Anne Valentzas: It's a race where women really are genuinely supporting one
Anne Valentzas: another. I'll never forget one of the years I ran,
Anne Valentzas: two women were talking to each other. One said, " Hey,
Anne Valentzas: it's my first." They didn't know each other. One said, "
Anne Valentzas: It's my first time. I'm really nervous. I heard it's
Anne Valentzas: very hilly. I don't know the course at all." The
Anne Valentzas: other one said, " Hey, what pace are you planning to
Anne Valentzas: run? I'm happy to run with you and I'll give
Anne Valentzas: you guidance all along the way and I'll tell you
Anne Valentzas: what to expect." They instantly had this bond and this support
Anne Valentzas: and it's really incredible to watch. I think it's very special.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Hey, everybody and welcome to Set the Pace, the official
Rob Simmelkjaer: podcast of New York Roadrunners presented by Peloton. I'm your
Rob Simmelkjaer: host, Rob Simmelkjaer, the CEO of New York Roadrunners. We
Rob Simmelkjaer: are live and I'm going to make you guys make
Rob Simmelkjaer: some noise. We're live from our annual TCS New York
Rob Simmelkjaer: City Marathon Partner Forum. Can you make some noise so
Rob Simmelkjaer: that people can hear you? That's right. This is a
Rob Simmelkjaer: very exclusive crowd of New York City Marathon partners and
Rob Simmelkjaer: sponsors. We bring them all together once a year in
Rob Simmelkjaer: New York City to talk about this incredible event, the
Rob Simmelkjaer: TCS New York City Marathon and all that our partners
Rob Simmelkjaer: do to make that experience possible for our runners and
Rob Simmelkjaer: our members. So it's a really special day. Part of
Rob Simmelkjaer: what makes it special is I don't have my usual co-
Rob Simmelkjaer: host with me today. Becs Gentry couldn't be with us
Rob Simmelkjaer: today. So we've got someone from another one of our
Rob Simmelkjaer: partners, Mastercard's Anne Valentzas is here in her place. Give
Rob Simmelkjaer: it up for Anne. Did you ever think you'd be
Rob Simmelkjaer: hosting a podcast, Anne?
Anne Valentzas: No. This is a first. I thought I was in
Anne Valentzas: marketing, but I guess I'm a podcaster.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Well now you're talent. So welcome to the world of
Rob Simmelkjaer: podcast talent. For those who don't know, can I tell
Rob Simmelkjaer: a little bit about you? I want to tell your
Rob Simmelkjaer: story a little bit.
Anne Valentzas: Sure.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Anne's title is Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing and
Rob Simmelkjaer: Sponsorships at Mastercard. She spearheads the Global Priceless program, which
Rob Simmelkjaer: is iconic. Everybody knows about Priceless and Mastercard, experiences that
Rob Simmelkjaer: connect cardholders to culture, sport, and sustainability initiatives. A champion
Rob Simmelkjaer: for entrepreneurs and also leads Mastercard's small business marketing portfolio,
Rob Simmelkjaer: delivering resources and exposure that help local merchants thrive. Here
Rob Simmelkjaer: at Roadrunners, we get to work closely with you through
Rob Simmelkjaer: flagship races like the Mastercard Mini 10K, which is coming
Rob Simmelkjaer: up this weekend, and of course the TCS New York
Rob Simmelkjaer: City Marathon. Here's a fun fact about Anne. We were
Rob Simmelkjaer: talking about it a little bit earlier. Anne ran her
Rob Simmelkjaer: first Mini 10K. Was it your first race?
Anne Valentzas: No, it was not my first race.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Okay, but your first...
Anne Valentzas: First time that I ran the Mini 10K.
Rob Simmelkjaer: The Mini 10K, she ran it back in 1996. What
Rob Simmelkjaer: do you remember about running it in 1996?
Anne Valentzas: I don't remember a lot other than I had a
Anne Valentzas: good time. I really enjoyed it. It's a special event.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Obviously we're all very excited here at New York Roadrunners
Rob Simmelkjaer: with the Mastercard Mini 10K coming up. Anne, we have an
Rob Simmelkjaer: incredible pro field in this year's race. We've got Olympians and
Rob Simmelkjaer: World Champions, including former TCS New York City Marathon winners,
Rob Simmelkjaer: Hellen Obiri, and our guest today, which I'll introduce in
Rob Simmelkjaer: a second, Sharon Lokedi, fresh off of her Boston Marathon
Rob Simmelkjaer: win. She'll be joining us at the Mastercard Mini 10K.
Rob Simmelkjaer: I cannot wait to see Sharon. I haven't seen her
Rob Simmelkjaer: in person since she won that race in Boston. It
Rob Simmelkjaer: was such a great moment to see that. We've got
Rob Simmelkjaer: some other amazing champions. World Champion Gotytom Gebreslase will be
Rob Simmelkjaer: there. US Olympians, Kim Conley, Emily Infeld, Weini Kelati, Dakotah Popehn, and Emily
Rob Simmelkjaer: Sisson will all be in the field, and Paralympic medalist
Rob Simmelkjaer: and defending TCS New York City Marathon Wheelchair champion Susannah
Rob Simmelkjaer: Scaroni racing for her sixth consecutive event title. So, Anne,
Rob Simmelkjaer: it's an amazing pro field. Not only do we have
Rob Simmelkjaer: these amazing folks at the front, we've also got obviously
Rob Simmelkjaer: a huge field behind them. We're going to have more
Rob Simmelkjaer: than a thousand kids participating in a girls' run as
Rob Simmelkjaer: well as 10, 000 runners in the main field. So it
Rob Simmelkjaer: should be an amazing day.
