NYRR CEO Rob Simmelkjaer: Doping Is an “Existential Issue,” When Will the Majors Stop Expanding? Plus, Do the Pros Still Matter?

New York Road Runners CEO Rob Simmelkjaer joins Jonathan Gault and Robert Johnson live from the New York City Marathon Expo to talk about his four years running the country's biggest road race organization. Simmelkjaer calls doping an "existential threat" to the sport and warns that high-profile positive tests risk turning fans and parents away from elite competition. He pushes back on the idea of a two-day NYC Marathon, saying he'd "rather have one amazing day than two pretty good days", and he talks about how far World Marathon expansion will go.

Plus, how can we convert recreational runners into fans of the pro side of the sport?

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• LetsRun.com NYC Marathon Coverage
• Find a better running shoe: https://www.betterrunningshoes.com
• Final Finishers Documentary (Emmy Award-winning NYRR film)
• LetsRun.com 2026 NYC Marathon Preview Podcast Video

TIMESTAMPS

• 00:00 Intro and Episode Preview
• 01:14 Meet Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners
• 01:57 Proudest Accomplishment:
• 03:26 Biggest Surprise
• 04:21 Would New York Ever Go to Two Days Like London?
• 05:48 Rob's Running Background and Path to the Job
• 06:38 Converting Participants Into Fans of the Pro Side
• 07:56 Do the Elites Still Matter to the Marathon?
• 09:25 Doping as an Existential Threat to the Sport
• 10:20 Are the World Marathon Majors Diluting Themselves?
• 13:21 BetterRunningShoes.com

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ABOUT THE LETSRUN.COM PODCAST

Since 2000, LetsRun.com has been the independent home of elite running. Described by the New York Times as the "influential website that serves as something of a superego for American running," the podcast is the weekly deep dive into the world of track and field and elite distance running.

The show is hosted by LetsRun.com co-founders Weldon Johnson, a 2-time Team USA member, and Robert Johnson, a former Cornell coach who helped pace the marathon world record, along with award-winning senior writer Jonathan Gault. Together they move beyond PR headlines to provide insider reporting and unfiltered debate serious fans rely on.