Track is officially back, indoor season is heating up, and the vibes immediately improve despite Storm Fern hitting New England and the chaos of a snowed-in Sunday.

In today's episode:

– Longevity genes, centenarians, and deciding whether living to 120 actually sounds fun

– Training anxiety in the snow, treadmill sign-up Google Docs, and pulling the power cord when someone runs long

– Why winter storms are way more fun when you’re not training for anything

– Deciding to not miss Millrose again and why the Armory remains undefeated

– Breaking down the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix and why every race delivered

– Noah Lyles’ dramatic crowd entrance and why it’s still good for the sport

– Ellie St. Pierre’s jaw-dropping 3K win eight months postpartum + why it matters for female athletes, contracts, and pregnancy conversations

– Why New Balance deserves credit for supporting women athletes through family planning

– How deep and brutal the U.S. women’s 1500 has become

– Josh Hoey breaking another world record, indoor racing chaos

– The psychology of early-season dominance vs. timing it right for championships

+ voicemails from listeners

📞 Call in to (856) 279-0080‬ to leave us a voicemail with any question you may have, whether it’s running-related or not.

📲 Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or follow the show on Spotify to stay up-to-date with all the latest episodes.

🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@OffTheRailsWithEricandAisha

Follow your hosts on Instagram:

🗣️ Follow Eric Jenkins: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_ericjenkins⁠⁠⁠⁠

🗣️ Follow Aisha Praught-Leer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aishapraughtleer

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🏃 WAHOO: The KICKR RUN isn’t just another treadmill; it’s a complete rethink of indoor running. With Dynamic Pacing, it automatically adjusts to your stride—no buttons, no breaking form, just pure running freedom. Its Terrain Simulation makes the deck feel like a track or trail, while lateral tilt mimics real-world conditions so you’re always prepared for race day. So whether you’re chasing your first half-marathon finish, a marathon PR, or your next trail adventure, the KICKR RUN is built to help you Run Your Run. Check it all out at ⁠⁠⁠WahooFitness.com⁠⁠⁠ and use code CITIUS at checkout.

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⚠️ WARNING ⚠️

Listening to “Off The Rails with Eric and Aisha” while running may result in uncontrollable laughter, side stitches, funny looks from strangers, and the occasional trip hazard due to snort-laughing mid-stride. Proceed with caution—and maybe stretch your abs beforehand. Use caution when wearing earbuds in public places—people will wonder if you’re okay. You are. You’re just having a really good time.

We’re officially back and launching the Off The Rails YouTube era (smash that like and subscribe button!) Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer regroup on a Sunday night after a Patriots win, sloppy football, cheeky parlays and FanDuel obligations.

Discussed in this episode:

– MLK Day, track season officially being back, and the mental shift into indoor racing

– A hydration resolution check-in featuring coconut water, LaCroix, and live chugging on mic

– The Ralph Lauren menswear show and why the algorithm is serving nothing but elite zaddies

– Heated Rivalry discussion and deciding how much trash TV is too much

– Doomscrolling vs. protecting your peace and selectively consuming the internet

– Why X (Twitter) is uninhabitable, Instagram Reels are dangerous, and TikTok might ruin everything

– Time limits that don’t work and ignoring your phone yelling at you

– People We Meet on Vacation was a rom-heavy comfort watch during a midweek menti-b

– Zoë Saldaña talk

– Movie theater culture: popcorn vs. no popcorn, soda anxiety, and bathroom-break strategy

– The fear about going to the movies alone, getting accidentally roasted by a fan and thus abandoning a beloved solo ritual

– A mindfulness resolution check-in and why Eric is reading The Count of Monte Cristo very slowly

– Previewing the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold and why indoor is basically the Diamond League of winter

– New Balance Indoor Grand Prix hype and World Indoors in Poland (eventually)

– Eric’s fake Calm app meditation career and dream of voice acting

– Breaking down the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix start lists event-by-event

– Cam Myers ran a 3:49 mile at UW and why Australia is terrifying in the middle distances

– Donovan Brazier vs. Bryce Hopple, Josh Hoey supremacy, and world-best discourse

– Trayvon Bromell in a 300, Noah Lyles bringing eyeballs, and sprinters doing whatever they want

– Why New Balance and Millrose are two of the best meets in the world

– Indoor track nostalgia: stench factories, hallway warmups, chaos, and feral energy

+ Voicemails!