Anne Valentzas: Really looking forward to it. I hope the weather holds
Anne Valentzas: out for us.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Well, not only do we have all that going on,
Rob Simmelkjaer: but also a first, this is going to be a
Rob Simmelkjaer: broadcast race. We're going to have the opportunity for people
Rob Simmelkjaer: to watch this race through all kinds of amazing channels.
Rob Simmelkjaer: So for the first time, our New York Roadrunners app,
Rob Simmelkjaer: which if you haven't downloaded already, you should be downloading
Rob Simmelkjaer: right away because we're going to have live, uninterrupted feeds
Rob Simmelkjaer: of the Mastercard New York Mini 10K professional athlete field
Rob Simmelkjaer: live on the app as it happens. The event's also
Rob Simmelkjaer: going to be covered locally in the tri- state New York
Rob Simmelkjaer: City area by WABC TV with live news cut- ins
Rob Simmelkjaer: from 6 AM to 10 AM. Then beginning at 7:
Rob Simmelkjaer: 45 AM the professional race will be covered by a
Rob Simmelkjaer: live stream distributed not only in the app but domestically by
Rob Simmelkjaer: ESPN Plus and ABC7newyork. com. So Anne, this race is getting
Rob Simmelkjaer: bigger. We're also going to have international coverage as well.
Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Roadrunners YouTube channel will cover the live stream.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Reporting live from the event will be an all- women
Rob Simmelkjaer: broadcast team, WABC sports anchor, Sam Ryan, WABC reporter, Nina
Rob Simmelkjaer: Pineda, and US Olympians, Carrie Tollefson and Alysia Montano. So
Rob Simmelkjaer: that's going to be pretty cool to watch that race
Rob Simmelkjaer: live. It's great to shine a light on these incredible
Rob Simmelkjaer: female athletes and give women everywhere a chance to watch
Rob Simmelkjaer: this great race.
Anne Valentzas: Yeah, I'm really excited about that and I'm excited to be participating
Anne Valentzas: this year as well.
Rob Simmelkjaer: You're back. Taking it...
Anne Valentzas: I'm back.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Are you going to try to take that PR down again?
Anne Valentzas: I've got to keep on beating the last one.
Rob Simmelkjaer: All right, pressure's on now. We'll all be tracking you
Rob Simmelkjaer: in the app. So I'm putting you in right now.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Anne Valentzas. That's with a Z. Okay. So we have
Rob Simmelkjaer: a tradition at Set the Pace Partner Forum live episodes,
Rob Simmelkjaer: and so we're going to have another superstar live runner
Rob Simmelkjaer: join us today. Today it's going to be an incredible
Rob Simmelkjaer: athlete and an incredible person. The newly crowned 2025 Boston
Rob Simmelkjaer: Marathon champion and course record holder, the 2022 TCS New York
Rob Simmelkjaer: City Marathon winner, and the 2025 United Airlines NYC Half Champion,
Rob Simmelkjaer: the great Sharon Lokedi. She's going to be up here in
Rob Simmelkjaer: just a minute and we're so excited to talk to
Rob Simmelkjaer: her fresh off of her Boston win. First before we
Rob Simmelkjaer: get to Sharon, we're going to talk a little more
Rob Simmelkjaer: with you about Mastercard and the Mini 10K. I guess,
Rob Simmelkjaer: Anne, I'll start just by asking you the question because
Rob Simmelkjaer: a lot of folks out there, they may not understand
Rob Simmelkjaer: the world of sports sponsorship. Why does a company like
Rob Simmelkjaer: Mastercard want to put its name on an event like
Rob Simmelkjaer: the Mastercard Mini 10K?
Anne Valentzas: Well, Mastercard Mini 10K is a special event. It is
Anne Valentzas: about bringing community together. It's about women supporting women, it's
Anne Valentzas: about women's empowerment. We as Mastercard are all about bringing
Anne Valentzas: people together through passions. Those runners are celebrating their passions
Anne Valentzas: together and this is an opportunity for us to enable
Anne Valentzas: that, enable that through our card holders and our employees
Anne Valentzas: and to be part of a very special event.
Rob Simmelkjaer: What is the emotional power of an event like this? I
Rob Simmelkjaer: always talk about the finish line of one of our
Rob Simmelkjaer: races being, apologies to our friends and partners at the
Rob Simmelkjaer: Walt Disney Company, but the finish line of one of
Rob Simmelkjaer: our races is the happiest place on earth, I really
Rob Simmelkjaer: believe. What does it mean for a brand like Mastercard
Rob Simmelkjaer: for your priceless experiences to be a part of that emotional
Rob Simmelkjaer: power of the finish line?
Anne Valentzas: Yeah, the finish line for a runner is about so
Anne Valentzas: much more than the race itself. It's about the journey
Anne Valentzas: that you took to get there. It's about setting those
Anne Valentzas: goals. It's about overcoming challenges. It's about the perseverance, the
Anne Valentzas: determination, what you're giving up in order to get to
Anne Valentzas: that point. When you do get to that point, that
Anne Valentzas: joy that you're celebrating is what we would call priceless.
Anne Valentzas: It is something, it's an emotion that money can't buy.
Rob Simmelkjaer: How does a relationship like the one that Mastercard and
Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Roadrunners has? How does it evolve over years?
Rob Simmelkjaer: I always talk with our team about never standing still.
Rob Simmelkjaer: You can't just keep doing the same thing over and
Rob Simmelkjaer: over again. Even if it appears to be working, you
Rob Simmelkjaer: can't keep doing it because what works today will not
Rob Simmelkjaer: work in two years, five years because people are always
Rob Simmelkjaer: looking for something new. This is really part of what
Rob Simmelkjaer: marketers have to do. How do you manage to evolve
Rob Simmelkjaer: the relationship and keep bringing people something new to excite them?
