012 Olympic Trials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqdxuWmdsYI

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MAURTEN

Meg's heading off to The Marathon Project in a week and you know she'll be stocking up on Maurten for race day. Stock up your own stocking and save 15% off your order by using this link and code Believe15: https://bit.ly/BITR-MAURTEN

SWIFTWICK

You already know that Swiftwick makes our favorite socks for running, from training to race day. We wear them pretty much every day, whether it's the Flite XT crew or the low cut no-show. They also make for great Christmas presents, so treat yourself or someone else today: https://swiftwick.com

LMNT

It's winter, but we're still training and sweating. Which means we still need our LMNT, with 1,000 mg of sodium and key electrolytes. If you haven't had their hot flavors yet, you need to get in on it, because they make the perfect winter treat. Order today and get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase, so don't miss out: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop

Taylor, Reese, and Alex (long time BITR contributer) chat about running during winter. Love it or hate it, we all still need to move in the colder months of the year. What adjustments do you make to still get out? Topics of travel, nutrition, gear, training approaches, and more are all packed into this episode.

Guest: Sophia Laukli is a multi-sport pro for Maurten and Salomon. She has cross country skied her whole life and still does so at an elite level. Trail running is a more recent endeavor in which she quickly rose to being one of the top runners in the world! Taylor and Sophia chat about her history with sport, living in Oslo, as well as the ups and downs of being a world-class athlete for two sports year round.

Thomas and Robbe sat down with Kiprun's CMO Julien Vancauwenberghe and Product Lead Pierre-Emmanuel Gaillard to chat about their entrance into the US next year, including what shoes you'll be able to purchase in April.

We went deep into the heart of Texas with nearly 6,000 other runners as we took over San Antonio for the The Running Event 2025. Over the course of three days, we lined up over 40 meetings to gather all the intel we could about running shoes, apparel, gear, and nutrition. This is our report of that event, as well as a full recap of our experience at the Rainforest Cafe. It's a long one, but well worth it.

Limited spots remain for Winter GRIT! Get in today: https://www.believeintherun.com/grit

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

MAURTEN
Meg's heading off to The Marathon Project in a week and you know she'll be stocking up on Maurten for race day. Stock up your own stocking and save 15% off your order by using this link and code Believe15: https://bit.ly/BITR-MAURTEN

SWIFTWICK
You already know that Swiftwick makes our favorite socks for running, from training to race day. We wear them pretty much every day, whether it's the Flite XT crew or the low cut no-show. They also make for great Christmas presents, so treat yourself or someone else today: https://swiftwick.com

LMNT
It's winter, but we're still training and sweating. Which means we still need our LMNT, with 1,000 mg of sodium and key electrolytes. If you haven't had their hot flavors yet, you need to get in on it, because they make the perfect winter treat. Order today and get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase, so don't miss out: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop

The Dirt Division met up with the Baltimore Crew down in San Antonio to check out all that's to come in 2026. Listen to their observations of trends, what they are excited about, and the inevitable stories that come out of such a weekend.Guest: Anna Gibson is one of the best that the US has to offer. The US Olympic Trials qualifier on the track just just wrapped up an epic year of trail with world-class results at Golden Trail Final and World Mountain Running Championships. Taylor and Anna chat about her relationship with sport, Grand Canyon rafting, coffee, and much more.

Andy Wacker is a professional runner from Boulder, Colorado who run roads, track, trails at an elite level. He also wears many other hats in the running world including directing an elite trail running development team. Taylor and Andy talk about all of that and more.

Follow Andy on Instagram: @wackera

We’re headed off to TRE, but first we recap our Thanksgiving weekends including turkey trots and family fun. Eventually, we talk about our experience in the Brooks Glycerin Flex, a daily trainer with an ultra flexible midsole.

Glycerin Flex: https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/glycerin-flex.html

Register for Winter GRIT: https://www.believeintherun.com/grit

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

MAURTEN

We crushed nearly a dozen Maurtens each for the JFK 50 Mile race, finishing strong without bonking. Stock up for your own fall races and save 15% off your order by using this link and code Believe15: https://bit.ly/BITR-MAURTEN

SWIFTWICK

You already know that Swiftwick makes our favorite socks for running, from training to race day. We wore them for the JFK 50 Mile race and finished with ZERO blisters, so we're not sure how else we can convince you to buy a pair. Get your pair today: https://swiftwick.com

LMNT

Guess what? Yes, we used LMNT before and during the JFK 50 Mile race. Robbe downed 4 packets during the actual race and got through with zero cramps or headaches. With 1,000 mg of sodium plus other key electrolytes, LMNT helps restore balance to your life after any hard effort. Order today and get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase, so don't miss out: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop

If you're anything like Taylor and Reese, you're hard to buy gifts for. They are here helping us all out whether you're a trail runner or getting something for a trail runner. We have reviewed a lot of gift-worthy gear this year. Here are some of our favorites in all price categories.

Guest: Dan Green has had a major year of trail running with a race calendar and results that any trail runner would dream of! The Maurten/ Salomon pro talks about how he got into running in the first place, his rise to an elite level, and whether he even considers himself as a professional.