THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

Latest Episodes:

Inside Sadie Engelhardt’s Next Chapter: Olympic Trials at 17, 4:27 Mile, 4:07 1500… and How She Plans to Win in College Sep 27, 2025

Show notes

At just 18, Sadie Engelhardt has lived the kind of running career most athletes dream about: national records, Olympic Trials, and head-to-head battles with pros.

Now, she’s back on the show as her next challenge looms: the grind of NCAA competition at NC State.

Sadie’s remarkable journey from rewriting the record books to embracing the challenges of collegiate running are sure to be primetime viewing. This is coming from the girl who set the high school outdoor mile record at 4:28.46 in St. Louisthen lowered it again indoors with a 4:27.97 at the Millrose Games.

She’s already left an indelible mark on prep distance running. Along the way, she gained invaluable experience racing the pros; competing at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, finishing 7th at the Sir Walter Miler, and running a 4:07.78 1500m personal best this summer.

Sadie has talked about bringing a “free feeling” approach into one of the most competitive NCAA programs, even after setbacks like managing an achilles issue late in her high school career.

With a new NIL partnership with Brooks Running, her debut as a freshman at NC State, and fresh goals on the horizon, Sadie Engelhardt is redefining what’s possible at the next level.

Tap into the Sadie Engelhardt Special.

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S H O W N O T E S

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Coach First, Tech Second: Tim Surface on Building Final Surge to Save Coaches Time (and Make Athletes Better) Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

Final Surge: https://www.finalsurge.com (RUNNINGEFFECT20)

Tim Surface’s path runs straight through the heart of the sport of running.

Tim is a University of Tulsa Academic All-American who kept competing after college, carving out a 2:24:39 marathon at Chicago and logging PRs of 1:09:12 for the half and 30:35 for 10,000m, before channeling that discipline into coaching and product building.

Today, from Raleigh, he wears two hats: that of a high-school coach at North Raleigh Christian Academy and co-founder/CEO of Final Surge, where he’s bringing an athlete’s empathy and a coach’s realism to endurance tech.

His north star is simple: save coaches time so they can spend it with athletes. That philosophy shows up in practical tools like attendance and roster features for teams, deep device integrations, and a mobile Structured Workout Builder that letscoaches create, edit, and sync sessions on the fly.

Tim is here to help guide coaches on how to communicate clearly and keep the human side of coaching front and center.

Tim has a great perspective on what high-school athletes truly need in 2025, how to cut noise from data, and where endurance technology is headed next.

This is a story of mileage becoming momentum—of a runner who never stopped building—and a playbook for coaches and athletes who want their tools to work as hard as they do.

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S H O W N O T E S

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-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run

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Stop Overcomplicating Your Running: Jeff Cunningham’s Evidence-Based Plan for Real-World Athletes + Insights From Coaching Nick Bare Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

If you smash together courtroom precision with marathon coaching, you get Jeff Cunningham.

Jeff is a licensed Texas attorney turned creator of Austin’s Bat City Track Club, and he is here to open up the playbook behind one of America’s most quietly effective pro-development groups.

From Haftu Knight’s 2:09:38 breakthrough to Lindsey Bradley’s Indy Monumental course record, Bat City’s 2024–25 results are proof that Jeff’s gritty, repeatable systems scale from first-timers to elites.

Jeff is a man who can talk about the weeks that lead to a 2:09 marathon, the indicators that signal a breakthrough, and how to keep joy and accountability in balance. He’s also coached entrepreneur and hybrid athlete Nick Bare, proving that Bat City’s principles work just as well for high-performing professionals as they do for pros chasing the Olympic Trials.

In this episode, Jeff explains his unorthodox “one big workout a week” approach tailored to busy working athletes, why monotony beats flash, and how Bat City grew from two athletes in 2018 to a deep roster—all while he still practices law and coaches before dawn.

Mentored by legends and intent on paying it forward, he frames marathon prep as patient, evidence-based work and reminds athletes their ceiling is far higher than they think.

Whether you're a first-time marathoner or an aspiring Trials qualifier, this episode is a masterclass in translating big goals into durable training—and results.

Tap into the Jeff Cunningham Special.

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S H O W N O T E S

-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs

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-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

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Your Training Isn’t Broken—Your Fueling Is: RD Cortney Berling on Solving RED-S and Getting Faster Sep 21, 2025

Show notes

Most runners think their biggest limiter is training volume, paces, or genetics.

