This week on the Free Outside Podcast, I’m joined by Allison Mercer to talk about one of the strangest weekends the running world has seen in a while.

Allison was in Atlanta covering the US Half Marathon Championships, but before the reporting even started she paced a marathon, took a hard fall at mile 16, finished the race covered in blood, and ended up getting stitches. Somehow that still wasn’t the craziest thing that happened.

We break down the controversy from the championship race where the lead women followed a vehicle the wrong direction late in the race, how it affected the results, and why the reaction online got so heated. We also talk about what actually happened behind the scenes and why these situations are more complicated than they look on social media.

After that we catch up on everything else happening in running right now, Black Canyon course records, Western States storylines, FKTs starting to heat up for the season, and Allison somehow explaining Barkley and FKTs to Olympic champion Cole Hocker over breakfast.

It’s a mix of running news, chaos, and a little bit of perspective from two people who spend way too much time thinking about this sport.

Thanks for watching and supporting the show.

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Chapters

00:00 Marathon Weekend Recap

03:45 Race Day Chaos and Injuries

06:49 The Aftermath of the Race Incident

10:01 Social Media Reactions and Accountability

12:57 Understanding the Race Dynamics

15:43 The Impact of the Incident on Athletes

18:45 Community Response and Support

21:50 Reflections on Empathy and Accountability

24:47 Looking Ahead: Future Races and Events

37:20 Emerging Trends in Running and Relatability

40:48 Ultra Runner of the Year Predictions

45:32 Growth of FKTs Globally

52:21 The Race Purse Controversy

56:40 Excitement for Race Season and Recommendations

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