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

Most people see Anna Sitar as a creator. Fewer people know she’s quietly stacking endurance goals, like marathons, long training blocks, and now Ironman-level ambitions, to show what happens when you commit to something long enough for it to change how you think, work and live.

Anna is a content creator and influencer known for her lifestyle vlogs, relatable content and warm and engaging personality.

Her dynamic “I Don’t Want It” TikTok series has propelled her to incredible media heights; she has over 11 million followers on TikTik and over 1.5 million on Instagram.

Anna is a Mechanical Engineering undergraduate from Western Michigan University. She moved to Los Angeles in 2019 to pursue her master’s, and it ultimately fueled her career as a content creator.

Anna is the founder and creator of the A N X N A clothing brand, and has worked with companies like Dior, Louis Vuitton, Delta, Amazon and Google.

She is also slowly building up her endurance athlete profile these past few years: she recently completed the New York City Marathon after running the Honolulu Marathon in 2024. According to recent activity, she is training for an ironman, working to become a more well-rounded long distance athlete.

Because of that, Anna’s story is a reminder that running doesn’t have to be about times or podiums to be meaningful. Sometimes it’s just a place to test who you’re becoming next.

Tap into the Anna Sitar 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

Marcelo Mantecon is Florida’s all-time 5,000m high school record holder, a Nike Indoor National Champion, and an NXN finalist. And he’s only a junior in high school.

Marcelo joins the show after a soaring spring and fall season for Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Miami, Florida, that saw him cap it off with a 4th overall finish at the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) on December 6, 2025, with a time of 15:05.

In September, he etched his name into the Florida High School Boys XC record book, running a 14:35.25 at the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, Alabama, becoming the fastest boy to do so at the distance in the state. He then took that even lower in October by running a 14:33 in the New World Fall Spectacular.

As a sophomore last year, he was named Florida’s Gatorade 2024-25 Boys Cross Country Player of the Year. He won the 5000m National Title Indoors in March of 2025 as well.

His PRs include 4:15.83 for the mile, 8:16.86 for the 3000m indoor, 8:49.78 for the 2 mile outdoor, 14:14.38 in the 5000m indoors, and 14:33 in the 5000m for XC.

Records show you how fast he is. We’re here to dissect how he thinks; the discipline behind the breakthroughs, the pressure of carrying expectations, and what it takes to chase national greatness while still being a high school junior.

Tap into the Marcelo Mantecon 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

TRE x LIS

The crossover that you knew you needed going into 2026.

This one is full of banter, hot takes, unheard of stories, and wisdom from a year of reflection.

Don't miss the opportunity to have your next run fly by with the boys.

Enjoy & gear up for a massive 2026.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, and I'm rooting for you this year.

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

Are we watching the rise of the greatest distance running teammate duo in history?

Ethan Strand and Parker Wolfe are well on their way to grabbing that title, and their next stop is with Team USA for the World Cross Country Championships.

Parker recently won his first professional national title at the 10,000m XC championship in December; Ethan won the 2,000m in electric fashion. Both runners are from the University of North Carolina and now run professionally for the Swoosh Track Club under coach Mike Smith.

Ethan is the NCAA Men's Indoor 3000m record holder, having run a 7:30.15 back in 2024; his mile PR is also a sizzling 3:48.32. Parker won the 2024 5,000m Outdoor NCAA Championship, and ran his impressive 29:16 at the Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland recently to secure first in a competitive USATF championship field. Parker has PRs of 3:48 in the mile on the road, 3:34 in the 1500m, and 13:10 in the 5,000m.

The boys are back to show how elite confidence is built, how teammates become rivals, and how records are meant to be broken.

Tap into the Parker Wolfe/Ethan Strand 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

Anyone can catch lightning in a bottle once.

Kelly Christensen is proving that he can repeat success over and over, as he just won back-to-back national high school cross country titles at NXN, and is clearly on the Mount Rushmore of high school distance coaches.

The Niwot boys cross country team just won a second consecutive national title on December 6 in Oregon. Their 61 points set a record for the best team score ever recorded at Nike Cross Nationals, which began in 2004.

The boys were led by Quinn Sullivan (5th with a time of 15:09), Hunter Robbie (6th), Ryder Keeton (33rd), Jude Ritzenhein (40th), and Gabe Marshall (60th). The girls team came in second.

Heading into this season, Coach Kelly had guided the Cougars to 12 total state championships. You can add to that number after another dominating season this year.

He recently was recognized on a national level by being named MileSplit's Coach of the Month in November 2025 for his program's continued excellence.

If you want to understand how elite programs stay elite, Kelly Christensen is back on the Running Effect. No fluff or preamble: he’s opening up about another dominant and historic season for the Niwot Cougars.

Tap into the Coach Kelly Christensen Strand 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

There’s evidence-based training, and then there’s actually understanding the evidence.

Dr. Bill Evans is here to explain how exercise physiology, 80–20 training, and smart periodization translates into real performance gains for runners at every level.

Dr. Evans has his PhD in Exercise Physiology and is an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science. He has experience as a Senior Scientist/Consultant at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.

He also serves as an Assistant Cross Country Coach at the collegiate level with Elon University, giving him practical coaching experience with competitive runners.

Dr. Evans is the founder/co-lead coach of The Endurance Lab, a personalized running coaching service focused on evidence-based training tailored to individual goals. His lab also integrates strength training and injury-prevention work into the mix to really give athletes a full-spectrum model.

Dr. Evans never competed at the collegiate level because of a back injury, but has an impressive portfolio nonetheless: he owns PRs of 1:57 in the 800m, 3:58 in the 1500m, and 15:21 in the 5,000m. He also recently ran a 2:37 marathon.

From the lab to the track to the marathon start line, Dr. Bill Evans lives the science he teaches. His insights will change how you think about training, and how you train going forward.

Tap into the Dr. Bill Evans 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