With another down week of news, we decided to crown the best track and field moments of 2025, according to Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer.

This week's topics include:

– Thanksgiving reflections, travel mishaps, and the annual debate over Turkey Trots

– Eric’s family 5K pacing controversy

– The deep anthropology of leftovers, Erewhon and the “rich people grocery store” experience

– Homeless vs. Unhoused

– The Boulder Effect: training environment, altitude advantages, and the ever-growing pro scene

– How the Oregon Project was set up when Eric was on the team

– A farewell to our Jamaican marathon record dreams + recalibrating future goals

– What to expect from us at Nike Cross Nationals

– Listener voicemail: What does winning a race actually feel like?

– Celebrating the legendary career of Evan Jager

– The best of 2025 in track & field: from George Beamish to Melissa Jefferson-Wooden

– Dong-gate 2025: Honoring the most iconic wardrobe malfunction in recent memory

– More on the best rivalries, comebacks and the athletes reshaping the sport in 2025

– More voicemails include: How Do We Approach Thanksgiving Plates? What Does Eric Do During The Day? What Do You Do After A Bad Race?

📞 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.

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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.

It’s a six-month anniversary episode (!) and also a chaos-filled, cross-country-heavy, holiday-adjacent, pop-culture-spiraling installment of Off The Rails with Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer. NCAA XC wrapped 15 minutes before recording and the takes are HOT.

This week's topics include:

– Celebrating six months of Off The Rails (they said it couldn’t be done!)
– Early Christmas vibes + Denver Botanical Garden date night adventures
– Real vs. fake Christmas trees + DIY confidence from YouTube University
– Thanksgiving plans, turkey trots, and Aisha’s undying love for potatoes
– Hosting 30-person Thanksgivings + abandoning Boulder runners this year
– Full breakdown of the NCAA XC Championships
– The men cutting the course (!), hay-bale chaos, and why Aisha was screaming
– Doris Lemngole vs. Jane Hedengren: a dogfight at the front
– The women’s team race + the rise of powerhouse female coaches
– Lori Henes, Diljeet Taylor, Shalane Flanagan and the wide spectrum of coaching styles
– The men’s race: Habtom Samuel’s decisive move
– The pre-race press-conference drama between Ed Eyestone and Dave Smith
– Recruiting, age-gap advantages, international athletes, and the gray areas no one wants to talk about
– Whether the NCAA needs age limits, rule reforms, and real testing
– NCAA testing vs. USADA vs. WADA (and why NCAA testing is basically vibes)
– World Cross Country implications + the absolutely STACKED U.S. Cross entry lists
– The 4×2K relay, selection rules, and why high schoolers might get pulled into the mix
– NXN weekend logistics, live show planning, and putting Aisha on “house arrest”
– The Epstein Files Transparency Act (!): what it means and what might be revealed in 30 days
– Advent-calendar-style release fantasies featuring Mariska Hargitay
– Wicked press-tour weirdness, pop-culture updates, and Kevin Spacey (allegedly) being “homeless”
– Aisha’s RapChat education + Eric’s former rap name (“Ricky Roxer”) revealed
– Dating apps, hinge marriages, Tinder match confessions, and the horror of being roasted by a group chat
– Dancing With The Stars: finale thoughts + which runners would crush on the show
– Listener voicemails on alienation-of-affection laws, political chaos, fan theories, and whether Aisha works at FanDuel

📞 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.