1 00:00:00,630 --> 00:00:03,330 Becs Gentry: You're coming back this weekend for your second time at 2 00:00:03,330 --> 00:00:03,900 Becs Gentry: Fred Lebow. 3 00:00:04,019 --> 00:00:05,490 Alex Karowski: The best race in New York. 4 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:05,821 Becs Gentry: Okay. So, talk- 5 00:00:05,821 --> 00:00:05,822 Alex Karowski: Hands down. Hands down. 6 00:00:05,821 --> 00:00:12,930 Becs Gentry: He says this. Again, this is like Alex to a nutshell. It's the dead of 7 00:00:12,930 --> 00:00:16,891 Becs Gentry: winter and he is like, " Yes, let's go." Like what? 8 00:00:16,891 --> 00:00:20,790 Alex Karowski: Like what could possibly be more New York, New York City, New 9 00:00:20,790 --> 00:00:25,350 Alex Karowski: York City running than Central Park, not just to lapse and 10 00:00:25,350 --> 00:00:28,380 Alex Karowski: change, but the hardest 13. 1 miles you could run 11 00:00:28,380 --> 00:00:29,160 Alex Karowski: in Central Park. 12 00:00:33,420 --> 00:00:37,200 Rob Simmelkjaer: Hey everybody, and welcome to a very special episode of 13 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: Set the Pace presented by Peloton, the official podcast of 14 00:00:40,740 --> 00:00:45,269 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York Road Runners. This is our 150th episode ever, 15 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:47,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: and we are thrilled to be joined by an amazing 16 00:00:47,850 --> 00:00:52,860 Rob Simmelkjaer: live audience right here. Yes. 17 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:55,081 Becs Gentry: They beat me to it. 18 00:00:55,081 --> 00:01:01,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: A great crowd here at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, 19 00:01:01,260 --> 00:01:04,560 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York. And Becs joins me here. Hello, Becs. How are you? 20 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:11,520 Becs Gentry: Hello. Thank you. Thank you. I'm great. Thanks. This was 21 00:01:11,819 --> 00:01:14,069 Becs Gentry: really, this is so fun. I love when we do 22 00:01:14,069 --> 00:01:17,280 Becs Gentry: this with a live rowdy, and I mean that in a great way, I'm English, 23 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,640 Becs Gentry: when I say that it's good. A rowdy audience. It's brilliant. 24 00:01:20,700 --> 00:01:23,369 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's phenomenal. It gives us a special energy. 25 00:01:23,370 --> 00:01:23,970 Becs Gentry: It does. 26 00:01:24,030 --> 00:01:27,780 Rob Simmelkjaer: And I can't believe we're now at 150 episodes of 27 00:01:27,780 --> 00:01:27,931 Rob Simmelkjaer: this podcast. 28 00:01:27,931 --> 00:01:28,560 Becs Gentry: I know. 29 00:01:29,100 --> 00:01:29,941 Rob Simmelkjaer: We just did our hundredth episode. 30 00:01:29,941 --> 00:01:30,331 Becs Gentry: I saw it. 31 00:01:30,870 --> 00:01:32,490 Rob Simmelkjaer: You'll recall last March. 32 00:01:32,490 --> 00:01:32,491 Becs Gentry: Yeah. 33 00:01:32,490 --> 00:01:36,480 Rob Simmelkjaer: That was at the public theater. Now, we're here with another live 34 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:41,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: audience. And think about what we've done in all of these 35 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:45,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: episodes. In 150 episodes, we've had, well, first of all, 36 00:01:45,060 --> 00:01:46,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: nine Peloton instructors on the show. 37 00:01:46,890 --> 00:01:48,840 Becs Gentry: Sorry about that, but they're fabulous. 38 00:01:49,110 --> 00:01:50,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: We got one coming on today. That's a bit of 39 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:55,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: a tease for later. We've had 15 marathon champions from 40 00:01:55,980 --> 00:01:59,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: New York to Boston to the Olympic trials, Paris, London. 41 00:01:59,730 --> 00:02:02,940 Rob Simmelkjaer: We've had 12 Paralympic athletes on the show. We've had 42 00:02:02,940 --> 00:02:05,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: more than a hundred New York Road Runners members. Let's 43 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: give it up for the members because we love those. 44 00:02:10,500 --> 00:02:13,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: We love the member moments and we've had dozens of 45 00:02:13,050 --> 00:02:17,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: race directors, celebrities, athletes, inspiring runners. So, it's been an 46 00:02:17,850 --> 00:02:21,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: amazing ride and we've had so many great conversations. So, 47 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:23,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: I just think it's been a real pleasure to be 48 00:02:23,130 --> 00:02:23,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: a part of it. 49 00:02:23,790 --> 00:02:26,130 Becs Gentry: It has. I feel like I've learnt a lot, as well. That 50 00:02:26,130 --> 00:02:30,300 Becs Gentry: may sound strange, but even today's episode. I learned so 51 00:02:30,300 --> 00:02:33,360 Becs Gentry: much from our guest on today's podcast who we spoke 52 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,180 Becs Gentry: to about things that we're involved with every day. I'm 53 00:02:36,180 --> 00:02:39,150 Becs Gentry: in the running world, Rob's in the running world, organizations that 54 00:02:39,150 --> 00:02:41,910 Becs Gentry: you work with every day and we learn things. So, 55 00:02:41,970 --> 00:02:44,429 Becs Gentry: thank you for lending us your ears and the miles, 56 00:02:44,430 --> 00:02:44,760 Becs Gentry: as well. 57 00:02:45,209 --> 00:02:49,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yes. And thank you all first and foremost for listening. 58 00:02:49,980 --> 00:02:51,450 Rob Simmelkjaer: So many of you came up to me before the 59 00:02:51,450 --> 00:02:53,668 Rob Simmelkjaer: show and talked about how you listen to the podcast. 60 00:02:53,669 --> 00:02:56,040 Rob Simmelkjaer: We appreciate that. I get that it races all the 61 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,280 Rob Simmelkjaer: time and it means a lot because it's an ongoing conversation 62 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: that we get to host that really is a conversation 63 00:03:03,210 --> 00:03:05,970 Rob Simmelkjaer: of and for the running community here in New York City 64 00:03:05,970 --> 00:03:08,669 Rob Simmelkjaer: and beyond. And we're just thrilled to get a chance 65 00:03:08,669 --> 00:03:12,419 Rob Simmelkjaer: to be the conveners of so many amazing people who run. So, 66 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:13,140 Rob Simmelkjaer: here we go. 67 00:03:13,139 --> 00:03:13,141 Becs Gentry: Here we go. Let's do it. 68 00:03:13,140 --> 00:03:17,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: We got a great episode coming up here today. I 69 00:03:17,100 --> 00:03:18,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: guess I should tease it, but first, I'm going to 70 00:03:18,690 --> 00:03:20,731 Rob Simmelkjaer: talk about the Fred Lebow half- marathon, which is coming up. 71 00:03:20,731 --> 00:03:20,821 Becs Gentry: Fred or Ted? 72 00:03:21,750 --> 00:03:24,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: Fred. It's the Fred Lebow. I never said Ted. 73 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:25,139 Becs Gentry: I did. I did. 74 00:03:25,350 --> 00:03:27,600 Rob Simmelkjaer: Someone, maybe it was you, once called him Ted Lebow. 75 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:29,611 Becs Gentry: It was me. Yeah. It was me. Because we were talking to Ted. 76 00:03:29,611 --> 00:03:29,612 Rob Simmelkjaer: Ted Metellus probably appreciated that. 77 00:03:29,612 --> 00:03:34,290 Becs Gentry: Well, Ted Metellus was sitting next to me that's why I said it. I got very 78 00:03:34,290 --> 00:03:36,300 Becs Gentry: confused and then I felt like a fool. 79 00:03:37,380 --> 00:03:39,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: Well, I'm sure Ted Metellus loved that. Any comparison or 80 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,390 Rob Simmelkjaer: confusion with Fred Lebow is a good thing if you're 81 00:03:42,390 --> 00:03:45,090 Rob Simmelkjaer: the race director of the New York City Marathon. So, okay, 82 00:03:45,090 --> 00:03:48,330 Rob Simmelkjaer: who's running the Fred Lebow half this weekend? Anybody? Let's 83 00:03:48,330 --> 00:03:51,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: hear some noise. Make some noise. All right, we got 84 00:03:51,270 --> 00:03:54,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: a good group of people. Of course, this race honors 85 00:03:54,150 --> 00:03:57,600 Rob Simmelkjaer: the Fred Lebow. It is the first half- marathon of 86 00:03:57,600 --> 00:03:59,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: the year for us every year at New York Road 87 00:03:59,850 --> 00:04:03,330 Rob Simmelkjaer: Runners. It is the race that I always give such 88 00:04:03,330 --> 00:04:05,970 Rob Simmelkjaer: props and respect to people who take this race on 89 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,390 Rob Simmelkjaer: every year for so many reasons. First of all, it 90 00:04:09,390 --> 00:04:12,720 Rob Simmelkjaer: is the dead of winter. It is January. When you 91 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: sign up for this race last year, you have no 92 00:04:15,210 --> 00:04:17,279 Rob Simmelkjaer: idea what kind of weather you're going to be getting. 93 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:19,200 Becs Gentry: Probably the summer, you're probably like, " I'm feeling so fit 94 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,890 Becs Gentry: and great and tan and woo." And then, this week 95 00:04:22,890 --> 00:04:24,960 Becs Gentry: rolls around and you're like, " Ooh boy." 96 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,140 Rob Simmelkjaer: You are not tan. You are not tan. You are 97 00:04:28,140 --> 00:04:31,230 Rob Simmelkjaer: not feeling great. So, you could get a nice mild 98 00:04:31,230 --> 00:04:33,450 Rob Simmelkjaer: day. You could get a brutal day. You could get 99 00:04:33,450 --> 00:04:34,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: snow. A lot of things could happen. 100 00:04:35,250 --> 00:04:35,969 Becs Gentry: Yeah. A lot of bad days. 101 00:04:36,060 --> 00:04:38,339 Rob Simmelkjaer: But one thing that we know you're going to get 102 00:04:38,370 --> 00:04:43,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: is two times around Central Park, including three times up 103 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:47,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: Harlem Hill, three times up Harlem Hill, which is why 104 00:04:47,130 --> 00:04:50,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: I have never run the Fred Lebow half. And so, 105 00:04:50,910 --> 00:04:53,010 Rob Simmelkjaer: I really want to give props. 106 00:04:53,010 --> 00:04:53,070 Becs Gentry: So, next year- 107 00:04:53,790 --> 00:04:56,550 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Yeah, no, probably not next year. But I want 108 00:04:56,550 --> 00:04:59,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: to give props to everybody who is running. We hope 109 00:04:59,580 --> 00:05:02,310 Rob Simmelkjaer: we get good weather and that we know it's always a 110 00:05:02,310 --> 00:05:04,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: fun day honoring our great co- founder, Fred Lebow. 111 00:05:05,220 --> 00:05:06,510 Becs Gentry: Well, good luck, everybody. 112 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,239 Rob Simmelkjaer: Good luck. All right. Coming up on this episode of 113 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: Set the Pace, we're going to have Hospital for Special 114 00:05:11,790 --> 00:05:15,390 Rob Simmelkjaer: Surgeries, Cathy Wysin joining us to give us some advice 115 00:05:15,570 --> 00:05:19,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: about how to handle that Fred Lebow half- marathon, including 116 00:05:19,170 --> 00:05:21,510 Rob Simmelkjaer: all those ups and downs on all those hills. And 117 00:05:21,510 --> 00:05:23,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: then later in the show, do you want to tease this 118 00:05:23,850 --> 00:05:26,039 Rob Simmelkjaer: because this is a colleague of yours who we know 119 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:26,940 Rob Simmelkjaer: you're excited to talk to? 120 00:05:26,940 --> 00:05:30,810 Becs Gentry: Absolutely. Later in the show, we have an amazing colleague 121 00:05:30,810 --> 00:05:35,039 Becs Gentry: of mine who is a very well- rounded athlete. You 122 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:39,300 Becs Gentry: may know him as possibly our tallest Peloton instructor. You 123 00:05:39,300 --> 00:05:42,479 Becs Gentry: may know him because of his short shorts that he 124 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,001 Becs Gentry: wears or wonderful legs, have you (inaudible) . 125 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:47,279 Rob Simmelkjaer: Is that something to be known for, the short shorts? 126 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:47,368 Becs Gentry: Yes. 127 00:05:47,369 --> 00:05:50,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: Is that a good thing? Okay. I guess if you've got the legs to pull 128 00:05:50,220 --> 00:05:50,730 Rob Simmelkjaer: it off. 129 00:05:50,730 --> 00:05:54,060 Becs Gentry: You need to watch one of Alex's rowing classes because 130 00:05:54,060 --> 00:05:58,230 Becs Gentry: they aren't just shorts. He turned up in denim style 131 00:05:58,290 --> 00:06:01,260 Becs Gentry: shorts once. I will give him credit. He's an athlete. 