THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

Olympic middle-distance star and Massachusetts native Heather MacLean makes her debut on the show, ready to break down her latest success on the track.Heather, a Tokyo 2021 Olympic runner, started 2025 with a bang–winning the mile race at the Indoor Grand Prix in Boston in February, smashing a 4:23.32 while setting a meet record.Later that month, Heather ran at the Last Chance National Qualifier at BU, running a dazzling 4:17.01 mile, a new record for her. This makes her the fourth-fastest women indoor mile runner ever. Heather followed all of that up with a 1500m appearance at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, where she finished seventh with a time of 4:04.45.Heather’s resume is sparkling to say the least: she came in third in the 2020 Trials to earn her spot in the 1,500m in Tokyo; she was a 2022 US Indoor 1,500m champion and 1,500m World Finalist; and has PRs of 3:58.3 in the outdoor 1,500m and 1:58.7 in the 800m. Heather, who is now a member of the New Balance Boston team run by coach Mark Coogan, grew up in Peabody, Massachusetts and ran for the University of Massachusetts. She holds the 800m, 1,000m, 1,500m women’s records at the school, and became the first woman from UMass to earn NCAA D-1 All-American honors in cross country in 2017.In today’s conversation, Heather walks me through her recent successful indoor season, how her self-awareness and self-belief have propelled her forward, what she wants to accomplish in the years to come, inside her training, and much more. I've looked up to Heather for years, so it was a pleasure to have the chance to speak with her and learn from her! Take the time to listen. Tap into the Heather MacLean 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-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

Fresh off his thrilling victory in Virginia, brand-new NCAA Mile Champion Abel Teffra joins the show today to break down his epic performance.Abel, currently a graduate student at Georgetown, set an NCAA meet record with his 3:53.60 mile at the 2025 Indoor Championships, becoming the second Hoya to win the event in program history. Abel secured the win with a decisive and exciting move to overtake the stellar Nathan Green on the home straight of the final lap. Abel has been slowly and methodically moving his way up the rankings: in cross country alone he has improved from 250th to 65th on the National Championship scene.During the 2023-24 season Abel won the Big East Indoor mile and was a member of the winning 4x800m relay team during that season. He finished fifth in the mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships last March with a 4:02.57.His breakout came this year on February 8 when he ran 3:37.70 in the 1500m and 3:52.44 in the mile at BU. His big NCAA title should come as no surprise to those following the sport. Abel attended Central High (East Campus) in Fresno California, where he ran PRs of 4:14.80 in the 1600m and 9:32.25 in the 3200m. In today’s conversation, Abel takes me through insights from his first-ever NCAA Championship win, what went into this win, his relationship with his coach and teammates, his ambitions for the future, and so much more. If you're curious of the journey to win an NCAA title, this one is for you. Tap into the Abel Teffra 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-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

Josette Norris Andrews joins the show after setting an incredible new 2025 world standard in the 5,000m at the BU Last Chance meet, clocking a speedy 14:44.80. (Josette's personal best in the 5,000m is an even-faster 14:43.36.)Josette is healthy and feeling like herself again, and it showed with a massive personal best at the Millrose Games in February when she ran a PR of 8:29.77 in the 3,000m.Josette competed for Team USA in both the 2022 and 2024 World Indoor Championships. She was also a member of the 2023 World Indoor team in the 3,000m, but unfortunately injured herself shortly after, which took her out for most of the spring 2024 season.In her two appearances of that year she came in second at the USATF Indoor Champs with a 3,000m time of 9:03.10; she then competed in the Olympic Trials in the 5,000m and came in 11th with a time of 15:26.25.Josette, who is a member of the On Athletics Club out of Boulder Colorado,  has additional PRs of 3:59 in the 1,500m and 4:20 in the mile. Collegiately, Josette competed for UNC and Georgetown; one of her many highlights includes a 2019 fourth place finish in the 5,000m in the Division 1 Outdoor Championships.In today's conversation, Josette takes me through her recent improvements as a professional runner, things she's learning, her time at the OAC, her goals for the future, her training routines, and much more!This one is packed full of insights from one of the best pro-runners in the country at the moment. Don't miss it!Tap into the Josette Norris Andrews 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-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

