THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

What does it take to break one of the most iconic barriers in sports history?

Brad Wilkins, lead scientist on Nike’s Breaking2 project, joins the show to pull back the curtain on the science, strategy, and soul behind chasing the sub-two-hour marathon.

Dr. Wilkins currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Physiology at the University of Oregon. He is the Director of the Oregon Performance Research Laboratory (OPRL); his research focuses on the physiological limits of human performance.

Here is a link to his work. Check it out and work with them if it's of interest: https://oprl.uoregon.edu

Dr. Wilkins explores thermoregulation, neural control of the cardiovascular system, the impact of product interventions on performance outcomes–just to name a few. The work he has done in this field has led to over 40 published manuscripts and patents. 

Dr. Wilkins received his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon and has also worked at the Mayo Clinic. He has been an accomplished scientist at Nike for 10 years now, and led the scientific team for the Breaking2 project, where he was instrumental in coordinating the various scientific disciplines involved in the project. (Eliud Kipchoge, Lelisa Desisa, and Zersenay Tadese attempted to break two hours in the marathon and narrowly missed the mark, with Kipchoge running a 2:00:25.)

Tap into the Brad Wilkins Special.

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S H O W  N O T E S

https://oprl.uoregon.edu

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For TJ Hansen, running isn’t just a passion — it’s the job. And business is booming.

Up next in our 2025 HOKA Festival of Miles series, we welcome the Michigan standout who’s made a national name for himself on both grass and track.

Representing Freeland High School, TJ is a two-time Nike All-American and finished runner-up at the 2024 Nike Cross Nationals, crossing the line in 15:30.60 — just 2.5 seconds off the win. That followed a top-10 finish at NXN in 2023.

TJ also claimed the Gatorade Michigan Boys Cross Country Player of the Year title for 2024–25 and double-won at the Michigan Division 2 state meet in both the 1600m and 3200m.

His PRs show he’s got range and firepower: he has run 1:54.27 in the 800m; 3:47.05 in the 1500m; 4:03.87 in the mile; 8:51.12 in the two-mile; and 14:24.40 in the 5,000m.

Originally committed to Tennessee, TJ made a game-time decision to head west — he’s now bound for the University of Colorado, joining one of the deepest distance squads in the NCAA.

In today's conversation, TJ walks me through his successful career thus far, how he's risen to be one of the best, choosing Colorado, his ambtions and journey for Sub 4, how Festival Of Miles plays into that, his training, getting hit by a car, and more.

Tap into the TJ Hansen Special.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. 

Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. 

If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!

S H O W  N O T E S

-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs

-BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run

-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run 

-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ

-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

As Keegan Smith is apt to say, winning isn’t everything – running your best is.

Up next in our 2025 HOKA Festival of Miles series, we welcome one of the most dominant high school distance runners in the country: Keegan Smith, straight out of Tennessee.

From the moment he laced up as a freshman, Keegan’s been smashing records and turning heads. He opened his high school career by dropping a 14:53.79 5K — the fastest ever by a U.S. freshman in cross country — then lit up the track with a 4:14.63 mile and an 8:52.96 3,200m, both national freshman records.

Fast forward to his senior year: Keegan clocked a blistering 14:23.26 at the Nike Cross Southeast Regional, breaking the Tennessee state record and proving he's still leveling up. He closed out his high school XC career with wins at NXR Southeast and Foot Locker South, and shattered three all-time course records along the way.

His PRs speak for themselves: he has run 1:51.93 in 800m; 3:55.64 in the 1500m; 4:11.90 in the mile; 8:54.97 in the two-mile; and 14:23.26 in the 5,000m in cross country. 

The longer the race, the stronger he gets.

Now committed to the University of Colorado, Keegan’s taking his talent to one of the top distance programs in the nation. And with NIL deals already in place with HOKA and Precision Fuel & Hydration, he’s not just running fast — he’s building a brand.

In today's conversation, Keegan shares behind-the-scenes stories from my marathon (lol), what it was like to run a local race, his breakdown of XC postseason, why his XC season was so meaningful to him, running a 4:04 Mile while being injured, his ambitions for the outdoor track season, and racing the 2025 HOKA Festival of Miles meet. 

Tap into the Keegan Smith Special.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. 

Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. 

If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!