132 00:06:01,260 --> 00:06:04,469 Becs Gentry: They weren't actually denim, but they were looked like denim. Anyhow- 133 00:06:04,500 --> 00:06:05,221 Rob Simmelkjaer: We're going to dig into that when it comes up. 134 00:06:05,221 --> 00:06:08,279 Becs Gentry: It is. Alex Karowski will be with us to talk 135 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,310 Becs Gentry: all things running, maybe a little rowing and everything else 136 00:06:11,310 --> 00:06:13,920 Becs Gentry: that's happened for him quite recently, which has been a 137 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,920 Becs Gentry: lot to everyone. Peloton is taking running and race tech 138 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,250 Becs Gentry: to the next level with the new Peloton cross- training 139 00:06:20,250 --> 00:06:25,050 Becs Gentry: series, Tread Plus, powered by Peloton IQ. Built for runners 140 00:06:25,140 --> 00:06:28,140 Becs Gentry: who want top tier performance, the Tread Plus helps you 141 00:06:28,140 --> 00:06:32,640 Becs Gentry: train smarter and get race ready with precision. Peloton IQ 142 00:06:32,940 --> 00:06:36,870 Becs Gentry: offers personalized insights that evolve as you progress, so you 143 00:06:36,870 --> 00:06:40,110 Becs Gentry: can fine tune your pacing and peak at the right 144 00:06:40,110 --> 00:06:43,830 Becs Gentry: moment. And with strength workouts designed to build the muscle 145 00:06:43,830 --> 00:06:46,950 Becs Gentry: you need to support every mile, your training goes beyond 146 00:06:46,950 --> 00:06:51,239 Becs Gentry: the run. Plus, pace target classes designed to build consistency, 147 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:55,320 Becs Gentry: boost speed, and improve your splits. Every single run supports 148 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,800 Becs Gentry: your full training cycle, from recovery miles to challenging race 149 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:04,200 Becs Gentry: pace intervals. Experience our most advanced tread yet at onepeloton. 150 00:07:04,529 --> 00:07:09,120 Becs Gentry: com. Peloton, the official digital fitness partner of New York 151 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:09,690 Becs Gentry: Road Runners. 152 00:07:09,990 --> 00:07:14,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: Let's start with Cathy Wysin. She's a physical therapist, a DPT as well 153 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:18,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: from Hospital for Special Surgery, our great partners over at 154 00:07:18,150 --> 00:07:21,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: HSS. Cathy is a physical therapist with a passion for 155 00:07:21,690 --> 00:07:26,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: sports medicine and orthopedic injury rehabilitation, something that some of 156 00:07:26,220 --> 00:07:29,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: us know a little bit about in this room, injury rehabilitation. 157 00:07:29,790 --> 00:07:33,990 Rob Simmelkjaer: She competed in collegiate volleyball, coached at the high school 158 00:07:33,990 --> 00:07:37,050 Rob Simmelkjaer: and college levels, and she's an avid runner who's completed 159 00:07:37,050 --> 00:07:41,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: multiple marathons, including over 70 New York Road Runners races. 160 00:07:41,130 --> 00:07:42,660 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, how about a hand for Cathy Wysin? 161 00:07:42,660 --> 00:07:43,470 Becs Gentry: Wow. 162 00:07:45,810 --> 00:07:48,900 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, Cathy, you are no stranger to running New York 163 00:07:48,900 --> 00:07:53,970 Rob Simmelkjaer: Road Runners races. You've run 72 since 2015. You're a 164 00:07:53,970 --> 00:07:57,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: six star finisher, as we mentioned. How does this experience 165 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: as a runner help you figure out how to fix 166 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:04,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: runners and keep us from getting broken in the first 167 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:06,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: place? Because that's really what you're here to talk about. 168 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,120 Cathy Wysin: I would say with all that history, I've made a 169 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,150 Cathy Wysin: lot of mistakes. I've made a lot of errors with 170 00:08:12,150 --> 00:08:15,450 Cathy Wysin: training. I've over- trained. I've done everything that they tell 171 00:08:15,450 --> 00:08:18,420 Cathy Wysin: us not to do. I don't follow training plans. I 172 00:08:18,420 --> 00:08:22,080 Cathy Wysin: don't respect tapering. I don't do strength training. And so, 173 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,110 Cathy Wysin: all of that's actually have led to injuries and overuse 174 00:08:25,110 --> 00:08:28,620 Cathy Wysin: injuries and either being sidelined or missing races or running 175 00:08:28,620 --> 00:08:33,179 Cathy Wysin: injured. So, I've done everything wrong. However, I think being 176 00:08:33,179 --> 00:08:35,940 Cathy Wysin: a runner and being a physical therapist, I've really been 177 00:08:35,940 --> 00:08:38,910 Cathy Wysin: able to share some of those experiences like, " Hey, here's 178 00:08:38,910 --> 00:08:41,550 Cathy Wysin: why you have to strength train. Here's why you have 179 00:08:41,550 --> 00:08:43,319 Cathy Wysin: to taper because if you don't, you're going to be 180 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,320 Cathy Wysin: like me sitting home and missing the race." Because at 181 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,179 Cathy Wysin: the end of the day, my philosophy is we want 182 00:08:48,179 --> 00:08:50,070 Cathy Wysin: to get you to the start line healthy. We want 183 00:08:50,070 --> 00:08:52,080 Cathy Wysin: to give you the best race and being a runner 184 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,650 Cathy Wysin: really helps me relate to patients because I've been in 185 00:08:55,650 --> 00:08:57,750 Cathy Wysin: your shoes and just as I want to get out 186 00:08:57,750 --> 00:08:59,190 Cathy Wysin: there to the next race, I want them to get 187 00:08:59,190 --> 00:09:00,360 Cathy Wysin: out there to the next race. 188 00:09:00,780 --> 00:09:03,150 Becs Gentry: That's very interesting. As a coach, I was covering my 189 00:09:03,150 --> 00:09:04,709 Becs Gentry: ears with all the things you don't do, but as a 190 00:09:04,710 --> 00:09:05,970 Becs Gentry: runner, I- 191 00:09:05,970 --> 00:09:07,020 Cathy Wysin: I've done everything wrong. 192 00:09:07,020 --> 00:09:07,710 Becs Gentry: Absolutely. 193 00:09:07,740 --> 00:09:08,309 Cathy Wysin: I don't listen- 194 00:09:08,309 --> 00:09:08,370 Becs Gentry: Yeah. 195 00:09:08,370 --> 00:09:13,201 Rob Simmelkjaer: Hopefully, just once, right? You've done them all wrong once, then you learned. 196 00:09:13,201 --> 00:09:13,202 Becs Gentry: Just once. 197 00:09:13,202 --> 00:09:13,203 Cathy Wysin: Just once. 198 00:09:13,203 --> 00:09:13,203 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's the idea, right? 199 00:09:13,203 --> 00:09:14,130 Becs Gentry: One handful of times. 200 00:09:14,130 --> 00:09:14,760 Cathy Wysin: Exactly. 201 00:09:15,300 --> 00:09:18,090 Becs Gentry: But I hear you. I'm not exactly the same. There 202 00:09:18,090 --> 00:09:20,940 Becs Gentry: are some things, but I do find it's sometimes easier 203 00:09:20,940 --> 00:09:23,880 Becs Gentry: to do as I say, not as I do in 204 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:29,610 Becs Gentry: that situation. So, with your experience, good and bad here, 205 00:09:30,690 --> 00:09:34,950 Becs Gentry: how would you get our runners to prepare for a 206 00:09:34,950 --> 00:09:39,480 Becs Gentry: race like Fred Lebow? Because they're coming out of winter, hard 207 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,179 Becs Gentry: coring there right now, but they're coming off the holiday 208 00:09:42,179 --> 00:09:44,550 Becs Gentry: break. Well, maybe we took our foot off the gas, 209 00:09:44,550 --> 00:09:48,030 Becs Gentry: maybe we taped it a little too early, maybe we 210 00:09:48,030 --> 00:09:51,480 Becs Gentry: just haven't really done much about that injury that has 211 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,990 Becs Gentry: been nagging us. It's a hilly course that can exasperate 212 00:09:54,990 --> 00:10:00,059 Becs Gentry: so much cardio, skeletal, muscular injuries. How would you tell 213 00:10:00,059 --> 00:10:01,110 Becs Gentry: people to tackle this? 214 00:10:01,500 --> 00:10:03,329 Cathy Wysin: I give them a lot of credit for running this 215 00:10:03,330 --> 00:10:07,470 Cathy Wysin: race. I've never run it for all of those reasons. 216 00:10:07,980 --> 00:10:10,199 Cathy Wysin: I think it's the only race I haven't run, but 217 00:10:10,410 --> 00:10:15,120 Cathy Wysin: it's a really challenging course. So, I hate hills. One 218 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:16,410 Cathy Wysin: of the things I say is you really have to 219 00:10:16,410 --> 00:10:19,979 Cathy Wysin: be mindful with running the hills. Make hills be your 220 00:10:19,980 --> 00:10:22,890 Cathy Wysin: friend if you can. And so, the biggest piece of 221 00:10:22,890 --> 00:10:26,880 Cathy Wysin: advice I give is focus on your effort and not 222 00:10:26,940 --> 00:10:30,570 Cathy Wysin: pace. So, your pace is likely going to slow down 223 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:32,250 Cathy Wysin: on the way up. So, you want to focus on 224 00:10:32,250 --> 00:10:36,179 Cathy Wysin: things like your breathing. How are you feeling? So, whatever effort 225 00:10:36,179 --> 00:10:38,459 Cathy Wysin: you're running at leading up to that hill, you actually 226 00:10:38,460 --> 00:10:41,040 Cathy Wysin: want to continue that for the hill if you can 227 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,410 Cathy Wysin: on the way up. You're going to slow down. People 228 00:10:43,410 --> 00:10:46,380 Cathy Wysin: are going to pass you, but it's okay because you're 229 00:10:46,380 --> 00:10:47,670 Cathy Wysin: going to get to the top of the hill a 230 00:10:47,670 --> 00:10:50,309 Cathy Wysin: little bit more energized and then the bottom of the 231 00:10:50,309 --> 00:10:51,660 Cathy Wysin: hill is going to help you the rest of the 232 00:10:51,660 --> 00:10:53,790 Cathy Wysin: way. So, you really, I think in a race like 233 00:10:53,790 --> 00:10:55,679 Cathy Wysin: this, because not only do you have to run the 234 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,110 Cathy Wysin: hills a couple times, you really want to focus on 235 00:10:58,110 --> 00:11:00,780 Cathy Wysin: your effort so that you don't gass yourself out by 236 00:11:00,780 --> 00:11:02,010 Cathy Wysin: the time you get to the top of the hill 237 00:11:02,010 --> 00:11:04,770 Cathy Wysin: because you've got a lot of hills to climb. 238 00:11:05,070 --> 00:11:05,160 Becs Gentry: Yeah. 239 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:08,429 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, we all know that loop, right? You get to 240 00:11:08,429 --> 00:11:11,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: the top of Harlem Hill, you know you're there, you 241 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: get a little bit of a chance to catch your 242 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:18,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: breath. Then before you know it, you're going downhill. And it's 243 00:11:18,870 --> 00:11:23,370 Rob Simmelkjaer: interesting the different approaches people take to running downhill. I 244 00:11:23,370 --> 00:11:27,900 Rob Simmelkjaer: have always been someone who runs very aggressively downhill. I 245 00:11:27,900 --> 00:11:31,530 Rob Simmelkjaer: let gravity do its thing. I do not hold myself 246 00:11:31,530 --> 00:11:35,309 Rob Simmelkjaer: back. I actually find that sometimes, I lengthen my strides 247 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:40,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: and it does end up sometimes giving me decent results 248 00:11:40,170 --> 00:11:44,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: in hilly courses because I'm used to that method of 249 00:11:44,460 --> 00:11:48,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: getting up, recovering going down. Is that recommended? What do 250 00:11:48,210 --> 00:11:51,449 Rob Simmelkjaer: you tell people to do on the downhill? We don't 251 00:11:51,450 --> 00:11:52,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: talk about that very much. 252 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:53,000 Becs Gentry: Be honest. 253 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:53,002 Cathy Wysin: (inaudible) Be honest. 254 00:11:53,340 --> 00:11:53,400 Becs Gentry: Yeah. 255 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:57,059 Cathy Wysin: So, I actually think going downhill is a lot harder 256 00:11:57,330 --> 00:12:02,070 Cathy Wysin: than going uphill because you have to control going downhill. 257 00:12:02,070 --> 00:12:04,620 Cathy Wysin: Gravity is really going to take you forward. And if 258 00:12:04,620 --> 00:12:08,309 Cathy Wysin: you're not in control, you can actually set yourself up 259 00:12:08,309 --> 00:12:11,850 Cathy Wysin: for expending way too much energy and possibly some injuries, 260 00:12:11,850 --> 00:12:15,750 Cathy Wysin: as well. So, we really actually encourage people slightly lean 261 00:12:15,750 --> 00:12:19,530 Cathy Wysin: forward. A lot of people like to ease back and 262 00:12:19,530 --> 00:12:21,660 Cathy Wysin: break, and that's actually going to cause them to pound 263 00:12:21,660 --> 00:12:24,120 Cathy Wysin: the pavement a little bit harder. So, you really want 264 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:27,780 Cathy Wysin: to lean into gravity, lean into the hill. The other 265 00:12:27,780 --> 00:12:29,850 Cathy Wysin: thing we tend to say is to try not to 266 00:12:29,850 --> 00:12:33,030 Cathy Wysin: overstride. It's hard not to because you get to the 267 00:12:33,030 --> 00:12:35,520 Cathy Wysin: top of the hill and you're like, " Yes, I'm just 268 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:37,470 Cathy Wysin: going to take off." But the other thing that can 269 00:12:37,470 --> 00:12:40,380 Cathy Wysin: happen is if you really do overstride, sometimes, you're out 270 00:12:40,380 --> 00:12:42,630 Cathy Wysin: of control. You can't really control things as much as 271 00:12:42,630 --> 00:12:45,090 Cathy Wysin: you want and you may end up landing more on 272 00:12:45,090 --> 00:12:47,520 Cathy Wysin: your heels. And that puts a lot of pressure and 273 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:51,480 Cathy Wysin: force through those legs. So, we tend to encourage shorter 274 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:54,420 Cathy Wysin: strides, landing underneath you, a little bit of a faster 275 00:12:54,450 --> 00:12:58,020 Cathy Wysin: cadence, leaning forward, arms out to your side and relaxing 276 00:12:58,020 --> 00:12:59,730 Cathy Wysin: a little bit so that you can be in control. 277 00:12:59,940 --> 00:13:02,130 Cathy Wysin: I think going downhill is so much harder because you 278 00:13:02,130 --> 00:13:05,370 Cathy Wysin: really do want to let loose, but you really do 279 00:13:05,370 --> 00:13:07,140 Cathy Wysin: have to stay a little bit of controlled. 280 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:09,990 Becs Gentry: Yep. I feel like you feel it more in your 281 00:13:09,990 --> 00:13:10,471 Becs Gentry: legs, your knees... 282 00:13:10,471 --> 00:13:10,472 Cathy Wysin: Your knees. 