WEBVTT - Finding Their Stride: Becs and Her Partner Austin Curtis Chat About the Joys of Running and Parenting 0:00:00.210 --> 0:00:03.210 New York Road Runners is a non- profit organization with 0:00:03.210 --> 0:00:06.570 a vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through 0:00:06.570 --> 0:00:10.230 the transformative power of running. The support of members and 0:00:10.230 --> 0:00:13.890 donors like you helps us achieve our mission to transform 0:00:13.890 --> 0:00:17.250 the health and wellbeing of our communities through inclusive and 0:00:17.250 --> 0:00:22.140 accessible running experiences, empowering all to achieve their potential. Learn 0:00:22.140 --> 0:00:25.980 more and contribute at nyrr. org/ donate. 0:00:30.090 --> 0:00:34.470 Thank you, New York. Today we're reminded of the power 0:00:34.470 --> 0:00:39.330 of community and the power of coming together. Athletes, on 0:00:39.330 --> 0:00:39.900 your mark. 0:00:42.030 --> 0:00:45.600 The first woman to finish for the second straight year here in the 0:00:46.140 --> 0:00:49.470 New York City Marathon is Miki Gorman, a smiling Miki 0:00:49.470 --> 0:00:52.620 Gorman. And why not? 2: 29:30, the time for Grete Waitz. 0:00:53.970 --> 0:00:56.610 Look at the emotion of Shalane Flanagan as she comes 0:00:56.610 --> 0:00:59.910 to the line. Pointing to his chest, pointing to the 0:00:59.910 --> 0:01:04.000 USA he so proudly wears across his chest. A great day 0:01:04.020 --> 0:01:04.002 for (inaudible) . 0:01:10.260 --> 0:01:13.110 All right, team, welcome to Set the Pace presented by 0:01:13.110 --> 0:01:16.920 Peloton. I'm your host, Becs Gentry flying solo today as 0:01:16.920 --> 0:01:19.410 Rob is off in Paris with his daughter for the 0:01:19.410 --> 0:01:23.520 final weeks of this year's incredible Olympics. And yes, I 0:01:23.520 --> 0:01:25.740 am going to be right behind him heading to the 0:01:25.740 --> 0:01:29.520 games later this week too. I cannot wait to get 0:01:29.520 --> 0:01:35.400 over to Paris. I have been glued to the NBC 0:01:35.400 --> 0:01:40.170 broadcast and just watching primetime every evening, catching up on 0:01:40.230 --> 0:01:42.690 all of the medals, all of the wins, and all 0:01:42.690 --> 0:01:45.660 of the drama as well. Not that it has been much, 0:01:45.660 --> 0:01:48.600 but it's been a really, really strong year. I've got 0:01:48.600 --> 0:01:51.750 to say. I think the women have been really, really 0:01:51.930 --> 0:01:56.310 floating the Olympics this year. Watching the women's triathlon yesterday, 0:01:56.310 --> 0:01:58.230 just the women came over the line, they were on 0:01:58.230 --> 0:02:00.779 the floor. They gave it their all. And I haven't 0:02:00.780 --> 0:02:02.370 been to the Olympics, but I got close and I 0:02:02.370 --> 0:02:04.710 know what that feels like. So I can't wait to 0:02:04.710 --> 0:02:06.570 get out there. I'm hopefully going to watch some of 0:02:06.570 --> 0:02:08.250 the games. I'm going to be running the Marathon Pour 0:02:08.250 --> 0:02:11.400 Tous on Saturday night. And then I will be doing 0:02:11.790 --> 0:02:15.780 lovely, lovely commentary hits for the women's marathon on Sunday 0:02:15.780 --> 0:02:18.660 morning. You can also find me on the NBC social, 0:02:18.840 --> 0:02:23.070 which is going to be really, really exciting. Training as 0:02:23.070 --> 0:02:24.810 well as all of this, I've got to say, it's 0:02:24.840 --> 0:02:30.030 inspirational watching the incredible athletes out there in Paris. It's 0:02:30.030 --> 0:02:32.850 really giving me the energy I need to get out 0:02:32.850 --> 0:02:36.419 for my miles and my training for this bizarre race 0:02:36.419 --> 0:02:40.320 that I am still doing. This was the back of 0:02:40.320 --> 0:02:45.030 a 114- mile week, which is just mind- blowing. I 0:02:45.030 --> 0:02:47.430 can't believe I'm saying that, but I am also in awe 0:02:47.639 --> 0:02:49.650 of my body that's allowed me to do it. And 0:02:49.650 --> 0:02:51.480 I got to finish it off with one of my 0:02:51.480 --> 0:02:54.810 most favorite