LetsRun.com's Track Talk: The Home of Running and Track and Field

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Andreas Almgren made history at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, becoming the first non-African born man to win a World Marathon Major since Yuki Kawauchi's snowstorm Boston in 2018, and only the seventh in the 21st century. The Swedish 800m-convert-turned-marathoner closed in 6:01 from 40K, tied for the second-fastest close in major marathon history, and won going away in 2:06:01.

On the women's side, Sheila Chepkirui took the title in a shallow field, but the story was Jess McClain's brilliant late charge to grab second, the first American woman on the NYC Marathon podium since 2018, while 46-year-old Edna Kiplagat stunned with a fourth-place finish. American men ran historically fast times but still couldn't crack the top five, extending their major podium drought to five years.

In NCAA cross country, Jane Hedengren returned from illness to win Big 12s and lead BYU to the team title, while Colorado edged Oklahoma State on the men's side.

The episode closes with a tribute to Ciara Mageean, a bright light in the sport, the 2024 European 1500m champion from Ireland, who died at 34 after a battle with bowel cancer.

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LINKS

AfterSlide Recovery Slides

2026 TCS New York City Marathon Event Coverage - LetsRun.com

Did you run NY? post here

Ciara Mageean Memorial Thread - LetsRun Forum

Ciara Mageean LetsRun Interview (2023)

Ciara Mageean Reflects on Finishing Fourth in the World - Citius Mag Podcasthttps://www.letsrun.com/

LetsRun.com Forum — https://www.letsrun.com/forum

Supporters Club — https://www.letsrun.com/subscribe

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 AfterSlide Sponsor

01:34 NYC Marathon Recap and Ciara Mageean

05:21 Almgren's Historic NYC Marathon Win

12:46 Can Others Follow Almgren's Blueprint?

17:41 Almgren: The Wildest Story in Distance Running

22:00 Non-African Born Major Winners By the Numbers

29:36 American Men: Conner Mantz and the Podium Drought

36:55 Should Mantz Change Coaches?

41:29 Super Shoes, Fueling, and Disappearing Blow-Ups

44:21 NYC Marathon Women's Race

48:25 Assessing Jess McClain's Second Place

55:05 Edna Kiplagat Finishes Fourth at 46

57:45 Weini Kelati's Debut and Fueling Woes

60:00 Marathon done, afterslide on (sponsor)

60:47 NCAA XC: Jane Hedengren and the BYU Women

64:41 NCAA XC Men: Colorado Edges Oklahoma State

69:12 Gapes vs Hedengren: NCAA Individual Preview

73:17 Foreigners Taking Over NCAA Cross Country

78:02 Recruiting, NIL, and the Campus Requirement Debate

84:08 Remembering Ciara Mageean

Contact us:

Email: podcast@letsrun.com Call or text: 1-844-LETSRUN (1-844-538-7786)

ABOUT THE LETSRUN.COM PODCAST

Since 2000, LetsRun.com has been the independent home of elite running. Described by the New York Times as the "influential website that serves as something of a superego for American running," the podcast is the weekly deep dive into the world of track and field and elite distance running.

The show is hosted by LetsRun.com co-founders Weldon Johnson, a 2-time Team USA member, and Robert Johnson, a former Cornell coach who helped pace the marathon world record, along with award-winning senior writer Jonathan Gault. Together they move beyond PR headlines to provide insider reporting and unfiltered debate serious fans rely on.

James Milner, the Premier League's all-time appearance record holder with 658 games, joins Jonathan Gault ahead of his marathon debut at the TCS New York City Marathon. Milner details his transition from footballer to distance runner, revealing he used AI to build his training plan and topped out at 32 kilometers in preparation.

The conversation dives into the fitness culture at Liverpool under Jürgen Klopp, including the famous lactate threshold test Milner never lost. He also opens up about a knee operation two years ago that left him unable to lift his foot for six months, an injury that makes simply finishing the marathon meaningful. Milner is running for the James Milner Foundation, which has raised over £1.3 million for causes including NSPCC and Help for Heroes.

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LINKS

James Milner Foundation -Donate here

LetsRun.com

LetsRun TCS New York City Marathon Coverage

Better Running Shoes — betterrunningshoes.com

LetsRun.com NYC Marathon Prediction Contest

Video of talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UrnjHEA3sU

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro

01:52 Marathon Training and Preparation

04:20 Race Strategy and the Knee Injury That Almost Ended It All

05:45 Milner's Athletics Background

07:37 The Fittest Players in Football

09:08 Inside Liverpool's Pre-Season and the Famous Lactate Test

11:54 Staying Fit as an Aging Footballer

13:15 Fueling in Football vs. Marathon Running

16:44 Life After Football and the NYC Marathon

18:12 The James Milner Foundation

19:31 Man City vs. Brighton Prediction

21:36 Outro

CONTACT

Email: podcast@letsrun.com Call or text: 1-844-LETSRUN (1-844-538-7786)

ABOUT THE LETSRUN.COM PODCAST

Since 2000, LetsRun.com has been the independent home of elite running. Described by the New York Times as the "influential website that serves as something of a superego for American running," the podcast is the weekly deep dive into the world of track and field and elite distance running.

The show is hosted by LetsRun.com co-founders Weldon Johnson, a 2-time Team USA member, and Robert Johnson, a former Cornell coach who helped pace the marathon world record, along with award-winning senior writer Jonathan Gault. Together they move beyond PR headlines to provide insider reporting and unfiltered debate serious fans rely on.

New York Road Runners CEO Rob Simmelkjaer joins Jonathan Gault and Robert Johnson live from the New York City Marathon Expo to talk about his four years running the country's biggest road race organization. Simmelkjaer calls doping an "existential threat" to the sport and warns that high-profile positive tests risk turning fans and parents away from elite competition. He pushes back on the idea of a two-day NYC Marathon, saying he'd "rather have one amazing day than two pretty good days", and he talks about how far World Marathon expansion will go.

Plus, how can we convert recreational runners into fans of the pro side of the sport?

🎁 🎧 Get a 2nd LetsRun podcast every week + bonus content: Join the Supporters Club — https://www.letsrun.com/subscribe

LetsRun.com NYC Marathon Coverage

Find a better running shoe: https://www.betterrunningshoes.com

Final Finishers Documentary (Emmy Award-winning NYRR film)

LetsRun.com 2026 NYC Marathon Preview Podcast Video

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro and Episode Preview

01:14 Meet Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners

01:57 Proudest Accomplishment:

03:26 Biggest Surprise

04:21 Would New York Ever Go to Two Days Like London?

05:48 Rob's Running Background and Path to the Job

06:38 Converting Participants Into Fans of the Pro Side

07:56 Do the Elites Still Matter to the Marathon?

09:25 Doping as an Existential Threat to the Sport

10:20 Are the World Marathon Majors Diluting Themselves?

13:21 BetterRunningShoes.com

Contact us:

Email: podcast@letsrun.com Call or text: 1-844-LETSRUN (1-844-538-7786)

ABOUT THE LETSRUN.COM PODCAST

Since 2000, LetsRun.com has been the independent home of elite running. Described by the New York Times as the "influential website that serves as something of a superego for American running," the podcast is the weekly deep dive into the world of track and field and elite distance running.

The show is hosted by LetsRun.com co-founders Weldon Johnson, a 2-time Team USA member, and Robert Johnson, a former Cornell coach who helped pace the marathon world record, along with award-winning senior writer Jonathan Gault. Together they move beyond PR headlines to provide insider reporting and unfiltered debate serious fans rely on.

The running world lost a legendary coach with the passing of Frank Gagliano and we pay our respects, as Ron Speirs, the first Gag's athlete who went sub 4 in the mile joins us at 66:16 to talk about Gags.

Another women's marathoning titan tested positive - Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir has been suspended for EPO. What does it mean? What do Jess McClain and Kara Goucher have to say about it.

At the Valencia Half Marathon, American Yaseen Abdalla ran the fastest time ever by an American 59:12, but it won't count as a US record because he hasn't yet represented the US internationally. Meanwhile, Sheila Chepkirui got the win and another Sheila Chepkirui is running New York.

But the big story line in New York according to JG and Wejo is Andreas Almgren's debut. Can he win?

🎁 🎧 Get a 2nd LetsRun podcast every week + bonus content:, Join the Supporters Club — https://www.letsrun.com/subscribe

LINKS

Another Titan Falls: What Olympic Champion Peres Jepchirchir's EPO Ban Means for the Sport

WTW: An American Beat the US Half Record, a Spaniard Beat the European Record, and Neither Counted

Yaseen Abdalla Instagram Video

Yaseen Abdalla Profile: The Art of Carrying On

LetsRun Instagram Post — Kara Goucher and Jess McClain Reactions

RIP Frank Gagliano — LetsRun Forum Thread

A Legend's Last Trials — Liam Boylan-Pett on Frank Gagliano (Runner's World)

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro

00:24 Remembering Frank Gagliano

08:36 Peres Jepchirchir Suspended for EPO

13:39 Nike Oregon Project and Doping Responsibility

23:04 Testing Timelines and the Jepchirchir Sample

31:29 Valencia Half Marathon Recap: Yaseen Abdalla run faster than any American ever

34:49 Two Sheila Chepkiruis and the Women's Race

43:02 Nationality Rules and the US Half Marathon Record

49:57 How Soft Is the US Half Marathon Record?

