Best Nicholas Macha Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 160 - Track 10Ks, Double Threshold, EASY Easy Days & Race Day Nerves With Brooks NIL Athlete Isaac Benjamin 53:27

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1d ago53:27

53:27

Today, I got to chat with Isaac Benjamin. Isaac is a senior out of South Kitsap high school in Washington. He is #2 returner in the Northwest and one of the top high school athletes in the nation going into this season. He holds PRs of 4:13 for 1600, 8:52 for 3200, 14:35 for track 5K, 15:01 for cross country 5k, and 30:18 for track 10K. He is also …

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Ep. 159 - WHEN WILL THE SICKNESS END?! Another Viral (Infection) Episode | 2025 WC, Thoughts On Jakob Ingebrigtsen & Courage Is The Greatest Virtue 27:12

9d ago27:12

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Today on the podcast I am sick once again! This is not the news I want to share today; however, this is part of the back-to-school process. Grateful that I still get to sit down this week to discuss some major topics, such as the 2025 World Track & Field Championships in Tokyo, my thoughts on the current state of Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and the Men's 1…

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Ep. 158 - The Most Poised High Schooler in the Nation | A Conversation with Asher Oates (#24 Ranked, State Champion, 14:44 5K XC Runner) 56:01

15d ago56:01

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Today on the podcast is Asher Oates! Asher is the #1 returner from Tennessee, ranked 24th in the nation by Milesplit. Asher is a senior out of Independence High School in Tennessee. Just yesterday, he ran 14:44 for 5K XC, soloing a PR gun to tape in only his second meet of the season. He is the defending Tennessee state champion for cross-country i…

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Ep. 157 - From 2X NXR Team Champs To Fastest Freshmen Twins In the NCAA: The Rise of Max and Zack Cervi-Skinner 38:28

22d ago38:28

38:28

Hello, and welcome back to another episode of The Sunday Shakeout! I am your host, Nicholas. Today on the show, I had the pleasure of chatting with the fastest freshman twins in the NCAA this fall at Wake Forest… Zack and Max Cervi-Skinner. They’re from Idaho, where they ran for Coeur D’Alene High School and built quite the legacy for CDA Distance.…

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Ep. 156 - SICK SUNDAY Training Update, Why Wisdom Contradicts Itself, Praying For Times Like These 19:51

29d ago19:51

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This week on the podcast… I’m sick. I had an awesome episode planned with a couple of guests, but since I’ve been under the weather since Friday, I decided to push that interview back. Instead, I dive into some solo reflections: my excitement for the upcoming cross-country season, how my training has been going lately (50-mile weeks, double thresho…

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Ep. 155 - The Most Underrated Runner In the PNW | Bad Luck, Nothing To Lose, & 2 State Titles with Dylan Weniger 50:16

1M ago50:16

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This week on the show is Dylan Weniger. Dylan is a graduated senior from Sherwood High School in Oregon and will be running for Gonzaga under Pat Tyson this fall. Dylan is the most underrated runners in the Pacific Northwest. This man flies under the radar like no other. Yet somehow, he is a 4:06 miler, he ran 8:14 for 3K, and is a 2x Oregon 6A Sta…

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Ep. 154 - The New Generation Of High School Superstars: Sitting Down With 4:12 miler, NON Emerging Elite Mile Champ, & Rising Junior Yosuke Shibata 45:03

1M ago45:03

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Today on the podcast is Yosuke Shibata. Yosuke is a rising junior out of South Eugene High School in Eugene, Oregon. Remember the name, folks. A lot of people are asking the question: “After Owen Powell, Josiah Tostenson, Tayvon Kitchen, Charlie Vause, all these guys who graduated, who is going to rise to the top on the high school scene?” Well, la…

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Ep. 153 - From NXN Champ To Breakout Freshman NCAA Season— The Rise of Wake Forest’s JoJo Jourdon 41:43

