Assefa Limps Home in 2:11, Hedengren Upset, Josh Kerr 2:12 1000m
LetsRun.com's Track Talk: The Home of Running and Track and FieldShow Notes
Tigst Assefa was on world record pace at the Berlin Marathon before an Achilles injury derailed her final two kilometers. She still limped home in 2:11:04, the third-fastest women's marathon ever, and underwent surgery within hours.
Would Assefa broken Ruth Chepngetich's drug-tainted 2:09:56 world record? Is the new Adidas shoe the new "mechanical doping"?
In the NCAA, New Mexico upset number-one Oklahoma State at the Cowboy Jamboree behind 27-year-old freshman Pasanjo Kitonga while BYU's Jane Hedengren suffered a rare defeat. Is is a sophomore slump?
Josh Kerr released footage of a 2:12.66 1,000-meter time trial that would rank fifth all-time, fueling further argument about whether this was the greatest mile season in history.
🎁 🎧 Get a 2nd LetsRun podcast every week + bonus content: Join the Supporters Club — https://www.letsrun.com/subscribe
LINKS
LetsRun.com Week That Was
Josh Kerr 1,000m Time Trial (YouTube)
Blueberry Study — International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
Mile WR vs Marathon WR
LetsRun.com Forum — letsrun.com/forum
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro and Episode Preview
03:22 Berlin Marathon: Assefa's Heartbreaking World Record Attempt
10:26 Is the Women's Marathon World Record Legitimate?
13:23 Could Assefa Have Run 2:09 Clean?
19:09 The Adidas Super Shoe Advantage
19:58 Berlin Men's Race: Guye Adola Wins at 35
23:13 Berlin Pacing Strategy Debate
25:21 Selemon Barega's Marathon Future vs. Cheptegei
32:52 Are Adidas Shoes the New Mechanical Doping?
34:08 NCAA Cross Country: New Mexico Upsets Oklahoma State
36:54 International Runners and the NCAA Debate
39:08 Jane Hedengren Loses at Cowboy Jamboree
47:21 Is Jane Hedengren's Sophomore Slump Real?
51:42 Doping, Paula Radcliffe, and the 2:15 Debate
54:41 I Think Jane, in Terms of Racing, Should Learn to Relax
55:14 Mile vs. Marathon: Which World Record Is Better?
60:07 Josh Kerr's 1,000-Meter Time Trial Breakdown
63:40 Can Josh Kerr Run 1:42 for 800 Meters?
69:07 El Guerrouj Never Ran the 800 and Other Mysteries
75:27 Kerr's Brooks Deal, Blueberry Doping, and Podcast Tangents
79:30 Thailand's Sprint Sensation and Asian Games Language Drama
82:47 America's Sports Silo Problem
86:42 Fix the Marathon Broadcast and Closing Thoughts
Contact us:
Email: [email protected] Call or text: 1-844-LETSRUN (1-844-538-7786)
ABOUT THE LETSRUN.COM PODCAST
Since 2000, LetsRun.com has been the independent home of elite running. Described by the New York Times as the "influential website that serves as something of a superego for American running," the podcast is the weekly deep dive into the world of track and field and elite distance running.
The show is hosted by LetsRun.com co-founders Weldon Johnson, a 2-time Team USA member, and Robert Johnson, a former Cornell coach who helped pace the marathon world record, along with award-winning senior writer Jonathan Gault. Together they move beyond PR headlines to provide insider reporting and unfiltered debate serious fans rely on.
More from LetsRun.com's Track Talk: The Home of Running and Track and Field
🏃 Presented by VKTRY
🏃 Presented by VKTRY
The 2026 Chicago Marathon is stacked with storylines. On the men's side, Vinny Mauri, a former shoe store employee who ran 2:05 alone at Toledo, has gone viral for jaw-dropping treadmill workouts at Planet Fitness, fueling American record hopes. Rojo sparks heated debate by arguing the US has zero legitimate marathon title contenders despite record depth. The women's field is historically loaded with 12 sub-2:20 runners, led by former world record holder Brigid Kosgei and two-time Boston winner Sharon Lokedi, who's running her first flat marathon. The crew also breaks down Jacob Kiplimo's chances, weather concerns that could derail fast times, and whether super shoes benefit women more than men.
Emma Grace Hurley joins the podcast after the race of her life: a 66:23 half marathon PB at the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, good for fifth place and a historic team silver medal for the US women. She breaks down her race strategy, the chaotic Atlanta trials where she was led off course in the final mile, and why she chose the half marathon over the 5K.
Andreas Almgren became the first non-African man in 30 years to win the World Half Marathon Championships, running 58:06 in Copenhagen and reigniting debate over whether he can contend at the New York City Marathon. The US women earned team silver with three runners in the top 10, Emma Grace Hurley, Weini Kelati, and Jess McClain all delivering stellar performances, while the US men took bronze.