After an unforgettable 2024-25 indoor season, North Carolina coaching legend Chris Miltenberg is back on the podcast and ready to dish on the recent performances from his Tar Heel stars. Coach Milt has overseen the development of standout athletes Ethan Strand and Parker Wolfe, in addition to female mid-distance star Makayla Paige. Makayla and Ethan both are coming off NCAA Indoor titles— the former in the 800m with a time of 2:00.39; the latter with a 7:52.03 in the 3,000m in an incredibly fierce collegiate field. This run has been happening since the 2023-24 cross country and track and field seasons, where Coach Milt and the Tar Heels landed in the Top 10 at the NCAA Championships, while also claiming 6th place in cross country and 5th place in outdoor track and field. The Tar Heels also won their first ACC Cross Country Championship since 1985 and their first ACC Indoor Championship since 1996 that year. Coach Milt led Parker Wolfe to winning North Carolina's first-ever 5,000m National Championship at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Wolfe has won five ACC championships under Coach Miltenberg and set five school records, while also becoming the Tar Heel's first runner in history to be named to The Bowerman Award Watchlist.Whether it’s coaching Strand, Wolfe or Paige—or leading an impressive array of talent, Coach Milt has cemented himself as a transformative force in the world of track and field, while also mentoring and leading his many successful athletes. He has created an enduring legacy as one of the sport's most exceptional and influential coaches, and seems poised to add to it in the years to come. In today’s conversation, Coach Milt takes me through exclusive insights from the 2025 indoor season, how he balances the wins with not getting complacent, his thoughts heading into the outdoor season, what Makayla's win means for the women's program if he'll ever coach pros, and so much more. Tap into the Coach Chris Miltenberg 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-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

Mid-distance star Will Sumner is back on the show after smashing the Millrose Games 600m record in February, clocking an impressive 1:14.04The former Georgia Bulldog, who attended Woodstock High School in Georgia, comes from a lineage of stand-out runners. Will's parents, Brad and Tosha, both ran collegiately in the 1990s–Brad at Villanova and Tosha at Georgia. Will's sister, Brynne, has run for Villanova and Clemson and specializes in the 800m and 1500m. In high school, Will ran the (current) fourth-fastest outdoor 800m with a time of 1:46.53. He was named Gatorade Georgia Track and Field Player of the Year in 2021. He has since lowered that to an eye-popping 1:44.26 in 2023 when he won the NCAA Championships in June of that year as a freshman.  Will then went on to compete in the stacked 800m field at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Oregon and finished fifth with a time of 1:47.41.Will has a gold medal to his name, competing as part of the winning 4x400m team at the 2023 U23 NACAC Championships in Costa Rica. After an accomplished year with UGA, Will decided to turn pro in 2023, signing with Adidas. Will has current PRs ofWhile the USA 800m scene is chock full of all-time greats, Will is primed to be in the mix for years to come.Will's career PRs include 21.55 in the 200m, 45.78 in the 400m, 1:14.04 in the 600m and 1:44.26 in the 800m.In today's conversation, Will takes me through his setbacks and challenges in 2024, insights from them, how to overcome your own challenges, what his training is looking like these days, his goals for 2025, and his Hot Wheels collection. Tap into the Will Sumner 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!

Returning to the show today is the incomparable and inspirational, Kallup McCoy. Kallup wears many hats, including running coach, personal trainer, marathoner, Iron Man, and founder of RezHOPE, a nonprofit that supports individuals in recovery. His goal is to help those struggling with mental health and recovery-related issues.Kallup infamously battled drug addiction from the age of 11, using drugs such as meth and heroin, overdosing six times and spending time in prison. But the comeback is always greater than the setback, and he has since created unmistakable joy and inspiration through his work. A short documentary, titled ⁠Runner’s High⁠⁠,⁠ debuted in 2024 and documented Kallup’s ⁠14-year struggle and rebound from addiction. ⁠Kallup has jam packed a lifetime’s worth of adventure into his post-addiction years, which was highlighted by his traverse of the Trail of Tears, a 1,200 mile journey in the southeastern part of the US. Kallup has also run the Boston Marathon twice, multiple 50 milers, a 100 miler, and a last-man-standing ultra race. Currently, Kallup is eyeing his biggest adventure to date–a run across the United States to help raise funds for his nonprofit. In today’s conversation, Kallup takes me through his plans to run across America, how he's trained for it, the adversity he's faced, the lessons he's learned, and so much more. I always am so blessed by my conversations with Kallup. Don't miss this one!Tap into the Kallup McCoy 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-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

Elite distance runner and former Oklahoma State star Taylor Roe joins the show fresh off her scorching 1:07:22 half-marathon victory at the USATF Half-Marathon Championships on March 2.Now a professional runner for PUMA and a member of the PUMA Elite Running Team, Taylor punched her ticket to represent Team USA at the World Running Championships.Taylor is known throughout the running community for her impressive performance at the 2024 Indoor Track Championships, where she came in second to Parker Valby in the 5,000m, notching an impressive 15:15.01.  Taylor attended Lake Stevens High School in Washington, where she was named Gatorade Washington Women’s Track and Field Athlete of the Year in 2017. During her time at OSU, she also won the women’s 3,000m title indoors in 2022, and finished third in the 10,000m in June of 2024 during outdoor season. She ended 2024 with a stellar performance at the Eagle Elite Invitational in Boston, running a 15:12.71 in the 5,000 meters. This race not only secured her the fourth-fastest indoor 5K time in NCAA history but also shattered the previous school record.Although Taylor has PRs of 4:13.99 in the 1,500m, 4:33.56 in the mile, 8:51.60 in the 3,000 and 32:17.45 in the 10,000m, she has aspirations of getting those times down this summer–and there is no evidence that we should doubt her.In today’s conversation, Taylor takes me through her most recent win at the USATF Half Championships, her journey as a pro, her years in the NCAA and how she progressed so well, what it's like being surrounded by excellence every day, what she wants to accomplish in the coming years, and much more. Tap into the Taylor Roe 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-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

