Marathon Handbook Podcast

Come to our LIVE SHOW in Boston! Join Alex, Katelyn and Michael and some very special guests, + giveaways and prizes!📅 Saturday, April 18, at 6:45 p.m📍 Trident Booksellers & Café, 338 Newbury Street 🎟️ It’s free to attend, but make sure to RSVP now, as space is limited: https://forms.gle/sFk28hfMYznrsNxMA

Five big stories this week — strap in.
Des Linden | Marathon des SablesThe 2018 Boston Marathon champion finished 3rd overall at the 2026 Marathon des Sables, a six-day, 250+ km stage race through the Sahara. Her finishing time: 30 hours, 16 minutes, 32 seconds. Even wilder: this was only her second-ever trail ultramarathon, and one of the stages was 100K — more than double her previous longest run ever. Winner Mary-Line Nahon of France took her third MdS title in just under 26 hours. Des lands in Boston next week to pace her husband. No rest for the wicked.
Clarke Reynolds | Blind Runner Makes Marathon HistoryBritish runner Clark Reynolds, who has just 5% vision due to retinitis pigmentosa, became the first blind person to complete a marathon using Meta smart glasses and the Be My Eyes app. At the 2026 Brighton Marathon, he was guided by 400 trained volunteers who rotated every 30 minutes via the app, with a physical guide runner alongside as a safety net. A feel-good story of the year contender — and we're hoping to get Clark on the pod soon.
World Athletics Marathon World Championships | Our TakeWorld Athletics has announced a standalone World Athletics Marathon Championships launching in 2030, separate from the main World Athletics Championships. Athens is in the running to host, citing the marathon's birthplace. The official reason given? Climate change. Michael isn't buying it. We break down what this could — and should — look like, and why the Tour de France/F1 model is the blueprint they're ignoring.
Josh Kerr | Marathon CuriosityOne of the world's premier milers and 1500m runners has publicly expressed his desire to one day run — and win — a World Marathon Major. We dig into the history of track-to-marathon transitions (Kipchoge, Sifan Hassan, Kenenisa Bekele) and why this path is more plausible than it sounds. A marathon Kerr vs. Ingebrigtsen rivalry? We're manifesting it.
Gout Gout | 19.67 in the 200m at Age 18The Australian teenage sprinting phenomenon ran 19.67 in the 200m in Sydney — breaking the World U20 record and becoming the first Australian man to break 20 seconds under legal wind conditions. For context: Usain Bolt ran 19.93 at the same age. Gout Gout (G-O-U-T G-O-U-T) is now 16th on the all-time 200m list at 18 years old. Born December 29th, he's one to circle for the 2028 Olympics.

Come to our LIVE SHOW in Boston! Join Alex, Katelyn and Michael and some very special guests, + giveaways and prizes!
📅 Saturday, April 18, at 6:45 p.m
📍 Trident Booksellers & Café, 338 Newbury Street
🎟️ It’s free to attend, but make sure to RSVP now, as space is limited: https://forms.gle/sFk28hfMYznrsNxMA

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:
This episode is presented by Momentous. Use promo code MARATHON for up to 35% off your first order: https://⁠livemomentous.com
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This week on the Marathon Handbook Podcast, Katelyn Tocci and Alex Cyr pull back the curtain on their personal 5K training journeys — and the result is one of the most detailed, practical running conversations we've had on this show.
An ultra runner who resisted speed training for a decade. A half marathon specialist chasing a collegiate dream time. Both took on a 12-week 5K build at the same time, and both have a lot to say about what happened.

Resources:
Katelyn's Sub-20 5K video: https://youtu.be/tPXSg3od1k0?si=KdVE6pNVQ8pm4xoB
5K training plans: https://marathonhandbook.com/trainingplans/5k-training-plans/
Marathon Handbook newsletter — nearly 300,000 subscribers: marathonhandbook.com

Key topics covered in this episode:
Why 5K training benefits runners of all distances, including marathon and ultra runners
How to structure a 12-week 5K training block
Katelyn's pyramid speed session and Alex's "Prove It" workout
The 80/20 rule and why easy runs must stay easy
Managing peak weeks, deload weeks, and tapering for a 5K
Katelyn's full race day account: the nerves, the body cam, the rainy start, and an 18:36 finish
Rapid fire: sleep, the #1 beginner mistake, embracing 5K intensity, and racing shoe picks (Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite, ASICS MetaSpeed Edge)

Come to our LIVE SHOW in Boston! Join Alex, Katelyn and Michael and some very special guests, + giveaways and prizes!📅 Saturday, April 18, at 6:45 p.m📍 Trident Booksellers & Café, 338 Newbury Street 🎟️ It’s free to attend, but make sure to RSVP now, as space is limited: https://forms.gle/sFk28hfMYznrsNxMA
It's been a dramatic week in the world of distance running and Michael and Jessy are here to break it all down.
The biggest headline: Conner Mantz, the American marathon record holder who was one of the most anticipated starters at this year's Boston Marathon, has officially withdrawn with a stress-related injury. It's a significant blow ahead of what was shaping up to be one of the most exciting Boston fields in years.
On a more uplifting note, BYU freshman Jane Hedengren continues to rewrite the record books — this time at Stanford, where she clocked 30:46.8 in the 10,000 meters in her very first attempt at the distance, shattering the NCAA Women's record and slotting in at number seven on the US all-time list. She's 18 years old. Remember her name.
It was also a huge weekend for 5K records. French star Jimmy Gressier ran 12:51 in León — just two seconds shy of the world record — and set a new European Road 5K mark in the process. Meanwhile, 62-year-old Clare Elms did something arguably even more remarkable, running 17:45 to smash her own age group world record by 20 seconds. Her age-graded score? 104%. Yes, really.
Then there's the story that genuinely stopped us in our tracks: Clarke Reynolds, a 45-year-old runner from England with just 5% vision, is preparing to run the Brighton Marathon on April 12th guided entirely by remote volunteers via RayBan Meta smart glasses and the Be My Eyes app — with no in-person guide alongside him. It's a genuine world first, and we're already planning a follow-up with Clarke after the race.
And the episode closes on a frustrating note. Albert Korir, the 2021 NYC Marathon champion, has been handed a five-year ban after testing positive three times for CERA: a synthetic blood booster in the same family as EPO. All his results from October 2025 onwards are disqualified, though he retains his 2021 title. It's another painful reminder of the doping cloud still hanging over elite distance running.

