Author, runner, and New Jersey legend Lyle Smith (@nymblegram) joins Airey Bros Radio to talk about his new book Blood, Sweat & Spikes: The Wetmore Way — a deep dive into Mark Wetmore, Bernards High School, and the NJ running culture that helped shape American distance running.From asthma and allergies to becoming a HS All-American, from small-town heroes and bus-trip mixtapes to Boulder, Niwot, and Colorado running, this episode is pure nostalgia, storytelling, and wisdom for runners, coaches, and parents.We get into:

• The making of Blood, Sweat & Spikes and why running needs more honest storytelling
  
  
• Mark Wetmore’s coaching philosophy from Bernardsville to Colorado
  
  
• New Jersey’s “golden era” of distance running & the tradition that still lives on
  
  
• Asthma, sick buildings & how running literally changed Lyle’s life
  
  
• Feeder programs, culture, and what really builds a dynasty
  
  
• College recruiting: what Lyle wishes he knew before choosing Villanova
  
  
• Regrets, honesty, and why this book became a personal therapy session
  
  
• Fatherhood, Niwot XC, and watching the next generation find their own way
  
  
• Movies, music, Prefontaine takes, and why Breaking Away & The Sting still hit
  
  

If you love New Jersey running, Colorado running, Mark Wetmore lore, or just want a beautifully told running story, this one’s for you.

📚 Grab the book:
Blood, Sweat & Spikes: The Wetmore Way


🌐 Check out Lyle’s work: Books & more
Follow Lyle on IG → @nymblegram
🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Spotify / YouTube
☕ Fueled by Black Sheep Endurance Coaching Ultra, marathon & endurance coaching 
💵 Support the show: Buy Me a Coffee 


⏱ Timestamped Show Notes (for show notes section)
0:00 – Cold Open & Setup Posting workflow, setting the stage, and why the bros love digging into running history.
0:21 – Intro: Howdy & Aloha + Who Is Lyle Smith? ABR intro, Lyle’s NJ roots, All-American background, and overview of Blood, Sweat & Spikes: The Wetmore Way.
2:42 – Pork Roll vs. Taylor Ham & Is Central Jersey Real? The eternal NJ debates: breakfast meats, Driscoll Bridge, and Central vs. North vs. South Jersey.
4:22 – “The Sandlot for Running” & Small-Town Heroes Why the book feels like The Sandlot for distance runners, local legends, and looking up to HS athletes as pros.
8:01 – Allergies, Asthma & How Running Saved His Life Trips to Children’s Hospital & Philly specialists, “allergic to anything you could breathe,” and the doctor who prescribed exercise instead of rest.
10:18 – Ed Mather, PT Barnum of Distance Running & The Rec Program Run-for-fun nights, trying every event, and how a charismatic coach got kids hooked on the sport.
16:35 – NYC Midnight Run & Wetmore’s Wild Ideas Bus trips, centipede relays, Brad Hudson, and how unique races kept the team excited year-round.
20:22 – Relays, Night Meets & Making Training Fun Relays as disguised workouts, Lake Takanassee stories, South Carolina relay meets, and why fun races keep kids in the sport.
23:45 – Brad Hudson Urban Legends & NJ Lore Did he really see the Track & Field News rankings and run a time trial from class? Lyle can “neither confirm nor deny.”
27:20 – Niwot XC, Tradition & Coaching Culture in Colorado Niwot’s small-town feel, tradition, and how today’s powerhouse teams mirror Bernards’ energy.
31:23 – Feeder Programs, Soccer Kids & Building a Dynasty Why youth programs matter, pulling athletes from other sports, and the real meaning of “culture.”
37:02 – The Day Lyle Tried to Quit a Race & Wetmore Drove to His House Middle school panic, running home in tears, and the coaching moment that changed everything.
48:04 – Villanova, Nostalgia & College Recruiting Advice Why brand names and nostalgia can cloud judgment, what he’d tell his 17-year-old self, and how runners should evaluate schools today.
52:00 – Regrets, Honesty & Writing as Therapy Why “no regrets” is a lie, how the book became a personal therapy session, and setting stories straight on Bernards recruiting myths.
56:00 – Why Running Needs More Literature Comparing running to boxing, horse racing, baseball, and how books like Running with the Buffaloes fit alongside Blood, Sweat & Spikes.
1:00:17 – Daily Rituals, Walking, Meditation & Showing Up as His Best Self Walking with his wife and dog, light meditation, reading daily, and intentional conversations with his son.
1:01:44 – Magnolia Road, Old Teammates & Boulder Adventures Trips to Magnolia, old Bernards guys in Colorado, and how time changes the body but not the bond.
1:03:39 – What Lyle’s Listening To: Pods, Books & Music - From Airey Bros Radio & Preet Bharara to Maria Ressa’s book and old Rush albums.
1:03:39 – Guilty Pleasures: Golf & Movie Marathons, Caddie days in NJ, playing golf when he can, and losing weekends to a Robert Redford marathon.
1:05:17 – Top Movies: The Sting, Breaking Away, Godfather & More, Film geek talk: Citizen Kane, The Sting, Breaking Away, High Fidelity, and why even “bad” movies like Caddyshack still matter.
1:09:03 – Prefontaine Movies: Without Limits vs. Prefontaine, Why Without Limits is the better film but still can’t fully capture Pre.
1:10:43 – Closing, Why You Need to Read the Book & Upcoming NJCAA Guests, Final thoughts from Lyle, how to grab the book, and ABR’s upcoming Brookdale CC & NJCAA wrestling preview episodes.