Podcasts · LetsRun.com's Track Talk: The Home of Running and Track and Field

Could Josh Kerr beat Seb Coe, Morceli, Jim Ryun, & El Guerrouj?

4 Aug 2026 · 1 h 34 min

Episode Could Josh Kerr beat Seb Coe, Morceli, Jim Ryun, & El Guerrouj?

0:00 1:33:38

🏃 Presented by Orosport USA Cooling vests, headbands, and wrist wraps to help you train through the heat — use code LETSRUN for 10% off. orosportsusa.com/letsrun

👟 LetsRun Shoe Deals — Nike Vomero 18 $93, Pegasus $87 (40% off), Vaporfly 4 $143 (47% off)

Josh Kerr's Commonwealth Games mile annihilation reignites the debate over where he ranks among history's greatest milers, with Rojo's "beat every great miler ever" thought experiment digging up crazy closing splits from Noureddine Morceli and Jim Ryun. Coach Danny Mackey weighs whether Kerr should chase a 1500m world record or protect his health for the World Ultimate Championships. Elsewhere, Abdihamid Nur and Alicia Monson's decision to skip USAs for a faster race in Belgium sparks a debate over what national titles are actually worth. And on the college side, Kenyan half-marathoner Dennis Kipkogei's commitment to Texas gets a debate going on the NCAA ranks.

🎁 🎧 Get a 2nd LetsRun podcast every week + bonus content: Join the Supporters Club — https://www.letsrun.com/subscribe

LINKS

• If All The Top Milers in the World Lined Up, Would Kerr Win? • The Pareto Frontier: Jonathan Pritchard's closing-speed data deep dive • Did Texas Just Sign the Favorite for the 2026 NCAA XC Title? • Changing allegiances from Jakob to Kerr (forum thread) • Colorado Buffaloes loading up on Africans for 2026 XC (forum thread) • Shoe deals • Need a VPN? — https://www.letsrun.com/vpn • Free LetsRun shirt — https://shop.letsrun.com

TIMESTAMPS

• 00:00 Sponsor Intro & Episode Preview • 02:45 Off-Air Banter: VPNs, Weather & Cooling Gear • 08:52 Josh Kerr's Commonwealth Games Mile Domination • 12:57 Kerr's World Ultimate Championships Outlook • 18:45 Could Kerr Beat Every Miler in History? • 23:10 Comparing Eras: Ryun's Kick vs. the Doping-Era 90s • 26:53 Danny Mackey's Decision on a 1500m World Record Bid • 34:00 Other Commonwealth Games Standouts • 36:22 Africa's Distance Running Decline & the Kipsang Mystery • 40:50 Jakob Ingebrigtsen's Fitness, Qualifying Rules & Fan Rivalries • 48:30 Skipping USAs: The Nur & Monson Debate Begins • 53:49 USATF Points System Under Fire • 58:12 Off-Topic Tangent: Wejo's College Racing History • 1:02:38 USATF Foundation Grants & Accountability • 1:06:58 Dennis Kipkogei Headlines Texas' Loaded Recruiting Class • 1:10:28 Full-Ride Scholarships & the NCAA Funding Arms Race • 1:16:41 Conference Realignment, Age Caps & Remote Coaching Fantasies • 1:21:53 Colorado's Kenyan Recruiting Rumor & International Talent Debate • 1:26:35 World Juniors Preview & Closing Thoughts

CONTACT

ABOUT THE LETSRUN.COM PODCAST

Since 2000, LetsRun.com has been the independent home of elite running. Described by the New York Times as the "influential website that serves as something of a superego for American running," the podcast is the weekly deep dive into the world of track and field and elite distance running.

The show is hosted by LetsRun.com co-founders Wejo, a 2-time Team USA member, and Rojo, a former Cornell coach who helped pace the marathon world record, along with award-winning senior writer Jonathan Gault. Together they move beyond PR headlines to provide insider reporting and unfiltered debate serious fans rely on.

Links in the notes 9

The episode on the publisher’s site (opens in a new tab)

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.