Anne Valentzas: Yeah, over the years we've really evolved this partnership to
Anne Valentzas: a very purpose- driven collaboration that has helped us bring
Anne Valentzas: our brand values to life through experiences. We do that
Anne Valentzas: through employees. We have the Mastercard Run Club, we do
Anne Valentzas: this through our small business activations at races. We do
Anne Valentzas: it for card holders. We offer card holders access to
Anne Valentzas: bibs at hard to get into races. We also do
Anne Valentzas: something very special. When we talk about priceless experiences, we're
Anne Valentzas: talking about these once- in- a- lifetime opportunities that literally
Anne Valentzas: you cannot buy anywhere. One of the things that we
Anne Valentzas: do at the TCS New York City Marathon is something
Anne Valentzas: we call the Priceless Start. What we do is enable
Anne Valentzas: our card holders to start the race in advance of
Anne Valentzas: the professional field. So they're the first ones to go
Anne Valentzas: over that Verrazzano- Narrows bridge. They're the first ones to
Anne Valentzas: hear the roar of the crowd, and they're the ones
Anne Valentzas: that are going to be experiencing firsthand what it feels
Anne Valentzas: like for those professionals to run past you. You get
Anne Valentzas: a real sense of the speed of these incredible athletes. It
Anne Valentzas: is just a remarkable, truly once- in- a- lifetime and
Anne Valentzas: priceless experience.
Rob Simmelkjaer: I've stood at the starting line now for a few
Rob Simmelkjaer: years and watched those runners get that start, that incredible
Rob Simmelkjaer: experience. I always think two things. I think, well, how
Rob Simmelkjaer: cool for them to get that opportunity. Then I always
Rob Simmelkjaer: think, slow down. I'm like, you cannot chase those pro
Rob Simmelkjaer: athletes. You've got to mind your pace. Just because you're
Rob Simmelkjaer: up there with them doesn't mean you can keep up with them.
Anne Valentzas: That's a challenge. We have people tell us, I just want to
Anne Valentzas: keep up for a little bit. I want to see
Anne Valentzas: how long I can keep up with them.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah, if you start that way, good luck getting to
Rob Simmelkjaer: Central Park. It may take you out, but it is
Rob Simmelkjaer: an incredible experience for all of them. Another thing that
Rob Simmelkjaer: I think is special about what you guys at Mastercard
Rob Simmelkjaer: do around our events with the Roadrunners is you've got
Rob Simmelkjaer: this incredible reach into small businesses. That's a huge focus
Rob Simmelkjaer: of what you guys do. We've had small businesses featured
Rob Simmelkjaer: at the Marathon Expo and in other places. Why is
Rob Simmelkjaer: it so important for you, this big, global company to
Rob Simmelkjaer: invest in and partner with small businesses and tell stories
Rob Simmelkjaer: of all of these little mom and pops?
Anne Valentzas: Yeah. Well, I'll tell you, small businesses and runners have
Anne Valentzas: a lot in common. It is all about setting your
Anne Valentzas: personal goals. You've got to have determination, you've got to
Anne Valentzas: overcome adversity. You're in this on your own for a
Anne Valentzas: sense of personal achievement, but it's hard work. So we
Anne Valentzas: want to be out there and support these small businesses.
Anne Valentzas: It's a great opportunity to do this when we're at
Anne Valentzas: a race like the Mastercard Mini 10K, where it's all
Anne Valentzas: part of the local community and there are these local
Anne Valentzas: small businesses that really help us all help the city
Anne Valentzas: run, help us all as runners. This year we're going
Anne Valentzas: to have a number of small businesses with us throughout
Anne Valentzas: the race and at the end of the race, at
Anne Valentzas: the Mastercard Mini 10K. We've got Baz Bagels who's going
Anne Valentzas: to be with us. They are a small business down
Anne Valentzas: on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, started by a
Anne Valentzas: couple of founders. We've got Hometown Flowers with us. It's
Anne Valentzas: a really special group of people who are bringing you
Anne Valentzas: closer to the farmers who actually grow the flowers for
Anne Valentzas: your special events. A company called Fausel who can help
Anne Valentzas: support at events providing photography that can be loaded real
Anne Valentzas: time into social media. Once again, we have Face Art
Anne Valentzas: by Melissa who has been with us in the past.
Anne Valentzas: She has done Face Art for the New York Yankees,
Anne Valentzas: for the New York Rangers, for the New York Knicks,
Anne Valentzas: and for the New York Roadrunners and our very own
Anne Valentzas: Rob Simmelkjaer was decorated not maybe last year or the
Anne Valentzas: year before.
Rob Simmelkjaer: I think it was two years ago. They managed to put the
Rob Simmelkjaer: Mastercard colors on my cheek. It worked.
Anne Valentzas: That's right. We wanted our brand everywhere at that race,
Anne Valentzas: including on Rob.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Another thing that I love about Mastercard and our partnership
Rob Simmelkjaer: is you also have made it a big part of
Rob Simmelkjaer: what it means to be an employee at Mastercard. You
Rob Simmelkjaer: guys have a run club, an internal run club. How
Rob Simmelkjaer: has that run club shaped the culture at Mastercard?
Anne Valentzas: Yeah, well at Mastercard we have a strong belief in supporting
Anne Valentzas: our employees' health and well- being. That is physical, mental well-
Anne Valentzas: being. Our run club, we started in partnership with this,
Anne Valentzas: when we started this partnership in 2020, it has grown
Anne Valentzas: to over 600 members. We are able to give our
Anne Valentzas: employees access to things like the bibs, to priceless experiences.