races in Brooklyn, which was the Brooklyn Mile. 0:02:55.020 --> 0:02:56.610 And I say it's one of my favorite, because I 0:02:56.610 --> 0:02:58.830 get to run it with Austin and Tallulah. We ran 0:02:58.830 --> 0:03:02.760 it last year when Tallulah was teeny, tiny. And we'll 0:03:02.760 --> 0:03:04.500 talk about it more, but we got to run it 0:03:04.500 --> 0:03:06.690 this year together as a family. And Tallulah actually ran 0:03:06.750 --> 0:03:10.320 over the finish line by herself, which was tear- inducing 0:03:10.320 --> 0:03:14.430 and pride- elevating and all of the good stuff. So 0:03:14.970 --> 0:03:16.770 that was finishing out a really big day and a 0:03:16.770 --> 0:03:22.080 really big week. But there is nothing more inspiring than re- 0:03:22.080 --> 0:03:23.880 listening to podcasts when you run. And that's what I've 0:03:23.880 --> 0:03:26.790 been doing. I actually listened to last week's episode with 0:03:27.150 --> 0:03:30.929 the Paralympic power couple of Oksana Masters and Aaron Pike, 0:03:31.169 --> 0:03:32.700 who will both be heading to Paris in a few 0:03:32.700 --> 0:03:37.290 weeks for the Paralympic Games. And they also did help 0:03:37.350 --> 0:03:41.040 inspire the choice of our guest for this week. So 0:03:41.040 --> 0:03:44.130 yes, shortly. Hold on, hold on. We will be joined 0:03:44.190 --> 0:03:47.130 by Tallulah's dad. Before we get to Austin though, who 0:03:47.130 --> 0:03:50.130 is patiently waiting, I want to share a little about this 0:03:50.130 --> 0:03:53.220 week's member moment highlight that Meb will be sharing shortly. 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:56.430 Joanna Carter is a lifelong runner who began her journey 0:03:56.430 --> 0:04:00.840 in Barbados. And she's returning to running here now. She's 0:04:00.840 --> 0:04:03.600 75 years old. She continues to inspire others through her 0:04:03.600 --> 0:04:06.900 participation in New York Road Runner's Striders, where she remains 0:04:06.900 --> 0:04:10.140 committed to staying active and celebrating her resilience by training 0:04:10.140 --> 0:04:13.320 for half marathons. Joanna and her fellow Striders will be 0:04:13.320 --> 0:04:17.040 taking part in this weekend's Percy Sutton Harlem 5K. So 0:04:17.310 --> 0:04:19.440 if you'll be out in Harlem this weekend, keep an 0:04:19.440 --> 0:04:21.660 eye out for those New York Road Runner's Strider shirts. 0:04:21.839 --> 0:04:24.180 Make sure you say hi and give them some really 0:04:24.180 --> 0:04:29.190 good words of encouragement. Now, because we only have 13 0:04:29.190 --> 0:04:33.630 weeks until the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon, I absolutely 0:04:33.630 --> 0:04:36.719 cannot believe it. Nope, nope. 13 weeks does not feel 0:04:36.720 --> 0:04:40.410 like long enough. But needless to say, this week's Meb 0:04:40.410 --> 0:04:42.779 Minute will be focused on what you should be thinking 0:04:42.779 --> 0:04:47.610 about 13 weeks before the greatest marathon in the world. 0:04:47.970 --> 0:04:50.520 So of course you got to stay tuned for that. 0:04:51.150 --> 0:04:54.330 Whatever summer plans, Peloton is here to help you meet 0:04:54.330 --> 0:04:57.839 your running goals. Whether you're tracking your own route, trying 0:04:57.839 --> 0:05:01.380 a new trail, or crushing interval runs, Peloton offers a 0:05:01.380 --> 0:05:04.680 variety of running and walking content to keep you moving 0:05:04.770 --> 0:05:09.510 anytime, anywhere. Feel supported the entire way and get ready 0:05:09.510 --> 0:05:13.080 to move with Peloton. Try the Peloton app in the 0:05:13.080 --> 0:05:17.700 Apple, Android, and Google app stores today. Peloton, the official 0:05:17.700 --> 0:05:21.870 digital fitness partner for New York Road Runners. All right, 0:05:22.200 --> 0:05:26.400 should we move on to the main event of today's 0:05:26.400 --> 0:05:29.820 show? This is a guest I know very, very well, 0:05:29.850 --> 0:05:31.830 but I may learn a thing or two about him 0:05:31.830 --> 0:05:36.570 today. And I'm so excited to better introduce him to 0:05:36.690 --> 0:05:40.200 our Set the Pace crew. Here is the man who 0:05:40.200 --> 0:05:44.400 changed my world, my inspiration and my partner in everything, 0:05:44.400 --> 0:05:50.159 including with our wonderful daughter, Tallulah, Mr. Austin Curtis. Hi. 0:05:53.520 --> 0:05:53.669 Hello. 0:05:54.029 --> 0:05:57.180 We're not sitting side by side doing this together. We've 0:05:57.330 --> 0:06:01.830 separated ourselves into different rooms so we can actually have 0:06:01.830 --> 0:06:03.479 a good conversation here. 0:06:03.779 --> 0:06:08.910 I'm sitting in Tallulah's nursery chair, which I've spent many, 0:06:09.000 --> 0:06:14.370 many of hours here. So it feels quite comfortable, but 0:06:14.460 --> 0:06:18.000 it's always funny (inaudible) you on, actually me trying 0:06:18.000 --> 0:06:20.820 to be quiet when you guys are recording these and 0:06:21.060 --> 0:06:22.469 now I'm on the other end of it. 0:06:23.460 --> 0:06:28.890 Yay. Well, thank you for sharing your day with us today. So 0:06:28.890 --> 0:06:31.170 the reason why I wanted you on, I was inspired by 0:06:31.170 --> 0:06:34.620 Oksana Masters and Aaron Pike last week and their absolutely 0:06:34.620 --> 0:06:37.710 beautiful relationship that they share. The support that they give 0:06:37.710 --> 0:06:40.589 one another through their training, through the highs and the lows, 0:06:40.980 --> 0:06:45.540 and through their journey of life. And I know when 0:06:45.600 --> 0:06:49.560 we met our lives were very, very different. And here 0:06:49.560 --> 0:06:55.320 they are. Well, here we are, should I say. And I 0:06:55.350 --> 0:07:00.089 think I want to ask you, about when we met. 0:07:00.390 --> 0:07:03.360 There are so many things that people could ask you 0:07:03.360 --> 0:07:06.150 like how you met? Why you met? And what's your favorite 0:07:06.150 --> 0:07:09.180 answer? What do you like telling people about how we met? 0:07:11.340 --> 0:07:20.520 I think we met, both of us it was... Our paths would've 0:07:20.520 --> 0:07:24.750 crossed at some point, but they crossed that weekend that 0:07:24.750 --> 0:07:28.020 I decided to stay back in the city. It was 0:07:28.020 --> 0:07:33.030 around July 4th and I know that, because it was my brother's birthday. 0:07:33.600 --> 0:07:37.500 And our car broke down, it overheated like going through 0:07:37.500 --> 0:07:40.380 the Holland Tunnel and I was just like, "Wait, I'm not sitting in a tow 0:07:40.380 --> 0:07:43.890 truck with you 200 miles to the beach house. I'm 0:07:43.890 --> 0:07:46.002 just going to go back to our place (inaudible) 0:07:45.900 --> 0:07:51.450 and hang out." And we met watching the Women's World 0:07:51.450 --> 0:07:57.240 Cup. Actually Team USA. And we met at a bar 0:07:57.810 --> 0:08:02.190 at 10 AM on a Sunday to watch that game. 0:08:02.820 --> 0:08:06.030 And I think we decided it was good luck if 0:08:06.030 --> 0:08:09.929 we took a shot every time USA scored. But I 0:08:09.930 --> 0:08:14.010 think we started as friends as first. There was very 0:08:14.010 --> 0:08:20.580 much a physical attraction, but I think I just saw an energy 0:08:20.580 --> 0:08:24.630 that you had that was intoxicating and someone I wanted 0:08:24.630 --> 0:08:29.820 to spend time with. So after that day, we just 0:08:29.940 --> 0:08:34.319 made a plan to go for a run and went 0:08:34.319 --> 0:08:34.860 from there. 0:08:36.210 --> 0:08:41.160 Running bringing everyone together. You see? And we actually met 0:08:41.160 --> 0:08:45.420 through a friend who I knew through running. So we 0:08:45.420 --> 0:08:48.270 always tell people that we kind of met thanks to 0:08:48.270 --> 0:08:49.260 running in many ways. 0:08:56.610 --> 0:09:00.390 Yeah. Our friend pulled the group together that went to 0:09:00.390 --> 0:09:00.720 watch that soccer game. And that's how we met. 0:09:01.860 --> 0:09:04.830 Wild times. And that was over five years ago now. 0:09:04.920 --> 0:09:10.350 Look at us fly. Okay, so now we've got the nitty- 0:09:10.350 --> 0:09:14.790 gritty out of