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

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Yaseen Abdalla's path to the top of American distance running is unconventional. He went from posting on the LetsRun.com forums about how to break 4:40 in the mile in high school to running 59:12 at the Valencia half marathon, the fastest time ever by an American. However, his time doesn't count as the American record as he represents Sudan internationally.

He's unsponsored, self-coached, does a ton of treadmill training in Texas, ran a 2:11 marathon at the Olympics on 2 hours sleep and a pre-race pizza. He's got his own online coaching business and his own apparel company Kairos.

Yaseen talks about his unconventional rise to the top, states his case on why we should be the American record holder, breaks down his training philosophy, and comparisons to Vinnie Mauri, plus his goal of going under 2:03 at the Valencia Marathon on December 6th.

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LINKS

Breaking 4:40 Before Junior Year (LetsRun Forum Post)

Yaseen's apparel business: Kairos Running

Yaseen's coaching businesS: RunPlusCoaching

Yaseen Abdalla's YouTube Channel

The Full Marius Bakken Interview: The Norwegian Method, Double Threshold, and Raising the Aerobic Ceiling

Timestamps

00:00 Afterslide a better way to recover (sponsor)

01:40 Start

06:44 Valencia Half Marathon Race Day Details

12:54 Olympic Marathon Experience

14:37 Representing Sudan

19:25 No Shoe Sponsor and Building a Brand

25:03 Training Philosophy and Treadmill Sessions

31:31 Treadmill Benefits and Conversion Paces

38:27 Comparing Training With Vinnie Mauri

41:08 NCAA Comparison and Progression

43:15 Valencia Marathon Goals and Future Allegiance

45:53 A LetsRun Forum Post Come Full Circle

47:26 Afterslide: an easier way to recover (sponsor)

47:38 Join our club

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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.

🎁 🎧 Get a 2nd LetsRun podcast every week + bonus content:

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

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.

Join the best club in running, get a super soft tshirt, a bonus podcast every week. Join the Supporters Club — https://www.letsrun.com/subscribe

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.