THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

At 15, Sam Ruthe is breaking records and shattering expectations. With a jaw-dropping 3:58.35 mile, he became the youngest human ever to break four minutes, vaulting himself into the global spotlight. But if you know his story, none of this feels like a fluke. Running is in Sam’s blood. His grandfather was a Commonwealth Games steeplechaser. His parents? Both competitive runners. You can’t fake th...

Marco Langon  went from prepping meals in a back kitchen to torching NCAA record books as one of the fastest middle-distance runners in collegiate history. We’re talking  3:33.38  in the 1500m ( 2nd-fastest in NCAA history); 3:54.60  in the mile;  7:36.87  in the 3,000m; and  13:14.11  in the 5,000m.  And he is still a  junior at Villanova . But the stats are just the start. Marco’s a  2025 NCAA 5...

From shattering age-group records before most kids knew how to pace a 400, to stepping onto the Olympic stage with grace, grit, and God-given speed, Brandon Miller’s journey is nothing short of electric. At just 13 years old, he clocked a jaw-dropping 1:56 in the 800m. By 14, it was 1:51. A middle school phenom who didn’tjust peak early, he kept accelerating toward greatness. High school? Dominant...

If you follow ultrarunning, you’ve probably heard the name  Caleb Olson recently .  In 2025, he broke through in a big way,  winning the Western States 100 in 14:11:25 , the second-fastest time ever on that iconic course. But his rise wasn’t sudden.  Raised in the Seattle area, Caleb was an All-ASUN runner at Liberty University, with PRs of  3:51 in the 1500m  and  29:11 in the 10,000m . He entere...

Pierce Showe is redefining what consistency, conviction, and calling look like in the world of ultra-endurance running. He just broke the Guinness World Record for most consecutive half marathons on a treadmill—running 13.1 miles every single day for 125 days straight—and he’s here to talk about what it took, and why it mattered. As a running coach and motivational content creator, Pierce is on a...

Sondre Guttormsen not only cleared six meters, but he launched past expectations, limits, and borders, and is considered one of the best to ever do it in the world of pole vault. He's a European champion, a two-time Olympian, a three-time NCAA champion, and one of the elite few in pole vault's six-meter club. In 2023, he made history as the first-ever Norwegian to win the European Indoor Champions...

PSA: the audio on this is weird. We have no clue why it's like this, but I would rather release then it never see the light of day. He went from Rapid City to Hayward Field.  From high school phenom to NCAA standout.  And now, toeing the line with the best in the world, Simeon Birnbaum is bridging the levels in a way few athletes do. In his return to the show, we catch up with Simeon just 24 h...

This isn’t just a running interview. It’s a front-row seat to what greatness sounds like. Josh Kerr is the reigning 1500m World Champion, an Olympic silver (Paris 2024) and bronze medalist (Tokyo 2020), and the fastest Brit of all time, stopping the clock at a jaw-dropping 3:27.79 in the 1500m at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. And his résumé doesn’t stop there. Josh’s current personal bests include:...

-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!):  https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs Alex Ostberg is back to cut through the noise and get straight to what actually matters for smarter, healthier, and more effective training.  This month’s theme? Train with awareness, not ego. First, Alex wrote about not chasing gains at the expense of your body. Top athletes play defense first. Solid sleep, r...

Paityn Noe has gone from being an injury-plagued freshman to one of the NCAA's most electrifying distance runners, redefining success with speed, resilience, and purpose. After a turbulent freshman year marked by injury and setbacks, Paityn didn't just bounce back, she  transformed , clocking a blazing  31:36.91  to break Arkansas' 10,000m record, becoming  All-American in the 10,000m and 5,000m o...

Andreas Almgren went from nearly quitting the sport to redefining European distance running. The Swedish phenom’s career began with a 1:45.59 in the 800m before a cascade of devastating injuries nearly ended it all. We’re talking stress fractures, torn muscles, and years of physical setbacks that forced Andreas to rethink everything, from his training philosophy to his identity as an athlete. What...

Austen Dalquist is not your typical miler.  He's an All-American from the University of Arkansas, a USATF Colorado Mile Champion, and a 3:41 guy in the 1500, but his journey hasn't been defined by times alone. After battling personal health challenges, including an eating disorder and vocal cord dysfunction, Austen did what few dare to do: he stayed in the sport. He rebuilt from rock bottom, leani...

