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PODCAST

Road to the Trials

Peter Bromka, Lindsey Hein, and Matt Chittim

Co-hosts Matt Chittim, Lindsey Hein, and Peter Bromka interview every 2028 Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier along with a wide-ranging group of industry professionals in preparation for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

sports running

All Episodes

00:43:45

Alana Levy: Kicking With Confidence and Only 7...

Road to the Trials ·

2025/11/04

Peter Bromka and Lindsey Hein sit down with Alana Levy, who ran 2:36:53 at the Chicago Marathon and punched her ticket to the 2028 Olympic Trials. Alana’s progression over the past few years has been remarkable: she broke three hours, then 2:50, and now has taken another eight minutes off her time to reach a new level. She reflects on attending the 2024 Trials not with disappointment but with genuine inspiration, an experience that shaped her training and mindset heading into this fall.A member of

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00:50:46

Maria Lindberg: A PR and 1st Masters Runner at...

Road to the Trials ·

2025/10/30

Lindsey Hein and Matt Chittim chat with Maria Lindberg, the first masters finisher at the 2025 Chicago Marathon, where she ran 2:34 at age 42. A former high school and college All-American, Maria has now completed 21 marathons and is running some of her fastest times ever. She explains how shifting to “intuitive” training without a coach and stacking consistent high-mileage weeks helped her drop from 2:49 to 2:34. Maria breaks down her even-keeled Chicago execution and how it led her to this PR. As

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00:44:27

Ryan Ford: From Opportunity to Pressure in Under a Year

Road to the Trials ·

2025/10/24

Ryan Ford joins Road to the Trials to talk about his breakout year and his transition to the ON Athletics Club (OAC) in Boulder. After a standout performance at the 2024 Boston Marathon—running 2:08:00 and firmly establishing himself as one of America’s top marathoners—Ryan has quickly become a name to know in U.S. distance running. He is now coming off of a 2:09:37 at the recent Chicago Marathon.Hosts Peter Bromka and Lindsey Hein sit down with Ryan to reflect on his rapid rise: from his marathon

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00:41:48

First Place and First Podcast - Will Norris Shares...

Road to the Trials ·

2025/10/17

Will Norris joins Road to the Trials after winning the Twin Cities Marathon and punching his ticket to his third U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. In this conversation with hosts Peter Bromka and Lindsey Hein, Will shares what it felt like to finally win a race he’s chased for years, what he’s learned through the ups and downs of marathon training, and how he’s evolved into a consistent, successful racer.He talks about the mental side of racing—managing expectations, staying patient, and finding calm

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00:44:01

Gabi Rooker: 9th Overall and 3rd American at Chicago

Road to the Trials ·

2025/10/15

Gabi Rooker joins Lindsey Hein and Matt Chittim fresh off her ninth-place finish at the 2025 Chicago Marathon, where she was the third American woman and ran a 2:26 marathon to secure her qualifying time for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Trials.Gabi’s rise in the sport has been nothing short of incredible. She ran her first marathon in 2021, clocking 2:54, and just three years later, she’s competing among the best in the world as a Nike-sponsored athlete. A former national champion on vault in gymnastics at

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00:35:39

Jane Bareikis: The People’s Champ Wins Twin Cities

Road to the Trials ·

2025/10/09

Jane Bareikis joins Road to the Trials fresh off her win at the Twin Cities Marathon, becoming the first female qualifier of this Olympic Trials window. A 2:29 marathoner (Berlin 2023), Jane is a mother and coached by her husband. She grew up in Kenya and didn’t start running until 2017, after having her son. Jane competed in her first U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2024 (Orlando), where she placed 35th on a tough day, and she now has her eyes set on 2028 and beyond. Her story is proof that it’s

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00:38:50

Megan O’Neil: 2nd OTQ with a 2nd Place Finish at Twin...

Road to the Trials ·

2025/10/07

Megan O’Neil is a Hansons–Brooks marathoner from Michigan who just punched her OTQ at Twin Cities in 2:36:43, taking second on a warm, windy day. She’s a former steepler turned road racer who works in software product/marketing, trains with the Hansons high-mileage model, and brings a gritty, good-humored Michigan vibe to everything she does.In this episode, Megan recaps how the race unfolded keying off an OTQ pacer, handling hills and heat, and slipping under the standard while the live tracker

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01:14:32

Nick Hauger: Our First Trials Qualifier (On Time)

Road to the Trials ·

2025/10/02

Hosts Lindsey Hein and Peter Bromka welcome Nick Hauger—pro marathoner, coach, and newly minted 2028 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier—fresh off his 2:11:48 at the Berlin Marathon, good for 15th overall. Hauger explains why the result is both “objectively his best marathon” and a touch bittersweet: he trained with a clear eye on 2:09, adjusted on race morning for heat and humidity, and still executed with discipline. He unpacks the day, the calm-yet-electric Berlin atmosphere, and how course knowledge

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01:01:36

James McKirdy: Starting a Journey to an OTQ

Road to the Trials ·

2025/09/23

In this episode, hosts Matt Chittim, Peter Bromka, and Lindsey Hein sit down with legendary coach James McKirdy, the founder of McKirdy Trained. Over the past decade, McKirdy has built one of the most recognizable and influential coaching groups in the U.S., guiding dozens of athletes to Olympic Trials Qualifiers and shaping the way amateur runners approach high-level performance. Known for his passion, direct style, and ability to break down complex training concepts into simple, actionable advice,

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00:38:50

One Second to Spare: Mike Duggan on CIM, Trials, and...