Anne Valentzas: Like we've had some incredible one- on- one sessions with
Anne Valentzas: our ambassadors. We obviously can give them access to the
Anne Valentzas: Priceless Start and events like the Mastercard Mini 10K, where
Anne Valentzas: we'll have a very large group of Mastercard employees running
Anne Valentzas: with us on Saturday.
Rob Simmelkjaer: All right, I'm excited to interview our guest. Will you
Rob Simmelkjaer: join me?
Anne Valentzas: I would love to.
Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. We are so thrilled to welcome Sharon Lokedi
Rob Simmelkjaer: back to Set the Pace. She was on the show
Rob Simmelkjaer: actually this past February and we talked in that episode
Rob Simmelkjaer: about her childhood and her family and her evolution from
Rob Simmelkjaer: a college athlete in Kansas to a champion marathoner. So
Rob Simmelkjaer: you should go back and find that show. We'll put
Rob Simmelkjaer: in the show notes to listen to that. Since that
Rob Simmelkjaer: conversation just 13 weeks ago, Sharon has won the United
Rob Simmelkjaer: Airlines NYC half in an event record, one hour, seven
Rob Simmelkjaer: minutes and four seconds. Then in April, she not only
Rob Simmelkjaer: won the Boston Marathon, but she shattered the course record
Rob Simmelkjaer: with a two hour, 17 minute and 22 second finish
Rob Simmelkjaer: in Boston. This coming weekend, Sharon will once again be
Rob Simmelkjaer: racing her friend and her fierce competitor and countrywoman Hellen
Rob Simmelkjaer: Obiri in the Mastercard New York Mini 10K. So we
Rob Simmelkjaer: have a lot to catch up on. Try the Peloton
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Rob Simmelkjaer: Terms apply. Peloton, the official digital fitness partner of New
Rob Simmelkjaer: York Roadrunners. Can we get Sharon Lokedi up here? Where
Rob Simmelkjaer: is Sharon? There she is. Sharon, I have to give you
Rob Simmelkjaer: a hug. Great to see you. Great. How are you? It is so great to see
Rob Simmelkjaer: Sharon. Sharon, I haven't seen you since Boston. I saw
Rob Simmelkjaer: you a little bit before the race. It was so
Rob Simmelkjaer: amazing to watch you cross that finish line, the battle
Rob Simmelkjaer: between you and Hellen, those last couple of miles. We'll
Rob Simmelkjaer: talk about that in a second because it was an
Rob Simmelkjaer: unbelievable battle. To see you and there was a moment
Rob Simmelkjaer: where you clearly had it, and then to watch you
Rob Simmelkjaer: come down Boylston Street, cross that finish line and go
Rob Simmelkjaer: right into your mother's arms was a beautiful, beautiful thing
Rob Simmelkjaer: to see. Congratulations.
Sharon Lokedi: Thank you. Thank you.
Rob Simmelkjaer: What, Sharon, do you most remember now? It was obviously
Rob Simmelkjaer: such a huge moment, it's so recent and fresh, but
Rob Simmelkjaer: when you think about it now, what's the first image
Rob Simmelkjaer: that comes to mind?
Sharon Lokedi: I think it was honestly just like you turn and
Sharon Lokedi: you could see the finish line, but it seems so
Sharon Lokedi: close, but it's so far away. At that time you're
Sharon Lokedi: just so tired. I'm like, I remember I kept telling
Sharon Lokedi: myself just one step at a time, you can do
Sharon Lokedi: this, you can do this. Then just seeing that guide
Sharon Lokedi: just go, " Oh, go right." I'm like, oh, thank God. So
Sharon Lokedi: yeah, it definitely was one of those that you just cross
Sharon Lokedi: the finish line and you're like, this is what I've been
Sharon Lokedi: working for, for a very long time.
Rob Simmelkjaer: How many miles were you and Hellen just kind of
Rob Simmelkjaer: going head- to- head? I remember just in watching it,
Rob Simmelkjaer: I feel like it was quite a while. It was
Rob Simmelkjaer: just the two of you and it was like mano
Rob Simmelkjaer: a mano, woman against woman battle all along that route.
Rob Simmelkjaer: When was the moment that you thought you had it,
Rob Simmelkjaer: that you were going to be able to overcome Hellen
Rob Simmelkjaer: and win this?
Sharon Lokedi: Honestly, not until late because as you know, Hellen is
Sharon Lokedi: such a tough competitor and also a tough athlete. So
Sharon Lokedi: going through those maybe five miles of the race was
Sharon Lokedi: pretty... I think I was just thinking, I'm like, okay, how
Sharon Lokedi: am I going to get it today? How am I going
Sharon Lokedi: to be able to defeat her today? In a way
Sharon Lokedi: it was just in a nice way, but still I'm
Sharon Lokedi: like, okay, I need this. I think it was right
Sharon Lokedi: before, I think 800 meters. Sometimes you make moves and
Sharon Lokedi: you don't really look back and you just expect it to be
Sharon Lokedi: okay and you just expect for the best. For me, in
Sharon Lokedi: my head, I was like, okay, don't look back. Just
Sharon Lokedi: keep working hard and keep pushing. I think if you
Sharon Lokedi: just believe in it, you're just going to go. Yeah, I just kept
Sharon Lokedi: going and kept praying. Yeah.
Anne Valentzas: Well, Sharon, it is such an honor to be sitting
Anne Valentzas: here next to you. I am such a big admirer.