2M ago41:43

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This week on the podcast is JoJo Jourdon! JoJo holds PRs of: 3:37.00 (1500m), 3:56.37 (mile), 7:53.48 (3K), 13:41.00 (5K), 29:30 (10K XC). JoJo burst onto the high school national scene in 2023, becoming Utah’s fifth-ever individual Nike Cross Nationals champion with a time of 15:16.5. Not long after, he became just the 21st‑ever high‑schooler to b…

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Ep. 152 - Double Threshold, Altitude, & the Journey to a 13:53 5K & 28:48 10K | A Deep Dive with Duke's Will Purnell 1:05:46

2M ago1:05:46

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Will Purnell is back on the podcast today, and a lot has happened since we last talked. If you don’t know Will, he’s a Seattle Prep alum who just wrapped up four years of collegiate running at Boston College. This fall, he’s heading into his fifth and final year at Duke to close out his NCAA career. When we last caught up in spring 2024, Will was j…

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Ep. 151 - How To Become A 6X STATE CHAMP & NATIONAL CONTENDER From A Town of 7,000 People: The Story of Illinois' Sunny Weber 47:52

2M ago47:52

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Today on the podcast is Sunny Weber! Sunny is a rising senior at Sandwich High School in Illinois and one of the top high school distance runners in the country right now. She’s already a six-time state champion, with PRs of 4:41 in the 1600, 9:59 in the 3200, and 16:11 for 3-mile. Just this past track season, she finished 4th in the 2-mile at New …

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Ep. 150 - Back With A Solo Podcast! Best Shape I've Ever Been In, Podcast Updates, & Why Uncertainty Is Essential 24:53

2M ago24:53

24:53

Today on the show I do a solo episode of the podcast. I had some scheduling difficulties with guests and I am going out of town by the time this publishes, so I decided to do a solo podcast episode. I'm pretty hyped that I am on episode 150. Thank you for your continued support! It means a lot for the continued growth and milestones of this podcast…

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Ep. 149 - The Comeback Is Personal: The Story of D1 Runner Blake Reynolds 52:42

2M ago52:42

52:42

Today on the podcast is Blake Reynolds! Blake just recently transferred to run at Grand Canyon University (GCU) in Arizona, after a successful freshman collegiate season at The University of New Mexico. Blake is an alum of Central Kitsap High School in Washington, a rival to my current high school, Seattle Prep. Blake holds PRs of: 1:55 (800m), 4:1…

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Ep. 148 - How To Adapt From Being a Middle School WR-Holder to the Most Competitive HS Scene Of All Time: The Return of Erik Semling 38:47

3M ago38:47

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Today on the show is the 4th appearance of Erik Semling! Erik holds PRs of 4:20 (1600m), 9:10 (3200m), and 15:00 (5K XC). He an age-group world record-holder in the 5000m and 10000m. If you have been following Erik's journey since middle school, where he broke age-group world records in the 5K and 10K, as well as our previous conversations, they yo…

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Ep. 147 | SATURDAY SUMMER SPECIAL | What It's Like To Be In The Trenches Of Track & Field With CIF State Champ, NXN Qualifier, & UCLA Commit Aydon Stefanopoulos 21:02

3M ago21:02

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Today on the show is Aydon Stefanopoulos! Aydon is a graduated senior out of Los Gatos High School in California. He will be a rising freshman in the fall at UCLA. Aydon holds PRs of 1:51 for 800m, 4:06 for 1600m, 8:57 for 3200m, and 14:52 for 5K XC. He is the 2023 CIF D2 XC State Champion and a 2023 NXN Qualifier. Aydon and I had one of the most u…

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Ep. 146 - The Joy In Experiencing The Highs And Lows With NXN All-American & 3X Colorado 800m State Champ Rosie Mucharsky 54:41

3M ago54:41

54:41

Today on the podcast is Rosie Mucharsky! Rosie is a graduated senior out of Denver East High in Colorado. She will be a freshman at the University of Notre Dame this fall. Rosie holds PRs of: 800m: 2:08 Mile: 4:42 5K XC: 16:54 Rosie has had an incredible high school career in Colorado. She is a back-to-back-to-back 800m state champion. She is also …

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Ep. 145 | MIDWEEK SUMMER SPECIAL - Inside The Career Of A 2X National Champion & National Record-Holder With Herriman Stud Tayshaun Ogomo 42:59

