Taylor sits down with Abby Hall, Adidas Terrex Athlete, straight off her win at Western States.

Grab a cod fillet bar, it's time to get some gainz. This week on The Drop, we recap Robbe's breathing struggles at the Leadville 100 as he helped crew Taylor, leader of the Dirt Division. We also recap Meg's latest Move Her Mind stop, before discussing The New York Times article every long distance runner is talking about. Eventually, we discuss a trio of shoes: the featherweight Asics Metaspeed Ray, the Under Armour Velociti Elite 3, and the Norda 001A.

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LMNT

We're in the full swing of marathon training, so get your 1,000 mg of sodium plus other key electrolytes that will restore balance to your life after any hard effort. You'll also get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase, so don't miss out: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop

SWIFTWICK

The best running socks in the game, Swiftwick is made right here in the USA, which means no price increases on account of tariffs. We're always running in their socks and you should be too. The Drop listeners can get 15% off their first purchase with code BELIEVE15.

Shop here: https://swiftwick.com/collections/believe

INDEX

0:00 - Intro

4:35 - Leadville 100 Recap

48:34 - Move Her Mind Event Series (Decatur, GA)

58:48 - David Protein Bars and...Cod Fillets?

1:04:55 - Marathoning and Colon Cancer / Ozempic Blindness / Marathon Project

1:26:07 - Asics Metaspeed Ray / Under Armour Velociti Elite 3 / Norda 001A

We sat down with Ben Rosario to talk all things The Marathon Project—but first, we trace his journey through the sport. From his early running days to launching Big River Running Co. in college, moving to Flagstaff to found NAZ Elite, Ben’s path has been a fun journey to follow. Now, he’s reviving The Marathon Project in a bold, reimagined way, and Meg will be one of the 1000 amateurs toeing the line of the Gold Wave. If you’re interested in running The Marathon Project, you can get more information and apply here: https://www.themarathonproject.com/

Robbe is currently losing his lungs in Colorado as he gets ready to help Taylor run the Leadville 100, but we got this podcast recorded before he self-destructed. I mean, we kind of self-destructed by diving into things we know nothing about, like carnival games at the doctor's office, WNBA, and declaring the day after the Super Bowl an official federal holiday. Enjoy your day off, you're welcome. Oh yeah, we also talk about two shoes that dropped out of nowhere, the all-new Asics Sonicblast and Megablast.

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LA SPORTIVA

Possibly the best trail shoe of 2025, the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro is crafted for ultrarunners, trail addicts, or anyone chasing their next big effort. With XFlow Speed, a dual-super critical nitrogen-infused EVA and TPU midsole technology, AND an ultralight Power Wire mesh upper - it’s responsive, durable, and ready for any terrain. Go farther, go faster! Shop the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro: https://rei.pxf.io/gOXQy0

LMNT

Thomas is mixing and matching flavors, Robbe is tapped into the Mango Chili, but whatever you go with, just know you're getting 1,000 mg of sodium plus other key electrolytes that will restore balance to your life after any hard effort. You'll also get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase, so don't miss out: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop

INDEX

0:00 - Intro

4:48 - Getting Weighed at the Doctor's Office

8:18 - Asics Metaspeed Ray + Balloons

17:38 - WNBA

21:39 - Move Her Mind Event Series (Louisville, KY)

35:02 - Fall Marathons, Weekend Trail Races, La Sportiva Prodigio Pro

48:03 - Robbe and Taylor at Leadville 100 / Reese at TransRockies

53:30 - $10 on a Starbucks Gift Card and a Dream

55:33 - Super Bowl Sunday Scheduling Suggestions

57:28 - Muppets and Other Assorted Haunting '80s Characters

1:03:12 - Tracksmith Trail Collection

1:15:04 - Our Beloved Running Staples

1:22:35 - Asics Sonicblast + Megablast, Miscellaneous End-of-Episode Talk

Fresh off his win in the 1500 at Hayward Field for the US Champs, Under Armour elite Jonah Koech joins us in studio to talk about that race, the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo, and his mindset during running. Also, he's lived in Baltimore for three years and hasn't had crabs or gone to an Orioles game so we need to fix that ASAP.

