Blood Doping in 2026, Wiz Khalifa Is Running and Merch Is Finally Live

One of the longest episodes in Off the Rails history and one of the most eventful.
Discussed in this episode:
- Eric vs. the bike: Three rides in. Main problems: sweating while commuting and not wanting to wear shorts.
- Pre-race rituals: In response to a voicemail from Jean Nicole, a theology professor who uses athletic analogies in teaching monastic practices.
- Freddie Crittenden is a middle school math teacher: Retired at USAs. Now posting the most wholesome content on Instagram - previewing his classroom, talking through the transition.
- Wiz Khalifa is running: The touchstone that running has arrived in culture. He got called slow at a nine-minute pace, went out and ran fast to prove people wrong. Shame on anyone who shamed him for his pace.
- AOC's egg-freezing journey: Aisha opens up for the first time publicly about being almost two years into an IVF journey that hasn't been going great. The power of seeing someone do this in real time (not at the end of the story when everything is resolved) is felt.
- Brad Pitt is drinking again: Seven years sober. Now not. All his kids have dropped his last name. He owns a vineyard. The comment section is on fire. He's in the Leo/Pitt class - too big, too beloved, too beautiful for PR to fully catch them.
- Fayetteville-Manlius and Bill Aris: 12-time national championship coach let go over overtraining allegations. The broader conversation centers on: What is the right intensity for high school athletes?
- Jonah Koech gets a three-year blood doping ban: Full ABP explainer from Aisha. The Athlete Biological Passport tracks blood values over time and flags when they're consistent with doping, even if no single test detects a substance. Two tests flagged: July 30, 2025 (one day before the USATF prelims he'd go on to win) and August 8th (six days after his final win).
Values consistent with blood doping. Standard four-year ban reduced to three for admitting use of a prohibited method. He's since come out saying he was pressured into the admission.
- European Championships recap: Jakob Ingebrigtsen wins the 5K gold in his first race back in 11 months; Mark English wins his first European gold in the 800m at age 33; Gesa Krause wins the women's steeple in one decisive move at the final water jump; Audrey Werro beats Keely Hodgkinson again; Andreas Almgren's 10K is a clinic in front-running from the start and finishes with a 40-second winning margin, European record.
- Lausanne Diamond League is back on Friday August 21st: Audrey Werro vs. Femke Bol women's 800 rematch. Winfred Yavi, Faith Cherotich in the women's steeple. Graham Blanks, Grant Fisher, Parker Wolf, Nico Young in the men's 5K. Brandon Miller, Emmanuel Wanyoni, Marco Arop, Djamel Sedjati in the men's 800.
- Eric is running the New York City Marathon: First marathon. New Balance team. Goal: 3:30.
Eight-minute pace. That's actually running. Current long run: 8 miles. Fueling: never done it, has to figure it out immediately.
Voicemails include: Did someone set Eric up in his bad host family experience; who would you want to host for a race; what would your running celebration be
- MERCH IS LIVE: Link in the show notes. They said it couldn't be done. They were almost right. Against all odds — it's done.
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