Boston Is Stacked, the Marathon Is Confusing, and IU Football Broke Our Brains

Episode rundown:- USATF half marathon championship aftermath and updates- LA Marathon chaos, the mile 18 medal debate, and surprising performances- New York City Marathon lottery frustration and the internet pile-on- Fred Kerley’s ban, whereabouts failures, and the Enhanced Games conversation- Books, podcasts, and pop culture detours

-US Half Marathon Championships leaders going off course and the fallout for podium, prize money, and team selection-Course marking, lead vehicles, and why “athletes should know the course” is a bad take-USATF response, rulebook rigidity, and what a fair resolution could look like-Indoor championships highlights including Nikki Hiltz, Cole Hocker, Noah Lyles, and Cooper Lutkenhaus-Enhanced Games conversation plus doping, whereabouts failures, and how fans feel about watchingThank you to our sponsor Noogs! NOOGS are sour energy chews made for endurance athletes who want fuel that actually tastes good during training and racing. They’re vegan, gluten-free, and made with natural colors and flavors. If you want to try them, head to noogsnutrition.com and use code RELAY15 for 15% off at checkout.

Gabby Hentemann joins as guest hostHyrox crossover and runners entering the hybrid athlete worldTrack talk and records: Keely Hodgkinson, “sketchy” marks, and the women’s 800The women’s 100-mile world record and what 12+ hours of running does to your brainEating disorder messaging, recovery, and the pressure cooker of marathon culture (taper week, body image, GLP-1 conversations)

Indoor season heating up: Cole Hocker’s American record, BU vs JDL, and banked vs flat tracksElite track culture vs road culture: pace lights, meet atmospheres, and where pros choose to raceTrail running momentum: Black Canyon, golden tickets, and Molly Seidel’s transitionHalf marathon and championship conversations: US Half Champs, World Half Champs, and timing builds for BostonThe content era of running: blue jeans marathons, influencer racing, and performance vs storytelling

Episode Rundown:Winter running survival: treadmill acceptance, frostbite fears, and training through deep coldInjury rehab reality check: Lindsey’s post-surgery boot decisions and the case for PTIndoor track culture: BU’s “illegal fast” track, infield chaos, and track time schedulingElite race logistics: buses, credentials, start-line waiting, and why pros deal with plenty of nonsense tooOlympics and sports fandom: Lindsey Vonn discourse, learning new sports fast, and choosing new Winter Olympic events to follow

Episode Rundown:Lindsey recaps the Donna Marathon finish line and why it is the best vibe in racingIndoor track is back and Peter is fully locked in on tactics, angles, and meet energyMillrose mile reactions, plus how storylines can flip in half a lapWorld record expectations vs actual racing, and why racing can be the whole pointThe 16-year-old mile conversation, pressure, and the burnout questionRunning fan etiquette: how to hype pros up without making it weirdWinter Olympics draft: what we’re watching, what we’re learning, and what is secretly terrifyingAnna Gibson story time and why ski mountaineering is a wild crossoverThe Boston Cop Slide moment and why it is basically luge trainingTraining through brutal winter: treadmill strategies, safety, and avoiding dumb injuries

In this Relay episode, we’re sharing a conversation from Road to the Trials that feels especially relevant right now. Peter Bromka sits down with JP Trojan, an Olympic Trials qualifier who ran 2:10 and finished fourth at the California International Marathon, a breakthrough performance that put him firmly on the map as we look ahead to the 2028 Trials.JP’s path is anything but typical. He ran collegiately at William & Mary and later used eligibility while attending Syracuse Law School, building his running career alongside a demanding academic track. Today, he trains with Minnesota Distance Elite while working full time as an immigration attorney in Minneapolis. JP shares what it looks like to hold both worlds at once, how he structures training around a high-responsibility job, and why he races with a competitor’s mindset instead of chasing a time.In light of what’s happening in Minnesota and the broader climate in our country, JP also talks about his work in immigration law and what this moment has been like on the ground. He offers tangible ways listeners can support affected communities, including two trusted organizations doing critical work. Our hearts are with Minnesota and with everyone experiencing fear, uncertainty, and trauma right now.Links to support:Advocates for Human Rights: https://www.theadvocatesforhumanrights.org/donateStand With Minnesota: https://www.standwithminnesota.com/

Today on group chat, we have Lindsey Hein, Peter Bromka, and Erika Kemp.Episode Rundown:The 2026 Boston Marathon women’s professional field and how stacked it isErika Kemp’s decision to commit to Boston and what changed post-TokyoMarathon race strategy, decision fatigue, and why you must run your own raceTraining alone vs with partners and why empty-bleacher workouts matterWinter training realities, treadmill debates, and tuning out online noise

In this episode, we have Lindsey Hein, Peter Bromka, and Erika Kemp.Episode Rundown:Houston Half weekend energy and early-season racing mindsetErika Kemp’s race, PR, and returning to Houston after last year’s marathon breakthroughShould Houston be the USATF Half Marathon Championships?How pros use the half marathon in a spring marathon buildBrooks teammate camaraderie and in-race pack dynamicsTallahassee World Cross course madness and obstaclesTeam USA 4x2K relay selection and why it changes the fieldTraining in winter conditions, treadmill debates, and staying consistent

Today on group chat, we have Lindsey Hein, Peter Bromka, and Matt Chittim.Episode Rundown:- New Year energy and resolutions (reset vs “I don’t do resolutions,” plus the “January 5 is the real new year” take)- Houston Half Marathon hype (why it’s a perfect champs-style race, women’s and men’s fields, weather/wind talk)- World Cross Country in Florida (manufactured course chaos: hills, sand, logs, and what “real” XC should be)- College football sidebar (Oregon vs Indiana rivalry energy and what’s at stake)- Running culture debates (chip time vs watch time, content brain vs clock truth, and the “I just win, Google me” award vibe)Media Recommended:Books:- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid- Sweat Look Substack by Lee GlandorfPodcasts- Road to the Trials (new episode with Ben Rosario)- Singletrack Podcast – episode with Finn Melanson and Jeff Pelletier- I’ll Have Another – episode with Rory Linkletter- The Rambling Runner PodcastTV / Media- Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Behind the Scenes) on Disney+- Gazelle Elite YouTube videos (Detroit-based team, Trials-focused content)Support our sponsor:Check out Noogs Nutrition for sour energy chews that actually taste good and work. Vegan, gluten-free, made with natural colors and flavors. Use code RELAY15 for 15% off at noogsnutrition.com.