📞 Call in to (856) 279-0080‬ to leave us a voicemail with any question you may have, whether it’s running-related or not.

📲 Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or follow the show on Spotify to stay up-to-date with all the latest episodes.

🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@OffTheRailsWithEricandAisha

Follow your hosts on Instagram:

🗣️ Follow Eric Jenkins: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_ericjenkins⁠⁠⁠⁠

🗣️ Follow Aisha Praught-Leer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aishapraughtleer

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🏃 WAHOO: The KICKR RUN isn’t just another treadmill; it’s a complete rethink of indoor running. With Dynamic Pacing, it automatically adjusts to your stride—no buttons, no breaking form, just pure running freedom. Its Terrain Simulation makes the deck feel like a track or trail, while lateral tilt mimics real-world conditions so you’re always prepared for race day. So whether you’re chasing your first half-marathon finish, a marathon PR, or your next trail adventure, the KICKR RUN is built to help you Run Your Run. Check it all out at ⁠⁠⁠WahooFitness.com⁠⁠⁠ and use code CITIUS at checkout.

----

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️

Listening to “Off The Rails with Eric and Aisha” while running may result in uncontrollable laughter, side stitches, funny looks from strangers, and the occasional trip hazard due to snort-laughing mid-stride. Proceed with caution—and maybe stretch your abs beforehand. Use caution when wearing earbuds in public places—people will wonder if you’re okay. You are. You’re just having a really good time.

Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer are back together after Tallahassee and why this was the quickest post-event turnaround in Off The Rails history. Warning: There's somehow a lot of murder talk in this one so if you're someone inclined to DM us about your disapproval of a subject, maybe skip this episode.

In this week's episode:

– Why the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee might have been the most fun event we have covered

– Why World Cross fully lived up to (and exceeded) the hype

– Running the course ourselves and realizing how absurdly fast the pros actually were

– Breaking down the course obstacles: the man-made hill, deep sand pit, blue water pit, alligator hurdles, and shoe-swallowing mud

– Eric meets Beatrice Chebet and immediately loses all composure

– Beatrice Chebet officially becomes a Rail Rider

– Mondo’s new song is a banger and the lyrics feel way too personal for Eric

– Recapping Houston Half Marathon madness: eight men sub-60, Alex Maier’s No. 2 all-time American performance, and Rory Linkletter’s Canadian record

– Valencia continues its reign of road-racing chaos with European records and ridiculous depth

– Another major doping suspension with Albert Korir and why it’s both necessary and devastating

– The Enhanced Games is adding more athletes, but “you don’t have to take the drugs” makes no sense, so we have skepticism about the entire concept

– A shocking murder case involving a former NJNY athlete and how rarely this intersects with pro running

– The Community race chaos featured jugglers passing exhausted former pros

– Training panic ahead of the New Balance Mile Relay Challenge

– Voicemails include: beer theft by a collegiate star, toilet FaceTimes, rapper alter egos, and LinkedIn motivation

📞 Call in to (856) 279-0080‬ to leave us a voicemail with any question you may have, whether it’s running-related or not.

📲 Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or follow the show on Spotify to stay up-to-date with all the latest episodes.