3M ago42:59

42:59

Today on the podcast is Tayshaun Ogomo. Tayshaun is a graduated senior out of Herriman High School in Utah. He will be running at Utah Sate University this fall. Tayshaun holds PRs of: 800m: 1:48.87* (Altitude converted: 1:49.40)3-mile XC: 13:57 5K XC: 14:44 Tayshaun just recently set the high school 4x800m National Record with the Herriman squad a…

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Ep. 144 - What It's Like To Have "Unfinished Business" As a 4:02 Miler, 2X FLXC All-American, & World Mountain Running Champion With Benji Anderson 41:12

3M ago41:12

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Today on the show is Benji Anderson! Benji is a graduated senior from Mountain Vista High School out of Highlands Ranch, Colorado. He is a Colorado XC State Champ, Indoor 2-mile State record-holder, 2x Footlocker All-American, New Balance Indoors All-American. Benji holds PRs of: 800: 1:52.70Mile: 4:02.983200m 8:46.155k XC: 14:41.55 Benji is at the…

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EP 143 - WEEKDAY SUMMER SPECIAL | What It Takes To Be An Oregon Duck With State Champion & NXN Qualifier Jack Meier 47:37

3M ago47:37

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Today on the podcast is Jack Meier! Jack just finished his freshman year at the University of Oregon, where he chose to redshirt. Despite the limited racing schedule, Jack still ran 3rd place at 2025 U20 XC in Lubbock, Texas this past winter. Jack is a former 6A XC State Champion in Oregon, an NXN qualifier, and 2x NON All-American. He holds PRs of…

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Ep. 142 - Top Rising Junior & NXR Team Champ Wyatt Carr On Taking It To The Next Level, The Road To NXN Champ 33:21

3M ago33:21

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Today on the show is none other than Wyatt Carr, the rising star from Coeur d’Alene. He’s a rising junior out of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and one of the top young distance runners in the entire Northwest. He has ran 4:13 for the full mile, 8:58 for 3200m at Arcadia, and 15:03 for 5K XC. The guy’s legit. But what makes Wyatt really interesting isn’t ju…

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Ep. 141 - Work Hard, Have Fun: Inside The Mind Of Rising HS Star Nash Howard 1:08:12

3M ago1:08:12

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LIFE UPDATE - Current State Of The Show, Long-Term Plans, Life Lessons Learned Recently 29:18

3M ago29:18

29:18

Hey friends! I haven't done a solo podcast in quite a while. Life has been a rollercoaster lately with my shortened track season, going to Paris for spring break, and closing up the school year. I figured it would be a good time to air my thoughts on the current state of The Sunday Shakeout and use this to guide my mission this summer for the show.…

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Ep. 139 - The Future Of The Sport Of Running: A Running Masterclass With MS Superstar Brayden Domont 39:48

4M ago39:48

39:48

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of The Sunday Shakeout. I am your host, Nicholas, and today on the show is one of the nation’s biggest middle school stars: Mr. Brayden Domont out of Illinois. This dude is nuts. I can’t even believe how fast middle schoolers are running these days. As an eighth grader, Brayden has run 2:02 for 80…

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Ep. 138 - Chasing Senior State Glory And The Elusive Sub-4 Barrier With 4:04 Miler Kade Brownell 27:19

4M ago27:19

27:19

Today on the show is none other than Kade Brownell, the legend of Mt. Spokane. Yes, you heard that right, Kade is one of the top runners in Washington’s 3A classification and a total beast on the track. He’s clocked some insane times: 1:52 for 800m, 4:04 for the mile, and 8:51 for 3200m. The reason I had him on the show today? Kade is not only gear…

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Ep. 137 - The Story of 18x Louisiana State Champion Aiden Monistere 33:54

4M ago33:54

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Today on the show is the 18-time individual state champ from Louisiana, Aiden Monistere. Yes, you heard that right, this man is an 18-time state champion in the state of Louisana, one of if not the most dominant distance runners in the history of the state. He is a 4:06 guy for mile, 8:46 for 2 mile, and the reason I had him on the show today was t…