Cortney Berling says it’s something much simpler: you’re not eating enough.

Fresh off a 2:52:49 finish at the 2025 Eugene Marathon and armed with her credentials as a Registered Dietitian (MPH, RD, CDE), Cortney sits down to unpack RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport): what it is, why it matters, and how to fix it before it derails your running and your health.

Cortney’s perspective is unique because she’s lived it on every stage: from a 3,000m steeplechase PR of 11:05.95 at the University of Cincinnati, to a 1:22 half marathon in Portland (2024), to road wins like the Old Port Half in Maine (2017), to her current life as a sub-3 marathoner in Oregon.

Along the way she’s been a board member and elite athlete coordinator with WMDP, coached high school runners, and led community seminars with OHSU Sports Medicine.

She knows firsthand how under-fueling can lead to injuries, stalled progress, and experienced fertility challenges linked to under-fueling in her own journey — and how the right fueling strategy can flip the script.

If you’ve ever bonked, felt flat despite training hard, or struggled to balance nutrition with performance, this episode is your wake-up call.

Tap into the Cortney Berling Special.

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

-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs

-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

The Miles That Make Us: Habit, Hope, and Finding Your People — Mitch Ammons’ Playbook Sep 19, 2025

Show notes

Mitch Ammons is living proof that small, steady habits can transform a life.

Just a few years removed from barely jogging half a mile after rehab, the Austin realtor has run 2:16:01 in the marathon, joined Bat City Track Club, won his hometown half in 1:08:32, and even stood on the start line in Boston’s Professional Open Men’s Field–all without ever running in college.

What’s his secret? Nothing flashy.

Mitch leans on simple, controllable routines, like stacking threshold-heavy weeks, looped courses to calm race-day chaos, and dialing in a fueling plan he trusts.

In training, he’s learning to check his old “race every rep” instinct, following coach Jeff Cunningham’s mantra to stay in control and always leave one in the tank.

And the big dreams still burn for him, like dipping under the 2:16 Olympic Trials Qualifier, a mark he missed by seconds on a circular “micro marathon.”

He’s also caught the ultra-marathon bug.

From a last-man-standing test of grit, to his first-ever DNF after an ankle sprain, to the belief that marathon fitness carries into the 50K distance and beyond.

Running is both anchor and amplifier for Mitch, as he believes PRs matter no matter the level, and embraces being “a little nuts.”

Because in the end, loops, thresholds, and habits aren’t just for racing...they’re for living.

Tap into the Mitch Ammons 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

-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs

-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

some thoughts before my second marathon Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

As the Toledo Marathon looms just six days away, Dominic hits record for a rare solo jam session on grit, growth, and chasing what matters most.

From winging his first marathon off just two weeks of training to preparing for Toledo with modest mileage and plenty of gym sessions, he’s here to share the highs, doubts, and lessons running continues to teach him.

Along the way, he opens up about why the marathon holds such a special place in his story, how Garmin has leveled up his training with their newest watch, and what it’s like to squeeze in a trip to Meta’s HQ just days before race day.

More than splits or gear, this is about grit, growth, and finding meaning in the grind.

So whether you’re running your first 5K, gunning for a PR, or simply looking for a reminder that hard things are worth doing, this is a fresh take from the man behind The Running Effect.

Tap into the Solo Episode Special.

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S H O W N O T E S

-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs

-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

Science You Can Use by Sunday: Jonah Rosner’s Step-by-Step Plan for Durability, Fueling, and Smarter Training Decisions Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

We’re going full scientist mode today, because Jonah Rosner is back on the show.

If you don’t know Jonah, he’s the applied sport scientist who went from the Houston Texans to the streets of Brooklyn, translating lab data into PRs for everyday runners.

He’s walked the talk—he ran 2:57:22 at the Chicago Marathon on October 13, 2024—and he’s been on a tear since on social media. He has unpacked what 99% of runners are missing, and then he dropped a durability framework with Stryd (plus a free 10-week plan) to help you fade less and finish stronger in races.

In June he launched Brooklyn Running Company’s Beginner’s Pre-Run Fuel Playbook to make pre-run nutrition stupid-simple. Jonah continued breaking down exactly how he used caffeine to run 2:57, and expanded the fueling playbook with a Science in Sport piece on in-race carbs.