S H O W  N O T E S

-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs

-BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run

-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run 

-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ

-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

Dietitian Alex Larson, on a mission to fuel the world's endurance athletes, joins the show today to share her expert tips on nutrition, health, and performance for long-term success.Alex is a mother of three kids and successful entrepreneur, serving as the founder and CEO of Alex Larson Nutrition. After having her three kids in an eight-year span, Alex is back to running and gravel cycling for endurance events. She completed the Ironman Wisconsin in 2014, and is primed to continue that success as a busy mother and business owner. Alex has a stable of dietitians and nutrition coaches working for her, and offers meal plans, guides and a very accessible blog on her website. Her team has coached over 500 athletes across 28 thousand community platforms and has been featured on 40-plus media outlets.The Alex Larson motto is to improve performance and body composition through simple and flexible eating. On her new podcast, "Endurance Eats Podcast," she simplifies nutrition advice for endurance athletes and interviews well-known guests.In today's conversation, Alex takes me through key nutrition principles that you can apply in your day to day that will take your running to the next level. Tap into the Alex Larson Special.  If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!S H O W  N O T E S-BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

The creative force behind Litoff Studios, Mr. Zach Litoff himself, joins the show today, ready to discuss his new book. 

Zach seamlessly intertwines athleticism and artistry–blending his elite athletic background as an NCAA Championship steeplechaser with his innovative design work; this has led him to work with major brands like Nike, New Balance, and even Apple.

Recently, he led the rebranding of the iconic Bay to Breakers race for their website, infusing it with fresh, modern visuals while honoring its rich history. 

Zach grew up in Boulder, Colorado, where he became enmeshed at an early age with drawing, climbing and running. At Monarch High School in Colorado he came in third in the state two-mile championships, third in the mile, and fifth in the 800m.

At Santa Clara University he helped build a strong program, finishing as an All-American steeplechaser with PRs of 8:32 in the steeple and 13:52 in the 5,000m. 

Zach went back to Santa Clara and got his Master's in Marketing, and has since started his own company doing design work, marketing, photography, video production, web design, content creation and blog creation. Whew!

Zach's latest triumph is a 160-page multimedia art book called "The Last Olympic Trials," which documents his experience at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene. It blends film photography, painted-over Polaroids, mixed media, and hand-drawn illustrations to capture the shifting culture of the sport

In today's conversation, Zach takes me through his running pursuits, how he's shifted his identity in the sport and how he's gone about that, his thoughts on Grand Slam track, the story behind his new book "The Last Olympic Trials" and so much more.

This is just a good chat between two friends. Don't miss it. And pick up a copy of Zach's latest work to support a friend. Great work. 

Tap into the Zach Litoff Special.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. 

Comment the word "PODCAST" below and I'll DM you a link to listen. 

If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!

S H O W  N O T E S

-BUY MERCH BEFORE IT'S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run

-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run 

-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ

-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

Episode 1 of The Call Room: Road to Records is here, featuring New Mexico's fastest miler and ascending star, Corbin Coombs.

Corbin, a senior at Organ Mountain High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico, is gearing up for one of the biggest events of the calendar year, the 2025 HOKA Festival of MIles coming to you June 5. He came in 8th last year in the boyschampionship mile.

In February, Corbin set a new state record by running a 4:02.59 mile at the Millrose Games in New York City, breaking a 21-year-old New Mexico record. 

Corbin, who is affiliated with the Sun Dragons Track Club, continued to make a name for himself at the 2025 Nike Indoor Nationals. 

On Friday at the two-mile championship race he came in second with a time of 8:45.88. Later that day, he was the anchor on his team's DMR victory: the group ran a 10:06.09, securing the fourth-fastest high school time this year. Then onSunday, he competed in the boys' mile championship and came in fourth with a time of 4:08.98.

Then on March 1 at the Circuit: Philadelphia, Corbin ran a new mile personal best of 4:01.62. Corbin has additional PRs of 1:52.19 in the 800m indoor; 3:45.21 in the 1500m indoor; ​and 14:30.06 in the 5,000m for cross country. Corbin was the 2023 Gatorade New Mexico Boys Track & Field Player of the Year. 

In today's conversation, Corbin takes me through his training, mindset, results from his indoor season, racing the HOKA Festival Of Miles, what it means to come back, the class of '25, and so much more. 

Tap into the Corbin Coombs Special.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. 

Comment the word "PODCAST" below and I'll DM you a link to listen. 

If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!

S H O W  N O T E S

-BUY MERCH BEFORE IT'S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run

-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run 

-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ

-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

High school mid-distance sensation Cole Boone joins us today, fresh off two monumental performances in March that have solidified him as a national champion.

Cole, a junior at Pulaski County High School in Dublin, Virginia, has been crushing the 2025 campaign so far. The bar is set high for his senior campaign next fall.

On March 4 at the Virginia High School League Class 3 State Indoor Championships held at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Cole set a new national high school indoor record in the 1,000m with a time of 2:20.14.

Cole then competed in the New Balance Nationals Indoor meet in Boston, where he delivered an impressive 1:48.29 in the 800m to win the championship and claim his first national title as a junior. This is the second-fastest national high school 800m indoor time this year.

Cole has been grinding since middle school, when he ran a 2:10 in the 800m as a 7th grader. He currently runs 25-30 miles a week as a mid-distance guy and has lofty goals for the future.

