Running--State of the Sport

Amby Burfoot and George Hirsch
  • 4.6 (30)
  • Running
  • Updated Semiweekly

The podcast where we talk to the smartest, most informed, most influential, and sometimes fastest runners on the planet.

  1. 1d ago

    Paul Gompers--elite marathoner and Harvard Business School professor

    Paul Gompers has a long history in the marathon and in the pursuit of excellence. It's hard to imagine anyone more competitive than Gompers. He even owns Alter-G treadmills in two separate residences so he can work out twice a day.  Gompers ran his first marathon in 1983 while a Harvard freshman. His 2:15:28 in Huntsville, Ala, still stands as an under-20 world record on a eligible course. Four years later, Gompers improved to 2:11:39 at the 1987 Twin Cities Marathon. The following spring, he placed fourth in the 1988 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials behind Mark Conover, Ed Eyestone, and Pete Pfitzinger. Gompers turned next to the study of economics. He has been a professor at the Harvard Business School since 1995, specializing in venture capital and entrepreneurship. About 20 years ago, he learned to swim and began serious training for age-group triathlon, as did his wife Jody, a Boston-area physician. Gompers has since completed four Kona Ironman Triathlons, as well as many others, with top finishes for his age. In recent years, he has also advised Harvard's standout alumni runners, including Graham Blanks and Ben Rosa. For more on Paul Gompers, see this page on Wikipedia.  WHERE TO FIND "RUNNING: STATE OF THE SPORT" Use your smartphone to download our podcast from Apple, Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube Podcasts. Once you've selected your favorite app, search for "running state of the sport." With your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can also listen direct to “Running: State of the Sport” at the below internet links. APPLE SPOTIFY YOU TUBE AUDIBLE I HEART POCKETCASTS

  2. Jul 13

    Bob Bickel--RunSignUp.com

    Back in his college days at Bucknell University, Bob Bickel trained 100 miles/week, and pushed his 10,000-meter time down to an impressive 29:07. Then he took his electrical engineering skills into the tech industry, and enjoyed several modest successes.  Next he opened a running retail store in Moorestown, NJ, and a few years later decided he could improve upon existing race registrations platforms. He was right. Run Sign Up has become the dominant road race registration platform in the U.S., because it's simple to use, and free for race directors to implement.  What more could a volunteer race director ask for? We spoke to Bob about his own running career, what he learned from the team philosophy that made Bucknell a regional powerhouse in cross-country, and how he views the demographics of road racing in the U.S. today. We were particularly struck by one key statistic. According to Bob, only 6 percent of U.S. race participants participate in the top 100 races--the mega races that get nearly 100 percent of news coverage. In other words, 94 percent of U.S. runners take part in local and regional races. That's what makes the sport so deep and strong. For more about Run Sign Up, check out this 10-minute YouTube video, or read Bob's "Trends Update" for mid-year 2026. WHERE TO FIND "RUNNING: STATE OF THE SPORT" Use your smartphone to download our podcast from Apple, Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube Podcasts. Once you've selected your favorite app, search for "running state of the sport." With your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can also listen direct to “Running: State of the Sport” at the below internet links. APPLE SPOTIFY YOU TUBE AUDIBLE I HEART POCKETCASTS

  3. Jun 20

    Paula Radcliffe

    This week’s podcast features an interview with Great Britain’s Paula Radcliffe, one of the best-known names in running for the past 30+ years. Radcliffe first gained international prominence when she won the World Jr. Cross-Country race (on a snowy day in Boston, MA) in 1992. She had a great track career, and then moved up to the marathon, where she enjoyed unparalleled success. Among her biggest wins: three London Marathon titles, and three NYC Marathons. At the 2003 London Marathon, Radcliffe ran a then-almost-unthinkable 2:15:25 to set a world record that lasted for 16 years. It even survived the first several years of the super-shoe onslaught until Brigid Kosgei ran 2:14:04 in the 2019 Chicago Marathon. A little more than a year ago, Radcliffe, then 51, came out of marathon retirement to run the Tokyo and Boston Marathons with finish times in the mid 2:50s. This gave her finishes in the six original Abbott World Marathon Majors races. Radcliffe currently lives in Monaco with her husband, Gary Lough, a well-known coach and agent, and a 15-year-old son, Raphael. Raphael has recently gotten serious about his running, and lowered his 1500-meter best to 3:59. An older daughter, Isla, who had a cancer scare in her teen years, is studying at college in Great Britain. Radcliffe stays deeply involved in the sport through her track and marathon commentary for various TV outlets. She also co-hosts a podcast titled “Paula’s Run Club,” and promotes youth-running opportunities with several organizations. In this conversation, Radcliffe talked in depth about her early running experiences and influences, her peak training, her favorite runners, the current women’s marathon world record (2:09:56, by Ruth Chepngetich), and much more. To learn more about Radcliffe and her activities, check out her Instagram account. WHERE TO FIND "RUNNING: STATE OF THE SPORT" Use your smartphone to download our podcast from Apple, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or other podcast players. Once you've selected your favorite app, search for "running state of the sport." With your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can also listen direct to “Running: State of the Sport” at the below internet links. APPLE SPOTIFY YOU TUBE AUDIBLE I HEART POCKETCASTS

