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/

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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/

The 2026 TCS Sydney Marathon just dropped its elite fields and it's the deepest lineup in the race's history. Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth break down every big name in the men's and women's fields, the biggest storylines heading into Sydney's second year as a World Marathon Major, and their way-too-early predictions for who wins on August 30.

Reigning world champions Alphonce Simbu (Tanzania) and Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya) headline both fields, going up against defending champion Hailemaryam Kiros, course-record chaser Sisay Lemma, and a stacked chase pack. Michael and Jessy dig into whether Sydney's 2:06:06 and 2:18:22 course records are about to fall, why this field proves Sydney is maturing into a true World Marathon Major, and why the Sydney Opera House finish line might be the most beautiful in the sport.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro: Sydney's Deepest Elite Field Yet
1:16 Men's Field: Sisay Lemma, Simbu & the Depth Chart
6:44 Men's Storyline: Is the Course Record in Danger?
7:44 Women's Field: Peres Jepchirchir Headlines
13:46 Women's Storyline: Why Jepchirchir Is the Favorite
15:00 Big Picture: Sydney Matures as a World Marathon Major
18:13 Best-Case Scenario for Race Organizers
20:30 Growing Australia's Elite Marathon Pipeline
23:00 Chasing Faster Times: Comparing the Majors
24:21 The Most Beautiful Finish Line in the Majors?
29:40 Way-Too-Early Predictions: Who Wins Sydney?
33:00 Outro & How to Follow Our Sydney Coverage

Another big week in running news! Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth break down the wild weekend at the Western States 100 where Vincent Bouillard became the first man under 14 hours and Jen Lichter took down Courtney Dauwalter's course record in her 100-mile debut. Plus: new Backyard Ultra world records out of Russia, the first-ever marathon held inside an IKEA store, the IOC's new $10,000 athlete grant program, and Tokyo Marathon's record-breaking $170,000 prize purse.

Read our op-ed on the IOC president here:
https://marathonhandbook.com/opinion-kristy-coventry-ioc-president-seb-coe-putin-bach/

Chapters:
0:00 Intro: Michael and Jessy swap continents
0:55 This week's top stories
2:11 Western States 100: Bouillard's sub-14-hour record
3:53 Jen Lichter's stunning 100-mile debut course record
8:00 Backyard Ultra world records broken in Russia
13:00 First official IKEA Marathon sells out
18:18 IOC's $10,000 athlete grants — hot take
23:44 Tokyo Marathon's record $170K prize purse and bigger field
27:40 Bonus: new podcast feed + Paris Diamond League recap

This week on The Running Story, Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth break down the five biggest stories in the running world including a scary medical emergency involving one of the greatest track runners of all time, a jaw-dropping performance from an eighth grader, a Dutch marathon canceled over a fake paramedic scam, and why Berlin 2026 is shaping up to be the most anticipated marathon of the fall season. Chapters: 0:00 Intro — Top 5 Running Stories of the Week 1:27 Harry Styles Donates to Charity Runner Lawrence Dennis 5:15 8th Grader Luke Surface Runs World Best 5K (14:25) at Hayward Field 8:16 Dutch Sneak Marathon Canceled — Fake Paramedic Scam Exposed 12:32 Tigst Assefa Returns to Berlin to Chase the Women's Marathon World Record 20:40 Jenny Simpson's Medical Emergency at Sir Walter Miler — Latest Update 23:58 The Running Story Is Getting Its Own Podcast Feed

The 2027 London Marathon has officially confirmed it will become a two-day event and Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth are breaking it all down in an emergency episode of The Running Story by Marathon Handbook. On Saturday, April 24th and Sunday, April 25th, 2027, London will host 100,000 runners across two days on the same course, making it the largest marathon event in history and the biggest fundraising event in UK sporting history. Chapters: 0:00 — Breaking news: London Marathon goes to two days 1:09 — What's confirmed: dates, format, course & ballot details 2:26 — Why London made this move (1.33M applicants) 5:19 — The logistics challenge & why it's framed as a one-off 7:26 — Unanswered questions: charity bibs & international quotas 9:08 — Elite field pressure after the historic sub-2 hour marathon 9:57 — A landmark moment for women's marathon coverage 12:03 — Elite wish lists: who needs to race London 2027 13:46 — The money behind running two World Marathon Major days 15:00 — One-and-done or permanent? Jessy's take 16:26 — Will New York, Chicago & other majors follow? 19:13 — Audience question & wrap-up

A 13-year-old from Utah just broke a mile world record that had stood since 1973. Plus: Olympic triathlon gold medalists are hitting the track, a runner completed every single street in Chicago, Yomif Kejelcha could break the half marathon world record in Buenos Aires and the marathon lottery crisis is getting very real. Chapters: 0:00 — Intro & show announcements 2:53 — Story 1: 13-year-old Angelina Alder breaks 53-year-old mile world record 5:13 — Story 2: Olympic triathlon champions Alex Yee & Cassandre Beaugrand go to the track 7:35 — Story 3: Joabe Barbosa runs every street in Chicago (4,000 miles in 680 days) 12:00 — Story 4: Yomif Kejelcha targets half marathon world record in Buenos Aires 15:40 — Story 5: The marathon lottery crisis — Copenhagen, London & what's next 20:38 — Outro