Marathon Handbook Podcast

This week on The Running Story, Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth break down five of the biggest headlines in distance running.
The NYC Half Marathon elite fields are officially set, and the matchups are electric. Grant Fisher makes his highly anticipated half marathon debut, while Sharon Lokedi and Hellen Obiri renew one of the sport’s fiercest rivalries.
On the track, Keely Hodgkinson takes down a long-standing 800m indoor world record in dominant fashion.
In ultrarunning, Ashley Paulson runs 12:19:34 to break the women’s 100-mile world record — but her past suspension raises questions that the sport can’t ignore.
Plus, a Florida man is federally indicted under the Rodchenko Anti-Doping Act in connection with an Olympic sprinter — a case that could have serious implications for elite sport.
And finally, the Boston Marathon unveils its 2026 finisher medal. Is it a classic… or a step backward? We debate.
Subscribe for weekly breakdowns of the biggest stories in the running world.
0:00 Intro1:15 NYC Half Marathon Preview5:36 Florida Doping Indictment8:05 100-Mile World Record10:51 800m Indoor World Record13:15 Boston Marathon 2026 Medal Debate
📩 Questions about training, race previews, or to send us your hot takes? Email us at [email protected].
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What’s next in running shoes — and are we entering a new era?
In this episode, Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr, and Katelyn Tocci break down the biggest Spring 2026 shoe releases and the state of the super shoe arms race.

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We cover:
• ASICS Superblast 3 and the “do-it-all” trainer debate
• Salomon’s aerodynamic Phantasm 3 — does aero matter for runners?
• On’s LightSpray expansion and what it means for performance footwear
• The latest super shoe developments from Adidas, Nike, ASICS, and Puma
• Why elite marathoners may be racing in shoes you can’t buy
• The rapid evolution of daily trainers
• Buy, Hold, or Sell: Our quick takes on the newest releases
We also discuss whether brands are innovating too fast, if super shoes are becoming inaccessible, and what everyday runners should actually buy in 2026.
If you're training for a spring marathon, planning a fall race, or just trying to keep up with the latest shoe tech, this episode is your complete 2026 preview.
Follow Marathon Handbook for weekly running news, race coverage, gear reviews, and training insights.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro – Spring 2026 Running Shoe Preview
01:30 ASICS Superblast 3 Deep Dive
07:30 Superblast 3 vs Mega Blast – What’s the Difference?
11:40 Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 (Aerodynamic Super Shoe?)
20:30 On LightSpray Update & Cloudmonster 3 Hyper
26:00 2026 Running Shoe Trends
27:00 Creative Daily Trainers (Brooks, Nike, Saucony, ASICS)
33:30 Is the Classic Daily Trainer Dead?
38:40 Are Super Shoes Advancing Too Fast?
50:30 Super Shoe Watch – Nike Update
53:30 On Racing Shoe Updates
55:00 Adidas Pro Evo & Mystery 97g Shoe
57:00 ASICS MetaSpeed Developments
58:30 Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 4
01:00:00 Saucony, Brooks, New Balance & HOKA Super Shoes
01:07:00 Buy, Hold, or Sell – Rapid Fire Shoe Takes
01:27:00 Wrap-Up & Where Shoes Are Headed in 2026

This week on The Running Story, Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth break down the biggest stories in the running world.
Cole Hocker runs 3:45.94 to set a new American indoor mile record — the second-fastest indoor mile ever. What does it mean for the global mile scene?
Faith Kipyegon surprises everyone by racing her first-ever road 10K in Monaco. After dominating the 1,500m for years, is this the beginning of a move toward the marathon?
Check out our Barkley Marathon episode!https://youtu.be/F0XU2NqKCxA
Super Shoe Rankings:https://youtu.be/Jbb1KIH-3qI
We also discuss:
Sam Ruth’s latest performance on US soil

On’s new super shoe prototype approved by World Athletics

The Super Bowl halftime performer who logged his show on Strava

Truett Hanes running 2:36 at the Austin Marathon — in full-length jeans

Whether the “Jeans Guy” can realistically qualify for the US Olympic Marathon Trials

New episodes of The Running Story drop weekly, covering the biggest stories in track, road racing, and marathoning.
00:00 – Intro: This Week in Running News
00:30 – Barkley Special Episode Mention
01:10 – Story 1: Cole Hocker Breaks Indoor Mile Record
02:30 – Sam Ruth’s Big Test Against Elite Milers
04:50 – What’s Next for Sam Ruth in 2026
05:45 – Story 2: Super Bowl Halftime Show Logged on Strava
06:30 – Viral Sugar Cane Costume Workout Explained
07:30 – How Strava Got Him a NYC Marathon Bib
08:45 – Story 3: On’s New Super Shoe Prototype Leak
09:30 – World Athletics Approval & Prototype Rules
10:15 – Helen Obiri’s London Marathon Opportunity
11:00 – New Midsole Tech and Cloudboom Updates
13:15 – Can On Compete With Nike & Adidas?
14:30 – Story 4: Faith Kipyegon’s Surprise Road 10K Debut
15:30 – Negative Split Win in Monaco
16:30 – Could Faith Kipyegon Run a Marathon One Day?
19:30 – Story 5: Truett Hanes “Jeans Guy” Austin Marathon
20:40 – Running 2:36 in Denim: How Serious Is He?
21:45 – Olympic Trials Standard: Still a Long Way to Go
22:45 – Tearaway Jeans vs Racing Shorts Debate
24:50 – Wrap-Up & Subscribe for Weekly Episodes

The 2026 Barkley Marathons delivered one of the most brutal editions in race history — and for the second year in a row, no one finished.
In this episode of The Running Story, Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth unpack everything that happened at this year’s Barkley Marathons in Tennessee’s Frozen Head State Park.
They discuss:
Why the February start made this year historic

How cold rain, fog, and creek crossings shaped the race

The shockingly low Loop 1 completion rate

The lone “fun run” finisher

The top women’s performances

The mysterious reporting style of the Barkley

Whether Lazarus Lake made the race too hard

What 2027 might look like

Is the Barkley Marathons supposed to be nearly impossible — or has the balance tipped too far?
If you love ultrarunning, trail running, and deep race analysis, this episode is for you.
Read our feature on Keith Dunn:
⁠⁠https://marathonhandbook.com/meet-keith-dunn-the-mad-tweeter-of-the-barkley-marathons/⁠⁠
New episodes of The Running Story drop weekly.

If you could run any race in the world next year… what would you choose?
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:
Saysky makes incredible running gear that our team love. Use code MARATHON15 for 15% off your purchase at https://saysky.com
This episode is presented by Momentous. Use promo code MARATHON for up to 35% off your first order: https://⁠livemomentous.com
In this episode, we host our second annual Marathon Handbook Fantasy Race Draft, building the ultimate 2026 race calendar.
Each of us must draft:
A Spring & Fall 5K

A Spring & Fall 10K

A Spring & Fall Half Marathon

A Spring & Fall Marathon

One true ultra (50K+ trail)

One wildcard race
And we can only pick one race per country.

From the London Marathon and NYC Marathon to UTMB, Valencia, Athens, Patagonia, Japan’s iconic relay culture, and some unexpected 5Ks — we debate speed vs experience, strategy vs bucket list, and which races are truly worth traveling for.
Who built the best year of racing?
Let us know what YOUR dream race calendar would look like.