The Running Effect Podcast

Today's discussion on the podcast is one of depth around the hot topic of NCAA roster limits and how they will fundamentally change the nature of the NCAA forever. In my opinion, there's no better person to have this conversation with than Liberty University's Assistant Track Coach and Meet Director, Mark Fairley. Coach Mark recently written a letter to Congress in hopes of standing before a Federal Judge in April as an advocate for the removal of the NCAA's new proposed changes to roster limits. Coach Mark discusses his involvement and how he has educated his own athletes at Liberty on this issue, getting many to participate and get their voices out there. Coach Mark is a native of Dubuque, Iowa, and has worked his way up the ranks since joining as an interim assistant. Coach Mark found success as an athlete in the world of triathlon, earning his professional racing license in 2019. Coach Mark was a standout athlete at Central College, where he captured the men's steeplechase national title at the 2018 NCAA Division 3 Outdoor Championships as a senior. He has the school record in the steeplechase with a time of 8:57.39. His other PRs include a 4:16.42 in the mile; 8:23 in the 3K and 14:42.67 in the 5K. He was the Central Region Men's XC and Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Coach Mark graduated from Central College with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science. He has a Master's Degree in sport management and is working toward a second in biblical studies. In today's conversation, we go through Coach Mark's individual accolades and accomplishments, how he rose in his coaching career, and then tackle the hot topic of roster-limits. He takes me through the 2.8 billion dollar NCAA settlement, revenue-sharing, and roster-limits. We discuss all of this at length and what it means for the next era of the NCAA. Tap into the Coach Mark Fairley Special.  If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.  If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! S H O W N O T E S -Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run  -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The NXN Champion returns to the podcast today! Last month, Jane won NXN in dominant fashion, running a course record time of 16:32 in Portland, Oregon. She won by over 40-seconds in muddy, rainy, cold conditions.   Two weeks earlier, she recorded the fastest 5K ever in high school girls XC, running a 15:50 in the NXR Southwest race this past November. She's only the second girl to break 16 on a XC course.  The Timpview senior is headed to BYU next season.  She has PRs of 9:45.44 in the 3200, 4:35.69 in the mile, 4:17 in the 1500, and 2:07.85 in the 800, winning 2 state titles and 1 national title. Her mom, Sarah, ran in high school. Her dad, John Hedengren, ran in high school and was an All American runner at BYU. Her brother Isaac currently runs for BYU. In today's conversation, Jane takes me through her 2024 XC season and shares many of the setbacks she experienced for the first publically in today's conversation. She walks through how she maintained self-belief through it all and exclusiveinsights on her training, mindset, and more from her 2024 season.  Tap into the Jane Hedengren Special.   If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.  If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!  S H O W N O T E S -Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run  -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today's conversation is one of my favorite in recent memory. I have the privilege of speaking with 26-year-old track and field star Gabbi Jennings. Gabbi is from Slidell, Louisiana, where she attended First Baptist Christian School. Gabbi notched 44 state titles in Track and Cross Country during her time there. Yes, you read that right. FORTY FOUR. Gabbi then competed at Furman University and was a three-time All-American. During her time at Furman she had PRs of 2:04.66 in the 800m; 4:12.60 in the 1500m; 4:37.46 in the Mile; 15:33.59 in the 5k in track; and 16:55.1 in the 5k in Cross Country.  Among her notable achievements in college include qualifying for the NCAA East Preliminaries in an unprecedented four events (800m, 1500m, 5k, 3k Steeplechase). Gabbi came in 20th at the 2019 NCAA Cross Country Championships and qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track Championships in the Mile. She graduated with a degree in Communication in 2020. Gabbi would go on to sign a professional contract with Team Boss and eventually Adidas. In 2022, at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, she came in 4th in the Steeplechase, running a new PR of 9:25.05. She also represented the United States in 2022 at the NACAC Championships winning the gold in the Steeplechase. Most recently, she ran a 9:07.70 in August at a Diamond League event in Rome.  In today's conversation, Gabbi and I dive deep into her backstory, how she won 44 state-titles, what winning her first one as a 5th grader meant, her years at Furman and how they shaped her, how she's striving for more in this next stage of her professional career, learning under Emma Coburn, her thoughts and ambitions for the future, and much more. This one was fun, deep, full of wisdom, all the things that make a great podcast. Lace-up your shoes, throw in the AirPods, and be blessed by the stories and wisdom of Gabbi Jennings. Tap into the Gabbi Jennings Special.   If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.  If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! S H O W N O T E S -Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run  -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today's podcast is a simple, yet deep conversation that covers five ways you can take your running to the next level in 2025.  To have this conversation with me and share these five things is Coach Paul Stafford. Paul is an extremely successful athlete himself having been All-ACC in Cross Country and All-PAC 12 in the 5k. He spent stints at both Flordia State and Colorado. He holds PRs of 4:08 in the Mile, 13:56 in the 5k, 29:12 in the 10k, and 44:54 in the 15k, which will be the Puerto Rican National Record after it gets ratified.  Paul is the Founder and Head Coach at Blue Collar, which can be described as the most innovative online coaching firm in the United States, providing adaptive coaching for athletes of all ages and abilities. Blue Collar is also the leading pioneer in training camp experiences across the United States.  In today's conversation, Paul takes me through these five points at depth. They include insights on training by effort and intention, resisting greed, holding yourself to high expectations, and so much more. This one is full of wisdom that you can apply directly into your running TODAY. Tap into the Paul Stafford Special.  If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it.  If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!  S H O W N O T E S -Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run  -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