Running Things Considered

Aisha and Eric are back for another wide-ranging Sunday session covering a big week in track and field, Olympic fever, winter training confessions, and plenty of listener voicemails. Strap in because this one's a long one.In this episode:

Eric checks in from Arizona fresh off a weekend immersed in the trail world at Black Canyon Ultra, while Aisha recovers from the Super Bowl and another week of indoor track fireworks. The conversation bounces from ultra culture and Winter Olympics absurdity to record-setting performances.In this episode:– Eric reports live from Arizona after spending the weekend at the Black Canyon Ultra Marathon and discovering a whole new side of the sport– The rapidly growing ultra scene, its strong community vibe + how the sport is getting faster and more professionalized– Super Bowl recap: betting losses, squares boards, and Aisha dropping money while Bad Bunny wins the day– Olympic headlines, including the now-viral medal-speech cheating confession and why it may be the worst PR move ever– Life (and logistics) inside the Olympic Village, from cardboard beds to running out of condoms– Choosing which Winter Olympic sport they’d compete in – British Championships highlights, including Keely Hodgkinson’s dominant 1:56 and c

Super Bowl Sunday energy collides with Winter Olympic chaos, caffeine withdrawals, Epstein conspiracies and a truly unhinged ski-jumping scandal as Aisha Praught-Leer and Eric Jenkins manage to cover track, culture, and the state of the world… mostly successfully.In this episode:– Super Bowl Sunday as a top-tier cultural event, rooting for vibes over teams and ranking NFL hotties– Why the Super Bowl is elite television: commercials, halftime shows, celebrity cameos, and snack culture– A full caffeine cleanse update– Olympic Opening Ceremonies fatigue and why three-and-a-half hours is simply too long– Fashion at the Olympics as national expression– Lindsey Vonn’s terrifying crash, the brutality of winter sports, and the reality that sport owes no one a perfect ending– The athlete mindset: why nothing is ever enough, chasing “one more” achievement and how that hunger can turn dangerous– Crotchgate: ski jumping rumors, hyaluronic acid injections, crotch sails, and why this might be the funniest scandal in sports

Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer are back in person, loitering in the mezzanine of the meet hotel ahead of the Millrose Games:In this week's yap:– The Armory and Jamaican Track and Field is in The Epstein Files– A 16-year-old from New Zealand ran 3:48 for the mile, youth records losing meaning, and why winning still matters– A deep dive into sports bras, altitude lungs, ribcage expansion, and why poor fit can derail training– Hanging out with track world bigwigs, rubbing elbows, and passionate conversations about athlete support– We went to a USATF Foundation party and learned of some unexpected listeners – so we stayed out later than planned– Sha’Carri Richardson’s Florida arrest for speeding, superspeeder laws, and separating recklessness from concern– Athletes getting suspended for gambling on track and field, bans, and lack of education– Why betting on teammates is different from betting against yourself– Heated Rivalry discourse, emotional whiplash at episode three, and being fully locked in– Sett

Track is officially back, indoor season is heating up, and the vibes immediately improve despite Storm Fern hitting New England and the chaos of a snowed-in Sunday. In today's episode:– Longevity genes, centenarians, and deciding whether living to 120 actually sounds fun– Training anxiety in the snow, treadmill sign-up Google Docs, and pulling the power cord when someone runs long– Why winter storms are way more fun when you’re not training for anything– Deciding to not miss Millrose again and why the Armory remains undefeated– Breaking down the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix and why every race delivered– Noah Lyles’ dramatic crowd entrance and why it’s still good for the sport– Ellie St. Pierre’s jaw-dropping 3K win eight months postpartum + why it matters for female athletes, contracts, and pregnancy conversations– Why New Balance deserves credit for supporting women athletes through family planning– How deep and brutal the U.S. women’s 1500 has become– Josh Hoey breaking another world record, indoor rac