283 00:13:10,472 --> 00:13:13,590 Becs Gentry: ... If you have any residual knee pains from anything in the past, 284 00:13:13,590 --> 00:13:16,050 Becs Gentry: you're going to feel it more, low back, as well. 285 00:13:16,170 --> 00:13:18,570 Becs Gentry: That pounding that if you're heel striking on the way 286 00:13:18,570 --> 00:13:21,780 Becs Gentry: down, you're overextending through your hamstrings. It's more likely to 287 00:13:21,780 --> 00:13:22,650 Becs Gentry: just feel that pop in the hamstring. 288 00:13:22,980 --> 00:13:25,770 Cathy Wysin: It's really easy to overstride and take off because I 289 00:13:25,770 --> 00:13:28,200 Cathy Wysin: think for a lot of people, we're so mindful of 290 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:30,750 Cathy Wysin: the uphill and really focusing on effort. I think a 291 00:13:30,750 --> 00:13:32,520 Cathy Wysin: lot of runners do that really well, but then we 292 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:34,830 Cathy Wysin: really want to take off on the downhill. People have 293 00:13:34,830 --> 00:13:36,750 Cathy Wysin: passed us. I know I've done it. I want to 294 00:13:36,750 --> 00:13:40,290 Cathy Wysin: pass everybody, but you really can set yourself up for 295 00:13:40,290 --> 00:13:42,270 Cathy Wysin: a little bit more injury, a little bit more discomfort 296 00:13:42,300 --> 00:13:44,851 Cathy Wysin: if you tend to overstride consistently and take off. 297 00:13:44,851 --> 00:13:45,211 Becs Gentry: Yeah. 298 00:13:45,690 --> 00:13:46,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah, that's me. 299 00:13:46,770 --> 00:13:49,350 Cathy Wysin: I've done it, too. That's one of the mistakes. 300 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:52,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's funny. Sometimes, it works for me. Sometimes, it doesn't. 301 00:13:52,290 --> 00:13:52,891 Cathy Wysin: And I'm the same way. 302 00:13:52,891 --> 00:13:53,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's just- 303 00:13:53,460 --> 00:13:55,530 Becs Gentry: This is a good race to remember though that what goes down 304 00:13:55,530 --> 00:13:59,400 Becs Gentry: must go back up. So, you can't really gass yourself 305 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:01,050 Becs Gentry: too much on the way down because you're going to go around 306 00:14:01,050 --> 00:14:01,620 Becs Gentry: that corner and there's no- 307 00:14:01,620 --> 00:14:03,660 Cathy Wysin: This is also why I've never run this race. 308 00:14:03,660 --> 00:14:08,970 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Cathy, are there hill workouts that you recommend people do, 309 00:14:08,970 --> 00:14:11,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: whether it's getting ready for the Fred Lebow half or 310 00:14:11,460 --> 00:14:14,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: obviously the NYC half, which has no shortage of hills 311 00:14:14,580 --> 00:14:15,240 Rob Simmelkjaer: there either? 312 00:14:15,929 --> 00:14:18,059 Cathy Wysin: Yeah. I think some of the easiest things you can 313 00:14:18,059 --> 00:14:21,030 Cathy Wysin: do is start mixing in some hills throughout your regular 314 00:14:21,030 --> 00:14:23,070 Cathy Wysin: runs. They don't have to be steep hills, but some 315 00:14:23,070 --> 00:14:25,110 Cathy Wysin: gentle inclines. Anything when you notice there's a little bit 316 00:14:25,110 --> 00:14:29,520 Cathy Wysin: of change into your terrain. Strength training is also going 317 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,130 Cathy Wysin: to be key here, as well. I like to mix 318 00:14:32,130 --> 00:14:35,130 Cathy Wysin: in some hill sprints. I don't love them, but I 319 00:14:35,130 --> 00:14:37,950 Cathy Wysin: feel like they're beneficial. So, I usually find a hill 320 00:14:37,950 --> 00:14:40,500 Cathy Wysin: in my neighborhood. I do like a mile, mile and 321 00:14:40,500 --> 00:14:42,060 Cathy Wysin: a half warm up to the hill, a little bit 322 00:14:42,060 --> 00:14:44,700 Cathy Wysin: of dynamic stretching. And then I do some 20 to 30 second 323 00:14:44,700 --> 00:14:51,150 Cathy Wysin: hill sprints a couple times jogging back down just to 324 00:14:51,150 --> 00:14:53,010 Cathy Wysin: get my hill workouts in. But I really think it 325 00:14:53,010 --> 00:14:55,920 Cathy Wysin: is beneficial, especially for your regular runs, not to run 326 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:57,930 Cathy Wysin: on all level terrain because most races aren't going to 327 00:14:57,930 --> 00:15:00,720 Cathy Wysin: be on level terrain. So, I think having some incline, 328 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:03,150 Cathy Wysin: some hills throughout your regular runs is a great way 329 00:15:03,150 --> 00:15:05,640 Cathy Wysin: to start getting acclimated to the up and down terrain. 330 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:09,810 Becs Gentry: Yeah. Are there any specific warmups that you would suggest 331 00:15:09,810 --> 00:15:11,790 Becs Gentry: that people might do ahead of a hilly race? 332 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:16,590 Cathy Wysin: Yeah. I like a dynamic warmup. So, maybe I usually 333 00:15:16,590 --> 00:15:18,630 Cathy Wysin: do a mile jog and then I do some butt kicks, 334 00:15:18,630 --> 00:15:23,160 Cathy Wysin: some lunges, I do some hamstrings, skipping, high knees, just 335 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:26,010 Cathy Wysin: anything to really work quads and glutes, all of those 336 00:15:26,010 --> 00:15:28,380 Cathy Wysin: larger muscle groups, calves that are really what you're going 337 00:15:28,380 --> 00:15:30,420 Cathy Wysin: to use to propel you up the hill, but also 338 00:15:30,420 --> 00:15:32,220 Cathy Wysin: going to help you stay controlled on the way down. 339 00:15:33,150 --> 00:15:35,310 Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. Well, good luck to all you folks taking 340 00:15:35,310 --> 00:15:39,480 Rob Simmelkjaer: on the Fred Lebow half or the United Airlines NYC 341 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:43,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: half. They're all obviously challenging. It's a half- marathon, so 342 00:15:43,020 --> 00:15:45,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: none of them are easy, but some are harder than 343 00:15:45,270 --> 00:15:47,940 Rob Simmelkjaer: others and that's definitely a hard one. Okay. So, Cathy, 344 00:15:47,940 --> 00:15:51,810 Rob Simmelkjaer: we're asking all of our guests this year to reflect 345 00:15:51,810 --> 00:15:55,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: on some memories of the marathon because of course, this 346 00:15:55,020 --> 00:15:58,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: year is the 50th anniversary of the five borough New 347 00:15:58,290 --> 00:16:00,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: York City Marathon. So, we're going to ask you first, 348 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:02,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: take us back to your first memory of the New 349 00:16:02,910 --> 00:16:05,670 Rob Simmelkjaer: York City Marathon. You've run it four times. Where were 350 00:16:05,670 --> 00:16:07,500 Rob Simmelkjaer: you and what do you remember seeing or feeling? 351 00:16:08,340 --> 00:16:13,020 Cathy Wysin: So, I remember I ran it for the first time 352 00:16:13,020 --> 00:16:17,760 Cathy Wysin: in 2016. In 2015, I ran the 5K and I showed 353 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:19,500 Cathy Wysin: up at the expo to pick up my bib for 354 00:16:19,500 --> 00:16:22,320 Cathy Wysin: the 5K. And I saw all these people there at 355 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,750 Cathy Wysin: the expo that looked just like me. And I'm like, " 356 00:16:25,020 --> 00:16:27,900 Cathy Wysin: Well, if they can run the marathon, why can't I? " 357 00:16:27,990 --> 00:16:30,720 Cathy Wysin: So, I finished my nine plus one. I got in 358 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:34,320 Cathy Wysin: the following year and I was so excited. It still 359 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:36,510 Cathy Wysin: gives me chills. It was my first marathon. It was 360 00:16:36,510 --> 00:16:41,010 Cathy Wysin: my favorite marathon. And I just remember the week leading 361 00:16:41,010 --> 00:16:44,430 Cathy Wysin: up, we did all the events with my parents. I 362 00:16:44,430 --> 00:16:47,550 Cathy Wysin: remember race morning was amazing. We had perfect weather and 363 00:16:47,550 --> 00:16:51,900 Cathy Wysin: there was nothing like crossing the finish line. And then 364 00:16:51,900 --> 00:16:55,080 Cathy Wysin: after that, I remember getting my medal engraved and that's 365 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:57,330 Cathy Wysin: what started the whole six star thing. I went to 366 00:16:57,330 --> 00:16:59,970 Cathy Wysin: the pavilion, I got my medal engraved, I got my 367 00:16:59,970 --> 00:17:01,860 Cathy Wysin: New York Times with a name there. I just thought 368 00:17:01,860 --> 00:17:03,810 Cathy Wysin: it was so cool. I also couldn't get off the 369 00:17:03,810 --> 00:17:07,859 Cathy Wysin: bench sitting outside of the pavilion and had to call 370 00:17:07,859 --> 00:17:09,629 Cathy Wysin: into work and was like, " I'm stuck on a park 371 00:17:09,630 --> 00:17:12,090 Cathy Wysin: bench. I don't know where my parents are. I can't 372 00:17:12,090 --> 00:17:15,000 Cathy Wysin: come into work the next day." But I remember going 373 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,490 Cathy Wysin: in and getting my medal engraved and my mom, who 374 00:17:17,490 --> 00:17:20,340 Cathy Wysin: has since passed away was like, "It's just so amazing to 375 00:17:20,340 --> 00:17:23,219 Cathy Wysin: do this." And she's actually the one who saw the 376 00:17:23,220 --> 00:17:26,130 Cathy Wysin: six star finisher. And I'm like, " What is that?" That is a 377 00:17:26,310 --> 00:17:31,020 Cathy Wysin: big, big medal. So, that started everything. And even though 378 00:17:31,020 --> 00:17:33,690 Cathy Wysin: I've run all these other races, there's been nothing like 379 00:17:34,230 --> 00:17:37,230 Cathy Wysin: crossing that first finish line and the crowds in New 380 00:17:37,230 --> 00:17:39,659 Cathy Wysin: York, there's nothing like them anywhere else. 381 00:17:39,660 --> 00:17:42,899 Becs Gentry: It true isn't. Absolutely isn't. Talking of the crowds, out of the 382 00:17:42,900 --> 00:17:46,200 Becs Gentry: five boroughs, is there one specific borough that sticks with you 383 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,689 Becs Gentry: from that day or any of the four day times? 384 00:17:50,250 --> 00:17:52,379 Cathy Wysin: I would say probably Manhattan and 1st Ave because that's where 385 00:17:52,380 --> 00:17:54,240 Cathy Wysin: all my friends were. For me, I didn't really know 386 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:55,919 Cathy Wysin: what to expect on race days. So, all I knew 387 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,170 Cathy Wysin: is I had to get to mile 16 on 1st Ave 388 00:17:58,170 --> 00:18:00,750 Cathy Wysin: because that's where everybody was. 389 00:18:00,930 --> 00:18:01,619 Becs Gentry: Love that. Love that. 390 00:18:01,740 --> 00:18:05,070 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's where the crowd is. There's crowds everywhere, but that 391 00:18:05,070 --> 00:18:05,850 Rob Simmelkjaer: crowd is special. 392 00:18:05,850 --> 00:18:06,180 Becs Gentry: Yeah. It's most uplifting. 393 00:18:06,180 --> 00:18:06,181 Cathy Wysin: Yeah, absolutely. 394 00:18:06,181 --> 00:18:06,721 Becs Gentry: I agree. 395 00:18:07,710 --> 00:18:08,311 Rob Simmelkjaer: Cathy, thank you so much... 396 00:18:08,311 --> 00:18:08,311 Becs Gentry: Thank you. 397 00:18:08,311 --> 00:18:08,312 Cathy Wysin: Thank you, guys. 398 00:18:08,312 --> 00:18:11,879 Rob Simmelkjaer: ... For joining us on Set the Pace for getting our runners ready... 399 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:12,001 Cathy Wysin: Thank you. 400 00:18:12,001 --> 00:18:17,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: ... For the spring races ahead. Cathy Wysin from HSS, 401 00:18:17,100 --> 00:18:20,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: The Hospital for Special Surgery. New York Road Runners is 402 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:24,480 Rob Simmelkjaer: a nonprofit organization with a vision to build healthier lives 403 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:28,439 Rob Simmelkjaer: and stronger communities through the transformative power of running. The 404 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:31,590 Rob Simmelkjaer: support of members and donors like you helps us achieve 405 00:18:31,590 --> 00:18:34,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: our mission to transform the health and wellbeing of our 406 00:18:34,710 --> 00:18:39,780 Rob Simmelkjaer: communities through inclusive and accessible running experiences, empowering all to 407 00:18:39,780 --> 00:18:45,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: achieve their potential. Learn more and contribute at nyrr. org/ 408 00:18:45,060 --> 00:18:48,930 Rob Simmelkjaer: donate. Our next guest is someone well known to all 409 00:18:48,930 --> 00:18:52,859 Rob Simmelkjaer: of our Peloton listeners out there, someone whose running life 410 00:18:52,859 --> 00:18:56,490 Rob Simmelkjaer: has expanded in multiple directions since he last joined us 411 00:18:56,490 --> 00:18:58,619 Rob Simmelkjaer: on Set the Pace, an episode which I was sad 412 00:18:58,619 --> 00:19:03,990 Rob Simmelkjaer: to miss. Alex Karowski is a Peloton row instructor and 413 00:19:03,990 --> 00:19:07,169 Rob Simmelkjaer: an Olympic rower who represented the United States in the 414 00:19:07,170 --> 00:19:10,230 Rob Simmelkjaer: Men's Eight at the Rio Games and later served as 415 00:19:10,230 --> 00:19:13,260 Rob Simmelkjaer: an alternate for the Tokyo Olympics, as well. And since 416 00:19:13,260 --> 00:19:16,530 Rob Simmelkjaer: he last appeared on this show in August of 2024, 417 00:19:16,710 --> 00:19:20,490 Rob Simmelkjaer: he's run the TCS New York City Marathon twice, added 418 00:19:20,490 --> 00:19:25,109 Rob Simmelkjaer: strong performances at the 2025 Fred Lebow half and the 419 00:19:25,109 --> 00:19:28,560 Rob Simmelkjaer: United Airlines NYC half. And this weekend, he'll tow the 420 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:32,730 Rob Simmelkjaer: line again for his second Fred Lebow half in Central 421 00:19:32,730 --> 00:19:36,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: Park. Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for Alex Karowski. 422 00:19:36,750 --> 00:19:43,470 Becs Gentry: And he's wearing trousers everyone. He's wearing trousers. 423 00:19:43,470 --> 00:19:44,669 Alex Karowski: There's no mention of the shorts this time. No. Thank you very much. Thank you. It's very, very fun to be here. 424 00:19:48,690 --> 00:19:51,869 Becs Gentry: I can't believe it's been two years or two marathon 425 00:19:51,869 --> 00:19:56,070 Becs Gentry: cycles since you've been on the podcast. That's absurd to 426 00:19:56,070 --> 00:20:00,150 Becs Gentry: me. So, let's talk about that two years. We have 427 00:20:00,150 --> 00:20:02,520 Becs Gentry: a rivalry if you don't know, by the way. 428 00:20:04,230 --> 00:20:06,600 Alex Karowski: It's very kind for you to say it's a rivalry because- 429 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:07,678 Becs Gentry: Yeah, because you started it. 430 00:20:07,979 --> 00:20:07,980 Alex Karowski: Right. 