Follow your hosts on Instagram:

🗣️ Follow Eric Jenkins: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_ericjenkins⁠⁠⁠⁠

🗣️ Follow Aisha Praught-Leer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aishapraughtleer

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🏃 WAHOO: The KICKR RUN isn’t just another treadmill; it’s a complete rethink of indoor running. With Dynamic Pacing, it automatically adjusts to your stride—no buttons, no breaking form, just pure running freedom. Its Terrain Simulation makes the deck feel like a track or trail, while lateral tilt mimics real-world conditions so you’re always prepared for race day. So whether you’re chasing your first half-marathon finish, a marathon PR, or your next trail adventure, the KICKR RUN is built to help you Run Your Run. Check it all out at ⁠⁠⁠WahooFitness.com⁠⁠⁠ and use code CITIUS at checkout.

----

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️

Listening to “Off The Rails with Eric and Aisha” while running may result in uncontrollable laughter, side stitches, funny looks from strangers, and the occasional trip hazard due to snort-laughing mid-stride. Proceed with caution—and maybe stretch your abs beforehand. Use caution when wearing earbuds in public places—people will wonder if you’re okay. You are. You’re just having a really good time.

Off The Rails is officially back for 2026, and Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer waste absolutely no time getting comfortable.

The episode opens with New Year’s resolutions (or the lack thereof), including Eric’s sudden commitment to mindfulness and Aisha’s accidental discovery that Diet Pepsi might be the key to peak hydration.

Also discussed in this episode:

– The rise of hydration culture: Diet Pepsi, Diet Coke, Liquid IV, Spindrift, LaCroix, and the realization that soda might actually be elite

– Aisha’s full hydration personal best and why skiing all day unlocked a new relationship with fluids

– Growing up in the ’90s, mom culture, and why Diet Coke feels genetically encoded

– Aisha accidentally skiing a black diamond, survival turns, and Strava validating the effort

– Why Aisha's Strava is private, deprogramming from pace shame, and learning to enjoy running again

– World Cross Country Championships are days away and the excitement is real

– Beatrice Chebet is sitting out World Cross to prioritize starting a family

– The difference between European and American running fan culture

– Brainstorming a World Cross fantasy draft and snake-draft chaos

– Voicemails include: HBO’s Heated Rivalry/gay hockey discourse; AI chatbots/ChatGPT vs everything else; Stranger Things' final season + more

📞 Call in to (856) 279-0080‬ to leave us a voicemail with any question you may have, whether it’s running-related or not.

📲 Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or follow the show on Spotify to stay up-to-date with all the latest episodes.

Follow your hosts on Instagram:

🗣️ Follow Eric Jenkins: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_ericjenkins⁠⁠⁠⁠

🗣️ Follow Aisha Praught-Leer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aishapraughtleer

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🏃 WAHOO: The KICKR RUN isn’t just another treadmill; it’s a complete rethink of indoor running. With Dynamic Pacing, it automatically adjusts to your stride—no buttons, no breaking form, just pure running freedom. Its Terrain Simulation makes the deck feel like a track or trail, while lateral tilt mimics real-world conditions so you’re always prepared for race day. So whether you’re chasing your first half-marathon finish, a marathon PR, or your next trail adventure, the KICKR RUN is built to help you Run Your Run. Check it all out at ⁠⁠⁠WahooFitness.com⁠⁠⁠ and use code CITIUS at checkout.

----

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️

Listening to “Off The Rails with Eric and Aisha” while running may result in uncontrollable laughter, side stitches, funny looks from strangers, and the occasional trip hazard due to snort-laughing mid-stride. Proceed with caution—and maybe stretch your abs beforehand. Use caution when wearing earbuds in public places—people will wonder if you’re okay. You are. You’re just having a really good time.

It’s the final episode of Off The Rails for 2025.