We’re officially back and launching the Off The Rails YouTube era (smash that like and subscribe button!) Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer regroup on a Sunday night after a Patriots win, sloppy football, cheeky parlays and FanDuel obligations. Discussed in this episode:– MLK Day, track season officially being back, and the mental shift into indoor racing– A hydration resolution check-in featuring coconut water, LaCroix, and live chugging on mic– The Ralph Lauren menswear show and why the algorithm is serving nothing but elite zaddies– Heated Rivalry discussion and deciding how much trash TV is too much– Doomscrolling vs. protecting your peace and selectively consuming the internet– Why X (Twitter) is uninhabitable, Instagram Reels are dangerous, and TikTok might ruin everything– Time limits that don’t work and ignoring your phone yelling at you– People We Meet on Vacation was a rom-heavy comfort watch during a midweek menti-b– Zoë Saldaña talk– Movie theater culture: popcorn vs. no popcorn, soda anxiety, a

Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer are back together after Tallahassee and why this was the quickest post-event turnaround in Off The Rails history. Warning: There's somehow a lot of murder talk in this one so if you're someone inclined to DM us about your disapproval of a subject, maybe skip this episode.In this week's episode:– Why the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee might have been the most fun event we have covered– Why World Cross fully lived up to (and exceeded) the hype– Running the course ourselves and realizing how absurdly fast the pros actually were– Breaking down the course obstacles: the man-made hill, deep sand pit, blue water pit, alligator hurdles, and shoe-swallowing mud– Eric meets Beatrice Chebet and immediately loses all composure– Beatrice Chebet officially becomes a Rail Rider– Mondo’s new song is a banger and the lyrics feel way too personal for Eric– Recapping Houston Half Marathon madness: eight men sub-60, Alex Maier’s No. 2 all-time American performance

Off The Rails is officially back for 2026, and Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer waste absolutely no time getting comfortable.The episode opens with New Year’s resolutions (or the lack thereof), including Eric’s sudden commitment to mindfulness and Aisha’s accidental discovery that Diet Pepsi might be the key to peak hydration.Also discussed in this episode:– The rise of hydration culture: Diet Pepsi, Diet Coke, Liquid IV, Spindrift, LaCroix, and the realization that soda might actually be elite– Aisha’s full hydration personal best and why skiing all day unlocked a new relationship with fluids– Growing up in the ’90s, mom culture, and why Diet Coke feels genetically encoded– Aisha accidentally skiing a black diamond, survival turns, and Strava validating the effort– Why Aisha's Strava is private, deprogramming from pace shame, and learning to enjoy running again– World Cross Country Championships are days away and the excitement is real– Beatrice Chebet is sitting out World Cross to prioritize starting a f

It’s the final episode of Off The Rails for 2025.In this episode:– The joy of being home, sleeping in your own bed, and why buying a mattress for your in-laws might be elite holiday behavior– Casper vs. Costco mattresses and Aisha accidentally starting a comfortable sleep revolution– Anti-nap club vs. people with the terrifying ability to nap anywhere, anytime– Snoring horror stories from training camps, Olympic Villages, and the loudest roommates imaginable– Mouth taping, deviated septums, and why some sleep trends should come with warning labels– Eric’s ideal sleep setup– Holiday recaps from Boulder and the Jenkins household, including white Christmases, Scandinavian food traditions, and Boxing Day chaos– World Cross Country Championships are 13 days away and nobody is talking about it– Breaking down the newly revealed World Cross course featuring bridges, sand, water pits, mud pits, hay bales, and fake alligators– Why World Cross is the hardest race in the sport (and possibly turning into a Tough Mudder)–

It’s another holiday-adjacent, slightly sleep-deprived episode of Off The Rails as Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer check in from opposite ends of the country. Eric is fresh off Donovan Brazier’s wedding, while Aisha is deep in Midwest holiday chaos. We're always "one coffee away from a menti-b."In this episode:– The fallout from the Grand Slam Track bankruptcy– The rise of the Patriot Games– The continued expansion of the Enhanced Games– A baffling ruling involving Emily Venters’ stripped results sparks a deeper discussion about athlete protections at the collegiate level– Ideal NIL deals in Eugene (Market of Choice supremacy + The spiritual experience of Hirons Drug Store– Buc-ee’s, Wawa, and whether Aisha could survive a 74,000-square-foot travel center without a plan– Eric’s unhinged love of arriving two hours early at the airport– Chili’s, airport walks, and why Eric thrives in terminal chaos– Announcement: We're coming out of retirement for cross country– Strava employee fired after