If you coach, this is a blueprint you can deploy this week. If you’re building for a fall race, this is the clarity you’ve been hunting: what to measure, what to ignore and what to change by your next long run.

Grab a notebook. By the end, you’ll have a simple checklist to move the ceiling on your performance—and a plan to chip away at it, session by session.

Let’s get surgical about speed.

Tap into the Jonah Rosner Special.

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

-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs

-BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run

-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run

From Dorm-Room Vlogs to Full-Time Creator: Nico Felich on Goals vs. Worth, Sub-3 Marathon, and Filming Like an Athlete Sep 13, 2025

Show notes

Nico Felich is the kind of guy who’ll jog up to the mic fresh from a shakeout run, then drop a line that makes you want to sprint out the door and chase your life.

In his first-ever podcast sit-down, Nico shares how a quiet college kid making dorm-life vlogs turned into a full-time creator inspiring tens of thousands to run.

He’s here to talk about walking away from the 9–5 grind, keeping your passion intact when your sport becomes your job, and why goals should guide your path—not define your worth.

From tiptoeing across the Knife Edge on Colorado’s Capitol Peak to grinding out 70–80 mile weeks in the lead-up to his first 50-miler, Nico is chasing longevity, better storytelling, and real joy in life.

Our guy is a sub-3 marathoner, a BPN athlete, and someone who splits his time between Kansas City and Phoenix.

He’s aiming for Jimmy Chin–level filmmaking (someone who can keep up with the athletes he films) and he wants you to catch the bug too.

Tap into the Nico Felich 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

The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs
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

He Was “The Future” at 18—Here’s How He Actually Got There at 28: Consistency, Parents as Coaches, and a Purpose-First Reset Sep 11, 2025

Show notes

What does it mean to be a prodigy who has to start over?

Drew Hunter knows.

Once hailed as the future of American distance running (he was the high school phenom who turned pro at 18 instead of going to college), his path has been anything but straightforward.

The early years brought headlines and expectations, but also injuries, setbacks, and the sobering reality that talent alone doesn’t guarantee success.

After years of stop-and-start progress and searching for the right formula, Drew has redefined what it means to succeed in the sport. Now at 28, he’s racing better than ever.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, training under his parents, coaches Joan & Marc Hunter, he’s shifted to a higher-mileage, consistency-first approach that has unlocked his best performances yet. Stepping away from Tinman Elite (the team he co-founded that helped change the way fans engage with professional running online) was another turning point, allowing him to focus less on hype and more on purpose, balance, and longevity.

The results tell the story: a 1500m personal best of 3:33.41 in Los Angeles, a 10,000m best of 27:24.49 in California, a fourth-place finish at the USATF Outdoor 5000m, a gold medal at the NACAC 5000m

Championships, and a podium at the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York City.

And in true Drew Hunter fashion, his very first U.S. title came back in 2019 — out of the B heat indoors.

Tap into the Drew Hunter Special.

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S H O W N O T E S

-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs

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-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run

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234 Miles in 56 Hours – Kim Gottwald’s Unbreakable Mindset & Becoming The Future Of The Last Man Standing Event At Just 21 Years Old Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

Kim Gottwald is back on the pod, this time in person at BPN HQ in Texas.

If you haven’t heard of Kim yet, you will. He’s making a name for himself in the ultra-endurance world, and he’s the founder of Rappid Runs.

He co-won the Go One More Backyard Ultra at Bare Ranch, pushing 234 miles over 56 brutal loops before a storm shut it down. Kim is someone who offers raw honesty and dark humor. And he’s flipping the script on what an ultrarunner looks and sounds like, all while blowing up on TikTok.

In this episode, we get tactical. Kim breaks down last-man-standing strategy, why Texas heat gives him an edge, how cold might be better for going deep, and what hour 50 of an ultra really feels like. We get into the gear that holds up, the super shoes and cooling vests, and where he draws the line with tech.

He also unpacks why he believes HYROX work builds ultra durability, how he handles nutrition deep in a deficit, and what his BPN stack actually looks like.

Berlin Marathon is up next, Last Soul Ultra is in October, and Kim is here to show how faith, discipline, and real connection are fueling his “don’t surrender” mission into 2026.

In today's conversation,

Tap into the Kim Gottwald Special.

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S H O W N O T E S

-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs

-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