431 00:20:07,980 --> 00:20:08,430 Becs Gentry: And I play along. 432 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:11,129 Alex Karowski: I told you, I said, " I'm going to try and 433 00:20:11,130 --> 00:20:14,280 Alex Karowski: beat you." And you said, " Okay." And there was no, " Oh, 434 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:16,980 Alex Karowski: gosh, what's your plan?" You were just like, " Okay." And I think in 435 00:20:16,980 --> 00:20:20,369 Alex Karowski: your mind, you knew I wasn't going to and haven't 436 00:20:20,369 --> 00:20:23,940 Alex Karowski: been able to, just for the record, despite getting close. 437 00:20:24,750 --> 00:20:26,700 Becs Gentry: Both times, very, very close. 438 00:20:26,730 --> 00:20:28,109 Alex Karowski: Neither time we're close. 439 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:30,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: How close? 440 00:20:30,810 --> 00:20:35,130 Alex Karowski: This year, I was 39 seconds away from her New 441 00:20:35,130 --> 00:20:38,609 Alex Karowski: York PR. That's a second and a half. It's a 442 00:20:38,609 --> 00:20:38,760 Alex Karowski: long way. 443 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:39,180 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's close. 444 00:20:39,180 --> 00:20:39,480 Alex Karowski: It's a long way. 445 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:41,820 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's pretty close though. Pretty impressive. 446 00:20:41,879 --> 00:20:44,880 Becs Gentry: The first one wasn't all you either. You dropped your fuel. 447 00:20:45,390 --> 00:20:47,850 Becs Gentry: So, that was a bit of a rookie move, buddy. 448 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:50,820 Alex Karowski: You're not making this sound like a real rivalry. You're 449 00:20:50,820 --> 00:20:54,000 Alex Karowski: supposed to be... Becs was the first person I saw 450 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:56,281 Alex Karowski: both times crossing the finish line and both times, I was- 451 00:20:56,281 --> 00:21:00,000 Becs Gentry: There's both times I've been there tracking him going, " He's 452 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:00,330 Becs Gentry: going to do it. He's going to do it. He's going to do it." 453 00:21:00,540 --> 00:21:04,170 Alex Karowski: The first year was a little scarier because the medical 454 00:21:04,170 --> 00:21:07,590 Alex Karowski: team was asking if I needed to be picked up 455 00:21:07,590 --> 00:21:09,930 Alex Karowski: and all this. And Becs was my savior. She said, " He's 456 00:21:09,930 --> 00:21:12,570 Alex Karowski: fine. He's fine. He just needs to get up." And 457 00:21:12,570 --> 00:21:13,679 Alex Karowski: then you came over and you're like, " You need to 458 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:16,080 Alex Karowski: get up. You need to get up right now. You're 459 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:18,840 Alex Karowski: not getting carted away." And I was like, "Yeah, I'm okay." This year, I did- 460 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,600 Becs Gentry: I just knew he would be really upset if he got popped 461 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:23,940 Becs Gentry: in a wheelchair and carted off the finish line, even 462 00:21:23,940 --> 00:21:26,671 Becs Gentry: though you were looking a bit peaky and- 463 00:21:26,671 --> 00:21:30,689 Alex Karowski: And carted off finish line, all that, and lost. 464 00:21:30,750 --> 00:21:33,720 Becs Gentry: Yeah. Yeah. I know I wasn't the person you wanted to 465 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,450 Becs Gentry: see in that moment, but I was there working and 466 00:21:36,450 --> 00:21:39,000 Becs Gentry: was like, " I'm going to try and just be like, 467 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,430 Becs Gentry: do you know what your name is?" " I didn't beat 468 00:21:41,430 --> 00:21:46,199 Becs Gentry: you. I'm so sorry." He apologized. I was like, " Shh, okay. 469 00:21:46,290 --> 00:21:51,780 Becs Gentry: Medics, I got this." But it's a healthy rivalry and 470 00:21:51,780 --> 00:21:56,640 Becs Gentry: something we love to banter about, but you are incredibly 471 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,790 Becs Gentry: talented as an athlete when it comes to any sport 472 00:21:59,790 --> 00:22:01,530 Becs Gentry: you put your mind to. We're blessed to have your 473 00:22:01,530 --> 00:22:04,859 Becs Gentry: parts on from rowing to bring your experience from your 474 00:22:04,859 --> 00:22:08,760 Becs Gentry: decades of time on the water, which is wild to 475 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:10,950 Becs Gentry: me. Why you go out on the water for that 476 00:22:10,950 --> 00:22:13,170 Becs Gentry: long is nuts, but anyway. 477 00:22:13,500 --> 00:22:15,480 Alex Karowski: Well, there's a lot of talk about the hills, Fred 478 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:17,159 Alex Karowski: Lebow and all this. There are no hills in rowing. 479 00:22:17,369 --> 00:22:20,909 Alex Karowski: It's flat. Sometimes, the water gets choppy, but again, no 480 00:22:20,910 --> 00:22:24,180 Alex Karowski: incline. Very difficult to ever row up a hill. So, 481 00:22:24,180 --> 00:22:26,250 Alex Karowski: just saying, throwing it out there. 482 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:31,500 Becs Gentry: Yep. Okay. So, let's talk about how you've brought a 483 00:22:31,500 --> 00:22:35,130 Becs Gentry: little bit of rowing to running and how has that 484 00:22:35,130 --> 00:22:38,280 Becs Gentry: crossover been? Because a lot of our runners, a lot of our 485 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:41,760 Becs Gentry: members weren't runners forever. Show of hands. How many of 486 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:46,469 Becs Gentry: you quite changed your path to running? Yeah, me. I 487 00:22:46,470 --> 00:22:50,040 Becs Gentry: definitely did. Yeah. We haven't all been lifelong collegiate runners. 488 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:53,910 Becs Gentry: How for you did you navigate that change from water 489 00:22:53,910 --> 00:22:55,888 Becs Gentry: to land? No one's ever said that to you before, have they? 490 00:22:58,530 --> 00:23:00,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's like you changed species or something. 491 00:23:00,060 --> 00:23:00,149 Becs Gentry: Right. 492 00:23:01,050 --> 00:23:03,390 Rob Simmelkjaer: Went from a fish to a mammal. How's that been for you? 493 00:23:03,990 --> 00:23:08,790 Alex Karowski: I lost the tail and all that, the web feet. No. I 494 00:23:08,790 --> 00:23:14,280 Alex Karowski: think there's something interesting about running, especially endurance running. Shorter 495 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:18,570 Alex Karowski: races, the pain spikes. And yes, you suffer, but you 496 00:23:18,570 --> 00:23:20,550 Alex Karowski: suffer for a little bit of time and then it 497 00:23:20,550 --> 00:23:23,490 Alex Karowski: stops. Whether that's the mile, fifth half mile, wonderful race. 498 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:26,220 Alex Karowski: You get really excited. That first little bit is downhill 499 00:23:26,220 --> 00:23:27,300 Alex Karowski: and you realize, " Oh, there's a little bit of an 500 00:23:27,300 --> 00:23:29,160 Alex Karowski: uphill." You suffer for a little bit and it's done. 501 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,590 Alex Karowski: Endurance running, half- marathons, 10K, half- marathons, obviously the marathon. 502 00:23:35,100 --> 00:23:37,740 Alex Karowski: Similar to rowing, and I'm not sure that this is 503 00:23:37,740 --> 00:23:40,950 Alex Karowski: because rowing has any long distance races, but the training 504 00:23:40,950 --> 00:23:45,359 Alex Karowski: for rowing is not terribly enjoyable. And that doesn't mean 505 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:49,470 Alex Karowski: it's not fun because I think we often conflate enjoyment 506 00:23:49,470 --> 00:23:55,230 Alex Karowski: with pleasure as opposed to it's satisfying to suffer through 507 00:23:55,410 --> 00:23:59,790 Alex Karowski: and then experience the joy. That's that satisfying feeling of 508 00:23:59,790 --> 00:24:02,760 Alex Karowski: having made it through the struggle. And I would say 509 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:06,720 Alex Karowski: that's the big thing. The rowing training translates to endurance 510 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,119 Alex Karowski: running because you do a lot of it. You're trying 511 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:11,970 Alex Karowski: to repeat, do the same thing over and over again. 512 00:24:12,180 --> 00:24:16,440 Alex Karowski: A rowing race, 2000 meters, depending on your stroke rate, 513 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:21,030 Alex Karowski: but you take between 220 and 240 strokes. I did the math 514 00:24:21,030 --> 00:24:23,879 Alex Karowski: real quick. In a marathon, if your cadence is about 515 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:29,609 Alex Karowski: 180, if your stride cadence is 180 and you are 516 00:24:29,609 --> 00:24:33,510 Alex Karowski: trying to beat Becs, you'll take just over 27,000 strikes. 517 00:24:33,540 --> 00:24:35,159 Alex Karowski: So, again, trying to do the same thing over and 518 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:38,280 Alex Karowski: over again. I like numbers. I like that. So, yeah, 519 00:24:38,310 --> 00:24:39,181 Alex Karowski: that's the crossover. 520 00:24:39,181 --> 00:24:43,649 Becs Gentry: You and Wilbs are such nerds. It's amazing. Numbers. 521 00:24:43,650 --> 00:24:44,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: It makes sense though. 522 00:24:44,550 --> 00:24:44,700 Becs Gentry: Yeah. 523 00:24:44,700 --> 00:24:47,399 Rob Simmelkjaer: It makes sense that someone coming from that background would be 524 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:49,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: very numbers- focused. 525 00:24:49,410 --> 00:24:50,070 Becs Gentry: Oh, my gosh. 526 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, I think what I just heard you say is 527 00:24:52,290 --> 00:24:56,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: that training for a marathon is pleasurable compared to training 528 00:24:56,220 --> 00:24:59,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: for an Olympic boat race. Is that accurate? 529 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:04,500 Alex Karowski: There's definitely less selection process. Getting in is one thing 530 00:25:04,500 --> 00:25:06,330 Alex Karowski: I've been very fortunate to be able to get into 531 00:25:06,330 --> 00:25:11,220 Alex Karowski: these races. But yeah, you train being in the training 532 00:25:11,220 --> 00:25:14,760 Alex Karowski: center for 11 years like I was, you have teammates 533 00:25:14,820 --> 00:25:17,639 Alex Karowski: and they're wonderful. And then you have friends and then 534 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:21,000 Alex Karowski: you have the guys who actually make it through and 535 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,220 Alex Karowski: you're on the team together. And it's different than when 536 00:25:23,220 --> 00:25:26,220 Alex Karowski: you're in college and there's a JV and a 3V and all that. 537 00:25:26,790 --> 00:25:28,649 Alex Karowski: When you're training for the Olympics, once the team is 538 00:25:28,650 --> 00:25:31,770 Alex Karowski: named, you lose half of your teammates. So, even if 539 00:25:31,770 --> 00:25:34,350 Alex Karowski: they were your friends, all that, it's like, yep, see you 540 00:25:34,410 --> 00:25:38,070 Alex Karowski: next fall or whenever that is. So, running doesn't have 541 00:25:38,070 --> 00:25:40,710 Alex Karowski: that. The marathons don't have that. And part of why 542 00:25:40,710 --> 00:25:43,770 Alex Karowski: I love the Fred Lebow so much and learning more 543 00:25:43,770 --> 00:25:46,439 Alex Karowski: about him is that his big thing when he started 544 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:48,510 Alex Karowski: New York Road Runners going all the way back, running 545 00:25:48,510 --> 00:25:51,149 Alex Karowski: in the 60s, distance running, it was this weird, speaking 546 00:25:51,150 --> 00:25:52,470 Alex Karowski: of short shorts. There you go. 547 00:25:52,470 --> 00:25:53,460 Becs Gentry: There we go. 548 00:25:53,970 --> 00:25:55,650 Rob Simmelkjaer: Short shorts were in effect back in those days for sure. 549 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,350 Alex Karowski: Very much so. And great hair. I'm very jealous of 550 00:25:58,350 --> 00:26:00,930 Alex Karowski: a lot of that late 60s, early 70s flow. 551 00:26:00,930 --> 00:26:01,411 Becs Gentry: We're going with his hair. 552 00:26:01,411 --> 00:26:03,810 Alex Karowski: Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers, all those guys. 553 00:26:04,170 --> 00:26:05,250 Becs Gentry: Summer Alex loading. 554 00:26:06,900 --> 00:26:08,850 Alex Karowski: I think I have a little more upper body heft 555 00:26:08,850 --> 00:26:11,820 Alex Karowski: than those guys did, too. But a lot of that 556 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:15,960 Alex Karowski: early stage running stuff was just going out there and 557 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:20,129 Alex Karowski: seeing what you could do. And yeah, so the fact 558 00:26:20,130 --> 00:26:23,130 Alex Karowski: that running the marathon, running these half- marathons, it's everyone 559 00:26:23,130 --> 00:26:25,889 Alex Karowski: who's out there, whether you're trying to beat Becs and 560 00:26:25,890 --> 00:26:29,490 Alex Karowski: break 237 or break four hours, break five, whatever it 561 00:26:29,490 --> 00:26:32,430 Alex Karowski: is, there's something about you're all on the same team. 562 00:26:32,670 --> 00:26:34,830 Alex Karowski: And I love getting to talk to people about their 563 00:26:34,830 --> 00:26:38,399 Alex Karowski: running journeys, their running experience, because I don't think the 564 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:42,419 Alex Karowski: speed difference makes it not feasible to be teammates in 565 00:26:42,420 --> 00:26:42,658 Alex Karowski: that way. 566 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:45,691 Becs Gentry: Yeah. Yeah. I agree with that. I agree with that. It's community. 