The Running Effect Podcast
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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.
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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!
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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.
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S H O W N O T E S
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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.
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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.
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American Olympic distance runner Fiona O'Keeffe joins the show today as she gears up for an electrifying spring of racing.
Fiona, best known for winning the 2024 United States Olympic Marathon Trials in her 26.2 debut, is an accomplished 5k and 10k runner with accolades dating back to her high school days.
Fiona competed at Davis High School in California, where she won the 2014 Gatorade California Cross Country Runner of the Year award, the first to do so from her school.
During her time at Davis High she was a three-time California State Division 1 champion; she won the 2016 California track title in the 3,200m, and was a member of a team runner-up finish at NXN in cross country.
She then took her talents to Stanford, where she was a seven-time All-American as a Cardinal for the class of 2020. Fiona won the 2019 Pac-12 individual cross country title, in addition to being a member of two team podium finishes at the NCAA cross country championships.
Fiona's lifetime PRs include 15:01 in the indoor 5k; 30:52 in the 10k; 67:42 in the half marathon; and 2:22:10 in the full marathon–which was her first place finish at the 2024 US Olympic Trials marathon. She also notched first place in the 2022 US 10 mile championship.
After turning pro in 2021, Fiona signed with Puma. She is currently coached by Amy and Alistair Cragg.
In today's conversation, Fiona takes me through her past year of successful running, winning her US Olympic Marathon Trials title last February, how she handles setbacks and pressure/expectations, her goals for 2025, and much more.
Tap into the Fiona O'Keeffe 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
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THE CONNOR BURNS & SIMEON BIRNBAUM SPECIAL
The Oregon Boys are back in action, baby! Our Call Room legends, Connor Burns and Simeon Birnbaum, return from a short TRE break–ready to dish on everything they've been up to. Buckle up!
The boys broke the 4-minute mile barrier in high school, and set countless state records. Connor set a National Record in the 5k by running 13:37; Simeon set a South Dakota state record in the 3,200m; ran the second-fastest 2-mile in US high school history; and the second-fastest 1,500m time in high school history.
Connor is off to a strong 2025 season so far, setting a PR in the 3,000m indoors on February 14 with a time of 7:48.47. In high school, he had PRs of 1:51.00 in the 800m, 3:45.42 in the 1,500m, and 3:58.83 in the mile.
Simeon has high school PRs of 1:47.96 in the 800m, 3:37.93 in the 1,500m, 3:57.53 in the mile and 8:34.10 in the 2-mile.Just eye-popping numbers from both stud athletes.
The boys' freshman years were hampered a bit by injury, but that doesn't dim the swagger they bring on the track and the grass. These boys are far from shy, and are the linchpins of Oregon coach Jerry Schumacher's distance program. Schumacher assumed leadership in 2022 after a 15-year tenure with the Nike Bowerman Track Club.
In today's conversation, Connor and Simeon take me through their XC/fall seasons and indoor season accomplishments, including Connor's B1G title in the 5k and Simeon running 3:52 in the Mile. We also dive into their mindsets going intothe outdoor season, Simeon's take going into the NCAA Indoor Meet, & answer your listener questions!
You'd be a fool to miss this one.
Tap into the Connor Burns & Simeon Birnbaum Special.
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Adidas pro Josh Hoey joins us fresh off a scorching performance at the Indoor Championships in New York, kicking off his 2025 season in other-wordly fashion.
Josh broke his own American Indoor 800m record, winning his first national championship at the 2025 USATF Indoor Championships in Staten Island with a time of 1:43.24.
Josh also ran a blazing 1:43.9 in the 800m at the Millrose Games; prior to that he won the 1500m at the New Balance Grand Prix in Boston with a time of 3:33.66, beating Olympian Grant Fisher.
In January of this year he set a new American record in the short track 1,000m with a time of 2:14.48–which is the second fastest time in indoor history. Josh finished fourth in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 800m with a time of 1:44.12.
Josh went to Bishop Shanahan High School in Pennsylvania, where he set a U.S. high school national record in the 800m as a senior with a time of 1:47.67.
Josh has experienced a lot in his time as a competitive runner, having worked with six coaches over six years. While Josh's dad is his main collaborator when it comes to training, his current work with coach Justin Rinaldi–who leads the Fast8 Track Club–is bearing immediate dividends.
In today's conversation, Josh takes me through his mindset, why he has much bigger things on his mind than what he's accomplished so far in 2025, what he wants to do on the World Stage, the state of the US Men's 800m, why his faith is so important to him and much more.
This conversation was excellent in its ability to dive-deep into one of the biggest up-and-coming runners in the world.
Tap into the Josh Hoey 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!
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-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz