Last month, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) released a verdict that has become one of the most hotly debated rulings in sport history. At the centre of this decision is one woman: the South African mid-distance phenom Caster Semenya. Semenya has a condition called 46XY DSD, which results in her body producing higher than average levels of testosterone. The science and emotions behind this case are complex, and have divided the world of athletics in a way that is unprecedented.

In this episode, 3 guests offer their unique perspectives on this complex topic.  Amby Burfoot is the former Editor-in-Chief at Runner's World Magazine. The week before the CAS decision was released, Burfoot wrote a lengthy article for Letsrun.com outlining many of the issues pertaining to the case. 

 Today in Part 1, we chat with Burfoot about his reasons for agreeing with the CAS ruling. In Part 2 we speak with Dr. Bruce Kidd and Dr. Payoshni Mitra, who have advocated for the CAS decision to be overturned.

Recently we made some small changes to The Shakeout Podcast.  from now on, we’ll be bringing you the weekly Rundown, recapping all the results and news from the track, roads and trails. Every second week, in addition to the Rundown we’ll be releasing a longer episode including interviews and a deeper exploration into the exciting world of running.

In this episode of The Rundown, recorded last Monday, May 13th, we bring you results from Canadian road races, the World Relays, and the international trail racing scene. We discuss the disappointing news out of the Ottawa Lions Track Club. And we talk beer miles, Superman impersonators, and a lightning-fast teenager!

In 2009, while training for her first half marathon, Lisa Sweetman began noticing unusual and unsettling changes in her body. Her joints ached, her energy plummeted and she began putting on a lot of weight. It would be another several months of self-advocacy before she would receive a definitive, and distressing, diagnosis: a brain tumour.

Lisa underwent 5 surgeries, experimented with veganism, started a business, and realized her passion for trail running. In this inspiring episode Lisa talks about the decline of her health, and the rediscovery of her strength as a result. 

This week we are rebroadcasting a episode from last year featuring the Lane 6 program. Lane 6 is a partnership between Canadian Running and Nike. Along with Toronto Community Housing, they created a one-on-one mentorship program, pairing experienced runners from the community with at-risk youth, aged 7-18. The second annual Lane 6 program started last week, and will run until June 6th.

Staff writer Maddy Kelly and I also chat about the latest news and results from the track, trails and roads, specifically the drama that unfolded at the Boston Marathon.

Thousands of runners will toe the line on Monday for the 123rd running on the Boston Marathon. One of those runners is Newfoundland's Derm Holwell. On Monday, Holwell will run his 29th consecutive Boston Marathon.

An athlete with the Mississauga Nomads Running Team and a cancer survivor, Holwell is also part of an exclusive group known as The Quarter Century Club. In this episode, he shares his remarkable stories from his nearly 3 decades of running the Boston Marathon.

The Spring Run Off is Toronto's oldest continuously-held road race. Olympians, world record holders, and masses of Canadian runners turn up for one of the most challenging road races in the country. In this episode we chat with journalist Alex Hutchinson, professional runner Dayna Pidhoresky, and Spring Run Off co-founder Dave Reid.

The Boston Marathon is one of the oldest and most prestigious road races in the world. But there’s another race, in Hamilton Ontario, that proudly proclaims its status as the oldest race in North America. Around the Bay celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. This race hasn’t only been around for longer than the Boston Marathon, but it has also boasted some pretty remarkable results over the years. Olympians, Canadian champions and record holders, and yes, even winners of the Boston Marathon have graced the streets of Hamilton almost since Around the Bay’s inception.

In this episode we bring you 4 guests, all of whom have played instrumental roles in the success and legacy of Around the Bay. We speak with race directors Mike Zajczenko and Anna Lewis, Olympian and Around the Bay veteran Krista Duchene, and a very special, if unconventional, race supporter, Tim the Grim Reaper.

This episode is all about girl power! We start by chatting with the new Canadian marathon record holder Rachel Cliff, who ran 2:26:56 in the Nagoya Women's Marathon 2 weeks ago. Cliff talks about breaking barriers, and the joy of running in a women's only race.

Sasha Gollish and Jess O'Connell are athlete ambassadors for Fast and Female, a not-for-profit organization that strives to keep girls engaged in sport. Started in 2005 by Canadian nordic skier and Olympic Champion Chandra Crawford, Fast and Female connects national team athletes with girls aged 8 to 18. Girls drop out of sport at a rate 6 times that of their male peers, meaning that they miss out on the tremendous benefits that come from sport participation.

Sasha, Jess and Chandra have not only enjoyed successful athletic careers but they also excel in their non-athletic pursuits. These women have learned the transformative power of sport firsthand, and are each on a mission to help spread the love and dominate the world!

Over the last 2 weeks we saw a Canadian record, a world record, and a USports record each get broken. We bring you results from the NCAA, USports and Canadian Masters indoor track championships. Plus, we bring you juicy news from the roads and the trails. 

We didn't release an episode of The Shakeout Podcast last week, but a lot has happened recently in the world of running. So we decided that we would bring you an extended version of The Rundown to catch you up on everything that has happened since our last episode.

Tune in for the most recent version of The Rundown, and catch a full version of the Shakeout Podcast later this week!

We are officially inside 50 days until the 2019 Boston Marathon. In this episode we talk with one of Canada's fastest marathoners and coaches about how to make the most of your spring race prep. 

In 2013, Rob Watson found himself leading the Boston Marathon. Determined to stick to his race plan, he continued to lead the elite field for almost 25km.  He had the best racing experience of his life, and was on a runner's high, until tragedy struck. Today Rob shares his stories of elation and heartbreak.  And with only 6 short weeks until this year's Boston Marathon, Rob offers his advice on how to make the most of your training, how to be prepared on the start line, and how to enjoy the journey from Hopkinton to Boylston.