In this episode:

– The joy of being home, sleeping in your own bed, and why buying a mattress for your in-laws might be elite holiday behavior

– Casper vs. Costco mattresses and Aisha accidentally starting a comfortable sleep revolution

– Anti-nap club vs. people with the terrifying ability to nap anywhere, anytime

– Snoring horror stories from training camps, Olympic Villages, and the loudest roommates imaginable

– Mouth taping, deviated septums, and why some sleep trends should come with warning labels

– Eric’s ideal sleep setup

– Holiday recaps from Boulder and the Jenkins household, including white Christmases, Scandinavian food traditions, and Boxing Day chaos

– World Cross Country Championships are 13 days away and nobody is talking about it

– Breaking down the newly revealed World Cross course featuring bridges, sand, water pits, mud pits, hay bales, and fake alligators

– Why World Cross is the hardest race in the sport (and possibly turning into a Tough Mudder)

– A full primer on World Cross: distances, formats, mixed relays, and why it’s such a brutal championship

– Previewing the 2026 men’s and women’s fields, including Jacob Kiplimo, Beatrice Chebet, and other global stars

– The full U.S. squads and what a “great day” realistically looks like for American athletes

– A brief history lesson on the last Americans to podium at World Cross

– Why hosting World Cross on U.S. soil actually matters

– Announcement: Eric and Aisha are racing a 4K at World Cross

– Race strategy debates, obstacle-course anxiety, and who’s getting left behind in the mud

– ASICS gear chatter, spike panic, and Achilles-preservation strategies

– Someone admits they would fail a drug test spectacularly

– How contract years actually work in track and field and why early-season races are basically job interviews

– Why kit reveals, sponsorship switches, and brand changes are way messier than fans realize

– The NCAA story involving a collegiate runner fundraising to stay in school — and the baffling eligibility consequences that followed

📞 Call in to (856) 279-0080‬ to leave us a voicemail with any question you may have, whether it’s running-related or not.

📲 Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or follow the show on Spotify to stay up-to-date with all the latest episodes.

Follow your hosts on Instagram:

🗣️ Follow Eric Jenkins: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_ericjenkins⁠⁠⁠⁠

🗣️ Follow Aisha Praught-Leer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aishapraughtleer

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🏃 WAHOO: The KICKR RUN isn’t just another treadmill; it’s a complete rethink of indoor running. With Dynamic Pacing, it automatically adjusts to your stride—no buttons, no breaking form, just pure running freedom. Its Terrain Simulation makes the deck feel like a track or trail, while lateral tilt mimics real-world conditions so you’re always prepared for race day. So whether you’re chasing your first half-marathon finish, a marathon PR, or your next trail adventure, the KICKR RUN is built to help you Run Your Run. Check it all out at ⁠⁠⁠WahooFitness.com⁠⁠⁠ and use code CITIUS at checkout.

----

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️

Listening to “Off The Rails with Eric and Aisha” while running may result in uncontrollable laughter, side stitches, funny looks from strangers, and the occasional trip hazard due to snort-laughing mid-stride. Proceed with caution—and maybe stretch your abs beforehand. Use caution when wearing earbuds in public places—people will wonder if you’re okay. You are. You’re just having a really good time.

It’s another holiday-adjacent, slightly sleep-deprived episode of Off The Rails as Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer check in from opposite ends of the country. Eric is fresh off Donovan Brazier’s wedding, while Aisha is deep in Midwest holiday chaos. We're always "one coffee away from a menti-b."

In this episode:

– The fallout from the Grand Slam Track bankruptcy

– The rise of the Patriot Games

– The continued expansion of the Enhanced Games

– A baffling ruling involving Emily Venters’ stripped results sparks a deeper discussion about athlete protections at the collegiate level

– Ideal NIL deals in Eugene (Market of Choice supremacy + The spiritual experience of Hirons Drug Store

– Buc-ee’s, Wawa, and whether Aisha could survive a 74,000-square-foot travel center without a plan

– Eric’s unhinged love of arriving two hours early at the airport

– Chili’s, airport walks, and why Eric thrives in terminal chaos

– Announcement: We're coming out of retirement for cross country

– Strava employee fired after a drunk incident at a bar

– Breaking down results from The Marathon Project

– Voicemails: Bedtime snacks for runners who refuse to give them up; The “Official Marathon Time Integrity Unit” Instagram account and the joy (and danger) of calling out fake marathon times + an Off The Rails bedtime story

📞 Call in to (856) 279-0080‬ to leave us a voicemail with any question you may have, whether it’s running-related or not.