Jess McClain is one of the most compelling figures in American distance running right now and this conversation is a perfect example of why.
Alex Cyr sits down with the Brooks-sponsored pro for a wide-ranging, deeply honest conversation that covers the full arc of Jess's career: the early promise, the painful burnout that led her to step away from the sport entirely, the unlikely comeback through a casual marathon in Arizona, and the extraordinary run of near-misses and controversies that have defined her return to elite competition.
Jess speaks publicly for the first time about being led off course during the USATF Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta — a moment that cost her a shot at the US World Championship team, prize money, rankings points, and potentially shoe contract bonuses. She walks us through exactly what happened on the course, how she handled the chaos in the moment, and what she thinks needs to change so athletes are never left in that position again.
She also revisits the Paris situation — being flown over as an Olympic alternate for the marathon, sitting on the bench all week, and being told the day before the race that she wouldn't be needed. And she talks with remarkable grace about finishing fourth at the 2024 US Olympic Marathon Trials, just 15 seconds outside the team.
With Boston 2026 on the horizon and a World Championship bid still in play, Jess is as motivated as ever — and as level-headed as you'll find at this level of the sport.
Topics covered:
Stepping away from pro running and losing the love for it
The Mesa Marathon comeback and rediscovering joy in the sport
4th place at the 2024 US Olympic Marathon Trials
Being flown to Paris as an alternate — and not racing
Signing with Brooks and taking ownership of her own career
The self-coaching period and eventually linking up with David Roche
Training structure: mileage, workouts, and effort-based running
The Atlanta USATF Half Marathon Championships — being led off course
The full financial and competitive cost of the incident
Skepticism around elite marathon times and racing with integrity
Boston 2026 goals and race strategy
The evolution of women's marathon longevity
Fast Money Round
Follow Jess McClain on Instagram: @jesstonn
Photo credit: Bryan Garcia Luna
Marathon Handbook: marathonhandbook.com

Come to our LIVE SHOW in Boston! Join Alex, Katelyn and Michael and some very special guests, + giveaways and prizes!📅 Saturday, April 18, at 6:45 p.m📍 Trident Booksellers & Café, 338 Newbury Street 🎟️ It’s free to attend, but make sure to RSVP now, as space is limited: https://forms.gle/sFk28hfMYznrsNxMA
It's the final installment of Spring Mailbag Madness, and it's a big one. Michael Doyle and Katelyn Tocci answer 12 listener questions: from Boston Marathon pacing strategy (including why 72% of Boston runners go out too fast and pay for it later) to Achilles injury decisions, Norwegian Singles training, shoe rotation questions and training for a marathon while playing hurling all summer. Yes, hurling.
James Copeland’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Norwegian-Singles-Method-Subthreshold-Running/dp/B0G4D8438Z
Katelyn’s article about Norwegian Singles:
https://marathonhandbook.com/norwegian-singles-training/
Send us an audio question:
https://marathonhandbook.com/podcast/
THIS EPISODE'S QUESTIONS:
Nell (17, Swiss Alps) asks: is there an ideal age to start running marathons?
Mark asks about the Norwegian Singles method — plus Michael teases a major upcoming announcement involving the man who actually invented it, Marius Bakken.
Cynthia (Seattle) sends a voice note with two questions: how does coaching change for experienced runners over 65? And what advice do you have for running safely as a woman in an unfamiliar city?
Jason wants to know if the ASICS MEGABLAST and SUPERBLAST 2 are different enough to justify owning both.
Chris (Australia) just ran three marathons in six months and now has a 10K on the calendar. Should his training look different?
A second Chris asks how to pace Boston with a 10-minute PR on the line — specifically how to survive (and exploit) that notorious opening downhill.
Zach shares his ambitious progression plan toward a Boston qualifier and asks if he's being too aggressive.
Pat (Ireland, now in Toronto) is moving back to Ireland for the summer and plans to play hurling while also training for the Valencia Marathon in December. Can he do both?
Taylor sends a follow-up from the winter mailbag — she's going for sub-3 at Boston and has two questions: should she run slightly faster than her planned pace, and how does she protect her toenails before her August wedding?
Deepak is running Vancouver and wants to know if he should push to a faster pace given his recent half marathon time.
Zach (a different Zach) has a marathon in less than two weeks and an ongoing Achilles injury. Should he race?
An anonymous listener has Achilles tendonitis, a stress reaction in the fibula, and a half marathon registered for April 5th. Same question.
Send us your voice notes via SpeakPipe — link at marathonhandbook.com — and email us at [email protected]. We read and answer everything, even if it takes us a little while.
Subscribe to our free newsletter at marathonhandbook.com/newsletter — 287,000 runners every morning at 5:05 AM Eastern.