
THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST
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.
Latest episodes

May 16, 2023 • 52min
Road To Glory: The Story Of Hobbs Kessler's Meteoric Rise In Track & Field
I have the great privilege of welcoming Hobbs Kessler to the podcast today.
Hobbs competes professionally for Adidas, having turned professional directly after high school. He holds the North American U20 record in the 1500 meters, having run 3:34.36 at the Portland Track Festival in May 2021. He also holds the American high school record for the indoor mile, with a time of 3:57.66 set in February 2021. He was named the 2021 Gatorade National Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Hobbs competes for The Very Nice Track Club based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Hobbs is one of the greatest runners of our generation.
Hobbs is also an outstanding rock climber. Growing up, he represented the United States many times growing up.
In today's episode of the podcast, Hobbs takes us through his incredible story and rise to the top of distance running. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and hearing more in-depth about the races that have shaped his career. Going through Hobb's incredble story and lessons he's learned along the way was incredibly enjoyable and inspiring.
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." 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.
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-GET YOUR FREE SAMPLE PACK OF LMNT: drinklmnt.com/therunningeffect
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-Hobb's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hobbs_kessler/?hl=en

May 14, 2023 • 45min
Chasing Greatness Sustainably: An Honest Discussion With Record-Breaker Sadie Engelhardt
Back like she never left, Sadie Engelhardt returns to the podcast!
For those who aren't familiar with Sadie, just as a Freshman last year, Sadie ran 4:35.16 in the mile (a U16 World Record), won Nike Outdoor Nationals, broke the state record in the 1500 by clocking a 4:11.79 at the Portland Track Festival and this past cross-country season won a state championship and ran a record-breaking time of 15:42 in the 3-mile. So far this season, Sadie became a national champion in the Mile indoors, won the West Coast Relays in a time of 2:06.71, won the Arcadia Invite Mile in a time of 4:36, and ran a seven-second meet record (yes, you read that right) at Mt. Sac.
In today's episode, we discuss many topics including all of her races this season thus far, her mindset shifts on training and racing over the past year, the most impressive workouts she's done this season, what her favorite cooking utensil is, and much more! I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Sadie. Many fun things discussed that will leave a smile on your face, but also tons of insights and wisdom from Sadie discussing her recent training, racing, and mindset.
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." 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.
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-GET YOUR FREE SAMPLE PACK OF LMNT: drinklmnt.com/therunningeffect
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-Sadie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sadie.engelhardtruns/?hl=en

May 12, 2023 • 57min
Finding Meaning In The Suffering & Joy In The Journey: A Deep Conversation With NCAA Star Cole Sprout
The one and only Cole Sprout returns to the podcast. Cole is a junior at Stanford University, where he has slowly cemented himself as one of the top runners in the NCAA. This past indoor season, Cole ran 3:56 in the Mile, 7:43 in the 3k, and 13:24 in the 5k. Just a few weeks ago, Cole ran 28:30 in the 10k to open up his outdoor campaign. Cole is also a multi-time All-American both on the track and the grass.
Cole and I get incredibly deep in this episode and discuss a plethora of topics surrounding philosophy that relate to running such as trusting in God's plan, chasing quick fixes, is there a destination?, enjoying the ordinary moment, finding meaning in suffering, and more. We also go through Cole's recent racing and ambitions for the rest of the season!
I hope you will all tune into this episode as I know it will positively impact you, and certainly make you think deeper on questions surrounding your life and sport. I know you'll walk away from today's conversation a better version of yourself, I can certainly say that was the case for me.
So I hope you all enjoy today's podcast and find value from the subjects discussed! Feel free to drop a comment with your thoughts (:
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." 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.
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-GET YOUR FREE SAMPLE PACK OF LMNT: drinklmnt.com/therunningeffect
-Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-Cole's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colecsprout/
-Cole's Stanford Profile: https://gostanford.com/sports/cross-country/roster/cole-sprout/19598

May 10, 2023 • 35min
CONNOR BURNS RUNS 13:37 HS NATIONAL RECORD, Simeon Destroys South Dakota Competition & More | THE CALL ROOM With Connor Burns & Simeon Birnbaum | Episode 7
CONNOR FREAKING BURNS. Episode 7 of The Call Room With Connor Burns & Simeon Birnbaum! In this episode we document Connor running 13:37.30 to set a new HS National Record in the 5k, Simeon owning the Howard Wood Dakota Relays, future training and races coming up, and much more! I hope you all enjoy this much as we did recording it. Consider dropping a comment on Spotify of how you enjoyed the episode / future topics you want to hear discussed.
ABOUT THE CALL ROOM: Introducing The Call Room With Connor Burns & Simeon Birnbaum.
The Running Effect will document their season in-depth this outdoor track season. Each week, Connor and Simeon will pull back the curtain and show you how they train physically and mentally and handle failure, adversity, and the ups and downs that ensue this season.
Connor Burns ran 3:58.83 in the mile last June, becoming the first high schooler from Missouri to break the four-minute barrier. He is also a reigning national champion in the 3200m and became the fifth-ever high schooler to break four minutes in the mile indoors by running 3:59.11. Most recently, Connor became a national champion indoors in the 2-mile by running 8:43.24. Connor has committed to run for The University of Oregon this fall.
Simeon Birnbaum is the first sixteen-year-old in America to break four minutes in the mile. He did this by running a 3:59.51 while winning a national title in that same race. Simeon also holds a personal best of 1:50.12 in the 800m. Simeon holds the South Dakota state records in the 3200m, 1600m, and 800m. Simeon has committed to run for The University of Oregon this fall.
This season Connor and Simeon are chasing history; we are here to document it in a historic and unprecedented fashion. Over the coming months, Connor and Simeon will dive deep into their outdoor campaign leading into big invitationals, state championships, national record attempts, and national meets. We will go into their training, racing, mindset, and answer your questions along the way!
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." 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. If you really enjoy the podcast, consider sharing it on social media to spread the word!
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-FESTIVAL OF MILES: https://festival-of-miles.runnerspace.com/
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-Connor's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connor_burnsy/?hl=en
-Simeon's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simeonbirnbaum/?hl=en

