THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

Dominic Schlueter
  • 5.0 (1)
  • RUNNING
  • EVERY TWO WEEKS

The Running Effect is changing the way the world sees running. Every week, host Dominic Schlueter sits down with the fastest, smartest, and most inspiring people in the sport to share untold stories, elite insights, and powerful conversations that move the culture forward. Whether you're chasing a personal best or dreaming bigger about what running can mean in your life, The Running Effect is your home for passion, performance, and possibility. 🚀 Join the movement that's reshaping running media. More than a podcast — a revolution in how running is told, lived, and loved.

  1. From Missing the Olympic Team to World Championship Greatness: The Unbelievable Comeback of Jess McClain

    4 HR AGO

    From Missing the Olympic Team to World Championship Greatness: The Unbelievable Comeback of Jess McClain

    Jess McClain has become the new face of American women’s marathoning: a symbol of resilience, balance, and belief in one’s own path. A former collegiate standout at Stanford, she stepped into the pro ranks with Brooks, only to face years of injury, transition, and even stepping away from full-time running to build a life outside the sport.  Jess never left the track mentally. In 2024, working full time and largely self-guided, she shocked the field by placing 4th in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, narrowly missing the team by seconds. Not content to be defined by near misses, she went on to win the USATF 10K title (setting a course record), she ran a breakthrough PR of 2:22:43 as top American at the Boston Marathon in 2025, and earned her place on Team USATF for the World Championships. In Tokyo this past summer, she finished 8th overall in the marathon, which was a stunning result on the biggest stage of all. This finish wasn’t a random burst; it was built on her modest-mileage, high-quality approach. As of 2025, Jess blends stride sessions, strength work twice weekly, and intentional rest; she also rejoined a coach-athlete relationship with David Roche in 2025. Her story isn’t solely about PRs and race placings, it’s also about redefining what’s possible when you craft your own path and control your narrative. Tap into the Jess McClain 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

    46 min

  2. 2 DAYS AGO

    What Elite Performers Get Right: Sports Scientist Kristen Holmes on Sleep, Recovery, and the Psychology of Greatness

    Kristen Holmes has worn every hat in the world of performance, including athlete, coach, scientist, and innovator. Today, she’s setting the standard at WHOOP. At the University of Iowa, she was a two-time First-Team All-American, the 1996 Big Ten MVP, and even pulled double duty on the women’s basketball team. From there, she rose to the U.S. National Field Hockey Team, earning a spot as an Olympic alternate in 1996 and competing in the 1998 World Cup. When her playing days concluded, Kristen turned her competitive fire into coaching. From 2003 to 2015, she led Princeton University’s field hockey program to a staggering 12 Ivy League titles, 11 NCAA tournament appearances, and the crown jewel of them all, first NCAA field hockey championship by an Ivy League team, in 2012.  Then, in 2016, she joined WHOOP, where she’s now the Global Head of Human Performance and Principal Scientist. With a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Queensland, she’s helping athletes, executives, and everyday performers unlock their best through the science of recovery, sleep, and HRV. In just the past few months, Kristen helped launch Project FASTT, a groundbreaking collaboration to close the research gap on female athletes. She’s sharing her knowledge on the WHOOP Podcast and Science & Soul. Tap into the Kristen Holmes 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 -BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run -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

    1h 3m
  3. From a 3:48 Mile to the Mud of Nationals — Gary Martin’s Full Plan to Win NCAA XC (Training, Tactics, Mindset)

    4 DAYS AGO

    From a 3:48 Mile to the Mud of Nationals — Gary Martin’s Full Plan to Win NCAA XC (Training, Tactics, Mindset)