Anne Valentzas: I watched you win the New York Marathon in 2022.
Anne Valentzas: I was in the women's lead vehicle as a sponsor,
Anne Valentzas: so we watched the whole race firsthand and I was
Anne Valentzas: cheering for you. So it was just super exciting, very
Anne Valentzas: exciting to see you win Boston this year. I hear
Anne Valentzas: you talk about this and you seem so calm, and
Anne Valentzas: I just wonder how do you mentally prepare for a
Anne Valentzas: race of that magnitude?
Sharon Lokedi: Oh, first of all, it's a pleasure to meet you. I think it's just during
Sharon Lokedi: training, I just try to visualize the race and everything.
Sharon Lokedi: Just as I trained, even if it's a workout or
Sharon Lokedi: an easy run, I just try to think about it and
Sharon Lokedi: just try and focus on that and how I can
Sharon Lokedi: go through those obstacles. I can go through those tired
Sharon Lokedi: miles where I'm like, I can't really go. Then I
Sharon Lokedi: just try to focus on the things that I can work
Sharon Lokedi: on and the things that I can use to help
Sharon Lokedi: me build confidence. Sometimes it can be a run where
Sharon Lokedi: I am doing a workout and I feel like I
Sharon Lokedi: don't feel good, or sometimes it's a workout where I
Sharon Lokedi: feel so good and then I'm like, okay, I need
Sharon Lokedi: to work more on this and get stronger in this side
Sharon Lokedi: and this. Over time I think it helps. As you
Sharon Lokedi: go, I mean it's not easy, but it's one of those that you're like, okay, it's a progress more than anything.
Rob Simmelkjaer: What did it mean for you to have your mother there at
Rob Simmelkjaer: the finish line?
Sharon Lokedi: Oh, so cool. It was just amazing. I could see
Sharon Lokedi: her running to me and I'm like, this way, I'm
Sharon Lokedi: so tired. I'm like, please just slow down a little.
Sharon Lokedi: It's like, I've never seen her run that fast. It
Sharon Lokedi: was just amazing. She gets to... She's someone that's always,
Sharon Lokedi: she's prayerful, she's very hopeful. So she was all this
Sharon Lokedi: time I could see even after, I could see all
Sharon Lokedi: the videos and I could see her pacing and all.
Sharon Lokedi: At home when she's watching, she's usually asking my sisters
Sharon Lokedi: and my neighbor's like, " Oh, how is she doing?" She
Sharon Lokedi: wouldn't watch, she would just ask people. This time she
Sharon Lokedi: was there, so it was hard for her not to
Sharon Lokedi: see it. It was just a cool experience to get to
Sharon Lokedi: enjoy all that with her. Yeah, I hope she had a good time. I hope so.
Rob Simmelkjaer: I would think she had a pretty good time watching her daughter win the thing. Probably
Rob Simmelkjaer: a pretty good time.
Sharon Lokedi: Yeah.
Anne Valentzas: How has life been like since Boston? I saw a
Anne Valentzas: lot of interviews on social media, which by the way,
Anne Valentzas: you still seem very calm in these interviews. I think
Anne Valentzas: it's so incredible. Were you prepared for all that buzz
Anne Valentzas: and excitement?
Sharon Lokedi: No. When all you think about at that time is
Sharon Lokedi: just the race. Just the race. Sometimes it's like you
Sharon Lokedi: never know how it's going to go. Then when you
Sharon Lokedi: win and then you're like, oh, (inaudible) everything coming.
Sharon Lokedi: I think it helps because when you have people that
Sharon Lokedi: are there to support you, and sometimes even with these
Sharon Lokedi: interviews, it's just like a conversation. So when it feels
Sharon Lokedi: like this calm and stuff, so I am also calm,
Sharon Lokedi: so it helps. Yeah, it's been a lot of just
Sharon Lokedi: chatting about how my training is and my runs and
Sharon Lokedi: all that. If anything, I feel like it's a growth
Sharon Lokedi: journey for me. Yeah, I don't know, I'll enjoy it
Sharon Lokedi: and I'll take it in as much as I can.
Anne Valentzas: Good. You should enjoy it.
Sharon Lokedi: Oh, thank you.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Winning, you've won a lot of races. What's the difference
Rob Simmelkjaer: when you win something like Boston? It's a global stage,
Rob Simmelkjaer: New York obviously as well, these global stages that people
Rob Simmelkjaer: everywhere are seeing this and recognizing you. How does that
Rob Simmelkjaer: change your life when you win a race like New
Rob Simmelkjaer: York or Boston?
Sharon Lokedi: It definitely makes things a bit more... It makes me
Sharon Lokedi: want to just keep doing it and keep getting better
Sharon Lokedi: because it's one of those things that it's like, yes,
Sharon Lokedi: I just want that, but I still, it's such a
Sharon Lokedi: good feeling that makes you want to feel it over and over
Sharon Lokedi: again. In a way I think it's, as an athlete,
Sharon Lokedi: having that helps with your confidence and with also your
Sharon Lokedi: training and even motivating other people. I think it's like
Sharon Lokedi: even when I go back to training after all those
Sharon Lokedi: races, I'm like, oh, I have to look back. I'm
Sharon Lokedi: like, this happened and this happened, but now I need
Sharon Lokedi: to focus more on what's coming and how to go
Sharon Lokedi: back there and compete again and be the best that I
Sharon Lokedi: could be.
Anne Valentzas: Speaking of what's coming up, we have the Mastercard Mini 10K.
Sharon Lokedi: Yes.
Anne Valentzas: Rob talked about your friendship with Hellen. Your competition with
Anne Valentzas: Hellen, and you'll be competing against her again this weekend.