  4. May 24

    Jared Ward

    In this week's episode of "Running: State of the Sport," Jared Ward becomes our first two-time guest on the podcast. We can't think of anyone better. Ward placed 6th in the 2016 Rio Olympic Marathon without the super shoes worn by the podium finishers. Neither he nor anyone outside Nike even knew about super shoes at the time. He soon began working with Saucony on that company's line of super shoes, and continued running fast times in major marathons. Ward hit his marathon PR, 2:09:25, in the 2019 Boston Marathon. Perhaps more importantly, he mentored a gaggle of younger BYU graduates like Conner Mantz and Clayton Young to their significant marathon careers. He also helped form the public/private "Run Elite Program" to encourage professional running in Utah while promoting health and fitness to the wider population. After moving his wife and six kids to Oxford, England, where he pursued an Executive Business Administration degree, Ward returned to near-top form this spring. Now 37, he ran a personal best 46:49 for 10 miles at Cherry Blossom, and then finished second in the Pittsburgh Marathon. In this podcast, he explains why BYU running has reached such a high level, and what he sees in his own running and business future. For more about Ward, see his profile on the Run Elite website. WHERE TO FIND "RUNNING: STATE OF THE SPORT" Use your smartphone to download our podcast from Apple, Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube Podcasts. Once you've selected your favorite app, search for "running state of the sport." With your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can also listen direct to “Running: State of the Sport” at the below internet links. AppleSpotifyAudiblePandoraI Heart Radio Pocket Casts YouTube" Running: State of the Sport" is brought to you by MarathonHandbook.com and RunLongRunHealthy.com. Marathon Handbook is the world’s leading marathon website, with a special focus on trustworthy running information and free, runner-tested training plans for all ability levels. "Run Long, Run Healthy" is a weekly newsletter focused on the newest, most scientific, and most useful training advice for runners. It was launched by Amby in 2021, and is now edited by Brady Holmer, exercise physiologist and 2:24 marathon runner.

  5. May 12

    Oz Pearlman--mentalist and marathoner

    Oz Pearlman is a well-known mentalist-entertainer and a less-well-known marathon and ultramarathon runner. However, his record on the roads and trails is just about as impressive as his mindreading tricks. Pearlman, 43, has run a 2:23 marathon, a 2:25 at Boston, and finished the Western States 100, the Badwater 135, and the Spartathlon in Greece.  Recently, he was the planned entertainer at the White House Correspondents dinner in Washington, D.C.--the evening interrupted by gun shots and an apparent assassination attempt. Pearlman was crouched between President Trump and press secretary Karoline Leavitt, attempting to guess the name of her unborn child, when the first shots were heard. A moment later, he was caught in the swarm of Secret Service agents who stormed in to protect Trump, and lead him to safety. In this podcast, Pearlman chillingly describes the scene, including the fear he felt for himself and his wife and friends in attendance. He also talks about his early days in marathon running when he knew virtually nothing about the sport, and what he needed to learn before he became more successful. He's particularly insightful in explaining some of the shared mental strategies between his on-stage performances and in the last miles of a marathon or ultra. For more about Pearlman, check out his website or his Instagram feed. WHERE TO FIND "RUNNING: STATE OF THE SPORT" Use your smartphone to download our podcast from Apple, Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube Podcasts. Once you've selected your favorite app, search for "running state of the sport." With your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can also listen direct to “Running: State of the Sport” at the below internet links. AppleSpotifyAudiblePandoraI Heart RadioYouTube "Running: State of the Sport" is brought to you by MarathonHandbook.com and RunLongRunHealthy.com. Marathon Handbook is the world’s leading marathon website, with a special focus on trustworthy running information and free, runner-tested training plans for all ability levels. "Run Long, Run Healthy" is a weekly newsletter focused on the newest, most scientific, and most useful training advice for runners. It was launched by Amby in 2021, and is now edited by Brady Holmer, exercise physiologist and 2:24 marathon runner.