Watch his race: https://youtu.be/dWnr_7vdQVk?si=nbI36ADoNehCScmu

From swim stories to ostrich racing to figure out if we're Team Shelby, the stars aligned this week to bring you the best running content second to the National Championships. We also recap Summer GRIT and this past weekend's ice cream party before diving in the New Balance Fresh Foam More v6 and a little bit of Puma Velocity Nitro 4.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

LMNT
Thomas is mixing and matching flavors, Robbe is tapped into the Mango Chili, but whatever you go with, just know you're getting 1,000 mg of sodium plus other key electrolytes that will restore balance to your life after any hard effort. You'll also get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase, so don't miss out: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop
SWIFTWICK
The best running socks in the game, Swiftwick is made right here in the USA, which means no price increases on account of tariffs. We're always running in their socks and you should be too. The Drop listeners can get 15% off their first purchase with code BELIEVE15.
Shop here: https://swiftwick.com/collections/believe
INDEX
0:00 - Intro
1:30 - Meg's D.C. Trip, Airport Sushi, KOC Supreme Convention
12:42 - Model Planes, Ultra Gliders, Swim Stories
21:50 - Taylor in Town, GRIT Party Weekend, Ostrich Racing
46:02 - Summer GRIT Results Breakdown
53:44 - London Marathon and Guinness World Records, Lightning Strikes
58:49 - USATF National Championships, TSA's Policy on Greek Yogurt
1:09:37 - Shelby Houlihan
1:15:03 - New Balance Fresh Foam X More V6, Miscellaneous Shoe Talk

Taylor sits down with Josh Rosenthal, founder of Borderlands, a trail runner's hub that centers on community. We talk about his small-town roots, entrepreneurial spirit, and how running has hooked him like nothing else. Listen to his story and everything he's involved with in the trail running space.
Check out Borderlands: https://www.instagram.com/runborderlands/

We were all surprised to learn that Monterey Jack cheese came from Monterey, but we weren't surprised by Meg churning out some fast miles at the Wharf to Wharf 6-miler in Santa Cruz. We recap her West Coast journey as well as Thomas and Robbe's trip to Brooklyn (just a couple days after the launch of the On Cloudsurfer Max). Also, Summer GRIT just wrapped up and we had some incredibly performances to highlight (including one woman who has racked up 160,000 feet of elevation gain in one month). Lastly, we highlight the Nike Structure 26 and Norda 008, two shoes that have carried us through the past couple weeks.

INDEX

0:00 - Intro

6:30 - Move Her Mind Event Series (Monterey) / Wharf-to-Wharf 10K Race

24:50 - Robbe in Florida

29:41 - On x BITR Brooklyn Event

43:52 - New Balance x BITR x Coffee & Chill Brooklyn Event

1:05:20 - Norda 008

1:10:00 - Nike Structure 26

1:21:40 - Summer GRIT Leaderboards

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

LAGOON PILLOWS
We use Lagoon to get our best sleep and you should too. Featuring super soft covers, Certi-Pur foam and customizable features, they'll help you find the best pillow for your sleeping style. Plus, they're owned by runners. Visit them and use the discount code BELIEVE for 15% off your first order: http://lagoonsleep.com/believe
LMNT
You already know that LMNT has been getting us through Summer GRIT thanks to its blend of electrolytes and 1000 mg of sodium. It's a summer running necessity, and since you're a listener of The Drop, you get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop

Running is firing on all cylinders right now, which means that run culture is a multi-facted ecosystem revolving around branding, fashion, and personal style. Today on the podcast, Robbe chats with our run culture editor Alfredo Mejia, who joins him from Berlin to talk about the most exciting stuff happening in run culture, including everything he saw at Paris Fashion Week last month.
Make sure you read all of Alfredo's stories at believeintherun.com, and follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alfredo.mejiaa/

Robbe is manifesting true Florida Man energy this week so Karl takes his place in front of the camera. Topics this episode include our fall race plans, beer floats, the final TransRockies Run, and more Summer GRIT updates. We also take a look at the Puma Velocity Nitro 4, the new lightweight daily trainer from Puma that is pretty versatile by all accounts.

Join the boys this Sunday, July 27 in Brooklyn for "Coffee & Chill" and sample a pair of the New Balance Rebel v5.

RSVP here: https://bit.ly/4o0Yop3

INDEX

0:00 - Intro

4:44 - Tour De France / Maryland Cycling Classic

8:39 - Mushroom the Dog / Karl's Chances of Getting a Dog

11:51 - Fall Race Plans / Running Talk

24:09 - Ruth Chepng'etich Doping Controversy

29:15 - Summer GRIT Weekly Updates

31:29 - Savory Ice Cream and Other Weird Snacks

35:46 - James Gunn's "Superman" / Entertainment Talk

42:26 - "Coffee & Chill" Brooklyn Event with New Balance

49:18 - ETC Race at UTMB / The Final TransRockies Run

1:00:29 - Puma Velocity Nitro 4 / End-of-episode Nonsense

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

SWIFTWICK

The best running socks in the game, Swiftwick is made right here in the USA, which means no price increases on account of tariffs. We're always running in their socks and you should be too. The Drop listeners can get 15% off their first purchase with code BELIEVE15.