📲 Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or follow the show on Spotify to stay up-to-date with all the latest episodes.

Follow your hosts on Instagram:

🗣️ Follow Eric Jenkins: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_ericjenkins⁠⁠⁠⁠

🗣️ Follow Aisha Praught-Leer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aishapraughtleer

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🏃 WAHOO: The KICKR RUN isn’t just another treadmill; it’s a complete rethink of indoor running. With Dynamic Pacing, it automatically adjusts to your stride—no buttons, no breaking form, just pure running freedom. Its Terrain Simulation makes the deck feel like a track or trail, while lateral tilt mimics real-world conditions so you’re always prepared for race day. So whether you’re chasing your first half-marathon finish, a marathon PR, or your next trail adventure, the KICKR RUN is built to help you Run Your Run. Check it all out at ⁠⁠⁠WahooFitness.com⁠⁠⁠ and use code CITIUS at checkout.

----

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️

Listening to “Off The Rails with Eric and Aisha” while running may result in uncontrollable laughter, side stitches, funny looks from strangers, and the occasional trip hazard due to snort-laughing mid-stride. Proceed with caution—and maybe stretch your abs beforehand. Use caution when wearing earbuds in public places—people will wonder if you’re okay. You are. You’re just having a really good time.

Between birthday chaos, breaking running news, and a few pop culture detours, Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught Leer cover a lot of ground in this week’s episode.

Topics discussed in this week’s episode include:

– Being together in Portland around Nike Cross Nationals and what it’s like when the pod records in-person

– Aisha’s birthday chaos, including a surprise party bus, brake fluid concerns, and unintended emotional damage

– Sagittarius traits, astrology skepticism, and why they're both “26 again”

– The Valencia Marathon: standout performances, crossover athletes, and what makes Valencia the place to run fast

– The latest fallout from Grand Slam Track filing for bankruptcy and why the athletes are paying the biggest price

– What a real apology from Grand Slam leadership should sound like

– Lindsey Vonn’s shocking return to World Cup skiing at age 41 and why Aisha is now fully locked in for the Winter Olympics

– Sinclair Johnson’s American record at the Hawaii Mile and how wild it is to run that fast with a hairpin turn

– BU going absolutely nuclear to open the indoor season (Josh Hoey, Jane Hedengren, and more)

– Marco Langon’s all-time unhinged post-race interview and why March NCAA Championships just got way more interesting

– Making it onto your husband’s lock screen after 13 years together

– Netflix discourse, must-watch shows, and whether great series get lost in the algorithm

– The Diddy documentary, hip-hop history, and opinions on it

📞 Call in to (856) 279-0080‬ to leave us a voicemail with any question you may have, whether it’s running-related or not.

📲 Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or follow the show on Spotify to stay up-to-date with all the latest episodes.

Follow your hosts on Instagram:

🗣️ Follow Eric Jenkins: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_ericjenkins⁠⁠⁠⁠

🗣️ Follow Aisha Praught-Leer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aishapraughtleer

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

🏃 WAHOO: The KICKR RUN isn’t just another treadmill; it’s a complete rethink of indoor running. With Dynamic Pacing, it automatically adjusts to your stride—no buttons, no breaking form, just pure running freedom. Its Terrain Simulation makes the deck feel like a track or trail, while lateral tilt mimics real-world conditions so you’re always prepared for race day. So whether you’re chasing your first half-marathon finish, a marathon PR, or your next trail adventure, the KICKR RUN is built to help you Run Your Run. Check it all out at ⁠⁠⁠WahooFitness.com⁠⁠⁠ and use code CITIUS at checkout.

----

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️

Listening to “Off The Rails with Eric and Aisha” while running may result in uncontrollable laughter, side stitches, funny looks from strangers, and the occasional trip hazard due to snort-laughing mid-stride. Proceed with caution—and maybe stretch your abs beforehand. Use caution when wearing earbuds in public places—people will wonder if you’re okay. You are. You’re just having a really good time.