Road to the Trials brings on marathon workhorse Joe Whelan, also known on this episode as “The Marathon Wolverine.” Joe digs into what it looks like to be incredibly durable in the marathon, as Joe has already raced Berlin, Boston, Grandma’s, Austin, and Indianapolis Monumental in 2025, with California International Marathon circled as his true A-race.

Joe shares how he thinks about stacking marathons in a single year, how he bounces back so quickly, and what he is targeting at CIM and beyond as he looks toward the 2028 Olympic Marathon Trials. He also reflects on his roots in upstate New York, his time running for Syracuse University, and the mindset that keeps him excited and hungry after so many 26.2 mile efforts.

This episode is sponsored by V.O2, the coaching platform built on Dr. Jack Daniels’ proven training science. V.O2 gives coaches and athletes calibrated training paces, individualized planning tools, and team management features that help users train more accurately, improve performance, and reduce injuries. Listeners can find V.O2 in the app stores and at https://www.vdoto2.com. Save 20 percent with the code “roadtothetrials”.