567 00:26:45,691 --> 00:26:49,320 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. I love it. When I meet someone like you, 568 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:54,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: Alex, who obviously is a gifted athlete, I didn't have 569 00:26:54,150 --> 00:26:57,420 Rob Simmelkjaer: to read your bio to know that just from watching 570 00:26:57,420 --> 00:27:01,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: you walk in. And then I see these, and then 571 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:05,970 Rob Simmelkjaer: I see these times and your first marathon was the 2024 572 00:27:05,970 --> 00:27:10,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: TCS New York City Marathon, right? Two hours, 44 minutes, 573 00:27:10,350 --> 00:27:15,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: 15 seconds. Okay. First marathon. Then you decided to get 574 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:20,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: fast and you ran the next one in 2-3- 40. 575 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:26,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: So it really does speak to me about the fact 576 00:27:26,790 --> 00:27:30,270 Rob Simmelkjaer: that there are people who just have these gifts. It's 577 00:27:30,270 --> 00:27:33,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: an athletic gift that you have. You obviously honed it 578 00:27:33,540 --> 00:27:37,470 Rob Simmelkjaer: in the boat, right? The endurance, I'm sure your lung 579 00:27:37,470 --> 00:27:39,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: capacity, your VO2 max must be insane. Do you know 580 00:27:39,570 --> 00:27:40,080 Rob Simmelkjaer: what it is? 581 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:45,000 Alex Karowski: Becs was lucky, or excuse me. I was lucky to 582 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,010 Alex Karowski: have Becs set me up with the running VO2. It 583 00:27:47,010 --> 00:27:48,990 Alex Karowski: was a little lower than my rowing VO2, but I'm 584 00:27:48,990 --> 00:27:52,050 Alex Karowski: old now, so it's not that, compared to these new athletes. 585 00:27:53,310 --> 00:27:58,740 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, you've got this capacity, this endurance and it's amazing. 586 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:02,040 Rob Simmelkjaer: Did you know when you decided to start running that 587 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:04,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: you would be this good, this quickly? It sounds like 588 00:28:04,020 --> 00:28:05,490 Rob Simmelkjaer: you did because you were already challenging Becs. 589 00:28:08,100 --> 00:28:10,200 Alex Karowski: It's very kind for you to say I'm this good. I 590 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:12,090 Alex Karowski: want to be clear. I lost to a lot of 591 00:28:12,090 --> 00:28:16,260 Alex Karowski: people in these marathons and I love reading the paper 592 00:28:16,260 --> 00:28:18,119 Alex Karowski: the next day and seeing the list and they print 593 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:21,150 Alex Karowski: all of that. And I guess this is maybe a testament 594 00:28:21,150 --> 00:28:23,100 Alex Karowski: to some of my rowing, like I said, teammates and 595 00:28:23,100 --> 00:28:26,490 Alex Karowski: friends. Some of my rowing friends, I got pictures of 596 00:28:26,490 --> 00:28:28,500 Alex Karowski: my name in the paper and they're like, " Yo, you 597 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:33,300 Alex Karowski: weren't even top 300. You were really far back." And 598 00:28:33,300 --> 00:28:37,200 Alex Karowski: they've never run a marathon or anything. So, I guess 599 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:41,520 Alex Karowski: I like that the challenge of completing a marathon, the 600 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,670 Alex Karowski: challenge of training for a marathon, all of those things 601 00:28:44,670 --> 00:28:48,720 Alex Karowski: that are so challenging, it's fun to see if you 602 00:28:48,750 --> 00:28:53,190 Alex Karowski: can do it. And again, I'm very fortunate, very lucky 603 00:28:53,190 --> 00:28:55,770 Alex Karowski: to work at Peloton where it would be weird if 604 00:28:55,770 --> 00:28:58,050 Alex Karowski: I were showing up to work and like, " Oh, I 605 00:28:58,050 --> 00:29:00,780 Alex Karowski: don't really feel like working out today." What are you doing 606 00:29:00,780 --> 00:29:02,761 Alex Karowski: here? So, getting to have- 607 00:29:02,761 --> 00:29:04,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: That could threaten your job security, I imagine. 608 00:29:06,030 --> 00:29:10,800 Alex Karowski: Very true. But yes, I feel lucky to get to challenge 609 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:12,210 Alex Karowski: myself in this running way. 610 00:29:12,390 --> 00:29:15,570 Becs Gentry: Yeah, it is. It's something that grips you. I think 611 00:29:15,570 --> 00:29:21,510 Becs Gentry: from rowing the displeasure of a 2K, I've never done one 612 00:29:21,510 --> 00:29:23,790 Becs Gentry: on the water, but I can only imagine having tried 613 00:29:23,790 --> 00:29:26,490 Becs Gentry: to do one on land on a rowing machine, by the 614 00:29:26,490 --> 00:29:30,120 Becs Gentry: way, not just a run. It's not fun, but that 615 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:34,650 Becs Gentry: pain, pleasure situation got you hooked. So, let's talk about 616 00:29:34,650 --> 00:29:38,100 Becs Gentry: the half versus the full. You've done a few halves 617 00:29:38,100 --> 00:29:41,340 Becs Gentry: now. You're coming back this weekend for your second time 618 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:41,581 Becs Gentry: at Fred Lebow. 619 00:29:41,581 --> 00:29:45,061 Alex Karowski: The best race in New York, hands down. Hands down. 620 00:29:45,061 --> 00:29:47,550 Becs Gentry: Okay, so talk... He says this. And again, this is 621 00:29:47,730 --> 00:29:51,690 Becs Gentry: like Alex to a nutshell, it's the dead of winter 622 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:55,200 Becs Gentry: and he is like, " Yes, let's go." Like what? 623 00:29:55,290 --> 00:29:58,770 Alex Karowski: What could possibly be more New York, New York City, 624 00:29:58,770 --> 00:30:03,060 Alex Karowski: New York City running Then Central Park, not just to 625 00:30:03,090 --> 00:30:06,150 Alex Karowski: lapse and change, but the hardest 13. 1 miles you 626 00:30:06,150 --> 00:30:10,410 Alex Karowski: could run in Central Park. All of it just screams 627 00:30:10,740 --> 00:30:13,830 Alex Karowski: the best and it is. And you can take the 628 00:30:13,830 --> 00:30:16,350 Alex Karowski: subway there, you can take city bike up there, you 629 00:30:16,350 --> 00:30:18,989 Alex Karowski: can obviously take a cat, whatever it is. And then 630 00:30:18,990 --> 00:30:21,000 Alex Karowski: you're in the park last year, I don't know if 631 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:24,150 Alex Karowski: this is too much information, but I biked up. I 632 00:30:24,270 --> 00:30:26,820 Alex Karowski: had worn my warm stuff over. I took it off. 633 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:29,310 Alex Karowski: I hid it behind a rock and I was fully 634 00:30:29,310 --> 00:30:31,440 Alex Karowski: prepared for it to not be there afterwards. I did 635 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:32,611 Alex Karowski: my warmup loop in the- 636 00:30:32,611 --> 00:30:34,530 Rob Simmelkjaer: No, we have baggage check, right? 637 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:35,431 Alex Karowski: Yes, but- 638 00:30:35,431 --> 00:30:36,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's an option. 639 00:30:36,900 --> 00:30:39,780 Alex Karowski: It feels like, okay, who's going to be out here 640 00:30:39,780 --> 00:30:44,580 Alex Karowski: on late January scoping for weird, sweaty sweatpants, anything? 641 00:30:45,540 --> 00:30:47,700 Becs Gentry: Now you've said that, there's going to be a whole fan 642 00:30:47,700 --> 00:30:48,121 Becs Gentry: page going on. 643 00:30:48,121 --> 00:30:50,610 Alex Karowski: I will be wearing the same ones as last year. 644 00:30:50,610 --> 00:30:52,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. Look for Alex's stuff. 645 00:30:53,970 --> 00:30:57,210 Alex Karowski: But it's such a fun race. There's a couple thousand 646 00:30:57,210 --> 00:31:01,830 Alex Karowski: people, which I know pales in comparison to 59, 000 and 647 00:31:01,830 --> 00:31:04,020 Alex Karowski: change that run the TCS New York City Marathon. But 648 00:31:04,350 --> 00:31:06,660 Alex Karowski: it's just one of those weekends, one of those mornings 649 00:31:06,660 --> 00:31:08,760 Alex Karowski: that... And last year, it was nice. I've done it 650 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:11,340 Alex Karowski: exactly once and now, this will be the second time. But I don't 651 00:31:11,340 --> 00:31:14,550 Alex Karowski: know. I felt very lucky to be doing what I 652 00:31:14,550 --> 00:31:17,280 Alex Karowski: was doing with these people in the park. And there 653 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:19,200 Alex Karowski: were other people in the park that weren't running the 654 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:22,440 Alex Karowski: race that were like, " Yeah, go for it. This is 655 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:25,230 Alex Karowski: your second lap." And they're not really paying attention, but 656 00:31:25,230 --> 00:31:29,100 Alex Karowski: they are tuned into what's happening. So, it's the best. Yeah. 657 00:31:30,090 --> 00:31:33,300 Rob Simmelkjaer: I love the enthusiasm. That is phenomenal. And by the 658 00:31:33,300 --> 00:31:38,070 Rob Simmelkjaer: way, as impressive as your marathon times are, 1-15- 21 was 659 00:31:38,070 --> 00:31:43,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: his time in the Fred Lebow half last year. Arguably more 660 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:47,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: impressive, I think, actually, a time like that going around 661 00:31:47,130 --> 00:31:50,100 Rob Simmelkjaer: Central Park. So, what's your approach to the Fred Lebow 662 00:31:50,100 --> 00:31:53,610 Rob Simmelkjaer: half? How do you attack it? We were just talking with 663 00:31:53,940 --> 00:31:57,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: our friend from HSS about how to handle the hills. 664 00:31:57,240 --> 00:31:59,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: You made the joke there are no hills in rowing. 665 00:31:59,130 --> 00:32:02,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, how do you approach the hills in running? Do 666 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:05,910 Rob Simmelkjaer: you go full steam up the hills? Do you just 667 00:32:05,910 --> 00:32:08,220 Rob Simmelkjaer: try to survive and advance? What do you do? 668 00:32:08,730 --> 00:32:11,400 Alex Karowski: Survive and Advance, another great documentary. I'd say Run For 669 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:15,060 Alex Karowski: Your Life, the Fred Lebow documentary about wonderful. If you 670 00:32:15,060 --> 00:32:18,060 Alex Karowski: have 96 minutes to spend, I don't think you can 671 00:32:18,060 --> 00:32:21,480 Alex Karowski: spend it better. I recently rewatched it and I watched it last 672 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:24,660 Alex Karowski: year and watched it. Rob, I'm with you. I like going up 673 00:32:24,660 --> 00:32:27,720 Alex Karowski: the hill and then getting to the top. And just as everyone's 674 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:30,719 Alex Karowski: taken that slight pullback of the throttle, you're like, " Screw 675 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:32,850 Alex Karowski: it. I don't need these knees or these quads." No. 676 00:32:32,850 --> 00:32:33,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: Attack. 677 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:37,080 Alex Karowski: That was my goal last year and it worked great 678 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:39,420 Alex Karowski: for the first... Well, this was for the marathon. It 679 00:32:39,420 --> 00:32:42,600 Alex Karowski: worked great for the first 15 and a half miles. Turns out 680 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:46,500 Alex Karowski: those last 10 and a half also count. So, in 681 00:32:46,980 --> 00:32:49,950 Alex Karowski: the Fred Lebow, which was of course just over two 682 00:32:49,950 --> 00:32:54,360 Alex Karowski: months after that 2024 marathon, I tried to be a 683 00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:57,540 Alex Karowski: little more, not conservative, but aware of what I was 684 00:32:57,540 --> 00:33:00,840 Alex Karowski: doing from an energy expenditure. And Cathy talked about it, 685 00:33:00,870 --> 00:33:04,620 Alex Karowski: of relying on effort going up the hills. And then 686 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:08,790 Alex Karowski: simultaneously going downhill, effort- wise, you can go a lot 687 00:33:08,790 --> 00:33:11,700 Alex Karowski: faster and you're breathing, just keep that. And yes, don't 688 00:33:11,700 --> 00:33:14,370 Alex Karowski: go the overbounding so that you slam your quads and all of 689 00:33:14,460 --> 00:33:19,590 Alex Karowski: that, especially as a larger runner, I would say. Overstriding 690 00:33:19,620 --> 00:33:24,150 Alex Karowski: definitely hurts, but on those uphills, register your pace. And 691 00:33:24,150 --> 00:33:27,660 Alex Karowski: then similarly on the downhills, you can go faster and 692 00:33:27,660 --> 00:33:30,570 Alex Karowski: be mindful of how much faster it's going to give you. 693 00:33:31,380 --> 00:33:34,770 Becs Gentry: There we go. I remember last year, you did a couple 694 00:33:34,770 --> 00:33:38,790 Becs Gentry: of tuneup runs in the park. And again, this is 695 00:33:38,790 --> 00:33:42,030 Becs Gentry: Alex numbers guy. He knows his pace by the second, 696 00:33:42,030 --> 00:33:46,050 Becs Gentry: by the feel. And you basically did two laps, I 697 00:33:46,050 --> 00:33:48,360 Becs Gentry: think, a couple of weeks before the Fred Lebow last 698 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:53,220 Becs Gentry: year and you were like, " I've got this. I've got..." You were 699 00:33:53,220 --> 00:33:56,640 Becs Gentry: just dialed. You were so dialed in of like, " This 700 00:33:56,640 --> 00:33:58,860 Becs Gentry: is going to be great." And it was, you did 701 00:33:58,860 --> 00:34:02,970 Becs Gentry: fantastically well in that race, but you'd practiced it. You'd 702 00:34:02,970 --> 00:34:05,520 Becs Gentry: gone out there and it says a lot of like 703 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:10,890 Becs Gentry: you have to show up to practice what you're going 704 00:34:10,890 --> 00:34:14,400 Becs Gentry: to go in to do your best at. You can't 705 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:18,900 Becs Gentry: just practice on flat road or little hills. A bump 706 00:34:18,930 --> 00:34:22,350 Becs Gentry: in the road isn't a hill, especially not Harlem Hill, 707 00:34:22,739 --> 00:34:25,560 Becs Gentry: and you prove that. You were out there most weekends 708 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:27,600 Becs Gentry: being like, "I'm going to get on this damn course and 709 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:30,840 Becs Gentry: I am going to do loops of this treacherous, treacherous 710 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:34,050 Becs Gentry: course." So, I'm so prepared when it comes to it 711 00:34:34,050 --> 00:34:36,450 Becs Gentry: because if you've never done it before, you're going to 712 00:34:36,450 --> 00:34:38,400 Becs Gentry: go around a couple of those bends in Central Park. 713 00:34:38,430 --> 00:34:40,350 Becs Gentry: You're going to think those hills are done and you're 714 00:34:40,350 --> 00:34:42,390 Becs Gentry: going to be so mad when you turn the corner 715 00:34:42,390 --> 00:34:43,469 Becs Gentry: and that hill keeps going. 