His current PRs outside of the 800m and 1,000m include:

• 400m Outdoor: 49.82

• 1600m Outdoor: 4:07.05

• One Mile Outdoor: 4:08.60

• 3200m Indoor: 9:33.63

In today's conversation, Cole walks me through his breakout year, what went into it, living on a farm, his ambitions for the future, what his training looks like, inside his 1K National Record, his plans for outdoor, and much more. Tap into the Cole Boone Special.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with a friend who you think will benefit from it.

Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen.

If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!

SHOW NOTES

• BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run

• Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run

• THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ

• My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

INTRODUCING: THE RUN DOWN BY THE RUNNING EFFECT

The Run Down isn’t just a newsletter. It’s a field manual for runners who want to master the mental, physical, and philosophical game of distance running—and life.

Every week, professional running coach and former D1 All-American Alex Ostberg distills hard-earned insights from world-class athletes, top-tier coaches, and personal trial-and-error into bite-sized, actionable takeaways.

This is not another “how to run your best 5K” email. This is where performance meets purpose.

In your inbox, you’ll get:

Reverse-engineered breakdowns of how elite runners train, think, recover, and compete

Hard-won lessons from failures, injuries, and comebacks—so you don’t have to repeat them

Philosophical frameworks to sharpen your mindset and sustain long-term excellence

Curated insights from the greatest thinkers—on and off the track

If you’ve ever:

Hit a plateau and wondered, what now?

Questioned your “why”

Felt like you’re doing everything right but still not seeing results…

You’re not alone—and you’re not broken. You’re just ready for deeper conversations.

Welcome to the edge of performance. Let’s go there together.

SUBSCRIBE HERE: https://therundownbytherunningeffect.substack.com

GOODY’S (code "TRE2"): https://www.amazon.com/promotion/psp/AHBMMNWHO3WHJ

Performance and sport expert Dr. Jim Taylor returns to the show to discuss Dominic’s recent running of the Knoxville Marathon and the impact their work together had on his experience. 

Dominic, who ran a 3:33 marathon on April 6 with only two weeks of training, circles back with Dr. Taylor, who holds his Ph.D. in Psychology. 

Dr. Taylor’s clientele includes professional, Olympic, collegiate and junior-elite athletes in skiing, cycling, triathlon, tennis, track and field, squash, fencing, swimming, football, golf, and many more. He is the author of 18 books (that have been translated into 10 languages) and can be seen at various speaking engagements throughout the world.

Dr. Taylor maintains a popular blog that has been read by more than 10 million people. Prior to his consulting and coaching he was a world-ranked alpine ski racer. He has run a sub 3-hour marathon, completed an Ironman, and is a two-time national and three-time world championship medal-winning age-group triathlete.

Dr. Taylor, who has helped thousands of athletes with the mental side of performance, founded the impressive Prime Performance System that he uses with clients, which focuses on the mental areas athletes can hone in on during training.

In today's conversation, Dr. Jim walks us through goal setting, whether people set too big of goals or small of goals, what he does, his favorite books he's ever written, how to handle pressure, and pre-race nerves, and so much more. 

Tap into the Dr. Jim Taylor Special.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. 

Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. 

If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!

S H O W  N O T E S

-GOODY’S (code "TRE2"): https://www.amazon.com/promotion/psp/AHBMMNWHO3WHJ

-BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run

-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run 

-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ

-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

The journey of Jackson Heidesch is one of unbridled honesty and crushing heartbreak.

From high school standout to oft-injured Duke student-athlete, Jackson Heidesch has been forced to deal with more than just physical maladies.  

It's been 18 months of toil, rehab and bouts of depression for the Iowa native, who is now opening up about his mental health struggles. Jackson will be taking a designated pause from the NCAA to redshirt the entire indoor and outdoor season. 

Although he's been through ringer in his short running career, he seems to be setting the stage for a resurgence on and off the track and grass.

Jackson's hardships since agreeing to run for Duke include a couple of grade 4 stress fractures; mono, and the aforementioned depression. With a combination of family support and talk therapy, in addition to physical therapy work–Jackson has come out the other side of this dark tunnel ready to get back to logging miles and competing with the best in the country. 

Jackson was the 2022-23 Gatorade Boys Cross Country Player of the Year for Iowa, where he broke the 4 minute mile barrier to break the state record, running a 3:59.08 at the HOKA Festival of Miles. That year he also swept the 1600m and 3200m titles at the state meet, running a 4:07.28 and a 9:08.86, respectively. 

In today's conversation, Jackson takes me through his past two years of ups and downs, how he became aware of his mental health, his plans going into the future, and so much more. 

This one is deep, raw, emotional, take the time to be blessed by Jackson's vulnerability and share with someone you know. 

Tap into the Jackson Heidesch Special.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. 

Comment the word "PODCAST" below and I'll DM you a link to listen. 

If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!

S H O W  N O T E S

-BUY MERCH BEFORE IT'S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run

-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run 

-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ

-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz