Running 79-Second Quarters After 24 Hours, Desert Detours & The Wild Reality of The Speed Project

Top Topics:The Speed Project explained (LA to Vegas, teams + solo efforts)Inside the culture and “who belongs” in alternative running spacesElite teams vs. adventure athletes and what it takes to winLogistics, pacing, and strategy (including 79-second quarters late in the race)Getting lost, off-course routes, and unconventional race navigationMental pressure within teams and not wanting to let teammates downErika’s Boston buildup and pro athlete perspective heading into race week

Episode Rundown:Tommie’s brutal 100K race recap (13,000 ft of climbing)Trail running realities: climbs, descents, and survival modeFueling strategies: gels, Coke, and potatoesAid station dynamics and race strategyPost-race recovery and what 100K does to your bodyAnimal encounters on runs… especially squirrelsThank 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.

Topics discussed:- Erika Kemp wins New Bedford Half and uses it as a Boston build workout- New York Half performances and how fast the men’s field has become- NCAA indoor track drama, DQ controversy, and rising personalities in the sport- Doping conversations, testing challenges, and clean sport concerns- Barcelona Marathon 2:10 performance and confusion around record legitimacy

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/