716 00:34:45,029 --> 00:34:46,229 Alex Karowski: Yeah. The whole east side is- 717 00:34:48,569 --> 00:34:48,570 Becs Gentry: The holy side. 718 00:34:48,569 --> 00:34:48,629 Alex Karowski: Yeah, yeah. 719 00:34:49,050 --> 00:34:53,250 Becs Gentry: But have you done something like that this year? From 720 00:34:53,250 --> 00:34:55,590 Becs Gentry: the TCS New York City Marathon to the Fred Lebow 721 00:34:55,860 --> 00:35:01,110 Becs Gentry: time zone considering you've had a rather large life change 722 00:35:01,230 --> 00:35:04,710 Becs Gentry: in that time, he's a new dad, everybody. 723 00:35:06,630 --> 00:35:09,569 Alex Karowski: To be clear, I did very little work. Just my 724 00:35:09,570 --> 00:35:11,100 Alex Karowski: wife gave birth. Yes. 725 00:35:12,029 --> 00:35:14,370 Becs Gentry: The work's now. The work has been the last two months. 726 00:35:16,230 --> 00:35:18,210 Alex Karowski: I think the nice thing about running, especially running in 727 00:35:18,210 --> 00:35:21,029 Alex Karowski: New York is getting up early in the morning. You 728 00:35:21,030 --> 00:35:23,430 Alex Karowski: know the routes to go over to the west side 729 00:35:23,430 --> 00:35:26,730 Alex Karowski: highway, up, crossing, go into the park. And one of 730 00:35:26,730 --> 00:35:29,370 Alex Karowski: the biggest differences, I'm just going to sidestep the whole 731 00:35:29,670 --> 00:35:32,279 Alex Karowski: having a kid now because he's a blob. So, I 732 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:34,980 Alex Karowski: can't take him for runs. He helps with some of 733 00:35:34,980 --> 00:35:38,341 Alex Karowski: the scheduling purposes, but otherwise, he's a consumer right now. 734 00:35:38,341 --> 00:35:40,380 Rob Simmelkjaer: Have you done the stroller push around the park yet? 735 00:35:40,380 --> 00:35:42,540 Alex Karowski: Not yet. He's still working on his head. 736 00:35:42,690 --> 00:35:43,770 Rob Simmelkjaer: Still too tiny, right? 737 00:35:43,860 --> 00:35:44,040 Alex Karowski: Yeah. 738 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:44,759 Rob Simmelkjaer: Heads bobbing around. 739 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:47,400 Alex Karowski: It's embarrassing. He's two months and isn't reading, isn't walking. 740 00:35:47,670 --> 00:35:50,939 Alex Karowski: We'll get there. I have all the stats. We're doing 741 00:35:50,940 --> 00:35:52,770 Alex Karowski: diaper tracking. We're doing weights. Yeah. 742 00:35:52,770 --> 00:35:54,540 Becs Gentry: Baby weights. 743 00:35:54,989 --> 00:35:59,009 Alex Karowski: But from a running standpoint, so much of my training 744 00:35:59,010 --> 00:36:03,180 Alex Karowski: difference from last year to this year was getting to 745 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:07,350 Alex Karowski: the course. Also, including the marathon course, doing the Queens 746 00:36:07,350 --> 00:36:11,250 Alex Karowski: Borough Bridge multiple times. One of the best and worst 747 00:36:11,250 --> 00:36:14,549 Alex Karowski: workouts I've ever done was a 10 by Queens Borough Bridge 748 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:17,340 Alex Karowski: over and back and then jogged back. It was a 749 00:36:17,340 --> 00:36:19,530 Alex Karowski: long run. It was a long run. However, and I 750 00:36:19,530 --> 00:36:21,960 Alex Karowski: know there's an upcoming question, so I'm maybe ruining this, 751 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:27,090 Alex Karowski: but my favorite borough this year was Queens because getting 752 00:36:27,090 --> 00:36:27,750 Alex Karowski: to the bridge. 753 00:36:27,750 --> 00:36:27,930 Becs Gentry: We see why. 754 00:36:30,090 --> 00:36:36,029 Alex Karowski: Very few spectators/ no spectators when you're on the bridge. 755 00:36:36,810 --> 00:36:40,560 Alex Karowski: And the collective sci of pain and misery of the group 756 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:43,380 Alex Karowski: that I was with gave me this, and this is again going to 757 00:36:43,380 --> 00:36:45,450 Alex Karowski: paint me, but I do wear fun short shorts. I'm 758 00:36:45,450 --> 00:36:49,500 Alex Karowski: a fun guy. Their collective sigh of (inaudible) and 759 00:36:49,500 --> 00:36:52,620 Alex Karowski: just I could feel it gave me such a boost. 760 00:36:53,130 --> 00:36:55,500 Alex Karowski: And I was like, " Oh man, I know exactly what this pitch 761 00:36:55,500 --> 00:36:59,100 Alex Karowski: is going to be like. " And it was so exciting to be on that 762 00:36:59,100 --> 00:37:01,890 Alex Karowski: bridge doing that. The final mile and a half where 763 00:37:01,890 --> 00:37:03,420 Alex Karowski: I knew I wasn't going to beat Becs, I was like, " 764 00:37:03,420 --> 00:37:05,160 Alex Karowski: Man, I should have stayed with those guys. I should 765 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:08,489 Alex Karowski: have acted up." But in that moment, Queens Borough Bridge, 766 00:37:08,550 --> 00:37:08,850 Alex Karowski: love it. 767 00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:12,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: People have very different reactions to that stretch of the 768 00:37:12,750 --> 00:37:15,629 Rob Simmelkjaer: marathon. We've got people who say it almost ended their 769 00:37:15,630 --> 00:37:19,049 Rob Simmelkjaer: marathon and people who get a boost from it. There's 770 00:37:19,050 --> 00:37:21,660 Rob Simmelkjaer: different ways to approach that. So, glad you're a fan. 771 00:37:21,660 --> 00:37:24,960 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's a beautiful thing. So, you're now not just teaching 772 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:28,320 Rob Simmelkjaer: at Peloton on the rowers, but you started teaching on 773 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,529 Rob Simmelkjaer: the Tread, as well. You've joined Becs in the Tread 774 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:36,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: teaching community. What's that like for you? How do you 775 00:37:36,060 --> 00:37:40,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: translate what you've learned as a fairly new runner to 776 00:37:40,290 --> 00:37:41,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: the people who are now running with you on the 777 00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:42,570 Rob Simmelkjaer: Tread at Peloton? 778 00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:46,560 Alex Karowski: I just copy all of Becs' programming and I make it 779 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:49,170 Alex Karowski: slightly harder. No, that's not true. It's way easier. Becs' 780 00:37:49,170 --> 00:37:52,290 Alex Karowski: classes, I just took a 60- minute class of yours today 781 00:37:52,290 --> 00:37:52,590 Alex Karowski: and it's great. 782 00:37:52,590 --> 00:37:53,009 Becs Gentry: He moved swiftly on. 783 00:37:54,390 --> 00:38:02,670 Alex Karowski: I find that part of the major appeal of the 784 00:38:02,670 --> 00:38:06,299 Alex Karowski: Peloton platform, in general, is that even when you're by 785 00:38:06,300 --> 00:38:10,380 Alex Karowski: yourself, alone on the treadmill, I've tried running with my 786 00:38:10,380 --> 00:38:12,960 Alex Karowski: brother, two people on one treadmill. It was an excel 787 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:15,360 Alex Karowski: one. I don't recommend it. Not a safety thing at 788 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:19,589 Alex Karowski: all. When you're alone on not the Peloton tread. When 789 00:38:19,590 --> 00:38:22,980 Alex Karowski: you're alone on a treadmill, but you're taking a Peloton 790 00:38:22,980 --> 00:38:25,770 Alex Karowski: class, regardless of whether or not it's live and there's 791 00:38:25,770 --> 00:38:29,610 Alex Karowski: people there, there's that leaderboard there and getting to see 792 00:38:29,610 --> 00:38:33,540 Alex Karowski: the other people's metrics, not from a competitive standpoint, just 793 00:38:33,540 --> 00:38:38,700 Alex Karowski: from a shared suffering, being in that moment of, " This 794 00:38:38,700 --> 00:38:41,100 Alex Karowski: isn't fun, I'm not having fun. They're telling me to 795 00:38:41,100 --> 00:38:44,430 Alex Karowski: go to 4% incline. We're 26 minutes into this class. 796 00:38:44,489 --> 00:38:48,390 Alex Karowski: Why am I doing this?" It dulls that why question 797 00:38:48,390 --> 00:38:50,340 Alex Karowski: because you know these other people are doing it, too. 798 00:38:50,730 --> 00:38:54,660 Alex Karowski: And that's what I've tried to bring at least somewhat 799 00:38:54,660 --> 00:38:58,680 Alex Karowski: to my coaching, teaching, instructing on the Peloton tread. I 800 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:01,109 Alex Karowski: don't know if I've gotten it to the level that 801 00:39:01,110 --> 00:39:04,680 Alex Karowski: others have, but that idea of, yes, you're doing this 802 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:07,319 Alex Karowski: by yourself and no, I am not going to change the 803 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:09,660 Alex Karowski: knobs for you and force you to do anything, but 804 00:39:10,140 --> 00:39:12,390 Alex Karowski: we are together in some way. 805 00:39:12,390 --> 00:39:15,810 Becs Gentry: That's a beautiful way of putting it. Well done. They 806 00:39:15,810 --> 00:39:21,810 Becs Gentry: can use auto, as well, whether it does actually do it for you anyways, not sales pitch. It's 807 00:39:21,810 --> 00:39:24,120 Becs Gentry: funny you said that you copy my classes because since 808 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:27,150 Becs Gentry: you came on the podcast, I've joined rowing and I 809 00:39:27,150 --> 00:39:28,890 Becs Gentry: copy all of your classes on rowing. So, there we go. 810 00:39:29,550 --> 00:39:32,969 Alex Karowski: Again, no hills. There's no knobs to change in rowing. 811 00:39:32,969 --> 00:39:34,201 Alex Karowski: You're just effort. Yeah. 812 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:39,420 Becs Gentry: No. But talking of the crossover, how do you compare 813 00:39:39,420 --> 00:39:43,259 Becs Gentry: the training when it comes to... It's very different. I 814 00:39:43,260 --> 00:39:47,370 Becs Gentry: think outside rowing, obviously, it sounds so silly of me 815 00:39:47,370 --> 00:39:47,551 Becs Gentry: to say that. 816 00:39:47,551 --> 00:39:47,552 Alex Karowski: On the water. 817 00:39:47,552 --> 00:39:53,280 Becs Gentry: On the water, thank you, to indoor rowing. But there 818 00:39:53,280 --> 00:39:55,980 Becs Gentry: is still a big disparity between outdoor running and indoor 819 00:39:55,980 --> 00:39:58,440 Becs Gentry: running. So, when it comes to you for your training, 820 00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:01,200 Becs Gentry: your real- life running versus your Peloton running, your real- 821 00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:04,589 Becs Gentry: life rowing versus your Peloton rowing, how is that now 822 00:40:04,770 --> 00:40:08,610 Becs Gentry: square of disciplines working for you as a coach and 823 00:40:08,610 --> 00:40:09,300 Becs Gentry: as an athlete? 824 00:40:10,860 --> 00:40:13,860 Alex Karowski: I know Rob's mentioned this. I do love numbers. I love 825 00:40:13,860 --> 00:40:18,839 Alex Karowski: the data and the indoor training, winter months, spending time 826 00:40:18,840 --> 00:40:21,210 Alex Karowski: on the tread. It's one thing to be outside with 827 00:40:21,210 --> 00:40:23,460 Alex Karowski: your watch and yes, you can have markers. And part 828 00:40:23,460 --> 00:40:25,020 Alex Karowski: of the reason I love Central Park is because you 829 00:40:25,020 --> 00:40:28,200 Alex Karowski: know these distances so well. So, you can almost not 830 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:30,239 Alex Karowski: rely on the GPS and you can just look at 831 00:40:30,239 --> 00:40:33,960 Alex Karowski: the time and know your splits. Being on the treadmill, 832 00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:36,690 Alex Karowski: being on an indoor rowing machine, a lot of crossover 833 00:40:36,690 --> 00:40:40,950 Alex Karowski: in the time, your split, your pacing, your stroke rate. 834 00:40:41,250 --> 00:40:44,100 Alex Karowski: I know we don't have a stride sensor or anything 835 00:40:44,100 --> 00:40:47,670 Alex Karowski: yet. There's nothing in the works there. I'm sorry. I 836 00:40:47,670 --> 00:40:49,950 Alex Karowski: just wish there were. Maybe I can make the future 837 00:40:49,950 --> 00:40:52,980 Alex Karowski: if I say it into existence, but being able to 838 00:40:52,980 --> 00:40:56,460 Alex Karowski: have all of that right there and contained makes a big 839 00:40:56,460 --> 00:41:00,779 Alex Karowski: difference for especially endurance distance training. Yeah. 840 00:41:01,410 --> 00:41:03,480 Rob Simmelkjaer: I'm going to totally go off- topic as I sometimes 841 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:06,060 Rob Simmelkjaer: do on this podcast because I'm just really curious, what's 842 00:41:06,060 --> 00:41:10,710 Rob Simmelkjaer: it like in the boat? How many guys were in 843 00:41:10,710 --> 00:41:12,540 Rob Simmelkjaer: the boat with you in the Olympics? 844 00:41:13,530 --> 00:41:13,770 Alex Karowski: Eight. 845 00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:16,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: Eight. So, that's the big boat. That's the biggest boat 846 00:41:16,020 --> 00:41:16,950 Rob Simmelkjaer: they have in the Olympics, right? 847 00:41:16,950 --> 00:41:17,399 Alex Karowski: It is. 848 00:41:17,489 --> 00:41:21,750 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, what is that like? You're in this, you got eight guys who 849 00:41:21,750 --> 00:41:26,790 Rob Simmelkjaer: all have to row perfectly in sync pretty much. If 850 00:41:26,790 --> 00:41:28,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: you're out of sync, something's going to go wrong typically, 851 00:41:28,980 --> 00:41:32,219 Rob Simmelkjaer: right? Do you have a sense in the middle of 852 00:41:32,219 --> 00:41:35,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: a race of like how it's going? Can you see 853 00:41:35,130 --> 00:41:37,469 Rob Simmelkjaer: all the other boats and where you are compared to 854 00:41:37,469 --> 00:41:41,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: them? And what is that experience like? And somebody's yelling 855 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:44,069 Rob Simmelkjaer: at you, " Stroke, stroke." You got to make sure that 856 00:41:44,070 --> 00:41:45,989 Rob Simmelkjaer: that's the, what are they called again? 857 00:41:46,290 --> 00:41:46,411 Alex Karowski: The coxswain. 858 00:41:46,411 --> 00:41:47,399 Rob Simmelkjaer: The coxswain. Thank you. 859 00:41:47,489 --> 00:41:47,610 Alex Karowski: Yep. 860 00:41:47,670 --> 00:41:47,671 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yes. What is that like? 861 00:41:47,671 --> 00:41:55,200 Alex Karowski: Okay. Being in the eight at the Olympics coming in 862 00:41:55,200 --> 00:41:57,989 Alex Karowski: fourth, did I know we were going to get fourth 863 00:41:57,989 --> 00:42:00,000 Alex Karowski: at the start? No. Did I know we weren't going 864 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:02,730 Alex Karowski: to win at the thousand- meter mark? Yes. So, when 865 00:42:02,730 --> 00:42:06,270 Alex Karowski: your coxswain's telling you, and their job is tough because 866 00:42:06,450 --> 00:42:10,200 Alex Karowski: in rowing, even in, so there's sweep rowing and sculling, 867 00:42:10,469 --> 00:42:12,810 Alex Karowski: sweep rowing is one person, one ore. So, I'm a 868 00:42:12,810 --> 00:42:15,690 Alex Karowski: starboard. I go this way. The smallest boat in sweep 869 00:42:15,690 --> 00:42:17,339 Alex Karowski: rowing, we don't have time to do a history of 870 00:42:17,580 --> 00:42:18,690 Alex Karowski: rowing. I'm so sorry. 871 00:42:18,690 --> 00:42:19,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: Sure. It's interesting. So, when you were in the boat... 872 00:42:19,170 --> 00:42:19,171 Alex Karowski: I did the- 873 00:42:19,171 --> 00:42:19,172 Rob Simmelkjaer: ... You had one ore responsible boat? 874 00:42:19,172 --> 00:42:26,310 Alex Karowski: Yeah, so the eight... The sweep rowing is the pair, the four, and the 875 00:42:26,310 --> 00:42:29,010 Alex Karowski: eight. So, obviously, you have a port and a starboard in the pair, 876 00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:31,589 Alex Karowski: two ports, two starboards in the four, four and four 877 00:42:31,590 --> 00:42:31,771 Alex Karowski: in the eight. 878 00:42:31,771 --> 00:42:34,230 Rob Simmelkjaer: I do know this. Port is left. 879 00:42:34,770 --> 00:42:34,860 Alex Karowski: Yes. 880 00:42:34,860 --> 00:42:35,730 Rob Simmelkjaer: Starboard is right. 881 00:42:35,730 --> 00:42:35,851 Alex Karowski: There you go. 882 00:42:35,850 --> 00:42:37,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's the one thing I know. Thank you very much. 883 00:42:37,800 --> 00:42:38,969 Alex Karowski: No, that is absolutely- 884 00:42:39,090 --> 00:42:39,331 Becs Gentry: Did you know they had that in a rowing boat though? 885 00:42:39,331 --> 00:42:41,670 Rob Simmelkjaer: I'm going for the podcast. I'm finished. What's that? 886 00:42:41,670 --> 00:42:43,260 Becs Gentry: Did you know they had that in a rowing boat though? 887 00:42:43,530 --> 00:42:46,020 Rob Simmelkjaer: I guess I knew. In all boats, I guess they thought they had that, but you're not. 888 00:42:46,620 --> 00:42:47,430 Alex Karowski: Yeah, important. 889 00:42:47,550 --> 00:42:50,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. So, you got one. Which side is your aura? 890 00:42:50,910 --> 00:42:52,500 Alex Karowski: I rode on starboard side. 891 00:42:52,530 --> 00:42:52,891 Rob Simmelkjaer: Okay, got it. 892 00:42:52,891 --> 00:42:54,779 Alex Karowski: So, my blade went out, my ore went out to 893 00:42:54,780 --> 00:42:58,560 Alex Karowski: the right side of the boat. To your question about 894 00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:02,700 Alex Karowski: being in sync and all of that, yes. And I was 895 00:43:02,700 --> 00:43:04,980 Alex Karowski: given the book, The Boys in the Boat. It's a well- 896 00:43:04,980 --> 00:43:05,701 Alex Karowski: known rowing boat now. 897 00:43:05,700 --> 00:43:05,880 Rob Simmelkjaer: Great book. 898 00:43:06,180 --> 00:43:08,670 Alex Karowski: Rowing book. Great book. I was given that book four 899 00:43:08,670 --> 00:43:11,580 Alex Karowski: times before I finally read it. Nothing against the story, 900 00:43:11,580 --> 00:43:14,820 Alex Karowski: all that. University of Washington, still the most dominant men's 901 00:43:14,820 --> 00:43:17,760 Alex Karowski: rowing program in the country, phenomenal coaching staff, a lot 902 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:22,920 Alex Karowski: of Olympians have come out there. The least impressive thing 903 00:43:22,920 --> 00:43:25,560 Alex Karowski: that Joe Rantz did, and this is hopefully not going 904 00:43:25,560 --> 00:43:28,049 Alex Karowski: to get me canceled. The least impressive thing that guy 905 00:43:28,050 --> 00:43:30,450 Alex Karowski: did in his life was win the Olympics. His life 906 00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:33,510 Alex Karowski: story from the book, from being abandoned by his family, 907 00:43:33,510 --> 00:43:36,090 Alex Karowski: his house burning down, he built the Ganges Dam and for 908 00:43:36,570 --> 00:43:38,730 Alex Karowski: 75 cents a day, instead of 35 cents a day, 909 00:43:38,730 --> 00:43:43,260 Alex Karowski: he jackhammered off the side of this thing. In that 910 00:43:43,260 --> 00:43:47,130 Alex Karowski: book, I'll bring it around. In that book, and a 911 00:43:47,130 --> 00:43:50,219 Alex Karowski: lot of people who rode in that era, and then 912 00:43:50,219 --> 00:43:53,069 Alex Karowski: even 60s and 70s, they talk about this feeling of 913 00:43:53,070 --> 00:43:56,969 Alex Karowski: swing. And we were losing by two lengths, which is 914 00:43:56,969 --> 00:44:00,210 Alex Karowski: an egregious amount to be losing by in a rowing 915 00:44:00,210 --> 00:44:02,250 Alex Karowski: race. And then they say, " We found our swing and 916 00:44:02,250 --> 00:44:05,399 Alex Karowski: took a power 10 and we won the race." That's 917 00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:09,330 Alex Karowski: impossible. That just doesn't happen. Two lengths is 60. So, 918 00:44:09,330 --> 00:44:11,700 Alex Karowski: you're talking over a hundred feet of you were down. 919 00:44:11,820 --> 00:44:14,219 Alex Karowski: In 10 strokes, you can't... Because the other boat didn't 920 00:44:14,219 --> 00:44:21,600 Alex Karowski: stop. So, it always bothered me. However, in a good 921 00:44:21,600 --> 00:44:25,710 Alex Karowski: rowing boat, which in my career, it happened exactly one 922 00:44:25,710 --> 00:44:30,300 Alex Karowski: time. It was the 2018 World Championships heat. Why it couldn't have 923 00:44:30,300 --> 00:44:31,830 Alex Karowski: happened in the final and we could have won that 924 00:44:31,830 --> 00:44:33,570 Alex Karowski: race is beyond me, but we won the heat instead 925 00:44:33,570 --> 00:44:37,290 Alex Karowski: of world championship's best time, fastest American eight ever. But again- 926 00:44:37,350 --> 00:44:37,380 Becs Gentry: Oh. 927 00:44:37,380 --> 00:44:37,560 Alex Karowski: Well, yeah. 928 00:44:37,560 --> 00:44:37,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. 929 00:44:39,390 --> 00:44:42,360 Alex Karowski: We got fourth at the world championship. So, maybe- 930 00:44:42,900 --> 00:44:43,440 Rob Simmelkjaer: Bad timing. 931 00:44:44,610 --> 00:44:49,650 Alex Karowski: In that moment, that feeling of swing, there's this sense 932 00:44:49,650 --> 00:44:52,950 Alex Karowski: of I can't not stay within the rhythm that is 933 00:44:52,950 --> 00:44:55,920 Alex Karowski: being set. And I was not in the stern of 934 00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:57,540 Alex Karowski: the boat. I was up in the bow. So, I 935 00:44:57,540 --> 00:45:00,510 Alex Karowski: could see everyone. And it didn't matter what I did 936 00:45:00,510 --> 00:45:03,900 Alex Karowski: at that point. I was simply looking down and just 937 00:45:03,900 --> 00:45:08,670 Alex Karowski: doing my job and that's that feeling of swing. And 938 00:45:08,670 --> 00:45:11,160 Alex Karowski: I think it happens in running, as well, not necessarily 939 00:45:11,160 --> 00:45:14,370 Alex Karowski: with other people, but with yourself. Sometimes, you're like, " This 940 00:45:14,370 --> 00:45:18,029 Alex Karowski: pace is incorrect, but I'm just going to just keep moving." 941 00:45:18,149 --> 00:45:21,239 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah, we call it sometimes the runner's high, right? That 942 00:45:21,239 --> 00:45:24,000 Rob Simmelkjaer: feeling that you can just keep going and going and 943 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:27,239 Rob Simmelkjaer: you feel great. Yeah, it's a great feeling. And so, that's good 944 00:45:27,239 --> 00:45:29,489 Rob Simmelkjaer: to know. There's something kind of similar to that in 945 00:45:29,489 --> 00:45:33,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: rowing. Do you think that rowing is a good cross- 946 00:45:33,150 --> 00:45:37,739 Rob Simmelkjaer: training for runners? Especially if right now, for instance, I'm 947 00:45:37,739 --> 00:45:40,560 Rob Simmelkjaer: dealing with an injury, so the impact is not my 948 00:45:40,560 --> 00:45:44,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: friend right now, but do you think that most runners, 949 00:45:44,670 --> 00:45:47,040 Rob Simmelkjaer: whether they're recovering from an injury or just want a 950 00:45:47,040 --> 00:45:49,890 Rob Simmelkjaer: cross train, would benefit from some time on a rowing machine? 951 00:45:51,210 --> 00:45:54,270 Alex Karowski: Obviously, I'm biased. I have to say yes. But even 952 00:45:54,270 --> 00:45:56,370 Alex Karowski: if I didn't work at Peloton and row on the 953 00:45:56,370 --> 00:46:01,529 Alex Karowski: machine, rowing as a low impact cardio exercise. And yes, 954 00:46:01,530 --> 00:46:04,350 Alex Karowski: there is this strength component. A lot of people, and 955 00:46:04,350 --> 00:46:06,480 Alex Karowski: I saw someone here in the front say rowing and 956 00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:09,239 Alex Karowski: it's like this, because it'd be weird to say rowing 957 00:46:09,570 --> 00:46:13,110 Alex Karowski: and use your legs and body. However, it is primarily 958 00:46:13,110 --> 00:46:17,700 Alex Karowski: a lower leg, lower body, and then coordinated upper body 959 00:46:17,700 --> 00:46:22,230 Alex Karowski: movement. And the crossover between using your legs at the 960 00:46:22,230 --> 00:46:24,660 Alex Karowski: same time, it's not left, right, left, right, it's pushing 961 00:46:24,660 --> 00:46:29,400 Alex Karowski: together. It does give you that more stability and stable 962 00:46:29,430 --> 00:46:33,390 Alex Karowski: lower half, which does, I think, give you that, I 963 00:46:33,390 --> 00:46:35,940 Alex Karowski: don't want to say confidence, but the spinal engine that 964 00:46:35,940 --> 00:46:39,630 Alex Karowski: you need to be able to stabilize and coordinate stride 965 00:46:39,630 --> 00:46:42,060 Alex Karowski: to stride, being able to produce that power quickly, that 966 00:46:42,060 --> 00:46:45,660 Alex Karowski: ground contact time, that is something that rowing, low impact 967 00:46:45,660 --> 00:46:47,969 Alex Karowski: but with high power, can give you. 968 00:46:49,169 --> 00:46:51,239 Becs Gentry: There we go. You had a hip first. Well, not 969 00:46:51,239 --> 00:46:54,780 Becs Gentry: if you take his glasses, but on the podcast. Okay. 970 00:46:54,780 --> 00:47:00,840 Becs Gentry: Let's talk about your life, you as a non- athlete 971 00:47:00,900 --> 00:47:05,310 Becs Gentry: person. As we know, he loves numbers. I will call 972 00:47:05,310 --> 00:47:10,110 Becs Gentry: him profess nerd. You are a highly intelligent human. You are 973 00:47:10,140 --> 00:47:11,730 Becs Gentry: one of the first people I go to, to learn a 974 00:47:11,730 --> 00:47:17,160 Becs Gentry: lot from. You love structure and it's why you and Wilbs 975 00:47:17,400 --> 00:47:23,879 Becs Gentry: get on so well. But now, you have your child 976 00:47:24,030 --> 00:47:27,660 Becs Gentry: in your life, you're in Ava's life, what is structure 977 00:47:27,660 --> 00:47:30,989 Becs Gentry: for you into going into this 2026, into this year 978 00:47:30,989 --> 00:47:36,120 Becs Gentry: of training? How is your structure shifting and adapting to 979 00:47:36,120 --> 00:47:39,150 Becs Gentry: the structure that you used to know for your training? 980 00:47:41,520 --> 00:47:42,930 Alex Karowski: I don't think my wife's going to listen to this 981 00:47:42,930 --> 00:47:45,180 Alex Karowski: podcast, so that's okay, or maybe I'll steer her away. 982 00:47:49,020 --> 00:47:52,830 Alex Karowski: There are a few non- negotiables for me when it 983 00:47:52,830 --> 00:47:56,460 Alex Karowski: comes to myself, and this is something I've talked about 984 00:47:57,390 --> 00:48:01,350 Alex Karowski: with coaches and teammates and family members and other people. 985 00:48:02,160 --> 00:48:06,180 Alex Karowski: Rowing was a very selfish endeavor and I know what 986 00:48:06,180 --> 00:48:08,640 Alex Karowski: you're thinking. " Wow, he seems like such an affable, wonderful 987 00:48:08,640 --> 00:48:09,239 Alex Karowski: guy, and just..." 988 00:48:09,930 --> 00:48:13,980 Rob Simmelkjaer: Selfless. That was the first word that came to mind. Absolutely. Yeah. How 989 00:48:13,980 --> 00:48:14,400 Rob Simmelkjaer: could that be? 990 00:48:15,420 --> 00:48:20,430 Alex Karowski: Running marathons, training for marathons to me is yet another 991 00:48:20,430 --> 00:48:24,270 Alex Karowski: selfish thing to do. Not that it's a bad selfish 992 00:48:24,270 --> 00:48:26,430 Alex Karowski: thing. And this is where, again, I think people conflate like, " 993 00:48:26,460 --> 00:48:29,850 Alex Karowski: Oh, they're a selfish person, so they must be terrible." 994 00:48:30,120 --> 00:48:32,370 Alex Karowski: I think the people that know what they want to 995 00:48:32,370 --> 00:48:36,150 Alex Karowski: be selfish about and are willing to say, " Nope, sorry, 996 00:48:36,210 --> 00:48:39,060 Alex Karowski: this is my time. I need it for me." Now, 997 00:48:39,060 --> 00:48:41,670 Alex Karowski: hopefully, that's not in the middle of the day when 998 00:48:41,670 --> 00:48:44,489 Alex Karowski: you have other responsibilities going on, which I'm learning is 999 00:48:44,489 --> 00:48:48,210 Alex Karowski: a coordinated effort between parents and setting the schedule. And 1000 00:48:48,750 --> 00:48:52,379 Alex Karowski: when you said you'd be home at 2:45 and it's now 2: 47, well, it's 1001 00:48:52,380 --> 00:48:57,840 Alex Karowski: not 2: 45. To me, that has helped structure a 1002 00:48:57,840 --> 00:49:01,410 Alex Karowski: lot of my training and it's been exactly nine weeks. 