Between birthday chaos, breaking running news, and a few pop culture detours, Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught Leer cover a lot of ground in this week’s episode.Topics discussed in this week’s episode include:– Being together in Portland around Nike Cross Nationals and what it’s like when the pod records in-person– Aisha’s birthday chaos, including a surprise party bus, brake fluid concerns, and unintended emotional damage– Sagittarius traits, astrology skepticism, and why they're both “26 again”– The Valencia Marathon: standout performances, crossover athletes, and what makes Valencia the place to run fast– The latest fallout from Grand Slam Track filing for bankruptcy and why the athletes are paying the biggest price– What a real apology from Grand Slam leadership should sound like– Lindsey Vonn’s shocking return to World Cup skiing at age 41 and why Aisha is now fully locked in for the Winter Olympics– Sinclair Johnson’s American record at the Hawaii Mile and how wild it is to run that fast with a hairpi

It's a rare occasion where Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer are together in-person to record the podcast. This time, they're in Portland as the CITIUS MAG team partners with NIKE around Nike Cross Nationals.Topics discussed in this week's episode include:– Our experience together in Portland at Nike Cross Country Nationals– Did we tank in our first time on stage?– Ideas that we have for our first Off The Rails LIVE show in Boston– Thoughts on visiting the NIKE campus– World Athletics Awards– Mondo made a Grand Slam Track joke that killed – Egg Yolk Facials + the need for a CITIUS MAG makeup department– Eric's newest running crush is a very talented runner– Age gap couples – Aisha's big ego boost– Spotify Wrapped and what your musical results say about you

With another down week of news, we decided to crown the best track and field moments of 2025, according to Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer.This week's topics include:– Thanksgiving reflections, travel mishaps, and the annual debate over Turkey Trots– Eric’s family 5K pacing controversy– The deep anthropology of leftovers, Erewhon and the “rich people grocery store” experience– Homeless vs. Unhoused – The Boulder Effect: training environment, altitude advantages, and the ever-growing pro scene– How the Oregon Project was set up when Eric was on the team– A farewell to our Jamaican marathon record dreams + recalibrating future goals– What to expect from us at Nike Cross Nationals– Listener voicemail: What does winning a race actually feel like?– Celebrating the legendary career of Evan Jager– The best of 2025 in track & field: from George Beamish to Melissa Jefferson-Wooden– Dong-gate 2025: Honoring the most iconic wardrobe malfunction in recent memory– More on the best rivalries, comebacks and the

It’s a six-month anniversary episode (!) and also a chaos-filled, cross-country-heavy, holiday-adjacent, pop-culture-spiraling installment of Off The Rails with Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer. NCAA XC wrapped 15 minutes before recording and the takes are HOT.This week's topics include:– Celebrating six months of Off The Rails (they said it couldn’t be done!)– Early Christmas vibes + Denver Botanical Garden date night adventures– Real vs. fake Christmas trees + DIY confidence from YouTube University– Thanksgiving plans, turkey trots, and Aisha’s undying love for potatoes– Hosting 30-person Thanksgivings + abandoning Boulder runners this year– Full breakdown of the NCAA XC Championships– The men cutting the course (!), hay-bale chaos, and why Aisha was screaming– Doris Lemngole vs. Jane Hedengren: a dogfight at the front– The women’s team race + the rise of powerhouse female coaches– Lori Henes, Diljeet Taylor, Shalane Flanagan and the wide spectrum of coaching styles– The men’s race: Habtom Samuel’s d

It's been a quiet-ish week in the track and field world but that won't stop Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer from finding enough to yap about.This week's topics include: – Aisha recaps the 2025 Team Boss Mile and the massive success– Boulder has the nepo babies of running– We'll be at Nike Cross Country Nationals– Elise Cranny to M11 Track Club– Marvin Bracy-Williams has been suspended but cooperated with USADA investigators– A conspiracy theory on whether World Athletics left Melissa Jefferson-Wooden off the finalists list for Athlete of the Year because of the Marvin Bracy Williams news– A thank you and farewell to Bee Keeper Coffee– All three rounds of the women's 100m will be run in one day at the 2028 LA Olympics– The athlete and public reaction to the three rounds in one day– Aisha explains her role with World Athletics and the attention to detail on this– Expectations for LA hosting the Olympics– The Epstein Files and whether Donald Trump gave Bill Clinton a BJ– A TikTok influenc

Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer are back after a week off, where it was much needed to recover from New York City Marathon week.Among the topics discussed in this week's episode:– We kick things off with some technical difficulties– Post-New York City trip reflections– New Balance folks party HARD – An update on the Jamaican marathon record attempt– Influencers and the NYC Marathon– Grammy nominations discussion– Grammy predictions and artist favorites– Controversies in the Female Athlete of the Year nominations– The impact of awards on athlete recognition– Men's Athlete of the Year discussion– Eliud Kipchoge's global ambassador role and brand influence– Kipchoge meets Barack Obama– Voicemails include: Coaching aspirations and listener engagement; the $2 Million Dilemma: Cash vs. Training; navigating group runs with bathroom issues; track and field lingo; should people move to the marathon sooner?

So much happened that Aisha Praught-Leer put together a What The Hell list from the past week. Among the topics discussed in this week's episode:– Ruth Chepngetich gets BANNED for three years and there's some sketchy texts– The implications of doping in track and field– Iowa State's men's cross country team has some controversy swirling– There's multiple NBA scandals being investigated by the FBI– What happens if gambling hits track and field– The Louvre Heist was a delightful crime story to follow– Has Donald Trump taken it too far with the White House renovations of the East Wing?– Hurricane Melissa is a looming threat for Jamaica– Aisha is not a fan of the World Treadmill Championships– Voicemails include: A listener will not tolerate NYC slander, a Railrider invites Eric and Aisha to her wedding, more Halloween costume ideas, someone wants career advice from Aisha, what kind of dog are you?

Eric Jenkins made it back from Canada early enough to ensure that there was an Off The Rails episode for the fans.Topics discussed in this week's episode include:– Eric’s adventures in Toronto, including meeting a RailRider mid-race– Traveling and upcoming events– The public’s reaction to Aisha’s marathon goal from the last episode– Halloween plans and costumes– New York Marathon excitement– Some early storylines to watch in NYC– Aisha’s fantasy about living in New York City– Halloween costume ideas– Our favorite candies– Boulder’s best men’s softball team – The Shin Splints– World Cross-Country Championships are coming to America– Where athletes usually are in October with training– Why Eric didn’t like living in Portland– Voicemails include: The impact of injuries on a runner’s identity and navigating life beyond professional running

Aisha Praught-Leer and Eric Jenkins reconnect after the Chicago Marathon and share Eric's highlights from the weekend and his first trip to the Windy City. They discuss the emotional journey of marathon runners, the excitement of major marathons, and the impact of recent doping scandals on the sport.Discussed in this episode:– The Chicago Marathon experience– Live shows can be nerve-wracking but rewarding for athletes.– Major marathons offer a unique energy that is unmatched in other sports– The emotional journey of marathon runners– Planning for marathons requires strategic thinking and commitment– Athletes who face immense pressure to perform well in major races– The impact of doping scandals can overshadow athletic achievements.– Contracts and appearance fees play a significant role in marathon participation.– Femke Bol's transition to the 800m is an exciting development– Kenyan athletes doing step aerobics– ATHLOS showcased high production quality and athlete engagement + how in-person experiences

Rise and shine! Eric and Aisha connect early to record an all-new episode because they're dedicated and won't miss a week in your podcast feeds.Topics in this episode include:– Aisha had a wild weekend celebrating a friend's daughter's one-year birthday.– Bear encounters can be both scary and humorous.– Hydration is crucial after a night of partying.– Music news includes Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl.– Coaching misconduct can have serious implications for athletes.– Laura Muir's bravery in speaking out against her coach is commendable.– International recruitment in the NCAA raises ethical concerns.– The professionalization of college sports is changing the landscape.– Athletes deserve safe environments to train and compete.– The future of college sports may need new regulations. Recruiting in athletics is a complex and challenging process.– The culture of a team can influence recruitment and athlete development.– There is a growing debate on whether college athletes should be paid