Sharon Lokedi: Yes.
Anne Valentzas: How are you feeling about that? Are you excited?
Sharon Lokedi: Yes, I'm very excited. Dorian reminded me, actually we've never
Sharon Lokedi: raced this race together. So this is going to be a really
Sharon Lokedi: good one. I like having her out there because I
Sharon Lokedi: think she just brings the best out of me. We're
Sharon Lokedi: friends and we're also competitors, but when we get out
Sharon Lokedi: there, it's time to get it going. It's just really
Sharon Lokedi: good when you have people to push you to be
Sharon Lokedi: the best that you could be. So yeah, I'm really
Sharon Lokedi: excited having her there and being able to compete and enjoy
Sharon Lokedi: and it's really a good time (inaudible) .
Rob Simmelkjaer: Have you and Hellen talked a lot since the battle
Rob Simmelkjaer: you had in Boston? I'm curious what those conversations have
Rob Simmelkjaer: been like. It's not always easy to be friends in
Rob Simmelkjaer: a situation like that where you are in a competition,
Rob Simmelkjaer: not just with a bunch of other people, but I
Rob Simmelkjaer: mean really that was a one- on- one competition you
Rob Simmelkjaer: guys were in. So what have your conversations with her
Rob Simmelkjaer: been like since the Boston Marathon?
Sharon Lokedi: I mean, she's been very supportive and helpful of everything
Sharon Lokedi: and just so happy for me. Apart from being friends,
Sharon Lokedi: there's also, we are doing this as part of our
Sharon Lokedi: identity and work and all that. So there's still that
Sharon Lokedi: competitiveness you could tell. So I know she's ready to
Sharon Lokedi: give it to me this weekend.
Anne Valentzas: Looking for revenge.
Sharon Lokedi: I'm really looking forward to it too. So I think
Sharon Lokedi: she's always someone that I could reach out to and
Sharon Lokedi: just chat or share anything.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Does the shorter distance of this race, 10 kilometers, who
Rob Simmelkjaer: does it favor? Who do you think is better in
Rob Simmelkjaer: a shorter, faster race?
Sharon Lokedi: Honestly now I don't know. I think probably her, she
Sharon Lokedi: has a short distance background, so definitely. I'm not going
Sharon Lokedi: to give up. I still want to go and give my best too.
Anne Valentzas: Good for you. It is such a different race distance
Anne Valentzas: to train for. So how do you train differently?
Sharon Lokedi: I mean for this one mostly it's like since it's
Sharon Lokedi: 10K, mostly just less mileage and more speed. For me,
Sharon Lokedi: I think it's just coming back from the marathon and
Sharon Lokedi: taking a break and then studying the training again, it's
Sharon Lokedi: a little bit of your body trying to get back
Sharon Lokedi: to the normal self. So yeah, just trying to doing
Sharon Lokedi: less work from what I'm used to when I'm doing
Sharon Lokedi: marathon. Then I had this speed is up, so it's
Sharon Lokedi: a bit different, but it's fun. It's fun. I like it because it's short.
Rob Simmelkjaer: It's long for some people.
Anne Valentzas: It's quite hilly too, so it's not an easy 10K.
Sharon Lokedi: Yes, yes. It's a fun one, honestly. It's like one
Sharon Lokedi: of those that you just come in and you know
Sharon Lokedi: it's going to be a sprint to the finish, but
Sharon Lokedi: it's like you are having fun as you go through all the miles
Sharon Lokedi: and kilometers. So it's going to be great, I guess.
Rob Simmelkjaer: What does it mean, Sharon, for you to look behind
Rob Simmelkjaer: you when you're at the starting line of this race and see 10,
Rob Simmelkjaer: 000 women behind you? It's obviously legendary in terms of
Rob Simmelkjaer: being the first women's focus, women's only major road race.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Going back to the 1970s, what does that mean for
Rob Simmelkjaer: you to be leading a pack of female athletes in
Rob Simmelkjaer: this race?
Sharon Lokedi: Honestly, I think it's very motivational and it's also, there's
Sharon Lokedi: a pride that comes with it. I am very proud to be
Sharon Lokedi: out here with other women running and just us being
Sharon Lokedi: us and giving our best. It's amazing when you're in
Sharon Lokedi: a race like this where you know it's just meant specifically
Sharon Lokedi: for you. At that point you can just do whatever
Sharon Lokedi: and you can just run as fast as you can
Sharon Lokedi: and get to meet as many people as you can.
Sharon Lokedi: Just to celebrate. At the end of the day we are
Sharon Lokedi: celebrating a history and yes, being part of that history
Sharon Lokedi: is very important for me.
Anne Valentzas: I think it's a special race that way because it's
Anne Valentzas: all women coming together and supporting each other. It's not
Anne Valentzas: just women, it's people of different experience levels. Some people
Anne Valentzas: are running a 10K for the first time. Do you
Anne Valentzas: have any advice for people who are running for the
Anne Valentzas: first time?
Sharon Lokedi: I mean, I remember the first time I raced and
Sharon Lokedi: it's like you go in and you're like, yes, you've
Sharon Lokedi: been getting ready for this, you've been training for it and you are
Sharon Lokedi: so nervous and you're also so excited. It can be
Sharon Lokedi: scary, but just know that you've worked for it and
Sharon Lokedi: you want this and you wanted to be out here.
Sharon Lokedi: So just go out for it. Just have a good
Sharon Lokedi: time, have fun, enjoy and compete and then celebrate because
Sharon Lokedi: it's like you do the first one and you're like,
Sharon Lokedi: I just want to see how it goes. Then you
Sharon Lokedi: run and you finish and you're like, oh, I'm definitely
Sharon Lokedi: coming back. So that's the feeling I'm usually looking forward
Sharon Lokedi: to is just the excitement that it brings. Yeah, just have
Sharon Lokedi: fun, have a good time.
Anne Valentzas: It's good advice and it is a nice race for that. It's a race where
Anne Valentzas: women really are genuinely supporting one another. I'll never forget
Anne Valentzas: one of the years I ran, two women were talking
Anne Valentzas: to each other, one said, " Hey, it's my first." They
Anne Valentzas: didn't know each other. One said, " It's my first time,
Anne Valentzas: I'm really nervous. I heard it's very hilly. I don't
Anne Valentzas: know the course at all." The other one said, " Hey,
Anne Valentzas: what pace are you planning to run? I'm happy to
Anne Valentzas: run with you and I'll give you guidance all along
Anne Valentzas: the way and I'll tell you what to expect." They
Anne Valentzas: instantly had this bond and this support and it's really incredible
Anne Valentzas: to watch. I think it's very special.
Sharon Lokedi: A forever friendship I guess.
Anne Valentzas: That's right. That's right. I'll do the same with you.
Anne Valentzas: I'll look for you and I'll just follow your pace.
Anne Valentzas: Is that all right?
Sharon Lokedi: I would love that.
Rob Simmelkjaer: So your mom has stayed in the United States with
Rob Simmelkjaer: you since Boston, is that right?
Sharon Lokedi: Yeah.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Was that the plan or did she stay longer just
Rob Simmelkjaer: to help you celebrate and recover from your win there
Rob Simmelkjaer: and what have you guys been doing?
Sharon Lokedi: I mean when she came she was like, " I'll probably
Sharon Lokedi: stay a month." Then after she was like, " Maybe I
Sharon Lokedi: should stay a little bit longer." So yeah, we just
Sharon Lokedi: been going on little trips and cooking a lot more
Sharon Lokedi: and gardening. She's just been doing these things that I'm like, she's like, "
Sharon Lokedi: Oh, you sit, yeah, I'll do everything." I'm like, " Oh,
Sharon Lokedi: I love this." Then yesterday when I was coming, she
Sharon Lokedi: was also leaving, so then I went, oh, this is
Sharon Lokedi: going to be so... She was like, " Oh, I'm going
Sharon Lokedi: to miss this house." I'm like, " Same. Same." It's been amazing,
Sharon Lokedi: just have that time with her and enjoy everything with
Sharon Lokedi: her. I was off season, so we would just wake
Sharon Lokedi: up in the morning, we have our tea and relax,
Sharon Lokedi: have all day to just chill.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Is there anything that you have done to treat yourself,
Rob Simmelkjaer: reward yourself since winning Boston? Have you bought anything or
Rob Simmelkjaer: gone anywhere or done anything to kind of recognize yourself?
Sharon Lokedi: We went shopping after Boston.
Rob Simmelkjaer: We've talked about this. I know you like shopping.
Sharon Lokedi: Yeah. Yeah, I do. It's not a (inaudible) but
Sharon Lokedi: I love, it's a fun part of, you work so
Sharon Lokedi: hard and then after just go and treat yourself. Sometimes I
Sharon Lokedi: treat myself a little bit too much.
Anne Valentzas: You deserve it though. You should treat yourself.
Sharon Lokedi: Thanks. That's what my mom says and it got me
Sharon Lokedi: in trouble because she was like, " Treat yourself." I ended
Sharon Lokedi: up buying too many things (inaudible) .
Anne Valentzas: I am interested. I was listening to the last time
Anne Valentzas: you were on Rob's podcast and you talked about how
Anne Valentzas: the win at the New York City Marathon in 2022
Anne Valentzas: really boosted your confidence, gave you a real breakthrough and
Anne Valentzas: a belief in yourself. How have these recent wins at the
Anne Valentzas: New York City half and in Boston further advance that?
Sharon Lokedi: It definitely is when I won New York, it was
Sharon Lokedi: such a great feeling that I'm like, I never really
Sharon Lokedi: expected that to happen. Then as you go and you
Sharon Lokedi: get to other races and you're building confidence and you believe
Sharon Lokedi: in yourself and you start to see more wins and
Sharon Lokedi: more wins. Even when I came here for the half,
Sharon Lokedi: I was here just to see where my fitness was.
Sharon Lokedi: I went and won and I'm like, oh. So it
Sharon Lokedi: just brings so much belief in the things that you
Sharon Lokedi: do that you just see the things that you think
Sharon Lokedi: are unattainable. It makes it more like, oh, I can
Sharon Lokedi: do it. If I did it this past time, I'll
Sharon Lokedi: do it again. Even going to Boston, I was like,
Sharon Lokedi: if I just have the same mentality I had when
Sharon Lokedi: I ran New York and just go for it and
Sharon Lokedi: just believe that I could, it would do wonders. I
Sharon Lokedi: got to that race and it started to get so
Sharon Lokedi: fast and all of a sudden I'm like, oh, I don't
Sharon Lokedi: know if I can do it. Then I start to
Sharon Lokedi: remind myself, I'm like, anything, you've done this before and if you could just
Sharon Lokedi: put yourself to it and believe in yourself. It just happens.
