1 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,600 Carrie Tollefson: Hey everybody. I'm Olympian Carrie Tollefson alongside Kyle Merber, and 2 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:12,840 Carrie Tollefson: we are so excited to have the post- race interviews 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,320 Carrie Tollefson: on Set the Pace Podcast. And also today we're just 4 00:00:16,380 --> 00:00:19,560 Carrie Tollefson: celebrating this awesome event that we had. The United Airlines 5 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,919 Carrie Tollefson: NYC have 30, 000 people through the streets of New York. 6 00:00:23,100 --> 00:00:25,079 Carrie Tollefson: Kyle, you live right here. You know how big of 7 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:25,739 Carrie Tollefson: a deal it is. 8 00:00:25,739 --> 00:00:29,730 Kyle Merber: I mean, if you're going to come up and get early 9 00:00:29,730 --> 00:00:31,560 Kyle Merber: in the morning, you might as well have a shutdown Time 10 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:32,310 Kyle Merber: Square to run through. 11 00:00:32,370 --> 00:00:32,370 Carrie Tollefson: Exactly. 12 00:00:32,370 --> 00:00:32,880 Kyle Merber: That's the best way to do it. 13 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:35,281 Carrie Tollefson: Go over Brooklyn Bridge, do all the cool things. 14 00:00:35,281 --> 00:00:38,760 Kyle Merber: I mean, the thing I just love about this course and 15 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:40,979 Kyle Merber: this version of it is you really just see the 16 00:00:40,979 --> 00:00:44,640 Kyle Merber: whole city. And everyone's out watching. We had, I would 17 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,000 Kyle Merber: say solid weather today. We could deal with it. Some 18 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,490 Kyle Merber: fans out there. There was no rain, which I think 19 00:00:50,490 --> 00:00:51,930 Kyle Merber: in March in New York we're going to take as 20 00:00:51,930 --> 00:00:52,290 Kyle Merber: a big win. 21 00:00:52,290 --> 00:00:53,880 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, it was chilly. There was some wind. A lot 22 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,300 Carrie Tollefson: of people said the FDR, there was wind, but they 23 00:00:57,300 --> 00:00:59,190 Carrie Tollefson: were pretty pleased with it. I think a lot of 24 00:00:59,190 --> 00:01:01,620 Carrie Tollefson: people were wondering if Harry Styles was out there like 25 00:01:01,620 --> 00:01:03,030 Carrie Tollefson: incognito, but we didn't see him. 26 00:01:04,020 --> 00:01:06,179 Kyle Merber: Yeah. I mean, he might've been in that front pack. It sounds 27 00:01:06,180 --> 00:01:07,950 Kyle Merber: like things are going quite well with his training these 28 00:01:07,950 --> 00:01:10,830 Kyle Merber: days. But no, I mean, it was really great races. 29 00:01:10,830 --> 00:01:13,500 Kyle Merber: And the thing that I love about the New York 30 00:01:13,500 --> 00:01:15,900 Kyle Merber: Half and the New York Full is it's racing. It 31 00:01:15,900 --> 00:01:18,480 Kyle Merber: is not about the clock here. It is about beating 32 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,330 Kyle Merber: the other people on the course. And I think particularly 33 00:01:21,330 --> 00:01:23,819 Kyle Merber: in that men's race, we saw that it was a 34 00:01:23,819 --> 00:01:24,660 Kyle Merber: true race. 35 00:01:24,690 --> 00:01:28,410 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, huge pack all the way until we saw Adriaan Wildschutt. We're going 36 00:01:28,410 --> 00:01:30,690 Carrie Tollefson: to figure out exactly how to say his name. I 37 00:01:30,690 --> 00:01:32,940 Carrie Tollefson: say Wildschutt, but you don't. 38 00:01:32,940 --> 00:01:33,179 Kyle Merber: I say Wildschutt, but he's going to correct us. 39 00:01:35,370 --> 00:01:38,130 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, exactly. We can't wait, but what an awesome race 40 00:01:38,130 --> 00:01:40,350 Carrie Tollefson: there. Then an event record by Hellen Obiri. She's in 41 00:01:40,350 --> 00:01:42,420 Carrie Tollefson: the house. But we're going to kick off the podcast 42 00:01:42,420 --> 00:01:45,840 Carrie Tollefson: with our two wheelchair champions. So let's bring on in 43 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:46,770 Carrie Tollefson: Daniel Romanchuk. 44 00:01:46,890 --> 00:01:49,650 Kyle Merber: A huge welcome back to the scene. We believe that 45 00:01:49,740 --> 00:01:53,400 Kyle Merber: this is your third title now, Daniel. So congratulations. We're 46 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,170 Kyle Merber: only a few hours after the race. How's it feel? 47 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,740 Daniel Romanchuk: Oh, thank you. It's great to be here. Really great 48 00:01:58,740 --> 00:02:02,100 Daniel Romanchuk: to be back in New York. Actually, both my sister 49 00:02:02,100 --> 00:02:08,700 Daniel Romanchuk: and brother- in- law also ran today. So it's just amazing 50 00:02:08,700 --> 00:02:12,239 Daniel Romanchuk: to be back on the start line because about six 51 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,870 Daniel Romanchuk: months ago I had an injury that I didn't know 52 00:02:15,870 --> 00:02:18,720 Daniel Romanchuk: whether I would be back on the start line at all. 53 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:21,630 Kyle Merber: Yeah. I guess for those who maybe aren't familiar with 54 00:02:21,630 --> 00:02:24,900 Kyle Merber: the story, can you give a brief oversight of what 55 00:02:24,900 --> 00:02:28,829 Kyle Merber: exactly happened? And I guess, does that change your perspective 56 00:02:28,830 --> 00:02:30,419 Kyle Merber: now when you're racing again? 57 00:02:31,169 --> 00:02:36,060 Daniel Romanchuk: Certainly. Again, just thankful to be back on the start 58 00:02:36,060 --> 00:02:39,780 Daniel Romanchuk: line again. And so yeah, I was in the Sydney 59 00:02:39,780 --> 00:02:44,340 Daniel Romanchuk: Marathon and a pedestrian crossed the course right in front 60 00:02:44,340 --> 00:02:51,060 Daniel Romanchuk: of me. I ended up crashing, dislocating and fracturing my 61 00:02:51,060 --> 00:02:56,609 Daniel Romanchuk: shoulder. But again, really just thankful to be back. 62 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,760 Carrie Tollefson: Daniel, before we get into your post- race interview, which 63 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,550 Carrie Tollefson: was quite emotional, and you could see being away from 64 00:03:02,550 --> 00:03:04,470 Carrie Tollefson: the sport has been hard, and it is for all 65 00:03:04,470 --> 00:03:06,780 Carrie Tollefson: of us athletes. But walk us through your race a 66 00:03:06,780 --> 00:03:11,280 Carrie Tollefson: little bit, because you weren't off the line first. There 67 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,290 Carrie Tollefson: were quite a few of you in the very beginning 68 00:03:13,290 --> 00:03:16,650 Carrie Tollefson: stages, but man, you won by a large margin and 69 00:03:16,650 --> 00:03:18,091 Carrie Tollefson: looked so good. So tell us about your race. 70 00:03:18,091 --> 00:03:23,579 Daniel Romanchuk: Yeah. So beautiful weather conditions this morning, nice and dry. 71 00:03:26,010 --> 00:03:26,011 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. 72 00:03:26,011 --> 00:03:29,130 Daniel Romanchuk: And so getting off the start's a pretty big pack of 73 00:03:29,130 --> 00:03:35,760 Daniel Romanchuk: us. It's a pretty big downhill at first. And really 74 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,220 Daniel Romanchuk: that we stayed as a pretty big pack all the 75 00:03:38,220 --> 00:03:44,220 Daniel Romanchuk: way up Flatbush, back down Flatbush, into Prospect Park. And 76 00:03:44,220 --> 00:03:47,760 Daniel Romanchuk: then during one of the climbs in Prospect Park, I 77 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:51,390 Daniel Romanchuk: decided to try and break away a little bit and 78 00:03:51,870 --> 00:03:57,630 Daniel Romanchuk: wasn't sure whether that would be my final breakaway or 79 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,410 Daniel Romanchuk: if I'd get back into the pack or not. But 80 00:04:01,710 --> 00:04:06,180 Daniel Romanchuk: I created a little bit of distance and said, " I'll 81 00:04:06,180 --> 00:04:11,940 Daniel Romanchuk: see... How long can I hold this?" And just was 82 00:04:11,940 --> 00:04:14,250 Daniel Romanchuk: able to hold it the whole way, thankfully. 83 00:04:14,370 --> 00:04:17,790 Kyle Merber: Given the break, did that play into your mindset today 84 00:04:17,790 --> 00:04:21,539 Kyle Merber: from a strategy standpoint? Let's start out a little bit 85 00:04:21,540 --> 00:04:24,779 Kyle Merber: more conservative, see what we're like? How's the fitness, I 86 00:04:24,779 --> 00:04:27,540 Kyle Merber: guess, in training been? And how has that played into 87 00:04:27,570 --> 00:04:29,040 Kyle Merber: the way that you actually attack the race? 88 00:04:29,190 --> 00:04:33,839 Daniel Romanchuk: Yeah. Here at the United Airlines NYC Half is really one of our 89 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:36,690 Daniel Romanchuk: first races of the season. And so it's a really great 90 00:04:36,750 --> 00:04:41,310 Daniel Romanchuk: way to kind of see how winter training went. And 91 00:04:41,310 --> 00:04:44,520 Daniel Romanchuk: so I've been on rollers all winter except for the 92 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:48,570 Daniel Romanchuk: last month. I've been down in Florida getting some road 93 00:04:48,570 --> 00:04:52,230 Daniel Romanchuk: time in before the season, but I was all alone. 94 00:04:52,230 --> 00:04:55,049 Daniel Romanchuk: And so I really wasn't sure what to expect. 95 00:04:55,109 --> 00:04:57,240 Carrie Tollefson: What do you think is different though? I mean, coming 96 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,120 Carrie Tollefson: back from an injury, we're always a little bit different. 97 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,640 Carrie Tollefson: So what did you do while you were rehabbing that 98 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:04,920 Carrie Tollefson: maybe has now made you an even better athlete? 99 00:05:05,370 --> 00:05:13,080 Daniel Romanchuk: Oh, hard to say. It's really hard to say. I 100 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:17,250 Daniel Romanchuk: think just a general mindset of while I've been through 101 00:05:17,430 --> 00:05:20,460 Daniel Romanchuk: things is just to try to focus on things one 102 00:05:20,460 --> 00:05:26,100 Daniel Romanchuk: day at a time, not get worked up with trying 103 00:05:26,100 --> 00:05:28,920 Daniel Romanchuk: to look at the big picture and just focus on 104 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,529 Daniel Romanchuk: one thing at a time, one day, what can I 105 00:05:31,529 --> 00:05:35,730 Daniel Romanchuk: do today to build towards the future? 