the way in the relationship conversation. I want 0:09:14.790 --> 0:09:18.720 to tell people or I want you to tell people a little bit 0:09:18.720 --> 0:09:24.300 more about your journey in sports. Everybody knows that you 0:09:24.300 --> 0:09:29.370 run, we often run together, but your background isn't necessarily 0:09:29.400 --> 0:09:32.850 running, unless you can call it running on ice, I 0:09:32.850 --> 0:09:36.809 suppose. But you played hockey. That was from when you were 0:09:36.809 --> 0:09:40.650 born. I can attest to Austin's dad, I think maybe 0:09:40.650 --> 0:09:43.740 still has a tiny hockey boot of yours or something. 0:09:44.550 --> 0:09:46.440 But you literally say you played hockey from when you 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:51.720 could walk, all the way through from University of Colorado 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:57.090 and Boulder to the men's league, right? In Chelsea Piers. 0:09:58.000 --> 0:09:58.002 (inaudible) . 0:09:59.880 --> 0:10:04.920 Had to get it in, babe. Very proud of the men's league. 0:10:05.790 --> 0:10:11.010 Yeah, it's a glorified men living out their childhood dreams 0:10:11.010 --> 0:10:12.210 is the men's league. 0:10:12.630 --> 0:10:15.090 But hockey was your first sport love, right? 0:10:15.750 --> 0:10:22.200 Yeah. So I grew up in the Philadelphia area, so 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:28.710 Philly Flyers, Eagles, it was... Philadelphia is a very blue 0:10:28.710 --> 0:10:32.429 collar sports town, at least the upbringing that I had. 0:10:33.570 --> 0:10:41.160 So there was an AHL team called the Phantoms. And 0:10:41.160 --> 0:10:44.370 they always ran promotional deals. So we seemed to always 0:10:44.370 --> 0:10:48.300 have tickets to go see the Phantoms play. Hockey is 0:10:48.330 --> 0:10:52.439 not a sport that anyone in the family had played 0:10:52.740 --> 0:10:57.900 before. But after going to a number of the Philadelphia 0:10:57.900 --> 0:11:05.250 Phantom games I wanted to play. And asked my parents if 0:11:05.250 --> 0:11:07.860 I could and had no idea what we were getting 0:11:07.860 --> 0:11:11.370 ourselves into. And I think if they did, they would probably 0:11:11.370 --> 0:11:15.900 have pushed another sport, because it's quite early mornings, late 0:11:15.900 --> 0:11:18.569 nights. And at the level that I started to play 0:11:18.570 --> 0:11:26.069 at, quite intensive in travel and expensive as well. So 0:11:26.610 --> 0:11:31.260 that is... Yeah, I grew up playing ice hockey. Became 0:11:31.410 --> 0:11:35.490 quite talented I would say, and started playing on some 0:11:35.490 --> 0:11:42.030 select teams and club teams, and got to see a 0:11:42.030 --> 0:11:48.359 lot of the East Coast, Canada, and travel quite a 0:11:48.360 --> 0:11:54.780 bit for a young teenager. And had little brother, Quinn, 0:11:55.530 --> 0:11:58.080 kind of follow in my footsteps and started playing hockey. 0:11:58.080 --> 0:12:02.100 But it was a very new sport for the Curtis 0:12:02.100 --> 0:12:08.429 family. And paved the way and what that allowed. But 0:12:08.429 --> 0:12:12.120 it's just a sport I loved. I tried... I would 0:12:12.120 --> 0:12:16.800 say I'm decently skilled at other sports, but not really 0:12:16.800 --> 0:12:21.689 great at any other. But hockey just came very natural 0:12:22.710 --> 0:12:26.250 and I enjoyed it. So just kind of focused on 0:12:26.250 --> 0:12:30.840 that and it allowed me to play in college, and 0:12:30.840 --> 0:12:35.849 now in a very glorified men's league. Which I think 0:12:35.850 --> 0:12:39.179 is really just an excuse for guys to probably get 0:12:39.179 --> 0:12:43.559 out, continue to play, and have a couple beers after the game. 0:12:44.490 --> 0:12:47.340 You're very humble. I remember the first time, one of 0:12:47.340 --> 0:12:50.790 our early dates, and you took me ice skating. And 0:12:50.790 --> 0:12:55.229 I was petrified, because I am Bambi on ice. I 0:12:55.230 --> 0:12:58.590 move in one direction and that is running. You think 0:12:58.650 --> 0:13:01.440 running and ice skating might go kind of well together, 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:06.480 but no. I got it in the end, but you were 0:13:06.510 --> 0:13:11.790 such a good teacher and very patient and your skills 0:13:11.790 --> 0:13:15.030 were evident there. And then having since seen you play 0:13:15.300 --> 0:13:19.890 hockey in not an actual match, but at our friends 0:13:19.890 --> 0:13:24.689 league, you are very, very good. Very, very humble. But 0:13:24.690 --> 0:13:27.780 that leads me to ask you then why you transitioned 0:13:27.780 --> 0:13:32.760 away from hockey and into running focus. Because I know 0:13:32.760 --> 0:13:34.710 we're going to talk about your Ironmans as well, but 0:13:35.010 --> 0:13:36.900 running focus, what was the reason? 0:13:37.500 --> 0:13:42.570 No, hockey, it was always something I enjoyed. In off 0:13:42.570 --> 0:13:46.829 seasons there were... We did training. It was a lot more time 0:13:46.830 --> 0:13:53.100 spent in the weight room than cardio- focused exercise. But 0:13:53.100 --> 0:13:55.980 there was that element to it. So it wasn't super 0:13:55.980 --> 0:14:03.360 foreign and a hard or unnatural transition to running. But 0:14:03.360 --> 0:14:06.120 I think plain and simple was when I moved to 0:14:06.120 --> 0:14:12.150 New York after university, there was a void that needed 0:14:12.150 --> 0:14:16.740 to be filled. I was very used to a routine 0:14:16.740 --> 0:14:21.960 schedule of at least being on the ice once a day, sometimes 0:14:21.960 --> 0:14:24.750 twice a day. So that would be two to three 0:14:24.750 --> 0:14:31.470 hours of some sport- related element in my daily activity. 0:14:32.640 --> 0:14:35.610 And when I moved to New York, I was out of 0:14:35.700 --> 0:14:43.320 college, I had an internship and a job in a 0:14:43.350 --> 0:14:49.410 retail store, but didn't really have the means to... One, 0:14:49.410 --> 0:14:54.300 continue to play hockey in York is quite difficult. But also 0:14:54.420 --> 0:14:58.710 join, even have the... To (inaudible) enough money to 0:14:58.710 --> 0:15:02.790 join a gym membership. So I knew that... I remembered 0:15:03.810 --> 0:15:08.130 training in the off season was running. And I had a 0:15:08.130 --> 0:15:11.100 pair of running shoes and decided to see and give 0:15:11.100 --> 0:15:18.510 that a go. And what became very challenging runs, just 0:15:18.510 --> 0:15:22.380 to make it a mile or two, I started to find 0:15:22.380 --> 0:15:25.020 that I could go a little bit further. I remember 0:15:25.440 --> 0:15:28.110 I lived over on the East Side on 34th and 0:15:29.490 --> 0:15:34.650 1st. So right on the running path. And I remember 0:15:34.650 --> 0:15:37.200 the first time I went for a run and I went 0:15:37.200 --> 0:15:40.710 down and I was just like, " Oh, man. I'm getting pretty tired, but I just 0:15:40.710 --> 0:15:42.510 want to make it to the bridge." Which was the 0:15:42.510 --> 0:15:47.610 Williamsburg Bridge. I got back and I didn't even have a 0:15:47.610 --> 0:15:53.100 watch at that point, so I couldn't track how far it was. And I 0:15:53.100 --> 0:15:59.759 put it into MapMyRun. 0:15:59.759 --> 0:15:59.911 I used to love that app. 0:15:59.911 --> 0:16:01.020 Yeah, it was only like 2.5 miles and I was gassed. 0:16:01.020 --> 0:16:02.761 We all got to start somewhere. 0:16:02.761 --> 0:16:08.880 Exactly. And a couple of the guys that I was living 0:16:08.880 --> 0:16:12.240 with, they wanted to join in. So each night we'd 0:16:12.240 --> 0:16:15.210 go out and go for a little run. And I just 0:16:15.210 --> 0:16:18.540 incrementally tried to get further. So it was the Williamsburg 0:16:18.540 --> 0:16:20.609 Bridge. And if you're familiar with the East Side, it's 0:16:21.239 --> 0:16:25.890 Williamsburg, then it's Manhattan, and then Brooklyn. And the ultimate 0:16:25.890 --> 0:16:27.930 goal was to be able to run down to the 0:16:27.930 --> 0:16:31.110 tip of the island and back. So that took some time to get to, but I made it and kept going. 0:16:31.110 --> 0:16:41.160 That's the thing about running, I think once somebody in 0:16:41.160 --> 0:16:44.010 your friendship group starts, especially if you live with a 0:16:44.010 --> 0:16:48.570 bunch of people, it is something that others want to 0:16:48.570 --> 0:16:52.320 join you on. And we've seen it amongst our friends 0:16:52.320 --> 0:16:56.580 when we both start training. They know we're runners, but we'll 0:16:56.580 --> 0:16:58.800 start training for something and then all of a sudden 0:16:58.800 --> 0:17:00.990 one of our friends is like, " Oh, hey, I went for 0:17:00.990 --> 0:17:05.970 a run today because I saw you did." And even in our neighborhood, 0:17:06.780 --> 0:17:11.550 we've made friends on our road and people have started 0:17:11.550 --> 0:17:16.109 running because they see us running all the time. That's 0:17:16.109 --> 0:17:19.020 the way running goes. And I think starting out small, 0:17:19.020 --> 0:17:23.879 especially if you are following in somebody else's inspiration is 0:17:23.880 --> 0:17:26.730 fantastic. And then building up to running to the tip of 0:17:26.730 --> 0:17:30.359 the island and back up to 34th, awesome. I mean, 0:17:30.359 --> 0:17:34.830 that's a pretty long run. That's no easy feat. Done 0:17:34.830 --> 0:17:35.700 it once or twice. 0:17:38.400 --> 0:17:39.270 Yes. Today. 0:17:41.820 --> 0:17:47.310 So when you first... Today... When you first did your marathon, your first marathon you 0:17:47.310 --> 0:17:51.180 did in 2016, right? 0:17:51.810 --> 0:17:51.990 Yeah. 0:17:52.710 --> 0:17:56.250 And we... Well, I didn't know you then. I say 0:17:56.250 --> 0:18:00.720 we. But you did just under a five- hour marathon. 0:18:00.720 --> 0:18:04.710 So 4: 55 was your time for the Philly marathon 0:18:04.859 --> 0:18:11.130 in 2015, sorry. So that's an incredible time. But then 0:18:11.130 --> 0:18:18.000 obviously your passion for running and training intensified because your 0:18:18.150 --> 0:18:22.649 personal best over the 26.2 is the New Jersey Marathon over in 0:18:22.650 --> 0:18:27.690 Asbury Park in 2019 where you got a 2: 57. Which 0:18:27.690 --> 0:18:33.450 is nuts. That is a two- hour difference in your 0:18:33.570 --> 0:18:38.369 marathon time. So what changed? What did you do differently? 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:46.650 A lot changed in that time, I think. No, when I first started running, 0:18:46.650 --> 0:18:54.270 it was just to fill that void of a miss 0:18:54.270 --> 0:19:00.090 for hockey and training and also just years, 15- plus 0:19:00.090 --> 0:19:05.970 years of having that discipline. I needed and also wanted 0:19:06.330 --> 0:19:09.690 to have that. But a lot of things came into 0:19:09.690 --> 0:19:13.169 play in that I'd say I moved to New York 0:19:13.170 --> 0:19:21.300 in 2013, 2014. And by 2015 ran my first marathon. And 0:19:21.450 --> 0:19:26.820 in that time I met David. And that's how you and I 0:19:26.820 --> 0:19:31.109 eventually met years later. But David was a collegiate runner 0:19:32.190 --> 0:19:35.040 and when he moved to New York, I would start running 0:19:35.040 --> 0:19:38.430 with him and that was the first time I had 0:19:38.430 --> 0:19:47.430 ever run with someone that it looked absolutely effortless. And 0:19:47.430 --> 0:19:51.750 something that... And I was competitive. And so I wanted to see 0:19:51.750 --> 0:19:56.340 if I could run faster. And so I would just go out 0:19:56.400 --> 0:19:59.340 with runs with him, whether it be longer runs, faster 0:19:59.340 --> 0:20:05.609 runs, like tempo runs. But he was a great training 0:20:05.609 --> 0:20:09.419 partner to have in the city. And then also knowing 0:20:09.420 --> 0:20:16.560 I have a twin sister, Michaela, and she was a D1 0:20:16.859 --> 0:20:24.869 collegiate gymnast. And when she graduated and kind of wrapped 0:20:24.869 --> 0:20:29.220 up her gymnastics career, because it more or less finishes 0:20:30.090 --> 0:20:34.800 after college, she also was looking to fill a void. 0:20:34.800 --> 0:20:39.090 And so she started running. And we have a childhood friend 0:20:39.090 --> 0:20:42.119 that had run the Philly marathon in 2014 that we 0:20:42.630 --> 0:20:45.810 went and cheered on. And I think it was both 0:20:45.810 --> 0:20:48.300 of us at that point, we didn't say anything to 0:20:48.300 --> 0:20:52.109 each other, but kind of knew that was something that 0:20:52.109 --> 0:20:54.989 maybe we wanted to do. And it's one of those 0:20:54.990 --> 0:20:59.669 things that if you aren't necessarily... We're so tied into 0:20:59.670 --> 0:21:05.190 the running community that it seems like every conversation with 0:21:05.190 --> 0:21:09.209 friends and colleagues, it's just like, " What's next and what are you 0:21:09.210 --> 0:21:14.580 doing?" But the idea of a marathon, I try to 0:21:14.850 --> 0:21:19.680 think back to when that seed was first sown. And 0:21:20.070 --> 0:21:21.990 for a lot of people when they first see something 0:21:21.990 --> 0:21:25.590 like that, they question and ask themselves, " Is that something 0:21:25.590 --> 0:21:30.570 I could ever do?" So when Michaela and I saw our 0:21:30.570 --> 0:21:38.790 friend Mike Sundry ran a Philly Marathon, next year came around 0:21:38.790 --> 0:21:41.668 and we were like, " Hey, we should think about doing 0:21:41.669 --> 0:21:46.470 this." And so that's who I ran my first marathon, was with Kayla. 0:21:48.180 --> 0:21:50.909 Hand in hand over the finish line. Mr. And Mrs. Curtis. 0:21:51.930 --> 0:22:02.700 That was the first Ironman when they announced that. She actually did a marathon before that, it's a 0:22:02.700 --> 0:22:05.700 very small one from Cape May, New Jersey to Stone 0:22:05.700 --> 0:22:11.280 Harbor. And I jumped in and ran 17, 18 miles with 0:22:11.280 --> 0:22:13.800 her. And I was running quite a bit, but that 0:22:13.800 --> 0:22:18.030 was at that point the longest I had run. And 0:22:18.030 --> 0:22:21.510 it was... I think once we finished that I knew 0:22:21.510 --> 0:22:24.750 that I was like, " Oh, I can train for the 0:22:24.750 --> 0:22:32.040 Philly marathon." But I didn't have any idea how to 0:22:32.040 --> 0:22:37.170 train. A quick Google search was this is your 16- 0:22:37.170 --> 0:22:45.330 week step training program. And Michaela has... She was studying 0:22:46.140 --> 0:22:49.650 personal training and coaching and so she did a little 0:22:49.650 --> 0:22:52.619 bit more of the research than I did. And she 0:22:52.619 --> 0:22:54.390 would send over like, " Hey, this is what we should 0:22:54.390 --> 0:22:58.649 be doing this week." And I remember distinctly, she came up 0:22:58.650 --> 0:23:01.410 to New York, it was our first 20- mile run that 0:23:01.410 --> 0:23:06.600 we both were going to do. And I had mapped it out on MapMyRun, 0:23:06.600 --> 0:23:10.590 and it took us up the west side loop of 0:23:10.590 --> 0:23:13.800 Central Park, back down the west side. And it was 0:23:15.630 --> 0:23:20.760 a week before the... Because Philadelphia Marathon is always after 0:23:20.880 --> 0:23:25.890 New York. But they had the grandstand set up and we 0:23:26.430 --> 0:23:29.760 ran through that and it just got you so excited for what 0:23:29.760 --> 0:23:36.300 was about to come. And also a slight distraction on the six, seven 0:23:36.300 --> 0:23:39.659 miles we had left to run down the west side. 0:23:40.740 --> 0:23:44.310 But we both, we were following our training program, but 0:23:44.580 --> 0:23:49.230 that week neither one of us ran. So we were like, " 0:23:49.230 --> 0:23:51.150 All right, we'll see how this goes." And I remember 0:23:51.660 --> 0:23:59.670 nearly dying in the Whole Foods on Chambers Street. That to say that that 0:23:59.670 --> 0:24:06.450 first marathon was, I think I was just so focused on completing the distance. 0:24:09.510 --> 0:24:15.150 Time was never a question. I had no idea what to 0:24:15.150 --> 0:24:18.720 expect. I just wanted to complete the distance. I wanted 0:24:19.260 --> 0:24:24.209 to run it with Michaela and enjoy it. It was the 0:24:24.210 --> 0:24:29.369 Philly marathon. It was very close to home in both location 0:24:34.380 --> 0:24:37.859 and in the heart. And that was the first experience. 0:24:38.310 --> 0:24:42.659 And after crossing that line, I think many people have 0:24:43.950 --> 0:24:47.040 one of two thoughts is, " I want to do that again 0:24:47.940 --> 0:24:51.209 and have that runner's high." Or, " That's it, I'm good." And 0:24:52.830 --> 0:24:56.939 I had the feeling of there was more left in 0:24:56.940 --> 0:25:00.690 the tank. And I wanted to see what I could 0:25:00.690 --> 0:25:05.760 do. Sub- three, that idea did not come for a 0:25:05.760 --> 0:25:10.020 couple more years. It was more of like, "Hey, can we go under 0:25:10.020 --> 0:25:12.000 four hours?" I think was the next thought. 0:25:12.330 --> 0:25:13.109 Chipping away. 0:25:13.888 --> 0:25:16.920 Yeah. And then it was sub- 3: 30. And then 0:25:16.920 --> 0:25:20.400 it was, " I think I might be able to do 0:25:20.400 --> 0:25:24.270 this sub- three." Because I was around a bunch of 0:25:24.270 --> 0:25:28.140 guys that they would just call each other like, " Oh, 0:25:28.140 --> 0:25:32.908 he's a 27 guy, he's a 19 guy." And I had to ask 0:25:32.909 --> 0:25:35.910 them, I was just, " What do you mean, like a 27 guy?" And it's just like 0:25:36.390 --> 0:25:43.648 they don't even put the two in front of it. They just know that they are sub-three. And I wanted that. So I'm a 57 0:25:43.648 --> 0:25:44.490 guy at the moment 0:25:46.109 --> 0:25:49.380 And in between all of that I have to give you props because I think anybody 0:25:49.380 --> 0:25:55.859 who ran the 2018 Boston Marathon deserves an absolute round 0:25:55.859 --> 0:26:00.359 of applause for completing that race because that was... I 0:26:00.810 --> 0:26:03.990 got pictures of you and Dave just powering through that 0:26:03.990 --> 0:26:07.530 race in my mind whenever I think about it. You got 0:26:07.530 --> 0:26:09.659 to the finish line when a lot of people didn't. So 0:26:09.660 --> 0:26:12.090 that I'm sure helped add a little bit of an 0:26:12.090 --> 0:26:15.990 edge before the New Jersey Marathon as well. 0:26:16.740 --> 0:26:22.139 Absolutely. That was pure grit to get through that. We 0:26:22.140 --> 0:26:27.720 woke up that morning. We were sitting in this Airbnb kind of by the finish 0:26:27.720 --> 0:26:32.609 line. Yeah, by the finish line. And we had a bus 0:26:32.609 --> 0:26:36.300 to catch. And we just opened the door and he was 0:26:36.659 --> 0:26:43.590 at the time in OTQ shape. And I think he had a quick 0:26:44.160 --> 0:26:47.970 realization that that just was not going to happen that 0:26:47.970 --> 0:26:52.080 day, which is tough in many ways. I, on the 0:26:52.080 --> 0:26:55.410 other hand, just was like, " All right, we'll see what we can do." 0:26:55.410 --> 0:26:59.010 It's just some rain. 0:26:59.850 --> 0:27:03.419 It's just some rain. And it just got worse and worse and worse. So yeah, 0:27:03.510 --> 0:27:08.760 that was... I mean, what a crazy race day experience 0:27:08.760 --> 0:27:09.300 that was. 0:27:09.660 --> 0:27:12.270 Unreal. Well, that kind of just sums up a bit 0:27:12.270 --> 0:27:19.020 of your grit and your determination and that has translated 0:27:19.020 --> 0:27:24.359 very well into what I still think is utter insanity. 0:27:24.600 --> 0:27:30.869 That is the full Ironman. And you've done three, which 0:27:30.869 --> 0:27:34.830 is even weirder to me. I live with you, I have 0:27:34.830 --> 0:27:38.220 a child with you. And I still think that is 0:27:38.310 --> 0:27:44.190 just bizarre. And watching you train for your most recent 0:27:44.190 --> 0:27:48.780 one, which was Ironman Indiana was awe- inspiring. The hours 0:27:49.530 --> 0:27:54.810 you'd spend individually or those disgusting brick sessions. It was 0:27:54.869 --> 0:27:58.440 COVID. So you were kind of locked up in our 0:27:58.500 --> 0:28:02.100 apartment on the Peloton bike to get your long rides 0:28:02.100 --> 0:28:06.030 in and between tread and when we could get outside 0:28:06.030 --> 0:28:10.770