Shop here: https://swiftwick.com/collections/believe

LMNT

You already know that LMNT has been getting us through Summer GRIT thanks to its blend of electrolytes and 1000 mg of sodium. It's a summer running necessity, and since you're a listener of The Drop, you get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop

From Swiss underdogs to global heatseeker, On has won softly over the past decade with its unique approach to footwear design and performance. This week, Robbe chats with Ed Coyon, Global Head of Product for the brand, to talk about On's approach to running, design, production, and the all-new Cloudsurfer Max.
The On Cloudsurfer Max is available now for $180: https://www.on.com/

Throw on your sweaty headphones and tune in for this week's episode of The Drop, featuring an elevator pitch for America's hottest new airline: Weight & See. We also hear about Thomas's trip to the Bahamas and Meg's behind-the-scenes look at the Brooks HQ out in Seattle. Then there's Robbe, who was just sifting through trash in Baltimore. Finally, we cover the Adidas Adizero Prime X 3 Strung, a super trainer sporting a 50 mm stack height in the heel.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

LAGOON PILLOWS
We use Lagoon to get our best sleep and you should too. Featuring super soft covers, Certi-Pur foam and customizable features, they'll help you find the best pillow for your sleeping style. Plus, they're owned by runners.

Visit them and use the discount code BELIEVE for 15% off your first order: http://lagoonsleep.com/believe

LMNT
You already know that LMNT has been getting us through Summer GRIT thanks to its blend of electrolytes and 1000 mg of sodium. It's a summer running necessity, and since you're a listener of The Drop, you get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop

INDEX
0:00 - Intro
3:10 - Lagoon Pillows, Carpeted Bathrooms, Antenna Headphones
11:42 - Meg's Seattle Trip / Brooks HQ
30:13 - Thomas's Bahamas Trip
46:03 - "Weight & See": The Premier Airline from BITR
52:37 - Robbe's GRIT Treasure Hunting
59:04 - Adidas Adizero Prime X 3 Strung
1:06:28 - Summer GRIT Leaderboards

This was a bucket list one, for sure. Thomas and Robbe's souls meet body as they chat with Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service, as well as an ultrarunner and Speedland athlete. We dive into his recent finish at the Western States Endurance Run, what he listens to when he runs (Turnstile), as well as the release of his upcoming signature Speedland shoe, the GS:TMT.
Pre-order the Speedland GS:TMT: https://www.runspeedland.com/products/gs-tmt-copy
Listen to Death Cab For Cutie: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0YrtvWJMgSdVrk3SfNjTbx

We're in the swing of Summer GRIT, big things happened at the Prefontaine Classic, and we try and figure out if cloud seeding meatballs can solve world hunger. If so, why aren't we doing that? Also, Meg heads to Seattle where she's going to dig into some mysteries outside of running. Finally, we talk about both the Skechers Aero Tempo and Satisfy TheRocker, two shoes on vastly different sides of the running spectrum.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

LMNT

You already know that LMNT has been getting us through Summer GRIT thanks to its blend of electrolytes and 1000 mg of sodium. It's a summer running necessity, and since you're a listener of The Drop, you get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop

SWIFTWICK

The best running socks in the game, Swiftwick is made right here in the USA, which means no price increases on account of tariffs. We're always running in their socks and you should be too. The Drop listeners can get 15% off their first purchase with code BELIEVE15. Shop here: https://swiftwick.com/collections/believe

INDEX
0:00 - Intro
6:13 - Summer GRIT Week 1, Car Batteries, Customer Service
23:57 - Mont Blanc Virtual Run-through / Western States 2025 Video
28:33 - The 50th PreFontaine Classic / Nike Negativity
35:41 - Robbe's Barefoot Race / George the Pup
40:21 - Mr. Tasty Takes Over Baltimore
42:35 - BITR Summer Events / Leadville 100 / More Western States Talk
52:32 - Meg's Investigation into Portland Serial Killers
58:48 - More Running Talk
1:05:12 - Skechers Aero Tempo
1:15:22 - SATISFY The Rocker

It's another episode with Taylor, head of the Dirt Division, and this time he goes deep with ultrarunner Seth Ruhling. As part of The North Face team, Seth took on Western States and pulled in a 6th-place finish. This interview took place before the race, so we talk about Seth's upbringing, his training, and obviously his favorite shoes for taking on long challenges.

