Marathon Handbook's weekly podcast covers everything you need to know about running, from running your first 5K to qualifying for the Boston Marathon! Each week, our editors chat about what's going on in the running scene, as well as timely training tips, the best new gear, and what's happening at t
Michael, Alex and Katelyn react to the 2026 Chicago Marathon after recording their live watchalong. They cover the biggest surprises and key takeaways from the race. We love Wahoo’s KICKR RUN treadmill – go to https://wahoofitness.com and use promo code MHRUN to get a free $319 KICKR Headwind Fan with your treadmill order. TORONTO MILE ZERO LIVE SHOW, 17th Oct: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marathon-handbook-live-mile-zero-toronto-2026-tickets-2002512056467 NYC MILE ZERO LIVE SHOW, 31st Oct: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marathon-handbook-live-mile-zero-nyc-2026-tickets-2002340913574 Join…
How do you go from job-hunting after college to a 2:05:54 marathon, run in Toledo, in one year? Vinny Mauri did it, and now he’s one of the most talked-about American runners at the 2026 Chicago Marathon. Alex Cyr caught up with Vinny at the Chicago Marathon athlete availability, two days before his first big-city marathon. Vinny explains the 45-mile day that capped his build: 2 x 50 minutes in the morning and 4 x 20 minutes in the afternoon, both on the treadmill. He also explains how he picks his workouts by asking friends and Instagram followers to “pick a number one to four.”
Chicago Marathon weekend is almost here! Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr and Katelyn Tocci preview the race, then answer your questions. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: We love Wahoo’s KICKR RUN treadmill – go to https://wahoofitness.com and use promo code MHRUN to get a free $319 KICKR Headwind Fan with your treadmill order. This episode is presented by Momentous. Use promo code MARATHON for up to 35% off your first order: https://livemomentous.com Marathon Handbook listeners get 15% off their entire order when shopping CEP Running online through November 15! Shop CEP Running or enter code LRL-NYC-15 at…
Nike has announced three new race day shoes, and the headliner is the Nike Apex: a zero drop super shoe with 40mm of stack in both the heel and the forefoot, built to challenge the Adidas Adios Pro Evo 3 at the front of the world's fastest marathons. Alex Cyr and Michael Doyle break down the Apex, the Alphafly 4 and the $145 Swooshfly. We sat in on Nike's briefing with the executives and designers behind these shoes and draw on conversations from this summer with Nike athletes and with Brett Schoolmeester, the VP who has helped lead Nike's super shoe program from the start. We cover the…
Running your first marathon this fall? Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr and Katelyn Tocci put together a complete race-week checklist, covering what to do and what to avoid before, during and after your marathon debut. They cover how to taper without losing your mind, carb loading and hydration, how to get through the expo, race-morning routines and logistics, pacing strategy (including why elite marathoners often run their slowest 10K first), fueling, and what to plan for after you cross the finish line. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: Orion is a personlized cooling sleep system. Right now, Orion is offering…
Nike's Bret Schoolmeester has worked on super shoes since the very first prototype. Michael Doyle and Alex Cyr sit down with him just after the launch of the Nike Alphafly 4 to talk about the past, present and future of the carbon-plated racing shoe. Bret goes back to 2015, when Nike set out to help a human break two hours in the marathon, and explains how a scoop-shaped carbon plate and an experimental PEBA foam got cobbled into a Streak 6 upper and became the shoe that changed the sport. He then gets into the details of the Alphafly 4: the new ZoomX LT foam, why Nike is sticking with Zoom…
We love Wahoo’s KICKR RUN treadmill – go to https://wahoofitness.com and use promo code MHRUN to get a free $319 KICKR Headwind Fan with your treadmill order. Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth, live from Berlin, react to a dramatic 2026 Berlin Marathon. Tigst Assefa was 10 seconds ahead of world record pace at 40K and on track to break Ruth Chepngetich's 2:09:56. Then an apparent right Achilles injury left her limping through the final 2K. She still finished in 2:11:04, a course record and the third-fastest women's marathon in history, and Haile Gebrselassie was the first to help her at the…
