World Cross Is Turning Into A Tough Mudder

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.

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Follow your hosts on Instagram:

🗣️ Follow Eric Jenkins: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_ericjenkins⁠⁠⁠⁠

🗣️ Follow Aisha Praught-Leer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aishapraughtleer

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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.