106 00:05:35,940 --> 00:05:38,640 Kyle Merber: Now, coming a few hours after the race, how does 107 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,010 Kyle Merber: the body feel after that sort of effort? Are you 108 00:05:41,010 --> 00:05:44,100 Kyle Merber: recovering well? And what do you do between now and 109 00:05:44,100 --> 00:05:47,040 Kyle Merber: the next one to really get ready? What do you 110 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:47,790 Kyle Merber: take away with it? 111 00:05:48,450 --> 00:05:54,180 Daniel Romanchuk: Yes, certainly I'm heading back home to Champaign, Illinois and 112 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:58,260 Daniel Romanchuk: going to start training with the team again. And so 113 00:05:58,260 --> 00:06:05,370 Daniel Romanchuk: really just rest and fuel to recover. Yeah, get ready 114 00:06:05,370 --> 00:06:06,180 Daniel Romanchuk: for the next race. 115 00:06:06,270 --> 00:06:08,520 Carrie Tollefson: We know you said you had family here, your wife's 116 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:10,890 Carrie Tollefson: here, your mom and dad are here, your sister, brother- in- 117 00:06:10,890 --> 00:06:13,260 Carrie Tollefson: law, but there was emotion. And I want to talk 118 00:06:13,260 --> 00:06:15,900 Carrie Tollefson: a little bit about that because Sam Ryan was with 119 00:06:15,900 --> 00:06:20,010 Carrie Tollefson: you on ABC and I mean, it was really, really 120 00:06:20,010 --> 00:06:22,260 Carrie Tollefson: cool to see how much you missed it. And I 121 00:06:22,260 --> 00:06:24,839 Carrie Tollefson: think Kyle and I miss it a lot. We're old and 122 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:27,960 Carrie Tollefson: slow now. So tell us a little bit about that 123 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:29,700 Carrie Tollefson: and then getting ready for Boston next. 124 00:06:30,029 --> 00:06:36,180 Daniel Romanchuk: Yeah. And so certainly just with the injury and the uncertainty of 125 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:43,080 Daniel Romanchuk: how racing would go in the future, there's been a 126 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:48,810 Daniel Romanchuk: lot of uncertainty and really, again, just thankful to God 127 00:06:48,810 --> 00:06:51,270 Daniel Romanchuk: for the opportunity to line back up on the start 128 00:06:51,270 --> 00:06:55,080 Daniel Romanchuk: line with all the other racers that I've gotten to 129 00:06:55,080 --> 00:07:00,810 Daniel Romanchuk: know over the years of racing and you're really thankful 130 00:07:00,810 --> 00:07:04,770 Daniel Romanchuk: to have a large amount of family here as well 131 00:07:04,770 --> 00:07:05,339 Daniel Romanchuk: to watch. 132 00:07:05,339 --> 00:07:06,930 Carrie Tollefson: Do you go party? Do you go do anything fun 133 00:07:06,930 --> 00:07:07,860 Carrie Tollefson: tonight, Daniel? 134 00:07:08,730 --> 00:07:10,320 Daniel Romanchuk: We'll see. I don't know yet. 135 00:07:11,250 --> 00:07:14,910 Carrie Tollefson: Well, we really appreciate it and we're so excited. I was 136 00:07:14,910 --> 00:07:18,330 Carrie Tollefson: equally as emotional. I said off the front, of the 137 00:07:18,330 --> 00:07:20,790 Carrie Tollefson: top of the show this morning, we can't root for 138 00:07:20,790 --> 00:07:23,700 Carrie Tollefson: anybody in the media. But I said, I am so 139 00:07:23,700 --> 00:07:26,010 Carrie Tollefson: thankful to see the guy in red back and we 140 00:07:26,010 --> 00:07:28,920 Carrie Tollefson: are really excited for you and good luck in Boston 141 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:29,490 Carrie Tollefson: and beyond. 142 00:07:29,790 --> 00:07:30,300 Daniel Romanchuk: Thank you. 143 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:30,810 Kyle Merber: Thanks so much. 144 00:07:31,650 --> 00:07:33,690 Carrie Tollefson: All right. So now we are going to bring in 145 00:07:33,690 --> 00:07:37,740 Carrie Tollefson: our women's wheelchair athlete, but I mean, isn't Daniel just 146 00:07:37,740 --> 00:07:39,271 Carrie Tollefson: awesome? He's still right by us but you know? 147 00:07:39,271 --> 00:07:41,551 Kyle Merber: I have so many questions that I wanted to ask about- 148 00:07:41,551 --> 00:07:41,552 Carrie Tollefson: I know. 149 00:07:41,552 --> 00:07:47,850 Kyle Merber: - I guess the unknown, the technical side of the 150 00:07:47,850 --> 00:07:51,090 Kyle Merber: sport. And I guess, fortunately we have another athlete that we can pick her brain- 151 00:07:51,090 --> 00:07:54,510 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. But also I think what is interesting about with 152 00:07:54,510 --> 00:07:58,170 Carrie Tollefson: Daniel is when they were racing in Sydney, for him 153 00:07:58,170 --> 00:08:01,320 Carrie Tollefson: to have that collision with someone from the sidelines, that's 154 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,920 Carrie Tollefson: a huge thing that he went through to... It wasn't 155 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,260 Carrie Tollefson: him that caused the injury. It was someone else and 156 00:08:08,100 --> 00:08:11,040 Carrie Tollefson: just a kind of a happenstance situation. 157 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,230 Kyle Merber: It always makes you appreciate every start line that you 158 00:08:13,230 --> 00:08:15,510 Kyle Merber: make it to, but then after something like that, a 159 00:08:15,510 --> 00:08:16,290 Kyle Merber: little bit extra. 160 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,200 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, for sure. Okay. Well, we have our women's champion 161 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:24,180 Carrie Tollefson: today from the United Airlines NYC Half, Eden Rainbow- Cooper. Welcome. 162 00:08:24,690 --> 00:08:25,501 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Thank you so much. Thank you for having me. 163 00:08:25,501 --> 00:08:28,680 Carrie Tollefson: I mean, congratulations. This is a big win. 164 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:30,990 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Yeah, I'm over the moon with it. I'm so excited to have won here. 165 00:08:32,610 --> 00:08:36,179 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. You've had such a phenomenal 2025. I mean, I went 166 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:38,460 Carrie Tollefson: on air today, I went through all of your stats 167 00:08:38,460 --> 00:08:40,770 Carrie Tollefson: and it was like second year, fourth year, fifth year, 168 00:08:40,770 --> 00:08:44,370 Carrie Tollefson: whatever. I mean, just boom, boom, boom, right there. And 169 00:08:44,370 --> 00:08:48,540 Carrie Tollefson: you said you went home and after 2025, which wasn't 170 00:08:48,540 --> 00:08:51,540 Carrie Tollefson: too far ago, too far too long ago, you said, " I 171 00:08:51,540 --> 00:08:53,520 Carrie Tollefson: need to do something different. I need to put myself 172 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:55,950 Carrie Tollefson: in a different situation." And today you did. So tell 173 00:08:55,950 --> 00:08:56,790 Carrie Tollefson: us about your race. 174 00:08:57,270 --> 00:09:00,660 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Yeah. I mean, I was up against Tatiana and she 175 00:09:00,660 --> 00:09:03,120 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: is an absolute beast. So I knew from the gun 176 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,030 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: that my way to get aways is go fast downhill. 177 00:09:06,030 --> 00:09:09,000 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: That's my strength and hope that I can get a 178 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,179 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: lead and maintain a lead. And yeah, I was able 179 00:09:12,179 --> 00:09:17,490 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: to do that and I really, really surprised myself today. This is 180 00:09:17,490 --> 00:09:19,230 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: a hard course and it's not always about the time, 181 00:09:19,230 --> 00:09:22,800 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: but 54 minutes here in a women's race, that's a pretty 182 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,890 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: fast time. So yeah, I'm over the moon with it. 183 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:28,080 Kyle Merber: You ended up winning by six minutes, at which point... 184 00:09:28,170 --> 00:09:29,460 Carrie Tollefson: Six minutes. 185 00:09:29,550 --> 00:09:33,059 Kyle Merber: At which point in there, did you find a shortcut? 186 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,689 Kyle Merber: No. At what point in that race did you go, " 187 00:09:36,780 --> 00:09:38,578 Kyle Merber: Oh, I'm going to win this?" When did you know? 188 00:09:38,578 --> 00:09:39,300 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: When I saw the finish line. 189 00:09:40,140 --> 00:09:41,400 Kyle Merber: That late into the race? 190 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:45,450 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Yeah. It's really difficult in wheelchair racing to see who's behind you. And 191 00:09:45,450 --> 00:09:47,850 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I was mixed up with some of the men. So 192 00:09:47,850 --> 00:09:52,020 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: every time I looked around, there was someone lurking and 193 00:09:52,260 --> 00:09:53,970 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I never know if that's a man or a woman 194 00:09:53,970 --> 00:09:57,360 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: or a hand bike or anything. So every race I 195 00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:59,550 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: go to, it's only when I get across the finish that 196 00:09:59,700 --> 00:10:02,309 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I can really go, wow, okay, now I can take 197 00:10:02,309 --> 00:10:04,230 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: in where I am and I can accept it. I 198 00:10:04,230 --> 00:10:08,250 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: had a moment around halfway. I thought, maybe I can 199 00:10:08,250 --> 00:10:10,290 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: do this, but for me, it's really important to shut 200 00:10:10,290 --> 00:10:12,420 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: that down and not get complacent with where I am. 201 00:10:12,929 --> 00:10:15,569 Carrie Tollefson: Tell us a little bit about your training and maybe 202 00:10:15,570 --> 00:10:18,030 Carrie Tollefson: it hasn't changed. Maybe it's just the mindset that has 203 00:10:18,030 --> 00:10:22,530 Carrie Tollefson: changed, but what makes you now believe that you deserve 204 00:10:22,530 --> 00:10:24,510 Carrie Tollefson: to be the one breaking the tape, not just being 205 00:10:24,510 --> 00:10:26,069 Carrie Tollefson: close to it, but breaking it? 206 00:10:26,670 --> 00:10:30,809 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I think it's a strange feeling for me because I 207 00:10:30,870 --> 00:10:33,660 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: have spent the last three years racing against these incredible 208 00:10:33,660 --> 00:10:35,850 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: women that have been my idols since I first started 209 00:10:35,850 --> 00:10:39,839 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: wheelchair racing. And I still have those little fan girl 210 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,689 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: moments and sort of go, " Oh my gosh, I'm on 211 00:10:42,689 --> 00:10:46,440 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: the stand. It's Tatiana..." And it's only this year that 212 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:48,179 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I kind of feel like I can really compete with 213 00:10:48,179 --> 00:10:54,329 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: them. And most of that is just experience, maybe sort 214 00:10:54,330 --> 00:10:58,590 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: of getting a little bit older, just taking it as 215 00:10:58,590 --> 00:11:01,110 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: it comes. But in terms of training, not much has 216 00:11:01,110 --> 00:11:04,949 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: changed. I've just got this newfound sort of confidence in 217 00:11:04,950 --> 00:11:08,550 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: myself and yeah, I'm ready to go and push the 218 00:11:08,550 --> 00:11:10,200 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: limits and find out what I can do. 219 00:11:10,470 --> 00:11:14,250 Carrie Tollefson: Was it 2024 Boston that you won? And I remember 220 00:11:14,250 --> 00:11:17,370 Carrie Tollefson: afterwards you didn't have a sponsor at the time. Tell 221 00:11:17,370 --> 00:11:21,120 Carrie Tollefson: us the status of that now and has life changed 222 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:22,080 Carrie Tollefson: since Boston? 