Sharon Lokedi: Even now when things start to like, even outside of running,
Sharon Lokedi: when things starts to seem like, oh, I cannot achieve
Sharon Lokedi: this or I cannot be in this space or this place,
Sharon Lokedi: it's like I just remind myself, I'm like, two years
Sharon Lokedi: ago you did not think you're going to be there
Sharon Lokedi: and now you're here. So it opens up things that
Sharon Lokedi: make you think that anything that you see or you
Sharon Lokedi: look forward to, the goal that you set for yourself
Sharon Lokedi: can be attainable. So yeah, I won Boston. Now I'm like, okay,
Sharon Lokedi: what next? Should I do something else? It's like it
Sharon Lokedi: gives you things that you look and you're like, I
Sharon Lokedi: would never let myself or put myself down for something
Sharon Lokedi: that if you don't try it, then how would you know?
Anne Valentzas: It's a great lesson in running and a great lesson
Anne Valentzas: in life.
Sharon Lokedi: Yeah.
Anne Valentzas: Yeah.
Sharon Lokedi: Yeah. For sure.
Anne Valentzas: Inspiring.
Sharon Lokedi: Yeah.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Sharon, I know we talked last time about the foundation
Rob Simmelkjaer: you started back in Kenya to help young girls at
Rob Simmelkjaer: your high school. Have you heard from the girls back
Rob Simmelkjaer: at your school since you won Boston? Did you get
Rob Simmelkjaer: some interaction or messaging from them? I'm curious what the
Rob Simmelkjaer: reaction was like there from what you did in Boston.
Sharon Lokedi: Oh, it's very exciting. I remember they sent me pictures
Sharon Lokedi: and like, " Oh, when are you coming?" They thought I
Sharon Lokedi: was just going straight from Boston straight to Kenya. I'm like, "
Sharon Lokedi: I would love to be there with you guys now,
Sharon Lokedi: but I can't." I think I get to see them
Sharon Lokedi: in July. So I'm really excited for that. I think
Sharon Lokedi: we'll have a few days with them and a few
Sharon Lokedi: things to do there. I think it'll just be nice
Sharon Lokedi: if they could see when I go there, they watch
Sharon Lokedi: the race and everything. When they see you in person
Sharon Lokedi: and see the middle and see the things and even
Sharon Lokedi: just talking with them and just being with them I think
Sharon Lokedi: is so special. So I'm very excited for that. Even
Sharon Lokedi: my coach, my high school principal, they're all like, " Oh,
Sharon Lokedi: we want you to come back and talk to all
Sharon Lokedi: the girls," and stuff. I'm like, no. So it's very
Sharon Lokedi: emotional but also very exciting that the things that you
Sharon Lokedi: do, you think you're doing for yourself, but you're not.
Sharon Lokedi: You're doing it for more people than you think.
Rob Simmelkjaer: So what's next after the Mastercard Mini 10K? Do you
Rob Simmelkjaer: have the rest of your year planned out? What's the
Rob Simmelkjaer: fall plan? Anything we can say?
Sharon Lokedi: I don't know.
Rob Simmelkjaer: You don't know? Maybe we should talk. I'm just kidding.
Rob Simmelkjaer: I know our pro athletes team, they're working on whatever
Rob Simmelkjaer: they're working on, so we won't break any news here.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Sharon, just incredible to see you back in New York
Rob Simmelkjaer: to celebrate you this weekend at the Mastercard Mini 10K
Rob Simmelkjaer: and also to see you go for the win as
Rob Simmelkjaer: well. So thank you so much for being with us
Rob Simmelkjaer: and it's just always such a pleasure to have you
Rob Simmelkjaer: here with us at New York Roadrunners. Sharon Lokedi.
Sharon Lokedi: Thanks. Thanks, everyone. Bye. Thanks for having me.
Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Roadrunners is a nonprofit organization with a vision
Rob Simmelkjaer: to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative
Rob Simmelkjaer: power of running. The support of members and donors like
Rob Simmelkjaer: you helps us achieve our mission to transform the health
Rob Simmelkjaer: and well- being of our communities through inclusive and accessible
Rob Simmelkjaer: running experiences, empowering all to achieve their potential. Learn more
Rob Simmelkjaer: and contribute at nyrr. org/ donate. That was so much fun.
Anne Valentzas: Oh, it's so inspiring. I mean, I feel so humbled
Anne Valentzas: sitting next to her. She's such an incredible athlete and
Anne Valentzas: doesn't she seem so calm and just down to earth?
Rob Simmelkjaer: Well, I tell a story about her before we say
Rob Simmelkjaer: goodbye. My daughter Julia, who's 16 years old and her
Rob Simmelkjaer: best friend, they came to the marathon and saw Sharon
Rob Simmelkjaer: win and they've just been huge Sharon fans ever since.
Rob Simmelkjaer: Sharon will DM them on Instagram all the time. It can't just be them, but I mean she's constantly keeping in touch with her
Rob Simmelkjaer: fans. She makes herself accessible to girls everywhere. So she's
Rob Simmelkjaer: the real deal. She really is. It's great to see
Rob Simmelkjaer: her successful. So, well that does it for another episode
Rob Simmelkjaer: of Set the Pace. Anne, thanks for co- hosting with me.
Anne Valentzas: Thank you, Rob.
Rob Simmelkjaer: You did a great job.
Anne Valentzas: Yeah.
Rob Simmelkjaer: We should do this again.
Anne Valentzas: Let's do it.
Rob Simmelkjaer: All right, this was a lot of fun. So hope you
Rob Simmelkjaer: guys in the live audience enjoyed the show. Thank you
Rob Simmelkjaer: for being with us. Make sure you subscribe to it. If you
Rob Simmelkjaer: haven't already, take out your phones right now, subscribe to
Rob Simmelkjaer: Set the Pace, follow it on whatever platform you listen
Rob Simmelkjaer: to podcasts. We will see you all next week. Enjoy
Rob Simmelkjaer: the miles.