High school senior Josiah Tostenson, renowned for running the second-fastest indoor mile in U.S. high school history, joins the show today to dive into his recent triumph at BU in February and share his excitement for the upcoming New Balance Nationals in Boston this March.Josiah and Tayvon Kitchen (of Crater High School in Oregon) became the first high school teammates to both run sub 4-minute miles indoors in the same meet at the Terrier DMR Challenge at BU.Josiah is committed to Washington to become a Husky in the fall of 2025, joining recent guest (and all-time high school mile record-holder), Owen Powell. Josiah signed an NIL deal with New Balance in 2024.Josiah has indoor PRs of 2:27.64 in the 1,000m, 3:41.32 in the 1,500m, and 7:57.42 in the 3,000m. Outdoor PRs include 1:52.00 in the 800m, 8:39.89 in the 3,200m, and 14:23.90 in the 5,000m. Josiah was named Gatorade 2023-24 Track and Field Boys Player of the Year. He also serves as the primary caretaker for his father, who is battling Parkinson’s Disease. Josiah has shown copious amounts of versatility and resilience in his short time as a star runner, and is poised to be a top contender next year in the NCAA.In today’s conversation, Josiah takes me through his training, mindset, his progression in sport (including running 4:09 in the Mile as a freshman), his 3:57 Mile at BU, his thoughts on the class of 2025, what he wants to accomplish in the future, and so much more. This one was such a blast, and I hope you are all as inspired by Josiah's story as I was. Tap into the Josiah Tostenson 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-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

Olympic marathoner Dakotah Popehn joins the show ahead of her highly-anticipated return to the Boston Marathon this April!Most recently, Dakotah came in 10th at the 2025 USATF Half Marathon Championships in a very stacked field. The Puma-sponsored distance runner has had a storied career so far, and does not seem primed to be slowing down any time soon.Dakotah is well-known for her participation in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics; she came in 12th with a time of 2:26.44. Her PR in the distance came in 2023 at the Chicago Marathon when she came in 12th with a time of 2:24.40–a time that places her 13th all-time for women U.S. marathoners. Dakotah also has a 1:08 half under her belt.Dakotah's journey began at St. Francis High School in Minnesota, where she ran cross country and track, while also serving as the goaltender on the girls hockey team. She continued her running career at Northern State University in South Dakota, where she was originally a walk-on, but ended up flourishing, coming in sixth in the 10k at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Champs.Dakotah's unheralded rise through the ranks has continued in her professional career: she has won Grandma's Marathon in Minnesota twice and the Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon in Minnesota three times.In today's conversation, Dakotah gives me extensive insights on confidence, delusional belief, how to push through hard days, running 130-mile weeks, her walk-on to the Olympics story, and so much more. Guys, this may take the cake for my favorite episode this year. It was full of good energy and deep insights. Do not miss it & share it with a friend!Tap into the Dakotah Popehn 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-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

Record-setting Tar Heels superstar Ethan Strand returns to the show today as he gears up for the Indoor Track and Field Championships this March in Virginia. The year 2025 has been good to this mid-distance star, as he ran a remarkable 3:48.32 indoor mile in Boston on February 1. This performance cemented Ethan as the fastest indoor miler in NCAA history while also positioning himself as the third-fastest indoor mile runner ever.This rising legend also owns the NCAA record in the 3,000m; he ran 7:30.15 in Boston at the end of 2024, famously out-kicking his similarly-stellar teammate, Parker Wolfe. Ethan also ran his first-ever indoor 5k and won in impressive fashionwith a time of 13:26.60 at the ACC Indoor Championships in March.Prior to entering the conversation for being on the pantheon of the greatest NCAA runners ever, Ethan attended Vestavia Hills High in Birmingham, Alabama, where he was a two-time Alabama Gatorade Cross Country Player of the Year winner (2019 and 2020). Ethan comes from coaching parents, as his father, Scott, is a former coach on the Alabama men’s track team, and his mother, Lori, was a cross-country coach at Samford University. In today’s conversation, Ethan walks me through his past few months of performances including two NCAA records and winning the ACC 5k, we discuss XC strength, why things have clicked recently for him, the inside scoop on the UNC DMR, his goals going into Nationals, and his long-term vision for outdoors. Take the opportunity to learn from one of the greatest to ever do it at the NCAA level. Tap into the Ethan Strand 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-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