The Drop

Russia has a plague problem, New York has a cheer zone problem, and Thomas apparently has no problem eating his way through ten Taco Bells in 11 hours. This week Thomas, Meg, Robbe and Karl get into NYRR’s new rules for run club cheer zones (RIP confetti cannons), the run club that cleared $640K in a year, Altra’s Legacy Team of runners aged 75 to 85, and Skechers’ new Aero Elite race shoe (machine washable, naturally). Thomas also shares his first impressions of the Nike Apex and SwooshFly, and we put the Asics Gel Slowcush and the Mizuno Sky Prime on the...

Johnny and Alex help Taylor sort out his thoughts and decisions after a successful trail season. Does he push forward with more racing or does he settle in for winter to work on goals for next year? Then, they chat about the new Veja Harpie, a simple trail shoe with a sustainable focus. Of course, there’s a mix of story telling and nonsense in the mix too.Guest: Dakota and Brianna prepare for two monumental tasks: 1. Running around the Great Salt Lake and 2. Raise awareness for changing climate and living conditions in the area. Alex talks about logistics, mo...

Thomas and Karl went big in Berlin, running a marathon around the city on a warm race morning. Before that, they swung by the Adidas HQ to look at some wild innovations and cutting edge technologies coming from the brand. Also, they led hundreds of runners through a shakeout run on Saturday, the biggest event on race weekend outside of the marathon. Needless to say, it was busy. Needless to say, they are tired. But they're still standing (in their Adios Pro 5).

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Alex and Taylor are joined by long time friend of the show and now Dirt Division reviewer, Johnny Dodgin! He has an extensive background in endurance sport, marketing, product development, and art that make him a prime example of a gear nerd. Among many other topics, they discuss the Inov8 Trailfly Pro that Johnny had a major role in bringing to life.

We have some big shoes in today to talk about (with a couple of side quests on the NFL's guardian caps and Instagram Plus). In today's episode, the Nike Alphafly 4 and Adidas Adios Pro 5 take the stage.

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LMNT
Fall marathon training is in full swing, which means you need more salt than you think you do. Crisp and refreshing, all LMNT flavors deliver 1000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, and 60 mg magnesium. And if you're an insider, you can get the limited-edition Pink Lemonade or Lemonade Iced Tea. Get your free 8...

Running belts have taken a huge lap in performance over the last few years. Taylor and Alex give a rundown on which ones they like, the different offerings, and why you just might want to grab a belt over a pack. They also chat about a suprise race day shoe, the Kiprun Kipsummit Race.

Guest: Tina Muir is an athlete and environtmental advocated in the running space. She wears a lot more hats than that, even! Tina and Taylor talk about their experience at UTMB that includes concerns, promising measures, and ideas for the...

Thomas sat down with the folks at Miler (Ben Morrow and Bit Klecker) to talk life, business, and their latest venture: the Metropolitan Trail Racing team. The team made their debut this past weekend at Grindstone by UTMB, and it was a strong showing right out of the gate. In the 21K, Bit Klecker took first for the women, Grant finished 2nd and Drew 7th on the men's side, and in the 50K Ben crossed in 22nd while working back from an injury. Not a bad way to announce yourselves.Learn more about the team here: https://milerrunning.com...

We're no hybrid rockstars, but then again we've never left a mud pie on course. We're also not scientists, or are we? Who knows. We discuss way too many topics on this episode of The Drop, ranging from mishaps to ultrarunning camming to brand new updates to the Believe in the Run website. Also, we cover the all-new On Cloudsurfer 3.

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Sleep is training. Lagoon Pillow is built around your sleep position and preferences — so you wake up recovered and ready to run. We...

Alex and Taylor talk this week about coaching and some things to consider whether you're on the hunt for one or not. First, Alex tests Taylor to see if he is a true midwesterner. They end with a chat about a brand new trail shoe, the Pandarprank Orbis.

Guest: Meg Eckhert just broke the world record for distance covered over 6 days! The Mount to Coast athlete, teacher, and wife gives us some insight on her preparation for such a feat.

