Marathon history is full of drama, heroes and quite a few myths that you are probably perpetuating yourself at your local run club.

Today, I’m going to talk with author, coach, and historian Martin Dugard. Martin is the author of a dozen #1 New York Times bestsellers, he’s a Board Member of the USA Track and Field Foundation, and blogs weekly as The Paper Kenyan on martindugard.com.

His new book, The Long Run, dives into the rich history of the marathon and debunks some of the most pervasive myths in the sport.

We discuss:

The origin story of the marathon and what really happened
How the jogging craze led to the marathon boom, and
The impact of some of the biggest stars of the sport who still influence runners today.

And Martin is kind enough to do a book giveaway to listeners of The Planted Runner who live in the US. If you’d like to win a copy of the book, first write an Apple Podcast review of the show and then email me your US shipping address to claire@theplantedrunner.com. We’ll pick a random winner by the end of April 2026.

Welcome to the Planted Runner. I’m Coach Claire Bartholic and my mission is to help you improve your running, your mindset, and your life with science-backed training and plant-based nutrition.

If you need more help, you can order my book The Planted Runner: Running Your Best With Plant-Based Nutrition wherever you get books or request a copy from your local library.

Don’t forget to stay tuned all the way to the end of the episode for another Mental Strength Minute. Fortify your mind in 60 seconds or less.

LINKS:

If you’d like help directly from me, you can check out my freebies, personal coaching, and sign up for my PR Team at https://www.theplantedrunner.com/link.

For my recommendations of at-home equipment and other running products I recommend, check out my curated list on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/theplantedrunner

LIQUID IV:

Just one stick of LIquid IV + 16 oz. of water hydrates better than water alone. Get 20% off your first order of Liquid I.V. when you go to https://www.liquid-iv.com/ and use code PLANTED at checkout.

RECENT REVIEWS:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Great information!

“I follow Claire on Instagram and now just found her podcast. Such good information for running and nutrition! I am now adding this to my podcast rotation!”

Hjbrown03

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Claire speaks to me!

“I stumbled on this podcast trying to find someone who teaches running and valuable tips in a more simplified way for beginners like me - and Coach Claire breaks it down so clearly and her mental strength minute is what I look forward to whenever I struggle with my own beliefs! Thank you!!!!”

MaverickTX88

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Favourite running podcaster

“Well thought out, jam-packed episodes, yet delivered in an easy to listen to format. Relevant topics each week. I look forward to the new episodes on Thursday mornings!”

Holly_Mae

Music Credits:

Music from Uppbeat

Revealing The Marathon Myths That Never Actually Happened