THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

Cole Sprout, a former Stanford All-American now testing himself on road 5Ks and longer distances. Charles Hicks, NCAA cross country champion turned 2:09:59 marathoner. They talk about leaving the NCAA bubble, choosing events and training culture, defining “washed” and retirement, building habits and environment, and how identity and expectations shift when stepping into pro running.

Alex Maier, an American pro with Puma Elite known for a 59:23 half and top U.S. marathon marks, reflects on his rise from Oklahoma State to the roads. He recounts the Houston race, year-to-year improvements, training differences between college and pro life, joining Puma Elite, Boston plans, Olympic goals, and racing lessons from growing up in Texas. The conversation mixes racing tactics, training culture, and big ambitions.

Everett Smulders, a former 3:58 miler turned ultramarathoner, triathlete, and coach who runs WesFly Athletics. He debates hybrid athletes and influencer claims. He explains why 5K speed matters for marathon potential and outlines realistic progressions from high school to D1. He also talks about coaching mindset, health tradeoffs of elite running, and his 2026 racing and facility goals.

In the last 12 months, Andreas Almgren has rewritten European distance running history.He ran 26:45 for 10,000m (beating his previous European record), 12:44 for 5,000m and 58:41 for the half marathon.That’s three European records in one calendar year. What makes Andreas’ story so compelling is the winding road that led to these records: he was one of Europe’s most promising middle distance talents a decade ago, winning 800m bronze at the 2014 World Athletics U20 Championships before finishing fourth at the 2015 European Indoor Championships at the age of 19. But a prolonged period of uncertainty and injury forced him to make a pivot to the longer stuff, and boy did he succeed there.In 2025 he won a bronze medal in the men's 10,000m final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Andreas’ next confirmed major event is the Drammen 10,000m in April, followed by the European Championships in August. He has chosen to skip the indoor season to focus on road races and the main outdoor championships and drop down to the 1500m in a Diamond League meet in June. From winning 800m medals as a teenager to smashing European records, Andreas is brimming with confidence and poised to make 2026 the best year yet in a storied running career.Tap into the Andreas Almgren 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. Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!S H O W  N O T E S-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs-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-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

If you care about running for the long haul–physically, mentally, and emotionally–this episode is for you. We want to look at what actually moves the needle for runners, and we’re back with Alex Ostberg to recap his recent newsletters from The Rundown to do just that.We start with a hard truth many athletes learn too late: performance doesn’t fix identity. That idea sets the tone for a broader reflection on what success in running really looks like when the noise fades.      From there, we zoom out. Over the past year, certain lessons kept repeating themselves across training, racing, and life; lessons that hit harder than any single workout or result. And they tend to show up whether you’re chasing a state title, a marathon PR, or just consistency.We also look back at 2025 as a whole. What trends mattered? What narratives were overblown? And what quietly reshaped the sport in ways most people missed?That leads into habits nobody talks about enough. Not revolutionary breakthroughs, but small, underrated behaviors that compound over months and years. Finally, we tackle one of running’s most persistent myths, which is especially relevant in an era of super shoes, carbon plates, and constant gear discourse.This episode isn’t about hacks or hot takes. It’s about clarity; it’s about cutting through performance culture, training dogma, and external validation to understand what really lasts in this sport.Tap into the Alex Ostberg Rundown Recap 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. Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!S H O W  N O T E S-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs-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-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

Charlie Lawrence, a 50-mile world record holder and American 100K record-setter, shares his ultra-running life. He talks training structure and how marathon work fuels 100K speed. He explains fueling strategies and stomach trade-offs in six-hour races. He also covers sponsorship dynamics, publicity races, and balancing visibility with performance.

Brad Stulberg, a renowned author and human performance expert, dives into the chase for true excellence rather than superficial success. He reveals how external validation often leaves us feeling empty and emphasizes a deep commitment to one’s craft as a pathway to fulfillment. With insights from sports and parenting, he contrasts ongoing excellence with short-term wins, encouraging a focus on values-aligned goals. Stulberg also critiques the pursuit of constant happiness, advocating instead for a meaningful, engaged life. His practical advice offers a grounded approach to mastery.

George Couttie, a rising British middle- and long-distance runner, shares insights from his journey to elite status, training under coach Ben Thomas. He discusses the transition from the U.K. club system to NCAA, and the crucial role of belief in achieving personal bests. George highlights the advantages of training with talents like Cole Hocker and reveals the mental and physical benefits of elite training environments. With ambitions for indoor titles and a strong interest in expanding cross country to the Olympics, his passion for the sport is contagious!

Marco Langon, a standout distance runner for Villanova, delves into his recent record-breaking performance and the pressure to win. He shares his journey of falling in love with running post-injury and contrasts his fierce racing mindset with a relaxed training approach. Marco emphasizes the importance of resilience under pressure and his drive to compete against the best. He also discusses his goals for upcoming races and the significance of giving back to the sport and his team, providing insights into the mentality of a top-level competitor.

Sam Ruthe, a 16-year-old New Zealand middle- and long-distance prodigy, shares his incredible journey as the youngest runner to break the four-minute mile. He discusses how his family’s running background influenced his success, his delayed start in competitive racing to avoid burnout, and his passion ignited at age 13. Sam reflects on his transition from youth to professional running, contemplating offers from sponsors while grounding himself with support from family. With ambitious goals, he dreams of competing globally, sharing his insights on consistency and the importance of loving the sport.