    Few athletes have risen as fast—or raced as fearlessly—as Gary Martin. Now a senior at the University of Virginia, he has evolved into a consistent national contender with personal bests that rank among the fastest in collegiate history. His 3:32.03 1500m at the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships placed him sixth against the nation’s best, while his 3:48.82 indoor mile at the Millrose Games stunned the sport and highlighted his breakthrough season.  He also anchored UVA to its first NCAA indoor distance medley relay title with a 3:48.12 split indoors; he is a runner with impressive range, holding PRs of 13:16.82 for 5000m and 1:47.46 for 800m. Affiliated with UVA and Brooks Running through an NIL partnership, Martin credits strength-based training and heavy threshold work as the engine behind his speed.  With the cross country season underway, he opened with a 22:51 8k at the Gans Creek Classic and was named ACC Performer of the Week, underscoring his momentum heading into the championship season.  At just 21 years old, his trajectory reflects both resilience and the promise of a future star well beyond Charlottesville. Tap into the Gary Martin 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 -BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run -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

    39 min

  4. 6 DAYS AGO

    Fix Your Plateau: Alex Ostberg on the Real Reasons You’re Not Improving (and How to Turn Bad Days Into Breakthroughs)

    The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs Progress in running is rarely smooth, often unpredictable, and sometimes shaped most by the days we’d rather forget. Alex Ostberg is back again to discuss ideas that every runner will recognize but few stop to articulate. The Run Down recap is here and full of gold once again. From the unseen pitfalls that quietly derail progress, to the illusions we cling to about steady improvement, to the challenge of bracing for what we cannot predict. And when it comes to bad days, the ones we often wish away, Alex makes the case that they might hold more value than we think. The beauty of these conversations lies not in polished answers, but in the back-and-forth exploration. Dominic pushes Alex to expand, clarify, and ground his reflections in the messy reality of training and racing, while Alex offers insights that invite listeners to look at their own running in a new light. This is not just a recap: it’s an invitation to sit in on a thoughtful exchange between writer and reader, athlete and coach, runner and thinker. Press play, lean in, and expect to leave with more questions than you started with. Tap into the The 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

    56 min
  5. Dathan Ritzenhein's Championship Blueprint: From Beamish's World Title to Nuguse's World Record and Obiri's Boston—Inside OAC's System for Winning

    9 OCT

    Dathan Ritzenhein's Championship Blueprint: From Beamish's World Title to Nuguse's World Record and Obiri's Boston—Inside OAC's System for Winning

    Dathan Ritzenhein has lived two lives in running: first as one of America's most decorated distance runners, and now as the head coach of the On Athletics Club (OAC).  As a coach, Ritzenhein has been at the center of some of the sport's biggest moments in recent years. Under his leadership, Yared Nuguse set the indoor mile world record on Feb 8, 2025 (3:46.63) before it was lowered five days later by Jakob Ingebrigtsen and stormed down New York's Fifth Avenue to win the storied road mile that fall.  On the roads, he's masterminded Hellen Obiri's back-to-back Boston Marathon victories in 2023 and 2024, and helped her remain a fixture at the front in 2025 when Sharon Lokedi's course-record run edged her for the win. Before he was a world-class coach, Ritzenhein was one of the fastest Americans ever. A three-time Olympian, he set the U.S. record in the 5,000 meters in 2009 with a blazing 12:56.27, claimed bronze at the World Half Marathon Championships that same year in exactly one hour, and ran 2:07:47 for the marathon in Chicago in 2012. From Boulder, Colorado, he now leads a team that competes and wins at every distance from the 1500 meters to the marathon. Tap into the Dathan Ritzenhein 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 -BUY MERCH BEFORE IT'S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run -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

    1h 5m

  6. 7 OCT

    Joey Pointer (Fleet Feet CEO): How Data + Community Built a 300-Store Running Retail Powerhouse

    Fleet Feet CEO Joey Pointer has made a career of combining community-driven retail with cutting-edge data insights. His journey into running retail wasn't a straight line. Raised on a North Carolina farm, he began his professional life in accounting at Ernst & Young before joining Fleet Feet in 2004 as a financial manager.  Over the next decade, he rose through the ranks: Director of Operations, CFO, and ultimately CEO in 2017. Along the way, he transformed Fleet Feet from a small specialty chain into a national leader with nearly 300 stores. What sets Pointer apart is his conviction that data can differentiate running retail. Under his leadership, Fleet Feet launched fit id® 3D scanning across its stores in 2017, collecting millions of scans to personalize footwear like never before.  Of course, growth hasn't come without challenges. Pointer has been candid about navigating competitive pressures from powerhouse brands like On, Nike, and Hoka, while also integrating major acquisitions like JackRabbit and Marathon Sports. In recent months, Fleet Feet has kept expanding, marking anniversaries across nearly 300 shops in 2025 and pushingforward with its goal to make community-based retail thrive in the digital age.  Pointer also deepened his community ties, joining the national board of Girls on the Run International, reflecting his belief that running should be a force for good. Tap into the Joey Pointer 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 -BUY MERCH BEFORE IT'S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run -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