May 8, 2023 • 42min
Mastering The Mind Game: How To Train & Race At Your Best By Working On Your Mind With Expert Shannon Thompson MAPP, NCCP.
Today's podcast is a short exploration into the world of mental performance and simple practical ways in which you can improve it to ultimately improve yourself as a runner and in every day life. We go through this exploration with the one and only Shannon Thompson MAPP, NCCP.
Shannon is the mental performance counselor who works closely with NAU, NAZ Elite, UA Dark Sky Distance, and a plethora of top professional runners. As an athlete and a coach, Shannon has always been fascinated by the psychology of well-being and achievement. Her interest regarding the power of the mind to impact an athlete’s performance and overall experience drove Shannon to complete an undergraduate degree in psychology, and then a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.
In this conversation, Shannon goes deep on the benefits of focusing on mental performance, perspective, expectations, handling pre-race nerves/anxiety, and much more. I am 100% confident that you'll learn new things about mental performance by listening to this episode and be able to implement easy practices into your daily routine that will help you become a better runner and version of yourself.
Through listening to this podcast episode, you'll walk about with practical tools on improving mental performance that you can directly apply today.
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." 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. If you really enjoy the podcast, consider sharing it on social media to spread the word!
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-Mental Training Course: https://hypo2sport.com/mental-training/
-GET YOUR FREE SAMPLE PACK OF LMNT: drinklmnt.com/therunningeffect
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en

May 6, 2023 • 45min
Chasing History: A Conversation With Rocky Hansen, The Latest High School Sub-4 Minute Miler
Today on the podcast is the latest high schooler to break four minutes in the mile, Rocky Hansen!
On the final day of April 2023, Rocky ran 3:59.56 to win the mile against collegiate athletes at the Virginia High-Performance Meet. Hansen becomes the first North Carolina prep to accomplish the feat. Breaking records and making history, Hansen joins an exclusive group of only 18 high schoolers who have ever clocked a mile in under four minutes. Hansen's impressive feat ranks as the 15th-best time ever posted outdoors in the event. He has also run 8:34.78 for 3,200 meters at the Arcadia Invitational this season. Hansen is also a multi-time state Gatorade player of the year.
In this conversation, Rocky takes us through his historic season thus far, what it's meant to him, his ambitions for the rest of the season, how he ran a sub 4 mile, his training, committing to Wake Forest, and much more. This conversation was a ton of fun, and very insightful. I always enjoying diving deep into a big performance right after it happened, so who better to that with than the newest sub four miler! I hope you all enjoy the conversation as much as we did having it.
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." 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. If you really enjoy the podcast, consider sharing it on social media to spread the word!
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-GET YOUR FREE SAMPLE PACK OF LMNT: drinklmnt.com/therunningeffect
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-Rocky's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocky_hansen_/

May 4, 2023 • 43min
THE CALL ROOM With Connor Burns & Simeon Birnbaum | Episode 6: Simeon Takes Down The King Of Iowa, Connor Prepares For A Chance At History, & Track DQs
Episode 6 of The Call Room With Connor Burns & Simeon Birnbaum! In this episode, Simeon recaps, taking down the King of Iowa, Connor's mindset and preparation leading into The Track Meet this Saturday, Track DQs, Strava War, and much more. With every episode comes a new level of entertainment, insights, and of course, banter (:
ABOUT THE CALL ROOM: Introducing The Call Room With Connor Burns & Simeon Birnbaum.
The Running Effect will document their season in-depth this outdoor track season. Each week, Connor and Simeon will pull back the curtain and show you how they train physically and mentally and handle failure, adversity, and the ups and downs that ensue this season.
Connor Burns ran 3:58.83 in the mile last June, becoming the first high schooler from Missouri to break the four-minute barrier. He is also a reigning national champion in the 3200m and became the fifth-ever high schooler to break four minutes in the mile indoors by running 3:59.11. Most recently, Connor became a national champion indoors in the 2-mile by running 8:43.24. Connor has committed to run for The University of Oregon this fall.
Simeon Birnbaum is the first sixteen-year-old in America to break four minutes in the mile. He did this by running a 3:59.51 while winning a national title in that same race. Simeon also holds a personal best of 1:50.12 in the 800m. Simeon holds the South Dakota state records in the 3200m, 1600m, and 800m. Simeon has committed to run for The University of Oregon this fall.
This season Connor and Simeon are chasing history; we are here to document it in a historic and unprecedented fashion. Over the coming months, Connor and Simeon will dive deep into their outdoor campaign leading into big invitationals, state championships, national record attempts, and national meets. We will go into their training, racing, mindset, and answer your questions along the way!
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." 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. If you really enjoy the podcast, consider sharing it on social media to spread the word!
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-FESTIVAL OF MILES: https://festival-of-miles.runnerspace.com/
-Watch Connor Race: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/on-track-fest-tickets-528822060017
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-Connor's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connor_burnsy/?hl=en
-Simeon's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simeonbirnbaum/?hl=en

