Courtney Dauwalter breaks her own Hardrock 100 course record while sick on the trail, and Ludo Pommeret wins his third straight at age 50. Eliud Kipchoge’s seven continent world tour rolls through Brazil. Emmanuel Wanyonyi breaks a 1K world record that stood since 1999. Barkley founder Laz Lake voids two backyard ultra world records. And Jessy went down a Strava rabbit hole to find out which Tour de France riders and World Cup players actually run, including one stat about Lionel Messi that will change how you watch him.

Drop your prediction in the comments: Jessy is running an all-out 1K this week. Guess her time!

Chapters:
00:00 This week’s stories snapshot
03:40 Hardrock 100: two course records and a brutal day for Dauwalter
08:50 Kipchoge’s world tour stops in Brazil
14:31 A 1K world record falls after 27 years
18:41 Laz Lake voids the backyard ultra world records
22:50 Do Tour de France riders and World Cup players actually run?
26:43 The Messi stat
30:33 Big announcement: a second episode every week

Read Jessy’s reporting on all of this week’s stories at marathonhandbook.com

Articles referenced:
https://marathonhandbook.com/kipchoge-porto-alegre-world-tour/
https://marathonhandbook.com/how-fifa-players-train-lessons-for-runners/
https://marathonhandbook.com/world-cup-players-strava-census/
https://marathonhandbook.com/tour-de-france-riders-who-run/
https://marathonhandbook.com/pommeret-hardrock-100-third-win/
https://marathonhandbook.com/wanyonyi-1000m-world-record/
https://marathonhandbook.com/running-with-partner-vs-alone/

Subscribe to The Running Story podcast feed on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and leave us a five star rating and review!

This week on The Running Story, Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth break down five huge stories from the running world: 7-Eleven's lawsuit against Nike over a suspiciously familiar Air Max 95 colorway, Eliud Kipchoge's wife Grace Segut lining up for her second marathon, an American's jaw-dropping sub-2:30 marathon workout on a Planet Fitness treadmill, the new "lactate gel" fueling technology taking over marathons and the Tour de France, and the stacked elite fields just announced for the December Valencia Marathon.

Chapters:
0:00 This Week's Biggest Running Stories
1:27 7-Eleven Sues Nike Over Air Max 95 "Slurpee" Colorway
4:34 Kipchoge's Wife Grace Segut Returns for Porto Alegre Marathon
7:25 Sub-2:30 Marathon... on a Treadmill?! Vincent Morey's Wild Workout
12:14 Lactate Gels Explained: The New Marathon Fueling Hack
19:25 Valencia Marathon 2026 Elite Field: Tigst Assefa, John Korir & More
25:50 Your Predictions & Final Thoughts

Join Marathon Handbook’s RunClub for access to our members-only podcast, training plans, community rooms, merch and more: https://marathonhandbook.com/runclub

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Let us know in the comments: would you try a lactate gel in your next race, and who do you think comes out on top in Valencia this fall?

Valencia just dropped its elite headliners for the December 2026 marathon, and it might be the biggest race of the year. Thomas Watson and Jessy Carveth break down why Valencia, not a World Marathon Major, has become the sport's premier speed showcase, built around a €1 million bonus for anyone who breaks the world record.

On the men's side, Yomif Kejelcha (runner-up to Sebastian Sawe's sub-2 in London) is set for a showdown with defending champion John Korir, fresh off his Boston course record. Alexander Mutiso and Dawit Wolde lurk as dark horses. On the women's side, all eyes are on Fotyen Tesfay, who ran the second-fastest marathon in history (2:10:51) in her Barcelona debut, and defending champ Joyciline Jepkosgei.

Thomas and Jessy dig into the tech arms race (super shoes, lactate gels), why organizer Juan Roig (the billionaire behind Mercadona) has built Valencia around pure speed instead of major-marathon spectacle, and why Nike's biggest names are notably absent from the field. Plus: quick-fire predictions, and Thomas reveals he's got his own bib for race day.

The Valencia Marathon takes place December 6, 2026.

Chapters:
00:00 Why Valencia could be the race of 2026
00:50 Valencia announces its elite headliners
02:25 Setting up a Kejelcha vs. Korir showdown
04:08 Two near-misses with marathon history
05:15 How Kejelcha is building toward December
06:17 Super shoes, lactate gels and the tech arms race
07:28 Dark horse alert: Alexander Mutiso
08:16 The women's field: Fotyen Tesfay chases the world record
09:41 Wiping the slate clean on a tainted world record
10:37 Why Valencia isn't chasing World Major status
11:34 Juan Roig's €1M bonus and his dream for the city
12:16 Meet Juan Roig, the "Sam Walton of Spain"
13:57 Pure racing over spectacle — and a new ballot system
16:30 Quick-fire predictions: the men's race
17:25 Quick-fire predictions: the women's race
18:21 Will more big names join before the October field release?
19:01 Nike's curious absence from the elite list
20:03 Thomas's own Valencia bib, and closing thoughts

Jessy's Interview:
https://marathonhandbook.com/inside-the-two-year-courtship-that-brought-yomif-kejelcha-to-the-valencia-marathon/