Meg just picked up her 7th major marathon in Sydney, but it came with a side of sickness that almost left her in Los Angeles. She's mostly back to normal, enough to recap her journey to the other side of the Earth. We cover that, as well as the Asics Sonicblast 2 Sunrise Edition.
Thanks to Asics for the support over the past couple weeks, and to everyone that said hello from down under.

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Fall marathon training is in full swing, which means you need more salt than...

Buckle up for all the rabbit holes. Taylor and Alex recap the last couple weeks of trail madness including UTMB, family vacations, bike mishaps, and gear they have been enjoying.

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Lagoon: Sleep is one of the most underrated training components. We've been fans of Lagoon for years and use their custom pillows nightly to support a great night of sleep and, of course, our running. Go to http://lagoonsleep.com/believe to take a quick quiz to find the best pillow for you. Get 15% off your...

Thomas and Karl are back from Chamonix while Meg is somewhere in the skies above the Pacific. They recap the full UTMB experience, from hot dogs to haute couture in the French Alps.

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Sleep is training. Lagoon Pillow is built around your sleep position and preferences — so you wake up recovered and ready to run. We use them every night and you should too. Find your perfect pillow at lagoonsleep.com/believe

Thomas and Meg interview Alex Arslan of Hylo Athletics to discuss his upbringing in the footwear industry and the new daily trainer from Hylo Athletics, the Impact 2.

Thomas, Taylor, and Karl come to you from the Alpina Hotel in the heart of Chamonix during UTMB week with Hoka. Thomas and Taylor recap their epic race at MCC.

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LMNT Fall marathon training is in full swing, which means you need more salt than you think you do. Crisp and refreshing, all LMNT flavors deliver 1000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, and 60 mg magnesium. And if you're an insider, you can get the limited-edition Pink Lemonade or Lemonade Iced Tea. Get your free 8-count LMNT Sample Pack...

August is THE month of trail running. Many of the most prolific races happen during this time and it is prime peak bagging season. Taylor and Alex talk about UTMB, Leadville, and an the new Norda x Black Diamond collaboration which includes the Norda 000.

Guest: Hans Troyer is a Hoka athlete who has gained a large following through amazing performances but mostly because of his genuine likeable character. They chat about his first time in Europe, some takeaways from Wester States, and his outlook on his upcoming race, CCC.

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The Megs ran the Falmouth Road Race with Asics while Thomas tapped into his culinary side with some hot dog ramen (sounds delicious). We also dive into the Nike Pegasus Plus 2, which features an all new Air Zoom unit in the forefoot.

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LAGOON PILLOWS

Sleep is training. Lagoon Pillow is built around your sleep position and preferences — so you wake up recovered and ready to run. We use them every night and you should too. Find your perfect pillow at lagoonsleep.com/believe

Taylor and Alex dig into multiple topics this week including their personal tendencies when it comes to Strava, thoughts on E-bikes, and wrap up with a conversation about the new Mount to Coast M1.

Guest: Jared Smith is Hoka's Senior Product Line Manager. He and Taylor talk about his history with Hoka, the current "technical" terrain lineup that includes the upcoming Tecton X 4, plus insight about the return of the Evo Speedgoat and more.

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Näak Nutrition: The Drop Listeners can get 15% off any Näak products by using code BI...

We don't have a shoe to highlight this week, so we thought we'd give you our picks for the most overrated and underrated running shoes of 2026 (so far). Meg also gives her top 5 picks for race day shoes, which may surprise you. We also discuss the latest blood doping scandal in running and Thomas proposes a novel idea to catch them if you can. Plus- shout-out to It's-It ice cream sandwiches for giving Thomas core childhood memories.

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Fall marathon training is in full...

Long time trail reviewer, Sam Edgin, joins Alex and Taylor this week to talk about his experience at The Beast of Big Creek with Merrell...after they talk about coffee that is. Sam gives insight on the event, beta on an upcoming 2027 Merrell trail shoe, and much more.Näak Nutrition: The Drop Listeners can get 15% off any Näak products by using code BITR15. Näak is a nutrition brand the leverages natural ingredients and research backed formulas to help athletes perform. They have a host of products like gels, drink, mixes, broths, bars, and recovery fuel. Their hig...