1003 00:49:01,500 --> 00:49:04,739 Alex Karowski: So, in the last nine weeks, aside from a slight 1004 00:49:04,739 --> 00:49:08,430 Alex Karowski: medical setback, which was not running related, I've been able 1005 00:49:08,430 --> 00:49:13,860 Alex Karowski: to adhere to the new training schedule and stay selfish 1006 00:49:14,070 --> 00:49:18,840 Alex Karowski: in the moments I need and hopefully be a little 1007 00:49:18,840 --> 00:49:22,890 Alex Karowski: more selfless with my time when I'm then not training 1008 00:49:22,890 --> 00:49:25,860 Alex Karowski: and doing that, being able to separate the two better. 1009 00:49:25,860 --> 00:49:27,390 Becs Gentry: Yeah. I like that. 1010 00:49:27,870 --> 00:49:31,530 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's something that we talk about a lot. Becs, you went 1011 00:49:31,530 --> 00:49:34,920 Rob Simmelkjaer: through that when you were doing your insane amount of 1012 00:49:34,920 --> 00:49:37,141 Rob Simmelkjaer: training for the great world race, right? 1013 00:49:37,141 --> 00:49:37,410 Becs Gentry: Mm-hmm. 1014 00:49:37,410 --> 00:49:41,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: You've got a partner, you've got a child or children 1015 00:49:41,250 --> 00:49:45,989 Rob Simmelkjaer: and figuring out how to do that " selfish thing" and 1016 00:49:45,989 --> 00:49:49,259 Rob Simmelkjaer: you're right. Your partner doesn't maybe feel like they're getting 1017 00:49:49,260 --> 00:49:52,350 Rob Simmelkjaer: a whole lot out of your running a marathon where 1018 00:49:52,350 --> 00:49:55,650 Rob Simmelkjaer: you're running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, 1019 00:49:55,800 --> 00:49:58,800 Rob Simmelkjaer: right? So, how do you find a way to make 1020 00:49:58,800 --> 00:50:02,549 Rob Simmelkjaer: that work for the partnership, divide and conquer? And it's 1021 00:50:02,550 --> 00:50:05,190 Rob Simmelkjaer: a challenge I think for a lot of people who 1022 00:50:05,190 --> 00:50:06,029 Rob Simmelkjaer: are doing this stuff. 1023 00:50:06,060 --> 00:50:08,190 Becs Gentry: Yeah. So, when you pray for their naps to go for 1024 00:50:08,190 --> 00:50:10,830 Becs Gentry: longer and longer, you'd be like, " Oh, three months, one 1025 00:50:10,830 --> 00:50:13,739 Becs Gentry: nap schedule? Great, let's do it. Let's sleep for five 1026 00:50:13,739 --> 00:50:14,400 Becs Gentry: hours. Dude, let's go." 1027 00:50:14,790 --> 00:50:15,420 Alex Karowski: Go to sleep. No. Yeah. 1028 00:50:18,420 --> 00:50:21,210 Becs Gentry: Talk a little bit more about your passions though, because 1029 00:50:21,210 --> 00:50:24,540 Becs Gentry: I think our listeners would like to know the fun 1030 00:50:24,540 --> 00:50:26,131 Becs Gentry: Alex, you're a fun guy. 1031 00:50:26,131 --> 00:50:26,132 Alex Karowski: The shorts. 1032 00:50:26,132 --> 00:50:26,402 Becs Gentry: The shorts. 1033 00:50:28,140 --> 00:50:28,859 Alex Karowski: The shorts. Yeah. 1034 00:50:28,920 --> 00:50:31,800 Becs Gentry: Not just the shorts. Talk about the other things you like to do 1035 00:50:32,670 --> 00:50:34,469 Becs Gentry: like Lego and- 1036 00:50:35,730 --> 00:50:36,149 Alex Karowski: This is a very- 1037 00:50:38,129 --> 00:50:38,130 Rob Simmelkjaer: You like Lego? 1038 00:50:38,129 --> 00:50:38,189 Alex Karowski: I love- 1039 00:50:38,190 --> 00:50:39,120 Rob Simmelkjaer: My kids love Lego. 1040 00:50:39,150 --> 00:50:46,230 Alex Karowski: Okay. I have a number of unboxed Lego sets in 1041 00:50:46,230 --> 00:50:50,400 Alex Karowski: my apartment. It's difficult to have the appropriate display space 1042 00:50:50,670 --> 00:50:54,960 Alex Karowski: in a New York City apartment to put Rivendell as it 1043 00:50:54,960 --> 00:50:57,300 Alex Karowski: should be displayed. That was a gift. 1044 00:50:57,300 --> 00:50:58,140 Rob Simmelkjaer: That's impressive. 1045 00:50:58,200 --> 00:50:59,370 Alex Karowski: Well, it's not built. 1046 00:50:59,489 --> 00:51:00,481 Rob Simmelkjaer: Oh, okay. 1047 00:51:00,481 --> 00:51:02,700 Alex Karowski: And this gets to my point of a selfish thing. 1048 00:51:02,910 --> 00:51:05,820 Alex Karowski: See, now, I know the amount of joy that I 1049 00:51:05,820 --> 00:51:09,180 Alex Karowski: will derive from building that Lego set. But if I 1050 00:51:09,180 --> 00:51:13,620 Alex Karowski: wait, there's joy waiting in there for hopefully me and 1051 00:51:13,680 --> 00:51:16,110 Alex Karowski: my son, or maybe he won't be interested, me and 1052 00:51:16,110 --> 00:51:21,030 Alex Karowski: a friend to build that. That's how I justify having 1053 00:51:21,030 --> 00:51:24,420 Alex Karowski: so many unbuilt Lego sets in my apartment. But yes, 1054 00:51:24,450 --> 00:51:33,150 Alex Karowski: I love Lego. I enjoy good history books. I just 1055 00:51:33,150 --> 00:51:37,650 Alex Karowski: watched also the Turn Every Page with Robert Caro and 1056 00:51:37,650 --> 00:51:40,050 Alex Karowski: his editor. I'm blanking on his name. And I realized 1057 00:51:40,050 --> 00:51:43,500 Alex Karowski: that I have yet to finish the first volume of 1058 00:51:43,710 --> 00:51:46,500 Alex Karowski: the LBJ, The Path to Power, and it was supposed 1059 00:51:46,500 --> 00:51:48,330 Alex Karowski: to be a three volume series. And now, of course, 1060 00:51:48,330 --> 00:51:50,730 Alex Karowski: it's a five volume, which hopefully, knock on wood, Robert 1061 00:51:50,730 --> 00:51:54,330 Alex Karowski: Caro will finish the fifth volume before anything happens to 1062 00:51:54,330 --> 00:51:58,500 Alex Karowski: that New York City legend of a man. Some of 1063 00:51:58,500 --> 00:52:04,200 Alex Karowski: my best training runs are while listening to podcasts, audiobooks, 1064 00:52:04,200 --> 00:52:08,310 Alex Karowski: things like that. And it's one of those, not that 1065 00:52:08,310 --> 00:52:10,920 Alex Karowski: you really need to focus on the run, but when 1066 00:52:10,920 --> 00:52:14,310 Alex Karowski: you're really focused on something else, but you are running, 1067 00:52:15,450 --> 00:52:21,060 Alex Karowski: it's easier to disassociate from the displeasure and pain, which 1068 00:52:21,060 --> 00:52:22,890 Alex Karowski: I know you asked about hobbies. So, I guess the 1069 00:52:22,920 --> 00:52:26,100 Alex Karowski: displeasure and pain is not hand in hand with the 1070 00:52:26,100 --> 00:52:29,000 Alex Karowski: Lego building, but there's something there about putting in the time. 1071 00:52:29,280 --> 00:52:29,430 Becs Gentry: You (inaudible) them so we don't know. 1072 00:52:30,420 --> 00:52:33,271 Alex Karowski: But putting in the time to achieve something is fun. 1073 00:52:33,270 --> 00:52:33,780 Becs Gentry: Yeah. Yeah. 1074 00:52:33,780 --> 00:52:36,630 Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. So, we're doing this thing where we ask 1075 00:52:36,630 --> 00:52:40,950 Rob Simmelkjaer: all of our guests something about the 2026 TCS New York 1076 00:52:40,950 --> 00:52:43,290 Rob Simmelkjaer: City Marathon. So first question for you is, what's your 1077 00:52:43,290 --> 00:52:46,680 Rob Simmelkjaer: first memory of the New York City Marathon? First time 1078 00:52:46,680 --> 00:52:49,950 Rob Simmelkjaer: you saw it, thought about running it, what do you remember? 1079 00:52:53,430 --> 00:52:57,120 Alex Karowski: First true memory of any New York City Marathon was 1080 00:52:57,120 --> 00:53:01,500 Alex Karowski: 2022. I had moved here, came from the Tokyo Olympics, 1081 00:53:02,430 --> 00:53:06,030 Alex Karowski: got to New York five days before school started, I 1082 00:53:06,030 --> 00:53:09,779 Alex Karowski: was going back to graduate school and that year was 1083 00:53:09,780 --> 00:53:14,070 Alex Karowski: just kind of a weird transition. So, I don't remember 1084 00:53:14,070 --> 00:53:16,320 Alex Karowski: much. And we weren't here for the marathon that year. 1085 00:53:16,350 --> 00:53:19,319 Alex Karowski: 2022, I was working at Peloton at this point, fortunate 1086 00:53:19,320 --> 00:53:22,110 Alex Karowski: enough to be there. There was a Peloton cheer zone. 1087 00:53:22,530 --> 00:53:25,410 Alex Karowski: I wasn't running it. I hadn't really been running really 1088 00:53:25,410 --> 00:53:27,989 Alex Karowski: at all. I was still rowing very much. My first 1089 00:53:27,989 --> 00:53:31,770 Alex Karowski: memory of the New York City Marathon was watching the 1090 00:53:31,860 --> 00:53:37,980 Alex Karowski: elite women run by and being mesmerized by just the 1091 00:53:37,980 --> 00:53:44,130 Alex Karowski: rhythm, the formation they had, and I forgot to clap. 1092 00:53:44,310 --> 00:53:47,160 Alex Karowski: I was just watching them. And luckily, I was in 1093 00:53:47,160 --> 00:53:49,290 Alex Karowski: the Peloton cheer zone, so I didn't look like this 1094 00:53:49,290 --> 00:53:52,259 Alex Karowski: doofus on the side of Fifth Avenue where we were 1095 00:53:52,260 --> 00:53:55,739 Alex Karowski: at the time. And I was just in awe of these people. 1096 00:53:55,739 --> 00:53:58,590 Alex Karowski: And then I looked around and everyone was smiling and 1097 00:53:58,590 --> 00:54:02,700 Alex Karowski: cheering. And that sense of, I now tell people Sunday, 1098 00:54:02,760 --> 00:54:05,670 Alex Karowski: New York City Marathon Day, the subways are always on 1099 00:54:05,670 --> 00:54:12,360 Alex Karowski: time. Everything smells incredible. People are smiling for... Everything is 1100 00:54:12,360 --> 00:54:14,370 Alex Karowski: better in New York, even though you know it's not, 1101 00:54:14,370 --> 00:54:17,580 Alex Karowski: but it is. And it all goes back to that first time seeing 1102 00:54:17,580 --> 00:54:19,890 Alex Karowski: those people, seeing those elite women run by and me 1103 00:54:19,890 --> 00:54:22,739 Alex Karowski: just being blown away by people are doing this. And 1104 00:54:22,739 --> 00:54:25,980 Alex Karowski: not only that, everyone that's on the side is rooting 1105 00:54:25,980 --> 00:54:28,799 Alex Karowski: for them to do well. No one's going, "Oh, I hope 1106 00:54:28,800 --> 00:54:32,280 Alex Karowski: they trip." It's like, " What?" Everyone, whether you're running the 1107 00:54:32,280 --> 00:54:35,100 Alex Karowski: marathon in two hours and eight minutes or five hours and 1108 00:54:35,280 --> 00:54:39,330 Alex Karowski: 38 minutes, yes, it is just a wonderful, wonderful day. 1109 00:54:39,719 --> 00:54:40,921 Becs Gentry: Yeah. I agree. 1110 00:54:40,921 --> 00:54:44,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. You mentioned the Queens Borough Bridge. So, Queens, your 1111 00:54:44,580 --> 00:54:46,590 Rob Simmelkjaer: favorite borough or is there another one you want to 1112 00:54:46,950 --> 00:54:47,760 Rob Simmelkjaer: give some love to? 1113 00:54:48,360 --> 00:54:52,620 Alex Karowski: I feel like Staten Island gets such a bum deal 1114 00:54:52,620 --> 00:54:57,360 Alex Karowski: in the five Borough Marathon because it is obviously the 1115 00:54:57,360 --> 00:55:00,091 Alex Karowski: borough where people spend potentially the most time if you're there and all that. 1116 00:55:00,091 --> 00:55:00,210 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yes. 1117 00:55:01,080 --> 00:55:03,660 Alex Karowski: And yet from a running standpoint, the least amount of 1118 00:55:03,660 --> 00:55:07,500 Alex Karowski: the marathon, the fewest number of meters are spent in 1119 00:55:07,500 --> 00:55:11,790 Alex Karowski: Staten Island. So, I do have a very fond memory 1120 00:55:11,790 --> 00:55:14,580 Alex Karowski: now having done it exactly twice, standing at the start 1121 00:55:14,580 --> 00:55:18,690 Alex Karowski: line, looking at the bridge with few people in front 1122 00:55:18,810 --> 00:55:22,680 Alex Karowski: and just going, " This is wild. We're going to run 1123 00:55:22,680 --> 00:55:25,710 Alex Karowski: across this bridge here and get going. And this is 1124 00:55:25,710 --> 00:55:28,259 Alex Karowski: just what a treat, what a gift." 1125 00:55:29,009 --> 00:55:34,020 Becs Gentry: That's a great acknowledgement of the under- loved borough. 1126 00:55:34,260 --> 00:55:36,870 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yes. We appreciate some love for Staten Island. 1127 00:55:36,870 --> 00:55:36,960 Becs Gentry: Yes. 1128 00:55:36,960 --> 00:55:37,230 Rob Simmelkjaer: Hey. 1129 00:55:37,290 --> 00:55:37,981 Alex Karowski: Staten Island, Queens. 1130 00:55:37,981 --> 00:55:39,481 Rob Simmelkjaer: It wouldn't be a five borough marathon without Staten Island. 1131 00:55:39,480 --> 00:55:39,810 Becs Gentry: Exactly. 1132 00:55:39,810 --> 00:55:42,541 Rob Simmelkjaer: So, we thank them. We thank you, Alex Karowski. 1133 00:55:42,541 --> 00:55:42,542 Becs Gentry: Yes. 1134 00:55:42,542 --> 00:55:43,681 Rob Simmelkjaer: Thanks for coming on. Good to see you. 1135 00:55:43,680 --> 00:55:44,010 Alex Karowski: Thank you very much. Thank you for having me. 1136 00:55:44,219 --> 00:55:47,520 Becs Gentry: You better be running at 2- 36 this year, Mr. 1137 00:55:49,650 --> 00:55:50,461 Rob Simmelkjaer: The challenge is thrown. 1138 00:55:50,461 --> 00:55:52,740 Alex Karowski: There's no rock. It's all friendship. Yeah. No. 1139 00:55:52,739 --> 00:55:53,069 Rob Simmelkjaer: Thank you, Alex. 1140 00:55:53,370 --> 00:55:53,850 Alex Karowski: Thank you. 1141 00:55:54,450 --> 00:55:56,070 Rob Simmelkjaer: Good luck with that baby, as well. 1142 00:55:56,070 --> 00:55:56,370 Alex Karowski: Appreciate it. 1143 00:55:56,370 --> 00:55:58,861 Rob Simmelkjaer: Keep going. All right. Well, Becs, we did it. 1144 00:55:58,861 --> 00:55:59,011 Becs Gentry: We did it. 1145 00:55:59,640 --> 00:56:00,690 Rob Simmelkjaer: 150 episodes. 1146 00:56:00,690 --> 00:56:02,219 Becs Gentry: Holy moly. How did that happen? 1147 00:56:02,759 --> 00:56:03,150 Rob Simmelkjaer: Yeah. 1148 00:56:03,150 --> 00:56:10,170 Becs Gentry: Yes. All our listeners. All thanks to you guys because without you, we wouldn't 1149 00:56:10,170 --> 00:56:10,980 Becs Gentry: be able to do this. 1150 00:56:10,980 --> 00:56:11,339 Rob Simmelkjaer: A hundred percent. 1151 00:56:11,340 --> 00:56:12,569 Becs Gentry: Thank you for listening to us. 1152 00:56:13,140 --> 00:56:15,779 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's so much fun. We love having you all here. 1153 00:56:15,780 --> 00:56:19,320 Rob Simmelkjaer: It's so gratifying to me when we first started talking 1154 00:56:19,320 --> 00:56:21,840 Rob Simmelkjaer: about this at New York Road Runners and I said 1155 00:56:21,840 --> 00:56:26,160 Rob Simmelkjaer: to our team, " Let's have a podcast." And here we 1156 00:56:26,160 --> 00:56:29,520 Rob Simmelkjaer: are, 150 of them later and people showing up to 1157 00:56:29,520 --> 00:56:32,820 Rob Simmelkjaer: live events like this to check it out. So, it's 1158 00:56:32,820 --> 00:56:34,739 Rob Simmelkjaer: very gratifying to me and hoping to see you guys, 1159 00:56:34,739 --> 00:56:37,170 Rob Simmelkjaer: as well. Becs, couldn't do it without you, so thank you. 1160 00:56:37,410 --> 00:56:39,450 Becs Gentry: Thank you for having me as your co- host. 1161 00:56:39,989 --> 00:56:44,460 Rob Simmelkjaer: All right. Thanks you all for coming. Thanks for listening 1162 00:56:44,460 --> 00:56:47,580 Rob Simmelkjaer: out there. Remember, rate it, subscribe, do all the things, 1163 00:56:47,580 --> 00:56:50,250 Rob Simmelkjaer: and we'll see you next week. Enjoy the miles.