THE RUNNING EFFECT PODCAST

Marco Langon wants all the smoke, and he isn’t hiding from a soul.   

The last time Marco was here, he was already one of the best distance runners in the NCAA. Since then? He’s leveled up. 

Marco went out and ran 13:05 for 5,000 meters in December, breaking Villanova’s school record and becoming one of the five fastest collegiate indoor 5000m runners in history. He came in second in a thrilling race, being edged out by Habtom Samuel (the 2025 XC Champion) by 0.0004 seconds.

His quotes and energy post-race continue to make him a welcome figure in the sport. He’s not quiet and he’s not afraid to show his emotions.

As a collegiate athlete, he stacked All-American finishes across cross country, indoor, and outdoor track, and quietly established himself as one of the most consistent high-end performers in the sport.

He’s also Diadora's inaugural NIL partner in the track and field space, donning their gear as he bears his heart and soul on the track and grass.His PRs include the 13:05.21 indoor 5000m showing, 7:36.87 in the 3000m, and 3:54.59 in the mile, and 3:33.38 in the 1500m. 

What makes Marco Langon so compelling right now isn’t just the times, it’s the trajectory, and it’s the energy and panache with which he’s doing it. 

He’s great for the sport, and he’s back on the show to break it all down.

Tap into the Marco Langon 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

Is Sam Ruthe the most exciting teenage runner in the world right now? 

He may be, and when you look at the numbers, your jaw will drop. He is a New Zealand prodigy who became the youngest person in the world to break the four-minute mile barrier, at the ripe old age of 15 in March of 2025 (he ran a 3:58.35). For reference, Jakob Ingebrigtsen did it at 16.

In December of 2025, He set a New Zealand under-20 record in his 5000m debut, running 13:40.48. He also won the New Zealand senior men’s 3000m national championship with a time of 7:56.18, in the process becoming the youngest men’schampion in New Zealand athletics history. 

It doesn’t stop there: he ran a 1500m PR of 3:39.17 in July, lowering his own national under-17 and under-18 1500m records. The went and smashed it again in the 800 and 1500m, with times of 1:46.81 and 3:38.62. 

Recently, in January, he set an all-time world best for a 16 year old in the 1000m with a time of 2:17.82.

He’s got world best times at 1000m, national records across distances, and a sub-4-minute mile before age 16. This isn’tjust hype, it’s history. Sam Ruthe is here to break it all down. 

Tap into the Sam Ruthe 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

Every few years, a high school runner comes along who forces the entire country to look toward one place.

This fall, that place was Flagstaff, Arizona, and the runner was Yohanes Van Meerten.

Yohanes is a prominent high school distance runner from Flagstaff High School in Arizona, who just finished an outstanding junior season. We’re not kidding when we say outstanding: he was the runner up at Nike Cross Nationals, the highest finish ever for an Arizona athlete at the meet.

He also won the Arizona state championship, setting an overall course record and becoming the first runner in state history to run a 5,000m race in under 15 minutes. 

He set a course record at the Mt. Sac Invitational, running three miles in 14:10.10. His outdoor PRs include 4:26 in the mile, 9:14 in the 3200m, and 14:28 in the 5,000m.

Yohanes was born in Ethiopia and adopted into the U.S. at age one. His story is unique as he emerged as one of the top national high school runners during his junior year, following the impressive 14:28 performance in the 5000m at Nike Outdoor Nationals last spring.

He’s Arizona’s fastest. He’s one of the nation’s best. And he’s just getting started. 

Yohanes is here and ready to tell his story.

Tap into the Yohanes Van Meerten 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

Robert Gary is an Olympian, a program builder for thousands of runners, and a coach who puts athletes first. 

A two-time Olympic steeplechaser (Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004), 11-time World Cross Country Team member, and Track & Field News Cross Country Runner of the Year, Gary now serves as the Director of Cross Country & Track & Field at Furman University, where he has built one of the most respected distance programs in the NCAA.

Before arriving at Furman in 2012, Gary coached at Ohio State University and has played a significant role on the international stage, including serving as Head Men’s Coach for Team USA at the 2019 IAAF World Championships and leading the U.S. men to a silver medal at the 2013 World Cross Country Championships.

While Gary’s personal performances are elite (7:52.62 for 3,000m, 8:19.26 in the steeplechase, and a 4:01.05 road mile), his impact as a coach may be even more impressive. Under his leadership, athletes and teams have achieved sustained success across cross country and track at the NCAA, national, and international levels.

From racing in the Olympics in the steeplechase to leading Team USA and building one of the strongest distance programs in the country at Furman, Robert Gary has seen every level of the sport.

Tap into the Coach Robert Gary 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

In this episode, Dominic sits down with Alex Ostberg to distill the three biggest lessons from 2025 and set the framework for a better 2026.

They unpack why you sometimes have to “throw out your long-term plans,” how to invest in preparedness without trying to predict the future, and why embracing voluntary struggle is the best training for the inevitable hardships life will bring.

They also talk about a hard truth: you’ve already achieved goals you thought would make you happy — and why joy, fulfillment, and “a string of good days” matter more than chasing the next milestone.If you’re trying to make 2026 your breakthrough year in running, business, or life, this conversation will rewire how you think about goals, uncertainty, discipline, and what success actually costs.

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