Merry GRIT-MAS to all who celebrate, it's been good to get some miles with all of you this week. And what a week it was, as Thomas and Taylor and the Dirt Division headed to Western States, while Meg said oui to Paris for the Nike Breaking4 Project. History was made and we were honored to witness it. Watch the Breaking4 recap on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/bivyb7HoeRwSUPPORT OUR SPONSORSLMNTYou already know that LMNT has been getting us through Summer GRIT thanks to its blend of electrolytes and 1000 mg of sodium. It's a summer running necessity, and since you're a listener of The Drop, you get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase: http://drinklmnt.com/thedropINDEX0:00 - Summer GRIT / Pre-recap nonsense18:36 - Nike Breaking4 Recap50:44 - Western States Recap

Thomas chats with Adam Gamble, founder of Nowhere Somewhere, a start-up run apparel brand featuring a range of t-shirts, hats, hoodies, and other apparel.

Check out Nowhere Somewhere: https://www.nowheresomewhere.run/

We recorded this on Monday, but right now Meg is in Paris reliving the excitement of seeing Nike's Breaking4 project with Faith Kipyegon. Thomas and Karl are at Western States, while Robbe is home with George, making margaritas with LMNT mango chili rims. We also recap our fun weekend with Mount to Coast and then talk about Meg's experience in the Brooks Hyperion Elite 5.

Check out all our Western States events: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLPvXYpslu0

Here's the study on hair and wind drag: https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/news/study-shows-hairstyle-and-clothing-could-cost-athletes-medals/

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

SWIFTWICK

The best running socks in the game, Swiftwick is made right here in the USA, which means no price increases on account of tariffs. We're always running in their socks and you should be too. The Drop listeners can get 15% off their first purchase with code BELIEVE15. Shop here: https://swiftwick.com/collections/believe

LMNT

NEW FLAVOR ALERT! Squeeze the most out of summer with LMNT’s new limited-time Lemonade Salt — salty, tart, and refreshing, it brings you the best of summer wherever you are. Get your free 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop

LAGOON PILLOWS

We use Lagoon to get our best sleep (like we will at the Western States Sleep Station sponsored by Lagoon) and you should too. Featuring super soft covers, Certi-Pur foam and customizable features, they'll help you find the best pillow for your sleeping style. Visit them and use the discount code BELIEVE for 15% off your first order: http://lagoonsleep.com/believe

INDEX

00:00 Intro

01:00 Sorry forgot to index this week

52:30 Brooks Hyperion Elite 5

Thomas sits down with Andrew Dutton, better known online as @ad___sneaks. Dutton is a middle-school teacher in Lehi, Utah, who has earned a devoted following on Instagram through his passion for sneaker photography. Dutton began snapping sneakers during the pandemic and has since evolved into a recognized visual storyteller.

All Thomas wants is a techno song with Gregorian chants, but instead we get Sabrina Carpenter. All Robbe wants is an ultramarathon with tranquilizer darts and Mario Kart red shells, but instead we have the Western States 100. All Meg wants is for all of this nonsense to end. Anyway, we talk about all of that, as well as an in-podcast Between 2 Shoes where we compare the Brooks Hyperion Max 3 and Mizuno Neo Vista 2.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

LMNT

NEW FLAVOR ALERT! Squeeze the most out of summer with LMNT’s new limited-time Lemonade Salt — salty, tart, and refreshing, it brings you the best of summer wherever you are. Get your free 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop

LAGOON PILLOWS

We use Lagoon to get our best sleep (like we will at the Western States Sleep Station sponsored by Lagoon) and you should too. Featuring super soft covers, Certi-Pur foam and customizable features, they'll help you find the best pillow for your sleeping style. Visit them and use the discount code BELIEVE for 15% off your first order: http://lagoonsleep.com/believe

PILLAR

Ensuring NN Running athletes continue to take podiums and claim records, PILLAR Performance gets them to start lines in the best condition possible. Recovery is crucial to managing training loads, and adequately preparing for race day. This is why PILLAR's Triple Magnesium provides a high dosage of Magnesium Bisglycinate to boost the recovery score on your wearable.

Enter code BITR on The Feed to receive 15% off your first order, and track the difference yourself: https://thefeed.com/products/pillar-performance

INDEX

0:00 - Intro

13:14 - Fathers' Day Running

18:24 - Local Baltimore Discussions

33:13 - Move Her Mind Event Series / Nike Breaking 4

38:38 - The Return of the Hot Tub Boiz / Gondola Culture

51:26 - Music Talk

54:01 - Back to Western States

56:33 - Best Shoes to Escape Human Hunters

1:02:19 - Altra's New Campaign

1:10:34 - Running Shoe Lingo

1:12:50 - Between 2 Shoes: Brooks Hyperion Max 3 vs. Mizuno Neo Vista 2