In the second banter episode of the month, we find out how much Eli can talk when he has spent the previous week not podcasting and instead storing up hot takes during three days alone in the car. (Tony meanwhile, spent his bye week more productively, getting fit enough to successfully take on the Murph immediately after recording this episode.)
Eli starts out innocently enough, desperately backpedaling on his call-out of Woody Kincaid in the last banter episode, but he just can't help himself and dishes out a new hot take sure to inflame Strava users (and fans of the Strava Wankers Twitter account specifically). Tony and Eli then wade into more serious territory, discussing ethics, diversity, and inclusion in running and for RDs as relates to the Marathon Investigation article about trail race RD Sean "Run Bum" Blanton retroactively DQing competitors for seemingly arbitrary violations, and also his well-documented inappropriate behaviors toward women in the running community. This transitions into a brief discussion of Ahmaud Arbery, where Eli and Tony are admittedly so far out of their depths that for once, rather than run their mouths, they want to amplify diverse voices and encourage you to read these articles by folks who are more knowledgable:
Ahmaud Arbery and Whiteness in the Running World (Outside.com)
Jogging Has Always Excluded Black People (NY Times)
Ahmaud Arbery and the dangers of running while black (Vox)
After a Killing, 'Running While Black' Stirs Even More Anxiety (NY Times)
While the co-hosts know they don't have all the solutions, they agree that as an industry we need to keep working to be more inclusive in various ways (expect episodes on this topic featuring folks more qualified to speak on it in the not-too-distant future).
This episode's coronavirus topic is Finish Area, where Tony drives the discussion which is focused on what is essential, what elements may need to be rolled back in the coronavirus world, and what opportunities exist to reimagine certain festival elements or even improve them by using virtual or at-home tools. He also wonders aloud about whether we overextended ourselves from a budgetary or expectations standpoint in the Finish Area in the pre-coronavirus era, and you also learn why if he ever refuses to shake your hand you shouldn't be offended. The episode ends with Eli sharing some big personal news. Want to find out what it is? You've gotta listen!
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