In this Winter 2026 Mailbag, the Marathon Handbook crew answers listener questions on some of the toughest — and most misunderstood — topics in marathon running.

From runners who missed sub-3 by seconds, to first-time marathoners chasing Boston, to athletes sidelined by injury, this episode dives deep into both the physical and mental side of training.

We cover:

• Whether to repeat a sub-3 training block or hire a coach

• How much marathon pace should actually hurt

• Long runs vs. overall volume — what matters more?

• Shoes for mid-pack marathoners: super shoes or not?

• Training in extreme heat for cold-weather marathons

• Injury, identity, and staying motivated when running is taken away

• Alcohol during marathon training: moderation vs. abstinence

• Fine-tuning pace by seconds per kilometer

This is a must-listen for anyone training for a marathon — whether you’re chasing Boston, your first finish, or a big personal breakthrough.

Interview with Pete Pfitzinger, co-author of Advanced Marathoning: https://youtu.be/pw9edKx9Mws?si=1bQ_KYd_dRLdUGUm

📩 Questions about training, race previews, or to send us your hot takes? Email us at podcast@marathonhandbook.com.🎤 Leave us a voice memo for our mailbag episodes: marathonhandbook.com/podcast📸 Instagram: @marathon.handbook📰 Join 265,000+ runners getting our daily newsletter: marathonhandbook.com/newsletter
🎙 New episodes weekly from Marathon Handbook

The Running Story is Marathon Handbook’s weekly news recap show with Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth. This week we break down Des Linden’s big 2026 announcement—she’s heading to the Sahara for the Marathon des Sables (00:35), then celebrate Dot McMahan’s remarkable Houston Marathon performance as the 49-year-old hits the U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying standard for a record sixth Trials appearance (04:29). We also cover a frightening situation at the Winter Spine, where human rights advocate Sarah Porter was removed from the event after death threats were received (06:46). Next up: Molly Seidel storms into the ultra world by winning the Bandera 50K outright and smashing the course record in her ultra debut, plus a look ahead to Black Canyon and the Western States “golden ticket” path (09:58). We wrap with a lighter one—Ed Sheeran revealing he’s a runner, and the bigger trend of pop stars embracing running (14:03).

#Running #Marathon #Ultrarunning #TrailRunning #TrackAndField #RunningNews #MarathonHandbook #DesLinden #MollySeidel #EdSheeran

In this Marathon Handbook Podcast episode, Michael Doyle, Katelyn Tocci, and Alex Cyr unpack what actually defines a long run—and how long is “long” for different goals (00:07). After some pre-run chaos (Patriots/Boston accent talk) (01:14), Alex breaks down his Houston Half Marathon PR and the wild sub-elite start experience (07:03), including pacing strategy and the trio finish (21:17). Then the crew goes deep on long-run philosophy: how to structure it across a training block, when to add quality like fast finishes or marathon-pace intervals, and why many runners cap the long run around three hours (30:13) (53:10). They also cover fueling basics—carbs per hour, gels, gut training, and modern trends like hydrogels (1:15:16) (1:23:23), before Coach Katelyn lists common long run mistakes (too fast, skipping fueling, skipping deload weeks, poor recovery, and more) (1:30:22). Mailbag submissions are open at podcast@marathonhandbook.com (1:48:55), and Katelyn teases a 10-mile race update for next week (1:51:46).

This episode is presented by Lagoon Sleep – Adjustable, breathable pillows designed to improve sleep and recovery. Take the 2-minute sleep quiz and get 15% off with code MARATHON.👉 https://lagoonsleep.com/marathonhandbook Wahoo KICKR RUN – A smart treadmill that adapts to your pace with RunFree Mode and lateral tilt. Get a FREE Headwind fan with code MHRUN.👉 https://www.wahoofitness.com Momentous – NSF-certified supplements trusted by elite athletes. Get up to 35% off your first order with code MARATHON.👉 https://www.livemomentous.com

📩 Questions about training, race previews, or to send us your hot takes? Email us at podcast@marathonhandbook.com.

🎤 Leave us a voice memo for our mailbag episodes: marathonhandbook.com/podcast

📸 Instagram: @marathon.handbook

📘 Facebook: @marathonhandbook

📰 Join 265,000+ runners getting our daily newsletter: marathonhandbook.com/newsletter

👍 Like, subscribe, and drop your questions in the comments.🎧 Audio version available wherever you get podcasts + watch the video version on Spotify.

📺 Subscribe on YouTube for weekly running deep dives.

