The Shakeout Podcast

Ben Preisner may be the 3rd fastest Canadian of all time over the marathon distance, but when he toes the line on Marathon Monday in Boston he’ll be a rookie all over again. 

Despite a 2:08 personal best, 3 World Championship appearances, and an Olympic Games under his belt, the 2026 Boston Marathon will be the 30 year old’s debut at a World Marathon Major. 

What makes this year’s Boston debut even more exciting for fans of the sport has been Ben’s transparency in inviting fans along for the journey towards Hopkinton through his daily Vlog, Bensmarathontraining, where he’s shared the ins and outs, highs and lows of what goes into an elite marathoner’s buildup for their goal race. 

Today, Ben joins the show to recap his Boston build and share his last minute thoughts on the event before lining up alongside the best in the world for the 26.2 mile trip from Hopkinton to Boylston street. 

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When Christopher Morales Williams ran his personal best in the indoor 400m in 2024 he became the first–and only–man in history to dip under 44.5 seconds. Due to a faulty sensor in his starting blocks however, what should be the official world record was never ratified. 

Two years later, and Morales Williams has finally gotten his shot at redemption, removing any doubt as to who the best indoor 400m runner in history really is. Two weeks ago in Poland he capped an undefeated indoor season with Gold at the world indoor championships, setting a new championship record in the process. 

Still just 21 years old, Morales Williams has racked up a resume that is the envy of pros far more seasoned than he is, yet while this World championship title has been two years in the making, it’s far from the limits of where he believes his career can take him.

This week on The Shakeout Podcast, Christopher joins us to recap his record-setting run, the training that got him the gold, and some of the secrets to his success that have made him the man to beat in the one-lap race.

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Thanks to this week's sponsor, CanPrev

Prime your preparation, power your performance, and prioritize your post-run recovery with CanPrev. Learn how natural health formulas can help you reach your running goals! Find CanPrev products at your friendly local health food store!

The pre-race carb-load is a right of passage in the sport of distance running, but in recent years runners’ obsession with carbohydrates has reached a level of fanaticism that puts other running trends to shame. 

A growing canon of research is rewriting what we thought we knew about the body’s ability to process fuel during hard exercise, and with some recent studies going so far as to advocate for nearly 5 times the carb intake previously deemed effective, we’ve entered into what many are calling a full-blown “carbolution”. 

Add to this an ever-expanding selection of goos, chews, and specially-formulated drink mixes and what used to be the domain of elite athletes has now become the norm for those serious about maximizing their race day performance at every distance, with runners of all abilities chewing, slurping, and guzzling a growing buffet of sugary rocket fuel. 

This week on The Shakeout Podcast we welcome science writer and lifelong runner Alex Hutchinson back to the show to sink his teeth into the research fueling the hype and find out whether the “carbolution” is just another running fad or if that mountain of pasta the day before a marathon truly is just the tip of the carbohydrate iceberg.

Follow Alex on Instagram @Sweat_Science

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With Spring around the corner, Canada Geese aren’t the only animals reappearing along the park paths and greenspaces of Canadian cities. They’re joined by another species emerging to embrace warmer weather and sunnier days ahead: the spring road racer. 

Whether you’ve been counting down the days while slogging out the miles on the treadmill, or find yourself doing a double take at your calendar and wondering where the time went since you signed up for that spring marathon, racing season is here and the time is now to put in the work that will get you across the finish line at your best.

This week on The Shakeout Podcast we welcome Olympian and 2:10 marathoner Dylan Wykes to the show. Dylan spent years as one of Canada’s top marathoners before turning his attention to helping all athletes get the most out of their running experience as a coach and founder of Mile2Marathon. Nowadays, he's passionate about guiding athletes to breakthrough performances at every distance, age group, and experience level. Dylan lends his expertise as both athlete and coach to help you focus your training, avoid the mistakes that can derail a build, and ultimately make the most out of your marathon experience, not only on race day but in the days, weeks, and months leading up.

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Check out Dylan and the rest of his coaching team @Mile2Marathon and mile2marathon.com

Thanks to this week's sponsor, CanPrev

Prime your preparation, power your performance, and prioritize your post-run recovery with CanPrev. Learn how natural health formulas can help you reach your running goals! Find CanPrev products at your friendly local health food store!

If Rookie cards were a thing in the sport of Track & Field, then Foster Malleck’s would be one you’d kill to get your hands on. 

After a 6 year NCAA career at Boston University where it took right up until his final collegiate season to qualify for the national championships, the Kitchener Ontario native wasted no time making a splash in his first year as pro. 

Less than a week after his final race in the BU Kit, Malleck was back on the track in a different shade of red, this time representing Canada at the 2025 World Indoor Championships in Nanjing China. His first-ever appearance at a senior international championship would kick off a rookie year as a pro that has been, quite literally, one for the record books. 

Since Nanjing, Malleck has lowered his Personal bests at the 1500,  Mile, 2000, and 3000m while breaking three Canadian records and becoming the second-fastest Canadian in the 1500m of all time. Add to that a NACAC Gold Medal last summer and trip to the World Championship semi-finals in Tokyo in September and it’s safe to say that jump to the big leagues was not a leap too far for the 24 year old. 

Now, a trip around the sun and countless laps around the track later, and Malleck returns to the World Indoor Championships this week in Poland no longer a fresh faced rookie but a battle-hardened vet ready to mix it up with the very best in the sport. 

Follow Foster @fostermalleck

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This week's episode is presented by Under Armour

Racing season is here and if you’re on the hunt for your next personal best, why not reach for the shoe that’s propelled the best athletes in the world to theirs? The Velociti Elite 3 combines Under Armour’s HOVR+ super foam with a specially tuned carbon plate and a light but durable outsole to give you all the tools you need to break through on race day.

 

Cover Photo: Jan Figueroa