THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

• Conner & Kylie Mantz: How to Chase Dreams Without Losing What Matters Most

  Conner and Kylie Mantz are redefining what it means to chase big dreams as a team.They’re two runners with one purpose–moving stride for stride through life.Conner Mantz has become the new standard-bearer for American marathoning. After winning the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and placing 8th at the Paris Olympics (2:08:12), he stunned the running world in 2025–running 2:05:08 for 4th place at Boston, winning the Beach to Beacon 10K in a course record time of 27:26, and setting the American marathon record of 2:04:43 at the Chicago Marathon. His career arc, which was shaped by BYU coach Ed Eyestone’s patient approach, reflects eight years of steady growth from NCAA champion to global contender.Kylie Mantz, meanwhile, has forged her own remarkable path. A latecomer to competitive running, she joined BYU’s women’s distance program in 2025 and quickly ran 34:57 for 10,000m and 16:49 for 5000m–astonishing progress for someone who didn’t run track in high school. Her joy-driven approach, grounded in curiosity and consistency, mirrors Cennor’s faith in long-term development.Their parallel journeys (Conner’s disciplined pursuit of podiums and records; Kylie’s joyful rise into Division I competition) intersect in a shared belief that running is both art and anchor. Together, Conner and Kylie Mantz are proving that love, faith, and discipline can fuel world-class performance.Tap into the Conner and Kylie Mantz 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-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

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• From A Shepherd In East Africa to Sub-2:10 In The Marathon: The Remarkable Rise of Haftu Knight

  Haftu Knight is proving that professionalism in running isn't limited to sponsorship: it's a mindset.His rise from shepherd in Ethiopia to one of the most exciting marathoners training under Jeff Cunningham with the Bat City Track Club is the perfect example of this.Now based in Austin, Knight is part of a blue-collar group grinding through 100-mile weeks, blending raw talent with Cunningham's precision system of controlled intensity and relentless rhythm work. It's an environment built on belief, and Knight has bought in completely.A former University of Texas standout, Knight was the 2022 Big 12 10,000m champion and NCAA Cross Country All-American, setting a school record of 13:32 for 5,000 m and ranking #2 in the 10,000m (28:30). After college he jumped straight into the marathon, running 2:17:22 in his debut at Indianapolis in November 2024. Five months later, he shocked the road scene with a 2:09:38 at the McKirdy Micro Marathon in March 2025, followed by a 1:02:47 half in Chicago and a 2:11:39 at his first World Major that October.Knight's day-to-day reflects Cunningham's mantra: manage everything well. Morning doubles, long runs in the Texas heat, and recovery shifts at Fleet Feet define the routine of a man chasing the next level. From a boy tending goats in Chelekot to a man redefining Texas distance running, Haftu Knight's story is one of grit, gratitude, and pure momentum. His next marathon block with Bat City isn't just training, it's the continuation of one of 2025's most inspiring breakthroughs.Tap into the Haftu Knight 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-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

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• The Art of Patience: Elise Cranny on Resilience, Self-Trust, and Redefining Success in Running

  Two-time Olympian Elise Cranny has long been a model of precision, patience, and perseverance in American distance running. A Stanford All-American turned professional with Nike, Cranny owns a résumé that blends range and record-setting speed, most notably the American records for both the indoor 5,000m (14:33.17) and outdoor 3,000m (8:25.10). Now 29 and training under NAU coach Jarred Cornfield, with an altitude base in Flagstaff, she continues to redefine consistency at the highest level.After U.S. titles in 2021, 2022, and a 10,000/5,000 double in 2023, Cranny entered 2025 seeking balance: new coach, new league (Grand Slam Track), and renewed joy in the grind. That recalibration paid off this summer at USATF Outdoors in Eugene, where she claimed silver medals in both the 10,000 m (31:44.24) and 5,000 m (15:14.26). The double podium secured her spot on the U.S. team for the World Championships in Tokyo.In Tokyo, Cranny finished 12th in the 10,000 m final and contested the 5,000m heats, wrapping a long season that tested both resilience and recovery. Whether lowering records, mentoring young athletes through Voice in Sport, or pioneering a new professional model in Grand Slam Track, Cranny remains one of the sport's clearest voices on fueling, self-trust, and sustainable success.Tap into the Elise Cranny 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-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

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• How To Outwork Talent & Other Secrets Of The Greats: The Yaseen Abdalla Blueprint for Greatness

  Yaseen Abdalla’s story is one of adaptation and ambition.He’s a runner who has thrived across programs, distances, and continents, representing Sudan on the international stage while redefining what a new-generation distance athlete can be.At the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Abdalla placed 21st in the marathon (2:13:32), continuing a remarkable ascent that began a year after his Olympic debut in Paris, where he set a Sudanese national record of 2:11:41.Known for his blend of speed and endurance, Abdalla’s range is staggering. His personal records include a 3:55.31 mile in 2025, 7:34.17 in the 3,000m in 2024, 13:09.99 in the 5,000m in 2025, and that 2:11:41 marathon.Those numbers speak to a rare physiology: miler-level leg speed married to marathon efficiency.His rise has been anything but conventional. From Lanham, Maryland and growing up in Texas, Abdalla ran collegiately for Texas, where he anchored the Longhorns’ 2022 NCAA champion distance medley relay, before transferring to Tennessee and later Arkansas, where he finished fourth at the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships. That same winter, he set Sudanese indoor records at 3,000m and 5,000m at the Boston University meets.Competing internationally for Sudan and a Bandit Running–supported athlete, Abdalla has his sights set on breaking the 2:10 barrier. His current training maintains track sharpness (strides/speed) alongside marathon preparation.In today's conversation, Tap into the Yaseen Abdalla 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-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

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• The Patience to Be Great: How Kole Mathison Is Redefining What It Means to Chase Greatness in the NCAA

  He's one of the NCAA's brightest young stars, and his recent sophomore season proved why.Kole Mathison, the 2022 Champs Sports Cross Country national champion, and now a rising junior steeplechaser for the University of Colorado, joins the show fresh off a breakout year on the track and a strong start to the 2025 cross country season. Just weeks ago, Mathison placed 10th at the Nuttycombe Invitational, helping the Buffs to a runner-up team finish; another sign that Colorado's storied distance tradition is alive and well.But the journey from Carmel, Indiana to Boulder wasn't linear. After winning a national title in high school and representing Team USA at the 2023 World U20 Cross Country Championships, Mathison faced an injury during his freshman campaign.What followed was a lesson in patience and consistency, culminating in an 8:32 steeplechase personal best and NCAA qualification in 2025, plus impressive indoor marks of 7:52 (in the 3,000m) and 13:42 (in the 5,000m) on the fast Boston University track.From national champion to NCAA contender, Kole's trajectory is proof that patience, belief, and relentless work still define greatness in collegiate running.Tap into the Kole Mathison 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-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

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