#running #marathontraining #longrun #halfmarathon #10ktraining #5ktraining #runners #runningtips #endurance #fueling

The Running Story returns with a jam-packed week in running. Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth break down a stunning Houston Half Marathon debut (00:45), major American and Canadian breakthroughs (02:55), and standout performances across both Houston marathons, including Sarah Hall’s incredible run at age 42 (04:10). The show then pivots to the rise of the grassroots Burrito League replacing the Chipotle Strava Challenge (06:50), Beatrice Chebet stepping away from the track in 2026 and what it means for the 5,000m and 10,000m landscape (10:15), a controversial ultra runner’s Mission America challenge and Badwater 135 bid (13:45), and record-breaking performances at the Valencia 10K in Spain (16:50). Everything runners need to know — in one weekly recap.

#RunningNews #Marathon #HalfMarathon #TrackAndField #UltraRunning

#RunningPodcast #MarathonHandbook #Strava #RoadRunning #EliteRunning

Who will shape the future of running in 2026? In this episode of the Marathon Handbook Podcast, Michael Doyle, Katelyn Tocci, and Alex Cyr rank the 26 most influential people in running for the year ahead — from global superstars like Sifan Hassan and Eliud Kipchoge to behind-the-scenes power players at Nike, Strava, World Athletics, and the World Marathon Majors. We debate celebrity runners like Harry Styles (48:50), analyze the future of super shoes and Nike’s leadership (48:50–54:30), break down the rise of Conner Mantz (54:30), and explain why Sifan Hassan earns the top spot (01:11:00). Plus, plenty of honorable mentions, strong opinions, and classic Marathon Handbook banter along the way.

This episode is brought to you by the Wahoo’s KICKR RUN – go to https://⁠wahoofitness.com⁠ and use promo code MHRUN to get a free $319 KICKR Headwind Fan with your treadmill order

📩 Questions about training, race previews, or to send us your hot takes? Email us at podcast@marathonhandbook.com.

🎤 Leave us a voice memo for our mailbag episodes: marathonhandbook.com/podcast

📸 Instagram: @marathon.handbook

📰 Join 265,000+ runners getting our daily newsletter: marathonhandbook.com/newsletter

#RunningPodcast #MarathonHandbook #RunningNews #MarathonRunning

#SifanHassan #EliudKipchoge #FaithKipyegon #RunningCulture

#TrackAndField #MarathonTraining

NOTE FOR SUBSCRIBERS:

This is a bonus, inaugural episode of a new weekly podcast we’re piloting called The Running Story. For the next few weeks, you’ll receive this show in the Marathon Handbook feed on Mondays alongside our regular Thursday podcast. We’d love your feedback — email us at podcast@marathonhandbook.com. More new podcast projects are coming in 2026.

Welcome to the first episode of The Running Story, a new weekly running news podcast from Marathon Handbook.

Hosted by Michael Doyle and Jessy Carveth, this show breaks down four to five of the most important and interesting stories from the past week in the sport and culture of running. Each episode is designed to get you up to speed quickly — under 30 minutes — with context, analysis, and conversation around the stories runners are already talking about.

In this inaugural episode, we cover:

• The Tokyo Hakone Ekiden, Japan’s biggest running event

• The rebrand of the NN Running Team

• Ultra legend Ann Trason’s remarkable multi-day run

• Shelby Houlihan’s controversial trail racing debut

• Truett “Jeans Guy” Haynes and his Olympic Trials ambitions

This podcast is released weekly on Mondays, in addition to the regular Marathon Handbook Podcast on Thursdays.

Carbon-plated super shoes now dominate marathon racing — but which ones are actually the best right now? Michael Doyle and Alex Cyr break down the definitive 2026 super shoe power rankings, using elite marathon podium data, real-world shoe usage from the Chicago and New York City Marathons, and hands-on testing of every major racing shoe (00:00). They reveal which brands truly dominate the podium (18:55), count down the top 10 super shoes in the world (27:10), debate the Nike Alphafly 3’s place in history (52:20), and crown the best super shoe available today (01:04:15). The episode wraps with predictions for where super shoe technology is headed in 2026 and beyond (01:19:45).

This episode is brought to you by the Wahoo’s KICKR RUN – go to https://⁠wahoofitness.com⁠ and use promo code MHRUN to get a free $319 KICKR Headwind Fan with your treadmill order.

