Blood Doping in 2026, Wiz Khalifa Is Running and Merch Is Finally Live

<p><em>One of the longest episodes in Off the Rails history and one of the most eventful.</em></p><p><em>Discussed in this episode:</em></p><p>– <strong>Eric vs. the bike:</strong> Three rides in. Main problems: sweating while commuting and not wanting to wear shorts.</p><p>– <strong>Pre-race rituals:</strong> In response to a voicemail from Jean Nicole, a theology professor who uses athletic analogies in teaching monastic practices.</p><p>– <strong>Freddie Crittenden is a middle school math teacher:</strong> Retired at USAs. Now posting the most wholesome content on Instagram — previewing his classroom, talking through the transition. </p><p>– <strong>Wiz Khalifa is running:</strong> The touchstone that running has arrived in culture. He got called slow at a nine-minute pace, went out and ran fast to prove people wrong. Shame on anyone who shamed him for his pace. </p><p>– <strong>AOC&#39;s egg-freezing journey:</strong> Aisha opens up for the first time publicly about being almost two years into an IVF journey that hasn&#39;t been going great. The power of seeing someone do this in real time (not at the end of the story when everything is resolved) is felt.</p><p>– <strong>Brad Pitt is drinking again:</strong> Seven years sober. Now not. All his kids have dropped his last name. He owns a vineyard. The comment section is on fire. He&#39;s in the Leo/Pitt class — too big, too beloved, too beautiful for PR to fully catch them. </p><p>– <strong>Fayetteville-Manlius and Bill Aris:</strong> 12-time national championship coach let go over overtraining allegations. The broader conversation centers on: What is the right intensity for high school athletes? </p><p>– <strong>Jonah Koech gets a three-year blood doping ban:</strong> Full ABP explainer from Aisha. The Athlete Biological Passport tracks blood values over time and flags when they&#39;re consistent with doping, even if no single test detects a substance. Two tests flagged: July 30, 2025 (one day before the USATF prelims he&#39;d go on to win) and August 8th (six days after his final win). Values consistent with blood doping. Standard four-year ban reduced to three for admitting use of a prohibited method. He&#39;s since come out saying he was pressured into the admission. </p><p>– <strong>European Championships recap:</strong> Jakob Ingebrigtsen wins the 5K gold in his first race back in 11 months; Mark English wins his first European gold in the 800m at age 33; Gesa Krause wins the women&#39;s steeple in