223 00:11:23,309 --> 00:11:24,030 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: No, not really. 224 00:11:24,270 --> 00:11:25,589 Carrie Tollefson: Oh, come on. 225 00:11:26,370 --> 00:11:29,790 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I'm still unsponsored. I'm lucky that I have a wonderful 226 00:11:29,790 --> 00:11:33,000 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: charity that's been supporting me, Get Kids Going! So I've 227 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,300 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: had some help from them, but I'm still working, I'm 228 00:11:36,300 --> 00:11:42,449 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: still training and doing it all myself. Yeah. So yeah. 229 00:11:42,660 --> 00:11:44,339 Carrie Tollefson: When you say working, what are you doing? 230 00:11:44,339 --> 00:11:47,970 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I'm a digital marketer for a big construction company in the 231 00:11:47,970 --> 00:11:51,390 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: UK. So I wake up, I train, go to work, 232 00:11:51,690 --> 00:11:53,880 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: train again, then repeat every day. 233 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:55,800 Kyle Merber: Does that give you a little bit of balance that 234 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:59,550 Kyle Merber: you're not only competing and training and having something else 235 00:11:59,550 --> 00:11:59,730 Kyle Merber: in life? 236 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:04,170 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: For sure. I think I'm only 24, so it's really important 237 00:12:04,170 --> 00:12:07,230 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: for me to not put everything into sport. I think 238 00:12:07,230 --> 00:12:09,929 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: just from a mental health perspective, to have something that 239 00:12:09,929 --> 00:12:12,929 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I can come away from for a few hours and go, " 240 00:12:13,230 --> 00:12:16,770 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Okay, this is a completely different world," is really, really 241 00:12:16,770 --> 00:12:17,400 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: helpful to me. 242 00:12:17,610 --> 00:12:19,650 Carrie Tollefson: Eden, do you feel like you're just getting started? I 243 00:12:19,650 --> 00:12:22,080 Carrie Tollefson: mean, we've seen you now for the last few years, 244 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:25,829 Carrie Tollefson: but you look at your shipper who was, again, in 245 00:12:25,830 --> 00:12:28,230 Carrie Tollefson: this race and did great and he's won this race 246 00:12:28,230 --> 00:12:32,760 Carrie Tollefson: twice. He's my age. He's like 49 years old. Just 247 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:35,339 Carrie Tollefson: told the whole world how old I'm getting, but he's 248 00:12:35,340 --> 00:12:38,309 Carrie Tollefson: still in it and you're just starting. So do you 249 00:12:38,309 --> 00:12:41,459 Carrie Tollefson: feel like you have a long time still to get going 250 00:12:41,460 --> 00:12:43,920 Carrie Tollefson: here and to hopefully crack some more tapes? 251 00:12:44,370 --> 00:12:47,880 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Absolutely. I think what we're learning about wheelchair racing, especially 252 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:51,360 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: in the road races, with age comes a lot more experience and a lot 253 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:55,830 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: more speed. We've got so many people breaking records everywhere 254 00:12:56,190 --> 00:13:00,570 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: that are sort of in their late 30s, 40s. So yeah, 255 00:13:00,570 --> 00:13:03,030 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: for me, I really hope that my career can span 256 00:13:03,179 --> 00:13:05,340 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: another 20 years, but just will take it as it comes. 257 00:13:06,179 --> 00:13:08,640 Kyle Merber: We know that you obviously have the speed. Talk about 258 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:10,829 Kyle Merber: that half distance. What do you take away from the 259 00:13:10,830 --> 00:13:14,820 Kyle Merber: half? Is it your favorite distance right now? What do you 260 00:13:14,820 --> 00:13:16,470 Kyle Merber: take away from the experience and what are you learning 261 00:13:16,470 --> 00:13:16,980 Kyle Merber: from today? 262 00:13:16,980 --> 00:13:22,500 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Yeah, I really like a half. For me in my head, I go, " Ooh, a half's 263 00:13:22,740 --> 00:13:25,050 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: not too long. It's only an hour." So I can 264 00:13:25,050 --> 00:13:27,660 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: really just push my body to the absolute limit, like 265 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:32,130 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: max heart rate the whole way. Yeah. And today out there, 266 00:13:32,490 --> 00:13:34,709 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I felt really, really good. And I thought, " Do you 267 00:13:34,710 --> 00:13:37,110 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: know what? I'm happy to push as hard as I 268 00:13:37,110 --> 00:13:40,050 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: can. And if I die at 20K and everyone overtakes 269 00:13:40,050 --> 00:13:42,510 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: me, so be it. I just want to find out what's 270 00:13:42,510 --> 00:13:44,340 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: possible." And the half is a really good place to do that. 271 00:13:44,340 --> 00:13:47,969 Carrie Tollefson: So we talk so much about times with us, runners 272 00:13:47,970 --> 00:13:51,090 Carrie Tollefson: that are in the half- marathon, but I don't see 273 00:13:51,090 --> 00:13:53,610 Carrie Tollefson: that you guys talk a lot about times in the 274 00:13:53,610 --> 00:13:56,880 Carrie Tollefson: wheelchair event. So do you have metrics that you wear? 275 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:58,770 Carrie Tollefson: Are you comparing that or is it just straight up 276 00:13:58,770 --> 00:14:00,780 Carrie Tollefson: like, which I love, all about the win? 277 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:05,189 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: It depends on your goal, but I will say that for us, our 278 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:09,690 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: times depends so much on the weather. There could be 279 00:14:09,690 --> 00:14:15,030 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: the difference in a half of 10 minutes from year to year. So I think for a lot of 280 00:14:15,030 --> 00:14:17,520 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: us, time isn't the only indicator of how well a 281 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:21,600 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: race is going. It can be so many different things. For 282 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:23,970 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: me today, my only goal was to have some good 283 00:14:23,970 --> 00:14:28,050 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: uphills. So that for me was like my main thing. And other 284 00:14:28,050 --> 00:14:30,720 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: people, it might be to improve their cornering, but yeah, 285 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,570 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I think times for us don't mean as much maybe 286 00:14:33,570 --> 00:14:34,231 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: as they do to months. 287 00:14:34,231 --> 00:14:34,531 Daniel Romanchuk: Do you fuel in a half? 288 00:14:36,300 --> 00:14:41,760 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Yeah, it depends, but so I tend to do a lot of pre-fueling, so I take like a pickle 289 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:42,090 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: shot before- 290 00:14:42,750 --> 00:14:43,950 Carrie Tollefson: Oh, okay. 291 00:14:43,950 --> 00:14:44,700 Kyle Merber: Not a pickle backshot. 292 00:14:47,730 --> 00:14:48,600 Carrie Tollefson: Maybe after. 293 00:14:50,460 --> 00:14:52,650 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Because for me, that really helps with hydration and cramping. 294 00:14:53,550 --> 00:14:57,480 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: And then during the race, just carbs, carb drink. It's 295 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,810 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: difficult though because we have to carry everything ourselves. And 296 00:15:00,810 --> 00:15:03,150 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: if we drop something like that, that's gone, we can't 297 00:15:03,150 --> 00:15:07,080 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: get it back. So it's really important that we make sure 298 00:15:07,380 --> 00:15:09,480 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: we have enough fluid, but we're not taking too much 299 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,600 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: because of extra weight. So yeah, it's a little bit 300 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:14,040 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: more complicated for us than it seems. 301 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:15,720 Kyle Merber: I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to ask 302 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:17,280 Kyle Merber: some questions. Can I nerd out a little bit? 303 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:17,850 Carrie Tollefson: Yes. 304 00:15:18,990 --> 00:15:21,720 Kyle Merber: What is your warmup like for you? How do you get to the 305 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:24,360 Kyle Merber: start line? What's going on beforehand besides just drinking pickle juice? 