2025 Running Year in Review (Part 1): Records, Rivalries & Scandals | Marathon Handbook Podcast

Part 1 of our 2025 Year in Review!

Join hosts Michael Doyle, Alex Cyr, Katelyn Tocci, and Jessy Carveth for a deep dive into January through July 2025 — a stretch packed with American records, world records, major-marathon drama, breakout stars, super-shoe tech, ultra chaos, and one of the biggest doping bombshells in recent history.
We revisit Conner Mantz’s historic run in Houston, the February record spree, the Boston–London doubleheader, Nike’s Breaking4 experiment with Faith Kipyegon, Western States, UTMB highs and lows, and the July revelation that shook the sport: Ruth Chepngetich’s doping ban.

Part 2 (August–December) drops next week!

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

Timestamped Chapters
00:00 – Welcome to Part 1: The Year in Review (Jan–Jul 2025)
01:30 – January: Conner Mantz breaks the American half marathon record
04:00 – The rise of Houston as a “fast weekend” destination
05:45 – February: Nuguse breaks the indoor mile world record
07:00 – The miler landscape shifts: Jakob, Kerr, Hawker & newcomers
08:50 – Sponsor read: Momentous Creatine
10:10 – Jacob Kiplimo obliterates the half marathon world record (56:42)
11:40 – March: Tokyo Marathon recap & marathon debut expectations
14:20 – April: Boston vs. London — the arguments begin
16:00 – John Korir’s wild Boston victory
17:30 – Obiri vs. Lokedi: the rivalry that defines the spring
20:00 – London’s women’s-only world record & Assefa’s big day
22:30 – Who breaks 2 hours next? Sawwe, Kiplimo, Korir & more
26:30 – Are the marathon majors too big now?
30:00 – The Barkley Marathons: A brutal no-finisher year
34:40 – June: Nike’s Breaking4 with Faith Kipyegon
38:00 – The tech, the spectacle & the fallout
42:00 – Faith Kipyegon’s rebound world record in the 1500m
49:00 – Beatrice Chebet’s sub-14 5K shocks the world
53:00 – Western States + UTMB highs (Evans, Croft)
57:00 – UTMB doping scare & what it means for trail running
1:00:00 – July: Ruth Chepngetich doping bombshell drops
1:06:00 – What happens to the women’s marathon world record now?
1:10:00 – The loss of trust in elite marathon performances
1:13:00 – Closing Part 1: Biggest storylines from Jan–Jul 2025

📩 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, .
🎧 Audio version available wherever you get podcasts + watch the video version on Spotify.
📺 .