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Ep. 136 - The Return of SOPHOMORE Back-to-Back 800m Texas State Champ: Cooper Lutkenhaus on Mental Prep, Going B2B, And More! 24:11

4M ago24:11

24:11

Today on the show is the return of my man, the King Of The 800m, Cooper Lutkenhaus! Cooper is a sophomore out of Justin Northwest High School out in Texas. This guy really needs no introduction. If you listened to my prior episode with this guy, you would know that he won State in the 800m and the Brooks PR 800m his freshman year. The man has not s…

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Ep. 135 - Running 14:46 5K XC In Your First Year Training With Footlocker All-American Yohanes vanMeerten 24:56

5M ago24:56

24:56

Today on the podcast is Yohanes vanMeerten. Yohanes is a sophomore out of Flagstaff High School in Flagstaff, Arizona. Yohanes is one of the rising stars in the world of high school running. He holds PRs of 14:46 for 5K, he also has ran altitude converted track PRs of 1:59 for 800, 4:19, for the mile, and 9:10 for 3200m. The craziest thing is that …

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Ep. 134 - From European XC To Making All-Time UO Lists: Inside The Life Of 15:31 5K Runner Anika Thompson 36:20

5M ago36:20

36:20

This week on podcast, I sit down with Anika Thompson. Anika is a senior at the University of Oregon, an NCAA All-American, and Irish international. Having grown up in in and around Eugene, Anika opens up about her journey through high school stardom and her decorated collegiate career at Oregon. In this episode, Anika and I discuss her early years …

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Ep. 133 - An Open Conversation With Stanford's Thomas Boyden: The Love for Competition, Transferring To BYU, Top-10 Stanford All-Time, And More 51:58

5M ago51:58

51:58

This week on the podcast in Thomas Boyden. Thomas is a graduate student competing for Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. He recently ran 28:06 for the 10K, putting him on the top-10 all-time list for Stanford outdoor 10K on the men’s side. Having been in the sport for close on the decade, Thomas and I go through his journey in the sport,…

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Ep. 132 - The Mental Side Of The Sub-4 Quest With 4:01 Miler Corbin Coombs. 36:35

5M ago36:35

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This week on the show is Corbin Coombs. Corbin is a senior out of Organ Mountain High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Coombs has demonstrated exceptional prowess on the track and cross-country courses. He shattered the New Mexico state record in the mile with a time of 4:02.59 at the Millrose Games, marking the fastest mile ever run by a New Mex…

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Ep. 131 - High School Brooks NIL Panel: Ben Crane, Alexa Matora, Vince Recupero, Victoria Rodriguez 23:02

5M ago23:02

23:02

Today on the podcast is the Brooks NIL Panel, featuring four of Brooks’ first ever high school NIL athletes: Vince Recupero, Alexa Matora, Ben Crane, and Victoria Rodriguez. I had a fun time chatting with the newly sponsored athletes and today was not at all about competition or the outdoor season. Instead, we really got into their individual exper…

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BONUS EPISODE | Special Guest: Nash Howard 25:27

5M ago25:27

25:27

This week on the podcast is a break from the comeback episode, as I have a special guest this week: Nash Howard. Nash is a Sophomore running for Seattle Prep. He holds PR's of 16:14.6 (5K XC), 9:49.48 (3200m), 4:25.70 (1600m), 2:02.62 (800m). Nash is one of my teammates and also one of my best friends. It was a super fun time having him on the show…

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Ep. 129 - Inside The Mind of D1 Commit & 2x State Champ: The Return of Malachi Schoenherr 1:03:57

5M ago1:03:57

1:03:57

This week on the podcast is the return of Malachi Schoenherr. Malachi is currently a junior who runs for Sheldon High School in Eugene, Oregon. He is a 2x State Champ (2024 Oregon 6A 3K Track Champ & 2024 Oregon 6A XC State Champ). Malachi also just recently committed to run for BYU in 2026. Malachi has had a rollercoaster ride since the last time …

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The Comeback EP 4 | Back From The Dead, Lost 7 Pounds, Walk-Jog Progression 34:33

5M ago34:33

34:33

This week on the show is the next episode of the comeback series of the podcast! Tap in! You won't want to miss it. Please consider leaving a follow and a five-star review! I hope you enjoy this episode of The Sunday Shakeout! Thanks so much to all my listeners for the support!