54:30 Abdalla's Treadmill Training Revolution

58:27 New York City Marathon Preview

66:16 Ron Speirs on the Legend of Frank Gagliano

78:42 Gagliano's Best Recruiting Story

85:24 How an Ex-Quarterback Learned to Coach Distance

CONTACT

Email: podcast@letsrun.com Call or text: 1-844-LETSRUN (1-844-538-7786)

ABOUT THE LETSRUN.COM PODCAST

Since 2000, LetsRun.com has been the independent home of elite running. Described by the New York Times as the "influential website that serves as something of a superego for American running," the podcast is the weekly deep dive into the world of track and field and elite distance running.

The show is hosted by LetsRun.com co-founders Weldon Johnson, a 2-time Team USA member, and Robert Johnson, a former Cornell coach who helped pace the marathon world record, along with award-winning senior writer Jonathan Gault. Together they move beyond PR headlines to provide insider reporting and unfiltered debate serious fans rely on.

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Summary:

Have adidas' new super shoes changed the game? adidas owns eight of the 10 fastest men's marathon performances and the top three women's times in 2026. Plus veterans like Lelisa Desisa and Tamirat Tola are running career PBs in their 30s.

In NCAA cross country, short-handed #2 BYU upset top-ranked NC State at Pre-Nats while a judge granted letting Taylor Rohatinsky compete, spotlighting a rapidly changing landscape with expanded scholarships, foreign athletes, and a new five-for-five eligibility rule.

Olympic 800m champion Athing Mu is pregnant. Will she return for the 2028 LA Olympics?

What was the World Athletics' Moment of the Year: Sebastian Sawe's historic 1:59:30 marathon or Josh Kerr's 3:42.66 mile world record? Who was the Athlete of the Year: Masai Russell vs. Audrey Werro? and what about USATF athletes of year?

🎁 🎧 Get a 2nd LetsRun podcast every week + bonus content: Join the Supporters Club — https://www.letsrun.com/subscribe Use code GOAT50 to save 50% off your first year. Money back guarantee.

Links

LetsRun 1:59:40 Marathon T-Shirt — Use code Kipchoge for 50% off

LetsRun Supporters Club — Use code GOAT50 for 50% off your first year

The Week That Was (LetsRun.com weekly recap column)

Q\&A with Colorado coach Sean Carlson (Supporters Club exclusive)

Brighton goal from midfield

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Sponsor / Intro & Episode Preview

04:14 The Sub-2:04 Marathon Boom

08:02 Adidas Dominance & Veterans Running PBs

13:25 2016 Olympic Marathon Doping Controversy

18:11 Super Shoes, Doping & Marathon Fairness

23:54 NCAA Cross Country: Pre-Nats & Eligibility Fight

29:59 The New NCAA: Five Years & Foreign Athletes

33:26 College Coaching & the Carlson Interview

38:50 Athing Mu's Pregnancy & Comeback Odds

44:13 Will Athing Mu Make the 2028 Olympic Team?

51:31 Coaching Athing Mu & the Dallas Running Community

53:51 World Athletics Moment of the Year Nominees

57:31 Sawe vs. Kerr: The Moment of the Year Debate

62:29 Athlete of the Year: Kerr vs. Dos Santos

66:12 World Athletics Voting Flaws & USATF Awards

71:59 World Athlete of the Year: Russell vs. Werro

76:41 USATF Road/Trail Awards & Wrap-Up

Contact us:

Email: podcast@letsrun.com Call or text: 1-844-LETSRUN (1-844-538-7786)

Since 2000, LetsRun.com has been the independent home of elite running. Described by the New York Times as the "influential website that serves as something of a superego for American running," the podcast is the weekly deep dive into the world of track and field and elite distance running.

The show is hosted by LetsRun.com co-founders Weldon Johnson, a 2-time Team USA member, and Robert Johnson, a former Cornell coach who helped pace the marathon world record, along with award-winning senior writer Jonathan Gault. Together they move beyond PR headlines to provide insider reporting and unfiltered debate serious fans rely on.