"I could be wrong, but I know I'm not." - Kara Goucher.

You know it's a good episode when Kara drops that quote.

In this episode, Des and Kara cover a topic that you DID ask for. They give you their hot takes on the return of Shelby Houlihan from her 4-year ban. As you might expect, it is complicated, so find some paper towels and put them under those armpits... it gets warm-ish in here over the second half of the episode.

First, they recap an amazing weekend in Houston with their perspectives on all of the races, including those that aren't getting enough attention - Erika Kemp's 2:22 and Weini Kelati's second American record. And yes, they give Conner Mantz his flowers too while covering "the shove" and talking about what his race might mean for his confidence in future marathons. Can he be the one to break through for the American men in a World Major?

Then, they shift the discussion to Shelby Houlihan's return covering everything from their initial reactions to her ban and now to the media coverage of her "comeback." As you might expect, this is a difficult topic to cover, but Des and Kara do not shy away from discussing all sides of it. Agree or not, the hope is that we can all turn now to just seeing her race.

As usual, this episode ends with a top 5 that includes a special shout-out to the new Glycerin 22 coming soon from Brooks. You can pre-order yours here to support them and the pod: https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/womens/shoes/road-running-shoes/glycerin-22/120434.html?dwvar_120434_color=020

What a race weekend in Houston! Des and Kara were so happy to be a part of it, including our largest live show yet with 500 people in attendance on Saturday. Thank you to everyone who came out for the show and to Brooks Running and the Houston Marathon team for the hospitality all weekend.

In this episode, Des and Kara give you predictions for the races in Houston, which are even more fun now that we know the actual results. Then, they go behind the scenes of the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston, where Des and Kara made the Olympic team together. They walk you through what they were thinking at each point in the race that day and how it felt for Kara to make her second team and Des her first. Note: you will have to watch the YouTube to see the pics that they reference.

We close with a Q&A from the audience (with great audio this time!), and of course, a Top 5. Stay for their big annoucement near the end and for the hilarious banter throughout.

Welcome to Season 3 of Nobody Asked Us with Des and Kara presented by Brooks Running!

This is a FUN and INFORMATIVE episode to kick off 2025. Des and Kara start with their usual catch-up banter, updating us on their holiday and New Year activities. Des shares her excitement about another Boston start line coming in April. Kara gives updates on her running with dystonia. They both share hot-takes on the new Aaron Rodgers documentary on Netflix, so mark that off on your 2025 bingo card. Plus as a bonus, they give other TV and movie recs for your TV-binging needs.

Then, they turn to a detailed, discussion on running contracts, shedding light on some of the reasons you might see a spate of runner retirements on your social feeds. They talk about contract structures, terms, timelines, and the reasons why contracts end. Ultimately, running is business just like any sport, so it is helpful to understand what might be going on behind the scenes in some of these discussions.

Finally, they wrap with a preview of the live show coming up in Houston and finish with the first Top 5 of the year. Happy New Year everyone!