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The Comeback EP 3 | Back To Running Soon, Doctor vs. PT, Letting Go 35:41

6M ago35:41

35:41

This is my fourth video podcast, third of the Comeback Series. Perfect for your next run, car ride, or rainy day! Tap in! You won't regret it!

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Ep. 126 - FLXC All-American & 3x Mt. SAC Winner: Trey Caldwell On Breaking Records, Obsession, And The 400m 58:07

6M ago58:07

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This week on the podcast is Trey Caldwell! Trey is a senior out of De La Salle High School in Concord, California. He is committed to run at the University of Colorado under Coach Sean Carlson this fall. Trey holds PR's of: 4:15.79 (1600m), 8:53,69 (3200m), 14:49 (5K XC) Trey is a super humble guy and we had an amazing conversation today on the sho…

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The Comeback EP 2 | Big Update on the Knee, Favorite Part Of Recovery, Start Of Track Season 45:27

6M ago45:27

45:27

After a two-week break from the solo episodes, I am back with another episode of the comeback series! Perfect for your next run, car ride, or a rainy day! Tap in! You won't regret it!

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HS Girls Northwest Panel Episode: Sophia & Victoria Rodriguez, Ellery Lincoln, Cassidy Armstrong, Emily Wisniewski, Chloe & Hannah Huyler 50:59

6M ago50:59

50:59

This week on the podcast is the HS Northwest Girls Panel. The panelists are: - Sophia and Victoria Rodriguez (sophomore and senior from WA) - Cassidy Armstrong (junior from WA) - Ellery Lincoln (sophomore from WA) - Chloe and Hannah Huyler (seniors from WA) - Emily Wisniewski (senior from WA) We talk all things running, mindset, and track and field…

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HS Boys National Panel: Owen Powell, TJ Hansen, Charlie Vause, Jack Graffeo, Caden Leonard 39:48

7M ago39:48

39:48

Today on the show has been a long-awaited episode, something that I personally have wanted to do for a long time. Today we have a panel with six of the top high school athletes in the entire country: Owen Powell, Tayvon Kitchen, TJ Hansen, Charlie Vause, Jack Graffeo, and Caden Leonard. They are all seniors, except for Caden, who is a junior. Very …

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Ep. 122 - From 19:25 to 15:11 5K XC: D1 Commit Nick Gargano On What It Takes To Win 43:32

7M ago43:32

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Today on the podcast is Nick Gargano! The Tale of Two Nicks, I guess you could say. Nick is a senior out of Sehome High School in Bellingham, Washington. I had a lot of fun chatting with Nick today. He’s a super humble guy, also very thoughtful and he has one of the most remarkable progressions that I have seen in high school. A while back I had my…

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The Comeback EP 1 | Thoughts On Hip Strength, First Time At PT, The Empty Void 51:42

7M ago51:42

51:42

This is the second ever video podcast I have done and the first in a series that I am doing to document my recovery journey after dislocating my knee. This is an extremely unscripted episode. I am just speaking what is on my mind. I recently came across a question this past week: "When was the last the last time you cried in front of someone?" Toda…

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Washington State 4A Panel With Isaac Benjamin & Connor Rickey 47:24

7M ago47:24

47:24

Today on the podcast is a banger episode. I had a mini panel with two of the top competitors in the 4A classification of the State of Washington: Connor Rickey and Isaac Benjamin. Shoutout to Connor committing to this show despite being in France. Connor is a senior out of Issaquah High School. He holds PR's of 1:54.29 (800m), 4:14.15 (1600m), 9:11…

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Ep. 120 - Unpacking My Knee Dislocation & Thoughts On The State Of Track And Field 48:11

7M ago48:11

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This week on the show is my first video podcast. I recently dislocated my knee on my birthday. Today is the the day I tell the story of that and some of the lessons that I have learned so far, as well as looking forward. I also speak a little bit about where I think the world of track and field is headed after some of the world records that have go…