    54 min
  7. Exclusive: Andreas Almgren on the Untold Details Behind His Tokyo World Bronze—And the Inside Plan to Chase the European Half Marathon Record in Valencia

    5 OCT

    Exclusive: Andreas Almgren on the Untold Details Behind His Tokyo World Bronze—And the Inside Plan to Chase the European Half Marathon Record in Valencia

    Andreas Almgren returns to the show, this time fresh off a bronze in the 10,000 meters at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. This marked Sweden’s first World Championships medal in a long-distance track event—and the nation’s first ever in the 10,000m. For Almgren, it was the culmination of a journey from middle-distance prodigy to one of Europe’s most versatile runners. He burst onto the scene with a World U20 bronze in the 800m in 2014, followed by a 1:45.59 personal best in 2015 after setting the Swedish U20 record (1:45.65) in 2014. In January 2025, Almgren became the first European to break 27 minutes for 10,000m on the road, clocking 26:53 in Valencia. Months later, he ran 12:44.27 in Stockholm to break the European 5,000m record. He also holds Swedish records of 13:05 in the 5,000m on the road and 59:23 for the half marathon. His Tokyo bronze now sits alongside these marks, proof he can pair records with championship hardware. As of September 2025, Almgren is preparing for Valencia again, this time to chase the European half marathon record of 59:13. At 30, he stands at the peak of his powers, showing how patience and adaptability can redefine both an athlete and the record books. 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

    39 min
  8. From NCAA Champion to NYC Debut: Charles Hicks on Switching Flags, Swoosh TC, and Building for 26.2

    3 OCT

    From NCAA Champion to NYC Debut: Charles Hicks on Switching Flags, Swoosh TC, and Building for 26.2

    Amid a pro reset in Eugene and a new flag next to his name, Charles Hicks is aiming his firepower at the marathon. Stanford’s first NCAA individual cross-country champion turned Nike pro joins the show amidst a change. He’s shifting his firepower to the roads and is making his marathon debut at the TCS New York City Marathon on November 2, 2025. He trains in Eugene with Nike’s Swoosh TC (launched Feb. 7, 2025) and has been based there since 2023. He’s also fresh off a USATF 10 Mile title in Washington, D.C., set in course-record time.  On the track, you’ve seen the range: 13:09 indoors for 5k and 27:33 for 10k at “The Ten.” Now, he’s translating that speed into 26.2 on one of the world’s toughest courses. He’s also a two-time European U23 XC champion (’21 Dublin, ’22 Turin) and the European U23 5000m champion (’23 Espoo).  And there’s a timely wrinkle: World Athletics now lists him under the United States after switching from GBR, opening fresh conversations about U.S. teams and majors. Charles also co-founded Scholarly, a platform that links applicants with successful students’ essays and insights. Between the racetrack and the startup world, he’s clearly on the rise. Tap into the Charles Hicks 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 -BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run -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

    49 min
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About

The Running Effect is changing the way the world sees running. Every week, host Dominic Schlueter sits down with the fastest, smartest, and most inspiring people in the sport to share untold stories, elite insights, and powerful conversations that move the culture forward. Whether you're chasing a personal best or dreaming bigger about what running can mean in your life, The Running Effect is your home for passion, performance, and possibility. 🚀 Join the movement that's reshaping running media. More than a podcast — a revolution in how running is told, lived, and loved.

Information

  • Creator
    Dominic Schlueter
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    600
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dominic Schlueter
  • Show Website
    THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

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