What happens when the world's most popular marathon runs on two days? London Marathon CEO Hugh Brasher sits down with Jessy Carveth to talk about the 2027 Double London Marathon: 45,000 runners on Saturday, 55,000 on Sunday, and a one-time-only weekend that could be the biggest in the history of marathon running. Join our Chicago Shakeout Run on 10th Oct: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2002027257420 Tickets for our live show, MILE ZERO presented by Zappos: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marathon-handbook-live-mile-zero-presented-by-zappos-chicago-2026-tickets-2001880670976 Join Marathon…
What does it take to believe you can run a sub-two-hour marathon? Bestselling author Brad Stulberg (The Way of Excellence, Master of Change, The Practice of Groundedness) joins Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr and Katelyn Tocci to talk about the running mindset. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: Marathon Handbook listeners get 15% off their entire order when shopping CEP Running online through November 15! Shop CEP Running or enter code LRL-NYC-15 at checkout. Offer ends November 16, 2026, at 3:00AM EST. Limit one use per customer. Cannot be combined with other discounts. This episode is presented by Momentous.…
The Nike Alphafly 4 is here, the first update to the franchise in two years and eight months, and we have had our hands on it since November. Michael Doyle and Alex Cyr go through the full spec sheet, every change from the Alphafly 3, and whether Nike has done enough to stay competitive at the top of the super shoe market. The Alphafly 4 retails for $275, which is $10 below what the Alphafly 3 launched at. Stack height is 39mm in the heel and 31mm in the forefoot, an 8mm drop, and it weighs 7.33 ounces in a men's size 10, with Nike rating it for roughly 300 miles. The carbon plate is wider,…
This week Michael, Katelyn, and Alex tackle a stacked mailbag of listener questions covering the toughest parts of marathon training: the ones that aren't about splits and mileage. From surviving a brutal race-day side stitch to managing pre-race anxiety to figuring out whether to trust your heart rate or your gut, this episode digs into the mental side of the sport as much as the physical. RPE Chart: https://marathonhandbook.com/rate-of-perceived-exertion/ Side Stitch Article: https://marathonhandbook.com/side-stitch-wont-go-away/ SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: Lagoon pillows help us sleep better,…
Predicting your marathon race day pace is one of the trickiest parts of training: go out too conservative and you leave time on the table, go out too aggressive and you blow up in the last 10K. This week, Michael, Alex, and Katelyn break down how to use your lactate threshold pace to dial in a Boston Qualifying goal, plus answer listener questions on half marathon pacing, shoe rotation, bouncing back from injury, and more. We also get into the NFL's first-ever regular season game in Sydney and what it teaches runners about traveling to destination majors. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: This episode…
In this episode of The Marathon Handbook Podcast, hosts Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr, and Katelyn Tocci dig into a stacked listener mailbag covering threshold training vs. easy miles, whether soccer is wrecking a marathon build, the run-walk method debate, how many races is too many, when it's time to hire a coach, and the best shoes for ultrarunning. Also, an exclusive first look at Ultra's brand new Ultra Vanish Carbon 3. Plus, stories from their trip to the Sydney Marathon, including a surprise run-in with Olympic gold medalist Vivian Cheruiyot. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: Lagoon pillows help us…
Is the Sydney Marathon a fast course, or one that eats you alive? Fresh off the 2026 race, we make both cases, work out how to actually run a PB here, and settle whether the trip across the world is worth it. Recorded within the hour, with Alex straight from the finish chute at the Opera House and Katelyn tracking her own athletes to two- and seven-minute PBs. Most of the episode is for anyone weighing this race: what those PBs say about how to run the course, why every major should copy the 6:45 a.m. start, the jet-lag protocol that worked, where Sydney lands in a power ranking of the…
Our complete 2026 Sydney Marathon preview, reported from the ground in Sydney, plus the full interview with race director Wayne Larden (38:37). The course and how to race it, start times and how to watch, and the deepest elite field Australia has ever hosted. Katelyn and Alex are in Sydney for race week, Michael joins from Toronto. They break down a men's race led by Sisay Lemma, world champion Alphonce Simbu, and defending champion Hailemaryam Kiros, with a debut from track star Hagos Gebrhiwet, and a women's race that looks like Peres Jepchirchir's to lose. Plus the Harbour Bridge climb,…