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Ep. 119 - Catching Up With Michael Maiorano: Sharing Insights On Success, Purpose, Winning A National Title, Running For A NCJAA School 40:25

8M ago40:25

40:25

Today on the show marks the return of Michael Maiorano. Michael holds PRs of 4:06 (Mile), 8:14 (3000m), 14:01 (5000m), 29:51 (10,000m) Last time I had him on the show was in early September, right before he started his cross country season at Salt Lake Community College, an NCJAA School. Now, y’all might be thinking: "JUCO? Who would want to run fo…

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Ep. 118 - Insights From 1:47 800m Runner & Sophomore Superstar Cooper Lutkenhaus: What It Takes To Be The Best, How He Handles Pressure, Solo-ing a 1:52 In December, And More! 27:17

8M ago27:17

27:17

Yes, he is only a Sophomore in high school. No, this isn't fake. Today on the show is Cooper Lutkenhaus. Cooper is a Sophomore out of Northwest High School, and is one of the best 800m runners in the nation. Last June, as a freshman, Cooper stunned the field at the 2024 Brooks PR 800, running 1:47 and beating a star-studded field with his crazy kic…

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Ep. 117 - An Open Conversation With The Fastest Sisters In High School: Sophia & Victoria Rodriguez On Winning Back-to-Back State Titles, The Future Of Their Relationship & Much More 42:27

8M ago42:27

42:27

Today on the podcast is the return of Sophia and Victoria Rodriguez from Mercer Island High School. The last time I had them on the podcast was last February and since then, Sophia has won 3 state titles, Victoria won a national title in the steeplechase, they finished 8th and 12th at NXN, and Victoria is committed to run at Wake Forest University …

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Washington 3A State Panel With Owen Powell, Vince Recupero, Kade Brownell, Hudson Atrosh 27:26

8M ago27:26

27:26

Today, ladies and gentlemen, is the first panel episode on The Sunday Shakeout. To start off this series, I partnered up with Jean Claude, also known on Instagram as Startline Running, to bring to you some of the top athletes in the Washington State 3A division, including Owen Powell, Vince Recupero, Hudson Atrosh, and Kade Brownell. I have had a f…

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Ep. 114 - From Crawling To The Finish To NXN 2nd Place | Inside The Life of D1 Commit TJ Hansen 41:22

8M ago41:22

41:22

Today on the show I am joined by TJ Hansen. TJ is a senior out of Michigan and finished 2nd place at NXN after crawling to the final qualifying spot at NXR. He is also a back-to-back state champ in cross country and ran under 15 minutes for 5K seven times during the season. TJ is set to run at the University of Colorado after flipping his commitmen…

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Ep. 113 - 13 Biggest Lessons From 2024 & BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! 22:56

9M ago22:56

22:56

Happy New Year! The new year is often a time to look forward and set intentions for ourselves as we journey through the next chapter of our lives. However, I also believe that reflection is a huge part of turning the clock. So today, I am looking back and revealing some of the biggest lessons that I have learned on this podcast in 2024. Whether you…

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Ep. 112 - From Setback To 12th At RunningLane | Inside The Mind Of Freshman State Champ Erik Semling 35:50

9M ago35:50

35:50

Today on the podcast marks the return of Erik Semling! Last time I had Erik on the podcast was back in August right after the Olympic Games in Paris. We discussed all the action that happened at this year’s games, as well at the 70 minute half marathon that he ran at just 14 years old. Today, being Erik’s third time on the podcast, we discuss his f…

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Ep. 111 - Footlocker West Champion Cassidy Armstrong On What It Takes To Win 34:01

9M ago34:01

34:01

Today on the podcast is Cassidy Armstrong! Cassidy is a junior at Ballard High School in Seattle Washington and is the recently crowned Girls Footlocker West Champion in a time of 17:42. She also won the NIKE Hole in The Wall Invitational in a time of 16:43, just barely missing the course record set by Anna Callahan one year earlier. Today, Cassidy…