May 2, 2023 • 54min
From California Track Star To NCAA All-American: The Incredible Story Of Mia Barnett
Today Mia Barnett joins the podcast!
Mia is a sophomore who attends and competes for The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), where she has cemented herself as one of the top female distance runners in the NCAA. Prior to transferring to UCLA, Mia ran for the University of Virginia, where she was an All-American and one of the top runners in the ACC. She became just the second athlete in UVA history to be named ACC Freshman of the Year. She holds PRs of 2:06.11 in the 800m, 4:10.23 in the 1500m, 4:33.54 in the Mile, and 9:14.28 in the 3k.
This conversation was informative and extremely fun! Mia and I go from ordinary running subjects to philosophical topics making this a wide-ranging discussion that I walked away from a better version of myself. Mia is an extremely ebullient individual making this conversation very enjoyable. I can't wait to see her tear it up the rest of this NCAA season and beyond.
So tune in to today's conversation for an inspiring and informative discussion that is sure to leave you feeling ready to tackle the next challenge in your life!
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." 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. If you really enjoy the podcast, consider sharing it on social media to spread the word!
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-GET YOUR FREE SAMPLE PACK OF LMNT: drinklmnt.com/therunningeffect
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-Mia's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miaaimeebarnett/

Apr 30, 2023 • 30min
Rewriting The History Books: The Remarkable Rise Of Australia's Amy Bunnage
Today on the podcast is the one and only Amy Bunnage!
Amy is an incredibly talented and hard-working individual who has rewritten the history books over the past few years. Amy has run 2:09 in the 800m, 4:14 in the 1500m, 8:51 in the 3k, and 15:31 in the 5k, all as a high schooler. She has won more Australian championships than I can keep track of. She will be competing for Stanford University this Fall.
If you're looking for inspiration, motivation, or just an all-around impressive person to listen to, look no further than today's podcast guest, Amy Bunnage. With her incredible athletic achievements and impressive work ethic, Amy is proof that with determination and hard work, anything is possible. Whether you're a sports fan, a student, or simply someone looking to be inspired, Amy's story is sure to leave you feeling motivated and ready to tackle whatever challenges come your way. So why not tune in and hear from one of the most impressive young athletes around? You won't be disappointed!
+ Listen to me ask Amy every question in the book about Australia, lol.
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." 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. If you really enjoy the podcast, consider sharing it on social media to spread the word!
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-GET YOUR FREE SAMPLE PACK OF LMNT: drinklmnt.com/therunningeffect
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-Amy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amybunnagee/?hl=en

Apr 28, 2023 • 46min
Sam Gilman: How An Air Force Cadet Balances Academy Life With Running At The Highest Level
Today's conversation is one I've been wanting to have for a while. Sam Gilman joins the podcast!
Sam is a Cadet at the United States Air Force Academy, where he has also become one of the top runners in the NCAA. Sam is a 3xAll-American and holds five Academy Records (Mile, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m - I/O). Sam has run 3:40.39 (1500m), 3:57.52 (Mile), 7:43.7 (3k), 13:25.17 (5k). He is looking to do some big things this spring and beyond.
I loved this conversation. I thoroughly enjoyed diving deep into the life of an Air Force Cadet who also happens to be one of the top runners in the NCAA. We delve into the intricacies of his life, from the rigorous training sessions to the sacrifices and commitments required to excel in both his military and athletic careers. Sam's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, determination, and discipline in achieving your dreams, no matter the odds. Tune in to gain valuable insights and learn how to push past your limits to achieve success in all aspects of your life. Get ready to be inspired and motivated as I take you on a journey with Sam in this captivating conversation.
You can listen wherever you find your podcasts by searching, "The Running Effect Podcast." 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. If you really enjoy the podcast, consider sharing it on social media to spread the word!
The podcast graphic was done by the talented: Xavier Gallo.
S H O W N O T E S
-GET YOUR FREE SAMPLE PACK OF LMNT: drinklmnt.com/therunningeffect
-My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en
-Sam's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samgilman1/?hl=en