And by Momentous. Use promo code MARATHON for up to 35% off your first order: ⁠livemomentous.com

Marathon Handbook Super Shoe Power Rankings (Winter 2026): 1. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 2 2. Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 3. ASICS Metaspeed Tokyo (Sky / Edge) 4. Nike Alphafly 3 5. Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 6. Adidas Adios Pro 4 7. ASICS Metaspeed Ray 8. On Cloudboom Strike LS 9. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1 (V2) 10. New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite 5Alex Cyr’s Top 10 Super Shoes: 1. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 2 2. Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 3. ASICS Metaspeed Tokyo (Sky / Edge) 4. Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 5. Nike Alphafly 3 6. ASICS Metaspeed Ray 7. Adidas Adios Pro 4 8. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1 (V2) 9. New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite 5 10. On Cloudboom Strike LSMichael Doyle’s Top 10 Super Shoes: 1. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 2 2. ASICS Metaspeed Sky/Edge Tokyo 3. Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 4. Nike Alphafly 3 5. Adidas Adios Pro 4 6. ASICS Metaspeed Ray 7. Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 8. On Cloudboom Strike LS 9. Nike Vaporfly 4 10. Tracksmith Eliot RacerPrevious Power Rankings (Summer 2025) 1. Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 2. Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1 3. Nike Alphafly 3 4. Adidas Adios Pro 4 5. ASICS Metaspeed Sky/Edge 6. Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 7. On Cloudboom Strike LS 8. ASICS Metaspeed Ray 9. Nike Vaporfly 4 10. Tracksmith Eliot Racer 11. On Cloudboom Strike 12. Brooks Hyperion Elite 5

📩 Questions about training, race previews, or to send us your hot takes? Email us at podcast@marathonhandbook.com.🎤 Leave us a voice memo for our mailbag episodes: marathonhandbook.com/podcast📸 Instagram: @marathon.handbook📘 Facebook: @marathonhandbook📰 Join 265,000+ runners getting our daily newsletter: marathonhandbook.com/newsletter👍 Like, subscribe, and drop your questions in the comments.🎧 Audio version available wherever you get podcasts + watch the video version on Spotify.📺 Subscribe on YouTube for weekly running deep dives.

#SuperShoes #RunningShoes #MarathonTraining #CarbonPlated #MarathonRacing #NikeRunning #AdidasRunning #ASICSRUN #PumaRunning #RunningPodcast

#NikeAlphafly3 #NikeVaporfly4 #AdidasAdiosProEvo2 #AdidasAdiosProEvo1 #AdidasAdiosPro4 #ASICSMetaspeedSkyTokyo #ASICSMetaspeedEdgeTokyo #ASICSMetaspeedRay #PumaFastRNitroElite3 #SauconyEndorphinElite2 #NewBalanceFuelCellSuperCompEliteV5 #NewBalanceFuelCellSuperCompEliteV4 #OnCloudboomStrike #OnCloudboomStrikeLS #TracksmithElliotRacer #HokaCieloX1 #HokaCieloX1V2 #HokaRocketX3 #BrooksHyperionElite5 #UnderArmourVelocityElite3 #DiadoraGaraCarbon2 #PumaDeviateNitroElite3 #AdidasPrimeXEvo #MizunoWaveRebellionPro #TYRCarbonElite #CEPOmniSpeed #Xtep160X35Pro #AntaCarbonPlate

In this Mega Mailbag episode of the Marathon Handbook Podcast, Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr, and Katelyn Tocci answer a mountain of listener questions to close out 2025. The conversation covers running weight and fueling strategies (06:50), jump rope as cross-training (22:10), marathon confidence and mindset (27:40), returning from injury (45:40), breaking sub-3 and chasing Boston Qualifiers (55:20), increasing mileage as a new runner (01:08:00), first marathon pacing (01:11:30), strength training with injuries (01:21:30), winter training and cold-weather pacing (01:26:10), gear and shoe recommendations (01:34:00, 02:06:30), training around the menstrual cycle (01:45:10), and how becoming a parent impacts running goals (01:51:00). A wide-ranging, honest, and practical episode for runners at every stage.

This episode is presented by Momentous. Use promo code MARATHON for up to 35% off your first order: ⁠livemomentous.com

📩 Questions about training, race previews, or to send us your hot takes? Email us at podcast@marathonhandbook.com.🎤 Leave us a voice memo for our mailbag episodes: marathonhandbook.com/podcast📸 Instagram: @marathon.handbook📘 Facebook: @marathonhandbook📰 Join 265,000+ runners getting our daily newsletter: marathonhandbook.com/newsletter👍 Like, subscribe, and drop your questions in the comments.🎧 Audio version available wherever you get podcasts + watch the video version on Spotify.📺 Subscribe on YouTube for weekly running deep dives.

#RunningPodcast #MarathonTraining #BostonQualifier #Sub3Marathon #RunningAdvice

#MarathonMindset #RunningShoes #WinterRunning #DistanceRunning #MarathonHandbook