"Shut Up And Coach Your Team" – The Girls Are Fighting! A Dive Into The Recruiting Controversy + NCAA Championship Takes

It’s a six-month anniversary episode (!) and also a chaos-filled, cross-country-heavy, holiday-adjacent, pop-culture-spiraling installment of Off The Rails with Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught-Leer. NCAA XC wrapped 15 minutes before recording and the takes are HOT. This week's topics include: – Celebrating six months of Off The Rails (they said it couldn’t be done!) – Early Christmas vibes + Denver Botanical Garden date night adventures – Real vs. fake Christmas trees + DIY confidence from YouTube University – Thanksgiving plans, turkey trots, and Aisha’s undying love for potatoes – Hosting 30-person Thanksgivings + abandoning Boulder runners this year – Full breakdown of the NCAA XC Championships – The men cutting the course (!), hay-bale chaos, and why Aisha was screaming – Doris Lemngole vs. Jane Hedengren: a dogfight at the front – The women’s team race + the rise of powerhouse female coaches – Lori Henes, Diljeet Taylor, Shalane Flanagan and the wide spectrum of coaching styles – The men’s race: Habtom Samuel’s decisive move – The pre-race press-conference drama between Ed Eyestone and Dave Smith – Recruiting, age-gap advantages, international athletes, and the gray areas no one wants to talk about – Whether the NCAA needs age limits, rule reforms, and real testing – NCAA testing vs. USADA vs. WADA (and why NCAA testing is basically vibes) – World Cross Country implications + the absolutely STACKED U.S. Cross entry lists – The 4×2K relay, selection rules, and why high schoolers might get pulled into the mix – NXN weekend logistics, live show planning, and putting Aisha on “house arrest” – The Epstein Files Transparency Act (!): what it means and what might be revealed in 30 days – Advent-calendar-style release fantasies featuring Mariska Hargitay – Wicked press-tour weirdness, pop-culture updates, and Kevin Spacey (allegedly) being “homeless” – Aisha’s RapChat education + Eric’s former rap name (“Ricky Roxer”) revealed – Dating apps, hinge marriages, Tinder match confessions, and the horror of being roasted by a group chat – Dancing With The Stars: finale thoughts + which runners would crush on the show – Listener voicemails on alienation-of-affection laws, political chaos, fan theories, and whether Aisha works at FanDuel 📞 Call in to (856) 279-0080‬ to leave us a voicemail with any question you may have, whether it’s running-related or not. 📲 Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or follow the show on Spotify to stay up-to-date with all the latest episodes. Follow your hosts on Instagram: 🗣️ Follow Eric Jenkins: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@_ericjenkins⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🗣️ Follow Aisha Praught-Leer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@aishapraughtleer SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 🏃 WAHOO: The KICKR RUN isn’t just another treadmill; it’s a complete rethink of indoor running. With Dynamic Pacing, it automatically adjusts to your stride—no buttons, no breaking form, just pure running freedom. Its Terrain Simulation makes the deck feel like a track or trail, while lateral tilt mimics real-world conditions so you’re always prepared for race day. So whether you’re chasing your first half-marathon finish, a marathon PR, or your next trail adventure, the KICKR RUN is built to help you Run Your Run. Check it all out at ⁠⁠⁠WahooFitness.com⁠⁠⁠ and use code CITIUS at checkout. ---- ⚠️ 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.