We're breaking down one of the most-asked-about topics in marathon training: the peak week. Michael and Alex pull back the curtain on what their own peak weeks actually look like (down to the kilometer) and share what they've learned from years of racing (and from picking the brains of elite runners like Eliud Kipchoge and Casey Klinger) about how to build a peak block that makes you stronger, not broken. Plus: the team splits up as Katelyn and Alex head to Sydney to cover the brand-new Sydney Marathon while UTMB unfolds in Chamonix, and a full fall racing calendar preview covering Berlin,…
The 2026 New York City Marathon elite fields just dropped, and Michael and Alex are breaking down every contender... recorded fresh off a workout with Conner Mantz, Casey Klinger, and Clayton Young in Provo, Utah. On the men's side: defending champion Benson Kipruto, American record holder Zouhair Talbi, and a red-hot Conner Mantz headline a field where 10 athletes have run faster than the current course record. On the women's side: Sifan Hassan looks for redemption after a brutal fall stretch, defending champ Hellen Obiri returns, and a stacked American trio (Jess McLain, Annie Frisbie,…
Is it more volume or more speed that makes you a faster runner? This week Michael, Alex, and Katelyn dig into a listener's massive marathon breakthrough (2:47 → 2:30!) after he dropped threshold work and leaned into high weekly mileage instead — and unpack whether that trade-off actually holds up for the rest of us. Plus: how to keep your training on track while traveling, lifting heavy before race day, choosing between a safe Boston Qualifier and a sub-3 goal, how many miles you should really get out of a pair of running shoes, decoding the "super trainer" shoe category, and Michael finally…
This week on The Marathon Handbook Podcast, Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr, and Katelyn Tocci tackle a stacked list of listener questions starting with one every marathoner has wondered about: does switching into your super shoes mid-long run actually hurt you on race day? Plus, Alex and Katelyn share the news that they're heading to Australia to cover the Sydney Marathon (and race actual lifeguards on Bondi Beach), a 66-year-old listener's quest to run a fast 800 m, advice on training two marathons just 15 weeks apart, how to keep a young runner in love with the sport, and when it's time to step…
We're halfway through 2026, and it's time for our mid-year shoe power rankings. Michael and Alex each built their own Top 10 favorite running shoes of the year so far: super shoes, super trainers, daily trainers, and everything in between. Plus, a bonus trail shoe corner at the end. Chapters: 0:00 Intro — how we're ranking shoes this year 0:38 Alex #10 — Saucony Endorphin Pro 5 3:52 Michael #10 — On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper (Light Spray) 6:40 Alex #9 — Saucony Endorphin Azura 9:50 Michael #9 — Mizuno Wave Rider 30 12:29 Alex #8 — Brooks Hyperion Elite 6 14:50 Michael #8 — Saucony Ride 19 17:22…
Max Jolliffe is one of the most followed ultrarunners on the internet, and in July 2026 he became the fastest man in the 49-year history of Badwater 135, finishing Death Valley's brutal 135-mile course (ending with a 12-mile climb up Mount Whitney Portal Road, in temperatures hitting 118°F) in 20 hours 53 minutes, on his very first attempt. In this episode, Michael talks to Max about his journey from Newport Beach surf-and-skate culture to ultrarunning champion, the science behind his heat training, his race-day battle for the lead at Badwater, how he balances content creation with elite…
This week, Michael, Alex, and Katelyn dig into that enduring debate before working through a full mailbag of listener questions: from whether it's worth traveling internationally for a bucket-list marathon, to pacing strategy on brutally hilly courses like Boston, to setting a realistic goal for your first-ever marathon. Chapters: 0:00 Intro & Icebreakers 4:59 Sponsor: Kila Custom Insoles 7:01 Fall Marathon Training Kicks Off 7:42 Training Updates: Katelyn, Alex & Michael 24:51 Sponsor: Lagoon Sleep Pillows 26:40 Q1: Should You Travel for a Marathon? (London Marathon Lottery) 49:37 Sponsor:…
What should marathon pace actually feel like? On this episode of the Marathon Handbook Podcast, Michael Doyle, Katelyn Tocci, and Alex Cyr break down how to dial in your marathon pace using RPE and lactate threshold, whether you need a running coach, when to wear super shoes on race day, and how to figure out your true running ceiling. Plus, Katelyn recaps crushing a two-hour PR at the Vermont 100 and Michael shares his hilliest (and weirdest-named) run through rural Newfoundland. Chapters: 0:00 Intro: doubling season 1:30 Katelyn's Vermont 100 recap & PR breakdown 7:50 Crushing a two-hour…