Turns out that Thomas doesn't like ranch dressing, which would get you excommunicated from Guy Fieri's cruise line in a matter of minutes. No worries, you can head over to Estes Park and hang with him and Taylor as they take on the trails in the upcoming Hoka Tecton X 4, improved in all the right places over the last version. Congrats again to all our Summer GRIT participants, and to the winner Connor Bessell who racked up a marathon a day!

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This week, Alex posed a challenge to pick out a budget-friendly trail running kit. They give insight on how to shop, things to look for, etc. Outside of that conversation they talk about about a special Rocky Mountain mission for Taylor and Thomas as well as the upcoming Hoka Tecton X 4.

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Näak Nutrition: The Drop Listeners can get 15% off any Näak products by using code BITR15. Näak is a nutrition brand the leverages natural ingredients and research backed formulas to help athletes perform. The...

We watched Josh break the world-record last month, and we went back and listed to our original conversation with him back in 2023. It's worth a re-release. We hope you enjoy.

From the original episode:

He won the 5th Avenue Mile two weeks after he took down Jakob Ingebrigtsen on the sport's biggest stage, outkicking him en route to a world title in the 1500m. And now he's a guest on the greatest podcast in history of the universe. So yeah, you could say it's been a whirlwind of a month for Brooks...

Be careful what you wish for, or your girlfriend might love the Boston Marathon more than anything else in the whole world. In our case, we're already obsessed with running so we can't get any crazier. We recap GRIT standings before dipping into our experience driving an electric car and wishing we had knobs and buttons again. We also preview the Hylo Impact 2, a new version of the daily trainer offered from the London-based brand.

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Summer is in full swing, which means you need more salt than you...

Alex, Reese, and Taylor talk about what they are obsessed with in the month of July. Everything from minivans, to horses, to stack heights was fair game. They wrap up their conversations with early imperessions of the upcoming Asics Metafuji Trail 2.

Guest: Reese chats with Dr. Jason Tso and Malene Lindholm who are conducting a study at Stanford that's focused on common genetic markers for endurance performance.

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What a week for running as Josh Kerr does the unthinkable in breaking the mile world record. Thomas also does the unthinkable by attempting the Presidential Traverse in adverse conditions, but manages to make it out alive with some stories to tell. We also run down the New Balance SC Rebel v1, an all-new super trainer coming in August for $200.
ASICS GRIT PARTY DETAILS
What: 3-mile group run followed by after party
When: Saturday, July 25 @ 11:30 a.m. (3-mile group run, after party starts at 12)
Where: Hampden Yards, 3601 Hickory Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211
Who: You and...

Western States and Hardrock are over. Hear the Dirt Division's thoughts on gear-related trends between the two events as well as trends in trail running gear in general this year. Alex and Taylor then talk about the Brooks Cascadia 20 and Taylor's wild ride in the White Mountains with Thomas and the Mount to Coast crew.

Guest: Sean Van Horn is a mountain runner from Colorado who has experienced all ends of the spectrum as an athlete. Not too long ago he was gunning for world records. More recently, health scares have...

Thomas and Meg sit down with Blue Benadum from R.A.D to talk about their lineup as well as his extensive history in the business, starting with his days at Nike.

We got flooded houses, dead fish in the harbor, wildfires, and grit. And we say to ourselves, what a wonderful world. July is throwing a tempter tantrum but it's all been made easier with some fantastic shoes in the way of the Topo Athletic Specter Elite and the Tracksmith Eliot Ryder. We're also looking forward to the annual Summer GRIT party, which is happening next weekend here in Baltimore at Hampden Yards. Hope to see you there!

ASICS GRIT PARTY DETAILS

What: 3-mile group run followed by after party
When: Saturday, July 25 @ 11:30...

Reese, Alex, and Taylor first lay out their thoughts on the upcoming North Face Offtrail Ultra. Then, they round out their conversation on recovery, which inevitablyturns macro before getting to some of the gear that they use regularly for it.Guest: Tommie Runz has become a well-known runner due to his inspiring story and "stay ready" attitude. Hear about his experience getting into trail running and how this led to some of his most challenging (and rewarding) running experiences yet.