Road to the Trials ·

2025/09/16

Host Matt Chittim and co-host Peter Bromka sit down with marathoner Mike Duggan to relive his one-second OTQ at CIM on the final day of the window and the chaos of gun time versus net time. Duggan shares lessons from a rough Berlin attempt and jet lag, the power of Jeff Cunningham’s Austin training group and why Chicago is next. He talks pack dynamics, late-race mindset, and how that approach carried him to a strong day in Orlando. This is a candid look at chasing the standard then and now, and what

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00:57:16

Jeff Cunningham: The Long-Term Approach to Building...

Road to the Trials ·

2025/09/11

Co-hosts Peter Bromka and Matt Chittim sit down with elite coach Jeff Cunningham to unpack the multi-year, step-by-step process of developing athletes for the U.S. Olympic Trials. The conversation explores how to structure seasons for steady progression, what differentiates first-time Trials qualifiers from veterans, and how clear communication and buy-in drive consistent training. This conversation digs into balancing volume, intensity, and recovery to improve performance while limiting injury

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00:44:48

Dakotah Popehn: “Why Not Me?” From D2 Walk-On to...

Road to the Trials ·

2025/09/09

On this episode of Road to the Trials, Olympian Dakotah Popehn shares her journey from Division II walk-on to placing third at the 2024 Olympic Trials and finishing 12th in Paris. She talks about the belief and consistency that carried her rise, the heat prep that made Orlando feel almost routine, and the big goals she’s chasing next—including a PR attempt in Chicago this fall and another shot at the Olympic team in 2028. Still coached by Chris Lundstrom, Popehn brings a mix of hard mileage,

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00:56:18

Jared Ward: Lessons From a Legend

Road to the Trials ·

2025/09/02

Road to the Trials welcomes Olympian Jared Ward, fresh off a year in the UK completing an MBA, for a focused conversation on sustainable high-performance training and mindset. Jared explains how he’s reframed workouts as stimulus for long-term adaptation, what he learned from the 2016 Trials and sixth place in Rio, and why he’s still chasing meaningful goals while balancing family life and health.Topics include: returning to Utah’s training group and coach Ed “Easy E” Eyestone, managing Hashimoto’s,

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00:40:43

Theresa Hailey: Two-Time Trials Qualifier Aims for a...

Road to the Trials ·

2025/09/02

Join us as we dive into the inspiring journey of Theresa Hailey, a dedicated marathoner who has qualified for the Olympic Trials twice. In this episode, Theresa shares her experiences overcoming injuries, her mental strategies for racing, and her goals for the future. Discover how she balances her passion for running with her new role as a foster parent.SponsorBig shout-out to the best coaching platform in the business - V.O2. V.O2 was built from the foundation of a scientifically-validated training

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00:29:09

Welcome to Season Four - Three Hosts, Every Single...

Road to the Trials ·

2025/09/01

Welcome to Season Four of Road to the Trials!This will be the most epic season yet as we look to interview every qualifier to the 2028 Olympic Marathon Trials in Los Angeles as well as plenty of industry professionals along the way. Our expanded goal is matched by our expanding team! We now have three co-hosts - Matt Chittim, Lindsey Hein, and Peter Bromka.We are thrilled to be your central hub for everything related to the Olympic Marathon Trials. This season, we're diving deep into the stories,

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00:26:22

Ep. 21 - Sara Vaughn: Boston Marathon Recap

Road to the Trials ·

2023/05/11

Unfortunately for Sara Vaughn, the 2023 Boston Marathon didn't playout anywhere close to how she imagined it going. Sara decided to step off the course around mile 15 and that is where her race ended. In this episode, Sara provides of a full analysis of what went wrong, her thought process during the race, and how she is handling the disappointment that comes with a DNF.

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00:40:27

Ep. 20 - Dani Moreno: Road Marathon Debut at Boston...

Road to the Trials ·

2023/04/28

In our latest Boston Marathon recap, we hear from Dani Moreno. This race wasn't merely a chance to experience Boston, this was Dani's first road marathon and a full-fledged attempt to break 2:37 and grab an Olympic Trials qualifying time. That's a lot to handle but Dani was ready. As one of the best sub-ultra trail runners in the world, she spoke about the atmosphere at Boston and how it compares to UTMB and the world's best trail scenes. Dani takes us through the race as she set

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00:41:24

Ep. 19 - Nell Rojas: Boston Marathon Recap

Road to the Trials ·

2023/04/24

At last week's Boston Marathon, Nell Rojas went up against some of the world's best after a less-than-ideal build and did her thing. Nell ran a 2:24:51, a personal best, which was good for 14th overall and 3rd American. Two weeks before Boston, Nell finished 3rd at Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (USATF Championship). In this episode we detail the training that led to these performances as well as the race tactics and details that defined them. Nell displays her trademark candor and good humor in

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00:27:16

Ep. 18 - Nico Montañez: Boston Marathon Recap

Road to the Trials ·

2023/04/21

Nico Montañez finished the Boston Marathon in a time of 2:10:52 which was good for 13th overall and the 5th American. A fantastic finish that left Nico wanting more. In this episode he details nearly every mile of the race, the moves that were made, who he ran with, gaps in the second group, and what he thought may have limited his performance in the final miles.

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00:53:12

Ep. 17 - CJ Albertson: Boston Marathon Recap

Road to the Trials ·

2023/04/20

Our first Boston Marathon recap starts with CJ Albertson. CJ ran a gutsy race that proved to far more impactful that his 12th place overall finish (4th American).We dive into all of it while talking at length about his well-crafted IG post detailing his experience: "2:10:33- 12th place at the Boston MarathonOn paper, a mediocre result. With analysis, a poor result- with a 62:20 1st half split, then fading hard for a 68:13 2nd half.But this race was special. For awhile now, it’s been difficult

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121 results

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