It's hot everywhere right now, so Michael, Alex, and Katelyn are breaking down 8 science-backed (and battle-tested) hacks for running in extreme heat and humidity. From heat acclimatization and dew point pacing to pre-cooling tricks, electrolyte hydration, and knowing the warning signs of heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke, this episode covers everything you need to train safely through a heat wave. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 1:52 Send Us Your Questions for Brad Stulberg 4:44 Sponsor: Lagoon Pillow 6:24 8 Hacks for Running in Heat: Overview 15:53 Hack 1: Embrace the Heat (Acclimatization) 24:05 Hack…
Josh Kerr just ran 3:42.66 to break the men's mile world record, ending Hicham El Guerrouj's 27-year hold on the mark.In this episode, Michael Doyle, Jessy Carveth, and Alex Cyr break down the race lap-by-lap and split-by-split, dig into Brooks' "Project 222" campaign behind the attempt, and debate what it means for the current golden era of middle-distance running.Then Jessy Carveth sits down with Josh Kerr himself for an exclusive interview on the race, his mindset down the final stretch, the Ingebrigtsen rivalry, and what might be next, including a possible run at the 1500m record.Splits…
This week Michael, Alex, and Katelyn dig into the mailbag for some of the toughest questions runners face: how much you can realistically improve in six months before a goal marathon, whether it's insane to run two World Marathon Majors a month apart, finding a super shoe that won't aggravate a bad knee, and more. Plus, Michael gets called out (fairly) for some inaccurate comments about the Glass City Marathon.Chapters:0:00 Intro6:34 Momentous Sponsor8:42 Back from the break9:20 Mailbag: super shoes for a bad knee33:12 Lagoon Sponsor34:51 Back from the break35:24 Voice note: running two…
This week on the Marathon Handbook Podcast, Michael, Katelyn, and Alex kick things off with a recap of Alex's busy wedding weekend on Prince Edward Island, complete with a surprise timed 5K. Then it's into a full Q&A covering some of our most-requested topics: how to fit marathon training into a packed schedule as a working parent, building a smart long-term plan toward a Boston Qualifier, what a "rocker profile" actually does in a super shoe, and whether a declining VO2 max means your marathon days are numbered as you age.Chapters:0:00 Intro0:36 Alex Cyr's Wedding Weekend Recap17:37…
This week on the Marathon Handbook Podcast, Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr, and Katelyn Tocci tackle a stacked mailbag of running questions covering race-day super shoes, chronic blisters, heart rate confusion, and exactly how long your longest training run should be before marathon day. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: This episode is presented by Momentous. Use promo code MARATHON for up to 35% off your first order: https://livemomentous.com We use RYTHM for easy, convenient blood tests. 15% OFF : https://RYTHM.HEALTH/MARATHON 00:00 Intro: Alex's wedding vs. Canada's World Cup game08:08 Send us your…
Randi Zuckerberg is best known as the sister of Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, but in the ultra running world, she's building a reputation entirely her own. After a 20-year running hiatus, Randi returned to the sport in 2023 and has since completed two Cocodona 250s, set the overall FKT on the Baja Sur Trail, and run a marathon PR at the Boston Marathon... all at age 44.In this episode, Jessy Carveth sits down with Randi to unpack her remarkable spring of racing, the mental and physical strategies behind her 10-hour Cocodona improvement, and how she balances life as an entrepreneur, mother of…
How do you plan a running goal that's 2, 3, or even 5 years away and stay motivated long enough to hit it? This week, Michael Doyle and Katelyn Tocci answer listener questions on long-term goal setting for distance runners: the right mindset, how to structure your training years, and when to make the jump from half marathons to the full.0:00 Intro — Alex's Wedding Month & What's Coming8:23 This Week's Topic: Long-Term Goal Setting9:22 Sponsor: Lagoon Sleep Pillows11:13 How to Submit Your Questions12:35 Q1: Eric's Sub-2:58:50 Marathon Goal (Stockholm)31:33 Q2: Connor's 5-Year Great South Run…
About Marathon Handbook Podcast
Marathon Handbook's weekly podcast covers everything you need to know about running, from running your first 5K to qualifying for the Boston Marathon! Each week, our editors chat about what's going on in the running scene, as well as timely training tips, the best new gear, and what's happening at t
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