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The team has reassembled back in Baltimore, but it's been a whirlwind of the past two weeks as our running adventures took us everywhere from Western States 100 to the headquarters of On and Paris fashion week. We're tired but we're here, so that's gotta count for something.
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LAGOON PILLOWS
Sleep is training. Lagoon Pillow is built around your sleep position and preferences — so you wake up recovered and ready to run. We use them every night and you should too. Find your perfect pillow at lagoonsleep.com/believe
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Th...

The Dirt Division trio first mulls over one of the most anticipated shoes of the year, the Norda 055. Then, they dive into a two part conversation about recovery.

Guest: Jane Maus and Kyle Richardson are true mountain athletes. They talk to Taylor about their draw to such terrain, background that led them there, and what it means to be supported by Arc'teryx.

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Näak Nutrition: The Drop Listeners can get 15% off any Näak products by using code BITR15. Näak is...

Thomas speaks with Wei-En Chang, the founder of JANUARY, a rising running shoe brand. Their first model coming to market is the Signal, their daily trainer.

Thomas and Meg are en España this week, so Robbe, Karl, and Brady came off the bench to fill their boots. They talk through the World Cup, the Norwegian Method of producing athletes, and even touch on the exorbitant number of Oreo flavors. They answer some listener questions from Instagram and celebrate the beginning of GRIT to round it out.JOIN US FOR SUMMER GRITRegistration for Summer GRIT is right around the corner. If you want to join the challenge, improve your base fitness, and see what you're made of, you can join here: https://runsignup.com/Race/M...

Alex, Taylor, and Maria (Believe in the Run's VIP) just returned from Western States. Even though they are sleep deprived, they talk about their experience at Western States.

Guest: Nnormal athletes Kilian Jornet and Elhousine Elazzaoui chat with Taylor about running in the USA, Nnormal's team, as well as a sneak peek of an upcoming Nnormal Prototype shoe that Kilian used during Western States.

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Näak Nutrition: The Drop Listeners can get 15% off any Näak products by using code BITR15. Nä...

In the midst of a busy trail packed week with Broken Arrow, TrailCon, and Western States, Max Jolliffe stopped by the BITR Tahoe HQ to chat about the week so far, his upcoming race at Badwater 135, and dissecting a little bit more of the aftermath of the Satisfy Circle Pit.

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LMNT

The temperatures are climbing up and up, which means you need more salt than you think you do. Crisp and refreshing, all LMNT flavors deliver 1000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, and 60 mg magnesium. And...

It's that time of year again. Taylor headed out to what he is coining as, "The Great American Trailapalooza". He, Reese, and Alex talk about what happens during the ten day span of Broken Arrow Skyrace, Trailcon, and Western States. Taylor, also gives a first-hand account of his experience at Broken Arrow with Nike ACG. Then, Taylor talks to Aeres Reading, a trail racing young gun, who will be living, breathing, and sleeping trail running as a Trail House athlete.

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Thomas and Meaghan sit down with Drew Magaha, Product Manager for Mizuno USA, to talk through his running history and what the brand has in store. The gang have been running in Mizuno shoes this year that are getting green lights across the board, so keep an eye out!

It's gonna be a busy next few weeks, so the crew locks in for an hour and a half of running talk (not really), before maybe wishing things were a little bit simpler at times. But hey, life is good becasue you're here with us. Summer is here and GRIT is coming up, so let's have some fun. We also cover our experiences in the really-fantastic Topo Athletic Specter 3 and Brooks' best race day shoe to date, by far.

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The temperatures are climbing up and up...

The Dirt Divison plays a game of would you rather with some questions that have a direct tie to running and some that clearly don’t.

Guest: Mason Coppi has been quietly crushing on both the trails and occassionally the roads. Just in 2026 he became a USATF Trail Running Champion and qualified of the US Olympic Trials in the marathon. Taylor checks in with him as he recently signed as a Vibram athlete.

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The World Cup is coming, so who better to talk about it than three runners who don't watch soccer? We do run, so we recap Meg's bloody experience at the Baltimore 10 Miler and Brady pissing iced tea at a 100 mile race in Ohio. We also cover the R.A.D. Mallow, another really great entry into the $150 running shoe range.

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LAGOON PILLOWS

Sleep is training. Lagoon Pillow is built around your sleep position and preferences — so you wake up recovered and ready to run. We...