  6. Apr 28

    Boston & London Marathons: Wow!

    Amby and George go it alone to review the recent Boston and Lo ndon Marathons. And, wow, is there a lot to review: A sub-2:00 hour world record by Sebastian Sawe at London, a new course record by John Korir at Boston, and a new women-only world record at London for Tigst Assefa. And plenty of hot action beside these three brilliant performances. We get into all the details--the latest Adidas shoes, consistent negative-split running, carb fueling, bicarb use, and an unusual number of strong American performances, both men and women, at Boston.

  7. Apr 14

    Martin Dugard, author

    Marty Dugard began writing for Runner's World in the late 1980s, gained more notice as the best-selling coauthor of Bill O'Reilly's "Killing" series of books--Lincoln, Kennedy, Jesus, etc--and now has returned to running with The Long Run. It's a epic, fast-moving history of running (and especially marathon running) from roughly 1970 to Joan Benoit's victory in the 1984 Olympic Marathon, with a few throwbacks to Pheidippides, Bill Bowerman, and others. You'll meet the people and moments that shaped running as we know it today. Dugard isn't just a writer of historical non-fiction. He's been deeply immersed in running and running culture since his teen years. For the last 15 years, he has been coaching high school cross-country teams in California, several of which have won state championships. For more on Dugard, you can follow his regular blogs at MartinDugard.com WHERE TO FIND "RUNNING: STATE OF THE SPORT" Use your smartphone to download our podcast from Apple, Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube Podcasts. Once you've selected your favorite app, search for "running state of the sport." With your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can also listen direct to “Running: State of the Sport” at the below internet links. AppleSpotifyAudiblePandoraI Heart RadioYouTube "Running: State of the Sport" is brought to you by MarathonHandbook.com and RunLongRunHealthy.com. Marathon Handbook is the world’s leading marathon website, with a special focus on trustworthy running information and free, runner-tested training plans for all ability levels. "Run Long, Run Healthy" is a weekly newsletter focused on the newest, most scientific, and most useful training advice for runners. It was launched by Amby in 2021, and is now edited by Brady Holmer, exercise physiologist and 2:24 marathon runner.

  8. Apr 3

    Grant Fisher

    In this episode of the podcast “Running: State of the Sport,” we interview American superstar Grant Fisher. Fisher is one of the greatest American distance track runners ever. He has run the fastest American times ever in the 3000, 5000, and 10,000 meters, and he won bronze medals in both the 10,000 and 5000 at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Most recently, Fisher completed his first serious road race in the super-competitive New York City Half Marathon. And he finished the tough course in a fast 60:53, although that was only good enough for 14th place.Now Fisher faces one of the toughest decisions of his running career: Should he switch to the marathon for the 2028 Olympics, or stick with the track? In this pod, he analyzes the pros and cons of his thinking on this important question.Fisher also talks about the full arc of his legendary running career. In high school in Michigan, he won two Footlocker XC Championships, and ran a 3:59 mile. He then ran successfully for four years at Stanford before signing a Nike contract and running with the Bowerman TC. Two years ago, he moved from Oregon to Park City, Utah, to reunite with his former high school coach, Mike Scannell. The pairing has worked well, especially in Paris. The whole running world will be watching Fisher’s racing the next two years as he positions himself for the LA 2028 Olympics. In this pod, he explains where he is today, and where he hopes to go.For more about Fisher, check out his Instagram account. WHERE TO FIND "RUNNING: STATE OF THE SPORT" Use your smartphone to download our podcast from Apple, Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube Podcasts. Once you've selected your favorite app, search for "running state of the sport." With your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you can also listen direct to “Running: State of the Sport” at the below internet links. AppleSpotifyAudiblePandoraI Heart RadioYouTube "Running: State of the Sport" is brought to you by MarathonHandbook.com and RunLongRunHealthy.com. Marathon Handbook is the world’s leading marathon website, with a special focus on trustworthy running information and free, runner-tested training plans for all ability levels. "Run Long, Run Healthy" is a weekly newsletter focused on the newest, most scientific, and most useful training advice for runners. It was launched by Amby in 2021, and is now edited by Brady Holmer, exercise physiologist and 2:24 marathon runner.

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4.6
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

The podcast where we talk to the smartest, most informed, most influential, and sometimes fastest runners on the planet.

Information

  • Creator
    Amby Burfoot and George Hirsch
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Amby Burfoot and George Hirsch
  • Show Website
    Running--State of the Sport

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