306 00:15:25,710 --> 00:15:26,670 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I'm going to be known for that now. 307 00:15:26,730 --> 00:15:26,820 Kyle Merber: Yeah. 308 00:15:26,820 --> 00:15:27,390 Carrie Tollefson: I know. 309 00:15:27,780 --> 00:15:34,770 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: So for me, I do a lot of stretching beforehand, just because we are condensed in those chairs. I 310 00:15:34,770 --> 00:15:36,990 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: don't know if you've ever tried kneeling and putting your 311 00:15:36,990 --> 00:15:39,090 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: back down for an hour or two hours, but it's 312 00:15:39,090 --> 00:15:41,670 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: not comfortable. So that's a big part for me. And 313 00:15:41,670 --> 00:15:43,710 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: then I like to have a long warmup. So I 314 00:15:43,710 --> 00:15:47,970 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: like to do like five, six, seven kilometers. Really get myself 315 00:15:47,970 --> 00:15:50,250 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: moving, get comfortable in the chair and stuff like that. 316 00:15:50,490 --> 00:15:52,229 Carrie Tollefson: So you go out to the start line and then 317 00:15:52,230 --> 00:15:54,360 Carrie Tollefson: you're doing your 5, 6, 7K? 318 00:15:54,630 --> 00:15:58,050 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: So a lot of it is beforehand, but it's just 319 00:15:58,050 --> 00:16:00,031 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: trying to get the body ready to go faster. Yeah. 320 00:16:00,031 --> 00:16:04,170 Kyle Merber: Do you do strides in the same way that runners 321 00:16:04,170 --> 00:16:06,330 Kyle Merber: would, like hit it really fast beforehand to prep the 322 00:16:06,330 --> 00:16:09,720 Kyle Merber: body or is it such a momentum, especially the way, 323 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:13,739 Kyle Merber: I mean you close out, how warm are you on 324 00:16:13,740 --> 00:16:14,460 Kyle Merber: the start line? 325 00:16:14,670 --> 00:16:18,210 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: I mean, today we were pretty cold, I'll be honest. Today was pretty cold. So 326 00:16:19,410 --> 00:16:20,910 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: we sort of try and warm up as much as 327 00:16:20,910 --> 00:16:23,370 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: possible, but whereas some of the runners can sort of 328 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:25,860 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: run on the sport, jump up and down, once we're 329 00:16:25,860 --> 00:16:26,731 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: on the start line, we're on the start line. 330 00:16:26,731 --> 00:16:28,440 Kyle Merber: You don't want to get held. 331 00:16:28,530 --> 00:16:32,070 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. But we can't move, we can't do anything. So 332 00:16:32,070 --> 00:16:35,010 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: it's important that you know sort of what your limit 333 00:16:35,010 --> 00:16:39,240 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: is beforehand. For me, I don't tend to do sort of 334 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:42,750 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: much stride stuff. It's just consistent pushing, my warm- up 335 00:16:42,750 --> 00:16:47,310 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: heart rate, just getting the body moving, getting it loose. 336 00:16:47,310 --> 00:16:51,300 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: But I know that so many people will do. Yeah, there's 337 00:16:51,300 --> 00:16:52,080 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: so many different things. 338 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:55,590 Carrie Tollefson: But lots of gear. I mean, you guys have 3D 339 00:16:55,590 --> 00:16:58,050 Carrie Tollefson: printed gloves, some of you, some of you wear, I don't 340 00:16:58,050 --> 00:17:01,860 Carrie Tollefson: know the actual term, but like the plastic medical, like 341 00:17:01,860 --> 00:17:04,379 Carrie Tollefson: what the nurses wear and stuff. Yeah, you wear those 342 00:17:04,380 --> 00:17:07,020 Carrie Tollefson: kind of gloves. You have sandpaper sometimes. There is a 343 00:17:07,020 --> 00:17:08,340 Carrie Tollefson: whole thing that goes into it. 344 00:17:09,090 --> 00:17:13,409 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Yeah. I think there's so much more that goes in than what people may realize. 345 00:17:13,410 --> 00:17:15,840 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: So a lot of people don't realize that we actually 346 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:19,230 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: kind of punch the push rim rather than grab it. 347 00:17:19,230 --> 00:17:22,980 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: So it's protecting our hands and you say the plastic gloves, 348 00:17:22,980 --> 00:17:28,170 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: yeah, we have 3D printed gloves. Some people don't. So there's so 349 00:17:28,170 --> 00:17:37,651 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: many different things, the chairs and wheels and tires. It's like you have a car that you're trying to prep for a race as well. 350 00:17:37,651 --> 00:17:37,652 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. 351 00:17:37,652 --> 00:17:39,990 Kyle Merber: Coming out of the race now a few hours later, I'm thinking about tomorrow, what 352 00:17:40,260 --> 00:17:42,990 Kyle Merber: hurts the most? I guess is it your back? Is 353 00:17:42,990 --> 00:17:46,650 Kyle Merber: it your arms? Is it the hands? Are you just exhausted? What does 354 00:17:46,650 --> 00:17:47,370 Kyle Merber: tomorrow feel like? 355 00:17:47,970 --> 00:17:50,040 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: For me, it's actually my legs. So I have full 356 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:53,001 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: feeling in my legs, which a lot of people don't, but I (inaudible) 357 00:17:53,001 --> 00:18:00,090 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: when I could feel that and that's pretty painful for me. So if I didn't have 358 00:18:00,090 --> 00:18:02,250 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: full feeling in my legs, I'd probably do the ultras and stuff like that. 359 00:18:04,500 --> 00:18:07,980 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: But yeah, normally tomorrow I'll be a little bit battered, 360 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:13,560 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: but for me a half is like not a training run, 361 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,200 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: but it's not so hard, so it's not too bad. But 362 00:18:16,619 --> 00:18:17,580 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: yeah, everything hurts after a marathon. 363 00:18:18,690 --> 00:18:19,950 Carrie Tollefson: So we're going to see you in Boston? 364 00:18:20,250 --> 00:18:20,609 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Absolutely. 365 00:18:20,910 --> 00:18:21,960 Carrie Tollefson: And then what's after that? 366 00:18:22,050 --> 00:18:22,921 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: London, six days later. 367 00:18:22,921 --> 00:18:22,922 Carrie Tollefson: Oh my gosh. 368 00:18:22,922 --> 00:18:22,923 Kyle Merber: Oh, it's a tough- 369 00:18:22,923 --> 00:18:29,580 Carrie Tollefson: Here we go. Here we go. Oh, well, good luck to you. Congratulations. It was so 370 00:18:29,820 --> 00:18:31,080 Carrie Tollefson: fun to watch you race today. 371 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:31,379 Eden Rainbow-Cooper: Thank you so much. 372 00:18:31,379 --> 00:18:39,119 Carrie Tollefson: All right. Well, now we move on to the men's winner of the United Airlines NYC Half. 373 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:43,380 Carrie Tollefson: And I'm excited to see if we are saying this right or if we're not. I said 374 00:18:43,380 --> 00:18:44,910 Carrie Tollefson: it the whole broadcast today. 375 00:18:44,910 --> 00:18:48,000 Kyle Merber: Based off the way that I think I heard some noise 376 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:49,379 Kyle Merber: from when I said my version. 377 00:18:49,410 --> 00:18:49,920 Carrie Tollefson: They laughed? 378 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:50,670 Kyle Merber: That it was not. 379 00:18:50,670 --> 00:18:56,130 Carrie Tollefson: Well, I don't care how we said it. This guy 380 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:00,720 Carrie Tollefson: performed awesome today. He sat for quite a ways. Then 381 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,420 Carrie Tollefson: he pushed, when I asked him beforehand what he wanted 382 00:19:03,420 --> 00:19:05,760 Carrie Tollefson: to do, he said podium. And then afterwards he said, " 383 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:08,280 Carrie Tollefson: I just wanted to win." So he didn't quite tell me 384 00:19:08,490 --> 00:19:10,170 Carrie Tollefson: that he wanted the win. He just said podium. 385 00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:11,699 Kyle Merber: Of course he wants to win. 386 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:13,050 Carrie Tollefson: I know. I figured. 387 00:19:13,050 --> 00:19:14,429 Kyle Merber: Now he knows what he's doing in a half. 388 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,859 Carrie Tollefson: Okay. All right. This is a winner. We want to 389 00:19:16,859 --> 00:19:18,810 Carrie Tollefson: hear exactly how to say your name, Adriaan. 390 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:19,619 Adriaan Wildschutt : Adriaan Wildschutt. 391 00:19:19,619 --> 00:19:23,158 Carrie Tollefson: Okay. So the W is... 392 00:19:24,750 --> 00:19:26,280 Adriaan Wildschutt : Like how we would say wilderness. 393 00:19:26,398 --> 00:19:27,119 Carrie Tollefson: I thought it was like... 394 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:30,780 Kyle Merber: Okay. There's no V. 395 00:19:30,810 --> 00:19:33,869 Carrie Tollefson: Sorry, Adriaan. I said Wildschutt and I thought I was sounding so good. 396 00:19:33,870 --> 00:19:39,750 Kyle Merber: So Adriaan, you like the half now, huh? I mean, 397 00:19:40,109 --> 00:19:42,420 Kyle Merber: you're two for two on having some really good ones. 398 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:44,669 Kyle Merber: Did you feel now like with some experience on your 399 00:19:44,670 --> 00:19:48,030 Kyle Merber: belt coming into today, did you have a different mindset 400 00:19:48,030 --> 00:19:49,170 Kyle Merber: because you knew what you're getting into? 401 00:19:50,190 --> 00:19:54,419 Adriaan Wildschutt : Yeah, I guess it definitely helped to have run a half 402 00:19:54,420 --> 00:19:58,080 Adriaan Wildschutt : before and I knew exactly where I started hurting last time. 403 00:19:59,190 --> 00:19:59,850 Kyle Merber: Where was that? 404 00:20:00,420 --> 00:20:00,901 Adriaan Wildschutt : Last three miles. 405 00:20:00,901 --> 00:20:00,902 Kyle Merber: Okay. 406 00:20:00,902 --> 00:20:03,780 Adriaan Wildschutt : But this time around, I wanted to make sure that 407 00:20:03,780 --> 00:20:07,530 Adriaan Wildschutt : I conserve as much energy as possible. And since the course is not 408 00:20:08,070 --> 00:20:11,790 Adriaan Wildschutt : recognizable, it was all about the way. And so I 409 00:20:11,790 --> 00:20:16,470 Adriaan Wildschutt : wanted to make sure that I'm really strong. Coach and I decided that the person that 410 00:20:16,619 --> 00:20:20,250 Adriaan Wildschutt : was going to win this race, the strongest last night, 411 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:21,691 Adriaan Wildschutt : so it's what we were focusing on. 412 00:20:21,691 --> 00:20:26,879 Carrie Tollefson: Well, 59.13 is the PR that you had coming in and is still your 413 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,060 Carrie Tollefson: PR. But that was run this last fall? 414 00:20:30,869 --> 00:20:33,420 Adriaan Wildschutt : Yes. I ran it in October in Valencia. 415 00:20:33,510 --> 00:20:35,760 Carrie Tollefson: So this is only your second half. And I mean, 416 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:39,780 Carrie Tollefson: you ran so smart today, so calm and confident. Tell 417 00:20:39,780 --> 00:20:41,790 Carrie Tollefson: us about your race too, because it was a huge 418 00:20:41,790 --> 00:20:44,100 Carrie Tollefson: pack and there were so many names that they brought 419 00:20:44,100 --> 00:20:44,639 Carrie Tollefson: in this time. 420 00:20:45,150 --> 00:20:49,230 Adriaan Wildschutt : Yeah, it was obviously a very deep field and there 421 00:20:49,230 --> 00:20:54,720 Adriaan Wildschutt : were so many people for a long time and I was getting antsy a little bit, but I wanted 422 00:20:54,990 --> 00:20:59,640 Adriaan Wildschutt : to be sure to conserve as much energy as possible. And I made 423 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:02,280 Adriaan Wildschutt : that mistake so many times, especially on the track too. 424 00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:06,690 Adriaan Wildschutt : And I learned to be much more technically still on 425 00:21:06,690 --> 00:21:11,730 Adriaan Wildschutt : the track. And I think that definitely helped me a lot today, understanding when to 426 00:21:11,730 --> 00:21:14,130 Adriaan Wildschutt : make a move and when to just relax and when to tuck in 427 00:21:14,130 --> 00:21:18,840 Adriaan Wildschutt : behind when it's a headwind. But yeah, the first nine 428 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:20,310 Adriaan Wildschutt : miles was fit and I was just trying to stay 429 00:21:20,790 --> 00:21:23,100 Adriaan Wildschutt : in myself and then really push the last 5K. 430 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:27,300 Kyle Merber: There were a lot of hard surges and it seemed 431 00:21:27,300 --> 00:21:29,340 Kyle Merber: like for the first half of the race you were sitting 432 00:21:29,340 --> 00:21:32,459 Kyle Merber: back. Is it tempting to respond to every single surge 433 00:21:32,460 --> 00:21:36,240 Kyle Merber: like that? And I guess how much more difficult does 434 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:38,159 Kyle Merber: that make a race as opposed to when you're on 435 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:41,909 Kyle Merber: the track now with pace lights and it's just clicking off. 436 00:21:41,910 --> 00:21:45,419 Kyle Merber: Now today was a real race. And so yeah, how 437 00:21:45,420 --> 00:21:47,369 Kyle Merber: did you respond to all those moves that were happening? 438 00:21:48,570 --> 00:21:51,810 Adriaan Wildschutt : Yeah, of course that makes it a lot more harder because you never really know 439 00:21:51,810 --> 00:21:53,490 Adriaan Wildschutt : when somebody's going to make a move and just keep 440 00:21:53,490 --> 00:21:57,119 Adriaan Wildschutt : on going. But it is very helpful to have such 441 00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:59,100 Adriaan Wildschutt : a stake feel then you know if people... Because I 442 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:05,340 Adriaan Wildschutt : mean, you go off your instinct as well. And I was going off of Grant Fisher. 443 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,280 Adriaan Wildschutt : I knew that he would know when to make moves. And since he's 444 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:13,200 Adriaan Wildschutt : been very good tactically over the years and I made 445 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:18,000 Adriaan Wildschutt : so many mistakes like prior and I was just walking off of (inaudible) I see 446 00:22:18,002 --> 00:22:22,410 Adriaan Wildschutt : he was stalking him and I was just like relaxing a bit. And then about towards 10 447 00:22:22,410 --> 00:22:25,649 Adriaan Wildschutt : miles or 9 miles, I could see, I felt really 448 00:22:25,650 --> 00:22:28,050 Adriaan Wildschutt : good and I was like, "At some point, I'm going to just 449 00:22:28,050 --> 00:22:31,080 Adriaan Wildschutt : want to get up the bridge and then make a big 450 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,410 Adriaan Wildschutt : surge down the hill." And then because after the down, you 451 00:22:34,590 --> 00:22:37,590 Adriaan Wildschutt : get one hill again and so I wanted to keep 452 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:41,310 Adriaan Wildschutt : pushing up that hill. So yeah, that helped a lot, 453 00:22:41,310 --> 00:22:45,002 Adriaan Wildschutt : but I was definitely working off Grant Fisher because I can understand (inaudible) . 454 00:22:47,730 --> 00:22:49,590 Carrie Tollefson: When you say, were you holding back then a little bit? I mean, 455 00:22:49,590 --> 00:22:52,050 Carrie Tollefson: that's a really tough thing to do when there's so many 456 00:22:52,050 --> 00:22:54,869 Carrie Tollefson: athletes in the group as well. How do you calm 457 00:22:54,869 --> 00:22:57,570 Carrie Tollefson: yourself to just be able to be confident in those 458 00:22:57,570 --> 00:22:58,320 Carrie Tollefson: later stages? 459 00:22:58,650 --> 00:23:01,888 Adriaan Wildschutt : Yeah, I think around seven mile, there was a big 460 00:23:01,888 --> 00:23:05,459 Adriaan Wildschutt : move down the hill and I follow. I was making 461 00:23:05,459 --> 00:23:08,400 Adriaan Wildschutt : sure that I'm not going to let, because there was four people making that move and I was like, "Okay, 462 00:23:08,940 --> 00:23:13,050 Adriaan Wildschutt : I need to go." It's not just one person. But yeah, I 463 00:23:13,050 --> 00:23:16,050 Adriaan Wildschutt : think it's difficult to explain because you understand when you're in 464 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,470 Adriaan Wildschutt : the moment, you know exactly what to do and I 465 00:23:19,470 --> 00:23:21,540 Adriaan Wildschutt : wanted to make sure that I stay there's very good 466 00:23:21,540 --> 00:23:25,710 Adriaan Wildschutt : athletes, like I said, and they won't just leave somebody 467 00:23:25,710 --> 00:23:28,020 Adriaan Wildschutt : running away from the field. And if they stay behind, 468 00:23:28,020 --> 00:23:30,420 Adriaan Wildschutt : it means I probably should just be calm and they'd 469 00:23:30,420 --> 00:23:34,830 Adriaan Wildschutt : help a lot to work off of other athletes. But yeah, like 470 00:23:34,830 --> 00:23:38,010 Adriaan Wildschutt : I said, you wouldn't exactly... I was holding back a lot 471 00:23:38,670 --> 00:23:40,950 Adriaan Wildschutt : and I guess that's good and I felt really good 472 00:23:40,950 --> 00:23:44,460 Adriaan Wildschutt : going up the hills. And so I knew I was 473 00:23:44,460 --> 00:23:47,040 Adriaan Wildschutt : going to be in a very good spot towards the 474 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:48,810 Adriaan Wildschutt : last three hours because it's a little more handy. 475 00:23:49,138 --> 00:23:52,560 Kyle Merber: There was a moment, I think you were like cornering 42nd where it 476 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:57,600 Kyle Merber: seemed you almost went down. Was it a twisted ankle? 477 00:23:57,600 --> 00:23:59,938 Kyle Merber: Did you hit a pothole? What happened there? And what 478 00:23:59,939 --> 00:24:00,600 Kyle Merber: did that do to you? 479 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:02,938 Adriaan Wildschutt : Yeah, I don't know. I guess I didn't expect it 480 00:24:02,939 --> 00:24:05,609 Adriaan Wildschutt : to be so soft to turn and I guess I might 481 00:24:05,609 --> 00:24:10,080 Adriaan Wildschutt : have stepped on something, but luckily it wasn't too bad and I 482 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:13,678 Adriaan Wildschutt : gained my balance very quickly after that. But yeah, I 483 00:24:13,679 --> 00:24:16,261 Adriaan Wildschutt : saw it after I was like, " Oh boy." 484 00:24:16,261 --> 00:24:19,199 Carrie Tollefson: I know. I didn't see it live on television until the 485 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,859 Carrie Tollefson: replay. You were back home in South Africa running a 486 00:24:22,859 --> 00:24:24,900 Carrie Tollefson: little bit, but you train in Flagstaff. Talk a little 487 00:24:24,900 --> 00:24:27,000 Carrie Tollefson: bit about your situation. Your coach, Jack, is sitting right 488 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,910 Carrie Tollefson: here and one quote that he gave me before one 489 00:24:29,910 --> 00:24:32,430 Carrie Tollefson: of your other races earlier this year is that you 490 00:24:32,430 --> 00:24:35,159 Carrie Tollefson: are just full of love of life and your team. 491 00:24:35,310 --> 00:24:37,410 Carrie Tollefson: You really love that team. Your brother has been over 492 00:24:37,410 --> 00:24:40,139 Carrie Tollefson: to Flagstaff. You guys got a lot going on there 493 00:24:40,140 --> 00:24:42,000 Carrie Tollefson: and a really good atmosphere right now. 494 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,090 Adriaan Wildschutt : Yeah, we have a great dynamic. We have one class 495 00:24:45,090 --> 00:24:47,910 Adriaan Wildschutt : that he's on the team and that goes what I 496 00:24:47,910 --> 00:24:50,939 Adriaan Wildschutt : would say. We have a very, very good coach and 497 00:24:50,940 --> 00:24:55,619 Adriaan Wildschutt : I think that you can see that in our performances and even 498 00:24:55,619 --> 00:24:58,740 Adriaan Wildschutt : in the recent weeks, getting off of the US half- 499 00:24:58,740 --> 00:25:02,220 Adriaan Wildschutt : terms and now this race as well and the cross country 500 00:25:02,220 --> 00:25:04,500 Adriaan Wildschutt : as well earlier this year. So clearly we have a very good 501 00:25:04,500 --> 00:25:07,530 Adriaan Wildschutt : coach and a very good team and having world- class 502 00:25:07,530 --> 00:25:09,540 Adriaan Wildschutt : athletes makes it a little bit easier. And I was 503 00:25:09,540 --> 00:25:13,320 Adriaan Wildschutt : in South Africa, escaped the cold a little bit and 504 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:14,970 Adriaan Wildschutt : then that's why I was a little concerned about the 505 00:25:14,970 --> 00:25:18,060 Adriaan Wildschutt : weather today, but I guess it worked out well. 506 00:25:18,750 --> 00:25:22,050 Kyle Merber: So you're now on the roads twice. Are we done 507 00:25:22,050 --> 00:25:23,430 Kyle Merber: with the track or are we going to go back 508 00:25:23,430 --> 00:25:26,910 Kyle Merber: and forth or is the marathon calling? Where are you at mentally? 509 00:25:27,148 --> 00:25:30,780 Adriaan Wildschutt : Yeah. I mean, like this is my thing. I just take it one day 510 00:25:30,780 --> 00:25:32,369 Adriaan Wildschutt : at a time. I don't get ahead of myself. Of 511 00:25:32,369 --> 00:25:36,030 Adriaan Wildschutt : course, it's so fleeting sometimes. You get one thing done 512 00:25:36,030 --> 00:25:38,639 Adriaan Wildschutt : and you want to jump straight right into the next thing. And 513 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:40,859 Adriaan Wildschutt : for me, I want to enjoy my running career and that 514 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:45,240 Adriaan Wildschutt : means being grateful and celebrating the moments that you do 515 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:49,619 Adriaan Wildschutt : well and just living the moment. I don't know what the future holds. 516 00:25:49,619 --> 00:25:53,520 Adriaan Wildschutt : I'm not focusing on the track this year because there's 517 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:57,119 Adriaan Wildschutt : no world championships. And so that's why we wanted to 518 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:00,419 Adriaan Wildschutt : explore and do a little bit more role. And today 519 00:26:00,420 --> 00:26:03,630 Adriaan Wildschutt : was the big focus for the first half of the year and that's done and I'm very happy about that. And so yeah, I don't quite know. 520 00:26:08,730 --> 00:26:11,820 Carrie Tollefson: There's something big coming though. We haven't talked about the book. 521 00:26:12,930 --> 00:26:13,889 Adriaan Wildschutt : Yeah, that's coming. 522 00:26:13,890 --> 00:26:14,820 Carrie Tollefson: That's coming. 523 00:26:15,060 --> 00:26:16,080 Adriaan Wildschutt : That's in the pipeline. 524 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:19,560 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, you put it out there and I've mentioned it a 525 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:22,230 Carrie Tollefson: few times on the broadcast. So when do you expect 526 00:26:22,230 --> 00:26:23,010 Carrie Tollefson: that to happen? 527 00:26:23,580 --> 00:26:28,590 Adriaan Wildschutt : The book is being published in May, later May. The 528 00:26:28,590 --> 00:26:30,419 Adriaan Wildschutt : exact date needs to be confirmed, but I think it's 529 00:26:30,420 --> 00:26:36,480 Adriaan Wildschutt : probably going to be around May 9th and May 26th. Yeah, that's something that I've been 530 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,780 Adriaan Wildschutt : writing for the last two years. And I am very 531 00:26:39,780 --> 00:26:44,129 Adriaan Wildschutt : happy that it's approaching the end now. I can just 532 00:26:44,129 --> 00:26:46,408 Adriaan Wildschutt : relax because that's the thing, like coming out of college, 533 00:26:46,409 --> 00:26:49,649 Adriaan Wildschutt : you do NCAAs and you're in school, you're always busy and it's 534 00:26:49,650 --> 00:26:52,170 Adriaan Wildschutt : a pro. You get done with training and you're just like 535 00:26:52,380 --> 00:26:55,800 Adriaan Wildschutt : laying around. And that's not never really my nature. So 536 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,830 Adriaan Wildschutt : I always try to find things to do. I remember 537 00:26:58,830 --> 00:27:03,449 Adriaan Wildschutt : like one of our marketing managers say, I always ask, 538 00:27:03,540 --> 00:27:06,599 Adriaan Wildschutt : is there no... I asked him if there's no internship I think to open. I 539 00:27:06,599 --> 00:27:09,359 Adriaan Wildschutt : feel like (inaudible) . And he was like, " Bro, we're 540 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:14,250 Adriaan Wildschutt : paying you to run." So yeah, no, I like to keep busy and it 541 00:27:14,250 --> 00:27:17,159 Adriaan Wildschutt : was great for me, especially from a South African standpoint. 542 00:27:18,030 --> 00:27:20,340 Adriaan Wildschutt : I think the book is, people can find a lot 543 00:27:20,340 --> 00:27:24,119 Adriaan Wildschutt : of... In that it's not just about running. I like to run my life how we all want 544 00:27:25,859 --> 00:27:28,260 Adriaan Wildschutt : different kinds of things, and the book is one of 545 00:27:28,260 --> 00:27:30,210 Adriaan Wildschutt : those things. And so I feel like a lot of people 546 00:27:30,420 --> 00:27:31,170 Adriaan Wildschutt : can gain from that. 547 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:33,570 Kyle Merber: So now what is going to keep you busy after 548 00:27:33,570 --> 00:27:35,430 Kyle Merber: this book? Is there a sequel coming already? 549 00:27:35,430 --> 00:27:35,550 Carrie Tollefson: Maybe. 550 00:27:36,869 --> 00:27:41,340 Adriaan Wildschutt : Yeah. You know what? I think I always find things to do. I have 551 00:27:41,340 --> 00:27:45,510 Adriaan Wildschutt : started a business with one, three other friends of mine in Florida, it's 552 00:27:45,510 --> 00:27:50,820 Adriaan Wildschutt : a electrolyte brand. It's called Hybrid WTR. And so we are working on that always. And I guess 553 00:27:50,820 --> 00:27:52,320 Adriaan Wildschutt : I will keep myself busy with that until I find something more to do. 554 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:58,619 Carrie Tollefson: Always hungry for something next. Well, congratulations on today. And 555 00:27:59,190 --> 00:28:01,260 Carrie Tollefson: wow, we're excited to see where you go, whether it's 556 00:28:01,260 --> 00:28:03,810 Carrie Tollefson: the track, cross country, 13th at the World Cross Country 557 00:28:03,810 --> 00:28:08,189 Carrie Tollefson: Championships, just in January, now winning the United Airlines NYC Half. 558 00:28:08,190 --> 00:28:09,330 Carrie Tollefson: Bravo, man. Way to go. 559 00:28:09,898 --> 00:28:10,590 Kyle Merber: Congratulations. 560 00:28:10,590 --> 00:28:10,979 Adriaan Wildschutt : Appreciate it. 561 00:28:11,820 --> 00:28:13,770 Carrie Tollefson: All right, now we have one more. 562 00:28:14,070 --> 00:28:17,040 Kyle Merber: Yeah. I mean, we've been in the presence of greatness after greatness. And now- 563 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:17,881 Carrie Tollefson: I mean, just keeps coming. 564 00:28:17,881 --> 00:28:20,310 Kyle Merber: Yeah. The heavy hitter. 565 00:28:20,550 --> 00:28:26,310 Carrie Tollefson: The heavy hitter. Ms. Hellen Obiri. And she has her pizza. 566 00:28:26,430 --> 00:28:28,168 Kyle Merber: Yeah, good choice. Emmy Squared. Great spot. 567 00:28:28,919 --> 00:28:29,430 Hellen Obiri: Thank you. 568 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:33,480 Kyle Merber: When in New York, what's your favorite thing to do? I mean, you come to New 569 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:35,820 Kyle Merber: York now similarly all the time. What's your favorite thing 570 00:28:35,820 --> 00:28:37,770 Kyle Merber: to do besides win races when you're here? 571 00:28:38,550 --> 00:28:41,400 Hellen Obiri: Besides what I do after the race, I can touch up my business. 572 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:45,180 Carrie Tollefson: Yes. When you say New York is like your second home? 573 00:28:46,110 --> 00:28:51,301 Hellen Obiri: It's been my second several times, so I can just go back. It's nice to get home. 574 00:28:51,301 --> 00:28:56,490 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Today was an interesting race, wasn't it? I mean, 575 00:28:57,360 --> 00:28:59,910 Carrie Tollefson: for the first half, you had company and then all 576 00:28:59,910 --> 00:29:04,740 Carrie Tollefson: of a sudden you didn't. So was that the point of the race 577 00:29:04,740 --> 00:29:06,330 Carrie Tollefson: today or were you surprised as well? 578 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,770 Hellen Obiri: I was surprised because we have the strong there. Agnes was there with me and they knew Agnes, 579 00:29:14,340 --> 00:29:21,870 Hellen Obiri: she's very strong. When you cross country, you can, and she likes to go the hard 580 00:29:21,870 --> 00:29:24,959 Hellen Obiri: place. So I was ready for the hard place, but I wasn't thinking like she (inaudible) . But 581 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:42,840 Hellen Obiri: for me, it was like, just let me just try to push myself as hard and see how far I can go because I've been preparing for the marathon. I've not changed anything, so I 582 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:43,471 Hellen Obiri: will see up to see how my level of my business. 583 00:29:43,471 --> 00:29:43,472 Carrie Tollefson: Sure. 584 00:29:43,472 --> 00:29:49,320 Kyle Merber: Yeah, of course. I mean, the London Marathon coming up, it's going 585 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:51,150 Kyle Merber: to be one of the great fields that we've ever 586 00:29:51,150 --> 00:29:54,660 Kyle Merber: seen. What did you take from today and what did 587 00:29:54,660 --> 00:29:56,430 Kyle Merber: you learn about your fitness here? 588 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:03,420 Hellen Obiri: So far I can say like I'm (inaudible) because I have six weeks 589 00:30:03,420 --> 00:30:08,489 Hellen Obiri: of training and the quarters were here. So they have seen what I've 590 00:30:08,490 --> 00:30:16,080 Hellen Obiri: done. And so far I've seen what I've done because I'm not 100% of my fitness 591 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:28,500 Hellen Obiri: because we still have time. So I can say I'm in a very good place if you can just train that seven weeks. So in preparation to 592 00:30:28,500 --> 00:30:32,191 Hellen Obiri: go as we felt to go and everything from life, so we do hope we see each other in London Marathon. 593 00:30:32,191 --> 00:30:39,420 Carrie Tollefson: You have run so well over 26. 2, but we've seen 594 00:30:39,420 --> 00:30:43,260 Carrie Tollefson: you run well over the 1500, even 800 meters, cross country, all of 595 00:30:43,260 --> 00:30:46,050 Carrie Tollefson: it. You've done it all. But this past year, you 596 00:30:46,050 --> 00:30:49,470 Carrie Tollefson: really have done quite a few 10Ks. You've done some 597 00:30:49,470 --> 00:30:52,680 Carrie Tollefson: different distances. Is that just to keep you excited about 598 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:55,530 Carrie Tollefson: the sport or is there an actual reason to drop 599 00:30:55,530 --> 00:30:57,660 Carrie Tollefson: down and get the legs going? I mean, what is 600 00:30:57,660 --> 00:30:59,970 Carrie Tollefson: your best distance? Nobody knows. 601 00:31:01,170 --> 00:31:04,380 Hellen Obiri: I can say all are the best of my distances because I 602 00:31:04,380 --> 00:31:13,350 Hellen Obiri: know I love doing 10Ks. I love doing half-marathons and I've been doing track for a while. So last year I would say 603 00:31:13,860 --> 00:31:16,140 Hellen Obiri: I need to get my speed back. I need to get 604 00:31:16,140 --> 00:31:30,540 Hellen Obiri: my legs back towards the marathon. So we decided to do 10Ks so the new 10Ks, it can get me in speed. And because I was paying for the emeritus, so this is the right time, it's the right moment 605 00:31:30,570 --> 00:31:33,150 Hellen Obiri: to be set up to see how far my skill 606 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:38,219 Hellen Obiri: is. And so now we are ready because I was training with a track register. They 607 00:31:40,380 --> 00:31:44,760 Hellen Obiri: were helping me to push me with the speed. And then they said, now, 608 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:47,850 Hellen Obiri: even if I do that, I think I did four, 609 00:31:47,880 --> 00:32:01,350 Hellen Obiri: three, 10 case last year because I remember the half number I did was 2023. So having to have how much you can do like half-marathon. So if you have a speed, you can just 610 00:32:01,350 --> 00:32:04,260 Hellen Obiri: to do all the distances for following. Some trust about 611 00:32:04,260 --> 00:32:06,390 Hellen Obiri: yourself and used to trust about what you're doing. 