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
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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/mr36s9rsProgress 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
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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
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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
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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
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