Lexy Halladay-Lowry is chasing the clock while rewriting the record books. With an indoor mile PR of 4:31, a blistering 8:40 in the 3,000, and a sub-15 in both the indoor and outdoor 5,000m, Lexy is one of the fastest ever to do it in NCAA history. She’s an 8-time All-American, a two-time NCAA cross country team champion, and the current No. 2 in the nation in the steeplechase after clocking 9:08...

Hans Troyer is the epitome of raw talent meeting ruthless resilience. From a near-collapse in the desert to record-breaking dominance, his story is one of fearless grit, second chances, and an audacious leap: from college steepler to 100K trail crusher. In just over a year, Hans has gone from collegiate standout to ultramarathon phenom: winning national titles, smashing course records, and landing...

From humble hustle to steeplechase sensation, James Corrigan is rewriting the script. Born in Los Angeles and now a force at Brigham Young University, James has quickly made his mark in the 3000-meter steeplechase. In just the past year, he placed  third in the U.S. Olympic Trials ,  secured his Olympic standard in a last-chance race at the Penn Relays , represented  Team USA in Paris , and most r...

Sixty-one marathons in sixty-one days: From the southern border of Germany to the northern sea, Aleksander Lingauer covered the entire distance on his own. No sponsors. No shortcuts. Just a backpack, a belief, and the stubborn will to see it through. Aleksander is an endurance athlete and writer, and the mind behind  Project 61 , a solo mission to run the length of Germany, one marathon a day, for...

Today’s guest knows endurance—on the trail, in public service, and in life. Congressman  Mark DeSaulnier  of California has run  23 marathons , including Boston, New York, Napa, and even Paris. A former lacrosse player turned lifelong runner, Mark once pursued a sub-3-hour marathon while simultaneously trying to bench press twice his bodyweight. He came heartbreakingly close—twice clocking a 3:04—...

What drives a 23-year-old to run seven marathons... on seven continents... in just seven days? Today’s guest isn’t just an endurance athlete—he’s a human experiment in grit, creativity, and storytelling.  Wyatt Moss has run a marathon in all 50 states, built a woodworking business to fund the journey, and picked up over 100,000 followers along the way—not just for the miles he runs, but for the li...

What happens when you combine deep science with real-world results—and package it all in a way that actually makes sense to young athletes?  You get Kelsey Poulter. In today’s episode, we’re joined by the founder of Next Level Athletes, a sports nutrition expert who has quickly become one of the most trusted voices in the performance space. With a background in Exercise Physiology and a skyrocketi...

He broke the barrier—and the sport felt it. Quentin Nauman is back on the pod in the final episode of our   Festival of Miles series—a fitting finish to a week that reminded us just how far the sport is moving. Just days ago at the HOKA Festival of Miles, Quentin lined up against the top high school milers in the country and ran 3:58.65—joining the elite ranks of sub-four athletes and pushing the...

Recorded live. Fueled by the energy of the crowd. Powered by HOKA. Straight from the Big River Running Company in Missouri on June 4th, this special episode of the podcast captures the excitement, energy, and anticipation just one night before the iconic HOKA Festival of Miles. We sit down with four of the sport’s most compelling figures: Olin Hacker – NCAA champion turned pro who thrilled fans wi...

What does it take to run for 28 hours straight? To go beyond exhaustion—when your body gives out and only your will is left? Alyssa McClellan  knows. She’s a former elite CrossFit athlete, a mother of four, and an ultra-endurance machine. At the  Go One More Last Man Standing Ultra , Alyssa ran nearly  120 miles  in just under  28 hours , outlasting every other woman and placing  fourth overall ....

From rock bottom to 100 miles — today’s guest redefines what it means to fight back. Meet  Sean Rhodes : former alcoholic, now ultramarathoner, mental health advocate, and the driving force behind a mission that’s bigger than any finish line. In May 2025, Sean didn’t just run a 100-mile race — he  built  one. The  Stoney 100  was raw, solo, and powered by purpose: raising awareness for mental heal...

He’s gone from a four-hour marathoner to a 2:32 powerhouse — today, we’re sitting down with the unstoppable Eric Floberg. Based in Chicago, Eric has become a standout in the running world for his incredible marathon transformation — going from a 3:59 debut to a blazing  2:32:44 personal best . But his impact doesn’t stop at the finish line. Eric is also a master storyteller. Through his cinematic...

We love the idea of a breakthrough—the dramatic finish, the record-shattering time, the race where it finally clicks. But what if that moment you’re chasing isn’t about magic… but  mindset ? Returning to the show today is  Alex Ostberg , former NCAA standout and the thoughtful voice behind  The Rundown . In this episode, we dive into the psychology of high performance and unpack four of Alex’s mos...