Aisha Praught-Leer and Eric Jenkins discuss all the week's happenings including the half marathon world record being broken, the Silesia Diamond League and some updates on Eric Jenkins' marathon training.

Discussed in this episode:

– Eric's marathon build — current status: Ten miles. High 8:30 average. Ninety minutes. First double-digit run in possibly two years.

– Yomif Kejelcha, half marathon world record, 56:51: Set at the Buenos Aires Marathon. Took 21 seconds off Kiplimo's 57:20 from Lisbon in March. Was checking his watch the whole race, fully aware. Post-race quote included the phrase "full of beans" — not a fueling strategy, a British idiom meaning full of energy and enthusiasm, which neither host had ever encountered before.

– Harry and Meghan moving back to the UK: Short-term, up to six months, keeping the Montecito mansion. Nobody knows why.

– Tupac murder trial: Dwayne Davis, accused of the 1996 drive-by shooting, has pleaded not guilty. Conspiracy theories about Diddy resurfacing.

– Lindsay Clancy case: Duxbury, Massachusetts. Pleading not guilty by reason of insanity — postpartum psychosis and a combination of medications. Mother-in-law testified in her defense that she was begging for help beforehand. Husband has since remarried. Netflix series incoming.

– Casey Musgraves and the disco balls: She opened her tour perched atop giant testicle-shaped disco balls.

– Diamond League recap: Ethan Strand wins the men's 1500 in a loaded field featuring Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Cole Hocker; American men went 2-3-4 in the Lausanne 5000m (Parker Wolf, Nico Young, Graham Blanks); Tsige Duguma wins the women's 1500 with a last-50m burst that nobody saw coming; El Bakkali gets beaten in the steeple for the third time in four years; Marco Arop goes out in 48.5 through 400 meters in the men's 800 and goes for the world record — doesn't get it but the bravery is noted; Rai Benjamin's flat 400 is real; Femke Bol is getting exponentially better every race in the 800m

– Why changing your running form is harder than it sounds: Aisha shares her drill philosophy from her days with coach Mark Rowland

– New York City Marathon elite field announced

– Jenny Simpson speaks publicly: Diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy — scar tissue in the heart causing an arrhythmia.

– Voicemails include: A former shot-putter explains why throwing is the objectively superior sport; best competition roommates; and some surprises from Eric and Aisha's Wikipedia pages.

📞 Call in to (856) 279-0080‬ to leave us a voicemail with any question you may have, whether it’s running-related or not.

📲 Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or follow the show on Spotify to stay up-to-date with all the latest episodes.

🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@OffTheRailsWithEricandAisha

Follow your hosts on Instagram:

🗣️ Follow Eric Jenkins: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_ericjenkins⁠⁠⁠⁠

🗣️ Follow Aisha Praught-Leer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aishapraughtleer

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⚠️ WARNING ⚠️

Listening to “Off The Rails with Eric and Aisha” while running may result in uncontrollable laughter, side stitches, funny looks from strangers, and the occasional trip hazard due to snort-laughing mid-stride. Proceed with caution—and maybe stretch your abs beforehand. Use caution when wearing earbuds in public places—people will wonder if you’re okay. You are. You’re just having a really good time.

One of the longest episodes in Off the Rails history and one of the most eventful.

Discussed in this episode:

– Eric vs. the bike: Three rides in. Main problems: sweating while commuting and not wanting to wear shorts.

– Pre-race rituals: In response to a voicemail from Jean Nicole, a theology professor who uses athletic analogies in teaching monastic practices.

– Freddie Crittenden is a middle school math teacher: Retired at USAs. Now posting the most wholesome content on Instagram — previewing his classroom, talking through the transition.

– Wiz Khalifa is running: The touchstone that running has arrived in culture. He got called slow at a nine-minute pace, went out and ran fast to prove people wrong. Shame on anyone who shamed him for his pace.

– AOC's egg-freezing journey: Aisha opens up for the first time publicly about being almost two years into an IVF journey that hasn't been going great. The power of seeing someone do this in real time (not at the end of the story when everything is resolved) is felt.

– Brad Pitt is drinking again: Seven years sober. Now not. All his kids have dropped his last name. He owns a vineyard. The comment section is on fire. He's in the Leo/Pitt class — too big, too beloved, too beautiful for PR to fully catch them.

– Fayetteville-Manlius and Bill Aris: 12-time national championship coach let go over overtraining allegations. The broader conversation centers on: What is the right intensity for high school athletes?

– Jonah Koech gets a three-year blood doping ban: Full ABP explainer from Aisha. The Athlete Biological Passport tracks blood values over time and flags when they're consistent with doping, even if no single test detects a substance. Two tests flagged: July 30, 2025 (one day before the USATF prelims he'd go on to win) and August 8th (six days after his final win). Values consistent with blood doping. Standard four-year ban reduced to three for admitting use of a prohibited method. He's since come out saying he was pressured into the admission.

– European Championships recap: Jakob Ingebrigtsen wins the 5K gold in his first race back in 11 months; Mark English wins his first European gold in the 800m at age 33; Gesa Krause wins the women's steeple in one decisive move at the final water jump; Audrey Werro beats Keely Hodgkinson again; Andreas Almgren's 10K is a clinic in front-running from the start and finishes with a 40-second winning margin, European record.

– Lausanne Diamond League is back on Friday August 21st: Audrey Werro vs. Femke Bol women's 800 rematch. Winfred Yavi, Faith Cherotich in the women's steeple. Graham Blanks, Grant Fisher, Parker Wolf, Nico Young in the men's 5K. Brandon Miller, Emmanuel Wanyoni, Marco Arop, Djamel Sedjati in the men's 800.

– Eric is running the New York City Marathon: First marathon. New Balance team. Goal: 3:30. Eight-minute pace. That's actually running. Current long run: 8 miles. Fueling: never done it, has to figure it out immediately.

Voicemails include: Did someone set Eric up in his bad host family experience; who would you want to host for a race; what would your running celebration be

– MERCH IS LIVE: Link in the show notes. They said it couldn't be done. They were almost right. Against all odds — it's done.

Get your Off The Rails merch here: https://off-the-rails-pod-shop.fourthwall.com/

📞 Call in to (856) 279-0080‬ to leave us a voicemail with any question you may have, whether it’s running-related or not.

📲 Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or follow the show on Spotify to stay up-to-date with all the latest episodes.

🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@OffTheRailsWithEricandAisha

Follow your hosts on Instagram:

🗣️ Follow Eric Jenkins: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_ericjenkins⁠⁠⁠⁠

🗣️ Follow Aisha Praught-Leer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aishapraughtleer