612 00:32:07,230 --> 00:32:08,820 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. But not going back to the track. 613 00:32:10,170 --> 00:32:22,501 Hellen Obiri: Because even back to. I don't say I can go and run 5K and 10Ks because my age and my time will allow me to go now. 614 00:32:22,501 --> 00:32:23,130 Carrie Tollefson: Bite you tongue, you're young. 615 00:32:23,190 --> 00:32:25,680 Kyle Merber: Hell, something I've always really appreciated about you is it's 616 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:29,580 Kyle Merber: not about chasing times. It's about winning races. And I 617 00:32:29,580 --> 00:32:32,370 Kyle Merber: mean, you wouldn't necessarily know it based off of the 618 00:32:32,370 --> 00:32:35,910 Kyle Merber: time today, but it's not known for being a fast 619 00:32:35,910 --> 00:32:39,690 Kyle Merber: course here. You made it one. But when you're out 620 00:32:39,690 --> 00:32:42,210 Kyle Merber: there, are you looking at the clock with the time? Are 621 00:32:42,210 --> 00:32:46,230 Kyle Merber: you just feeding off of the other athletes and ultimately 622 00:32:46,230 --> 00:32:48,750 Kyle Merber: waiting to make your move? I mean, you were following 623 00:32:48,750 --> 00:32:51,210 Kyle Merber: Agnes for so long and then when you moved it 624 00:32:51,210 --> 00:32:53,610 Kyle Merber: just really did open up so quickly. So what is 625 00:32:53,610 --> 00:32:54,900 Kyle Merber: your mindset in those moments? 626 00:32:55,410 --> 00:32:59,160 Hellen Obiri: For me, the first thing I knew when it comes to Agnes, first is doing the (inaudible) from 627 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:08,610 Hellen Obiri: them. In New York, you can say I want to run this time because hard goes with (inaudible) so what it was 628 00:33:08,610 --> 00:33:12,990 Hellen Obiri: in my mind to do this. And from there, just 629 00:33:12,990 --> 00:33:18,810 Hellen Obiri: the times, but you can't just like I want to do... I didn't have the targets. The time I want to 630 00:33:18,810 --> 00:33:26,460 Hellen Obiri: run is this one and this one. So I said if I win, the time will come. And probably because Agnes was there. So 631 00:33:26,460 --> 00:33:26,821 Hellen Obiri: when you started, the place was so big. So I knew inside the post record. 632 00:33:26,821 --> 00:33:39,240 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, it was awesome. You heard people saying though, you're going to run 633 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:42,090 Carrie Tollefson: 66 minutes, right? You heard someone yell that at you? 634 00:33:42,300 --> 00:34:00,030 Hellen Obiri: Yeah. When I was at the 20 days, some (inaudible) say like that's why I realized I'm on the course record base because Agnes broke up. So me, it wasn't like my place also broken down. So I was thinking like I'm 67, something like that. 635 00:34:00,300 --> 00:34:03,540 Hellen Obiri: But then no, I was so close to 66. So 636 00:34:03,540 --> 00:34:04,200 Hellen Obiri: when somebody told me there are six places, so I tried to get it. 637 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:11,940 Carrie Tollefson: Well, let's talk a little bit about the spring. So 638 00:34:11,940 --> 00:34:14,040 Carrie Tollefson: this is a little bit of a different spring. Normally we 639 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:16,859 Carrie Tollefson: see you either here in New York or in Boston, 640 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:19,170 Carrie Tollefson: but now you're making the trip across the pond to 641 00:34:19,170 --> 00:34:22,230 Carrie Tollefson: London and it's a flat fast course. It's different than what 642 00:34:22,230 --> 00:34:25,080 Carrie Tollefson: you've been running lately. Even the Olympic Games was super 643 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:28,560 Carrie Tollefson: hilly. Boston's hilly. New York's hilly. So what's your prep 644 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:31,470 Carrie Tollefson: like for London? Has it been different or about the same? 645 00:34:32,610 --> 00:34:35,640 Hellen Obiri: I think I made the right choice to go to 646 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:41,489 Hellen Obiri: London Marathon because sometimes you need to change your mind and sometimes you need to 647 00:34:41,489 --> 00:34:45,000 Hellen Obiri: change your training and sometimes you need to see how 648 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:50,279 Hellen Obiri: far your legs can go into the faster course. So I said, now this is 649 00:34:50,279 --> 00:34:55,590 Hellen Obiri: the right time, this right moment to do London Marathon with the partnerings there. Of 650 00:34:58,469 --> 00:35:01,680 Hellen Obiri: course I love Boston Marathon, New York Marathon, and I like to do what they want to do. None of 651 00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:10,380 Hellen Obiri: them told this might pass. So I say like, I'm not one there to target. I want to do this time and this time is to see how far my list I'm doing and how far I'm going 652 00:35:13,050 --> 00:35:18,001 Hellen Obiri: faster because we love women base makers. I haven't done (inaudible) 653 00:35:18,001 --> 00:35:24,661 Hellen Obiri: without the best matter. So it will be for me my opportunity and to learn the new experience or fun with the faster class. 654 00:35:24,661 --> 00:35:24,662 Carrie Tollefson: It's going to be fun. 655 00:35:24,662 --> 00:35:29,100 Kyle Merber: Do you have to change things in training for what 656 00:35:29,100 --> 00:35:32,040 Kyle Merber: will likely be a quicker cadence and tempo? Especially I 657 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:34,770 Kyle Merber: feel like in New York the last few years, it's 658 00:35:34,770 --> 00:35:37,800 Kyle Merber: really about how well you close. It ultimately was a 659 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:41,430 Kyle Merber: sit and kick race. Whereas London, you almost know for 660 00:35:41,430 --> 00:35:46,379 Kyle Merber: certain that, I mean, that first half is not going to be slow 661 00:35:46,380 --> 00:35:48,360 Kyle Merber: by any means. So does that change anything you're doing 662 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:49,739 Kyle Merber: on a day- to- day basis at crap? 663 00:35:59,100 --> 00:36:02,100 Hellen Obiri: For now, we haven't changed anything because we say I'm doing New York Half. New York Half is tough. So we say for now we don't need to change ending year. But 664 00:36:02,100 --> 00:36:05,430 Hellen Obiri: for next week, we're going to start changing like I need to 665 00:36:05,430 --> 00:36:15,870 Hellen Obiri: do faster process because I used to do the goals I did in Boston and New York. So we have to see faster process and do faster workouts because you have to change the trainings because I can train with Joe and Aya because I think they're doing awesome. So from next week we want to spend our workouts do the also program and the family learning program. 666 00:36:21,239 --> 00:36:32,002 Hellen Obiri: So from next week, I'm going to focus about the (inaudible) . 667 00:36:34,830 --> 00:36:36,631 Carrie Tollefson: Well, I think I got to know what kind of pizza did you get? 668 00:36:36,631 --> 00:36:36,960 Hellen Obiri: Mushrooms with onion. 669 00:36:40,650 --> 00:36:41,820 Carrie Tollefson: Mushrooms and onion? 670 00:36:43,500 --> 00:36:43,950 Hellen Obiri: Yeah. 671 00:36:43,950 --> 00:36:44,009 Carrie Tollefson: Oh, okay. 672 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:45,630 Kyle Merber: When you're- 673 00:36:46,410 --> 00:36:49,680 Carrie Tollefson: We're back to more technical questions. I wanted to know. 674 00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:54,509 Carrie Tollefson: Of course Hellen would say that. I was going to get into the color of 675 00:36:54,510 --> 00:36:57,660 Carrie Tollefson: her nails now, but we're sorry. That has to wait 676 00:36:57,660 --> 00:36:59,669 Carrie Tollefson: because we're still in the technical questions. 677 00:36:59,730 --> 00:37:00,870 Kyle Merber: No, no, it's not too technical. It's not too technical. 678 00:37:00,870 --> 00:37:00,871 Carrie Tollefson: Okay. Go. 679 00:37:00,871 --> 00:37:06,840 Kyle Merber: All right. So when you're racing here with 30,000 people, you probably 680 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:10,770 Kyle Merber: get approached a little bit and people ask for advice. 681 00:37:11,610 --> 00:37:14,940 Kyle Merber: Do you have any advice for people who are running the New 682 00:37:14,940 --> 00:37:17,370 Kyle Merber: York City half for in the future? Because now you've 683 00:37:17,370 --> 00:37:19,890 Kyle Merber: run it a couple times. You know what you're doing 684 00:37:19,890 --> 00:37:25,440 Kyle Merber: here. What's the key? This versus other races. 685 00:37:34,650 --> 00:37:51,540 Hellen Obiri: What I can advise them to focus and to be disciplined about what you are doing and to follow the right thing, don't push yourself as, just control yourself and eat well while you're there and sleep well and make sure everything's in the right place. Or then we tell it about, I want to run this time or this time because your first time you should achieve to give the finish line to like, "I want to do this time out." So trust and focus. 686 00:37:57,270 --> 00:38:00,300 Carrie Tollefson: We were on the broadcast today, Hellen. And Hellen and 687 00:38:00,300 --> 00:38:02,340 Carrie Tollefson: I go way back. We have some fun interviews and 688 00:38:02,340 --> 00:38:06,000 Carrie Tollefson: podcasts that we've done, but we were saying, " You are 689 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:09,660 Carrie Tollefson: the fastest to ever run the half- marathon here. You 690 00:38:09,660 --> 00:38:13,469 Carrie Tollefson: are the fastest to ever run the marathon here in 691 00:38:13,560 --> 00:38:16,980 Carrie Tollefson: New York City." What in the world does that feel 692 00:38:16,980 --> 00:38:20,879 Carrie Tollefson: like? I mean, that is crazy. That's a crazy fact. 693 00:38:22,319 --> 00:38:24,600 Hellen Obiri: It's awesome. It's an incredible moment. 694 00:38:24,690 --> 00:38:27,180 Carrie Tollefson: Wait, put that mic right up to your mouth because 695 00:38:27,180 --> 00:38:27,541 Carrie Tollefson: we got to hear this. 696 00:38:27,540 --> 00:38:33,299 Hellen Obiri: That was awesome moment for me and (inaudible) for me. Having the 697 00:38:33,300 --> 00:38:40,290 Hellen Obiri: post record of a marathon and then after marathon, that seems like New York has a special 698 00:38:40,290 --> 00:38:48,270 Hellen Obiri: space in my life because now I'm the only woman doing the post record 66. 699 00:38:48,480 --> 00:38:49,319 Carrie Tollefson: So fun. 700 00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:53,551 Hellen Obiri: For the marathon under 220.. 701 00:38:53,551 --> 00:38:53,552 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, 219. 702 00:38:53,552 --> 00:38:54,332 Hellen Obiri: 219. So that one's a was a moment for me. It gives you motivating me to work hard. 703 00:38:59,700 --> 00:39:03,090 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. And I know your daughter, Tanya, is probably making 704 00:39:03,090 --> 00:39:08,819 Carrie Tollefson: sure she's watching the clock too. She's on your shoulder, 705 00:39:08,820 --> 00:39:10,739 Carrie Tollefson: in your ear all the time, making sure you do 706 00:39:10,739 --> 00:39:14,341 Carrie Tollefson: everything right. Yeah. That's awesome. 707 00:39:14,341 --> 00:39:19,380 Kyle Merber: You and Sharon now have this incredible rivalry. I mean, she finished second today. 708 00:39:19,380 --> 00:39:22,170 Kyle Merber: It seems like you guys just are always neck and 709 00:39:22,170 --> 00:39:24,899 Kyle Merber: neck at the end of races. What is that like? I mean, 710 00:39:25,680 --> 00:39:28,440 Kyle Merber: you guys keep each other honest. Is it a friendly 711 00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:33,569 Kyle Merber: rivalry? Are you warm enough together? What is the, I guess, 712 00:39:33,570 --> 00:39:35,730 Kyle Merber: atmosphere like when you two are on a start line? 713 00:39:35,730 --> 00:39:38,759 Kyle Merber: Because it's so often and it always delivers. 714 00:39:39,420 --> 00:39:43,049 Hellen Obiri: Yeah, Sharon and I are very good friends. During warm up, " 715 00:39:43,049 --> 00:39:53,250 Hellen Obiri: You can do it, girl." And as you can see, girl who was standing to start, we started to go and we stop. But when you come 716 00:39:53,250 --> 00:40:02,940 Hellen Obiri: to competition, it's sports, but that shows us that there's no enmity in sports. It's all about plays. Sports 717 00:40:02,940 --> 00:40:05,580 Hellen Obiri: can bring all the kids work. And that's why I 718 00:40:05,580 --> 00:40:11,820 Hellen Obiri: used to share them from sports. So I do say it's a friendship. After sports, there's 719 00:40:11,820 --> 00:40:16,560 Hellen Obiri: life. And after competition, we say that, " Congratulations, you made 720 00:40:17,850 --> 00:40:21,029 Hellen Obiri: it." So that's why we say it's all about sports and we have to keep our friendship. 721 00:40:22,350 --> 00:40:26,460 Carrie Tollefson: Well, congratulations. Another big win for you and so fun 722 00:40:26,460 --> 00:40:28,050 Carrie Tollefson: for us to be able to call your name across 723 00:40:28,050 --> 00:40:28,440 Carrie Tollefson: the line. 724 00:40:28,620 --> 00:40:30,810 Kyle Merber: Best of luck in training prep for London. We're going to 725 00:40:30,810 --> 00:40:32,250 Kyle Merber: be excited to see what you do there next. 726 00:40:32,430 --> 00:40:33,000 Hellen Obiri: Thank you. 727 00:40:34,710 --> 00:40:36,900 Carrie Tollefson: Well, Kyle, that was pretty cool. 728 00:40:36,900 --> 00:40:39,000 Kyle Merber: Yeah. I mean, I always just like nerding out- 729 00:40:39,060 --> 00:40:39,181 Carrie Tollefson: I know. 730 00:40:39,180 --> 00:40:40,080 Kyle Merber: - opportunities. 731 00:40:40,140 --> 00:40:42,210 Carrie Tollefson: I mean, I wish we had all day with them. 732 00:40:42,210 --> 00:40:44,219 Carrie Tollefson: I could talk to them all day, but they got to get 733 00:40:44,219 --> 00:40:45,180 Carrie Tollefson: some stuff done. 734 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:48,690 Kyle Merber: Yeah. It's funny, I feel like after a half, if you're 735 00:40:48,690 --> 00:40:52,680 Kyle Merber: a winner, you actually don't feel that terrible. I'm sure 736 00:40:52,680 --> 00:40:54,540 Kyle Merber: those who did not win don't feel quite as good. 737 00:40:54,540 --> 00:40:56,940 Kyle Merber: The winners after a half, they do still have a 738 00:40:56,940 --> 00:40:57,660 Kyle Merber: lot of life in them. 739 00:40:57,719 --> 00:40:57,900 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. 740 00:40:57,960 --> 00:41:00,120 Kyle Merber: You can cool down after a marathon, there's no reason. 741 00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:02,400 Carrie Tollefson: Well, and most of them are going to stay tonight and they'll 742 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:04,710 Carrie Tollefson: run in Central Park tomorrow, get a good run in. 743 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:07,260 Kyle Merber: The competition out there, it was just some of the 744 00:41:07,260 --> 00:41:11,370 Kyle Merber: deepest fields I think we've ever seen. And Agnes strung 745 00:41:11,370 --> 00:41:13,800 Kyle Merber: it out early on the women's side, so you probably didn't 746 00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:18,840 Kyle Merber: have the full appreciation of the men, which was 14, 15 guys 747 00:41:19,020 --> 00:41:21,780 Kyle Merber: playing together through the streets the entire time. But it's 748 00:41:21,780 --> 00:41:24,989 Kyle Merber: just amazing how this is just such a standard spot 749 00:41:24,989 --> 00:41:27,540 Kyle Merber: on the calendar now for all the athletes. It's perfectly 750 00:41:27,540 --> 00:41:29,550 Kyle Merber: situated for a spring marathon in the buildup. 751 00:41:30,840 --> 00:41:33,870 Carrie Tollefson: It really is, really is. And as you were saying, thinking about the men, that 752 00:41:33,870 --> 00:41:36,000 Carrie Tollefson: field was so deep. The women, they had a deep 753 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:38,430 Carrie Tollefson: field too, but I would think the men had probably 754 00:41:38,430 --> 00:41:41,790 Carrie Tollefson: the deepest field that we've seen maybe ever here. And 755 00:41:42,150 --> 00:41:44,160 Carrie Tollefson: it did look like at times where we had a 756 00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:47,070 Carrie Tollefson: bunch of newbies and then a bunch of veterans. There 757 00:41:47,070 --> 00:41:50,219 Carrie Tollefson: weren't a lot of guys that have done five, 10. 758 00:41:50,730 --> 00:41:53,790 Carrie Tollefson: They're either their second or third half- marathon or their 759 00:41:53,790 --> 00:41:57,870 Carrie Tollefson: first like Grant Fisher or they were veterans. So it 760 00:41:57,870 --> 00:41:59,759 Carrie Tollefson: was really interesting. And I think I just heard some 761 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:00,750 Carrie Tollefson: champagne get popped. 762 00:42:00,750 --> 00:42:01,140 Kyle Merber: Yeah. 763 00:42:01,140 --> 00:42:01,650 Carrie Tollefson: Did you hear that? 764 00:42:01,650 --> 00:42:02,219 Kyle Merber: Rightfully so. 765 00:42:03,150 --> 00:42:04,560 Carrie Tollefson: But yeah, Grant Fisher, let's just touch on him a little bit. 766 00:42:05,670 --> 00:42:10,020 Kyle Merber: I mean, so Grant, I believe finished 14th today, was 767 00:42:10,020 --> 00:42:13,260 Kyle Merber: in that lead pack for the large majority of the 768 00:42:13,260 --> 00:42:17,790 Kyle Merber: race, sat back. We never really saw him upfront taking 769 00:42:17,790 --> 00:42:20,640 Kyle Merber: too much of the win, but it's a good learning 770 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:23,040 Kyle Merber: experience. I know he didn't have the perfect buildup into 771 00:42:23,040 --> 00:42:25,890 Kyle Merber: this. And so for him to come out, get a 772 00:42:25,890 --> 00:42:30,060 Kyle Merber: feeler and learn, I do think that we often make 773 00:42:30,060 --> 00:42:31,830 Kyle Merber: this mistake of saying, " Well, you've run fast on the 774 00:42:31,830 --> 00:42:35,190 Kyle Merber: track, so it's a perfect translation." And even though Grant 775 00:42:35,190 --> 00:42:38,130 Kyle Merber: has run well in cross before, it's still a learning 776 00:42:38,130 --> 00:42:43,320 Kyle Merber: experience. And I think he probably comes away from today 777 00:42:43,320 --> 00:42:45,540 Kyle Merber: with a lot of lessons to take into the next 778 00:42:45,540 --> 00:42:46,170 Kyle Merber: future build. 779 00:42:46,290 --> 00:42:49,980 Carrie Tollefson: Totally. So much respect for the distance and just great 780 00:42:49,980 --> 00:42:52,320 Carrie Tollefson: races all around. All four of the races in the 30, 781 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:54,689 Carrie Tollefson: 000 plus behind it was pretty cool. 782 00:42:54,719 --> 00:42:56,880 Kyle Merber: Yeah. I have such appreciation for people like Hellen and 783 00:42:56,880 --> 00:42:59,640 Kyle Merber: Adriaan who are of that mindset of just like, they'll 784 00:42:59,640 --> 00:43:04,590 Kyle Merber: race anything, anytime, anywhere, any surface. And to see someone 785 00:43:04,590 --> 00:43:08,130 Kyle Merber: who's historically been a track specialist like Grant, I don't 786 00:43:08,130 --> 00:43:11,460 Kyle Merber: think that you have to, when you taste the roads, 787 00:43:11,460 --> 00:43:13,649 Kyle Merber: commit, you can go back and forth with a half. 788 00:43:13,650 --> 00:43:16,919 Kyle Merber: And so we're seeing it more and more. It's a 789 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:19,590 Kyle Merber: good way to spend the winter as well as you're 790 00:43:19,590 --> 00:43:21,870 Kyle Merber: running the big miles anyway. So you might as well put them to use. 791 00:43:21,900 --> 00:43:25,080 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, mix it up. And also to Daniel and Eden. 792 00:43:25,080 --> 00:43:28,500 Carrie Tollefson: I mean, for me, maybe the most fun was seeing 793 00:43:28,500 --> 00:43:31,410 Carrie Tollefson: how emotional Daniel was after to see him back. We 794 00:43:31,440 --> 00:43:33,239 Carrie Tollefson: love this sport. All of us, no matter if you're 795 00:43:33,239 --> 00:43:36,509 Carrie Tollefson: racing, part of the staff, whatever it is, there is 796 00:43:36,510 --> 00:43:38,700 Carrie Tollefson: a true family and I think that's what he missed 797 00:43:38,700 --> 00:43:41,160 Carrie Tollefson: the most. And that was pretty cool. And then Eden, 798 00:43:41,160 --> 00:43:44,310 Carrie Tollefson: just to see the fire and the determination she has to 799 00:43:44,310 --> 00:43:48,180 Carrie Tollefson: be on top, she has such a great resume already. 800 00:43:48,450 --> 00:43:50,400 Carrie Tollefson: She could go home today and retire and she'd be 801 00:43:50,610 --> 00:43:52,680 Carrie Tollefson: one of the best we've ever seen. But for her 802 00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:54,900 Carrie Tollefson: to say, " No, I want to win." And we need 803 00:43:54,900 --> 00:43:56,580 Carrie Tollefson: to get her a sponsor and we need to keep 804 00:43:56,580 --> 00:43:59,489 Carrie Tollefson: rooting for her because she is a bright hope in that 805 00:43:59,489 --> 00:44:00,330 Carrie Tollefson: wheelchair division. 806 00:44:01,530 --> 00:44:04,320 Kyle Merber: Yeah. I think the thing that the wheelchair athletes bring is those stories. 807 00:44:04,350 --> 00:44:04,650 Carrie Tollefson: Yes. 808 00:44:04,739 --> 00:44:08,580 Kyle Merber: And they're so motivating. They could be translated from their 809 00:44:08,580 --> 00:44:11,010 Kyle Merber: experiences when Daniel overcame to make it back to the start 810 00:44:11,010 --> 00:44:16,080 Kyle Merber: line to all of us. And we just don't appreciate 811 00:44:16,140 --> 00:44:19,259 Kyle Merber: as non- wheelchair athletes the technical side and how many 812 00:44:19,260 --> 00:44:22,500 Kyle Merber: things can go wrong. So just being able to make 813 00:44:22,500 --> 00:44:24,840 Kyle Merber: it to the finish line is an accomplishment in and 814 00:44:24,870 --> 00:44:25,379 Kyle Merber: of itself. 815 00:44:25,590 --> 00:44:26,041 Carrie Tollefson: It's for everyone. 816 00:44:26,041 --> 00:44:26,401 Kyle Merber: Yeah. 817 00:44:26,790 --> 00:44:29,700 Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Really cool day. Thank you for joining us. 818 00:44:29,700 --> 00:44:30,001 Kyle Merber: Yeah, it's super fun. 819 00:44:30,001 --> 00:44:34,110 Carrie Tollefson: Thanks for CITIUS MAG joining us and for the New York Roadrunners Set 820 00:44:34,110 --> 00:44:37,140 Carrie Tollefson: the Pace podcast. I'm Carrie Tollefson. This Kyle Merber. We 821 00:44:37,140 --> 00:44:40,469 Carrie Tollefson: had an awesome day at the 2026 United Airlines NYF 822 00:44:40,469 --> 00:44:41,489 Carrie Tollefson: Half. See you next year.